Chapter 25 - Thief

Lord Kazo invited Lander, his group and the Three Great Beauties to have a little chat in his manor.

"As long as there is food to cook then let's go," He led the way going the other direction.

"Excuse me young man but that is not the way to the capital," Lord Kazo said pointing at the other direction from where Lander was facing.

"I know, I just wanted to relieve myself," Apparently, Lander was embarrassed but good thing that he was able to came up with an excuse as he went further away from them and started acting - urinating.

"Shameless!" Aria harrumphed.

"Very interesting!" Barbara laughed licking her lips.

"I want him to be my slave," Sung-min smiled looking at Lander.

"Watch your words or I'll fight it out with you!" Yan Yan shouted clenching her fists.

Being with Lander for so long and learning a lot from him, she inherited the will of Lander to not be afraid to fight back against those elites who wanted them as slaves.

"Oh? You're just too weak," Sung-min ignored her.

Yan Yan was angered, she instantly moved towards Sung-min and gave out a punch.

Sung-min has no time to dodge as Yan Yan's action was too fast. Good thing that Lord Kazo stopped Yan Yan by catching her punch.

"Yan Yan stop! She was just joking. You knew too well that you're inuy-a is a disciple of Senior Bobby," Aria patted Yan Yan's shoulder.

Yan Yan stopped and stared at Aria. She nodded and gave a cold look to Sung-min then she harrumphed.

Elizaveta was actually nervous when Yan Yan moved towards Sung-min. She has heard of the Three Great Beauties and they have a reputation widely spreading.

Sung-min was a cheerful woman who loves to play people's lives. Barbara was a seductive woman who was a masochist, enjoying torturing her enemies. And Aria was a cold-blooded and ruthless woman when angered or provoked.

Elizaveta only sighed a relief when Yan Yan stopped, but she could feel the intense aura of Sung-min trying to invade Yan Yan.

"Hey there, shall we go?" Lander knew what happened but chose to ignore it. If by chance Yan Yan was hurt then he wouldn't spare the one who hurt her even if she was a stunning beauty. He also praised Yan Yan inwardly as she now learned how to defend herself in front of an elite.

Sung-min stopped releasing her aura and smiled at Lander. But the tension was still there, "Of course."

Lander woke up the guard and told him to follow them or else he would cut his manliness. The guards shivered and looked at Lord Kazo, his superior. But Lord Kazo ignored the guard and led the way.

When they passed by the entrance of the capital, they became the center of attraction. Lord Kazo ordered his men to let them through so they were easily given immediate access to enter the capital, but before they entered, Lander remembered the woman who wanted to buy Grey so he stopped and pointed at the woman with cold eyes, "You! Follow us!"

The people were shocked by Lander's rude behaviour. Even the Three Beauties and Lord Kazo was stunned but Lord Kazo acted immediately as he ordered his men to capture the woman and told her to follow them.

When Lander and the others were gone, the people can't believe what they just witnessed. "Who was that outcast?"

"It was rude for him to order an elite but was more shocking when Lord Kazo agreed to his demand." One of the people asked.

"How can that be?" The elites who were with Anushka said.

"Order the men to investigate that outcast," A bearded elderly ordered with fear. That was the elderly man who chased Lander and his group. Seeing how Lord Kazo treated him made him scared.

When Lander entered the capital, he was awed by the scenery. There were a lot of majestic houses and business establishment made up of bricks. There was a buzzing crowd anywhere and Lander was astounded when he saw that all the people there were beautiful and handsome.

Looking around, Lander spotted a bar, a pleasure house, restaurant and a lot of activities in the area.

Soon, the group reached Lord Kazo's manor as they all entered.

"Excuse me Sire, but where is the kitchen?" Lander asked upon entering.

"Don't bother young man, I'll order my maids to bring us foods." Lord Kazo replied with smiles

"No, no, no, you misunderstood me Sire. But I want to cook so I'll be heading to your kitchen." Lander replied eager to try a new recipe.

"Just let him cook Lord Kazo," Aria said looking at Lord Kazo. Ever since she tasted Lander's food she always craved for it. She has tried various foods but her taste buds can't taste those foods anymore. Therefore, she was also looking forward to Lander's cooking.

"Oh? Does the food he makes really taste so delicious that you are very excited?" Barbara giggled teasing Aria that made her blush.

"Then let's see if he's delicacies are really that great as you mentioned," Sung-min said also looking forward to the food.

Lord Kazo called one of his maid to assist Lander in the kitchen. But Lander told him that he doesn't need any help.

Therefore, Lander went to the kitchen following the maid while the others stayed at the pavilion just outside the manor.

Yan Yan and Elizaveta was awed by the scenery around the pavilion, there was a small pond and a garden with blooming flowers. Also, the design of the pavilion looked like an ancient Japanese pavilion. And on the side was a parrot inside a cage.

"Excuse me Yan Yan but what is the profession of your inuy-a?" Aria asked suddenly. Even the others wanted to know more about Lander.

Yan Yan shook her head. Apparently she didn't know, and she only knew a little about Lander. While they were wondering, the parrot on the side answered, "He is a theif!"

"He is a thief!"

"He is a thief!"

"Thief? How did you know?" Lord Kazo asked his messenger beast.

