As I stepped closer to the campsite, I saw an elderly man in robes conversing with my servant. I immediately sharpened my senses—there was a strong and stable mana fluctuation radiating from him. He was no roadside mage one could casually encounter.

  “Ah, Young Master Rey, you’ve returned,” my servant greeted me with visible relief.

  I handed him the pouch of mushrooms and wild plants I had gathered, though my eyes remained fixed on the uninvited guest.

  “So, who are they?” I asked bluntly.

  “My apologies for the intrusion, Young Master. We are merely merchants passing through and hoped to rest here briefly,” the old man said with a polite bow. “My name is Eggar, and this is my disciple, Len.”

  A girl in a closed robe standing beside him lowered her head in greeting as well. I returned the gesture with a formal nod.

  “A pleasure. My name is Rey Lucien. You may rest wherever you wish, so long as you do not cause trouble.”

  I turned toward the campfire just as Alex’s group returned from the forest. They dragged along a medium-sized wild boar. Alex looked slightly sour as he explained that they had actually caught several rabbits too—but all of them had ended up in Chorma’s stomach before they could bring them back.

  “You!” I barked at the fluffy culprit. “No dinner for you!”

  Without mercy, I tied Chorma up and hung him from a tree branch like a punching bag. Although he could have freed himself instantly with his strength, he seemed to understand his fault and accepted the punishment with an absurdly pitiful expression.

  “Well then, since our food supplies were nearly wiped out by this monster, allow this Young Master to handle dinner,” I said casually while rolling up my sleeves.

  “Master, please let me cook,” the servant protested hesitantly.

  “No need. You and the soldiers just help cut the boar meat evenly. I’ll make pork steak with a special sauce you’ve never tasted before.”

  I began mixing the wild ingredients I had collected earlier. Secretly, I accessed the Cosmic Pocket through Apolo and retrieved several high-grade synthetic spices. The extraction cost around fifty points of cosmic energy.

  [For now, using energy for food is the most logical choice so Master does not starve to death,] Apolo commented dryly.

  “You’re right… even if it hurts.”

  [Remaining Cosmic Energy: 1,450 points.]

  I could only snort. Using such precious cosmic energy as “currency” to retrieve kitchen spices from my own storage felt utterly absurd.

  Still, for the sake of my sanity—and my reputation in front of the servants—it was worth the price.

  Gradually, a savory aroma filled the air as the pork touched the grill. I brushed on my custom sauce, and the fragrance spread throughout the campsite.

  Chorma, still hanging from the branch, began barking pitifully. His tail wagged weakly, trying to coax me into giving him a bite. I remained unmoved. Punishment must be enforced; this naughty creature needed discipline so he wouldn’t treat the logistics wagon as his personal buffet again.

  We began distributing the perfectly cooked steaks.

  “This… this is incredible. The seasoning has seeped into the deepest fibers of the meat,” the servant murmured with shining eyes.

  “Is all noble food this delicious? This is the first time I’ve tasted meat that melts on the tongue!” one of the novice soldiers exclaimed.

  Even Alex looked stunned. Naturally, they would never find such flavor anywhere on this continent—the spices came from my original world, whose technology far surpassed this one.

  Yet amid the reverent dinner atmosphere, a sharp voice broke the silence.

  “Isn’t this too much?”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  I turned, frowning. “What is?”

  “You’re enjoying a luxurious dinner while leaving your puppy hanging there starving like a sack of sand!” Len pointed accusingly at Chorma, who was giving us the most tragic stare imaginable.

  “Ah…”

  I suddenly realized. Anyone witnessing this scene would conclude I was a deranged noble who enjoyed tormenting animals. Hanging a puppy from a tree while feasting in front of him was indeed a terrible image.

  “I’ve heard rumors that Rey Lucien is a useless, lecherous bastard. But who knew you were also a cruel brute who tortures innocent little creatures?” Len continued without pause.

  She protested like an animal-rights activist unable to tolerate injustice. To her, I was an unfit master who abused instead of cared.

  “Len, stop.” Eggar stepped forward, attempting to calm his disciple, followed by several of their guards.

  “But, Master… look at him!”

  “Interfering in a noble’s personal affairs is unwise,” Eggar admonished firmly.

  The old man then bowed his head toward me. “Forgive my disciple, Young Master. She can be overly impulsive.”

  “It’s fine. Young people these days tend to be overly enthusiastic about justice,” I replied with a casual wave.

  “By the way,” Eggar sniffed the air, “you are cooking something with a most enticing aroma.”

  “Oh? Old man, if you’re interested, have a taste. We have plenty of meat.”

