The Feast of Herbs

Xion looked around the vicinity. Activating his map, he went toward the left side. There, deep in the forest, was a tiny pink sprout of Mikosa Ribitiyon.

He crouched down, examining the tiny, closed bud. This tender pink bud, when bloomed, could be used as an aphrodisiac. However, Xion was more interested in its other lesser-known property.

This plant had a medicinal specialty as a sleeping agent. If inhaled in different quantities, it could even put someone under hallucination.

He carefully dug the roots out before putting them in a small glass bottle and with light hands, placed it in his sling bag.

Humming a theme song from an anime he had seen before, he collected a few more plants before heading back.

He had only wandered off for ten minutes or so before rushing back to the camp Ray and others had set.

Xion tugged his hoodie down his chin as he made his way to where Lady Nazia had pointed him earlier.

The lady had tied her long red hair in a low bun. It somehow gave him the impression of a strict principal of his school.

As she noticed his arrival, she spun around with a slight smile. "Ah, young master Xion is back. The fire is ready. Please tell me what ingredients you need from the list."

While speaking, she showed Xion a list where all the edibles were listed.

Glowroot Tubers, Silverleaf Greens, Firefruit Peppers, Eubergine, Crystal, Fungi, Green Spinach, Skygrain Flour, Starlight Nectar, Frostsalt, Emberberries...

The list was not too long but the new names popping on the list sure gave him a headache.

Xion could easily understand why Lady Nazia was so attentive.

It was never easy to serve someone from a high status, especially a child with such a scary Archduke as his father.

One mistake and his own head might be the one rolling on the dusty ground.

He slowly rubbed his neck while he glanced at the list. He had to cook something that could satisfy His Grace's hunger as well as his 'royal' taste buds.

"Is your throat perhaps uncomfortable? Do you want some warm water?" A calm voice brought Xion back from his wandering thoughts. His hand instantly shot down from his neck.

"No, thank you. Could you gather these, please?" he asked, pointing to a few items on the list.

While the ingredients were being placed on the counter, Xion secretly bought a small bottle of special sauce from his system.

He was not fond of pain, so it was better to be safe than sorry.

After washing his hands and ensuring his sling bag was in sight, Xion approached the open fire.

The midday sun filtered through the canopy of trees casting dappled light over the makeshift cooking area. Xion stood near the stone-lined fire pit.

He rolled up his sleeves while humming softly. A small pile of foraged ingredients lay beside him waiting for him to chop them up.

Meanwhile, a person was there to assist in igniting the fire. It was a very considerate thing done by the lady.

That person was actually there to keep an eye on him so he would not mess with the food.

Xion did not bother to pay him that much attention as his entire focus was somewhere else.

He glanced at his robe's pocket. The newly purchased vial of sauce he had splurged his Merit points was inside.

While no one was paying attention, he mixed it with the vials of other spices.

"Golden Umami Glaze and Herbal Bliss Sauce," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "You better not fail me or I might die soon."

As the fire crackled gently, Xion set to work.

He peeled the glowroot tubers. Their pale skin revealed luminous orange flesh as he tossed them into a pot of boiling water. The silverleaf greens were also quickly rinsed and chopped.

Using a pan heated over the fire, Xion drizzled firefruit pepper oil, the smoky spice making his mouth water.

He sautéed the greens and sliced crystal fungi. Their golden edges shimmered under the sunlight as he added a small spoonful of Herbal Bliss Sauce.

A burst of aroma filled the air, making even Lady Nazia glance over curiously.

It was not just Lady Nazia, but also the Archduke, whose eyes kept shifting to the busy figure nearby.

Darius had been reading the same page for the past fifteen or so minutes. It was the information regarding the next stop in the nearby city.

He had two main goals to travel so far away from his northern territory. One was to meet the emperor, and the other was to try to find a capable healer who could suppress his curse for a few more years.

The next Uzera city was the perfect place for healers as it was closer to the royal capital while also maintaining a safe distance from the politics of the royal court.

Marquis' banquet just happened to be in the way so, Darius decided to go there. It was better to keep an eye on the nobles of the east than to remain in the dark all the time.

Who knew that someone would have the audacity to poison him? That poison did not threaten his life, but it triggered his curse in the worst way possible.

And now, Darius had to stay in this small frame until he restored all the mana his body had wasted in fighting with deadly poison and saving his life.

His always-cold eyes narrowed on the petite frame of the boy chopping vegetables while muttering something with those pink lips. They looked so soft, just like those hands.

Darius glanced at his own hands littered with some scars and callouses. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger, and once again, his gaze darted toward his new healer.