Conquering His Cold Heart

"Hahahahaha owowowowow don't make me laugh it hurts my wounds." Douglas couldn't help but laugh when Frost referred to himself as a simple E-rank adventurer.

Frost's words also caused a great deal of confusion among the officers present. E-rank was nothing to them, but he had a young glacial winged tiger as his battle mount. Kiba was a C-rank monster why would he follow some E-rank nobody.

Those in the know struggled to stifle their laughter before Hamon coughed drawing everyone's attention back to him.

"Hit hum, don't be fooled by his words or baby face, Frost here although technically E-rank his battle capability is B-rank and he's a multiskilled adventurer adept not only in glaive arts, chakra but also magic.

The ice fire spells you saw crashing into the horde were his doing." Hamon quickly corrected their misunderstandings causing many of those present to stare at Frost in awe with their jaws agape.

Many of the younger officers showed clear jealously in their eyes whereas others scoffed unable to believe Hamon's words.

Frost's eyes drifted to Hamon who gave a light nod.

Whoosh!

Frost released his aura, it was cold and heavy and pressured everyone in the room, causing the naysayers to choke on the words they were about to spew. Aura fully manifested a clear statement of one's B-rank status.

Frost retrieved his aura a moment later before sitting back down, he was done with his introduction and showing off.

The people now knew who he was and what he was capable of, so it was time to move on. The addition of another B-rank however was a welcome sight, relieving many of the officers of some of their burden.

"Alright now that your all acquainted and know the situation everyone report the state of your squads and gripe all your complaints, the sooner we get this done the sooner we can all rest before the next onslaught begins." The younger officers shivered while the older ones grunted and frowned knowing all full well how precious this time of rest was.

Over the next 30 minutes or all the officers reported their situations and Hamon strategized the battle layout for the next wave before sending everyone off to quickly revitalise, himself included.

The command centre had more than just the bed Douglas was lying on; the higher ranking officers would take their naps here so as to be ready at the drop of a hat.

Frost left with Leo who finally tore himself away from his father's side leaving him in Gilianna's capable hands.

"Let's go get some food before visiting my mother." Leo flinched the moment he said that, dreading the conversation. He thought it only proper to rope in Frost given that he was his senpai, friend and the one who saved his father.

"Where's Luna?" Frost found it odd that she wasn't by his side aiding him in his endeavours or shadowing the magic corps to learn what she could.

"Luna's even busier than I am at the moment. While I've needed to supervise the situation with the clean up crews and now the command centre she's been dashing to and fro between the different departments lending her aid wherever she can.

Basically she's been acting as my mother's hands while she remains away from the northern wall." Leo sighed heavily as he imagined that his mother was grooming Luna into another version of her.

"I see, perhaps we'll run into her on the way while we move." Frost smiled and his eyes glinted looking forward to seeing the visage of another one of his dearest friends. Leo looked a lot more mature and seasoned than the last time they met thanks to the monster stampede, so he wondered how it affected the young woman.

"That would be nice, I myself haven't seen her since the late stages began, kind of miss her actually." Leo suddenly sported a melancholy expression as Luna's cute face floated in his mind.

A couple minutes later Frost and Leo found themselves in an impromptu food court set up for all the soldiers, adventurers and civilian volunteers.

The loud clanging of cooking utensils and the roaring of flames reverberated in the area. Dozens of chefs could be seen working without rest, preparing dish after dish using the many ingredients constantly supplied to them by the clean up crew.

"The food here is free for those taking part in the city's defence and is based upon one's role and abilities. The upper ranked chefs serve those that require more nutritious meals i.e.

C and B-rank fighters but as long as there's materials and you're willing to pay you can go to these chefs even if you've only got E-rank strength such as myself hehehehe." Leo licked his lips with desire as he smelled the delicacies being prepared here.

The chefs working right now were not just working another shift in their restaurants no they were putting in their best efforts to provide the best meals possible to the hard working folk who were defending their town.

This food court also provided competition between the chefs, challenging one another to see who could get more customers for their dishes. Many chefs could gain recognition here with their meals, advancing their careers. It wasn't just adventurers and soldiers that stood to gain from this war.

Leo brought Frost to the highest ranked stalls reserved for those with upper C-rank strength and above.

Ryuu, Jessie as well as a few of the officers Frost saw in the command tent and or on the battlefield were already either in the queue or sitting down with their piping hot food. Excitement could be seen on all their faces; this was one of the few things they could be allowed to look forward to during this war.

When it was Frost and Leo's turn for food they were met with a gruff looking man with bronze skin and a natural aroma of spices revealing the time he spent in the kitchen.

He eyed up Leo before looking at Frost.

"You must be the new B-rank hero who swooped in to save the Viscount, Frost was it?" The man asked with a smile.

"Yeah that's right."

"Good job I'll give you my very best dish sir." The chef lightly bowed his head to Frost before thumping his chest. He then looked towards Leo

"Leo you can have it too, but it'll cost ya."

"Urgh! Fine charge away not as though I've got anything else to spend my pay on." Leo given that he was active during the early and mid-stages and even served as a supervisor and interim commander during the late stages obviously received payment for his efforts, most of which was spent on these higher ranked meals.

"Alight, your meals will be with you shortly I'll holler your name once their done." The chef gave Frost and Leo a token before having a subordinate replace him at the counter.

Ryuu and Jessie who had just gotten their dishes waved to the two of them before patting their table asking them to join them.

"I see you're spending your money as soon as you get it again." Ryuu poked fun at Leo whose lips twitched in response before grunting.

"It's not my fault the food's so addictive and spending money on good food is never a waste."

"True that little Leo, food is heart and soul." Jessie spoke animatedly in support of Leo's actions before she scooped up a spoonful of stew filled with the meat of a high ranking C-rank monster. Her careless slurping caused specks of gravy to land on her cheeks.

"Haaaaaa what are you a little kid." Ryuu instinctively whipped out a handkerchief and wiped away the droplets not realising the intimate nature of his actions.

Jessie blushed before smiling and allowing Ryuu to wipe her cheeks.

'Hoh' Frost's eyes opened up in wonder before he elbowed Leo in the side and nodded his head, asking him to explain the situation here.

Leo leaned over and whispered in to his ears so Ryuu wouldn't here.

"We don't think he realises his feelings yet but it's clear that he's quite fond of miss Jessie and she's seems open to it. We're all watching with bated breaths wondering where this will actually lead.

You have to know Ryuu hasn't been with anyone since his wife, even something subtle like this is enough to arouse all our interests." By 'our' he meant his family, Bastion and his family, those who worked with Ryuu as well as Luna who at first was against her father dating again but after over a decade she was all for it.

"I see." Frost smiled from ear to ear as he watched the two mages interact intimately without even fully realising it. And following the actions of Leo and the rest he kept his mouth shut about it, letting things go their natural course.

Several minutes later Leo got up to get the meals after they had been called and returned with two prime steaks cooked to absolute perfection. A heavy dose of mana remained within these steaks revealing the skills of the one who prepared them.

"Chef Burusaa really did go all out, he used the flesh from a B-rank stegadon" Leo licked his lips as he carried the two heavy trays, his eyes glued to sizzling meat.

Stegadons: A giant horned dinosaur with a nearly impervious hide that is wrapped in tough scales. A brutal beast that wreaks carnage wherever it roams, crushing ground, flora and even fauna if it so happens to be under its foot.

"Colonel Hamon and two majors worked together to swiftly take this thing down a couple days ago, can't believe we get to eat this precious meat."