The small party Ren had planned didn’t really feel like a party. Instead, it was more like an intimate dinner—a simple meal meant just for the two of them.
Wendy sat across from Ren, lightly swinging her legs under the table as she savored each bite of her pizza. The lighting in the room was dim, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Meanwhile, Ren sat relaxed, silently reaching for another slice.
As she took her last bite, Wendy let out a small sigh and turned to Ren, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"By the way, Strom, what did you put in this pizza?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "It tastes unique, rich, and seriously delicious!"
Ren glanced at her and smirked before shrugging.
"Just regular ingredients you can find in the market," he replied casually, taking a sip of his drink. "Of course, with a little secret touch."
Wendy raised an eyebrow, resting her elbow on the table and propping her chin up.
"A secret touch, huh?" she said suspiciously, though a smile still played on her lips. "Don’t tell me this is one of your crazy experiments?"
Ren chuckled and shook his head.
"Hey, I’m not that reckless," he said, spinning his glass slowly. "I just looked for an ingredient that could enhance the umami flavor. Turns out, some of the fermented seasonings sold at the market work perfectly for this."
Wendy blinked, surprised that he had put that much thought into it.
"So... you actually experimented for this?" she asked before giggling. "I’m starting to think you might have more talent as a chef than as an adventurer."
Ren laughed again, this time a little louder.
"In that case, I’ll make you something even more interesting next time," he said, his eyes full of confidence. "Let’s see if you still say that after tasting it."
Wendy smiled, gazing at him a little longer than usual. There was something in his expression—a thought lingering in her mind, but she hesitated to say it out loud.
"But seriously, this dish is really unique... And I don’t see anyone in this town selling it," she murmured, tracing small circles on the table with her finger. Her eyes flicked toward the now-empty plate, as if wishing there were more.
Ren leaned back in his chair, watching Wendy closely. He knew exactly what kind of situation she was in—a big sister forced to shoulder her family’s survival, becoming an adventurer not out of passion, but out of necessity.
If Wendy had a safer and more stable option, she would surely take it. But in this world, opportunities were scarce for those without a noble name or privileged birth.
Ren let out a quiet sigh, resting his elbow on the table.
"If you’re interested, I could teach you how to make it," he said, his voice softer than usual. "It’s not difficult, and the ingredients are easy to find."
Wendy’s eyes lit up in surprise.
"Really?!" she gasped, leaning forward slightly.
Ren nodded casually, grabbing a blank piece of paper from the table and scribbling something down.
"The basics are simple. You just need a thin bread dough, a sauce made from tomatoes and some spices, then add toppings of your choice," he explained in a calm tone.
Wendy watched his scribbles closely, her fingers instinctively touching the edge of the paper, as if afraid he might take it back.
"So... if I can make this, maybe I could sell it?" she asked softly, uncertainty lacing her voice.
Ren looked at her for a moment before flashing a small smile.
"Of course," he said without hesitation. "In fact, I’m sure this would sell really well."
Wendy bit her lip, her mind racing. If this worked, she might finally have a more stable income instead of constantly risking her life as an adventurer.
"But... what if I fail?" she asked, still unsure.
Ren let out a small chuckle and leaned back in his chair.
"If you fail, then try again. Cooking isn’t that different from fighting—it takes practice to master it," he said casually. "The only difference is, if you mess up in cooking, you just waste some ingredients. But if you mess up in a fight, your life is on the line."
Wendy fell silent, then let out a quiet laugh, realizing how much sense that made.
"You’re right..." she murmured, gripping the recipe paper a little tighter. "I’ll give it a shot."
Ren smiled in satisfaction, then picked up his glass and raised it slightly.
"Well then, good luck to Vermont’s first-ever pizza entrepreneur," he teased, lifting his glass with ease.
Wendy chuckled and raised her own glass for a toast. The golden liquid inside their glasses shimmered under the dim light. Without thinking twice, Wendy downed hers in one go, while Ren only took a small sip.
But the moment the liquid touched his tongue, Ren frowned and stared at his glass in disbelief.
"Damn, I tried drinking alcohol in this world, but who would’ve thought it’d taste this bad?" he muttered under his breath, setting the glass down with a look of disgust. He had hoped that alcohol in this world might be a little more enjoyable, but apparently, his expectations had been too high.
Wendy, hearing his complaint, burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Were you expecting some kind of royal-grade wine?" she teased. "This drink is strong, but if you get used to it, it’s not that bad, you know!"
Ren scoffed, eyeing Wendy as she seemed to enjoy her drink way too much.
"I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this," he said casually, leaning back in his chair. "Seriously, I’d rather drink plain water than suffer through this again."
Wendy, on the other hand, had already downed her second glass in record time. Her cheeks were turning red, and her gaze was starting to look hazy.
Ren narrowed his eyes, noticing the shift in her demeanor.
"Hey... don’t tell me you’re drunk?" he asked suspiciously, watching as Wendy rested her chin on the table.
Wendy giggled, but her voice came out slower and more playful.
"Hee~? Me? Drunk? No way... Hehehe." She spoke in a teasing tone, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
Ren let out a long sigh, covering his face with one hand.
"Great... So now I have to deal with this?" he muttered, as Wendy’s drunken antics started to unfold.
Without warning, she sprang up from her seat and cheerfully wandered around the room.
"Strooom~ You know... You’re actually kinda handsome, aren’t you?" she suddenly blurted, squinting her eyes as she leaned closer to Ren.
"...Okay, this is officially a problem." He muttered under his breath as Wendy’s drunken chaos escalated.