"Oh, Grey, Yuna, fancy meeting you here." ［Veronica］
A familiar voice echoed from behind as Grey received the last of Elise and Elaine's scolding. The owner of the voice was none other than Veronica who was on her way home from working in the palace.
"Good afternoon, Missus Veronica." ［Yuna］
"Good afternoon, Your Excellency." ［Elise］
"Good afternoon." ［Elaine］
Following Yuna's lead, Elise and Elaine also bowed their heads slightly as they greeted Veronica who just happened to pass by. As for the receiver of their greetings, her eyes were focused on another person.
"Mmm, Good afternoon as well, but... Might I ask why Grey is currently kneeling on the ground?" ［Veronica］
"Ah, Missus Veronica, you see..." ［Yuna］
The person Veronica's eyes were fixated to was none other than Grey who was still kneeling on the ground, reflecting on his actions. Now that another person had seen him in such a state, Grey just wanted to crawl inside a hole and hide away.
To avoid any further misunderstanding, Yuna explained to Veronica what just happened and also the reason for Grey's current state. Veronica, hearing the reason, heaved a lengthy sigh as she once again looked at Grey.
"Grey, you should have thought more before saying such things. Women are more sensitive than you think. Be more careful next time, okay?" ［Veronica］
"Yes, ma'am..." ［Grey］
"That's fine as long as you've learnt your lesson... Also, there's no need to kneel anymore. I'm sure the girls have forgiven you." ［Veronica］
To Veronica's words, Elise and Elaine nodded as they showed their agreement. They were no longer angry and had returned to their normal selves. After all, they have already vented out their frustrations by scolding Grey.
Seeing Elise and Elaine nod to Veronica's words, Grey slowly stood up and patted away the dirt on his pants. He had learnt his lesson and was very thankful for Veronica's timely intervention.
"Well then, I'll be heading home first. Grey, Yuna, make sure you don't go home too late, okay?" ［Veronica］
"Ah, wait, Missus Veronica, I have something to ask of you." ［Grey］
Veronica was about to turn around and leave when Grey stopped her in her tracks. She then tilted her head slightly in confusion, wondering what Grey was going to ask of her when they could have just talked about it in the mansion.
Grey didn't miss a beat and quickly asked Veronica's permission to use the kitchen once again. It was about the little celebration he and Yuna had previously planned which will involve a lot of cooking.
While Veronica had given them permission to cook at the kitchen at any time, the scale Grey and Yuna will be cooking today's dinner will be much bigger. It was the reason why Grey needed to ask permission beforehand.
"Mmm... I don't think there will be any problem with that. There's plenty of space in the kitchen so you can cook as much as you want. I'm sure the chefs and the kids will enjoy it." ［Veronica］
"Ah, thanー" ［Grey］
Before Grey could finish his words, Grey saw Elise and Elaine at the corner of his eyes, making him halt his words. A sudden thought popped up in his mind out of the blue as he saw them.
"Actually, Missus Veronica, could I have one more request? Could I invite some people over for the little celebration?" ［Grey］
"Other people... Ah!" ［Veronica］
Veronica clapped her hand at the end as she understood what Grey was on about. Her eyes have shifted to Elise and Elaine who were several steps behind and was currently chatting with Yuna.
"Sure, sure, you can bring your friends along. The more, the merrier, isn't it?" ［Veronica］
"Thank you, really, Missus Veronica." ［Grey］
"Fufufu, this is the least I can do for the heroes of the kingdom. And also... I'm looking forward to tonight's dinner!" ［Veronica］
Ending her statement with a bright smile and eyes full of anticipation, Veronica then waved her hand goodbye as he headed back towards the Aldridge mansion, leaving Grey to tell the good news to the girls.
While Grey and Veronica were talking with one another, the three ladies were also chatting amongst themselves. They were so engaged with their talk that they didn't even notice Grey approaching them.
They only realized that Grey had approached him when Grey placed his hand on top of Yuna, catching all of their attention and stopping their chat. Veronica was also far away already the moment they noticed.
"I've gotten Missus Veronica's permission to use the kitchen. She said we can cook to our hearts' content." ［Grey］
"Really?! That's good news!" ［Yuna］
Yuna quickly became elated the moment she heard Grey's words, but that wasn't the only good news Grey brought. He had another one which would bring her more joy.
