Once everyone finished tasting the food, Sherman handed Blaise a huge bag that at first glance could be told was full of coins and said goodbye to everyone with various opposites in his words.
"Sigh... Looks like lunchtime is over, I have to get back to work, see you, Blake."
"Sure, see you later." Blake watched as Collette ran up the stairs to the second floor, and wondered how it was possible that after eating so much, she could move so nimbly. 'Maybe I'm a little jealous of her metabolism... Mmmm, oh, it's true.'
When Blake was thinking about where to go next, Blake remembered something Shara had told him in the morning, so he got up from the table and went in Blaise's direction.
"What's wrong, Blake? Are you still here?"
"Haha, yes. I felt so satisfied that I needed to rest for a moment."
"It's cool that you liked it. Well, is something wrong?"
"I really wanted to ask you where I could get a countertop."
"Ohh, are you interested in cooking?"
"Of course! I was curious to cook since I have to depend on myself from now on, but now that I have tried your food, I would like to learn how to prepare something as good as your food."
"You flatter me. I'm always glad to see someone getting ready to get into the art of cooking. So you need a countertop, right?"
"Yes. I was wondering where to get one."
"Don't worry, I'll take one to your house later, it won't be much of a problem."
"Huh, isn't that too much? I mean, I should at least pay you for it."
"It is not necessary, I have many spare parts, and it will not cause me any inconvenience. You said you want to learn, so you should practice as soon as possible, don't you think?"
"Well... You're right."
"Just accept it as a gift for your initiation, who knows? Maybe in the future, you will become an incredible chef."
"Haha, still, I don't think he's as good as you."
"Do not say that. If you try hard enough, you can achieve anything... Of course, you can only make simple dishes at the moment, you will need kitchen utensils to make more complexes and improve, but do not worry, I also have many here, but these if you should buy them."
"I understand and thank you once again, Blaise. The food was incredibly delicious, I promise I will not waste the gift."
"No problem. I suppose you will go your way, won't you?"
"Yes, I should go now. See you."
"Wait, Blake."
"Yes?"
"Could you do me a little favor? If you follow the path up, you will arrive at the town inn, if possible, I would like you to take something to the owner's daughter."
"Sure, it's no hassle." Then Blaise handed Blake a bag full of coins, it wasn't as big as Sherman's, but it was still a good amount.
"She got me some imported cutlery, I told her I would bring her the payment later. Could you do me the favor of giving it to her? Her name is Sakuya, I'm sure you won't be long in finding her."
"Sakuya... I got it. I will deliver it without problems."
"I'm sure of that. Okay, I will not bother you anymore."
"See you." As he left the restaurant, he shoved the bag into his inventory and proceeded down the path Blaise had told him. The weather on the trail was pleasant and since he had eaten that delicious food, Blake felt a lot of peace within him.
Blake had come a long way until he saw a silhouette in the distance and moved closer to see it better. The first thing that he managed to see was what seemed to be a kind of shrine, there were several rocks with detailed symbols made on them around large pieces of bamboo, generating a shadow over the shrine, and many decorations that seemed to give a sense of harmony by the whole place. Blake unconsciously got as close as he could to the site without paying attention to the silhouette that was next to him, his eyes were caught by the beautiful place in front of him, and he would have stayed there for a long time if it weren't for their attention.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Once he heard that voice and came out of his trance, Blake could see who that silhouette that he had seen really was. The voice belonged to a woman, she wore a yellow outfit similar to a kimono, she had long and shiny black hair, her porcelain skin was white like snow and her eyes were pink in addition to the kind smile on her face they made Blake sure of something... She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life! "Hehehe, if you look at me so intensely, I'll end up blushing."
That was when Blake realized that he had never taken his eyes off her from her at any time and it made him feel embarrassed and a little nervous at how rude he had been.
"I-I'm sorry... It wasn't my intention to bother."
"Ufufu, you don't need to be nervous, you look so cute and flushed that maybe I can't resist the urge to hug you."
"Huh...?"
"Oh sorry, I think I said that out loud." Blake felt very nervous, either because of the comment and the characteristic laugh of the woman in front of him or because he couldn't help but keep looking at her. She could see his expression and she wanted to play with him a bit.
"Hmm... Is there something strange on my face? You haven't stopped seeing me since you arrived."
"What? No, there is nothing strange..."
"Then why...?, Ah, I know, it's because I'm weird isn't it."
"What?"
"Yeah, I must be bothering you and you just want to get on with your way. Who would want to talk to a rare woman like me?"
"Don't say that, please... Of course, you not bothering me or do I think you are strange, and the reason I haven't stopped looking at you is..." Here Blake was embarrassed by what he was going to say, but he couldn't help being honest with himself... "It's because you are so beautiful!"
She was having so much fun watching all the expressions Blake made with her acting and she just wanted to keep playing with him a bit more, but that last comment had caught her off guard, it's not like she's never been told before that she was pretty, but seeing how the young boy before her said that to her while looking directly at her with those bright blue eyes, for some reason it made her feel as if she had returned to her adolescence and she could not help her heart to get a little excited.
'I'm sure she's upset with me now.' Blake closed his eyes after saying that, he didn't hear anything else, so he opened his eyelids a little to see if that woman was still there, but she acted strangely, she had taken a few steps back and seemed to be hiding her face in her hands for some reason. He was going to ask if she was feeling bad, but her voice was heard before him making him not know how to feel.
"Perverted."