The birds chirped in unison as the gentle breeze filled with the st of various flowers blew all over the Haltea Great Forest. This was the sery which greeted Grey every m during the time he had spent in the forest.

  More than two months had passed sihe devastation of the vilge, and during those long days, Grey and Yuna had never been sg iraining. In trast, with each other's help, their training speed increased even more.

  In light of the fight with the Magma Crawler, Grey had started learning more spells from other attributes and arts from different csses. Especially holy magic which tains spells that heal people.

  For Yuna, she was still focused on her main css and attribute, only learning tidbits of information about the other attributes and csses in her spare time as she observed Grey train.

  The progress the two made over this course of time was something no normal people imagine. Grey had reached B-rank just a couple of days ago, pg him amongst the top 500 people in Merusia. As for Yuna, she had reached E-rank in a little more than a month since her training, a growth speed sed only to Grey.

  Of course, they didn't only do training everyday, they also eheir hobbies and rexed from time to time. Otherwise, both of them would have colpsed from exhaustion, not that it didn't happen before.

  "It's been seven months, huh..." ［Grey］

  Grey murmured quietly whilst looking at his makeshift dar, reminisg about the first day he arrived in Merusia.

  Just like Earth, Merusia's year sists of 365 days, with each day sisting of 24 hours. The only difference was the division of months where Merusia had 13 months, unlike Earth whily had 12.

  The 13 months are Garhys, Marina, Adamas, Meraud, Alrek, Rubinus, Erido, Safir, elion, Azos, Zirkon, and Anbar, listed from first to st. Each of the months, excluding Anbar, the st month, has exactly 28 days grouped into 4 weeks. As for Anbar, it has 29 days, just one more thahers.

  In order, the 7 days of the week were Lunae, Marti, Mercurii, Jovis, Veneris, Saturni, and Solis, which if verted to Earth terms were Monday to Sunday respectively.

  The day Grey arrived on Merusia was the 12th of Methys. Sihen, it has beely seven and a half months. And in that time, he had pletely transformed into another person.

  "I wonder if that day will bey birthday..." ［Grey］

  Grey wohinking if the day he arrived would bee his birthday, and as he wondered, lightning struck him. He had pletely fotten to ask Yuna about ohing.

  'Crap... e to think of it, when is Yuna's birthday?' ［Grey］

  The two have already introduced themselves to one another a long time ago. They had also learnt a lot about each other from their daily lives. But never did Grey ask Yuna when her birthday was.

  Slowly, Grey's head turowards Yuna who was training outdoors. If it weren't for the daggers in her hands, Yuna would look like someone who was dang along the melody of the forest.

  Seeing the current Yuna, Grey couldn't believe that she was ohe girl who had dull eyes just 3 months ago. It was then he once again realized how fast time flows.

  "Hm? Do you need something, Grey?" ［Yuna］

  Yuna asked the moment she noticed Grey staring bnkly by the windows.

  "Ah, no Iー No, actually, I do have something to ask you." ［Grey］

  Grey hesitated at first if he should ask Yuna about her birthday, but after a moment of ption, he decided to tinue. After all, a ce like this might not pass once again.

  And having no idea about why Grey was ag strangely, Yuna stared back at him in fusion as she slowly wiped the sweat on her face with a white towel.

  "Umm... Your birthday... When is it?" ［Grey］

  "My birthday? It's oh of Safir, why?" ［Yuna］

  "Ah, nothing much. I just realized that I didn't know when your birthday was as I was looking at the dar. So I figured I'd ask you about it." ［Grey］

  "Oh, I see..." ［Yuna］

  After hearing Grey's expnation, Yuna just nodded slowly as if she accepted Grey's words, but inside she was still puzzled as to why Grey wao know when her birthday was.

  The reason for Yuna's fusion was simple, it was because celebrating birthdays were usually done by the gentry or nobility only. If the oners ever did celebrate, it would only be amongst family members. That was why Yuna uzzled as to how Grey would use suformation.

