Due to the delicious meals distracting me, I had no idea that the entirety of the cafeteria was watching on as I consumed pound-after-pound and gallon-after-gallon of all that was put before me. Some were awed; most were disgusted; but only Yuri watched on with adoration.
"We'll need another dozen dishes, please!" Yuri ordered.
I finally awoke from my craze. Pausing just as I was about to throat a turkey leg.
"Ar-Aren't you going to eat?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm not very hungry. You carry on, I don't mind waiting." She replied.
".......... Does my appetite gross you out?"
She laughed at the question.
"Not at all," she said. "I just don't have much of an appetite myself. It doesn't matter, though. More for you."
How could I accuse the woman behind that beautiful smile to be a liar? I had no choice but to trust her words and continue on.
"Although, with an appetite like yours, I wonder how you managed to survive so long in the forests for so long," she stated. "You don't seem like a hunter?"
"I like to fish sometimes! But, I guess you're right! I've never really hunted anything," I answered. "Scavenging off dead adventurers and subhumans was my secondary source of income. Stealing from Syruptown being the primary."
"So it's really been just you? All on your own in those woods?" She asked.
I nodded.
"I used to live in the Theocracy with my Mom but circumstances forced me to leave," I explained. "I've been all alone in those woods since I was seven."
"You never tried to interact with the humans?"
"They... they didn't like me. Subhumans are one thing but the offspring of their relationship with a human is an utter abomination. Either I kept my distance or they'd flay me."
Yuri frowned at the story. Myself, however, carried on happily stuffing my face. How could I feel sad when I was eating what felt like heaven itself in my mouth?
"I don't really care, though!" I declared, pulling her from her sad stupor. "If I had bonded with those human losers, we would never have never met and became friends!"
I almost choked on the apple pie I was eating when I realized what I had said. Yuri too was taken aback by more words, staring at me with a blank expression and saucer eyes.
"I'm sor-sorry," I stuttered. "I shouldn't be so forward in assuming—!"
"I'm glad you feel that way! I feel the same," she interjected. "I'm so glad to have a friend like you."
Her hand fell atop of mine. Her delicate fingers locked with mine, she massaged my palm lovingly with her gentle thumb.
"U-Uh, sorry, it's just... how am I supposed to address you? Do you have a preferred title?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, for your own benefit, it's best you refer to me as Lady when in front of my sisters and the Floor Guardians," she stated. "But... I hope you would call me just by name when we're on our own."
"Sure, sure!" I agreed. "I'll address you however you want as long as we can be friends!"
Her cheeks flushed a strawberry red at my comment.
I released her hand from mine and continued on with the feasting. Her smile did not waver from the sudden separation. Unbeknownst to me, that single comment had determined my fate then and there.
Act IV: A Touch Of Love
Start from the beginning
