CLEAVER OF SIN - Chapter 374

Chapter 374: Secret Foodie
Time blurred as the sun began to dip below the horizon, its golden glow vanishing gradually from the world. Soon after, the moon appeared, its silver rays bathing the land in a serene, ethereal radiance as darkness slowly encroached upon everything in sight, swallowing the warmth of daylight.

At this moment, Norman, Asher, and the rest of the team were still on their way. The Enduron horses had been moving continuously, without stopping even once for any reason. Every attack or roadblock along the way was swiftly handled by Samuel, Daniel, and Clara, whose vigilance never broke. Norman, Asher, William, and Finch had not made a single move throughout the entire day; they had only remained seated on their horses, riding without rest or pause, letting the repetitive rhythm lull their bodies into stiffness.

“Let us camp around here,” Norman’s voice echoed quietly through the night. Everyone nodded without speaking. Aiden tugged gently on his reins, and the Enduron horses came to a halt, the carriage behind him stopping shortly after.

They guided their horses between the trees, searching until they found a reasonably cleared area. One by one, they dismounted, their feet kissing the earth in deft, quiet motions. Since it was night, the likelihood of being attacked was significantly higher. Throughout their journey so far, they had only encountered beasts and monsters, nothing more threatening. No Emovirae, no bandits, no mercenary groups lurking in the shadows. Merely creatures following instinct, easily dispatched.

William, Asher, and Finch stretched the moment they stepped off their horses. They had been sitting for over fifteen grueling hours, their muscles stiff, heavy, and irritated. The simple act of stretching seemed almost sacred, as though returning life to a body that had been trapped in stone. Thanks to their superhuman physiques, their soreness faded quickly, their stamina and flexibility returning to normal after only a brief moment.

“Do you have any camping tents or equipment?” Norman asked as he turned toward Asher, William, and Finch. All three shook their heads. They had forgotten entirely. From the mission details, they knew they were supposed to purchase camping necessities before leaving, but in the midst of preparation, excitement, and haste, the matter had slipped all their minds.

Norman nodded in understanding. “No need to worry. I have a spare tent. My guys will shar—”

Before he could finish, Asher cut him off.

“William, Finch, and I will share one tent,” Asher stated calmly. He already knew what Norman was trying to say. Norman had intended to give each of them, nobles, separate tents, while his own team would share the remaining space. A traditional hierarchy-based courtesy.

If it had been other nobles, they would not have stopped him. In fact, they would have accepted such treatment without hesitation, as if it were natural. Norman was a commoner without influential power; few nobles would refuse the comfort he tried to provide. But Asher wasn’t like them. He wasn’t merely another noble basking in entitlement.

Norman remained silent for a moment before replying respectfully, “As you wish, Tenth Sun.” He bowed gently and walked toward Aiden, Daniel, Samuel, and Clara, joining them as they began setting up tents and other structures needed for the night.

‘It seems there are more things I need to store in my system inventory,’ Asher thought with an internal sigh.

Within minutes, the tent was set up. Clara approached with a soft, respectful voice. “Tenth Sun, Young Lord Canestane, Young Lord Whale, the tents are ready, and the makeshift bathrooms are prepared as well. Please let me know if you require anything else.”

She led Asher, William, and Finch toward their tent. The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by three separate beds laid neatly on mats, a single chair, a small table, and a gentle orb of light illuminating the enclosed space.

Finch and William collapsed onto separate beds almost instantly, their exhausted bodies grateful to be off horseback. Asher, however, simply walked toward the chair and sat with calm ease, as though he were perfectly comfortable no matter the circumstance.

“Haven’t you been sitting for hours today? You should be lying down,” William muttered, shifting his black eyes toward Asher.

“Want me to join you in your bed?” Asher teased lightly.

William blinked, dumbfounded, but chose not to engage.

“Sigh… this mission is so tiring and boring,” Finch groaned as he rolled on his bed, letting out another long, heavy exhale.

“Well… what did you expect? None of us have made a single move throughout the mission,” William replied with a sigh. “I can tell Norman is trying to keep us as safe as possible.”

With a simple thought, Asher manipulated the Astra energy in the air, forming a barrier that prevented sound from leaving the tent. However, external sounds could still enter in case of emergencies.

Even though they were resting, none of them removed their gear. Their weapons were still within arm’s reach, their breastplates, vambraces, and greaves fastened securely. They were deep within the forest, and the night was thick. An attack could occur at any time, and likely would.

As the three conversed, two gentle claps sounded from outside the tent, grabbing their attention.

“Forgive the disturbance. It’s Aiden,” he said respectfully. “I wanted to ask if my lords require water or food.”

Before William or Finch could respond, Asher answered, “We are fine.”

Aiden withdrew quietly.

William and Finch turned to Asher almost immediately.

“What are we supposed to eat and drink? None of us have food,” William said, frowning.

Asher did not respond verbally. Instead, he waved his hand. In an instant, a variety of dishes materialized on the table, each one steaming and fragrant, freshly prepared by Lyra herself. After returning to Wargrave Estate with William and Finch following their first mission, Lyra had given him another large assortment of food to sneak into Star Academy. At this point, Asher possessed more food than he could finish in an entire year.

“Damn… are you a secret foodie or something?” Finch blinked, staring wide-eyed at the array of cuisine.

“How many points did you even spend on these? These are top-tier dishes. Don’t tell me you used your entire ten thousand points?” William asked, astonished.

Asher shook his head, unwilling to explain or correct their misconceptions. “You’d better eat before I change my mind and charge you points for the food.”

Without hesitation, Finch and William dug in. It wasn’t their business how Asher chose to spend his points. If he was generous enough to share such delicacies, there was no reason to hold back.

After several minutes of indulgence, Finch let out a satisfied belch and patted his stomach. “That hit the right spot,” he said before dropping onto his bed.

“I hope you have enough to last us six days,” William added, directing his words toward Asher. But Asher didn’t reply. He simply waved his hand, using Astra energy to clean the plates and cutlery before storing everything neatly in his system inventory.

He had gotten the idea from Instructor Elowen, if she could clean him of soot, ash, and dirt through Astra manipulation, then surely he could apply the same technique to plates and utensils.