Chapter 195: One Bite at a Time

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: One Bite at a Time

And Iron Ingots weren’t even the hardest material to find. The hardest, clearly, was the last one: one hundred compressed energy blocks.

When Seraphina Sinclair saw the number, her vision went dark. These things were D-level!

Where was she supposed to find that many D-level Supply Boxes, let alone get that many D-level compressed energy blocks from them?

In short, this was a blueprint she couldn’t use right now.

Resigned, Seraphina Sinclair stuck this blueprint together with the one for the Water Dragon Roar to keep it company.

Seraphina Sinclair suppressed the trace of regret in her heart and pulled herself together.

’You have to walk the path one step at a time, and eat a meal one bite at a time.’ Having a blueprint was definitely better than not having one at all.

She turned her attention back to herself.

’And it gave me 5 free attribute points.’

’Which Attribute should I put them into?’

Seraphina Sinclair thought for only a moment before putting all the points into Intelligence.

One reason was that the effectiveness of meditation was limited by Intelligence. Another was that the Basic Training Room blueprint required Intelligence.

A full five points. It was a decent increase.

Finally, there was that little title.

[Gladiator Nova (Dark Gold)]

[Effect: While in any Coliseum, All Attributes are increased by 3%. Slightly increases your intimidating presence against monsters.]

[Note: A new star is on the rise. Your name is beginning to spread through The Coliseum.]

Seraphina Sinclair looked at the title, the corner of her mouth twitching in a barely perceptible smile.

’What an underwhelming little thing.’

It would only be useful later when her Attributes were higher, but Seraphina Sinclair was confident that by the time her Attributes were high, she’d have obtained a better title.

So, she had just gained another title that would sit idle.

With all her rewards tallied, a great sense of satisfaction washed over her, along with a deeper exhaustion.

The high-intensity battle, the mental games, and the subtle feeling of her body adjusting to her increased Attributes—it all left her physically and mentally drained.

She walked to the bed, changed into her lounge clothes, and lay down.

The soft bed enveloped her, bringing a long-awaited sense of comfort and peace.

In the corner, Lucky seemed to sense the change in atmosphere, curling up in its little nest and letting out soft, even breaths.

It was nearly two o’clock now—the perfect time for an afternoon nap.

But Seraphina Sinclair hadn’t eaten lunch yet. It was fine when she was busy, but now that she was relaxing, hunger washed over her like a tidal wave, and her stomach even gave a slight cramp.

She sighed helplessly and struggled to sit up from the comfortable bed.

’Survival is the top priority, and that means filling my stomach.’

Seraphina Sinclair tore open a meal ticket and sat primly at the stone table, waiting for her food.

She had thought Lucky was asleep, but as soon as it heard her move, it struggled to its feet and wobbled over.

Seraphina Sinclair stared at it for a moment, then decided to just ignore it.

The meal was served, and Seraphina Sinclair picked up her chopsticks to eat.

She had just picked up a piece of food when she felt something cool touch her ankle.

Looking down, she saw Lucky rubbing its little head against her, its moist eyes staring pitifully at her...

At the food in her hand.

It was also letting out an extremely faint whimper from its throat, a sound filled with longing.

The hand Seraphina Sinclair held her chopsticks with froze.

She looked at the delicious-smelling, vibrant meal on the table, then at the little Dragon Whelp at her feet, which could barely stand but was showing intense interest in the food.

"Can... can you even eat this?" she muttered to herself, uncertain.

’Logically speaking, a creature like a dragon, even a whelp, should have a diet that’s a bit more... special, right?’

’Like ore? Energy Blocks? Or at least raw meat?’

’What’s this about eating my food?’

And another thing!

’I only have so many meal tickets, and they only deliver so much food each time. Even though I often can’t finish it all, I always save the leftovers for the next meal. Now, suddenly, there’s a little Dragon Whelp trying to compete with me for my food...’

’Sorry.’

’I’m protective of my food!’

Her expression hardened as she brought the food to her mouth.

Lucky watched with longing eyes, or perhaps was simply tempted by the aroma, and rubbed against her ankle even more vigorously. Its little tail even began to wag slightly as it let out more urgent whimpers.

Seraphina Sinclair was silent for a few seconds.

’Strictly speaking, this little guy is both my spoil of war and my burden.’

’If it starved to death, it wouldn’t be any loss to me.’

’I just don’t know if that dragon outside will retaliate.’

’Besides, looking at its pitiful, innocently dependent expression, I’m finding it... a little hard to be cruel.’

But when she saw the food on the table, Seraphina Sinclair’s heart suddenly hardened.

’These are the meal tickets I risked life and limb in a dungeon to get! Why should I give them to this stinking Dragonbeast that might kill me and Sunflower in the future?’

Seraphina Sinclair agonized for a moment, but in the end, she decided not to give the little creature any food.

’Live if you can. If you can’t, then I guess we’ll all just die together.’

’And besides...’

’Are its mother and father just that irresponsible?’

’I’m already raising their kid for them, and they can’t even be bothered to send some food?’

Seraphina Sinclair hardened her heart, ignored the whimpering Dragon Whelp at her feet, and focused on the meal in front of her.

She ate quickly, practically devouring her food. This was partly due to hunger and partly because she didn’t want to give the little thing any chance for hope.

Lucky seemed to finally understand that it wasn’t getting any food from this biped, letting out an aggrieved "yowl." With its head hung low, it stumbled back to its blanket nest, burying its small body inside, leaving only a furry, slightly trembling back visible.

’I have to admit, it’s pretty pathetic.’

Seraphina Sinclair almost wanted to give it some food, but unfortunately, the portion this time was small. She had barely eaten her fill, and there was nothing left.

She forced herself not to look at the little lump under the blanket, got up, and stretched.

"It’s not like I insisted on raising you..."

She muttered under her breath, as if trying to convince herself. "Your parents dumped you, this trouble, on me, and now they expect to freeload off my rations? There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

After cleaning up, she sat back down at the table, planning what to do with her afternoon. Just then—

"THUD!"

A dull thud, as if something heavy had landed, suddenly came from the roof of the mobile house, making the whole structure shake lightly.

Instantly alert, Seraphina Sinclair shot to her feet, her longsword already in hand, her sharp gaze fixed on the ceiling.

"Whine?!"

The Dragon Whelp in the blanket nest was also startled. It warily raised its little head, its ruby eyes looking in the direction of the sound, and a low growl tinged with unease rumbled in its throat.

Before Seraphina Sinclair could react further—

"THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!"

Several more heavy impacts sounded in quick succession. It seemed as if several things were being thrown onto the roof of the mobile house one after another, then sliding off onto the wooden floorboards in front of the door.

This was followed by the sound of a powerful gust of wind from beating wings, and a low roar.

The sound wasn’t furious, but rather seemed to be some kind of... announcement?