Chapter 27 : Flame Abyss Style Grilled Steak
"Wuu... was I just sleeping?"
Lonis drowsily opened her eyes and found herself lying on the stone floor.
Although the ground wasn't cold due to the fireball's heat, the unexpected sleep still made Lonis feel somewhat ashamed... she was supposed to be taking care of a patient. What if something had happened to Elucia?
But when she turned around, Lonis felt relieved.
Because Elucia had also fallen asleep... her steady breathing and peaceful sleeping expression showed that this black-haired girl's condition was now stable and she had passed through the dangerous period.
All the wounds on her body had healed completely, smooth as before, showing no signs of having suffered such serious injuries.
"What should I do now... explore the surroundings? Or find something to do..."
Although Lonis was full of curiosity about this unknown temple, she didn't plan to go far from Elucia... it would be terrible if General Kuru wasn't completely dead and caught up with them.
So Lonis just picked up the Storage Ring and began rummaging through its contents.
"Right, I'm so hungry now. Let's cook something to eat?"
Looking at the 72 pieces of beef in the ring, the silver-haired girl was practically drooling~
She hadn't forgotten how delicious that steak was when grilled by rock fire and mixed with fine snow's freshness... biting into it, the outside was crispy while the inside was tender and juicy.
But when Lonis took out the beef, she realized a crucial problem.
No way to cook!
She didn't know how to use the phone (Handheld Personal Terminal Magic Device), and the temple was underground where she couldn't even find weeds or branches.
So the only thing she could use was...
"Right, this fireball looks so big, can it be used for cooking? (^▽^)"
"Mm, let's cut up the beef and put it on top to try~ This way when Elucia wakes up, she can eat right away too."
......
......
While doing this, Lonis felt she was truly a genius!
The surface of the flame orb radiated heat, perfect for grilling steak—although the fireball was high, suspended in mid-air, she could just use her short sword to skewer the meat slices.
From a distance, it even looked somewhat like Turkish kebab.
Before long, the entire temple was filled with a fragrant aroma.
......
"Let me taste how it is... mmm, it's even better than what Elucia makes! ><"
Now Lonis was confident she could give this black-haired loli a big surprise.
Hmph, let you look down on me, let you bully me all the time.
But at the crucial moment, wasn't I the one who saved you? That little cherry mouth that's always bullying people will have to obediently eat the food I made~
A sense of satisfaction welled up in Lonis's heart.
And as if smelling the grilled meat aroma filling the air, Elucia slowly woke up.
"Wuu... did Lonis fall into the lava and get roasted? Why is it... so fragrant..."
"How could I get roasted? The one who got roasted was General Kuru!"
"Uh... oh?"
Only then did Elucia truly wake up.
Seeing the silver-haired girl standing by the fireball, standing on her tiptoes to grill meat, she was greatly surprised: "Lonis, what are you doing?"
"Grill... grilling meat?"
"You... how can you use the sacred Flame Abyss to grill... forget it, since you've been acknowledged by the Flame Abyss anyway."
Elucia sighed deeply, looking at Lonis with eyes full of dissatisfaction, envy, concern, surprise, and anger.
"Acknow... acknowledged? What does that mean?"
"It means you can now rightfully obtain the power of the Flame Abyss, just like I did in the past."
Elucia moved her slightly stiff joints and grasped the gothic dress beside her.
"Hah?"
"Don't you understand yet? It wasn't that the temple was old and run-down, but when you were ramming the door, blood splattered onto the gate... the Flame Abyss recognized your will and opened for you."
"Eh?!!!!!!"
"Sigh, I really don't know what the Crimson Maiden Goddess is thinking..."
While speaking, Elucia began putting on her clothes: "It's understandable that I was rejected for obtaining dark power. But you, isn't your soul that of a boy? How can you be chosen?"
"What's wrong with a boy being chosen? What's strange about that! I'm a hero, isn't it natural for me to be chosen by strange powers~"
"You're foolishly cute indeed. If you knew what the Flame Abyss's past was about, you probably wouldn't think that way..."
Elucia had completely dressed in her loli dress, and now she looked just like when she was healthy, without a trace of injury visible on her body.
"The past? What does that mean?"
"Poor lamb, still not understanding what fate awaits you? Heh, heh heh... but it makes no difference. The river of fate may seem to diverge and interweave, but it will eventually flow into the sea of time."
"Don't talk like a riddle person, Elucia, what does it mean!"
"What does it mean? Why should I explain to you? Besides, I suddenly realized... since coming to the temple, you masochistic maid seem to have become quite disrespectful to me?"
"Eh?"
"You've even started omitting honorifics? Let me think, what should I do next? Hmm... since this is the Flame Abyss Temple, playing a little 'wax dripping' game seems quite nice? Lonis, you must want to be bullied by me too, right?"
"Master Elucia!!!!"
"Very good, very good~ My little maid is still very obedient!"
"Wuu..."
"Now sit in duck position in front of me and let me pat your head~"
"Wuu wuu!"
Although very embarrassed, Lonis could only follow Elucia's command and sit on the ground in this humiliating position.
Being patted on the head by a little loli despite being a big (little) man (beautiful girl) was truly a strange kind of humiliation.
(That damn Elucia, I clearly saved you. But I'm still being bullied, you ungrateful wretch.)
Although Lonis was secretly "resentful" in her heart, she didn't dare actually show it. She could only use a gentle tone to humbly plead:
"Elucia, you said earlier that I was acknowledged by the Flame Abyss... does this mean I can gain new power?"
"Mm, of course you can."
"Really?"
Hearing this, Lonis's eyes lit up.
Actually, compared to becoming a girl, what bothered her most was being so weak and powerless... she couldn't even cut through cowhide and would be out of breath after running just a few steps, completely useless like a vase~
If she had special power, maybe she could dominate the world, defeat Elucia, and find a way to turn back into a boy!
That's what Lonis thought, but immediately, Elucia poured cold water on her:
"Lonis, if you think you can escape my control after gaining power, that's too naive?"
"Eh?"
"Just now, you didn't run away while I was unconscious, so you'll never be able to escape?"
Click, Elucia stood on her tiptoes and fastened a metal chain to the collar around Lonis's neck.
"Elu... Elucia, what are you doing?!"
"Good, I'll take you to obtain the Flame Abyss's 'power' right now. You can try to see if you can escape... heh heh~"