Chapter 448: Cooking Lunch, Taking Some Time Off

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"I’ll let her have Noir," said Riven, the wolf appearing from his shadows.

He could always count on his most loyal companion.

The moment Noir emerged, his large body stretched out before he approached Riven. His tail wagged slightly, and he looked up at his master with an eager expression.

The wolf had grown considerably stronger since their first meeting, and his body was now far more imposing than before. His fur was thick, his claws were sharp, and his eyes carried a certain intelligence that made it clear he was no ordinary beast.

"He’d be her guardian. He has grown more than strong enough to help her out, right, boy?"

"Woof!" said Noir, approaching him.

The wolf seemed particularly excited at the prospect of going on another adventure. He had grown accustomed to hunting alongside Riven, and the idea of protecting Elisa while exploring a dungeon was something he appeared to enjoy.

He rubbed his head against Riven’s hand, clearly hoping to receive some affection.

Riven smiled and patted him.

Noir had become a dependable companion, and he was confident that the wolf would be able to protect Elisa from most of the dangers they might encounter.

Of course, that didn’t mean he would simply leave her alone in a dungeon and expect Noir to handle everything. He would still be there to support her, and he could always intervene if something went wrong.

"Don’t worry, we can do it all together," Riven said with a kind smile. "Now, let’s go back home."

Daniela seemed relieved by his words, while Elisa nodded with a small smile.

She didn’t want everyone to worry about her, but she also understood that she needed to be careful. If she wanted to grow stronger, she would have to take some risks, and having Riven and Noir by her side made the idea much less frightening.

With that settled, Riven returned home with his wife and everyone else.

It was getting rather late, and they decided that it was time for dinner.

The day had been quite productive, and Riven had already started thinking about what he would do next. There were still several things he needed to take care of, including the upcoming trip to Beach City and the matter of recruiting someone who could prove useful to his plans.

However, for now, he wanted to enjoy some time with his family.

After all, there was no reason to spend every waking moment thinking about battles, dungeons, and the System.

He could afford to relax for a little while.

This time, he prepared Wyvern Steak, from a Wyvern that Noir had hunted on their way toward the Mutant Village.

The monster had been quite large, and its meat was particularly valuable due to its high Mana concentration. Wyverns were powerful creatures, and their flesh contained a considerable amount of energy that could benefit those who consumed it.

Naturally, Riven had made sure to preserve the meat properly.

He had already prepared several portions, and the remaining pieces were stored away for future meals.

The steak itself was quite delicious, with a rich flavor that made it stand out from the other monster meats they had eaten before. It was also surprisingly tender, especially considering how tough the creature’s body had been.

He’d accompanied it with mushroom risotto and several other side dishes, but naturally, the main dish everyone was looking forward to eating was the wyvern meat.

The smell alone was enough to make everyone eager to sit down.

The steak had been seasoned with several herbs and spices, while the mushroom risotto provided a pleasant contrast to the rich flavor of the meat. Riven had also prepared a few vegetables and other dishes, making sure that everyone had something they enjoyed.

Although he could have simply relied on the System to provide him with food, he preferred preparing meals himself whenever he had the time.

It was something he enjoyed doing, and seeing everyone appreciate his cooking was always satisfying.

They enjoyed dinner together, and this time, even Vladimir joined after a while, eating what Riven had saved for him.

The vampire had been busy with his own training, and he had apparently decided to take a break long enough to enjoy a proper meal.

He sat down and began eating, showing little interest in the conversations around him at first.

However, Riven soon noticed something unusual.

Vladimir’s body had changed slightly. Although the differences were not particularly obvious, his muscles seemed more defined, and there was a certain improvement in his physical condition.

It wasn’t just his appearance, either.

Riven could sense that Vladimir’s body was gradually becoming stronger, and his movements were more stable than before.

He had apparently been making progress with Body Refinement.

"Your talent is above average, but it’ll suffice, I guess. Keep going," he said.

Riven looked at him with a slightly amused expression.

Vladimir’s progress was certainly better than he had expected, considering how little experience he had with Body Refinement. The vampire was still far from becoming an expert, but he was already making noticeable improvements.

That was good enough for now.

"Silence..." Vladimir groaned angrily. "I am just starting. I’ll get better!"

He glared at Riven, clearly dissatisfied with the way he had been evaluated.

It wasn’t as though he had been training for years. He had only recently started exploring Body Refinement, and he was still trying to understand the principles behind it.

Besides, he wasn’t particularly fond of being judged by someone who seemed to become stronger every time he consumed something.

"Hah, sure," Riven teased him.

Vladimir clicked his tongue and returned to his meal.

Although he was annoyed, he couldn’t deny that Riven’s words had motivated him a little.

He would prove that he could become stronger, even if it took him some time.

After he was done, Elisa decided to watch some movie with the kids.

They had been looking forward to spending time together, and Elisa was happy to join them.

Although she was still tired from the earlier exercise, she didn’t want to miss the opportunity to relax with everyone.

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