Gilded Ashes-Chapter 293: Bitter Aftertaste

The smell hit Enya before she opened her eyes.

Rich. Layered. Warm in a way that made her stomach clench with immediate, desperate hunger.

Her eyes snapped open.

She was still inside the cocoon - or what was left of it. The wooden shell had loosened completely now, the vines limp and disconnected, barely holding their shape. Gaps had formed everywhere, letting in dim afternoon light and the scent of food.

Enya pushed against the nearest section.

It fell away easily, crumbling like dried leaves.

She sat up, blinked a few times, squinting at the light, and looked around.

The temporary house was quiet. Warm. The rain outside had softened to a gentle patter against the roof.

Raizen was close to her, but he stood still, didn’t say anything.

And at the table, a ceramic dish sat steaming.

Enya’s stomach growled so loudly it echoed.

Then she sniffed. Her nose twitched.

"...What’s that smell?"

Her voice was hoarse from sleep. Raizen cleared his throat, trying to sound casual.

"That?" he said, glancing back at the table.

He gestured vaguely at the steam like it was no big deal.

"I just made... A lasagna from scratch."

She scrambled out of the cocoon, her armor clanking slightly as she moved. Her legs were stiff from however long she’d been asleep, and her mouth felt dry, but none of that mattered.

Food.

Real, good food.

She stumbled toward the table, eyes locked on the dish like it might disappear if she looked away.

Raizen stood near it, wooden spoon in hand, watching her approach. Saffi sat at the table, chin resting on her hands, looking between Enya and the lasagna with quiet amusement.

"You’re awake" Raizen stated the most obvious thing.

Enya nodded, not trusting herself to speak yet. Her throat felt tight - not from sleep, but from something else.

She can’t remember her mother outside of the garden. The people around her told her that she died when Enya was still a baby.

But all she knows is that every time she falls asleep, her mom’s there. Waiting. In the garden inside her head. She can’t remember the first time it happened. The first time she actually met her. But her mom was always there – more alive than she can explain with words.

She sat down in the nearest chair with a soft thunk of metal on wood.

Raizen didn’t say anything else. He just picked up a clean plate, cut a generous square from the lasagna, and carefully lifted it out.

The layers were visible even in the dim light - red sauce, pale pasta, white sauce, golden cheese. Steam rose from the cut edges, carrying that incredible smell directly into Enya’s face.

He set the plate in front of her.

Enya stared at it. Then at him.

Raizen stood there, spoon still in hand, and for a second he looked... Nervous.

Not scared. Not uncertain. Just quietly waiting for judgment.

Enya picked up her fork.

The weight of it felt strange in her hand after going to her mother’s garden, where everything had been soft and weightless.

She cut into the lasagna. The fork slid through easily, the layers giving way. She speared a piece - making sure to get a bit of everything - and lifted it.

The cheese stretched slightly, thin strings connecting the fork to the plate.

She brought it to her mouth.

Paused.

Looked at Raizen one more time.

He was frozen. Completely still. Like the entire world had narrowed down to this single moment.

Saffi leaned forward slightly, watching with bright, curious eyes.

Enya took the bite.

The flavors hit her all at once.

Tomato - sweet and savory, cooked down until it was rich and concentrated. Garlic and onion, blended into the sauce. Basil - bright and peppery, bringing everything together. The pasta was tender, almost melting on her tongue. The béchamel was creamy and smooth, balancing the tomato’s smoothness. The cheese - oh, the cheese - was salty,stretchy and perfect.

And underneath it all, barely noticeable-

Something else.

Faint. A bit chemical. Not unpleasant, exactly, just... there.

A bitterness that didn’t quite belong.

Enya’s chewing slowed.

Her eyes stayed on the plate, but her awareness sharpened.

She knew this taste. She knew it exactly.

In powders mixed into food when someone needed to rest and wouldn’t do it willingly. Sedatives.

Not strong. Not dangerous.

Just enough to knock someone out.

She swallowed.

The bite went down smooth, warm, settling in her stomach.

She cut another piece, slower this time, and chewed it carefully.

Felt the really faint taste again. Confirmed it.

