028 ※ Not a Dame in Shining Armor [II]

BOTH PIERRE AND YOOSTAF ARE RETIRED KNIGHTS and food lovers, and they have been friends since childhood due to Pierre's past living in Leopenia under my dad's command. As a result, I also got to know him through Yoostaf, who told me six years ago to try his friend's food when I came here in the spring. And here we are.

The first time I came, it was with my family, and it was a disaster. Father even fought three guys when he heard them badmouthing me. Not to talk about the mean stares I received. But the second time I came, four years ago, was with uncle Martin, cousin Casteel, and cousin Ryan, from my paternal grandmother's side of the family, once she was a Princess of the White-Wood Kingdom.

It's a good memory. Although I was the only one with them because my father and uncle Martin don't have a good relationship, he also refused to interact with 'outsiders from the Royalty of a neighboring Kingdom' as he said. But I wanted to get to know them, so I came here even when dad was against it. They are still family after all. Furthermore, they were gentle and friendly with me and didn't care about me being magicless.

Regarding them, I need to contact Cass because there is an important issue we need to discuss. I have to warn him about it. And offer me to deal with it, so he won't be broken and lose his mind as it happened back there.

At that time, I couldn't do much about it because I didn't know what was actually happening, and Dalilah didn't allow me to go there. But I regret not being able to help Cass in such a moment, when the Emperor, uncle Martin's brother, schemed to make both his brother and little Ryan be murdered... by his bastard.

It would be my pleasure to destroy all of them for Cass, to protect him from the consequences he might suffer, and to make him the king he deserves. The throne which his uncle stole from his dad.

"...flower?" Oh, for Mikla's sake. I'm lost in my thoughts again.

"Hm?"

He laughed again and petted my hair. "You seem tired, little sunflower. But for now, my food can help you physically. Tell me what you want to eat and I'll use my ability the best I can to help you regain your stamina," oh, that's right. When someone eats Pierre's food, the person regains their stamina. That's also one of the reasons why his bistro is so famous, and why he had a high place in the Imperial Army because he also used to cook for them and make them all energetic as if they hadn't trained for hours.

That will be useful. I already feel slightly tired thanks to my body no longer being as strong as it once was. But the fact that it hasn't even been half a day since I got back might be playing a role in me feeling like this. Especially psychologically speaking.

I told him all I wanted to eat and he got all excited about the fact that I was so hungry and he would finally be able to feed me a lot of food. "Make mine extra spicy, please," but that last part made him stare at me in shock for almost a minute.

"I thought you hated spicy food," well I used to hate it.

But as I got older, I began to love it, to a point where I couldn't eat any normal food (that wasn't sweets and deserts) without a lot of hot sauce in it. "My tastes are changing as I'm getting older," I rolled my shoulders and he seemed satisfied with that.

"I get it. Spicy food is my favorite. I'll do my best. Now go wait for it with your companions, little sunflower!" He exclaimed the last part pushing me out of the kitchen and shocking the people outside who didn't know that we knew each other, with our funny interactions. "Will you want some milkshake afterward?"

"Hell yeah. I missed that so much," he knows my taste just as well as Yoostaf does.

"What flavor do you want this time?"

"You choose!"

He agreed with an excited grin and successfully pushed me out of the kitchen. I headed to where Kate and Asher were waiting for me. Ignoring everybody else on all five floors.

And damn, let me tell you, the view on the rooftop was worth it. From here we could see most of Theolia, including the Imperial Palace from afar. It was outstanding. Now it makes even more sense that this is the area reserved for the Royals. Just looking at it made me even more hungry.

"What took you so long, Nat?" Asher spoke worried, getting up and coming to me to see if I was in one piece. Then, as a gentleman, he helped me with my chair and sat on his again.

Kate also seemed anxious. "We were worried." How adorable.

"Oh, I was just talking with Pierre. You know? He's friends with Yoostaf and the owner of the bistro." That made them both let their shoulders down as if I had taken a burden off of them. "He gave me two slices of pork-belly pie. It was delicious. We also chatted a little bit."

"Are you going to permanently become a glutton, or is it just today?" Asher mocked and I rolled my eyes.

"Only the Goddess knows," I'll obviously keep being like this. "How are you feeling? It's the first-time you guys came here with me." I changed the topic.

Kate seemed happier than ever. "This is such a luxurious restaurant, really amazing and worthy of you!" Well, I guess she likes luxury.

She acted all wary of George and Gwen's business, but now that we are in the best restaurant in Theolia, she's glowing like the sun. Never thought was like this. But it's only normal to like a luxury, I guess. Kate never told me about it, but I guess she must even dream of marrying a wealthy guy from Nobility or even Royalty.

It's a common dream between the servants. But it can be painful if you hold into that too much. Society is cruel. High society is even crueler. If that were to happen, the person with a low status would get bullied a lot. Although it's not impossible to happen.

Especially when the Empire is technically okay with people from a low background and status marrying a Noble and all. The problem is with reality because the prejudice around that is deeply rooted in this pretentious social class.

"Indeed," Asher commented, bringing me back to reality again. "You seem to be with your mind elsewhere, Nat. Are you okay?" Of course, he would notice something was wrong with me. It's not like we met each other yesterday.

"I'm just thinking..."

"That's dangerous," Kate exclaimed mockingly, making Asher giggle loudly and attracting curious eyes to us.

Curious is an understatement and even a wrong word to describe their judging eyes. They were very much whispering about me and the fact that I brought my servant and my Knight to eat with me here. Those motherfuckers know nothing.

"Hahaha," I exclaimed sarcastically. "You are such a comedian." She rolled her eyes, adorably. "So, as I was saying, I'm just thinking of how I should do things from now on." I stopped talking when I looked around and saw some people staring at me, then I turned to Ash. "Are you, perhaps, with a magical barrier tool?"

He put his hands on his pants pocket and took a hand-clock from it then he showed it to me. It might look like a clock, but it's actually a magical tool that can create a barrier around its user and his companions, to protect them from a hit, from rain or it can be used to block others from hearing what we are talking about.

My disciple-brother handed it to me and I used it to surround us three with it. "Now we can speak!" They agreed, understanding why that was necessary.

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