章 442: Preparations

Erik pushed himself to his feet even though he was utterly exhausted. The scent of the vegetable stew he had prepared during his lunch break drifted into his nostrils, prompting him to reflect that he had chosen to ignore his hunger to concentrate on his workout. As a response, his stomach rumbled quite loudly, which caused him to chuckle to himself.

He moved over to the stone stove, the room floor feeling refreshingly cool under his bare feet as he did so.

He lit the fire to warm the leftovers, and soon the room was filled with the soft flicker of the firelight, which cast dancing shadows on the walls and illuminated his modest dwelling with a warm, inviting glow.

He poured himself a substantial bowl of stew. The aroma of fresh vegetables and herbs wafted up from the bowl and the steam from it.