Oakhaven was a fairly busy border town since it was in close proximity to many monster dens. The forest our trio just came from being a great example of exactly that. Merchants and Adventurers passed through constantly. They bought monster parts, magically altered herbs, magic artifacts, anything they could get their hands on. Naturally there was also demand for professions to help maintain everything from pharmacists who brew potions to innkeepers providing a place for adventurers to stay. All in all, the town thrived with a decent standard of living.

"Halt. Back so soon?" A guard remarked with a chuckle as the trio approached the main gate.

"Had an eventful expedition today. Figured it would be best to rest up before the E-rank exam tomorrow." Kael replied with a soft smile.

"You good Elara?" 

Meira was simply commenting on Elara's lack of excitement about tomorrow. It was practically all Elara had been talking about ever since the three of them first registered as F-rank trainees.

"O-Oh yeah, I'm good. Just anxious for tomorrow I suppose." 

Elara ran a slightly nervous hand through her hair that had nothing to do with tomorrow. There was a lingering feeling in the back of her mind, literally, that something was wrong. She didn't feel anxious nor particularly excited about becoming an E-rank adventurer. Even though she could remember the feelings with clarity there was still a perceived distance between who she was just an hour ago and who she was now.

"Well, everyone knows you three will do great. You're the pride of Oakhaven after all." The guards collectively nodded as they finished approving the three of them for entry. Standard protocol for everyone not actively bleeding out.

The trio walked through the bustling town streets for a little while until an unexpected sensation bubbled up from Elara's stomach, she was hungry. Kael was the first to notice her slightly awkward mannerisms as the raw feeling of hunger was a shock to her system.

"You hungry, Elara? How about some roast boar from the usual place." 

There it was again, that same soft smile Kael gave to the guards. The expression made Elara feel a tad strange it didn't elicit a warm feeling in her, but there was something there urging her to claim Kael for herself. The feeling was fleeting this time though as the memories of roast boar from Lou's Tavern enraptured her new consciousness. She had never experienced hunger like this before, at least the slime puppeteering her never felt hunger. In fact, slimes were abnormal creatures that did not feel a lot of things. They are more like germs idly living their life than anything else.

"Hah, I'll take that as a yes."

Kael added a few seconds later as Elara's expression had unconsciously shifted. A slight rush of red flushed her face, her mouth held open slightly, a glazed over gaze as the taste of roast boar flooded through her mind. Though his words also snapped her back out of the mental feast.

"A-Ah... y-yeah, I don't know why I'm so hungry today. I feel like I haven't eaten in days."

"That's what you get for skipping breakfast so often to go train on your own." Meira chuckled a little just a few steps behind Elara.

With that, the trio began walking towards a small cozy tavern. Their favorite spot in Oakhaven as well as where they all met for the first time a few years ago.