Her heart didn’t race. Her hands didn’t shake.

She just... Knew.

Enya set down her fork.

The room was very quiet.

Saffi was watching her with that same amused patience, waiting for the verdict.

Raizen was still frozen, but something in his posture had shifted. His shoulders were tighter. His jaw was set.

He was waiting for something else now.

Enya lifted her eyes and looked directly at him.

Their gazes met.

For a long, heavy second, neither of them moved.

Raizen’s expression didn’t change. His face stayed calm, neutral, friendly.

But his eyes - just for that moment - were different.

Colder.

Sharper.

Calculating.

Enya saw it. Saw the question forming behind that friendly mask:

Does she know? Will she say something? Do I need to adjust?

And underneath that, just barely visible:

Guilt.

Faint. Very controlled. But there.

Enya held his gaze for one more second.

Then she looked away, back to the plate, back to the lasagna.

She picked up her fork again and took another bite. Chewed. Swallowed, then set the fork.

"Yeah" she said quietly. Her voice came out flatter than she meant it to. "It’s an alright lasagna, I guess."

Raizen’s shoulders loosened.

Saffi smiled, leaning back in her chair. "See? I told you it would turn out fine."

Raizen nodded slowly, setting the spoon down on the table. "Thanks."

Enya didn’t look at him again. She just kept eating, slower now, methodical. Each bite tasted the same - good, but tinged with that faint bitterness she couldn’t ignore.

She didn’t say anything.

She didn’t need to.

The silence said enough.

✦ ✦ ✦

Saffi started talking about something - the groceries, maybe, or the market they’d visited earlier. Enya wasn’t really listening. Her focus stayed on the plate, on the act of eating, on keeping her face neutral.

Raizen moved away from the table, busying himself with cleaning up. He wiped down the counter, rinsed the spoon, his movements careful and controlled.

Enya finished her portion and set the fork down.

"Thanks for everything" she said quietly.

Raizen glanced at her. "You want more?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I’m good. I had enough"

He nodded and turned back to the counter.

Enya stood, her armor creaking slightly, and walked toward the cocoon’s remains. She crouched down and started gathering the loose vines, rolling them into a ball without really thinking about it.

Her hands moved on autopilot.

Her mind was somewhere else. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

In a moment of understanding with a boy who’d just drugged the entire dish.

She didn’t feel angry.

She didn’t feel betrayed.

She just felt... Aware.

People did what they had to do.

She knew that better than most.

✦ ✦ ✦

Raizen stood at the counter, staring at the lasagna still sitting on the stove.

Most of it was left. More than enough for Kenzo and Eiden when they returned.

Enough to do exactly what he needed it to do.

His hands rested on the counter’s edge, flour still dusted under his fingernails.

Enya was quiet in the corner, cleaning up the cocoon and trying to revert the damage.

Everything looked normal. Felt normal.

But Raizen’s mind was already three steps ahead.

Tonight, when Kenzo and Eiden came back hungry and tired, they’d eat. They’d hopefully compliment the food, maybe tease him about actually managing to cook something edible. They’d finish their portions.

And then, slowly, they’d get drowsy. Not suspicious. Not sudden.

Just... tired.

It had been a long day. The rain was soothing. The food was heavy and warm.

Of course they’d be tired.

They’d go to sleep early.

And Raizen and Saffi would wait.

Wait until everyone was silent.

Then they move.

Raizen’s jaw tightened slightly.

He’d spent hours making that lasagna. Kneading dough until his arms ached. Stirring sauce until it was perfect. Layering everything with care.

And he also laced it with sleeping medicine.

Both were true.

He felt the weight of it - the faintguilt sitting quiet and heavy in his chest.

But he also felt the cold clarity beneath it. The part of him that had learned, long ago, that survival meant doing things you didn’t want to do. That sometimes, care and cruelty lived in the same action.

Elin had taught him that.

Ukai’s Ruler had taugh him that.

And now, he was teaching himself.

Raizen exhaled slowly and turned away from the counter.

The rain kept falling.

The lasagna kept cooling.

And the clock kept ticking.

They were running out of time.