A few days had passed, and now...

It was the night before the field trip.

Rustle- rustle- rustle-

Raven was in his room, carefully checking his bags one last time to see if he had forgotten something. His hands moved with practiced familiarity, but his eyes still scanned every fold of cloth and every pocket of each pouch.

He wasn't the type to overlook details, yet there was a strange sense of unease that made him repeat the process again and again.

'Clothes, potions, my artifacts...'

He mentally listed them off, fingers brushing against each item as if physical confirmation would ease his mind.

He had already done this inspection a few days back, but Raven thought it wouldn't hurt to double-check. It was better to be cautious now than regret it later.

A single missing item could mean unnecessary trouble during the trip, and trouble was something he could never afford.

His weapons, items, valuables, and everything else he needed were already prepared, packed neatly and organized in precise order.

[See, I told you. You already got everything packed.]

Sariel said after Raven finished checking his stuff, his voice carrying a smug tone as though he had expected this outcome all along.

Swoosh~

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

Raven just casually waved his hand and responded, sounding half-annoyed but not really meaning it. With a thought, he placed his bags inside his spatial storage, the dark vortex swirling and then fading as the luggage disappeared from sight.

Then at that moment—

-Kyuu!

-Raven, I'm hungry!

From behind him, Yuki and Levina called out almost in unison, their voices sharp and eager.

Raven turned, catching sight of them flying toward him, their little movements filled with energy and anticipation.

"Hmm..."

Raven's gaze shifted to the time on his V.D. The numbers blinked back at him, displaying [8:20 PM].

"Keara and Ruby will be here soon... You two clean up the table. I'll start making dinner for us."

His voice was calm but carried authority as he gave them the order.

-Got it!

-Kyu!

FWISH-

The two immediately answered, darting off toward the kitchen. Their excitement was almost funny, the way they zoomed through the air as if the meal would disappear if they weren't quick enough.

Raven's lips curved into a faint smile. Seeing them so lively always eased the weight in his chest, if only a little.

Then with a sigh, he started walking toward the kitchen as well, his footsteps echoing softly against the floor.

Tap- Tap- Tap—

Though, after just a few steps—

[Oh, you just received a message from your mom and dad.]

Sariel suddenly appeared in front of him, his tone casual and simple.

'Huh...? What did they say?'

Raven asked telepathically, a tinge of worry slipping into his mental voice. And without beating around the bush—

[They're asking why you didn't tell them that you'll be going on a field trip.]

Sariel stated clearly.

Tap-

"...!"

Raven's eyes widened slightly, his steps halting mid-stride. A faint frown tugged at his lips.

"Ugh... So that's why I felt like I was forgetting something..."

He muttered under his breath, irritation at himself evident in his tone.

(Raven had forgotten to inform his parents and Nisha that he would be leaving for a five-day field trip. He would most likely be hard to contact during that time.)

"Are they angry?"

He asked, a hint of concern edging into his voice.

[Hmm, I don't think so... They just told you to come visit them after the field trip.]

Sariel responded, her calm tone easing some of his nerves.

"Hmm? Did they say in the message what for?"

[Nope... Maybe they just want to see you and spend some time with you.]

"Yeah, you're right... I'll give them a visit after this field trip."

Raven declared with a firm nod.

And after his short conversation with Sariel, he continued on his way to the kitchen.

...

When Raven arrived, he saw Levina and Yuki already close to finishing with the table.

Plates, cups, and utensils were laid out neatly, though the spacing between them wasn't perfect. It was obvious that their eagerness to eat outweighed their attention to detail.

"Good job, you two. That was quick."

Raven praised them with a small smile. Their heads perked up instantly, and in response, cheerful chirps rang out from both.

Without wasting time, Raven went straight to work. He pulled out some monster meat from the fridge, gathered cooking utensils, and began preparing dinner.

Tak- Tak- Tak-

The steady rhythm of chopping vegetables echoed through the kitchen. His movements were precise, his knife gliding through each ingredient effortlessly.

SHHHHHH~

The sizzle of oil followed as he placed the meat into the pan. The aroma rose almost immediately, rich and savory, filling the kitchen with a mouthwatering scent.

