Downtown.
Compared to the Capitol that was lively and a bit luxurious, downtown is where you can see the less fortunate ones, slums, lower-class markets, more like the neglected area within the Kingdom.
My face got pale when I saw most of the homeless sitting up on the corner of the road, while some of them were begging for a bit of a penny.
"Lora. Say, why did these people like this?" I asked pitifully.
Most of them are young, about our age. The others were men in their late twenties. Just how much hardship did they experience? Some looked lifeless. Children below 10 were playing while the teenagers looked after them.
"It is obviously from the slums, but if we add up the latest situation, some of them are likely from the outer village of the Kingdom. Their village was recently attacked by monsters and demons, several of them choose to come here rather than to die." After hearing that, my heart flipped. These children… Oh God.
"Efren, ask the person in charge if he can let us feed these." I told one of my knights. He heeds my order and approaches the one who manages these helpless people.
"Milady, you don't have to…" Lora convinced me, but I can't just go after seeing this. They're thin, how can they last longer if they are weak? But in truth, I just can't bear to see them like this. They may be extra or characters from a novel but that doesn't mean they are less human, they're still people of this Kingdom.
I don't involve myself in other businesses who don't have any relation to me. But my Mom always comes up with something to help people like these such as feeding programs from the restaurant or fund raising… It's all because of Mom. Mom is there to help them but in this world, there is no Mom, only me.
Efren came back and told me the person in-charge agreed. I ordered Lora and Efren to buy the ingredients I listed. And buy the utensils needed for cooking… yeah, I'll cook. Don't belittle my skill, I got a share from my mother's cooking abilities, not just Bruce. I just didn't pursue it because I was the heir of the company and Bruce is the heir of mom's restaurants, while Alice will inherit grandma and grandpa's musical studio. They're well prepared but unexpectedly I died so I wondered how they managed the company without an heir.
Hours later… Lora and Efren returned, I ordered the remaining knights to get a temporary table for the working area earlier and everything was settled.
"Milady, don't tell me… YOU. ARE. GOING. TO. COOK?" Lora unbelievably exclaimed. And I smirked…
"Do you not trust me, Lora?" I wore the apron, and washed my hands.
I made a dough and let it rest. I prepared the ingredients to make a macaroni soup. Carrots, cabbage etc. And cut it swiftly. I whisked the fresh milk and sugar all together to make smooth creamy milk. I cleaned the chicken meat and chopped it with stunts, yeah, I learned it from Bruce, then boiled it to make it tender. When the dough is ready, I knead it again, then cut it into a long straw-like shape, Lora helps me with it and I let Efren look after the boiling chicken. The smell of it invited passerby, but it's not yet ready.
When the macaroni is ready, I boil it in a different casserole, and after minutes… the macaroni's ready. The vegetables were poured into the chicken broth, added spices, the macaroni, and lastly the creamy milk. Minutes later, the food is cooked.
I asked Lora, Efren (knight), Drio (knight), and Selek (knight) to give every person in sight a cup of food and water. Wew… this is the first time I cook for everyone, I never thought it was this tiring.
'Mom, I really appreciate your hard work.'
I exercised for a bit, before getting on to the carriage to take a nap. I told Lora to survey the homeless, and if they still want food, they are free to have another cup.
----
30 minutes later.
I woke up when Lora came, she brought me food, and was now eating her portion, just like the knights.
"Milady... I never thought you were this great! This is the first time you cook, especially for the unfortunate people but it tastes grandeur! Fit for a restaurant like Sir Fredrick's. But when did you learn how to cook? If I remember correctly, you don't stand the smell of the kitchen and was disgusted by every cooking ware."
Lora asked happily to eat her food, my good intention caused trouble… What should I say? Book?
"From a friend haha… It was so easy to understand so even without practicing, I still get it. So how was everyone?" I immediately asked to change the topic, and get off the carriage. Compared to earlier, their current face was now looking better and full.
I smiled as I walked past them but I noticed the huge box behind the alley. What is that?
"Hey, what's in there?" I asked the person in-charge. He put down his cup and looked up at me.
