Leon’s expression shifted between light and dark.
When Zhe Zilin suddenly spoke her name and mentioned the Ice Demon, she had never been this shocked before.
She knew very well that the person who had tricked the Ice Demon outside North City was Zhe Zilin.
As for why he knew her name, she had no idea.
“I underestimated you. You actually know my name. But so what if you know? Will you kill me and then tell the people of the Northern Territory that I am colluding with the Ice Demon? Where is your evidence? I have not done anything yet.”
Zhe Zilin stared into Leon’s eyes and voiced his doubt.
“Why are you working for the Ice Demon? What benefit does their march south bring you?”
Hesitation flickered in Leon’s gaze. She averted her eyes and turned around.
“I have my own reasons. For those reasons, I can do anything.”
He walked toward the back courtyard of the kitchen. Just before leaving, he reminded Zhe Zilin, “You have one night to consider. Tomorrow, once the half-orcs are captured, you will have no more chances.”
Zhe Zilin knew that if the half-orcs were caught, the other party would definitely find a way to make them reveal in front of Osha that Zhe Zilin had been staying in the castle.
Then they would kill with a borrowed knife and make Osha kill Ailia.
But Leon had never witnessed the two of them fighting.
The entire North City would turn into a sea of fire, and in the end, only the Ice Demon would benefit.
Of course, perhaps Leon did not care what became of the Northern Territory. She only cared about her own interests.
Zhe Zilin let out a long breath.
He had originally thought he could spend these two days peacefully and create the most ideal situation.
The appearance of the fake Leon had completely disrupted his plans.
However, Zhe Zilin had always been optimistic.
If he became depressed and gave up because of a small setback, he would have died completely inside the castle long ago.
Zhe Zilin continued preparing the dishes. He only wanted to focus on doing every single thing well.
Before long, a fragrant aroma drifted out from the kitchen.
Zhe Zilin had prepared eight dishes and one soup, a proper feast.
All of them were dishes he was best at.
Even though the seasoning was slightly lacking, the taste was still impeccable.
While cooking, he had activated his active skill, Loving Meal.
A meal cooked with genuine care could directly touch Osha’s heart and greatly increase her affection and trust.
Zhe Zilin still did not know how to resolve the current situation, but he only wanted Osha to trust him so she would not be easily provoked by others.
Eight dishes and one soup filled the entire table. Osha sniffed the air. The rich aroma made her look at Zhe Zilin in disbelief.
“You really know how to cook?”
She glanced over again and discovered that all the dishes were ones she did not recognize. She had never even heard of them before.
“Where did you learn your cooking skills?”
Zhe Zilin arranged the knives, forks, and plates properly and explained with a smile, “The chefs in the royal capital would not and would not dare to make these. If they did not suit the royal family’s taste, they would probably lose their heads.”
“These dishes, you can eat them in many places once you leave the royal capital.”
“Really?”
Osha gave him a skeptical look, then impatiently used her fork to pick up a piece of seared venison and put it into her mouth.
“Delicious!”
She chewed with great relish, refusing to swallow until she had fully absorbed every bit of the venison’s flavor with her taste buds.
“You should eat too.”
Because the royal guards were present, Osha was still somewhat reserved and did not call Zhe Zilin by name.
She quickly tasted each dish one by one and gave them all high praise.
Zhe Zilin was already starving.
He sat down and ate heartily.
The two of them focused on eating. For a while, only the sound of chewing filled the hall.
While eating, Osha’s gaze kept drifting toward Zhe Zilin’s expression.
However, she still had not seen the trace of worry she had imagined.
Zhe Zilin was eating with great satisfaction.
Osha swallowed her food and finally could not hold back any longer.
“I saw Leon in the kitchen.”
After hearing this, Zhe Zilin’s movements paused for a few seconds.
When he looked up, his expression was complicated.
The worry Osha had been hoping to see now appeared in Zhe Zilin’s eyes.
“I do not want you to leave my sight.”
Zhe Zilin nodded. His voice was very low to avoid being heard by the royal guards.
“This one is fake. I really did kill Leon.”
Osha stood up and sent the royal guards outside the door.
“I know, Ed. I am very sensitive to the aura of the dead.”
The two of them fell into silence.