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Chapter 257 Chapter 60.3 - Phantom\'s Land

A new feeling of respect bloomed in Irina\'s heart. She had always been arrogant thanks to her lineage and thought being a mage was relatively easy, but looking at it like that, those who worked in places like this needed quite a strong will and mental.

\'But, what is our purpose here.\'

Even if the academy wanted them to observe things, this place seemed rather different compared to the pieces of training before. Rather than focusing on combat, this time, they were in a place where the purpose was lost.

"Let\'s return."

Astron mumbled. At this point, in Phantom\'s Land, the air grew colder, and the mystical atmosphere intensified. The townspeople also were hurriedly retreating indoors, following the local tradition as the clock ticked closer to 06:06.

"Okay."

There were some other students as well.

"Why are they leaving?"

"What is with the issue here?"

Though most of them were looking around with surprised faces, it seemed they were rather clueless about this part.

\'Well, they will learn sooner or later anyway.\'

As the trio began their journey back to the bungalow, they noticed an unusual change in the atmosphere. The fog, which had previously been a mere backdrop, started to thicken with every passing second.

It clung to the surroundings like a dense curtain, obscuring their vision and creating an unsettling ambiance.

"This fog is getting thicker. Is this part of the usual phenomenon here?" Sylvie questioned, her gaze fixed on the ever-increasing density of the mist.

Astron furrowed his brow, observing the phenomenon closely. "It\'s not usual." His purple eyes were narrowed, but Irina felt like he wasn\'t as tense as he should be.

Being within his team for a long time, she knew how he acted whenever he was unsure of something, and this wasn\'t the case right now.

\'Well, if he hadn\'t noticed something, then we should be fine.\'

She reassured herself. He was unusually perceptive most of the time, so she had at least this much faith in his judgment.

As they ventured further, the fog became so thick that their surroundings turned into an impenetrable veil of gray.

Visibility was reduced to a mere few feet, and the air grew colder, carrying an eerie stillness. The sounds of footsteps echoed like ghostly whispers in the dense fog.

"Check the compass."

She opened her watch and chose the option of home. As the compass appeared, it showed the direction of their home. They had already tested it before leaving upon Astron\'s request, so they were sure that it worked.

Navigating through the thick fog with the assistance of the compass, the trio managed to reach the bungalow not long after. The enchanted device proved to be their guiding light in the murky surroundings.

Upon entering the bungalow, they felt a sense of relief as the fog\'s oppressive presence was temporarily held at bay.

"Haaaah….." The first one to relieve was Sylvie. Irina also wanted to do the same, but she refused to show weakness before this guy.

The interior offered a familiar sanctuary, and the trio decided to take a moment to gather their thoughts on the couch.

"So, what do you guys think?

"Not sure."

"Let\'s wait for a little while," Irina mumbled. "But stay alert. I feel like something will happen."

Just as she said, the timer on the wall steadily counted down the minutes, and as it finally reached 06:06, an inexplicable transformation occurred.

SWOOSH!

The mist that had veiled the landscape outside suddenly turned dark, as if the sky had plunged into night within moments.

CREAK! CREAK!

The abrupt change was accompanied by strange noises emanating from the darkened mist. Whispers echoed, and indistinct voices filled the air, creating an unsettling symphony that resonated through Phantom\'s Land.

SWOOSH!

Silhouettes, barely visible in the pitch-black mist, began passing through the windows of the bungalow. Eerie sounds echoed, filling the air with an otherworldly symphony. The trio, Astron, Irina, and Sylvie, exchanged uneasy glances as the mysterious figures moved silently around them.

The unsettling atmosphere escalated as the windows began to shake violently as if they were about to shatter. The trio sprang into action, rushing to close the heavy lids of the windows to ward off the impending threat.

"Quickly! Seal the windows!" Astron commanded, his voice calm despite the surreal events unfolding.

Irina and Sylvie followed suit, hastily securing the windows to keep whatever lurked outside from entering. The shaking intensified, accompanied by a chorus of haunting whispers that seemed to seep through the smallest gaps.

"What...what are these things?" Sylvie questioned, her voice barely audible over the disconcerting sounds.

Astron, his eyes focused and intense, scanned the room. "Phantoms." He replied.

"These are phantoms?"

"High likely."

Even though they researched before coming here, there wasn\'t much-published information about both phantoms and how Phantom\'s Land worked. This wasn\'t a touristic place, and the government-controlled the information network about this one.

"I see."

Sylvie nodded her head, understanding.

CREAK!

The creaking sounds continued for a little while as the silhouettes surrounding them continued their movements.

However, at this point, they had gotten used to it. Even though it may have been a little overwhelming at the first minute, they were future hunters and had seen their fair share of weird things.

Irina couldn\'t help but ask, "What should we do now?"

Now that they couldn\'t go out, there wasn\'t much they could do after all.

Astron glanced at his watch, his purple eyes focused on the enchanted timepiece. "We wait. This seems to be part of the phenomena Eleanor mentioned. As long as we keep the windows closed, we should be safe."

He didn\'t see any signs of phantoms inside, and the academy should give the students at least this much salvation.

GRUMBLE!

Just as he spoke, a distinct sound echoed in the room, cutting through the eerie ambiance. It was the unmistakable grumbling of a hungry stomach.

Everyone turned to look at Sylvie, who appeared slightly embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about that. Guess I\'m hungrier than I thought."

