The kitchen walls had thick stones, slightly different from the glimmering ones the rest of the castle used. It smelled of woodsmoke, roasted meat, and herbs, as though it had been heated for centuries.
A massive open fire, set in wide stone, dominated the space. A stone oven stood nearby, heated by wood burning within.
They stood in the roasting areas. Seraph casually turned an iron spit by hand, roasting meat. Halo hung back, keeping distance. The air wavered with heat, and despite the rich smell, he wasn't about to burn himself.
Still, Seraph continued teaching Halo about common foods in this realm. Some resembled cuisine from his previous world, others were unique. She used samples she'd prepared beforehand.
She explained which kinds of Sinners to hunt and which weren't safe to eat. From her descriptions, it was clear there were reckless and desperate people out there, given the dangerous creatures they were willing to try consuming.
While Seraph didn't elaborate extensively on which Sinners were inedible, she outlined several warning signs: those that consumed humans, and those with human-like appearances. All of these categories were strictly off-limits.
That got Halo thinking. How could they tell if a Sinner had already consumed a human?
When she finished, she headed to a long wooden table, where knives, cleavers, and mortars rested, alongside bowls and all cooking appliances.
She cheerfully served Halo a piece of the steak and ordered him to take his seat and enjoy.
"Consider this a thank-you for admiring my painting the other day… even if we haven't faced the Sinner yet."
Halo found this entire ordeal to be weird, but after taking Seraph's Flaw, Deception, into account, he couldn't help but comply. The meat looked tasty anyway.
The moment a piece of the meat touched his lips, his face flashed crimson as he could feel it melt on his tongue.
Seraph smiled.
"It seems like you're enjoying it. Thank you."
The moment she spoke, Halo snapped out of his daze and turned to her with a confused look.
He didn't know how to cook except for roasting insects and eating poisonous snakes, but he was certain the meat before him tasted almost the same as the steaks he'd eaten in his world. And the cuisines she'd shown him earlier all bore a striking resemblance too.
"Tell me something… how was your world like?"
His expression remained unreadable as usual.
"This tastes almost the same as the steaks in my world."
She wore a soft smile.
"People have all kinds of theories, but honestly, it doesn't change the fact we're here now. Some describe worlds like mine, and others sound like my past or future.
We don't have a way back, and we didn't know one another before, so why not enjoy what this world gives us and the little pieces of our old worlds we each carry?"
Halo stared at her for a moment and tried to smile, but his rigid state robbed him of that opportunity.
Her thoughts were worth knowing, and it took a lot of courage for her to accept that much about her fate.
However, Seraphim's expression wasn't as cheerful as usual. She was lost in thought.
"It's not Roni's fault that his life turned out this way."
Halo raised a startled eyebrow.
"Our selection into this world wasn't random. He must have done something to mark him as a god's fascination, but once here, everything else depends on how we brand ourselves."
Halo found himself more confused than he already was.
"Doesn't that make it Roni's fault, though? I mean, he could've done something better with his Sin Fragments."
Seraph locked eyes with Halo.
"Yes, but he couldn't. Just like the worlds we came from, everyone here carries the potential for greatness, yet few ever reach it. Only those who fight for it do.
Perhaps Roni might have changed and escaped whatever brought him here if fate had kept him in his world."
Halo's eyes narrowed slightly as he found himself lost in thought.
He wasn't simply going to overlook Roni's naivety, but he held no grudges. However, Seraph's words perplexed him.
Sin Fragments were a part of riches and strength in this world, and also before the gods. But that didn't mean this world was fair.
"What about the Purposes given and True Abilities? I mean, yours seems more impressive than mine."
Halo shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat his steak, but Seraph smiled and took a seat.
"How many Purposes have you fulfilled?"
Halo signaled a finger to her.
Seraph raised a startled eyebrow.
"This is your second Purpose?"
Halo nodded positively without glancing in Seraph's direction.
"So you came into this world this year too? Strange… I don't remember seeing you at the academy."
Halo finally looked her way and caught the confusion in her eyes. His entry into this world had been… different. Unique, even. But that was his secret to keep. He stayed silent.
After a brief moment, Seraph smiled again and sighed.
"True Abilities aren't random, not at all. They're born from each person's soul, their Flaw, their desires, and their connection to their god. The stronger your understanding of those bonds, the greater your True Ability can become."
It didn't really make sense to Halo since he knew his True Ability was borrowed anyway. It wasn't his so he couldn't be born from his soul. But he was okay if it was that way for everyone else.
"I can't say I fully understand how Purposes are issued, but I'm certain they have little to do with one's strength or abilities."
Still, Halo couldn't shake off the feeling that the gods had favorites. It never happened in the game, but that changed nothing.
His ability was useless without Sin Fragments, and even with them, he had nothing but numbers. He still had to depend on Sin Fragments and his own skills.
Seraph rose to her feet and tapped on Halo's shoulder.
"Your ability is incredible. I knew it from the start. Keep training to your heart's content, and when you finally see it for yourself, come find me… I'll be there, cheering you on."
She said with a calm tone before finally leaving the kitchen.
Halo turned and watched her go, frowning. He didn't believe his ability was useless. Giving life to the dead by making them his clones. Brutal, yes, but undeniably useful. That was one side of it. The other side, though? It absolutely sucked.
He sighed in frustration but wore a smile moments later.
This brought him a great idea for honing his skills. He was going to beat Light to death.