Chương 54: Chapter 54
Their expedition had started in the afternoon, and by the time they returned, it was approaching lunchtime. They had been moving continuously through the day and night. The tension of the dungeon had masked their fatigue, but the moment they set foot outside, their bodies felt heavy almost instantly.
"Today is a rest... everyone did well..."
As the group disbanded, each party member dispersed, exhausted and limber, like jellyfish. Lucas and Evangeline had lodgings in this mansion. Damien resided at the temple, and Jupiter stayed at the mercenary guild.
I summoned the carriage driver and instructed him to ferry Damien and Jupiter to their respective quarters.
"Hmm, perhaps I should rest a bit as well..."
With a weary shuffle, I made my way to my room in the mansion.
My plan was to sleep until dinner, eat, and then get some work done...
***
But, as it happened,
"..."
The moment I opened my eyes on the bed, the world around me was enshrouded in darkness.
Glancing at the clock, it showed 3 in the morning. Midnight had come and gone.
"I was supposed to sleep until dinner."
It appears I had fallen into a deep slumber.
I yearned to sleep peacefully until morning, but my grumbling stomach wouldn't allow it.
'Maybe I should sort out the items I gathered yesterday.'
I dipped my hand into my inventory.
No need to assess all the items. A simple review of the additional bonus items I received would suffice.
First off, the 'Blue Flame Torch' I obtained as a full-clear reward for Zone 2.
Whoosh-
The blue torch ignited and danced on its own the moment I pulled it from my inventory.
It was nothing special, just a torch that 'never extinguishes, no matter what happens.'
No matter how fierce the wind, even if it's doused with water, this flame does not snuff out.
Given that exploring dungeons in this game invariably involved combatting darkness, it wasn't a bad item to have.
'There's no other significance though...'
It's better than nothing, I suppose. I swiftly tossed the Blue Flame Torch back into my inventory.
It wouldn't set anything else ablaze in there, would it?
Next up was a surprisingly pleasant surprise. It was the item I received for totally dismantling the boss monster's body parts.
I pulled out a magic scroll glowing blue from my inventory.
[Summon Scroll: Massive Steam Golem ]
"I wasn't expecting to receive this..."
A player skill, summon magic. An item enabling you to summon a boss monster.
Though it's a single-use item, it's extremely useful.
I can control the gargantuan golem boss I encountered during the free exploration.
No need to save it, so I began registering the skill immediately.
[Would you like to use 'Summon Scroll: Massive Steam Golem'?]
- Yes/No
Yes!
Whoosh!
Upon selecting Yes, the scroll ignited in a blue flame and burned out, while blue particles emanated from the remaining flames and seeped into my body.
[Ash(EX) has acquired a player skill!]
> Summon Magic: Massive Steam Golem (Limited to 1 use)
"Nice."
I'll keep it as a secret weapon.
'With this, I can effortlessly navigate any crisis, whether it's a stage or a free exploration.'
Comforted by an inexplicable sense of reassurance, I patted my belly.
Gurgle!
"Ugh, I'm famished..."
While my spirit felt revitalized, my stomach was a cavernous void.
After a brief period of restlessness, I rose from my spot, driven by the need to either eat or engage in some work.
"Yawn~"
Lazily stretching with a yawn, I staggered towards the kitchen.
"..."
"..."
A tense standoff ensued.
With the duo, Lucas and Evangeline, who were rummaging through the kitchen like bandits.
Lucas was gnawing on a bone (Is he some kind of canine?), while Evangeline was nibbling on a cracked chestnut, which she held in her dainty mouth (Is she a rodent?), her large green eyes darting around nervously.
"...gulp, gulp."
"...hic."
After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Lucas began to swallow audibly, and a faint hiccup escaped from Evangeline.
"...What on earth are you two doing?"
I asked with a slightly shaky voice, to which Lucas and Evangeline awkwardly pointed fingers at each other.
"I got hungry and came to the kitchen, and..."
"This guy was already here, so..."
Clearly, they had been caught red-handed, pilfering from the kitchen together.
