“But,” Anna blinked her pure, innocent eyes and asked naively, “Doesn’t Marianne also do that frequently? Is Allen… your husband?”
A child’s innocent words were the most lethal.
This time, it was Marianne’s turn to be speechless.
Technically, she and the Young Master were only master and servant or foster siblings in name.
Her behavior of diving into the Young Master’s blankets every day was indeed… not quite according to the rules.
“Uh… My—my relationship with the Young Master is special!” Marianne’s cheeks flushed as she argued forcefully.
“Yes, because… the Young Master can’t survive without me!”
“Look at the nonsense you’re saying.” Allen seized the opportunity and counterattacked immediately.
“As the Head Maid of the Laval House and someone who will become a perfect, elegant lady in the future, how can you just jump into my bed whenever you want? If word gets out, it’ll be bad for your reputation.”
“Eh? What’s bad about it? Wouldn’t it be better if something happened?”
“Dummy! How is that better?!”
Fortunately, the “hush money” given to Anna was incredibly effective. She didn’t mention the even more awkward details from the morning.
If Marianne knew that Allen was actually a teenage boy with normal physiological reactions, heaven only knew what version she would upgrade her yandere attributes to.
Even for a “straight man of steel” like Allen, who was practically a saint, it was hard to guarantee he wouldn’t lose his ground under the daily assaults of beautiful girls.
In short, thank the Goddess of Yuri! Without you, Allen wouldn’t be where he is today!
Allen finally managed to soothe the exhausted, delirious Marianne. He pressed her into a chair at the dining table and handed her a bowl of ice cream that was starting to melt.
“This is so good.”
Marianne took small bites, a satisfied and happy, silly smile finally appearing on her face.
Allen looked at her weary yet joyful appearance, and his gaze couldn’t help but soften significantly.
‘Occasionally rewarding this hardworking little maid isn’t a bad thing.’
‘I am a battle-hardened warrior of yuri. Would I really be afraid of a mere yandere?’
He cleared his throat and spoke in a particularly magnanimous tone.
“Marianne, if you’re well-behaved tonight and don’t do any of those strange things, it wouldn’t be impossible for a brother to sleep beside his sister for one night.”
“Waaa… as I thought, the Young Master loves me the most! Ah… the ice cream is so delicious…”
“Don’t eat and cry at the same time! Which one are you even crying about?!”
Once Bernard returned home, the entire Laval House was accounted for.
“Son! I’m home… Hahaha! The task you gave me went so smoothly! Also, I heard some incredible news that will absolutely shock you!”
Bernard entered the house covered in the dust of travel, his face filled with uncontrollable ecstasy. He wanted to rush over and give Allen a hug the moment he saw him.
“Father, congratulations on your upcoming appointment as Minister of Finance.” Allen smiled, speaking before his father could.
Bernard’s hugging posture froze mid-air, and his entire body went stiff.
“I’ve already drafted a preliminary version of your Financial Reform Plan.” Allen patted his shoulder and pressed him into the head seat at the table.
“Come, let’s eat first. We can talk about work after dinner. I cooked this myself—a new dish you’ve definitely never tasted before.”
Allen was truly at his limit with hunger. His stomach felt like a black hole; the side effects of the Gene Enhancement Serum were far too powerful.
Seeing his son’s eyes practically turning green from hunger, Bernard forced all his excitement and questions back down.
François and Martin were overwhelmed by the news of Bernard becoming Minister of Finance, feeling deeply that they had followed the right man.
But… wait?
The Financial Reform Plan… was already written?!
Bernard’s heart shook. Looking at Allen’s slightly tired yet still steady profile, a warm current surged through him.
‘This child really hasn’t let himself rest at all…’
However, a strange fragrance he had never smelled before aggressively entered his nostrils.
It was spicy, combined with a rich meat aroma, instantly capturing all of Bernard’s attention.
