"A group of Infected escaping from a mobile city?"
Steven repeated the key phrase, feeling as if it pointed directly to something—or rather, someone he knew.
But in the very next second, as he casually accepted the piece of candy Yelena handed him, he immediately stuck out his tongue, nearly spitting it out on the spot.
So spicy!
Since when were Ursus candies spicy?!
With his mouth full of the fiery candy, Steven furrowed his brows. It wasn't that the strange, dark flavor of the candy was unbearable—he'd eaten rotten flesh without hesitation before. A little spiciness? That was nothing.
It was just that the sudden, sharp sting on his tongue had caught him off guard.
And when he turned to Yelena with a puzzled expression, he immediately noticed her mischievous grin, her hand covering her mouth as she giggled at her successful prank.
"—Damn, you really put a lot of thought into this trick, huh? Even had a special 'prank candy' prepared?"
Steven smacked his lips, still tasting the intense spiciness lingering in his mouth. But after getting used to it, he didn't actually mind it that much.
Come on, these days, candy companies could come up with any ridiculous flavor imaginable. Spicy chili candy? That was nothing. He'd even tried hot pot-flavored popsicles before!
And let's not even talk about those wealthy, extravagant countries where manufacturers took things to the next level. They even managed to market perfumes that supposedly smelled like a schoolgirl's underwear—nothing could surprise him anymore.
Never underestimate corporate competition. Otherwise, you might accidentally open the door to a whole new world.
"—What do you mean? This really is just candy."
Yelena squinted her eyes playfully.
"I'm eating the exact same one as you. It's just that you, like my other comrades, aren't used to the flavor at first."
As if to prove her point, she opened her small mouth and flicked her soft, pink tongue, rolling the white candy inside before showing it off in a teasing manner.
Watching her do this, Steven had the strongest urge to say, 'I won't believe it unless you let me try it myself.'
But… that would probably cross the line into sexual harassment-level teasing.
So in the end, he kept his mouth shut.
Still… he had to admit—her unconscious little action had stirred up an instant temptation in him.
For just a split second, he had the impulse to kiss her and taste the candy directly from her mouth.
—Damn, was this girl just that much his type?
Otherwise, why would such pointless thoughts even pop into his head?
Steven rubbed his eyes, then turned away, instinctively avoiding any further temptation from the girl's unintended seduction.
"…Why the hell are you eating candy that tastes like this?"
"This stuff is nowhere close to being called… 'delicious.'"
Even as he complained, Steven bit down hard, crushing the spicy candy between his teeth and swallowing it down.
Technically speaking, spiciness isn't even a taste. If you had to categorize it, it's actually more of a pain sensation. Sure, some people enjoyed it, but in most cases, spiciness was meant to complement other flavors.
For example, in spicy-sweet or numbing-spicy flavors, the spice was there to enhance the taste.
But pure, raw spiciness?
That was not something most people could actually enjoy.
"Because I was always cold. At least, before you used whatever tool you did to treat my body, I could hardly taste anything at all. These candies, infused with alcohol and spicy flavors, were one of the few pleasures I had left."
The girl answered Steven's question truthfully, her eyes filled with a deep, unwavering gratitude.
Everything she had just said was true—before meeting Steven, she had thought that this was all she had left.
But his treatment had changed everything.
Even though her body was still cold, she could now sense warmth, taste flavors, and experience what true warmth really felt like—something beyond the fleeting, painful illusion of warmth that the spicy candy had once provided.
Steven scratched his head, choosing not to comment on her rather pitiful taste in sweets. Instead, he reached into his inventory and pulled out an apple.
"Look, I don't know why you'd enjoy something like that, but as half a chef, I refuse to acknowledge that thing as candy. This is what real candy looks like."
From his Transmutation Table, Steven pulled out an empty bucket and a few stalks of sugarcane. With practiced ease, he extracted the sugar from the cane and placed it into the bucket. Then, he set it over a furnace, heating it until it melted into a thick, golden syrup.
Next, he grabbed a wooden stick, pierced it into the apple, and dipped it lightly into the syrup.
As the glossy, semi-transparent sugar coating met the cold air around Yelena, it quickly hardened, forming something that looked like a giant lollipop.