Amused by this ridiculous scene, I peered deeper into the kitchen.
"I'm hungry too. Is there anything to eat?"
"Everything is neatly sorted..."
"We have ingredients for tomorrow's meal, but nothing pre-cooked..."
Both knights wore distinctly crestfallen expressions.
"...Are you guys really hungry?"
On hearing my question, they both nodded emphatically.
Suppressing a chuckle, I rolled up my sleeves and stepped into the kitchen.
"Go sit at the table. I'll whip up something quick."
Upon hearing this, Lucas and Evangeline's eyes widened.
"Sir, you can cook?"
"Well, a bit."
"Even though you're a royal, you cook for yourself?"
"Why not? Is it illegal? Even if it was, wouldn't it not matter since I am a royal?"
On Earth, years of living alone had blessed me with some rudimentary cooking skills.
Given that I was also hungry, I decided to prepare something.
'What's in the pantry...'
A hot bowl of ramen sprinkled with green onions and eggs, accompanied by kimchi, would hit the spot. But that was a pipe dream in this realm.
I started to rummage through the pantry.
The pantry of this noble mansion was surprisingly well-stocked. Butter, milk, eggs, spices, smoked ham...
"..."
"..."
Lucas and Evangeline, now seated uncomfortably at the table, watched me with apprehensive eyes.
Hey, don't look so worried. You think I'd serve you something inedible?
Spotting a large loaf of bread tucked away in a corner of the pantry, an idea sprang to mind.
'Maybe some street toast.'
But the oven was cold.
Come to think of it, this world didn't even have gas stoves. Wasn't there something akin to a fire spirit for such tasks? Is there nothing like that in a fantasy world?
'Well, I do have this.'
I retrieved the blue flame torch I'd recently added to my inventory and shoved it into the oven.
Before long, the pan atop the oven began to sizzle hotly.
Sporting a sly grin, I tossed a generous chunk of butter into the heated frying pan.
Sizzle—
The savory aroma rapidly filled the air.
I heard Lucas and Evangeline gulp audibly. These little rascals, they couldn't hide their appetites, could they?
***
Swiftly, I sandwiched smoked ham and a fresh vegetable salad, both nicely cooked, between two slices of bread doused with honey and eggs, then soaked in milk.
"Let's quickly munch on this and head to bed~ It's a prince's specialty toast."
Though the pantry lacked ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise, it was still quite satisfying.
I presented the sandwich, now toasted to a tempting golden brown, cut into manageable pieces.
Lucas and Evangeline got two each, while I kept one for myself.
I took the first bite.
"Hmm. Not half bad."
The flavor was slightly different from what I was used to on Earth, but it was definitely palatable.
When Lucas and Evangeline followed suit and bit into their sandwiches, their faces lit up with surprise.
Especially Lucas, who looked incredibly moved.
"This is amazing, sir! You could easily be a royal chef! I'm honored to taste your cooking!"
"Don't exaggerate... just eat..."
I was well aware of his loyalty, but he didn't need to butter me up so...
Next to Lucas, who was wolfing down his meal as if he hadn't eaten in days, Evangeline gave me a nod of approval.
"But it is truly tasty. It tastes like something one would buy at a festival."
"Ah, a fitting description indeed."
After all, this was a street toast recipe, so her comment was spot on.
"...It brings back memories."
Evangeline, who had been quietly enjoying her toast, murmured.
"When I was a little girl, I'd often wake up to the sound of clattering in the kitchen at dawn, and when I'd go downstairs... my father would be busy preparing something."
She was talking about the Margrave. I paused, the half-eaten toast still in my hand.
"Monsters didn't care about time, they'd attack whenever they pleased. After defeating them and returning at dawn, he'd be famished and would whip up a quick meal."
Evangeline, lost in her childhood memories, wore a wistful look in her eyes.
"He'd throw together whatever leftovers were available in the kitchen... and if our eyes met, he'd always invite me to join. 'Want a bite?'"
I chuckled.
"So, did you join him?"
