Two Sinfully Handsome Devils Part 12

I shifted my eyes across the table, staring mindlessly at the array of food. Then my gaze rested on the assortment of salad greens, and I suddenly thought of a better explanation.

I cleared my throat and continued. "The core molecules for our medicines come from plants that are mostly bitter, which explains why our medicines taste bitter."

Leona nodded in understanding. "Come to think of it, I've heard of something like that in one of the lectures during my university class many years ago. It touched base on the eastern culture of using traditional medicine."

I nodded my head furiously. "That's right. My father is from the eastern region, and we used to live there for a while." Which was, of course, true since I had lived in Japan with my parents and Grandfather Kenjiro until I turned eight. Not to mention that Grandfather Kenjiro, who ran a shrine at the base of the mountain, knew a lot about traditional medicine and herbs.

"Ah, so you're from the eastern region," Brenna said.

I nodded again. "My family and I lived there until I turned eight. After that, we travelled around quite a bit…"

Leona said, "So your family are travelers, then?"

"Yes." I chuckled. "Our journey is always long and very tiring."

To be honest, I didn't like planes much, especially the long-haul ones, more so the transit between flights.

I grabbed some salad greens and placed them on my plate. As I munched on the greens, my eyes wandered about the table. Of course, Caleb and Felix were busy talking to the other men. Meanwhile, the girls were eating quietly, including me.

My eyes shifted back to rest near Leona, and that was when I noticed a book sitting by her plate. I cocked my head to one side and asked, "What's that?" I nodded toward the book.

Leona was surprised for a moment. She picked it up and asked, "This?"

I nodded.

"It's a novel I'm reading at the moment," she said. "It's very popular. Do you want to take a look?"

I nodded my head and eagerly took the offered product. I was about to open the book when I noticed both Felix's and Caleb's eyes on me.

Felix said, "You like reading, Alfie?"

Finally, the man decided to call me by my name, which oddly made me happy. I gave him a sweet grin as I nodded at the same time. "Yes. It can't be helped since Dad… I mean Father is an author, after all. I've read most of his novels and many others, too."

Caleb asked, "Do you write books, too, then?"

I shook my head. "I'm no good at it." I chuckled. "My specialty is cooking and eating." I blushed, having realized that I'd revealed too much about myself.

"Then you must cook us something nice to sample, little elf," Felix said.

I sighed. Back to little elf again, I see.

"We'll see," I said as I flipped the book open to the first page and brought it right up to my face. I proceeded to glare like I usually did without my glasses on and tried to figure out what language this was written in. There were lines and curves with elegant strokes this way and that, which I had never seen before.

Aria said, which made me jolt in surprise, "Can't you see properly?"

I moved my head and grinned. "Not really. I'll be honest that I can't see anything clearly without my glasses on."

"You have bad vision?" Caleb asked.

I turned my attention to him and nodded. "I can't actually see your face clearly at all."

Felix suddenly burst out laughing as he tousled my hair. He said, "You never cease to surprise me, Alfie." He leaned back as he folded his arms across his massive chest. "We can't leave you walking around half blind. It's dangerous."

I noted Caleb nodding his head in agreement.

"Come with us to the clinic tent after breakfast, and we'll give you a pair of lenses," Aria said. "We brought backups because a few of our men are shortsighted, too."

So they did have glasses here, which didn't surprise me. But of course, whether they had some that'd fit my sight was another question. I was about to ask Aria that when we were interrupted by a soldier.

"My lords," he announced loudly. "We have news."

Both Caleb and Felix, along with the other four men, got up from their seats immediately and walked off.

I watched them until they were out of sight before turning my attention to Aria. I asked, "News?"

Aria said, "The men must have found the bandits' hiding place."

"Oh," I said.