"Also... Elise, Elaine, we'll be a little celebration for our first day as instructors. Do you want to come along? Missus Veronica said it's alright to bring some friends along." ［Grey］
"Eh? We're invited, too?!" ［Elaine］
"Well, you are our friends after all, right?" ［Grey］
It was only after his words left his mouth that Grey felt a little embarrassed by what he just said. He was so caught up with the good news that he forgot how embarrassing it was to talk about friendship at their age.
As for Elise and Elaine who were at the receiving end of Grey's words, they felt very happy that Grey had considered them as friends in the short time they knew each other, though they were also a little embarrassed.
Of course, Yuna was also happy that Elise and Elaine could join them. Not only will she be able to continue their chat, but she would also be able to show off her cooking skills to them.
"Umm... I'm really happy for your invitation, but I don't think my mother would allow me to. She's really overprotective despite how she acts." ［Elise］
"Me too. Father is also as overprotective as Aunt Eleanora." ［Elaine］
"You really can't go? Even just half an hour is fine, as long as you can go." ［Yuna］
"Sorry, Yuna..." ［Elise］
Unfortunately, even if they have gotten Veronica's permission, the same couldn't be said for Elise and Elaine's parents. Especially considering how overprotective both households were.
"That's a shame... We'll also be serving pudding and other desserts as well. Looks like they'll have to wait." ［Grey］
Well, it was unfortunate until Grey mentioned the word/ "pudding" and "desserts". Elise and Elaine's ears quickly perked up as if they just heard something amazing. They were clearly tempted.
Grey did not mean to bait them with his words. He was actually sincere when he said those. It was just that Elise and Elaine both have quite the sweet tooth. They really love eating desserts among any other.
In their minds, Elise and Elaine quickly thought of a way to convince their parents to let them join the celebration. There was no way they were passing up on the chance to eat desserts they've only heard from Yuna.
During their talks before, Yuna had told the two about countless desserts Grey had made. While they could only imagine what it looked like or how it tasted, as they recalled the taste of pudding, they knew they were very delicious.
"Wait a minute, Grey, Yuna, I'll attend! I'll do my best to convince my mother to let me attend!" ［Elise］
"M-Me too! I'll convince my parents, too!" ［Elaine］
The fires in Elise and Elaine's eyes were lit ablaze as they thought of all the desserts Yuna had told them about. Even if they have to experience hell, they will taste those desserts if it's the last thing they'll do.
The noble and proper ladies were now gone. All that was left were warriors who were ready to take their stance against their parents just to get a taste of the mythicals desserts they only heard stories of.
"Then, Grey, Yuna, I'll be heading home first! Promise to leave me some desserts, okay?" ［Elise］
"Do the same for me, too! I'm looking forward to it!" ［Elaine］
Their feet faster than lightning, Elise and Elaine stormed off to their respective directions and headed home as if their lives depended on it. Their eyes were blazing with determination which could triumph all perils
All that was left in the wide empty streets of the noble district was Grey and Yuna who were frozen in place. They didn't understand what just happened and just stood there as they saw Elise and Elaine vanish into the distance.
"Umm... Should we just go home, too?" ［Grey］
"U-Un..." ［Yuna］
Still not understanding what had just occurred, Grey and Yuna went to the direction of the Aldridge mansion. They spent their short moment alone with their hands linked with each other's.
Upon their arrival, the first to greet them as usual was Galvin and Elnart who had just finished with their studies. They have received word from their mother, Veronica, of Grey and Yuna's plan and wanted to help out.
With the excited Elnart and Galvin following them excitedly as if they were their tails, Grey and Yuna headed into the kitchen where they were greeted by the chefs who were currently preparing dinner.
"Lord Grey, Lady Yuna, I have been informed by the Madam beforehand. You can cook whenever you want." ［Martin］
"Thank you, Mister Martin." ［Grey］
The one who greeted Grey was Martin. He is a man in his early thirties and is the sous chef of the Aldridge Household, but since the head chef is in Galderia, he is the master of the kitchen.
Like Rhodes, Martin also looks up to Grey and Yuna's skill in cooking and have been learning things from them every day. Thankfully, he wasn't over dramatic like Rohdes was, otherwise, it would have been a pain for Grey and Yuna.
