"[Flame Cannon]!"
"Heave-hup! Yah!"
Monsters descended on the party the moment they set foot into the mountains.
Rest shot down the winged, serpent-like creatures with magic, and Yuri crushed their skulls with kicks as they fell.
The Southern Mountain Range was a chain of marbled peaks where exposed rock faces, dense forests, and snow-dusted slopes all blended together. Different monsters inhabited each type of terrain, meaning they were up against a considerable variety of foes.
"It never gets boring. There's a lot to learn here."
An average magician would probably struggle quite a bit... but for Rest, it was no problem.
Rest had infinite mana, so he could cast magic as much as he wanted, and thanks to his copy talent, he could use a wide variety of spells as well. No matter what monster showed up, he could cast the perfect counter.
As for Yuri... he managed with his innate physicality and instincts.
Whether it was an ape-like yeti monster, a large bird creature, or a giant mole bursting out of the ground, he took them all down without a hint of danger.
"Reminds me of when my lady saddled us with impossible demands and made us train... honestly. Still, compared to back then, this is a walk in the park."
Rest let out a wry laugh as he recalled his days of training before entering the academy.
Meanwhile, Yuri picked up one of the winged serpents they had just felled and let out a delighted shout.
"Rest, this snake looks edible! Let's take a break!"
He was an adventurous eater through and through, same as always.
Without waiting for Rest's answer, he pulled out a knife and began butchering the creature with practiced ease.
He skinned it, pulled out the organs, and — splattered with blood — carved it into manageable pieces without a moment's hesitation.
For reference... the rock lizards they had brought along as boxed lunches were long gone. Rest had only gnawed on a bite or two; the rest had all ended up in Yuri's stomach.
"Your cooking skills have really come a long way."
"I can tell you this — Primula and the chefs at House Rosemary taught me a thing or two! This snake... how about we try sashimi?"
"Raw is out of the question... at least cook it over a fire."
"Got it. Then let's go with skewers. Can you start a fire for me?"
"Sure thing."
Rest gathered some suitable branches and set them ablaze with magic.
Yuri skewered the snake meat and held it over the campfire.
"............"
Witnessing this casual scene — perfectly routine for Rest and the others — Ribery, their guide through the mountain range, stood there at a complete loss for words.
"Something wrong?"
"Well... you did say you were going to subjugate a wyvern, but I didn't think you were actually serious."
"...You thought we were joking?"
"Well... not exactly, but..."
Ribery trailed off.
The reason she was so flustered was no doubt because she had witnessed Rest and Yuri's true abilities firsthand.
At first, Ribery had assumed the two of them were overconfident in their own strength and recklessly challenging a wyvern.
However... at the very least, they clearly possessed enough power to dispatch the monsters of this mountain range without breaking a sweat. Reconsidering, perhaps aiming to subjugate a wyvern wasn't entirely as insane as she had thought.
"Want some too, Miss Guide? It just finished cooking!"
Yuri held up a freshly grilled snake skewer.
Alas... it did look incredibly appetizing. The meat was visibly well-marbled, and a mouth-watering aroma rose from it.
"Go ahead, Rest. You can eat."
"...Thank you."
Yuri thrust a skewer right into Rest's hands.
Rest's face twisted into a grimace, but she accepted the skewer nonetheless.
"..."
Yuri stared at her intently, as if expecting something.
With no other choice, Rest brought it to her mouth... and a burst of umami spread across her palate.
"...It's good."
Despite the seasoning being nothing more than a light dusting of salt, it was surprisingly delicious.
If she'd been served this without knowing any better, she would have mistaken it for regular yakitori.
"I'm glad! Now, Big Sis, you have some too!"
"...Here you go."
She handed a skewer to Ribery as well, and Yuri stuffed her own cheeks with relish.
Rest was a lover of strange foods, to be sure... but with Yuri, you never went wrong.
The three of them enjoyed their monster-meat meal and took a brief respite.