Realm Wars

Inside Ferris's room was the usual low quality wooden planks as floors, a wooden bed with a mattress, a side table, a dining table and chair, a cabinet, and a lamp that was the only source of illumination. There was a small door at the side leading to the bathroom.

But Ryu didn't notice any of that. His eyes were focused on the enormous food on the table –– his saliva dripping from his lips.

There were mountains of food that Ryu hadn't seen before. But the two things that were familiar to him were the loaf of bread and gigantic roasted meat.

Ryu ran towards the table and chomped the first thing his hand grabbed. At the first taste of the juicy meat, his stomach rumbled in delight, his tongue dance in pleasure. All restraint left him as he gobbled everything, disregarding if he couldn't breathe when food stuck in his throat.

Cough

Cough

"Eat slowly. The foods not going anywhere." Ferris handed a bottle to Ryu, which the man chugged empty before he gnawed the food once more.

Ferris took a seat and watched Ryu eat while holding her chin with both hands. Her head was tilting from side to side as her legs swung back and forth.

Ryu didn't bother to sit as he feasted the food in front of him. If he could, he would take them all in his stomach.

"Tehehehe. Taste wonderful, right? I have the cook prepared it for you," Ferris chimed as she watched Ryu eating in relish.

With this amount of food and fruits, of course, Ferris has to pay a considerable amount of silver, but to her, it was no big deal.

Servants were not paid and didn't have anything in value, so one might wonder where Ferris got the money.

BURP!

It didn't even take half an hour for all the foods to wiped out on the table, even the bones.

Ryu licked his lips as he rubbed his tummy, feeling extremely satisfied.

But then, his stomach churned, innards twisting.

At the sight of Ryu's twisting face, Ferris chortled. "It's because you haven't eaten anything and then gobbled all that food. But don't worry. Since I already know this will happen, I have the cure."

Ryu's eyes sparkled. He was going to experience that wonderful feeling again!

Ferris laughed as she shook her head. She could read Ryu's thoughts with just his eyes. Then a black dust enclosed Ryu's body, and the unbearable pain of his stomach eased considerably. Now, all Ryu felt was being bloated from overeating.

He felt a little sleepy, but instead of going to sleep, Ryu glanced left and right.

He was curious about his surroundings. It was the first time he saw these kinds of things. Ryu went to the cabinet, sniffing it before sprinting to the next thing he laid his eyes. He was sniffling and checking the room.

"What's the matter? Why are you so excited? It's nothing really to fuss over. It's just a simple bed." Ferris yawned and looked at Ryu with a smile on her face.

Ryu blinked and looked at Ferris. He titled his head to the side, his face in confusion.

Ferris's drowsiness vanished, and she gaped at Ryu in disbelief. "Don't tell me that you don't know what a bed is?"

Ryu looked at Ferris before he shook his head.

"Heehh. . ." Ferris dragged her feet from her seat and walked closer towards Ryu, patting the bed.

"That thing is called a bed. You lie in there and go to sleep. It's quite comfortable. You should try it."

Instead of following what Ferris said, Ryu pointed to another piece of furniture.

"That's a side table but more commonly known as a bedside table. It is usually found beside the bed. It used to hold and store things for easy access when you're lying on the bed."

Ryu continued to point one thing after another, and Ferris explained until Ru's finger could no longer point at something.

Ferris crossed her arms and puffed her chest, proud of herself.

"Hm. Hm. Since you're so ignorant. Then I, Ferris, will take the noble cause of teaching all sorts of things to you."

Ferris slammed her chest with her fist. "I may look like this, but I'm knowledgeable. Some servants taught me to read and write, and every night I sneaked into the noble's library and read all their books. Knowledge is power."

Clap

Clap

Ryu clapped his hands, amazed. But his expression was neither happy nor sad. It was the same poker-faced.

"Don't worry. Me as your teacher, you'll be a genius in no time. Ahahahaha," Ferris bragged and her hands landed on her waist, legs apart.

"Every night, I will teach you, and if you don't understand anything, just ask me." Ferris looked at Ryu, but the boy just tilted his head to the side without as much as a squeak.

Ferris tapped her chin. "I forgot to ask this due to the excitement and all, but. .. can you speak?"

".. ."

".. ."

Ryu was about to answer, but Ferris raised her hand.

"That doesn't matter. If you want me to explain something, then point your hand at it. Are we clear??"

Ryu nodded for a split moment of silence, and Ferris's smile stretched wide.

At least he could understand this world's language. Ferris mused to herself, and then she walked towards the bed and tapped it for Ryu to climbed.

"Come on. Let's go to sleep."

Ryu didn't move. He observed Ferris with rapt attention. He remembered that she said it was used for sleeping. All I have to do is lay on it.

Ryu walked to the bed and sat on it first. The first contact of his butt against the mattress sent a new feeling to him that he jumped to his feet. He felt like he was drowning!

He looked at the bed then poked it before he sat again. His lower half was enveloped with a warm soft feeling and he was overflowed with satisfaction and a sense of comfort. Then he laid the rest of his body on the mattress and rolled to the side. Ryu's fingers and toes curled against the heavenly feel of the bed.

Ferris shook her head a little, a hint of a smile on her face. She laid on the bed beside Ryu and closed her eyes.

".. ."

".. ."

After a moment, Ryu shot to his feet, and with a soft thud, he hopped on the floor and slumped onto his side. Though his body felt in heaven as his bones melted on the bed, he felt uncomfortable at the strange sensation that he couldn't sleep. As he guessed, the hard floor was still the comfiest for him.

Ferris grabbed the blanket and scrambled to her feet. She slept on the hard cold ground most of the time so she found the soft mattress bumpy. She covered Ryu with her blanket as well as her body as she laid beside him, snuggling closer until she felt the warmth of Ryu's back.

She closed her eyes. "Night Ryu. . ."

Ryu didn't answer. He observed the little girl sleeping beside him. He didn't know how to react to his current situation. It was a first that he slept on a wooden ground with a blanket and beside the warmth of someone.

Ryu's eye gradually closed as he succumbed to sleep, thinking along the way.

It's not bad.