CHAPTER 738: RURI

"It’s delicious! The meat is tender, the vegetables are fresh, and the beans are so soft! How can food this good even exist?"

Inside the cave, the girl savored every bite with pure joy. Never in her life had she tasted anything so delicious. She hadn’t even thought meat could be cooked with such rich, deep flavor.

*Cough!*

Suddenly, she choked on a bean and quickly grabbed a nearby container, gulping down the warm milk inside.

"Phew..." She wiped the light sweat from her forehead, but a wide smile still lit up her face. "This is amazing... I’m hooked! If I’d eaten like this back then, maybe I would’ve grown taller, right?"

Back where she came from, food was terribly bland. It was always just vegetables and beans. And while she liked vegetables, the lack of flavor—and having to eat the same thing every day—had long since killed her appetite.

As a result, her growth had been stunted. Even now, she still resembled a thirteen-year-old girl.

But after tasting this meal served on a simple leaf, her appetite sparked back to life. It was unique, flavorful, and genuinely mouthwatering.

Unaware of the figure silently watching her from behind the cave entrance, she continued eating until not a single crumb remained.

"I’m so full," she mumbled, gently rubbing her now slightly rounded belly.

She hadn’t felt this full in a long time—and she had missed the feeling.

"Oh no! What did I just do?!" Her eyes widened as she shot to her feet, panic rising in her chest.

She gulped when she realized the food was completely gone, leaving behind only the large leaf that had served as her plate.

"I... I ate my savior’s food! What if they find out? Will they beat me up?"

She still didn’t know what her savior looked like, but deep down, she believed they must be a kind person.

The problem was... what she had just done was awful—shameless, even. She wasn’t sure how they would react. Would they be furious... or maybe forgiving?

But the chance of forgiveness felt very slim. After all, she had devoured someone else’s meal without permission.

Just as panic began to take over, she heard footsteps approaching from the cave entrance.

Her heart pounded, and cold sweat gathered on her forehead and back.

"What do I do? Should I pretend to be unconscious so they’ll think a wild animal ate it... or should I just tell the truth?"

She hesitated, torn between both options. Then, gritting her teeth, she made her decision.

"I have to take responsibility!"

As a spirit, she had been taught to own up to her actions. Running away would only make her a coward.

With a solemn face, she sat back down, legs folded neatly on the ground. She bowed her head low, ready to face the consequences.

Not long after, footsteps echoed closer. Leon appeared at the cave entrance, and his eyes widened at the sight before him.

"What happened here? Why is all the food... gone?" he asked, feigning surprise.

The girl flinched at the sound of his voice.

"Was that... a man’s voice?" She murmured softly, slowly lifting her head.

In an instant, her expression froze. A deep blush spread from one ear to the other.

At first, she had imagined her savior as an old man—or at least someone middle-aged. What she didn’t expect was a young man... and an incredibly handsome one at that!

But soon, she noticed something important: the man didn’t appear to be of her kind.

His face, his posture, and the clothes he wore—everything about him felt unfamiliar. While she wasn’t completely certain, a suspicion slowly took shape in her mind.

"Could he be... human? But if that’s true, what is a human doing in a place like this?"

While she was still lost in her thoughts, Leon crossed his arms and shot her a deliberately annoyed look.

"Hey, girl. Did you eat my food? If so, why? Don’t you know I’ve been starving all morning? And you just... ate it all."

Snapping back to reality, the girl hurriedly bowed her head, her posture small and timid.

"I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to!" she said nervously. "When I woke up earlier, I looked around for you, but you weren’t there. I was really hungry... and the food was just sitting there, so..."

She pressed her index fingers together, twirling them in small circles as she continued in a soft voice, "I couldn’t help it. I just... ate it. I’m really sorry!"

Her body trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Leon was taken aback by her reaction. He had only meant to tease her a little—but clearly, she had taken it to heart.

Then again, her reaction made sense. He had saved her, and now here she was, eating his food without permission.

If it had been someone else, they might not have forgiven her so easily—especially if it was their last bit of food.

With a quiet chuckle and a small shake of his head, Leon softened his tone.

"Alright, it’s fine. Actually, I left the food for you, just in case you woke up while I was out gathering firewood. So don’t worry about it."

Of course, that was a complete lie. The food had been his. But he didn’t want her feeling guilty—that would only make things more troublesome later.

Sure enough, as soon as she heard that, the girl let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her tense posture eased, and her body relaxed just a little.

"By the way," Leon said, setting down the stack of firewood beside the cave entrance before walking over to the girl. "What’s your name, girl? And how did you end up so badly injured last night?"

He deliberately avoided mentioning her identity as a spirit, not wanting to make her feel uneasy or suspicious.

The girl remained silent for a moment, as if debating whether or not to trust him with the truth.

After careful thought, she finally made her decision. She sensed no malice from him. In fact, there was a quiet sincerity in those golden eyes.

"My name is Ruri, and I’m from the spirit race," she said softly. "I was injured after being attacked by a mysterious man in a black cloak."

Leon was surprised she admitted her identity so openly, but what shocked him even more was what she said next.

"You were attacked by a man in a black cloak?" he asked, his expression darkening as he slowly sat down in front of her. "Was he human?"

Ruri shook her head faintly. "I’m not sure. But judging by his stance and the way he moved, he was most likely human. He was incredibly strong, and his speed—silent and swift like a shadow—was terrifying. I barely made it out alive. If it hadn’t been for the forest’s rough terrain and a secret weapon my father left behind, I wouldn’t have survived the night."

Leon fell silent, lost in thought as he processed her words. His mind raced, trying to piece together who the attacker might have been.

Then suddenly, a memory surfaced—and his eyes widened.

"Could he be... a member of the Temple of Twilight?"

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