"Milady, that is a cage of that race who pretended to be one of us during the migration." I respectfully responded.
My furrowed and darted in the said cage, I wanted to see what kind of race it was, was it a demon? But those are dangerous and arrogant beings so it's unlikely. How about monsters?
"May I see?" I curiously inquired and he nodded so I pulled off the cover and revealed the creature behind it.
There is only one left and it was a person. He was covered in mud and blood, he looked hurt. The only thing I recognized in him was his long hair and dirty clothes like a sack.
"What race does he belong to? Why is he the only one here?" I put my food above him and he flinched. Then I saw a shining letter above his head-
*dingg!*
+
♤Character Status♤
Name: Fristo Dionel (???)
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Title:
Job:
Family: Blue Wolf Tribe
Status:
Level: 30
Next Lvl.: 21.32%
⌸• Stats •⌸
Health: 38/450
Magic: 29 (???)
Stamina: 25 (???)
Power: 20 (???)
Agility: 17 (???)
Intelligence: 200
Wisdom: 179
Luck: 13
----
Short description:
A weak, abused and disowned wolf that is originally from the [Lack of Authority]
Known traitor of their pack (Disowned).
Under a Restraining Spell.
+
'Slave…? F… Slavery is prohibited in this country regardless of what race they belong to.'
"Wolf. We saw him in the forest all alone last week, almost dying. Thanks to me he lived, but he was aloof to anyone so we caged him" The person in-charge stated. The said wolf sniffed the food and tasted it, and then wolfed it.
"I'll take him." I smiled.
"Haaa… you can have him. It's a thank you for feeding these people. As the person in-charge, I don't know when and what to feed them if you hadn't come by. And this food is exquisite, I haven't had anything like this my entire life. You are so kind, milady. I know you'll take good care of this lad here." He took out his key and opened the cage door.
Instead of waiting for him to come out, I entered the cage and offered him a hand. He looked at my hand and up to my face, so I smiled.
"Do you want to come with me?" He stared at me for a minute with hopeless eyes before he took my hand and came out of the cage with me. I thanked the man and said my goodbyes to the homeless people who enthusiastically waved at us with smiles on their faces.
"Are you for real, milady?" Lora suddenly asked, looking at me intently, like observing everything on my face... I feel conscious.
"What do you mean?" I innocently asked. You can't blow my cover, Lora. No matter what you do.
"It feels like you are different but it's your face, it's your voice, it's you… but something about you really changed. Your vibe, your tone, your behavior and personality." Lora sensed it… Everything she said was correct. This girl is scary.
"Do I? Well, who's better then? The past me or the new me." I innocently smiled.
The wolf kid was on the other side of the seat, he only looked down in silence, warped on a blanket I gave him, he only wore a sack and no undergarments. It's embarrassing for a guy who rides a carriage with Lora to have him looking like this.
"The new you. Because you changed so much, you are cured, you know how to cook, you never chase after Prince Megastar, you never interacts with others but you volunteered to cook for them yourself, the relationship between you and Lady Vega were now better, and even hire someone to protect Lady Nathalie out of pity. You are much better than in the past, now you have learned how to fight back to your brother who always threatens you, and to your father who never bothered appreciating you and Lady Vega." Lora said in tears. And I patted her on the shoulder. "You became my idol overnight."
"Wipe it off. I know I'm cool but it's not cool to make a girl cry." She brought out a handkerchief, that's my Handkerchief! I used Fredrick's handkerchief earlier because it's nowhere to be found. *sigh*
Lora calmed down and fast asleep. So I turned to the wolf kid, he's silent.
"Hello, my name is Tania. What name do you go by?" Approached him. I can't say that I already know him…
Green glowing eyes looked up at me. He tried to say something but no words came out of his mouth, so he just closed it… Is he mute? Does he know how to talk? Language I mean.
"Don't worry I won't do you harm. It's not like I'll gain something if I hurt you" I back off and relax my body on my seat, if he doesn't want to talk, then I won't force him.
Minutes later, I heard scratching on the wood. So hurriedly looked at him and saw the wood had carvings… letters.
[Fristo]
And suddenly…
*BLAGG!*