Chapter 18: The most feminine one is actually Xia Lisi?

With her dragon-born keen sense of smell and recent scavenging experience, Charis picked out a pile of fresh ingredients at the market, all paid for by Luline.

“Can you carry all this?”

Luline placed three large bags of fresh ingredients in front of Charis.
Charis eyed the haul, noting Luline’s lavish spending—carrying these meant a delicious lunch awaited.

“I’m happy to, Big Sister.”

“Big Sister, huh? You’ve got a sweet tongue.”

“Hehe~”

Charis grinned genuinely.
Seeing her pure joy, Luline’s mood lifted, faintly convinced Ophelia was right to keep this young dragon.

“Let’s head back. Hold on tight.”

“Got it!”

Charis slung the three bags over her shoulders, wobbling slightly under the weight—she was still young and light.

“Forget it, give me one bag.
It’d be a shame if they fell and got dirty.”

Luline reached out, taking one bag.
Charis, relieved of some burden, nodded and smiled.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Luline set off, Charis trailing behind like a little tail.

Leaving Rat Tail Alley, they boarded a carriage and returned to the dormitory.

As Luline opened the apartment door, Charis carried the bags inside, only to bump into Ophelia, scratching her head, eyes bleary from just waking up.

“Huh? Charis, how’d you get outside?
Where’d you get those things?”
Ophelia was still half-asleep, confused.

“Hm?”
Charis didn’t understand—wasn’t Ophelia the one who agreed to let Luline take her?

“Ophelia, I’m back.
Remember this morning when I asked to borrow Charis?”
Luline stepped in to explain, and Ophelia slapped her forehead, snapping awake.

“Oh, right, I was out of it.
You took her to buy groceries?”

“Yeah, having a little helper is handy.”

Luline cracked a cool-toned joke.
Ophelia nodded, while Charis slipped past them, stashing the bags in the fridge.

“Charis, how’d you know where the fridge is?”
Ophelia watched Charis move with familiarity.
Charis, organizing ingredients, answered offhandedly.

“Found it this morning.”

“Huh? You snuck food behind my back this morning?”

“Oh, you noticed?
I was starving, but you all… don’t eat breakfast!”

Charis glanced back at Ophelia, who frowned and countered.

“What’s wrong with skipping breakfast?”

“It’s bad for you!
Don’t you know how important a morning meal is?
Without it, you won’t have energy to escape.”

Charis spoke from her battlefield scavenging days.
Whenever she found enough food for a meal, she’d save some for breakfast, even if it meant starving at night.

“Escape… yeah, you’re quick at that.”
Ophelia stepped into the kitchen, lightly swatting Charis’s raised backside.

“Ah! Why’d you hit me?”
Charis, startled mid-organizing, jumped.

“You broke our deal.
No rummaging through stuff, remember?
You didn’t hold up your end.”
Ophelia crossed her arms, looming over Charis.
Charis pursed her lips, glancing at Luline.

‘Big Sister Saintess, you ate my breakfast—help me out here!’

Whether Luline caught Charis’s plea or was just kind-hearted, she spoke up.

“Ophelia, don’t make things hard for Charis.
She’s got a special talent.”

“What does Luline know?”

Ophelia was about to drag Charis back to the room when Luline pointed at the kitchen tools.

“This morning, Charis cooked.
Her noodle dish was creative and tasty.”

“What? You’re saying she…?”

Ophelia blinked in shock, her red eyes widening dramatically.

“Hmph.”
Charis puffed out her chest proudly, finally having someone vouch for her.

“Luline, you know getting a ‘tasty’ from you means a chef of what caliber?”
Ophelia’s tone was exaggerated, making Charis sense something odd.

‘If my cooking earns Luline’s praise, am I actually pretty great?’

Before Charis could dwell on it, Luline responded.

“Do I look like I’m joking, Ophelia?”

Luline’s cool face broke into a faint smile.
Ophelia, as if hearing earth-shattering news, bolted toward the hallway’s end.

“Aisha, get out here!
Luline says Charis made food she likes!”

“What? Something that big?
I’m coming!”

Hearing Aisha’s excited voice, Charis grew more confused.

‘Seriously?
Making food Luline likes is that big a deal?’

Charis didn’t get it.
Ophelia and Aisha rushed back, hair uncombed and messy.

“Luline, you sure Charis didn’t curse you?
Let me check your pulse.”
Aisha reached out, but Luline shook her head.

“Stop teasing, Aisha.
I’m not under any control—just genuinely impressed by Charis’s cooking.”

Luline looked calmly at Charis, whose tail wagged rapidly, her heart soaring from the praise.

“Charis, you can actually cook?
And make something Luline likes?”
Aisha tilted her head, eyeing Charis skeptically, finding it hard to believe.

“I think it’s… kinda unbelievable too.”
Ophelia propped her chin, her red eyes full of doubt.

“You guys really underestimate me.
I can cook, you know.”
Charis defended herself—this was one thing she wouldn’t back down on.

“Let Charis cook again, and you’ll see.”
Luline suggested, offering the kitchen to Charis.

“Fine, let’s see what she’s got.
Seeing is believing.”
Aisha raised her hand in agreement.

“Alright, Charis, go for it.
No trouble, got it?
I’m watching.”
Ophelia agreed too.

‘Tch, stop looking down on dragons.’

Charis stepped into the kitchen, tying on a long-unused apron.
She prepped her knife and cutting board, pulling out saintess cherry tomatoes, eggs, noodles, and other ingredients.

Moments later.

Chop, chop, chop.

Charis’s small hands wielded the short kitchen knife with practiced precision, slicing meat into perfect stir-fry portions.

“Starfire.”

Charis lit the stove, stir-frying and boiling noodles simultaneously, calm and composed without a hint of panic.

Watching Charis’s focused back, working methodically and seriously, with enticing aromas wafting from the kitchen, the starving Ophelia and Aisha had to believe it.

“Uh, just pointing out… are we less capable than a young dragon in feminine charm?”

Aisha’s comment made Ophelia and Luline exchange glances, falling silent.

“And another thing—did you notice what curse Charis used?”

Aisha’s remark prompted reactions from both.

“Starfire, a basic fire-element curse.”
Ophelia’s expression turned slightly serious.

“Not just that—it’s a human curse.
Demons shouldn’t be able to cast it.”
Luline added.

“Exactly.
I’m guessing Charis has some incredible secret.”

Aisha looked at the busy Charis in the kitchen, her gaze, like the others’, growing complex.