The atmosphere was full of the mouthwatering scent of roasting meat and a medley of exotic spices. Noble ladies, more often seen elegantly sipping tea or gliding through ballrooms, were now bustling around the open kitchen.
Today, they traded their fans and parasols for knives and spatulas, and the results were both impressive and amusing. After all, it was their turn to shine in the festival.
Lady Gretchen was preparing thick slabs of Tryclaw Sentinel steak to grill. Beside her, Lady Seraphina was daintily marinating cuts of another beast, her hands working with a blend of rare herbs and honey as if she were crafting a love potion. And then there was Princess Althea, casually letting magic do most of the heavy lifting—because why get your hands dirty when you can just magic it?
At the far end of the counter, Iyana stood silently, her violet eyes focused on the task at hand as she expertly sliced the Talonraith meat into smaller pieces.
