Chapter 40

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Chapter 40: A Simple Meal

After hearing Lolth mention the harder tasks coming in a few days, Isabella no longer felt dissatisfied.

Instead, she started looking forward to them.

After all, she had already made significant progress this time—perhaps next time, she could even breakthrough!

Though the results would only be confirmed once she removed the anti-magic shackles, she knew that day would come eventually.

“Understood, Master Lolth. I will complete your orders without fail. In a few days… I won’t disappoint you,” she said in a firm, harsh tone.

However, in front of Lolth—a succubus—her soul couldn’t hide the glimmer of “anticipation” that surfaced so obviously.

Lolth, noticing this, felt puzzled.

Could this knight be a special kind of masochist?

Was she naturally inclined to find satisfaction in exhausting work, destined to cultivate strength through hardship?

Recalling some information she’d read about knights’ training methods on the continent, Lolth mused that certain knight practices did resemble extreme asceticism.

“As expected, Legendary Knights in their twenties have a tendency to enjoy self-punishment…”

Muttering to herself, Lolth shook her head inwardly.

Fortunately, she wasn’t her colleague or compatriot. This person was clearly from one of those noble families in the Ryman Empire—a child raised elsewhere. No wonder she seemed socially awkward, probably with no real friends.

Unintentionally predicting the social dynamics of the Ryman Empire, Lolth decided to maintain the status quo.

“It doesn’t really affect me negatively at the moment, just like Tina’s constant fussing,” she thought.

“Make sure you eat and drink well, if you feel something isn’t right, let me know.”

Maybe her expectations are for delicious food!

Even though Lolth herself doesn’t believe it.

After Lolth left, Isabella tasted the roasted flatbread on the octagonal plate, the beetroot and meat stew, and the honey-glazed chicken leg.

The flavors were excellent, but Isabella’s stoic personality meant she couldn’t wholeheartedly enjoy the cuisine.

To her, whether it was the barbecued meat of the Winter Hunting Festival or the elaborate dishes of the Winter Celebration, food was simply sustenance.

When she set out to tame the White Frost Direwolf, she ventured alone onto the icy Ryman Naen Plateau, where ice covered miles, frost blanketed the ground, and ice elemental magic raged. Even epic mages casting fire spells here would see their flames extinguished instantly.

For an entire month, her sustenance consisted of dried meat and bread so tough it could produce a clanging sound when knocked against her armor.

Yet, she couldn’t deny that Lolth’s cooking skills were exceptional.

The baked bread was firm but not overly so, carrying a subtle sourness that enhanced its flavor. The chicken leg was crispy on the outside and tender inside, juicy and flavorful to the point that she found herself indulging. The red meat stew had a rich, hearty texture, with the aroma of the meat blending seamlessly with the red vegetables, warming her whole body as she consumed it. It left her feeling rejuvenated, as though filled with newfound strength.

She even had the illusion that her stamina had recovered by more than half!

Wait a minute…

Feeling a warm current coursing through her body, Isabella froze.

The sensation of her stamina returning was not an illusion.

Her fatigue had genuinely disappeared, and her muscle soreness and bodily exhaustion had returned to normal with astonishing speed.

She even felt like she could continue carrying loads up and down ten times now!

Even the Curse of Weakness, which lingered over her like a shadow, seemed slightly diminished. Though the improvement was minuscule—perhaps only one or two percent—Isabella’s deep familiarity with her own body and acute sensitivity to its changes allowed her to detect it instantly.

“Incredible…”

It was just a meal. How could it have an effect akin to that of a Magic Potion?

Isabella examined the remaining flatbread, meat soup, and chicken leg in her hands, carefully attuning herself to their essence. Astonishingly, she sensed faint traces of active magic lingering within each dish.

Even after being cooked, the magic remained intact!

No wonder the meal had effects reminiscent of a Magic Potion—it was like a gentler version of one.

The “ingredients” must have been akin to raw materials used in Magic Potions, inherently imbued with magical properties like magical beasts and plants.

But Isabella couldn’t help finding it unbelievable.

The chicken, the minced meat and beets in the borscht, even the flour used in the flatbread—all appeared to come from ordinary crops and livestock.

Even if these animals and plants had somehow been infused with magic, they shouldn’t naturally contain such magical properties. And even cooking with the meat of magical beasts wouldn’t result in an active magical dish.

The process of creating a Magic Potion required complex techniques to preserve and harness the magic within the ingredients, making it absorbable by the user.

This was why most Magic Potions tasted unpleasant, their ingredients roughly combined for functionality rather than flavor.

A potion-like dish or a dish with potion effects—such creations were unheard of.

Even the famed “Holy Meal” of the Church of Light, with its radiant dishes, merely involved a touch of Holy Light magic applied post-cooking and the addition of Magic Potions during plating. The magic wasn’t truly in the food—it was all superficial theatrics by the church.

And yet, this succubus had achieved what could only be described as a miracle.

Both cultivating such ingredients and crafting such a meal required incredible skill and knowledge.

No wonder the Moon Elf Princess had praised Lolth’s work with crops and livestock, declaring it a mark of trustworthiness.

Initially dismissed as the ramblings of someone overly brainwashed, it now seemed this work was indeed crucial.

Finishing the remainder of the meal, Isabella felt her body return to full strength. Even the grilled bread had revitalized her.

Isabella had no doubt that if she had any minor injuries from the battle at the moment, her wounds would heal faster!

She decided to go see what Tina was in charge of.

This Interrogation Department had far too many secrets worth exploring!

However, she also wondered why Lolth had given her things to restore energy and even alleviate curses.

Was it because her trust in her had increased?

Or was it a reward for completing her tasks?

Or did she want to make her submit through this “carrot and stick” strategy?

No, considering the other person was a cunning succubus, this seemed more like a way to show off to herself.

“I know your loyalty is fake, but I don’t mind, because one day you will truly offer me your loyalty!”

It must be like this!

Perhaps becoming stronger was also part of Lolth’s expectations.

This was a strategy—and an expression of absolute confidence!

Isabella felt she had guessed the right answer.

“However, I also have confidence in my willpower. When I escape and send out the information I’ve gathered here, you will surely be shocked, succubus Lolth!”