  Like nothing happened, Grey went back to whatever he was doing after taking a mental note and Yuna tinued with her training. It was as if it was a daily routio the two of them.

  Or so, that's how it usually would happen, but as Grey was heading back, he suddenly stopped on his tracks as anhtning bolt of realization struck him.

  "Hey! Isn't that today?!" ［Grey］

  "Oh?" ［Yuna］

  To Grey's sudden outburst, Yuna simply responded with an "Oh?" as if asking what was about it. Grey oher hand...

  "Don't 'Oh?' me! We o celebrate it!" ［Grey］

  ... grabbed the fused Yuna's hands and dragged her towards the dining table to take a seat. It happened so quickly that Yuna didn't know how to react.

  Grey then proceeded to open head into the kit, opening every et and drawer, and brought out all the ingredients he could find inside his "Iory". Of course, this was dome in speeds unimagio normal humans.

  "Umm... Grey... Grey... Hey... Grey..." ［Yuna］

  Yuna tried to call out Grey's name multiple times but to no avail. Grey has bee pletely immersed in his own world as he tries to create birthday dishes for Yuna.

  "Grey!!" ［Yuna］

  It was only when Yuna yelled with all her might that Grey stopped on his tracks and focused her attention on her. It was the first time Grey saw Yuna so fused.

  "Grey, what are you doing?" ［Yuna］

  "Celebrating your birthday, of course." ［Grey］

  "Eh?" ［Yuna］

  "Huh?" ［Grey］

  Towards each other's respohe two fell into fusion, both not uanding what the other was trying to say.

  "Ah, no, wait a minute. Is there something wrong with celebrating your birthday? If it's a sensitive reason then I apoloー" ［Grey］

  "No, no, it's nothing like that... It's just that... Why are you doing so mue?" ［Yuna］

  "What do you mean why? Do I need a reason to celebrate a friend's birthday?" ［Grey］

  Friend... A word which meant panionship and trust. That word caught Yuna's attention the most.

  During the time the two had lived together, Yuna had always thought that she was being a bother to Grey. She had always thought she was a burden to him, that he was just being nice so that he wouldn't hurt her feelings. Never in her wildest imagination would she have thought that Grey thought of her as a friend.

  Hearing those words directly from Grey's mouth, Yu an indescribable happiness welling up inside her heart. Happiness which led her to shedding tears before she even noticed.

  "Ah, sorry! I promise I'll make it up to youー" ［Grey］

  "No, No, I'm n because of that. I'm just so happy... I'm so happy that I couldn't trol my tears from flowing." ［Yuna］

  In order to stop Grey's misuanding, Yuna quickly shook her head and wiped her tears away as she cut Grey's words. String as which were made to deny someone's words.

  But those as weren't the one which had vinced Grey. It was the smile which apahose as. A smile one will only see on a happy person. Grey didn't eveo use his abilities to know if Yuna's feelings were sincere. Just the smile alone was the biggest proof there was.

  "Alright, alright, I believe you. So, for your birthday, what kinds of food do you want? I want to give you a present but we're short in time. Sorー." ［Grey］

  "Shhh～ You don't o apologize. I'm plenty happy just by those thoughts alone. I already received a present a just little while ago." ［Yuna］

  To Yuna's words, Grey tilted his head in fusion. No matter how hard he tried to recall, he hadn't given Yuna anythi. Even if he searches his "Memory Bank", he was sure there wouldn't be such a moment.

  Of course, what Yuna called a present was something intangible. They were the very wrey had said to her a moment ago. Words which she will never fet all her life.

  "I don't really get it, but we still o cook something special. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a birthday celebration. So, what do you want?" ［Grey］

  "Ummm... Then,.. I have something sweet, please?" ［Yuna］

  Yuna asked shyly with a flustered face, and with the addition of the word "please" at the end, it became a destructively cute bo which could be bad for one's heart.

  When Yuna's home vilge still existed, the vilgers rarely had any iions with the outside world. If there was, it would only be the merts buying and selling things.

  From those merts, Yuna has always heard tales of sweet feeries from the rge towns and cities. Sweets which were something that kids her age could eat at any time.

