Chapter 405: Get Your Own Apple Juice!
Nonetheless, Riley was about to say something sharp and cutting—when the smell hit her.
It had been there all along, really. Lingering at the edge of her awareness. But now, standing still in the middle of the courtyard with nothing to distract her, it crashed over her like a wave.
Sweet. So impossibly sweet. Crisp and fresh and alive, the scent of the apples and their released juices hanging in the air like perfume.
It wormed into her nostrils, curled down into her chest, and wrapped itself around something primal deep in her gut.
It was rather fitting, really.
Back in Luca’s world, horses had always adored apples. They were considered the ultimate treat, something that would make even the most stubborn mount perk up with interest.
Luca had wondered if the same held true for centaurs in this world. That was why he had brought out so many apples for the little ones.
His theory had been proven correct almost immediately.
The little ponies had taken to the apples with an enthusiasm that bordered on religious fervor.
Nella, of course, had initially been suspicious—asking if the apples were poisoned, if this was some kind of trick.
But Luca had simply shaken his head, presenting the shiny fruit with an open palm.
"I do know a story where an apple was poisoned." He had admitted. "But this one is perfectly safe. I promise."
Nella had taken a cautious bite.
Her entire face hat lit up in that moment.
And the rest was history.
Now, watching the little ones devour their prizes, Riley felt something very close to physical pain.
Her mouth was watering. Her stomach was staging a revolt.
And the worst part was that she could see the same torment reflected in the faces of every centaur beside her.
Finally, she broke.
"So, Nella." She said, trying very hard to keep her voice casual and failing utterly. "Is it really that good? Those...apples, or whatever. Are they actually that good?"
Nella’s eyes narrowed. With the protective instinct of a squirrel guarding its winter stores, she pulled her apple closer to her chest.
"Yes. It really is that good. Probably the best thing I’ve ever eaten!"
"I’ve had fruits from the elf village." Another pony added. "All kinds. They’re all wonderful, juicy and sweet and perfect. But I don’t know why—"
She stared at her apple with an almost religious intensity.
"—apples are just...better."
"I want to build an apple shrine!"
"I want to plant a whole orchard! Forget being a knight. I’m going to be an apple farmer!"
Hearing the praise, Riley swallowed hard. Her pride warred with her appetite for approximately three seconds before appetite won a decisive victory.
"Look." She said, and she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. "It’s not like I want to taste them or anything. They come from the Hero’s world. They’re probably treacherous!"
"But I’m just...curious. Purely out of curiosity. Could I maybe have just a small bite?"
The other centaurs immediately joined in.
"Yeah, me too! Give me an apple!"
"I wouldn’t mind just a slice. I don’t need a whole one."
"Give me one of the green ones! They look more appealing for some reason."
They crowded forward eagerly, their earlier indignation completely forgotten in the face of temptation.
But to their utter shock, Nella pulled her apple away and shouted:
"NO! Never! This is MY apple!"
The other children followed suit, clutching their precious fruits protectively.
"I’m going to eat every single bite myself!"
"You can have anything else—my blanket, my wooden sword, my favorite ribbon—but not my apple!"
"I love my apple too much to share it with anyone!"
Riley’s lips twitched with frustration.
"Oh, come on! Just a tiny little bite! It won’t do you too much harm!"
"Yeah, please!" Another desperate centaur added. "We just want to see if it’s really as sweet as you said!"
But Nella was unmoved.
"The evil Hero gave these to us. If you want some, go ask him yourself! Stop pestering us little ones!"
"This is bullying!" Another pony added, hugging her apple protectively. "Grown-ups bullying children for their food. I’m going to tell my mama!"
Riley ground her teeth in frustration. "There’s no way I’m going to ask that guy for anything! I’d rather die than beg the Hero for food!"
"Come on, Nella! Just one small slice! That’s all I’m asking for!"
But Nella shook her head firmly. "Every single bite is precious to me. I’m taking tiny bites specifically to savor this apple for as long as possible. There’s no way I’m giving even a crumb to you."
Riley pointed at her accusingly.
"You’re being greedy, Nella! That’s not what a centaur does! We share our victories and defeats together! So why won’t you share with your Big Sis?"
Nella simply ignored her, taking another bite of her apple and chewing slowly, her expression one of pure bliss.
The other children did the same, their cheeks bulging with fruit as they chomped away, watching the older centaurs with wary eyes.
They looked like a pack of tiny guard dogs protecting their most precious treasure—ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.
The older centaurs stood there, completely thwarted. They had been defeated by the Hero, and now they were being defeated by a group of children and their apples.
It was, Riley reflected bitterly, the most humiliating week of her life.
Then something else caught her attention.
The drinks.
Small cups sat beside each of the children, filled with a golden liquid that sparkled in the afternoon light. Riley squinted at it suspiciously. Until—
"Nella...!" Riley whispered, her voice trembling with shock. "Are you...are you drinking BEER?!"
