I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 47 Adam The Cook

After settling on a somewhat good agreement, Luna-Evelyn, her companions, and Adam took a brief rest before speeding up through the dense forest once more. Yet, in their haste, they overlooked one important detail.

"W–where is Adam?!" Ophelia's voice rang out, her sudden halt interrupting the group's forward momentum.

Everyone stopped and turned back, scanning the surrounding trees. Adam was nowhere to be seen.

"Probably dead," Stephen muttered with a casual shrug.

"Don't joke about that!" Ophelia snapped.

"I'm not joking."

"This can't keep happening. He can't keep up with us at this pace," Julius said, shaking his head. He turned to Luna-Evelyn, seeking her input.

Luna-Evelyn narrowed her ruby red eyes, her gaze pinpointing a faint figure nearly two kilometers away. She could just make out Adam's form, moving at what seemed like a slow jog. From her perspective, it looked almost leisurely, like someone on a morning run. But for Adam, this was nearly his top speed.

He seemed to have calculated every risk — from potential cramps to muscle strain — and had settled into a pace that let him push forward without injury. His expression remained calm, and his breathing was steady, almost too relaxed for someone like him: a man without mana, navigating a forest teeming with deadly Demonic Beasts.

With no other choice, Luna-Evelyn turned to Julius. "Someone needs to carry him."

Julius groaned, shoulders slumping. "Of course, it has to be me," he muttered, resigned. Handing Adam over to Ophelia wouldn't make sense, and Stephen...well, Stephen might drop him in a bush stealthily just to be rid of the extra weight.

"Fine." With a quick nod, Julius doubled back, quickly reaching Adam. Without further ado, he scooped him up in a steady, if reluctant, princess carry and made his way back to the group.

"You didn't have to do this," Adam muttered, his gaze weary and resigned, like a tired workaholic plucked reluctantly from his desk.

But Luna-Evelyn paid him no attention. She simply resumed her pace, Ophelia following close behind.

"You may not need this, but we have work to do, and we're not exactly as free as you fuckers of Horizon are!" Stephen snorted as he took off.

"Hold on tight," Julius murmured to Adam as he fell in step with the others.

...

...

"Let's rest here for the night," Luna-Evelyn said, stopping abruptly as they reached the fifth layer of the forest. "We'll resume in three hours."

She'd hoped they'd be nearing their destination by now, at least close to the eighth layer, but the team's pace had slowed, likely due to Julius carrying Adam. It seemed she'd overestimated their stamina—or perhaps underestimated the impact of carrying an extra person through dense terrain.

Continuing without a decent rest would only drain them physically and mentally, so Luna-Evelyn made the call to rest for a few hours. By morning, they would be back on track, refreshed and ready to push forward.

"Finally..." Julius exhaled as he lowered Adam to the ground, massaging his arms. While strong, hours of carrying Adam had taken their toll.

"We'll set up camp here then," Ophelia noted with a small smile, gesturing to a clearing encircled by thick trees. The space looked like it had been cleared before, perhaps by previous hunters. There were even a few makeshift wooden benches and some leftover firewood, likely remnants of other camps.

It wasn't unusual; hunters often camped for days or even weeks in the Whispering Woods when tackling lengthy quests or training in deeper layers. This was a common rest spot for those needing a safe point in the forest's dangerous depths.

"Julius, Stephen—you two scout the perimeter and handle any nearby Demonic Beasts," Luna-Evelyn instructed as she removed her sword from her waist.

They nodded and headed off without hesitation to secure the area.

"I'll prepare something for dinner," Ophelia volunteered, drawing a few pots and cooking tools from her Spatial Ring as she kindled a small fire.

"Adam..." Ophelia's admiration for him deepened; his kindness felt genuine and unexpected.

"You're a good guy," Julius chimed in with a laugh. "The last Horizon scientist I met almost got his head bashed in."

If Julius and Ophelia had seen what Adam had done to the group of hunters earlier, they might have chosen their words more carefully. But for now, they all settled onto the makeshift tree-bench around the flickering campfire, ready to eat.

"Delicious..." Luna-Evelyn finally voiced what was on everyone's mind as she took her first bite.

Even the World Order's renowned cafeteria couldn't compete with this meal, which surpassed anything crafted by famous chefs on call. Each flavor seemed heightened, the freshness and warmth bringing a sense of comfort none of them expected.

"Y–yeah, this is amazing," Julius stuttered, almost tearing up, much like Ophelia.

"Thank you, Adam, truly..." She said gratefully.

Adam simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"How about you say thank you as well, Stephen?" Julius teased.

Stephen grunted. "What? Fine...yeah, it's not bad." Despite his grumbling, he was already digging in with gusto, prompting Julius to laugh and shake his head.

After a few minutes, Adam quietly reached into his pocket and pulled out four syringes, each filled with a clear liquid. He was just about to inject them into their water glasses when Julius noticed.

"Hold on...what are you doing?" He asked, eyeing the syringes warily. Injecting something into their drinks didn't exactly inspire confidence.

"These are my custom Stamina-Recovery mixtures," Adam explained, holding one up calmly. His neutral gaze wasn't exactly comforting.

Sighing, Adam took an empty glass, injected a syringe into it, and downed it in front of them, demonstrating the harmlessness of the mixture.

He wasn't lying; he genuinely wanted to help.

If Adam had intended to kill them, he could have easily poisoned the meal itself. With his precise, agile movements, he could've slipped something lethal into their food, even under Ophelia's watchful eye. But that was never his intent; these were 'good' people by his moral scale, with each of them ranking high in his estimation.

Because of this, he remained attentive and went out of his way to help them.

"Right...sorry about that," Julius murmured, feeling a twinge of guilt. Something about Adam's demeanor and quiet composure made him feel bad for doubting him. He really did seem like a decent guy.

Once Adam was sure no one else objected, he mixed his stamina-recovery formula into each of their glasses. They drank without hesitation, and soon enough, the effects took hold.

"T–This is amazing..." Ophelia whispered, astonished. She felt the ache in her legs dissipating almost instantly, a relief that spread like a soothing balm through her muscles. The others felt the same rejuvenation—it worked even better than their own stamina vials.

Satisfied his job was done, Adam took a seat on the opposite bench, distancing himself slightly as he prodded the fire with a branch, tending it in silence.

"Adam, why don't you join us? You know we're fine with you eating too, right?" Ophelia asked, only now noticing that he hadn't taken a plate for himself.

She thought for a moment he didn't want to eat for them or maybe he wasn't hungry.

"I don't eat," he replied.

"Why?" She frowned, perplexed.

Adam met her gaze.

"I've lost my sense of taste."