  While the vilge could procure honey and fruits on its own, the stories Yuna heard from the mert always had her fasated with feeries. During those times, Yuna had dreamt of tasting those sweets one day if she ever left the vilge.

  "Alright! Leave it to me!" ［Grey］

  Hearing Yuna's i wish, Grey became even more enthusiastid was determio create the best sweet within his ability. He swore to fulfill Yuna's wish no matter what it takes.

  Without wasting any time, Grey went to the kit and anized his stock of ingredients, and with a mental note, he listed down what sweets he could make using the ingredients he had.

  Sweetness... Sourness... Texture...

  After Grey listed down the avaible sweets, he selected the best sweets he could make with a process of elimination. Thankfully, he had a hobby of cooking in his past life so he was able to list down quite a few sweets and desserts.

  Of course, not only sweets, Grey also prepared a handful of dishes which they will eat before the sweets. After all, what kind of birthday celebration only has sweets and no main courses?

  It took quite some time frey to get to a final decision, but he was able to choose the best things he could do. For the sweets, he chose 3 of the most popur in the world, it udding, fruit sad, and ice cream. For the main course, he chose 3 meat dishes, 2 fish dishes, 2 soups, 2 stews, and of course, rice!

  As an Asian person, Grey just couldn't imagi being able to rice. So whenever he had free time, he would always search the forest for rice, which was said to grow he riverbanks,

  And after months of searg, he had finally found them just as he reached B-rank. Although it was only a small amount, with the help of water, earth, light, and pnt magic, he was able to cultivate it into a sustainable amount in just a few days!

  Magic will also be the main helper for the dishes and sweets Grey will prepare for today. Magic which will make what usually take hours of preparation be pleted in just a few minutes.

  As he further developed his mastery in this field, Grey had dubbed his skills as "Cooking Magic", which of course wasn't a real term.

  "Hey, Grey... Do you need some help?" ［Yuna］

  Peeking timidly i, Yuna asked Grey if she could help as she felt unfortable not doing anything. Especially since Grey was doing everything because it was her birthday.

  Grey wao surprise Yuna so he didn't really wao help out. But oher hand, if he rejected Yuna's help, it would deny Yuna's sincere feelings and she might feel dejected.

  "Then, could you go outside and gather some fruits? We're running out on some of them. Wait a minute, I'll write you a list." ［Grey］

  Of course, that was just a lie. It was the solution Grey brewed up in just a few seds in order to keep Yuna busy as he prepared everything.

  On the list Grey wrote, the fruits were all located somewhere quite a distance away. There were even some which will be tricky to get, but none of it will expose Yuna in danger.

  It was the perfe. A pn that only those who are super cautious will be suspicious of. Thankfully, Yuna trusts Grey very much.

  "If the others are too hard to get, you just fet them. We still have other fruits here after all." ［Grey］

  Taking advantage of Yuna's personality, Grey pyed a little tri his words to rile up Yuna and make sure she stays outside until he prepare everything. While it pains Grey's sce, it was something he o do.

  "No, I'll get them all. Then, I'll be going now." ［Yuna］

  "Alright, take care!" ［Grey］

  "Un!" ［Yuna］

  Seeing how Yuna didn't even doubt Grey for a moment, Grey's heart became tortured by guilt, thinking about how she took advantage of a kind girl. It hurt even more than when he was hit by a Minotaur's battleaxe.

  As soon as Yu outside, Grey immediately started preparing everything and started to cook the simplest of dishes, the rice. And with Grey's "Iory", the rice will still be hot even if Yuna takes a long to e back.

  In the meat dishes, the meat used were that of beasts that are at least F-rank and animals that are rare to catch. Just the ingredients aloells how much importance Grey utting into Yuna's birthday. Not even nobles could spend ingredients as vishly as Grey was doing.

  It also wasn't just the meat, the fruits aables used were also something that normal people would rarely find. Some were even herbs that people will fight over just to get it.

  Sweet and sour... Fried meat... Grilled Fish... Sads...