  “Ho-ho! You certainly know how to share with your elders.” My servant promptly handed him a slice of steak. The moment it entered his mouth, his eyes widened.

  “Extraordinary! Even palace chefs could not replicate such flavor,” Eggar praised sincerely. “May I have another serving?”

  “Of course. Help yourself.”

  “Len, try some. You’ll like it,” Eggar offered.

  “Hmph!” Len accepted the piece with a still-pouting expression. Yet instead of eating it herself, she cut it and fed it to Chorma, who was still hanging.

  “Ahh!” she gasped softly after tasting the remaining bite. Her anger melted instantly under the explosion of flavor.

  “She’s a good kid,” I muttered, watching her sincerely share food with the ‘logistics thief.’

  “Of course. She is my proud disciple,” Eggar replied with pride.

  Despite the earlier tension, the atmosphere soon warmed thanks to the power of food. Even Eggar’s guards eventually joined in, happily enjoying the steaks I prepared.

  —*

  In the silence of the night, while most were asleep, one of Eggar’s soldiers slipped quietly into the forest’s darkness. Beneath the shadow of a large tree, a black-robed man awaited him.

  “So, will we proceed tomorrow?” the soldier whispered.

  “Yes. Eggar and Len’s deaths must look like an accident during dungeon exploration,” the robed man replied coldly.

  “There’s a slight change. The Lucien boy insisted on joining after Eggar invited him as thanks for dinner.”

  “Tch! That Lucien brat is nothing. Their family will soon be destroyed anyway. Once the southeastern territory falls, we can seize the iron mines there,” the man scoffed. “Let him come. Killing one extra piece of trash won’t matter.”

  “Heh, you’re right. According to intel, Lord Lucien won’t survive the monster domino effect—even if he’s on par with the ‘12 Zodiac,’” the soldier snickered before returning to camp, unaware that an invisible optical sensor had recorded every word.

  The next morning, the group arrived at a hidden dungeon. According to information, the monsters along the main path had been cleared, leaving only the boss chamber at the end. The traitors had arranged their plan: activate a trap magic circle to split the party.

  The moment they stepped into the main hall, a purple light flared violently.

  Zuum!

  Instantly, Eggar was isolated inside the boss chamber. The black-robed man appeared before him with a triumphant smile. “You!” Eggar shouted, realizing the betrayal.

  Elsewhere, Rey was thrown into a dead-end corridor, accompanied only by Chorma. Before him, five conspiratorial soldiers surrounded him with weapons drawn.

  “You look like a rat trapped in the wrong hole, Young Master,” the leader mocked arrogantly.

  Rey tilted his head slightly. “Do I?” His face remained calm, as though watching a dull comedy performance.

  Grrrr!

  Chorma stood in front of Rey, growling low with an unfriendly gaze.

  “Look at that puppy trying to protect its master! How adorable,” one soldier laughed. “Boss, that dog could fetch a high price from noble collectors of exotic beasts. Leave it alive—we’ll earn extra coin.”

  Hearing them discuss selling him, Rey let out a long sigh.

  “Apolo, should I handle this myself?”

  “What nonsense are you muttering?” a soldier barked. “We know you’re just a useless, perverted bastard. Unless you’re a Sword Master, you’re not walking out of here alive!”

  In the cold dungeon corridor, Rey’s voice echoed flatly, yet chilling to the bone.

  “Chorma… you may eat them all. Don’t leave even a single bone.”

  Grrrr—AWOOOO!

  Chorma’s tiny body trembled violently. A sickening sound of bones cracking and reforming at abnormal speed filled the corridor. His once-soft white fur instantly transformed into jet-black fibers as hard as molten steel, absorbing the surrounding light.

  In a blink, the adorable form vanished—replaced by a horrifying entity standing over two meters tall.

  It was an Alien Wolf whose anatomy defied natural law. Four blood-red eyes did not merely stare—they seemed to flay the soul of anyone who met them. From its massive jaws protruded layered fangs, sharp as daggers and strong enough to crush plate armor in a single bite.

  Its claws extended into curved scythes gleaming darkly, slicing the air with a shrieking hiss. The aura of an apex predator radiated so densely that a crushing pressure filled the corridor, forcing the soldiers to their knees as if oxygen itself had been sucked away by the monster’s presence.

  “W-What is that thing?!”

  “Everyone, prepare yourselves! That creature isn’t just some—”

  Slash!

  Before the sentence finished, a black flash struck. The air tore apart, and the front soldier’s body split cleanly into two without a sound. Chorma’s speed surpassed human comprehension—he did not merely move; he seemed to shift dimensions.

  Screams filled the corridor, followed by the horrific crunch of bones shattering beneath the predator’s jaws.