"You can rely on me anytime, and if possible, I would also like to learn from you once again." ［Martin］
"No problem. We're imposing on you, after all," ［Grey］
"Un! Also, we might become a little loud. I'll apologize in advance." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha, we don't mind loud noises, Lady Yuna. This is a kitchen, after all. There is plenty of noise to be found in every corner." ［Martin］
Following Martin's words, Grey then headed to the empty dining table and took out the ingredients from his "Inventory". This time, Grey only brought out normal ingredients one could find in the market.
With Galvin and Elnart curiously observing them, Grey and Yuna, with the help of Martin, whipped out dish after dish in quick succession. Thanks to magic, they were able to cook at breakneck speeds.
Like Yuna had requested, there was curry. hamburg steak, omelette, beef stew, fried rice, roast pork, spaghetti, macaroni, pork with ginger, chicken noodle soup, pudding, fruit salad, ice cream, and many more, all lined up neatly on the kitchen table.
But even with how many dishes Grey cooked, he felt like there was something missing in the table. He wanted to cook another dish which he and Yuna often ate every time they celebrated something.
"Yuna, do you want to eat some lasagna?" ［Grey］
"Lasagna?! Sure!" ［Yuna］
Of course, being the way she is, Yuna quickly agreed to Grey's request and Grey once again took out some more ingredients from the "Inventory" and quickly started to cook the lasagna.
Since other foods were being cooked, the process became easier as they didn't need to perform as many steps as needed. The beef and other meats to be used for the lasagna was already cooked.
All Grey and Yuna had to do was prepare the pasta, layer them accordingly with the sauce, meat, cheese. The sauce and cheese mixtures are already made with various herbs and spices.
Once again, with the help of magic in regulating heat and spreading it evenly, the baking process was quickly sped up into less than ten minutes only, many times quicker than how it normally would be.
"Wahh～ What's that, Big Bro Grey, Big Sis Yuna?!" ［Galvin］
"It's lasagna, make sure to have some during dinner, okay?" ［Yuna］
"Yes!" ［Galvin］
With all the dishes finished, it was now time for dinner. With the help of the chefs, the dishes were brought to the dining hall batch after batch. There were so many dishes that the dining table almost became full.
Grey and Yuna had definitely gotten carried away. The amount of dishes they made was definitely not for a "little" celebration. If Veronica hadn't asked the chefs to lessen the amount of dishes to cook beforehand, there wouldn't be any space left at the dining table.
"Hello, Grey, Yuna, your Big Sis is here!" ［Vanessa］
Out of nowhere, Vanessa suddenly hugged Grey and Yuna as soon as they entered the dining hall, greatly surprising the two who were not informed that she would be present.
It wasn't just Vanessa, there was also Eleanora, Gustav, Kurt, and Ranzel who were present and were seating themselves at the dining table. All of which were not invited to their little celebration.
"Big Sis Vanessa, why are you here?!" ［Yuna］
"Well, I just want to see my cute Grey and Yuna. Your Big Sis was very lonely, you know?" ［Vanessa］
Yuna tried to ask Vanessa why she was there, but as one would expect, Yuna didn't get a proper answer. Rather, she became more confused after hearing Vanessa's response to her question.
"Sorry, Yuna, it's my fault, I wasn't able to stop them." ［Elaine］
"Me too. I also wasn't able to stop my mother from tagging along." ［Elise］
"Fufufufu, don't worry too much about it. The more, the merrier! Also, we wouldn't be able to finish this much food if you aren't here." ［Veronica］
While Elaine and Elise felt apologetic for bringing uninvited guests, Veronica was very happy that more people had joined them for dinner. Especially when Grey and Yuna went overboard and cooked too much.
"I apologize for my wife's behavior, Sir Grey. Actually..." ［Ranzel］
As Ranzel separated his wife from Grey and Yuna, he briefly explained the chain of events to Grey and Yuna why they came to the Aldridge mansion without any prior notice.
Apparently, Ranzel, Vanessa, and Kurt were in the Geldoria mansion as they planned some things regarding military activities. Upon Elaine's return home, she quickly barged in and asked Gustav for permission to attend the celebration.
