"He's here! He's arrived!"
Chaos erupted in an instant. People darted in every direction, their hurried footsteps echoing off the walls. The once peaceful hallway now resembled a bustling market, with everyone frantically rushing about.
"Is that the famous Alpha werewolf of the Wintertooth?"
"That is Thorin Klein? Oh, my, he's just as handsome as the rumors say."
As the carriage rolled into the courtyard, a man stepped out, looking as charming and commanding as a work of art come to life.
His tall, strong frame commanded attention, and his warm amber eyes could not have looked colder. His tousled black hair, as dark as midnight, was thrown back.
"It should be illegal to be that kind of handsome."
The female servants, peeking from the window, couldn't help but scream and jump in excitement, clinging to one another as they watched him stride towards the entrance.
And to think, everyone believed vampires were superior to werewolves. If that were true, why were these vampire maidens swooning over the dashing werewolf?
Amidst the growing excitement, Riona remained unbothered. She walked on the inner side of the empty corridor, far away from the windows, deafening her ears to the cheers of the servants.
Her brother, Florian, however, couldn't contain his curiosity. He tugged her sleeve with a curious look.
Riona turned to her brother and asked gently, "What is it, Flo? Do you need something?"
Florian pointed his short and bony index finger in the direction of crowded windows. Riona craned her neck to see what the clamor was about and realized that the esteemed guest must have arrived at the Kingdom of Eira.
"Just a guest. It's none of our business. Do you know what having guests means for us? It means more silverware to polish," said Riona, gently pulling her brother away from the hallway to the kitchen.
Unlike his indifferent sister, Florian was curious. He pulled himself closer to the window as his sister dragged him. He jumped up to catch a glimpse but failed.
"Flo? What are you doing? Come on! Hurry up or else we won't be able to finish everything before dinner."
***
As expected, the kitchen was busy. Everyone was moving about, and, with the majority of the female servants gawking at the werewolf guest, the kitchen became a lot more swamped with work.
"I swear to the Lord of Darkness, I will put in ill words about them when Miss Olive inquires about their work performances. They have just arrived here, and they dare to diddle around," Juan the Cook, a man in his fifties with a perpetual scowl on his face, mumbled to himself.
When he spotted Riona and Florian by the door, he quickly pointed around the kitchen, assigning them more tasks than two people could possibly cover.
He clapped sharply, "What are you doing, standing around? Get moving, Fangless! On your feet now!"
"Come, Flo. You'll peel the potatoes, alright? You've done it before. After that, you'll polish the silverware like I showed you," Riona instructed her brother gently.
Florian's expression hinted a layer of confusion, but he didn't want to be a burden to his sister than he already had, so he just nodded reluctantly.
The young teenager locked his eyes on the potato, focusing on the movement of his hand. She had taught him to peel the potatoes thinly, ensuring all the rough edges were gone.
Once Riona was sure her brother was managing well on his own, she turned to the sink, rolled up her sleeves, and began washing the vegetables meticulously.
The Cook had a supernatural ability to detect even the slightest speck of dirt, and his wrath was legendary.
Some joked that he was more terrifying than a vampire on a diet.
The guest must be of great importance, given the elaborate menu King Valentin had planned for the banquet.
A total of three appetizers, seven main courses, five desserts, and three types of beverages must be served for the Alpha werewolf and his entourage.
The king even ordered the kitchen to serve artificial blood from the Crimson Vitae, renowned for producing the finest artificial blood using Amaranth extract and dark magic.
Because, you know, nothing says 'welcome' like a glass of faux blood that costs more than your annual wage.
Extracting Amaranth, also known as the 'eternal flower', required powerful dark magic, a skill only High Mages possessed. This is why the taste of the artificial blood was so close to the real deal.
It was even more expensive due to the additional nutrients—basically, it was blood with benefits.
"What the hell did you do with them? By the Fangs!!! You're skinning the meat. What are we going to serve now? Stop! Stop! How useless could you be, huh?"
Juan the Cook shoved the frail Florian with his large body, causing him to tumble down, rolling to the side until he could stop himself with his hand.
Riona dashed to her brother, her heart pounding. "Flo, are you okay? Can you get up?"
Juan clicked his tongue and muttered loudly, ensuring everyone heard, "It was foolish of me to trust a mute to work."
The royal palace is a battlefield, Riona thought. I can't lose control again. I've been warned. I need to restrain myself.
But she snapped. Her attempts to calm herself failed. She sprang up, grabbed Juan by the neck, turned him towards the door, and shoved him hard. The Cook flew out of the kitchen, crashing through a window and disappearing from sight.
Juan was already rolling into the palace garden, but Riona was not satisfied. She stormed out of the kitchen, leaping through the broken window. She was about to launch another punch at the Cook's stomach when someone stopped her.
"Riona, my dear, how many times must I remind you? You don't just lash out at people randomly like that, especially not on the palace grounds. Are you ignoring my words? Do you think I will be lenient just because you're my student?" Sir Orlo, the Eternal Scholar of the Kingdom of Eira, appeared out of nowhere.
Sir Orlo approached Riona, locking eyes with her. Suddenly, Riona screamed, feeling her body being crushed from the inside. "Aaaarrrgggghhh!"
She tried to defend herself by looking away, but an invisible force compelled her to meet Sir Orlo's gaze. "Oh, no, you can't escape punishment this time."