I held the hug for a while, savoring the warmth of Carmel in my embrace, a fleeting moment of peace amidst the chaos that always seemed to surround me. As I let go, I looked into her eyes.
“I still need to leave, Carmel,” I said, my voice tinged with regret. “There are things I need to settle.”
Her expression faltered for a moment, sadness flickering in her eyes, but she nodded, understanding the responsibilities that pulled me away. Before she could speak, Tria, ever the watchful one, chimed in.
“Why don’t you leave after lunch?” Tria suggested with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Plus, leaving without meeting the Emperor wouldn’t be a good thing.”
Her words were carefully chosen, polite, and seemingly innocent, but I could see the layers beneath. She wasn’t just offering a courtesy; she wanted more time to observe, to figure out who I really was and what my intentions might be.
‘She wants to watch me for as long as she can,’ I thought, knowing that every move I made would be scrutinized.
“Right! Just have lunch with us, and after meeting the Emperor, you can leave!” Carmel added, her tone laced with excitement, oblivious to the undercurrents in the conversation.
I paused, making a show of considering the offer while both girls watched me with anticipation. Finally, I smiled and nodded.
“Sure, I can wait until then,” I agreed, leaning back slightly before adding, “but I will be the one cooking.”
Tria’s eyes narrowed in confusion, clearly unaccustomed to the idea of a guest, especially one with my status, taking over the kitchen. Carmel, however, was practically glowing with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she clapped her hands together.
“Perfect!” she exclaimed, already imagining what was to come.
…
In one of the palace’s outer gardens, a beautiful area filled with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, the cooking setup was quickly arranged. It was a beautiful space, more open and free than the rest of the palace, a place where Carmel could breathe easier. The maids and guards, each with an aura of power that spoke of more than just being servants, stood discreetly around, their eyes sharp and vigilant, watching over everything.
I stood in the center of it all, a variety of cooking equipment laid out before me, from enchanted stoves that kept the perfect temperature to knives that never dulled. Carmel and Tria were seated nearby, watching me with contrasting emotions. Carmel was practically bouncing with excitement, while Tria’s gaze was calculating, her mind undoubtedly working through all the implications of what was happening.
This time, it wasn’t just a meal but an experience, and you know what they say, one of the best ways to get into a girl’s heart is through her stomach, though this is not with the literal meaning.
‘But isn’t that idiom for men?’
Musing with those stupid thoughts, I started with the base ingredients, reaching into a small pouch at my side that was much larger on the inside, thanks to some clever spatial magic. I pulled out the first item: Golden Sunroot, a rare tuber that absorbed sunlight during the day and released a soft, warm glow when cooked. I began slicing it thin, each piece emitting a faint light as it hit the cutting board.
Next came the Moondew Berries, plump and glistening with a silvery sheen that caught the light just so. These berries only grew under the light of a full moon, and their flavor was a perfect balance of sweet and tart. I crushed a few in a small bowl, letting their juice pool into a deep violet liquid, which I set aside for later.
The main course would be something truly special. The palace had acquired Phoenix Breast, a delicacy so rare that it was considered a dish fit for gods. The meat was rich with natural magic, each bite capable of restoring vitality and energy. I marinated it in a mixture of spices and herbs from the Everburning Forest, where the plants absorbed the essence of eternal flames, giving them a fiery kick that paired perfectly with the Phoenix meat.
As I prepared the meat, I added in Drake Scales, ground into a fine powder, which would give the dish a subtle crunch and a burst of flavor with every bite. The scales were tough, nearly indestructible in their natural form, but when prepared correctly, they added a depth of flavor that was unmatched.
For the side dish, I used Crystal Lotus Petals, translucent and delicate, which I lightly fried in Starfall Oil. The oil was extracted from the seeds of a plant that only bloomed once every century, under a meteor shower. It added a subtle, tangy flavor to the dish, making the petals taste a bit crisp.
As the Phoenix Breast sizzled on the enchanted stove, releasing a tantalizing aroma that filled the garden, I turned my attention to the sauce. I combined the Moondew Berry juice with Corn’s Breath Vinegar, which was as potent as its name suggested, and added a dash of Mystic Honey from the Gleaming Fields, known for its ability to amplify the natural flavors of any dish.
I reduced the sauce carefully, watching as it thickened into a deep, glossy syrup, its color shifting between violet and indigo as the light hit it. It was a perfect blend of sweet, tart, and spicy, with just a hint of magic that would linger on the tongue long after the meal was over.
For dessert, I had something truly unique in mind. I prepared a Glacial Blossom Soufflé, using the petals of a flower that only bloomed on the highest peaks of the Frostfang Mountains. The petals were naturally cold to the touch, and when infused into the batter, they created a soufflé that was light, airy, and chilled, with a refreshing burst of icy sweetness in every bite. To top it off, I added a drizzle of Firethorn Syrup, made from the berries of a plant that thrived in volcanic soil. The syrup provided a sharp contrast to the cold, with a fiery heat that danced across the palate.
As I plated each dish, I could feel the eyes of Carmel and Tria on me, the former’s gaze filled with anticipation, while the latter’s was more analytical, trying to decipher every step I took. But as the aroma of the finished dishes filled the air, I saw Tria’s expression soften, just a bit, guess even she can’t fight fully against the smell of what I am creating.
Finally, everything was ready. I stepped back and looked at the spread before me: a feast of colors, textures, and aromas, each dish more unique than the last. Carmel’s eyes sparkled as she took in the sight, while Tria’s gaze flickered with curiosity and perhaps a hint of admiration, though she quickly masked it.
“Lunch is served,” I said, gesturing for them to begin, as I had set up the food, soon taking a seat beside them, with the maids making sure to place all arrangements perfectly.
Carmel was the first to take a bite, starting with the Phoenix Breast. The moment it touched her tongue, her eyes widened, and a soft, almost involuntary moan escaped her lips. The meat was tender, bursting with flavor, the heat from the spices perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the sauce. She moved on to the Golden Sunroot and the Crystal Lotus Petals, each bite a revelation of flavor and texture, her delight evident in every expression.
Tria was more restrained, taking smaller bites as she analyzed each dish. But even she couldn’t hide her reaction as she tasted the Moondew Berry sauce, the complexity of the flavors surprising her no doubt. She paused, her fork hovering over the plate as if she were trying to figure out how something so simple could be so good.
‘Let’s see you raise your sword or whatever your weapon is against me who can cook all this’
When they finally reached the dessert, both Carmel and Tria seemed almost hesitant as if they didn’t want the meal to end. But as they tasted the Glacial Blossom Soufflé, their eyes closed in pure bliss, the cold, refreshing sweetness perfectly counterbalanced by the fiery heat of the Firethorn Syrup.
For a moment, there was silence in the garden, broken only by the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves. Then Carmel turned to me, her eyes shining with a lot of emotions and something else, something deeper.
“That was… incredible,” she said softly, her voice filled with awe.
“Be my cook!”
Carmel shouted, having shared the experience with Carmelai too to which I gave my quick reply.
“Nope.”
My immediate reply burst her bubble as Carmel tried to nag at me.
Tria nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I have never tasted something as good as this before, just how did a high noble, like you learn to cook like this?.”
Though her question looked simple, I could feel a certain rigidity to it
I smiled, inclining my head slightly. “Well let’s just say I love to cook and at the same time see the expression of the people that eat my cooking”
‘After all the food you ate had something extra special in it, Miss Regressor’
I laughed internally, the only reason I went to such lengths, to get such ingredients and to do such intense open cooking wasn’t for just some feast, come you should know me better than that…..