Gustav was against it at first, but as soon as he heard it was with Grey and Yuna, he quickly softened. Unluckily for him, he had no say in the matter. It was Vanessa who quickly agreed and dragged all of them along towards the Aldridge mansion.
Following Ranzel's explanation, Elise also explained why Eleanora was present. The reason was very simple, it was that she was worried for her daughter but didn't want her friendships to be ruined. She then decided on her own to tag along, thus resulting in the current situation.
"Well, we can't do much about it. Let's just eat and enjoy dinner!" ［Veronica］
"Yeah!" ［Vanessa］ "Yaay～!" ［Eleanora］
Veronica on the lead, Eleanora and Vanessa also cheered with her as she raised her hands. After thanking the lord for the meal, dinner immediately started and everyone had a good time.
"So delicious～!" ［Elise］
"I'm glad I attended!" ［Elaine］
"Here, dear, open wide." ［Ranzel］
"Ahh～" ［Vanessa］
Lively noises ensued as soon as dinner started. With how many people there were in attendance, even when they were mostly of noble descent, it didn't stop them from being merry and noisy.
One couple in particular was very sweet as the husband spoon fed the wife. It was Vanessa and Ranzel who were just wed last year. Even when there were other eyes present, Ranzel didn't mind and still doted on his wife.
"Here, Lea, eat more meat." ［Gustav］
"Elder Brother, stop it. Don't you see that my plate is full?" ［Eleanora］
"Haah... You should eat more. This is why you're so slim." ［Gustav］
Another odd pair was the siblings Gustav and Eleanora, who didn't resemble one another at all. Even though they were already in their thirties, Gustav still looked out for Eleanora as the older brother.
Elise and Elaine weren't saved from Gustav's nagging either. As their uncle and father, respectively, he made sure that they eat a balanced diet, especially since they were cadets in the Royal Academy. He was overprotective of the three.
As for the only other guest left, Kurt, he was eating silently and properly with excellent manners. He was even more ladylike than his older sister who was currently being spoon fed by her husband.
"Mother, I want some of that!" ［Galvin］
"Oh, where?" ［Veronica］
As Galvin pointed at a certain dish, Veronica's eyes followed and ended up seeing the lasagna just in front of Kurt. Though she wanted to get some for Galvin, it was out of her reach.
"Excuse me, Lord Kurt, but could I have some of that dish, please?" ［Veronica］
"This one, Lady Veronica?" ［Kurt］
"Yes, if you don't mind." ［Veronica］
As per Veronica's request, Kurt cut a small slice and put it on a plate then handed it to the former. Seeing Kurt get some lasagna, Yuna also wanted to have some and stood up to get some herself.
"What's that, Yuna?" ［Elaine］
"Ah, it's lasagna. A type of pasta like the spaghetti and macaroni over there." ［Yuna］
"Lasagna...? Pasta...? Spa... Huh?" ［Elaine］
Yuna tried to explain but Elaine didn't understand a single bit. The others who overheard their conversation also became intrigued with their topic. After all, other than the people in Landevar mansion back at Moterno, no other people knew of what pasta was.
"Mmm... Ah! Why don't you have a taste first? I'm sure you'll like it!" ［Yuna］
"Okay..." ［Elaine］
Following Yuna's suggestion, Elaine also cut a slice of lasagna and put it on her plate. Although it looked a little strange to her eyes, since it was Yuna who recommended it, she had no hesitation and had a bite.
"Mmm! So delicious! I've never had something like this before!" ［Elaine］
"Right?! Grey made it a couple of years ago. It's one of my favorites!" ［Yuna］
After seeing Elaine's reaction, the others also cut a slice for themselves and also had a taste of the lasagna. While their reactions varied a little, all of which were similar to Elaine's and were positive.
After tasting the lasagna, everyone then had a taste of the spaghetti and macaroni that Yuna had previously mentioned. It was another dish that everyone present enjoyed happily.
The dishes slowly vanished one after another as time passed. And when the main course was finished, it was time for dessert. Elise and Elaine felt like they were heaven the moment they tasted them.
With the night getting deeper by the second, the merriness in the dining hall stayed the same for a considerable moment of time. It was the liveliest dinner Grey and Yuna will never forget.
CHAPTER 82 END