Chapter 213

That day, the Adventurer Guild of Astram was unusually crowded.

In fact, the Adventurer Guild, being a place where rough adventurers gather, was always bustling and noisy, but that day, it felt even more packed than usual due to the sheer number of people.

This was because Kurt had brought in several different groups he had mediated in the forest, leading them into the Adventurer Guild.

Excluding Kurt’s original adventurer group and Arisa’s group, there were also groups from the Holy Kingdom, the Empire, and even Lizardmen.

With over 10 people, they couldn’t possibly fit around a single table, so they had to combine several tables just to sit together.

The gathering of 13 people was a rare sight even in Astram, where all sorts of people gathered, and the adventurers in the guild whispered in amazement at such an unusual combination.

And the group that Kurt had brought, who were now the center of attention…

“….”

“….”

“….”

“….”

They were engulfed in a silence so heavy it was painful to watch.

It was only natural.

Though they had been forced to come along by Kurt, just hours ago, they had been sincerely exchanging swords and magic with each other.

They weren’t the kind of people who could suddenly sit together and chat amiably over a meal.

“Um… Mr. Kurt. Is this really okay?”

“If we eat like this, I think we’ll all get indigestion…”

“I think I’m already feeling sick.”

Even Kurt’s companions couldn’t hide their discomfort in the heavy atmosphere.

“Eating in this atmosphere feels more like torture…”

Even Mari, who usually had the social skills of a half-capybara Beastkin rather than a half-elf, couldn’t handle this situation and looked visibly distressed.

But Kurt, who was now the focus of their gazes, spoke with an utterly serious expression.

“No. It’s precisely because of this atmosphere.”

“…Because of this atmosphere?”

“Right now, it’s awkward and chilly, sure. But if we leave it like this, what do you think will happen to their relationship?”

“Well…”

“They fought just a few hours ago. So, with less than a day passed, their emotions haven’t fully settled yet. But as time goes on and their feelings solidify, what then? Do you think the atmosphere will just stay awkward?”

As Kurt spoke, Mari’s face hardened as she realized what he was getting at.

“…They’ll probably start hating each other.”

“Exactly. Right now, they might not like each other, but the situation is still chaotic enough that they’re less hostile. But once time passes and their emotions settle, they’ll go beyond just being chilly—they’ll start deeply hating each other.”

That’s right.

Human emotions tend to solidify over time, like the ground hardening after rain.

What starts as a minor thought or feeling can grow into a fixed idea, then a prejudice, just as emotions, once set, can become as firmly rooted as an anchor or as large as a rolling snowball.

“So, Mr. Kurt, you’re saying you set this up to resolve their animosity before they start truly hating each other?”

That’s why now, before too much time has passed, is the golden time to prevent this relationship from spiraling into disaster.

Kurt’s intention was to create a space for communication before the feelings of hatred could fully take root in their hearts.

“You could say that.”

“Mr. Kurt…”

Mari’s eyes welled up with emotion at Kurt’s answer.

“But Mr. Kurt, you don’t really have to mediate this, do you?”

“Well… I don’t have any obligation to do this. I just happened to get involved, and ultimately, it’s something the parties involved need to resolve themselves.”

“Then why…?”

To Karina’s question, Kurt answered as if it were nothing.

“Well, they’ve all eaten my cooking at least once. So, I just want them to get along and smile while eating my food, like they did before.”

“Sniff…! That’s so…!”

“So touching!”

Soon, even Karina and Serena were moved by his words, and Kurt’s companions were completely inspired by his intentions, starting to cheer him on.

“Well, then, I’ll leave this to you guys while I go cook for a bit. With so many people, there’s a lot to prepare.”

“Yes! Leave this to us and hurry to the kitchen!”

“We’ll try to lighten the mood somehow!”

“Trust us!”

The three expressed their confidence to Kurt, and seeing this, he smiled reassuringly and headed to the kitchen.

…

After Kurt left, Mari, Karina, and Serena tried their best to lighten the unbearably awkward atmosphere.

But the awkwardness wasn’t something they could easily dispel, and with Kurt gone, the others, feeling less restrained, started to engage in a battle of nerves.

“Hmph. The Holy Kingdom’s special forces nun, who boasted she’d never bend her beliefs even if it killed her, is now groveling for compromise. More like the Holy Kingdom’s lapdog than its hunting dog.”

“Groveling? Oh my. Did I hear that wrong? Isn’t groveling what someone who sings about human superiority but can’t even retort to a single word from Mr. Kurt and just bows their head would do?”

“What did you say!?”

“What’s the matter? I didn’t name anyone, but it seems like you’re feeling guilty. Oh, what was the name… Ah. Alberto from the Wooden Sword Knights. Hehe.”

“A coward hiding behind a holy knight and doing nothing!”

“I’m not doing nothing!”

As soon as Kurt disappeared, Albert and Daria started glaring and growling at each other.

At least they avoided mentioning Arisa’s group, whether out of fear of Kurt or guilt towards them, no one knew.

But even if they weren’t being directly aggressive, it was hard not to feel bitter seeing the humans who had just attacked them acting so boldly, and Arisa’s group’s expressions grew colder in real-time.

“Um, Miss Arisa! Today was really something! Are you feeling okay?”

“Sister Daria! What is this disgrace? Calm down!”

“Hey! Louis! You too, calm your superior down!”

The three tried to distract Arisa’s group or calm the two growling individuals…

“The food’s taking a while. Isn’t cooking just throwing some meat on the fire and shaking the dirt off vegetables?”

“Right. Other human races make such a fuss over a meal.”

“Kurt’s really something else.”

Kirsh and Lakia chatted leisurely, watching the three desperately trying to manage the chaos.

…

By the time Mari, Karina, and Serena had somewhat managed to lighten the mood, Kurt finally emerged from the kitchen, seemingly done with the cooking.

“So, nothing happened while I was gone, right?”

“No. Nothing… happened.”

Mari answered, unable to hide her exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Kurt started placing bread and vegetables on the table one by one.

Then, saying he’d bring the main dish, he went back into the kitchen.

Soon, he returned with something as large as his own torso.

“Mr. Kurt. What’s that…?”

It was meat skewered on a spit.

But it couldn’t be called a skewer.

Because it was too big to be called a skewer.

It was enormous, thick, heavy, and massive.

“Ah, this? This is today’s main dish. Normally, it’s too much for four people, so I rarely make it, but with over 10 people today, I thought it was the perfect chance.”

As he spoke, Kurt set the massive skewer on the table.

“Today’s main dish! It’s kebab!”

Kurt’s eyes shone with pride, as if the 12 people sitting in this unbearably awkward atmosphere didn’t even exist, and he was just thrilled to have made the kebab.

Looking at his expression, you’d think he had no interest in reconciling the people gathered here from the start, as if he just wanted an excuse to cook this dish.

Seeing Kurt’s proud expression, Mari couldn’t help but mutter.

“…Mr. Kurt. Are you insane?”