"I'd always accept whatever he offered me back then, that's why my cheeks are still so chubby..."
Evangeline grasped the pinch of baby fat on her cheeks and gave it a shake. It was both adorable and a bit sad.
"Then, my mother, who was a late riser, would eventually join us and scold him for feeding me so early in the morning."
Evangeline's smile gradually faded as she remembered.
"Just... being here late at night, it suddenly jogged my memory."
Slowly, Evangeline looked around the lord's mansion kitchen, where every corner bore the deep-seated marks of time.
This place, once filled with her father and mother's presence, was now empty.
"I remembered those mornings."
"...The Margrave's funeral is tomorrow."
My statement made Evangeline swallow hard.
While we'd been lost in the dungeon's depths, time had relentlessly marched on. The Margrave's farewell was now merely a day away.
"Crossroads doesn't really have set customs for funerals, so I've taken it upon myself to arrange everything. But if you'd rather, you can handle the preparations."
"...No, please continue as you were."
Evangeline's voice was strained as she forced down the remaining piece of her toast.
"I admired my father. I thought of him as a noble man who dedicated his life to protecting the people here. But."
She took a couple of large swallows of her milk.
Evangeline, having washed down her food, roughly wiped her mouth.
"I still can't forgive him."
"..."
"Senior, do you know how my mother died?"
How was I to respond?
After a moment's pause, I gave a slow nod. Evangeline's face fell.
"My father left my mother to die to protect the city."
"..."
"Emotionally, I...I can't accept his decision, but logically, I understand. Guarding the city is the first duty of a Margrave, and Father was just fulfilling his duty."
Evangeline bit her lower lip.
"But on the day we laid Mother's coffin to rest in the orchard, Father wasn't there. He had departed for the southern front."
"..."
"To ready for the next onslaught. Because that's the duty of a Margrave of Crossroads. Because it was of greater importance."
Evangeline's small hand clenched into a tight fist in her lap.
"As I dug a hole beside the stone wall of the devastated orchard and interred the empty coffin in place of Mother, I understood. Ah, so this is what the head of the Cross family should be like."
With a wry smile, Evangeline bowed her head.
"And I knew I wasn't cut out to be that person."
I gave a slow nod.
"That's why you left this place."
"...Yes."
Evangeline raised her intense green eyes to meet mine.
"I appreciate you organizing Father's funeral in my place, Senior. Yet, even if I respect Charles Cross Margrave as a public figure."
Evangeline's words were heavy.
"As a daughter, I can't forgive him."
"..."
"I enjoyed the late-night meal. It's truly an honor to dine on food prepared by the Crown Prince himself."
After rising from her chair and giving a slight bow, Evangeline briskly exited the kitchen.
As I watched her retreating form, I let out a soft sigh.
"Families are complicated, aren't they..."
"..."
Lucas sat quietly by my side. I slowly put the remaining piece of toast in my mouth.
Personal matters aren't things others can meddle with. It's something Evangeline has to resolve and accept herself.
Having finished the last piece of toast, I brushed off my hands and stood up.
"It's getting late. Should we head to bed?"
"Indeed, my lord."
Lucas began to assist with the cleanup.
Watching this sloppy behemoth clean up the dishes and tidy the kitchen was amusing. I covered my mouth and laughed.
After the cleanup, we started to head back to our own rooms.
"...Are you okay, my lord?"
Lucas, who was walking ahead, suddenly spoke up. I widened my eyes in surprise.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"My lord, you have a complicated family history as well, don't you? That's why you're helping Miss Evangeline."
...What?
Is that so? Am I complicated? No, was Ash's family history complicated? Wasn't I just a wastrel?
I was taken aback. I had no way of knowing about Ash's family history.
"You're reflecting on your past through Miss Evangeline. I may be obtuse, but I can see at least that much."
Lucas, who had turned around, beamed at me with twinkling eyes.
"Isn't it?"
"..."
I wasn't sure whether he was genuinely worried and asking about me.
Or testing whether I was the 'real' Ash.
Unable to discern his intentions, I momentarily froze on the spot.
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