-Hmm...!

-Kyuuu!

Yuki and Levina drifted closer, their eyes practically glowing as they sniffed the air.

"Stay back. You'll burn yourselves if you get too close."

Raven warned them lightly, waving a hand to push them back. Despite his firm tone, there was amusement in his eyes.

-Ugh... Okay...

-Kyuu...

The two pouted but obediently returned to the table, their tiny shoulders slumping dramatically as if he had just forbidden them from the greatest treasure.

...

...

*****

Raven finished cooking not long after.

He made three dishes; a monster stew with a thick, savory broth that steamed invitingly, fried chicken from monster meat that crackled with crispiness, and a well-done steak cut from ox beast meat, its surface seared perfectly.

And just a few minutes later—

SHHH-

The door to his room opened. Raven didn't even bother turning around to check who it was.

As he was carefully placing the food on the table, he spoke first—

"Welcome back, Keara, Ruby. Good job on your work today."

When he finally looked toward the door, Ruby and Keara were already there, smiles spreading across their faces at the warm greeting. Though visibly tired, they seemed comforted just by his words.

"Dinner's ready, wash your hands and let's eat."

Raven added casually.

"Haha, thanks, Raven."

"You're the best, really..."

Keara and Ruby replied almost at the same time, relief in their voices.

-Welcome back you two!

-Kyuuu!

Levina and Yuki chimed in cheerfully, circling the two in greeting.

Ruby chuckled softly.

"We're being spoiled here."

Keara smiled at the sight of the table.

"It smells amazing already. Raven, you really didn't have to cook this much."

"Just wash up and sit down."

Raven said, waving them off. His tone was casual, but the faint upward curve at his lips betrayed his mood.

"Haha... 'Kay..."

"Okay."

Ruby and Keara agreed before heading to wash up.

...

When the five of them gathered around the table, the atmosphere grew warm almost immediately.

Levina attacked the fried chicken with unabashed joy, while Yuki slurped the stew loudly, each chirp of delight making the others smile.

"This is delicious."

Ruby commented between bites, her expression softening as the flavors spread across her tongue.

"You're seriously too good at this, Raven."

She added with a hint of admiration.

"Yeah, you're just getting better each day."

Keara followed up, her tone carrying genuine warmth.

"You're really great at anything."

Raven simply shrugged at their praise, though the slight blush at the edge of his ears went unnoticed.

"It's nothing special. Just eat before it gets cold."

He replied plainly, but deep down, their words struck him more than he wanted to admit.

Levina's eyes sparkled.

-It's really good! More, more!

Yuki squealed happily.

-Kyuuuuuu!

Their energy earned another laugh from Ruby.

"They're livelier than usual tonight."

Keara nodded thoughtfully while sipping her stew.

"Must be because tomorrow's the day they get to leave the academy and visit a different place."

The table was filled with laughter, the clatter of utensils, and the comfort of familiar voices. Any worries about the upcoming trip melted into the background.

Raven leaned back slightly, listening more than speaking. A faint, genuine smile lingered on his lips. He didn't say much, but in this moment, surrounded by them, he felt content.

And so, the night before the field trip ended not in tension or worry, but with warmth.

A table filled with food, laughter, and quiet happiness became the calm before the storm...

...

...

...

*****

The next day, in front of the [Lunar Academy]—

"Sorry guys! I overslept!"

Blake exclaimed as he ran toward the gate where a huge floating bus was waiting.

And outside the bus— Raven and the others are waiting.

"Ugh... We could've just left him behind..."

Curtis muttered.

"Yeah, he has money, he can get there himself."

And surprisingly, Raven followed in agreement.

"Haha..."

Alec just laughed awkwardly, he didn't know what to say, really.

"Come on, he'll be sad travelling alone."

Adelle said.

And without even an ounce of hesitation—

"I would be happy as fuck if I have to travel alone."

Raven declared that.

"Same here."

Eve added.

"..."

Aoi really didn't say anything and just smiled, but she agrees with the two as well, to be honest.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.