Amon walked toward them and quietly joined the line.

The soldiers stood casually, talking among themselves as they waited. Some laughed, others argued about trivial things, and a few were already holding wooden plates filled with food.

The atmosphere was far more relaxed than Amon had expected in such a dangerous place.

When it was his turn, he received a simple meal. Warm stew, a piece of bread, and some roasted meat. Just like usual.

Nothing fancy. No special seasoning. Yet the steam rising from it carried a comforting smell.

Lucien and the others had already taken their food.

After taking his food, Amon moved away from the line.

Near one of the campfires, several soldiers were already seated on logs and stones, eating and chatting.

The fire crackled softly, its orange glow pushing back the darkness of the forest just a little.

Amon walked over to where Lucien was sitting and sat down beside him, keeping a small distance.

He took his first bite.

The warmth spread through his body instantly.

"…This is good," he muttered without realizing it.

Compared to the roasted monster meat he had been eating alone. Burnt, dry, and without salt, this simple meal felt far better than it should have.

"Told you," Lucien said, already chewing. "Army food isn't great, but after a long day, it hits just right."

Mira sat across from them, holding her bowl carefully. "Especially when you eat it around a fire. It feels… calm."

Amon nodded as he continued eating. "Yeah. I didn't expect it to feel like this."

Nearby, a few soldiers started joking loudly, one of them boasting about a monster he had killed earlier, clearly exaggerating. Laughter spread around the fire.

Lucien smirked. "Don't believe half the stories you hear at night. They get better with every retelling."

Amon chuckled softly, listening as he ate.

For a moment, there were no monsters, no missions, no cursed forests.

Just warm food, firelight, and voices filling the dark.

And strangely enough, Amon felt at ease.

Kaelra was sitting beside Mira, silently eating her food.

"Where's Sir Derrick and Leader?" Amon asked while looking around.

"Oh! Waiting for us?" Just then, Derrick's voice came. He was coming in their direction with Harvey.

"Yeah, we were," Amon said with a smile.

They sat not far away from him.

"Oh, Harvey! Is that the new kid? How's he doing?" one of the soldiers sitting at the campfire asked him.

"Better than I thought," Harvey chuckled and responded to his friend.

"So Amon… you were going to tell us about your Academy experience. How's Arcadia Academy?" Mira asked, turning her attention to him.

"Oh yeah. I nearly forgot about that," Lucien said, looking at Amon with curiosity.

Amon glanced at him. "Hah… not nearly… you totally forgot. Hehehe~" Amon laughed at him.

"Tch! Whatever. Now tell us," Lucien clicked his tongue at Amon's playful laughter.

"The Arcadia Academy… is really amazing. Damn, you can't believe it. When I first saw it, I felt like a total countryside bumpkin. It's so massive and majestic—"

Amon continued to tell them about the Academy with excitement. They listened carefully. He exaggerated some information. It was common. Everyone does that.

"Oh! So you are actually friends with the elven princess and the granddaughter of Sir Alistair Luninous?" Lucien couldn't help but ask in shock. He was also a man.

"Not only that… you are also friends with Marcus Lionheart and close with the princess! Though I don't know much about that beastwoman, Aisha Darkfang," Mira said in shock. Kaelra was no different.

Amon smirked proudly.

"Of course I am. And what are you talking about, being close? Senior Selena was the reason why Her Majesty ordered everyone to look for me in this place."

"No wonder. That's why Commander Valliant strictly told us to look for you as well," Lucien muttered.

Amon smiled even more widely.

Of course, what he was telling was totally wrong. Though a little bit might be true. Even if Selena was not close to him, because of Isabel, Celestia had still ordered them to search for him.

Actually, she was the real reason. Amon knew that… but how could he let go of a chance to brag about his connections? His relations.

Poor Headmistress didn't even know that he was using Selena's name. About how she was the reason Celestia ordered to find him.

Mira then asked more curiously, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

They had come to the most important topic.

Both Kaelra and Mira were in their late twenties, so they were still like young women. They obviously had curiosity about such things.

Academy love stories. Who doesn't like them?

Even Lucien was looking forward to it.

But Amon… he remained silent. He gulped down his saliva.

For some reason, he didn't want to tell them that he was still single. But he also didn't want to say that he had a lover.

"Hehehe~" Amon laughed. His expression was cheerful.

"I don't have a girlfriend… well, I actually want to have one… but you see, I am quite popular among girls."

"Oh… really?" It was Kaelra who asked. Her eyes blinked with interest.

Amon masked his face with confidence. No one could tell whether he was telling the truth or lying.

It was too honest a face.

"Of course. Seraphina, Aisha, Princess Eliana, and even the princess Selena… they have a crush on me. Hah, it's really hard to be popular."

At Amon's words, Lucien gritted his teeth in envy. How could he not? He was also a young man. Being popular with beautiful ladies was every man's dream. Those who don't have this dream… they are not real men.

"So when you are so popular… why don't you have any girlfriend?" Lucien wondered.

"I want to… but I can't accept one and break another's heart. Because of that, I still didn't choose anyone and remained single," Amon replied casually.

Amon also wanted to tell them about his date with Professor Adelia, but that would be dangerous. What if this chat spread among the soldiers and reached Caspian's ears? Then Amon would be cooked.

"Damn, I am really getting jealous," Lucien shook his head in annoyance.

"You are amazing, Amon. I never thought you were such a womanizer, hehe~" Mira complimented him with a small laugh.

"I agree," even Kaelra believed Amon.

Amon smiled even more proudly. He was enjoying this time very much. He has always thought that bragging was a fun thing.

From a little distance, Derrick and Harvey were sitting. They didn't join the conversation. Just keep listening to it.

Harvey muttered lightly so only Derrick could hear. "Do you believe his words?"

"No… but the way he's talking… I can't find any lie. I guess he's telling the truth."

"Hah… it's good to be young," Harvey couldn't help but mumble.

"Yeah… that boy is really living his young days." Derrick rubbed his chin.

The campfire flickered softly, its flames illuminating their faces as laughter echoed through the night.

In darkness forest shadowy figures were still staring. Occasionally screaming.

Yet Amon and the others continued to talk, joke, and laugh, the dark forest momentarily forgotten.

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