The Reincarnated Lizardman Wants a Hamburger

Aila, who was thought to have left for the Holy Kingdom, returned to Astram. And alone, covered in wounds. As soon as she entered the Adventurer Guild, she lost consciousness, and her unexpected appearance left everyone in the middle of their meal in a state of shock. However, most of the people present, except for Jungwoo and Elsee, were seasoned in such situations and quickly checked Aila’s condition. Wendy, the receptionist, swiftly brought the guild’s emergency medicine, while the others moved her to a clean room. Kurt also examined her condition and immediately left to prepare. Fortunately, Aila’s wounds were not too severe. Though there were many, most were shallow, and much of the dried blood on her armor and skin wasn’t hers. She had collapsed from sheer exhaustion, both physically and mentally. Kurt’s group and Arisa’s group sighed in relief at her relatively stable condition and waited for her to wake up to ask why she had returned to Astram alone without Daria and what had happened. A few hours later, Aila finally opened her eyes. “Hah…! Where is this…?” Despite her exhaustion, she woke up after just a few hours. She sat up in a panic, as if being chased. “Ah! You shouldn’t get up so suddenly! Even if the wounds aren’t serious, moving abruptly could worsen them!” “Did I… make it back to Astram safely?” “Yes, that’s right. But what happened? Where is Daria, and why did you return alone in this state?” The women who had been nursing her until she woke up asked, relieved but curious. However, Aila, instead of answering, grew more anxious and tried to stand up. “That’s right! This is no time to lie around! I have to go back…!” “Calm down! Aila! What are you talking about?” “How long have I been lying here!? Arisa, please bring me my armor! It’s urgent!” “No! Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. If you force yourself to get up…!” “This is no time for this! While I’m here…!” “That’s why we need to talk first!” Ignoring Arisa’s protests, Aila stubbornly tried to get up and put on her armor. She seemed to be in a panic, oblivious to those around her. The others couldn’t just stand by and watch, so Arisa and the rest tried to stop her. But even without much stamina, Aila’s basic strength surpassed anyone in the room, making it difficult to calm her down. “How does she still have this much energy after collapsing from exhaustion…!?” “Those who train in mana recover much faster than ordinary people.” “This is why mana users are…!” “Let go of this! I have to go!” “Where do you think you’re going in that state!?” In the midst of the chaos, a knock was heard at the door. “I heard the noise and came to check. She’s awake.” “Kurt! Help us!” Kurt entered the room, unfazed by the chaos, and calmly spoke to Aila. “So, how’s your body?” “Kurt! We need to leave for the Holy Kingdom right now…! Daria…! Daria!” “You just returned to Astram. What are you talking about?” “No. I came back to Astram to return to the Holy Kingdom…! That’s right! I need your help!” Despite Kurt’s presence, Aila continued to ramble, clearly not in her right mind. Her condition was far from normal, and it was clear that her return to Astram was related to whatever had happened. “Calm down first.” “How can I calm down!?” Without another word, Kurt placed a plate on the bedside table. Even in her panicked state, Aila couldn’t ignore Kurt’s calm but firm demeanor. “…What is this?” “A meal. You haven’t rested properly, so you probably haven’t eaten either.” “A meal? I don’t need it! Right now, it’s more important to…!” Kurt lightly pressed her shoulders, easily subduing her despite her earlier frenzy. “Calm down first. I don’t know what happened, but there’s a saying: ‘The more urgent, the slower you should go.'” “But…!” “If it’s truly important and urgent, you need to calm down and think clearly. What good will it do to rush around in a panic? Just like you can’t cook a dish that needs 10 minutes on medium heat in 5 minutes on high heat, human affairs also require calm and composure, even in urgency.” Though physically subdued, Aila’s mind wasn’t, and she resisted. But Kurt logically countered her arguments. “Still…!” “It seems something happened in the Holy Kingdom, but considering the distance from Astram to the Holy Kingdom, taking a one or two-hour break here won’t cause a major problem. But rushing in a panic increases the chance of mistakes.” “But…!” “Don’t worry. If something happened to you and Daria, we’ll help. But only after you calm down and finish your meal.” With his promise to help, Aila finally relaxed. “…Alright.” The women in the room looked at Kurt in surprise as Aila accepted the plate he offered. “…Fine. I’m not in the mood to eat, but… I have no choice.” Aila looked at the plate with reluctance. She didn’t dislike Kurt’s cooking; in fact, it was quite the opposite. But the situation she was in was too serious to care about food. However, she accepted the plate solely because Kurt had promised to help. Without much thought, she picked up a fork and took a bite of the unfamiliar dish. The first taste was bland, not unpleasant, but simply tasteless. The dish was moist, as if soaked in warm water, but without any flavor. Normally, such a bland dish would be disappointing, but in her exhausted state, it felt comforting. However, as she continued to chew, she realized her initial impression was a mistake. The dish wasn’t tasteless after all.