Shadow Slave

There were food rations in one of the carts, but Lady Tamar had also slain an Awakened Monster in the morning. There had been enough time for Rain to harvest a slab of meat before the survey team continued on Its Journey, so now, she was ready to cook a delicious supper.

Although the team wasn't big, there was a clear separation between people. The Awakened mostly kept to themselves, the survey specialists did the same, and the porters generally stuck together.

Right now, they were gathered around a fire, watching Rain roast meat with gleaming eyes.

«Wait, wait, everyone… it will be done soon! We're having a feast tonight!»

She grinned and turned the juicy strips of meat, making the melted fat sizzle. A delicious aroma permeated the air.

One of the laborers laughed.

«Rani, kid… if I was thirty years younger, I would have married you right here and now. No questions asked.»

One of the tough women from the road crew gave him a disdainful look.

«Old goat, what makes you think that you would have been worthy of marrying our Rani? Dream on!»

She put her hand around Rain's shoulder protectively.

«On that note, though… I know for a fact that you have a bottle of arak hidden in your pack. Come one, bring it out…»

The mood was light and warm. Rain was the youngest of the laborers, so they treated her with a bit of affection. The women especially tried to take care of her like concerned aunts.

So, feeding them today was her way of returning the favor.

While the man went to take out the bottle of moonshine from his pack, the woman let go of Rain and looked at the sizzling meat hungrily.

Then, she said in a tone of confusion:

«I must say, though… that's a peculiar pan you have there, Rani.»

Rain grinned.

You think

was using the blade of the

over a fire… the green metal was slow to heat up, but cooked meat beautifully. So, she used it often to prepare her

Rain clicked her tongue.

— doesn't rust, easy to wash, and I can split firewood with it at the same time. I was so lucky to pick it

The laborers laughed.

time the first portion of the meat was ready, even the survey specialists were looking at them with envy. Rain

and a warm fire. The three moons shone beautifully in the night sky, and the mundane humans huddled together in the circle of light, trying to

arrived from Ravenheart two days before we departed the main camp, didn't you? What did

man with harsh eyes scratched the

an air filtration tech back in Antarctica. No need to filter air in the

hesitated for a moment, then added with a sheepish

in one of the smaller cities, before they really developed. How great would it be, to have a store in a central location? But it's not easy to save. lіght\nоvel\cаve~c`о/m. That's why I signed up for the road crew, The pay here

The others laughed.

used to be a civil engineer

small

floor cleaner in an underground facility

«What about you, Rani?»

her eyes wide and

I

at her for

«Gods, she's a baby…»

did such a precious girl end up on a

Rani is tough as nails… tougher than

had hugged her before looked at the newcomer, Pill, and asked with

news in Ravenheart,

communicators in the Dream Realm, so the common folk had no way of

capital of the Song Domain recently, Pill