OVERLORD- CH-94. Talking while eating!

Her long golden hair was braided into a bun at the back, with two long strands hanging down on either side, adding a touch of sacredness to her already beautiful face. Her bright yellow-green eyes shone with a sharp light, like dazzling diamonds, completely capturing Aya's attention.

"Um, is that weird?" Perhaps feeling uneasy under the other person's gaze, she turned her face slightly.

"It's so beautiful." Aya said, expressing genuine admiration. Though Altria didn't think much of it, she still felt a flicker of happiness at the praise.

Gur~

The sound of her stomach growling broke the moment, making the scene awkward for a brief moment.

"Come, come, eat." Aya said, quickly serving food to Altria.

Because the culinary style of the other world was relatively monotonous, the unique recipes developed by "Konaka Pavilion" were only available to a select group of top customers. Naturally, scarcity made these dishes highly sought after, and their prices reflected that.

As an adamantium-class adventurer, Altria was also on the list of top guests.

Light pork rib soup, tangy tomato dishes, savory stir-fried meat... These were the same ingredients she was familiar with, but in the other world, they were typically roasted or stewed into thick soups. This was likely the first time Altria had encountered such a variety of flavors, and she felt overwhelmed.

"Um, Mr. Levi, you don't have to do this..." Altria began, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Don't be polite, Miss Pendragon." Aya said warmly, serving rice and adding dishes to Altria's plate. She looked almost like a mother worried her child wasn't eating enough.

The name Altria had given Aya was the one she had registered with the Adventurer's Guild—Altria Pendragon. Occasionally, she used another name as well.

"By the way, can I call you by your name? Altria?" Aya asked.

From the moment she first saw her, Aya felt an inexplicable attraction to Altria Pendragon.

It was a bit like meeting an old friend in a foreign land, or perhaps something else entirely. Whatever it was, Aya hoped to grow closer to her.

It was this feeling that had prompted her to approach Altria and even invite her to dinner.

"You eat quite a lot, Altria." Aya said, resting her chin on her hands and looking at her with a smile.

"I think... it's okay. I'm not that big of an eater." Altria replied, though her excuse seemed weak compared to the three empty bread baskets beside her.

Each basket had contained three large loaves of bread. Normally, a strong man in his twenties or thirties could only finish one basket at most. Yet Altria had easily polished off at least three baskets and still didn't seem fully satisfied.

"It's just because the food is delicious, that's all." She added, still trying to defend herself, though it was clear she didn't have an accurate grasp of her own appetite.

"It's fine, just eat." Aya said with a laugh.

It was normal for adventurers to eat more than the average person, though Altria's appetite was unusually large. In fact, if it came down to sheer quantity, Aya could consume more food than Altria in one sitting. After all, as the Mother Goddess of Life, her energy demands and conversion efficiency were extraordinarily high.

However, that wasn't the case here, so it seemed Altria simply had a stronger desire to eat, while Aya cared more about the taste and quality of the food.

In short, Altria was more gluttonous—that was the truth.

"I'm full." Altria said finally, after finishing four baskets of bread and nearly half the food on the table. It was hard to tell whether she was truly satisfied or simply too embarrassed to ask for more.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Aya said. She had eaten about two baskets herself—six loaves of bread—which was far more than the average person could manage, though it still paled in comparison to Altria's feast.

"Thank you for the meal." Altria said, reaching for her purse.

"I'll treat you this time." Aya offered, but Altria refused firmly.

As if she were deeply resistant to owing others anything, Altria insisted on paying at least 70% of the bill. After all, judging by her appetite, more than 70% of the food had ended up in her stomach.

In the end, at Aya's insistence, the two split the bill evenly—though in reality, Aya didn't pay anything, as the inn was hers.

"Isn't it a bit expensive?" Altria asked.

"The price isn't low, but I think it's worth it." Aya replied. Altria seemed very satisfied with the meal, which was the most important thing.

"Let me ask you a few questions." Aya said after they had finished eating, "As a fellow adamantium-class adventurer."

"Were you recruited from somewhere else?" The adamantium-class adventurer 'Golden Festival' had been specially recruited from a foreign country by Queen Drodilon of the Dragon Kingdom. This was common knowledge.

"Yes, I'm registered in the Kingdom of Re-Yestije." Altria replied.

She had said she was registered there, but not that she was from the Kingdom of Yestije. Aya noted this detail.

"So, why did you come to the Maple Moon Territory?" Aya asked.

The person who had recruited her was Queen Drodilon, so her activities should have been concentrated in the royal capital. There must have been a reason for her sudden appearance in this remote territory, far from the capital.

"It's because of a mission." Altria answered.

"I see." Aya said.

She didn't ask what the mission was—that would have been too intrusive. Many high-level adventurers' missions were confidential, and even if they weren't, it was considered rude to pry without permission.

Still, Aya was curious about why Altria had come here. She observed the other woman silently, making various assumptions in her mind.

She even tried to use reconnaissance magic to learn more about Altria, but surprisingly, she couldn't detect anything. It was as if some magical item was blocking her efforts.

While Aya was observing her, Altria was also studying the person across from her.

At their first meeting, she had felt a sudden, overwhelming pressure and unease, but it had only lasted for a moment. Now, she was deeply confused.

It must have been an illusion.

Now that she was so close to Aya, she couldn't sense any of that unease or the powerful deterrent force she had felt when facing the vampire.

There shouldn't be any problem.

As Altria thought this, Aya's kindness did touch a part of her heart that had long been buried.

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Thank you all for supporting me.