"Here, try this. This is what real candy tastes like! Steve's Handmade Caramel Apple—100% pure fruit, no additives!"
Steven grinned with pride, holding the apple out to her.
It was similar to making candied hawthorn, and fortunately, he had learned this skill from his grandfather when he was a child. At the very least, he knew exactly what consistency the syrup needed to be.
"But didn't you say you were a miner? How are you suddenly a chef now?"
Yelena chuckled as she accepted the unfamiliar candy, teasing him in a playful whisper.
This guy always seemed to talk nonsense, but honestly, it was kind of amusing.
"Sigh~~ You just don't get it. A miner who can't cook will never be a good doctor! I have tons of side jobs."
Steven smirked as he nudged her to hurry up and try it, eager to hear her opinion.
"Pfft—"
Yelena couldn't hold back her laughter. She bit down on the spicy candy in her mouth, swallowing it before sticking out her soft, pink tongue to lick the surface of the caramel apple.
A wave of sweetness rushed through her senses, flooding her mind in an instant.
The simple act of absorbing sugar was enough to trigger happiness in the brain, and for someone like her—who hadn't tasted real sweetness in so long—this flavor was nearly overwhelming.
Her eyes narrowed in bliss, and before she knew it, her entire body relaxed, nearly collapsing against Steven's side.
Had it been anyone else, she might have worried about whether her low body temperature would trouble them. But considering Steven had once touched her bare skin with his hands even when she was completely out of control—this level of cold was nothing to him.
"H-Hey, don't do that! If someone sees this, they'll think I drugged the candy or something!"
Steven twitched at the sight of her blissful expression, his lips twitching into an awkward grimace. He hurriedly reached out to support her before she could completely collapse into his arms.
"I'm no disciple of Souma, and I'm definitely not one of those shady black-market chefs who sneak weird stuff into food!"
"It's just a caramel apple. Sure, it's tasty, and I remember feeling happy eating it when I was a kid, too. But your reaction is kind of... excessive."
Steven watched Yelena with suspicion. Was she trying to scam him or something?
"No, it's just that... when I eat this candy, I feel truly happy. It's a strange but wonderful feeling."
The white-haired girl held the caramel apple in her hands, licking its glossy sugar coating with her pink tongue. As she did, she turned to Steven and gave him a radiant, purely blissful smile.
"Or—just hear me out—could it be that you simply haven't had enough good food in your life?"
Steven teased her with a smirk. "I mean, looking at your Guerrilla Fighter, I can't imagine you guys eating well. You all look like you're barely scraping by."
He had noticed it—despite being hailed as heroes among the infected, this so-called Guerrilla Fighter seemed to be struggling just as much as the people they protected.
And yet, somehow, those armored giants among them still managed to grow so massive. What exactly were they eating?
"Maybe you're right. So tell me, my esteemed Mr. Steve, did you really come all this way just to ask me that question and share your candy with me?"
Yelena continued licking her apple, taking small, deliberate tastes. At this moment, she was no longer the "Snow Monster Princess" feared by the Ursus army, nor the "Cold Reaper" of the battlefield. Right now, she was just a simple girl, satisfied by the simple pleasure of candy.
Steven stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm… Now that you mention it, I guess I don't really have any other business here. Honestly, I'm just kinda… wandering around. Mind if I take a look at what your squad does in their daily life? I'm a little curious."
He had no grand mission or hidden agenda. He was simply someone who followed his whims—coming here only to visit a friend and maybe watch some interesting things unfold.
"Oh?" Yelena tilted her head. "So you're saying... you snuck in here?"
She wasn't doubting his ability to do so—rather, she was just a little surprised to hear him admit it so casually.
This place was one of the most heavily guarded areas. Apart from the Yeti Squadron, the Shieldguards, known as the "Shield of the Infected," were also stationed here. Yet, judging from Steven's expression, he seemed completely at ease.
"Yeah, I did. But don't worry—I'm not the type to cause trouble unless someone goes out of their way to provoke me first."
"No, that's not what I meant..." Yelena sighed, shaking her head. "What I mean is—if you're no longer using stealth, then my 'old man' is definitely going to sense you."
Steven blinked. "Huh?"
Before he could react, a tall, imposing figure appeared in the distance, striding rapidly toward them.
<+>
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