"HOW COULD YOU?!" The mare beside her, snapped her head down, her eyes widening in sheer panic. "It’s one thing to eat enemy food, but now you’re drinking alcohol as well?!"
"Did the Hero give you that as well?!" Another added. "Is he trying to intoxicate the village’s children?!"
Outrage surged through the adult mares once again, convinced Luca was running a dark corruption campaign against the youth.
But Nella just looked at Riley as if she was a idiot.
"Are you stupid, Big Sister Riley?"
Riley blinked. "What?"
Nella lifted her glass proudly. "This isn’t alcohol, you dummy! This is Apple Juice!"
Riley’s eyes shimmered. "Apple juice? I’ve never heard of such a thing."
"It’s the best drink I’ve ever had!" Nella declared proudly. "It’s basically apples that have been crushed, and the juice that comes from them. It’s like..." She paused, searching for the right words. "It’s like nectar from the heavens."
"It’s sooooo good!" Another child added dreamily. "I never want to drink water again. Only apple juice!"
"I want to bathe in apple juice!" A third announced. "Even if my fur gets all sticky, it will be worth it!"
"I have apple cider too." Someone else chimed in. "It’s a bit more tangy. It makes my tongue feel weird, but in a really nice way."
They all sipped their drinks with exaggerated relish, showing off to the older centaurs.
The effect was devastating.
The apples alone had been tempting enough, but now the juice? The young warriors found themselves drooling despite their best efforts to maintain composure.
Their hearts raced with an almost primal desire—some deep-seated instinct telling them to drink, to swallow, to consume every last drop of that golden liquid.
But the children had no intention of sharing.
Riley made one last desperate attempt.
"Wait—hold on—please don’t—"
But it was too late.
The children, sensing the threat, began eating and drinking at an accelerated pace.
Apples disappeared in record time and cups of juice were drained in long, satisfying gulps. Within moments, every last trace of the forbidden feast was gone.
Burp!
A tiny, delicate sound from one of the smaller ponies.
Burp!
Then another. And another. Each one followed by a sigh of profound contentment.
"Ahhh! That was so nice!"
"I could eat apples every single day for the rest of my life!"
Nella stretched luxuriously on her mattress, the very picture of satisfaction.
"You know, if I just take a nap right now, this might be the most perfect meal I’ve ever had."
Riley and her companions stood there, utterly defeated.
They looked like explorers who had discovered a legendary treasure chest, only to watch helplessly as someone else claimed its contents.
But just as Riley was about to give up entirely, she noticed something.
One of the ponies had apparently eaten too much. She had been unable to finish her apple completely, and the remaining core lay discarded on the grass, forgotten.
Hope surged in Riley’s chest.
She began to move toward it, her hand reaching out—
"Don’t even think about it, Big Sis Riley."
Nella’s smug voice froze her in place.
"Do you really intend to pick up food that’s been thrown on the ground? You, a proud warrior of the Galloping Brigade?"
The child’s voice dripped with mockery.
"Centaurs are supposed to have values. Honor. Dignity. You boast about those things every single day. But now you want everyone to see you scavenging for scraps like some common animal?"
Riley’s hand hovered in the air, trembling.
She wanted that apple core. She needed it. The scent was still wafting up from the grass, intoxicating and irresistible.
But the children were watching. Her comrades were watching.
And her pride as a centaur warrior warred against the desperate craving in her stomach.
Finally, with a growl of frustration, she pulled her hand back.
"Damn it!"
She glared at Nella with a mixture of frustration and reluctant respect.
"You know, you’re an absolute menace, you little brat? I can’t believe you’re bullying your elders like this. Where did you even learn such cruelty?"
Nella simply offered a mighty smirk. "If you’re so angry about it, why don’t we duel right now? We can definitely take all of you on."
"How dare you, you little—!" Riley gasped with indignation.
"Just because the Hero let you win doesn’t mean you can rule over the world! It wouldn’t take me a single move to defeat you. The wind from my blade alone would send you flying across the village!"
"We’ll see about that!" Nella shot back. "Come on then! Let’s do it!"
The other little ponies scrambled to their feet, brandishing their wooden swords with fierce determination.
"Yeah! Let’s duel! We can definitely beat you!"
"We already defeated the Hero! We can take you on easily!"
"I delivered the final blow that made him collapse! I’m basically a legendary warrior now!"
The young centaurs, still stinging from their failed meeting and now denied even a taste of apple, were in no mood to back down.
Hands drifted toward sword hilts. Tails lashed with agitation. The air grew thick with the promise of a truly ridiculous battle about to erupt—
"What exactly is going on over here?"
Both groups turned simultaneously.
Sigrid stood at the edge of the courtyard, her expression a blend of confusion and disapproval.
And behind her, perched comfortably on her back sat Luca himself, peeking out with an expression of pure amusement, clearly delighted by the miniature war that had been about to erupt.