"The wolf told me," The parrot replied repeating it for three times.

They looked at Grey and Grey communicated with the parrot again.

"Check your belongings!" The parrot said repeating it again for three times.

Then Lord Kazo and the Three Beauties checked their belongings. Lord Kazo's pouch where his money was stored was missing, "My money!"

"Where is my bracelet?" Sung-min asked.

"My hairpin! That was the gift of my grandmother!" Barbara was flustered.

The guard and the woman also checked themselves and found their money gone.

"My storage ring! That Bastard!" Aria cursed ready to go and confront Lander when her nose was invaded by an aromatic delicacy.

"What is that smell? It's very pleasant," Sung-min voiced out that made the others nod. Because of the aromatic smell, they just forgot about their stolen things.

They followed the fragrance and entered the kitchen when they saw Lander chopping a lot of herbs seriously. One by one, they checked the herbs he chopped and was astounded, those herbs are good for potion making, "Why is he using those herbs to cook?"

Lander was so happy when he saw varieties of ingredients stocked in Lord Kazo's kitchen but he first prepared the herbs he collected and used it to his recipe.

Lander didn't stop as he also sliced a chunk of meat. After that he smashed the sliced meat and covered it with flour. Then he dipped fried it when the oil from the work was already hot enough.

The bones of the meat was boiled in another wok as he added some seasonings like salt, chili then he added the chopped herbs after it boiled for whole 15 minutes. It was a soup. Then he started cooking a pot of rice.

All his actions were being watched by the group and they found him dazzling while cooking undisturbed. They didn't dare to make a sound as they watched him cook with attentiveness and seriousness.

Only the sound of pans, woks, spoons, knives clanking can be heard while the aroma exuded yet a drooling feeling.

Soon, their stomach can't hold their hunger as it grumbled and made a noise.

Lander turned back and saw them but he focused again in his cooking. This time, he was grilling a piece of meat and brushing it with a tomato sauce he personally prepared.

He didn't stop as he continued cooking another set of food - buttered chicken.

For a whole two hours and twenty minutes, Lander finished cooking and asked Lord Kazo's maid to serve it. There were a lot of foods: fried meat, grilled meat, buttered chicken, soup with quail eggs and a simple sauteed vegetables. Of course, the most important food for Lander would always be present, rice.

The others were eager to try the food so they found them a seat as they devoured everything.

"Delicious!" Sung-min praised cheerfully with a bliss expression.

"I never tasted such a delicacy this good before," Barbara praised with lots of butter on the sides of her lips.

"Wow! Great Duke Bobby is really awesome to have a disciple like you," Lord Kazo praised as he gobbled down the foods.

Aria just nodded and said nothing as she stuffed the foods in her mouth one by one.

Yan Yan and Grey just casually ate as they have already expected every delicacies of Lander would be the best.

Elizaveta ate sheepishly as this was the first time she ate with elites more so, they were nobles.

The woman, guard and some maids were envious as they watched them eat the foods without even caring about their status. They ate like beggars who haven''t eaten for days.

They weren't privileged to be on the same table so they just stood on the side swallowing their own saliva.

Lander who just finished cooking entered the the dining room with his own food. Then he saw the others watching enviously, "What are you guys doing? Aren't you guys hungry?"

"But, we can't be on the same table with them." One of the maids answered bowing her head.

"Is that even a problem? Then why don't you find yourselves a table? There's a lot of food enough for all of us," Lander spoke as he pointed at the table where the others were eating. He was shocked, the foods he just cooked were already gone and only a little left, "D*mn! Are you guys pigs?"

All who were eating glared at him and continued devouring the foods left.

"Forget it! I'll cook for you next time," Lander waved his hand as he also ate using his hand to scoop the food, the Filipino style.

When they were done, all of them burped one after another that made them laugh and giggle.

Satisfied, they just smiled and remained seated when Aria remembered her storage ring so she glared at Lander "Lander, give me back my storage ring?"

Then the others wore a serious expression as Barbara also spoke, "My hairpin."

"You stole my bracelet, give it back!" Sung-min said.

Lord Kazo laughed, "If you need money, just tell me and don't just steal it. I owe your Master a lot."

"Are you guys retarded? If you care about your things so much, you should take care of it. Don't claim things that you're not holding," Lander spoke casually.

"You better give it back or you won't have another chance to live," Barbara said coldly.

"Try me!" Lander provoked as he stared at Barbara not even flinching.

Aria can't hold it anymore as she slapped Lander but unfortunately, it didn't hit him instead her arm got slapped, "Pak!"

"Do you really think I'm just a push over?" Lander smirked as he kicked the table upwards that made the kitchen utensils fall off and got broken, "Clank!"

"You better give back what you stole or else, I don't mind if your Great Duke Bobby's disciple," Barbara was angry clenching her fists.

"Did I ever say I'm his disciple?" Then Lander threw a broken plate towards Barbara.

Barbara was surprised and hurriedly casted a simple magic barrier. The magic barrier got broken that made most of them shocked except Grey and Yan Yan. Although it was a simple magic barrier, it was still strong enough to withstand physical damage. Yet, it was simply broken by a thrown broken plate.

"Magic against fists? Let's do it! You all think you are that great?" Lander provoked.