From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 21: Cake

"Mmm...!"

The cheesy stuffed rolls were golden, the vanilla ice cream with caramel chunks sat chilling in a bowl, and the chocolate cake...

'Oh, that cake...'

Its glaze gleamed under the light, and Charles swore he could smell the cocoa from his seat.

Lira turned from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth.

Swish!

She tossed it onto the counter and pointed at a small table in the room's center.

"Come sit," she said, her voice half-command, half-indifference. "Food's ready."

Charles blinked, still dazed by the aroma.

"Already?" he asked, standing carefully. "Ow!"

The bandage on his shoulder tugged, reminding him his body was far from 100%.

The dining table was simple—polished wood with two chairs that didn't quite match the kitchen's luxury.

Lira set a plate in front of him, piled with steaming cheesy rolls.

Then came the bowl of ice cream, caramel bits sparkling like gems.

And finally, the star: the chocolate cake, still whole, placed in the table's center like a masterpiece.

'Whoa!'

Charles's mouth watered.

'This looks straight out of a bakery,' he thought, eyeing the glaze's smooth surface. 'Did she really make this?'

"Thanks," he mumbled, grabbing a roll carefully.

Crunch!

The first bite was a flavor bomb: melted cheese, hot and salty, blending with the crisp, golden crust.

Charles closed his eyes without meaning to, letting the taste wash over him.

'This is paradise,' he thought, chewing slowly.

He couldn't recall the last time he'd eaten anything this good.

Opening his eyes, he saw Lira heading to the fridge. She pulled out the lime soda bottle and refilled his glass.

"Here," she said, leaving the bottle on the table before returning to the sink.

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She started washing dishes, water splashing as she scrubbed a pan with quick motions.

"Uh-huh," Charles replied, mouth half-full.

'Grumpy attitude, but damn, she can cook,' he thought, chuckling to himself.

He took another sip and tore into the rolls.

Each bite topped the last, and the ice cream...

'Oh, the ice cream!'

He scooped some, and the caramel bits crunched between his teeth.

'This is too perfect,' he thought, a calm settling over him he hadn't felt in days. 'Maybe Lira's not so bad after all.'

But the cake kept calling.

'Can't wait anymore,' he thought, pushing the ice cream bowl aside.

He reached for a slice when Lira appeared out of nowhere, a long knife in hand.

'Whoa!'

Charles froze, heart lurching.

'What the hell?' he thought, staring at her. 'Is she gonna cut me or what?'

Lira caught his look and let out a short laugh, like she knew exactly what was running through his head.

Slice!

She plunged the knife into the cake with precision that made Charles blink in surprise.

She cut several perfect slices, each identical, and slid one onto a plate for him.

"There," she said, still chuckling a bit as she returned to the sink.

Water kept running as she scrubbed a pot.

Charles exhaled, feeling a little dumb.

'Chill, man... no way she's picking another fight,' he thought, shaking his head. 'It's just cake...'

He grabbed the plate and sniffed the slice.

The chocolate was rich, sweet, with a bitter edge that made it irresistible.

'Here goes...'

He took a bite, and it was like the world stopped.

'Holy crap!'

The glaze was creamy, the cake fluffy, and the flavor filled every corner of his mouth.

'This is better than anything I've ever tasted,' he thought, closing his eyes again. 'Lira, you're a genius.'

"Want a piece?" he asked, mouth full, pointing at the cake.

'No way I'm hogging this,' he thought, though part of him wanted every bite.

Lira paused for a second, hands in the water.

Pop!

A bubble burst in the sink, and she glanced back slightly.

"No thanks," she said, voice flat. "Not big on sweets."

Charles blinked, caught off guard.

'Doesn't like sweets?' he thought, almost offended. 'Well... her loss.'

He shrugged and kept eating, forking another piece.

'More for me,' he thought, grinning.

But as he chewed, something shifted.

'What's this?'

His eyelids grew heavy, like someone was pressing them down.

'No, no, no!'

He swallowed hard, trying to focus.

'I'm full, but... why am I so tired?'

Charles blinked fast, staring at the plate.

'This doesn't add up,' he thought, frowning.

He'd napped in the hot springs earlier, so he shouldn't feel like this.

His head felt sluggish, the room moving in slow motion.

'What's wrong with me?'

He tried lifting the fork again, but his hand shook, and the cake fell to the plate with a soft Plop!.

'Crap...'

His vision blurred, and the sound of water in the sink faded, like it was coming from another room.

Charles's body slumped forward, his head hitting the table with a muffled Thud!.

The fork clattered to the floor, and the cake slice he'd been holding slid from his hand, smearing the table.

'Lira...' was his last thought before everything went black.

Lira, finishing a pan, glanced over her shoulder.

Swish!

She turned off the faucet, letting silence fill the room. She saw Charles slumped over the table, his half-eaten cake plate beside a spilled soda glass dripping onto the floor.

Lira let out a long, almost weary sigh, drying her hands on a cloth.

'Sorry, Rian,' she thought, her face blank, showing no emotion.