  One by ohe dishes were cooked by Grey at an astonishing rate. Not even a dozen chefs match the pace at which he was cooking his dishes. Not to mention how precise he trols his magic to cook them.

  Dusk had arrived and finally, Grey had pleted all the dishes he o cook. All that was needed was the birthday girl to return home.

  "I'm back..." ［Yuna］

  "Ah... Wele ho... me?" ［Grey］

  trary to Grey who greeted Yuna with a smile, the tter uffing her cheeks as if trying to vey that she set.

  "You just didn't wao help, didn't you?" ［Yuna］

  As it turned out, after gathering a few fruits, Yuna figured out that Grey was just trying to keep her away from the kit. As a result, Yuna came home pouting, upset about how Grey pyed tricks on her.

  "Haha... Sorry, I just wao surprise you." ［Grey］

  "Hmph!" ［Yuna］

  Yuna puffed her cheeks once again as she looked away from Grey with her eyes closed. Although Yuna's aade it look cute if anything.

  "I'm really sorry. How about I do you one favor as an apology." ［Grey］

  In normal circumstances, Grey wouldn't promise such a thing to anyone since people would just take advantage of him if he ever did. Thankfully, the person before her was the pure and i Yuna.

  "Then... Promise me you'll never py tricks or lie to me again." ［Yuna］

  Just like what Grey had predicted, Yuna didn't abuse his favor and just asked for a simple request. A request which hardly be called as such.

  "Alright. In my name, Grey, I vow to never py tricks and never lie once again to Lady Yuna who stands before me." ［Grey］

  Grey said pyfully as he kneeled in front of Yuna, making Yuna giggle from his silly as.

  "Hehehe, what's with the formal vow?" ［Yuna］

  "I am awaiting your response, Midy." ［Grey］

  "I don't really uand it... But, I, Yuna, accept Sir Grey's apology." ［Yuna］

  "I am eternally grateful." ［Grey］

  The moment Grey finished his words, the two bursted out ughing. Although Yuna didn't really uand what was happening, she couldn't help herself but to smile from Grey's as,

  As if her previous as were a lie, the once upset Yuna could now be seen hopping happily towards the dining room, even humming a tune as she hopped like a little rabbit.

  "Wow～!!" ［Yuna］

  The moment Yuered the dining room, she was greeted by a number of dishes she had never seen before. The sight of the dishes were already appetizing, but bined with the aroma filling the air, it was enough to make anyone salivate.

  Yuna's eyes immediately sparkled at the sight of the food. There were so many that she initially thought it was a feast of some sorts.

  "There's so many, I really try all of them?!" ［Yuna］

  "Of course! But leave room in your stomach, the sweets will e after we have eaten a meal." ［Grey］

  "Waah～ Ah! But there's so many, wouldn't they bee a waste if we 't eat all of them?!" ［Yuna］

  Seeing Yuna immediately shift from excited to worried because of a trivial matter cracked up Grey, making him giggle slightly.

  "Don't worry, I have 'Iory', remember? So don't worry a 'til you're satisfied. We just eat the leftovers at a ter time so that nothing goes to waste," ［Grey］

  Without a hitch, the two then sat down on their respective seats and ate the dishes they id their eyes upon with their heart's tent. Of course, they did it politely so as to not to py with the food.

  Yuna's reas to the food were irrepceable. Especially whee the rice. It was something a chef would love to see when others eat their food.

  "Whoa! This is sweet and cold, but it isn't too overwhelming! What is this?!" ［Yuna］

  "That's ice cream. Hurry up a it before it melts." ［Grey］

  "Y-Yes!" ［Yuna］

  After the main course were the desserts, and even more than she was eating the main course, her eyes sparkled like stars in the sky. It made all of Grey's effort worth it.

  "Let's celebrate agai year," ［Grey］

  "Un!" ［Yuna］

  The night came to pass but the memories built that day became an unfettable moment that will never be fotten in their hearts. A moment of pead happihat Grey could only dream of half a year ago.

  CHAPTER 7 END