I was glad the girls didn't look suspicious or ask me why I started wearing a cap today of all days, even indoors. Brenna simply mentioned that it looked cute on me, while both Aria and Leona nodded their heads in agreement. Perhaps they just thought I was merely making a fashion statement.
Once brunch was done, I started making rice porridge and Asian egg omelet, with Brenna lingering behind me, watching what I was doing.
I was glad that this realm had rice, not only the pure white version, but brown, black, and some very colorful ones such as orange, yellow, and even purple. For rice porridge, it had to be the white rice, of course, and I cooked it in a pot using the magic stove.
Apparently, as I had found out the first day I had tried cooking for the girls, this realm used a stove and oven just like back at home. Except the heat didn't come from electricity. Here, it was powered by a magic crystal with qi, which was used for every other home appliance; such as hair-dryers, irons, indoor and outdoor lights, heating and cooling systems, room ventilation, and just basically everything under the sun like back at home.
While the rice porridge was cooking, I turned my attention to the egg omelet. After beating five eggs and adding a pinch of salt and a bit of honey, I decided to add some prawns in as well, to make it interesting. Thus, I took out some prawns that the palace's grocery delivery service had brought around yesterday, quickly blanched them in boiling water, and then chopped them into small pieces before adding them into the egg mixture.
Ready, I heated the frying pan and added a bit of vegetable oil. Once the pan was hot enough, I poured the egg mixture in and let it cook.
"Mmm..." Brenna expressed. "Smells good."
I chuckled. "It's not for you, Brenna. And besides, you just had brunch."
The girl giggled. "I know, but it doesn't hurt to have a taste, right?"
Because she looked so pretty, especially with her cat ears perking up with interest like that, I couldn't help myself and gave her a taste once the omelet was cooked.
She opened her mouth wide expectantly as I fed her with a pair of chopsticks. As she ate, she smiled in delight. "Oh, so delicious. You're one of the best cooks I know, Alfie, and Lord Noah thinks so as well. He simply couldn't stop raving on and on about how delicious that fried rice you made was."
I laughed, pleased at the compliment.
Once the rice porridge and egg omelet were done, I packed them into containers, with the rice porridge in the thermal one, which would keep it nice and hot, while the egg omelet went into another, smaller, bento box.
"Shall we get going?" I asked.
Brenna nodded. "I'll get Aria and Leona, then."
It was some fifteen minutes later when we gathered at the main entrance of the east wing, awaiting our carriage and escort. Aria had told me she had asked Michael to escort us, and indeed, the man arrived a few moments later.
"Hello, everyone," the soldier said.
The girls greeted him a good morning while I grinned, pleased to see him again.
I said, "Hello, Michael. You look well."
He chuckled. "Thanks to Lord Noah's healing potion, my recovery was faster than normal."
I nodded, not forgetting that Michael and his team's injuries had been quite severe during the rescue mission a couple of weeks back, especially since they had been captured and tortured by the enemy, that Prince Philip.
I knew of the prince's name simply because I had tapped into Felix's qi and happened to eavesdrop on his heated conversation with the prince during the battle between the two. From my point of view, I could surmise that there was some bad blood between the seven lords, especially Felix, and that Prince Philip.
What could have caused such a rift between them that they would go all out in trying to kill each other? A bigger question was why Prince Philip would create a rebellion, a riot, and work his ass off to destroy Acaedien.
Then again, why should I be surprised? In any world where there was land and intelligent living beings, there was bound to be war. It all had to do with survival instinct, as well as greed, of course.
Once the pleasantry of greetings was over and we were about to file into the carriage, the door was opened from the inside. This was followed by a deeply timbred voice saying, "Hello, ladies."
The moment I heard that smooth voice, I shifted my gaze to the lord, who emerged from the carriage.
"Alfie," Lord Geoffrey said, his emerald-green eyes twinkling when appraising me from my head—which was currently covered in a cap—to my boots.
I wondered why the father figure of Acaedien, the man I admired and wished to make an ally with, had to show up today of all days.
Of course, I felt rather self-conscious in front of the man because of my newly, unwelcomed transformation.
I licked my lips nervously, fretting that he might notice the change in my body, such as the slight curve of my chest, my firm butt, or the toned arms and legs.
Because I couldn't help myself, I asked, "My Lord Geoffrey, what are you doing in there?"
Lord Geoffrey came to stand close to me and wrapped his ironlike arms over my shoulders. He said, "Escorting everyone, of course."
"But we already have Michael for that, sir," I said, gripping the gift basket that contained Mariann's meal, which I had made, along with various brightly colored fruits that were unique to this realm.
The lord looked at me for moment and then said, "Do you not want me to come along, Alfie? Do you dislike me?"
I shook my head furiously. "No, that's not what I mean to imply, my lord." I stammered, my cheeks blushing hot, "I don't dislike you, and of course you can come along."
Brenna, apparently, was doing her best at hiding her giggle. She must have found me amusing, and I wished that I had kept my mouth shut.
Aria said, "I'm glad that you can accompany us, my lord."
"Aria," Lord Geoffrey said, patting the girl's head fondly like a father did to his daughter. Oddly enough, I wanted Lord Geoffrey to pat me on the head as well, despite the fact I had a cap on and was doing my best at hiding my long, Rapunzel-like hair.
Lord Geoffrey said, "You haven't been overworking yourself, have you?"
Aria shook her head. "No, I don't think so."
The man chuckled. "And you have been eating well?"
Aria nodded. "Yes. Alfie has been cooking us delicious meals three times a day, five days a week, so I'm very blessed in that regard."
Lord Geoffrey flicked his gaze to me, a handsome smirk playing about those sensual lips of his. "Then I must thank Alfie properly for doing such a wonderful job of feeding my ward."
I cocked my head to one side. I knew that Aria was very distantly related to Lord Geoffrey but didn't know that the man was also Aria's guardian.
Lord Geoffrey said, as he released me, "Shall we get going?"
I nodded furiously, very glad that I was finally free from his tight embrace. Honestly, my heart was racing this whole time, what with me being so close to the man. The fact that he smelled so divine—his body exuded a sexy aroma that was so unique that it made me weak inside—didn't help the matter either. Not to mention his body heat, too, which was pleasant against mine.
The girls started climbing into the carriage, with Lord Geoffrey holding the door open for them. As expected, he was very gentlemanly.
Once the girls had made themselves comfortable, Lord Geoffrey turned his attention to me and took the gift basket from my hands.