บท 11: Chapter 11 - This and That.

Rei and the King continued with their intimate interaction. Just as they looked into each other's eyes with affectionate looks, the King suddenly remembered something quite important, and he blushed all of a sudden.

"Your... Majesty?"

As soon as Rei noticed the King's blushed face, she blushed as well, she had partially guessed what was in the King's thoughts.

"Uhm... Rei... I believe you must have noticed that there is something unique about our relationship right now. But... But I feel like I have the need to make this official... So..."

"Good morning! What a perfect time for a morning tea!"

Just as the King was about to spit out the most crucial part from his mouth, Ben barged in with a tray with teapot and teacups.

As soon as Ben barged in, the two immediately stopped their intimate interaction. Pretending not to see anything, Ben calmly walked to the tea table and placed the tray down. Seeing that series of obviously intended actions of Ben, the King gave him a leer of annoyance, and as a response, Ben sneered at the King.

"Good morning Rei. Here, have a cup of roses red dates tea. The dried roses and red dates were freshly bought from the carnival market in the town." said Ben with a smile on his face as he poured a cup of tea and handed it to Rei with a small wooden saucer carved with a peony flower pattern.

"Thanks."

Rei politely accepted the tea from Ben.

"Hold on... Benjamin Hua, you went to the Fire Dragon Carnival? Seriously? Yesterday I asked you to buy me some dragon beard candy from that famous store in the carnival and you said you were too busy for that sort of thing, but right now you are telling me, you went to the carnival just now just to buy some roses and red dates?" The King asked, he sounded slightly furious.

"Well, I need to restock my herbs supplies after all," said Ben as he shrugged.

"Ah... Whatever... Have you bought any dragon beard candy?" The King asked again.

"Nope," said Ben, with a carefree manner.

"Benjamin Hua!"

"Here, have a cup of tea, is good for improving blood circulation and helping to clear your mind."

With a slight sarcasm, Ben handed a freshly poured cup of tea to the King, the latter accepted the tea with an annoyed face.

Rei awkwardly sipped her tea as she watched the slightly childish side of those two adult men...

***

Later, near afternoon time, Rei returned to her room to have her lunch with Holly.

"Ginger fried lean meat again?" Rei asked, in a slightly teasing tone as she saw Holly walk in with two dishes in her hand.

"No! Why do you sound like that's the only dish I can cook?" Holly exclaimed, denying Rei's assumption.

"Hmm... I see. So today is mushroom fried lean meat." said Rei, with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Ah..."

And obviously, Rei guessed it right.

"And ginger fried spinach," Rei added.

"Rei! Stop it!" Holly exclaimed again as she placed the dishes down on the table with a slightly embarrassed look.

And yes, Rei guessed both the dishes correctly.

"Well, I can't help it. You have been switching between these two sets of dish combinations since we stayed in this farmhouse. Even Dr. Ben knows how to cook more dishes than you." said Rei as she picked a piece of the lean meat into Holly's rice bowl with a clean pair of serving chopsticks.

"Hmph! You shouldn't be complaining when you were the one who waited to be served," said Holly who sounded slightly angry.

"I was not complaining for myself but you were cooking for Dr Ben as well, right? You can't make him eat the same dishes every day. After all, he wasn't fully recovered yet from his sickness and the injuries that day, he will need a more complete and balanced diet to regain health." said Rei who disagrees with what Holly just said.

"Aww... I am sorry. But... You do know that cooking is never a thing for me, right?" said Holly.

"Yes, and I did tell you that I don't mind teaching you more dishes if you want to learn," said Rei, who sounds like a college lecturer.

"... If you have free time and extra ingredients to waste, I am more than happy to learn..." said Holly, who is in a small dilemma.

"Well, right now, I am free most of the time, so it should not be an issue. As for the ingredients... Hmm... Ah... Didn't you mention that carnival in the town? If I was not mistaken, usually there will be a fresh market that sells cheap but fresh ingredients as a form of alms from the Dragon God to the poor people, despite being slightly inappropriate, it's not wrong for us to get some ingredients from there." said Rei, giving Holly some rather wild ideas.

"I se... Hmm?... Ah... Rei, if you want to go to the carnival, you can just say it out directly, you don't have to purposely criticise my cooking and go for a big round for it." said Holly who almost falls for Rei's words.

"Haha... You noticed it after all," said Rei as she laughed awkwardly.

"Hmph! I might not be as smart as Dr Ben but I am not stupid either," said Holly as she pouted.

"I am so sorry for that... So... Can you take me to the carnival market tomorrow morning?" Rei asked as she grabbed Holly's hand which was about to grab a pair of chopsticks.

"Tsk... Sometimes I really hate that pair of crystal clear eyes of yours. How can I possibly reject that pair of innocent eyes? Hah... Do you have the outfit needed? I heard that they have a special dress code that requires all the visitors to wear red and orange ranged colour outfits as a respect to the Fire Dragon God." said Holly who low-keyly agreed with Rei's request despite having lots of complaints.

Hearing that, Rei thought for a while and frowned...