Irina couldn\'t help but smirk, finding the timing rather amusing.

GROWL!

However, her triumphant expression quickly faded as her own stomach joined in, producing a sound that mirrored Sylvie\'s hunger.

"Remarkable. Despite the unusual circumstances, you two still manage to have an appetite."

Irina, trying to salvage her pride, crossed her arms defensively. "Well, we can\'t control when we get hungry, even in a place like this."

"I guess our bodies don\'t care if we\'re surrounded by phantoms or not."

However, at the mention of their stomachs rumbling, a problem appeared immediately.

\'Who will cook?\'

It was a question that needed to be answered immediately.

"So, any of you know how to cook?"

Irina\'s confident demeanor wavered, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. "Cook? Well, I, um, I\'ve never really cooked before. It\'s not something nobles typically do."

Her point was fair. As a person from one of the six main magic families, she had never have any need to cook in her entire life.

"Tch…Entitled nobles."

"What did you say?"

"You should know how to cook. It is an essential skill to survive."

Irina huffed, defensively crossing her arms. "I\'ve always had servants to do the cooking. I never needed to bother with it, and I am sure I will never do in the future."

"Are you dumb? What about now?"

"Now is an exception."

"Those exceptions are what we call life-threatening situations. I guess you will just pray to god that you don\'t encounter one?"

"..."

Seeing Irina\'s defeated expression, Astron\'s gaze shifted to Sylvie. However, despite her initial embarrassment, she met his eyes for a moment before averting her gaze.

The silence spoke volumes, and it was clear that neither of them had much experience in the culinary arts.

Sylvie mumbled, "I can make instant noodles, I guess."

"Really?"

And he couldn\'t help but shake his head.

\'Modernity ruined femineity.\'

He wanted to say, but there was no need to trigger some people. And it was not like cooking was associated with femininity anyway.

But he still couldn\'t help but sigh at the lack of cooking skills displayed by the two noble ladies.

Standing up from the couch, he made his way to the kitchen. Irina, puzzled by his sudden movement, called after him, "Where are you going?"

Astron glanced over his shoulder with a deadpanned face. "Where does it seem like I am going?"

"….."

\'What is with you, humph? Not everyone needs to know how to cook?\'

Seeing his crappy attitude, she got annoyed. But, she couldn\'t do anything at all.

As he reached the kitchen, Astron began rummaging through the cabinets, seemingly well-acquainted with the contents. Irina and Sylvie exchanged curious glances, wondering what culinary skills he possessed that they were unaware of.

Astron\'s proficiency in the kitchen wasn\'t a recent development. Living alone for a considerable time had forced him to pick up various skills, including cooking.

His frequent visits to dungeons had also played a role in refining his abilities, as resourcefulness often meant the difference between a satisfying meal and an empty stomach in the unpredictable environments of dungeons.

Being nutritious was pretty important for hunters, and those who could fill stomachs fast enough had an advantage over those who didn\'t.

Though, of course, his skills weren\'t on the level of a chef, it was satisfying enough, nevertheless.

He thought that, at least.

Soon enough, the kitchen was filled with the sound of sizzling as Astron expertly prepared a meal. The enticing aroma gradually filled the room, catching the attention of both Irina and Sylvie.

Irina couldn\'t help but be a bit intrigued. "What are you cooking?"

FUSH!

Astron, focused on his culinary task while stirring the pan constantly, replied, "A simple stir-fry. It\'s a quick and tasty option."

Sylvie, still amazed by his unexpected cooking skills, added, "Wow, I didn\'t expect you to be so good at this."

\'It is not that this is good….It is just you had never bothered to see any chef working.\'

He wanted to say but kept it inside. Dexterity was something he was proud of, but he never initially thought he was an extraordinary cook.

"This is nothing."

Irina, unable to resist a challenge to her capabilities, declared, "Well, I could do it too if I tried."

But that scratched our edgy boy\'s pride. Without missing a beat, he handed her the pan

"Ho? Give it a shot, then."

Irina took the pan confidently, trying to mimic Astron\'s stirring technique. However, as she attempted to showcase her culinary prowess, the pan wobbled dangerously, and it was clear she was struggling to maintain control.

Astron, with a deadpan expression, stretched his hand towards the pan, activating his [Telekinesis] without a word. The pan floated effortlessly in the air, evading the imminent disaster that Irina\'s attempt threatened.

"I had a feeling this would happen."

Irina, slightly embarrassed but unwilling to admit defeat, crossed her arms defensively.

"Cough...Well, it\'s not as easy as it looks."

However, she also noticed how fast he deployed「Telekinesis」.

\'This guy? When did he get this proficient.\'

Just a week ago, he started studying Level 0 magic, and now he is using Level 1. Of course, considering his learning skills, it was good, but he seems to be exceptionally working on [Telekinesis] a little more.

Sylvie, suppressing a giggle, added, "Cooking is an art, after all. It takes practice."

Astron grabbed the pan and continued to stir it. "Exactly. An art that you seem to be ignoring."

"….."

As the stir-fry continued to sizzle, Astron gracefully took back control of the pan, demonstrating his skill with ease.

The aroma of the cooking meal filled the air, and despite the initial attempt at participation, Irina and Sylvie found themselves content to let Astron handle the culinary duties while they prepared the table and the cups.