Chapter 41-New mission

Chapter 41: 41-New mission

"The soup should be ready by now, right?"

Aymara was just about to taste the soup when a familiar mechanical voice suddenly sounded inside her head.

Ding!

She froze, the spoon stopping halfway to her mouth. The system had been quiet since the apocalypse began and with Nathaniel’s presence, she had forgotten about it.

Nathaniel glanced at her. "What?" He asked, seeing her pause suddenly.

Aymara blinked, and the system screen appeared before her eyes. Only she could see it and she didn’t want to sound insane by telling Nathaniel that there was a blue screen before her and a voice in her ear.

[New Mission Activated.]

Her eyes widened before she relaxed and welcomed the challenge. It was a chance to continue upgrading the fortress.

[Mission: Give Beloved a Good Dinner.]

[Mission Requirement: Prepare and serve a satisfying dinner to your beloved.]

Aymara’s eyes immediately lit up. "Beloved?"

She almost laughed. The system had never sounded so pleasant as when it talked about Nathaniel. Aymara was tempted to ask if it had a secret crush on him or something.

Nathaniel frowned slightly. "What are you smiling about?"

Aymara quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Just picturing you eat and the sight is enough to fill me with happiness."

She looked back at the floating screen, leaving her words in the air without checking his reaction.

[Mission Reward: Mysterious Gift.]

Her lips parted. "A mysterious gift?"

She nearly squealed. Aymara’s excitement was impossible to hide. What could it be? Another ship upgrade? A new ability? Rare medicine? A special item? Perhaps something she had never even imagined?

The system loved keeping its rewards mysterious, and after everything she had done to prepare for the apocalypse, she had to admit that she enjoyed discovering what each mission would give her.

Her eyes sparkled. "System, I accept!"

Nathaniel, recovering from her earlier words, stared at her. "Who are you talking to?"

"No one."

"You just answered someone," he looked around and saw nothing, not even a hidden camera.

"I was thinking out loud," she covered up. "That’s all there is to it."

"You answered your thoughts?"

Aymara coughed. "Yes."

Nathaniel gave her a suspicious look, but she ignored him and immediately became energized. A mysterious gift. She needed to complete this mission properly. That meant dinner couldn’t just be edible. It had to be good. Really good.

Aymara suddenly moved around the kitchen with renewed enthusiasm. "Okay. Let’s see."

She checked the dishes she had prepared. There was fragrant rice, tender roasted meat, vegetable soup, steamed vegetables, soft vegetable buns, fresh fruit, and several small side dishes. She had even prepared a light medicinal dish specifically for Nathaniel.

She stared at the spread. "This should work."

Then she reconsidered. "No." She shook her head. "It has to be perfect."

Nathaniel watched her silently. A few minutes ago, she had been dancing around the kitchen. Now she looked like a commander preparing for war. ’She’s changed so much.’

She carefully tasted the soup. Her eyes brightened. "Perfect," she praised. She adjusted the seasoning slightly anyway.

Nathaniel’s lips twitched. "You know it’s only dinner, right?"

Aymara turned toward him, looking offended. "Only dinner? This is your first proper dinner aboard my fortress."

"Our fortress," Nathaniel corrected automatically.

Aymara froze. The words settled between them more heavily than either of them expected.

Nathaniel seemed to realize what he had said. His expression tightened, as if he wanted to take the words back but couldn’t find a way to do it without making them more important.

For a moment, neither spoke and then Aymara’s lips slowly curved upward. "Yes, you’re right. It’s our fortress... Not just mine."

She repeated the words softly, almost testing them. They sounded like a knot to the bond she was trying to rebuild.

Nathaniel looked away. "Don’t make a big deal out of it."

"I’m not."

Her voice was light, but her fingers tightened around the spoon. She was absolutely making a big deal out of it internally.

He had called it their fortress. Not hers. Not the place where he was merely being sheltered. Their fortress.

It was only two words, but they reached somewhere inside her that the system never could. She had built these walls to keep the world out, to protect herself from every disaster she had seen coming. Now, somehow, he had stepped inside them and made the place feel less like a bunker and more like a home.

Nathaniel glanced back at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I’m not looking at you."

"You are."

"And who was it that said just now that one is innocent until proven guilty. Where’s your proof that I am looking at you?" She demanded.

Nathaniel felt at a loss of words having his words thrown back at him. "How cunning, Aymara Ellington. Who taught you these horrible habits?"

Aymara turned away too quickly. "Sit quietly. Dinner is almost ready."

She quickly turned back to the food before her expression gave away how happy she was. "Come on."

She began serving. The rice went into one large bowl, while the roasted meat was arranged neatly on a plate. Vegetables went into another dish, followed by the soup. She placed the vegetable buns into a basket and added fresh fruit to a smaller plate. Then she prepared Nathaniel’s medicine and a glass of warm water.

Everything was arranged carefully. Nothing was too spicy, nothing contained anything he was allergic to, and the temperature was just right. Even the portions were carefully measured according to the information she had gathered before bringing him aboard.

Aymara looked at the table, then smiled. ’Perfect,’ it was a serving from a seven star hotel but it was better than anything anyone out there was having.

She had barely finished when Nathaniel stood. "I’m going to the lounge."

Aymara looked up. "Why?" She asked too quickly, desperate for him to stay and it showed.

"I am just going to watch the news. Or do you need me here?"

She blinked. "Oh. No, go ahead."

Of course, the world had ended, people were dying. Cities were disappearing and Nathaniel, being Nathaniel, wanted information.

"Wait for me there."

"I wasn’t planning on going anywhere. There’s not much of anywhere to go to."

"That’s good."

The apocalypse had done one thing right, forcing them to share a space for a long time. With only the two of them in the fortress, there was no other person for him to talk to other than her, no other company for him to keep so, they can only interact with each other.

That held hope for them, the more they talked, the more the past gets resolved and they move forward.

Aymara watched him walk away. His steps were still somewhat slow, but he seemed stronger than he had been that morning.

She smiled, and then the system appeared again.

[Mission Progress: Dinner Preparation Complete.]

[Remaining Requirement: Beloved must receive and eat the prepared meal.]

Aymara’s smile became even wider. "Almost there then..." Her smile stretched. "Mysterious gift, here I come."

She picked up the dishes. "I wonder what the mysterious gift is."

She carried everything toward the main lounge. Her heart beating with anticipation on what the system will reward her with.