He looked at the plate. A thick, golden-yellow sauce coated large chunks of meat and vegetables stewed until soft, poured over sparkling white rice.
The presentation… was a bit strange, like a magnificent pile of mush.
He picked up a silver spoon, his posture still elegant, but he didn’t hold high expectations.
His son had cooked this personally, and he appreciated the sentiment, but as for the taste… having tasted the top feasts of the Capital, he didn’t think this could bring any surprises.
When the first spoonful of sauce mixed with rice entered his mouth, Bernard’s movements instantly froze.
A mild spiciness exploded on the tip of his tongue, followed immediately by a meat aroma so rich it couldn’t be dispersed, wrapped in the fresh sweetness of vegetables.
Then, the flavors of dozens of spices followed like a tide, layer after layer—complex, yet blending together perfectly.
It arrogantly washed over his taste buds, which had long been spoiled by mountain delicacies and sea flavors.
In that moment, the understanding of “delicacies” he had built over decades was completely overturned.
‘This… what kind of divine cuisine is this!’
Anna had already finished her portion like a whirlwind. She held her empty plate high, her large eyes sparkling as she looked at Allen.
A ring of golden sauce was smeared on the corner of her mouth, making her look like a kitten begging for food.
“The food the Young Master made… is too delicious…” Marianne held her cheeks with both hands, a layer of mist rising in her eyes as she looked intoxicated. “Ooh… I’m so happy I want to give the Young Master a child right now.”
“Hey!” The spoon in Allen’s hand nearly slipped, and he was covered in black lines. “If it’s good, then just eat. Don’t suddenly jump to such dangerous topics!”
‘Just how is this girl’s brain wired?’
Bernard slowly put down his spoon and let out a heavy sigh, his gaze a mixture of shock, relief, and a hint of sadness.
He looked at Allen, his voice actually choking up slightly. “Son… being able to eat food you made with your own hands… Elena… did you see that? Our son is already so outstanding.”
“Old man, we’re eating. Don’t make it sound like a final parting.” Allen helplessly interrupted his father’s sentimentality, adding a large scoop of Curry to Anna’s plate.
On the other side of the table, François and Martin were completely stunned.
They took small, reserved bites, each mouthful feeling like a baptism for their souls.
‘Heavens, what is this?’
Even the world-renowned imperial chef in the Royal Palace probably couldn’t produce such a novel and delicious dish!
To be a guest of the Laval House and eat a meal personally cooked by the Young Master—what an honor.
The two exchanged a glance, seeing inexpressible excitement and fortune in each other’s eyes.
They made up their minds; even if Allen were to walk to the ends of the earth, they were willing to follow him to the death.
Soon, everyone’s plates were empty, with the sauce scraped clean.
Anna even wanted to stick out her tongue to lick the plate, but she was caught by an eagle-eyed Marianne.
“Anna! Mind your ladylike manners!”
Marianne lectured her with an air of righteous indignation, completely forgetting what she herself had said just moments ago.
Bernard leaned back in his chair with satisfaction, feeling as though a lifetime of fatigue had vanished with this meal.
He looked at Allen with a burning gaze. “Son, what is the name of this dish?”
“Curry,” Allen replied. “It will be one of the signature dishes of our Continental Hotel in the future.”
“Good! Excellent!” Bernard slapped his thigh, a sharp glint in his eyes. “With just this one dish, your hotel can firmly establish itself in the Capital!”
The pure sense of happiness brought by good food diluted the troubles of reality.
The servants also received their portions of Curry rice, and the dining room was filled with warm laughter and conversation.
The schemes of the outside world, the prospects of the Revolution, and the threat of the Evil God all seemed temporarily blocked out by this warm light.
Looking at this harmonious scene, Chef Robert’s lips curled up unconsciously.
He suddenly felt that when the Laval House was at its most difficult and couldn’t even pay wages, his decision not to run away was absolutely the wisest choice he had made in his life.
The future was truly worth looking forward to.