"Thank you, Wendy. You really saved me," said Ren—or as Wendy knew him, Strom—as he began eating the meal she had prepared.
The warm aroma of food spread through the room, filling the small workshop with a comforting atmosphere it had never known before. Every bite tasted far better than the quick, makeshift meals he usually had while working.
Wendy gave a small smile, watching him with satisfaction. "It's nothing. If anything, I owe you a debt..." she said, her voice soft yet filled with sincerity.
Ren leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "Well, in that case, I guess we're even. You gave me food, I saved your life. Seems like a fair deal."
Wendy let out a light laugh before giving him a teasing look. "So if you save my life again, does that mean I'll have to cook for you forever?"
Ren furrowed his brows for a moment, then nodded with a serious expression. "Sounds like a good deal to me. I wouldn't mind."
Wendy froze for a second, then burst into laughter. "Hey, that's not the answer I was expecting!"
Ren simply shrugged and continued eating, savoring each bite in peace.
But on the other side of the table, Wendy suddenly went quiet. The words that had just left Ren's mouth kept echoing in her mind.
(Cooking for him... forever?...)
Her eyes widened instantly, and her cheeks turned red like a ripe tomato.
(A-Awaawa... D-Did he just propose to me!? But we've only known each other for a short time! Is this even okay!?!)
Her heart pounded faster, and her hands instinctively gripped the hem of her skirt. A wave of panic surged through her, though oddly enough, she didn't completely dislike the idea.
While Wendy was busy overthinking things, Ren continued eating, completely unaware of the misunderstanding.
However, after a few moments, he finally noticed something strange. Wendy had gone completely silent, her face was red, and her expression looked as if she had just come to some kind of life-changing realization.
Raising an eyebrow, Ren finally asked, "What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!" Wendy quickly waved her hands frantically, trying to hide her flustered state.
But the more she tried to cover it up, the more obvious it became that something was bothering her.
Ren stared at her for a moment longer before sighing quietly.
(I don't know what she's thinking, but it's probably best if I don't ask.)
Meanwhile, Wendy was busy trying to calm herself down.
(Hmph... Maybe he was just joking. Don't overthink it, Wendy!)
Taking a deep breath, she finally straightened her posture and tried to refocus on her meal.
However, the lingering blush on her cheeks refused to fade.
After dinner, Wendy shifted her attention to Ren's workbench, where a strange and futuristic-looking device was neatly placed.
The machine emitted a faint blue glow from its core, its sleek and modern design making it clear that it was not from this world.
Wendy narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to understand what exactly she was looking at.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps came from behind her.
"What do you think? Beautiful, isn't it?"
The calm, relaxed voice belonged to Ren, who had just finished taking a bath.
His hair was still slightly damp, a few droplets of water sliding down his neck before being absorbed by the towel draped over his shoulders.
This house didn't even have a bathroom before, but ever since Ren settled here, he had built one himself—because, in his culture, bathing was a necessity.
For most people in this world, the idea of regularly bathing in hot water was a bit strange.
But for Wendy, the strangest thing at the moment wasn't Ren's bathing habits.
As she glanced at him, she suddenly realized just how athletic his body was—not overly muscular, but well-defined, showing a perfect balance of strength and agility.
Before she knew it, her face began heating up, and her nose felt slightly tingly.
(W-What is this feeling?!)
Wendy quickly averted her gaze, forcing herself to stay focused.
"Ahem," she cleared her throat, doing her best to keep her mind on the device.
"Whether or not it's 'beautiful'... to be honest, I don't even know what this thing is."
Ren smirked slightly and crossed his arms.
(Of course, Wendy wouldn't understand it right away. She came from a world that still operated on medieval concepts, where magic was dominant over technology. Seeing something that surpassed even modern advancements must seem bizarre to her.)
He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to explain the technical details.
There were too many complicated terms that Wendy might not grasp.
So, he decided to simplify it.
"Hmm... Okay, think of it like a magic furnace, but without the need for mana stones or spells to power it."
Wendy raised an eyebrow.
"So... a kind of furnace that produces endless energy?"
"Exactly. With this, you can power various machines without needing fuel or magic. In short, it's a far more efficient energy source than anything that exists in this world."
Wendy looked at the device again, the pulsing blue glow from its core almost hypnotic. But the longer she tried to make sense of it, the more confused she became. In the end, she let out a small sigh, realizing there was something more urgent to discuss.
Night was getting late, and if she didn't bring up the real reason she came here, she might not get another chance.
"I don't really get it... but anyway, are you free the day after tomorrow?"
Ren, who was still standing near the workbench, raised an eyebrow briefly. He shifted his gaze from the machine to Wendy, his expression neutral.
"Hmm, the day after tomorrow..." he muttered, thinking for a moment. After a few seconds, he shook his head lightly and looked back at her. "Doesn't seem like I have anything planned. Why?"
Wendy bit her lower lip slightly, hesitating before finally gathering the courage to speak. She clasped her hands together, as if debating whether this was a good idea or not. But in the end, she took a deep breath and spoke directly.
"Well... Could I ask for your help with a request from one of the ruling bureaucrats?"
Ren paused for a moment, his expression turning slightly more serious. His sharp eyes locked onto Wendy, as if trying to read the hidden meaning behind her words.
"A bureaucrat?" he repeated, his tone no longer as casual as before.
Wendy nodded slowly, aware that her question had now caught Ren's full attention.
"Yeah... I don't know all the details, but I was told it's some kind of special mission." Her voice held a slight uncertainty, but it was clear that this wasn't just some trivial matter.
Ren stared at her for a long moment, assessing the situation before finally exhaling quietly.
"Are you sure this isn't going to be a hassle?" he asked, his tone now sharper, laced with caution.
Wendy gave a small, nervous smile, but behind her calm exterior, there was an unmistakable tension.
"I'm not sure... But I don't think it's something I can handle alone."
Ren furrowed his brows, his mind quickly piecing together the possible implications of her request.
If this was coming from a bureaucrat, there was a good chance that politics or internal affairs were involved.
And if Wendy had come to him directly for help, that meant this was bigger than just an ordinary request.
Ren didn't answer right away. He stared at Wendy intently, weighing his options before making a decision.