"Oh wow," I said, eyeing her dish practically with stars in my eyes. "That looks amazing, Za'Fia! I didn't know you could cook!"
"Thanks. I don't exactly advertise it, but I can cook when I want to," Za'Fia responded in appreciation.
"Please, this is a cooking," Avarice said as he strolled in with three plates floating on a golden tray behind him.
He'd gone full chef-mode back there. The first dish was a massive bowl of Japanese pork ramen, accompanied by a side of sashimi (I could have sworn I saw a tear roll down his cheek earlier as he prepared it), and matcha as the beverage.
The third dish was a dessert in the form of a homemade French vanilla-flavored Italian gelato with slight hints of a cocoa undertone.
Then the final was grilled chicken covered in wasabi-flavored teriyaki sauce served with a small salad and cran-strawberry juice.
"Why is everything a competition with you?" I asked him, salty as I envied his skills in the kitchen.
"I give my all in anything I do," he replied boastfully as he smirked at my basic meal. "Hm. A strong fighter, but you wouldn't make it far as a wife with those skills. Za'Fia, however, I'm impressed as always," he ended charmingly.
I looked at my dish and pondered what he'd said. Was he right? It'd never occurred to me what I'd be like as a wife.
"Whatever, who said I ever wanted to get married in the first place?" I pouted, frustrated with myself for letting him get to me.
"If we may begin. My lunch will be arriving in 10 minutes," Sunce spoke impatiently as Sanjna brought each dish up to him on clouds that formed from her energy.
He grinned delightfully as he first tasted mine.
"Oh! The flour dish is softer than I expected, and this sweet nectar – syrup, was it? – goes compliments it well," he said before taking a swig of the milk, drinking all of it. "Hm. This pink liquid. It's thick...and surprisingly delightful," he grinned.
"It's a simple dish, but pleasant nonetheless," he went on to grab Za'Fia's dish next. "My, this looks beautiful. Almost wholesome."
"Ah, this fish is very tender! The flavors of the spices, broth, potatoes, and peppers blend very well. Oh! The lemonade is sweet!" he said in excitement to his guards. "I've had lemon dishes before. Lemons are usually sour and bitter. How did you make this so sweet?"
"Sugar?" Za'Fia remarked as if to say "duh".
"Sugar sweetens the bitter," Sunce said as Sanjna and Mimi jotted it down in mini recipe books.
Sunce went on to devour the remaining three dishes as his lunch bell rang, and Sanjna told him we had five minutes left.
"Hm, yes," Sunce nodded with his eyes closed in consideration as he finished the food. "You are a very skilled cook," he complimented Avarice.
"Naturally," Avarice responded.
"The saltiness of the first, coupled with the bold tea, the cold sweetness of the second, and the spicy, savory blend of the third, with the sweet juice, gives me the option to maintain the spice levels on the tongue. I'm truly impressed," Sunce looked as if he wanted to claim him for himself.
"Don't get used to it. I don't work under anyone," Avarice told him.
"Yet you have a Crest head," Sunce retorted, disappointed in knowing he couldn't simply take another crest's member.
Avarice remained silent as he glanced down at me before saying, "For now."
"Don't worry, I don't plan on going anywhere," I gave him a false smile.
"Sir," Sanjna spoke as she moved toward us, ushering us toward the exit.
"Ah, well, I was very pleased with your dishes! You're all welcome in Sicare anytime," he said happily as a side door opened and a mountain of food was brought in.
"Sorry, his main feedings, such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are often much heavier than the others due to the sheer portion size," Sanjna said as we stood outside the palace. "His...hunger sometimes gets the best of him during those times, and he can be a..."
"Pig?" Za'Fia finished.
Sanjna gave her a brief smile, followed by a look that conveyed her disdain for this part of her job, before going back inside.
"Feel free to explore the city," she told us as she closed the doors.
"Well, are you ready to move on?" Za'Fia asked.
"Yeah. We learned a lot about Sicare and the Graboid district," I answered. "But there are a lot of faces we have to meet and places to familiarize myself with if I'm going to be a proper Crest Head. Question is: where to go next?"
"Whatever you decide, it would probably be best to travel clockwise or counterclockwise so we aren't wasting time traveling back through the desert," Avarice suggested.
"Hm, yeah, you're right," I pulled out the map of Pneuma City. According to the map, directly north, beyond the Sicare Ring, was the Hellhound District. To the right of it was the Phoenix District. Reminding me of home, I chose the Phoenix district first.
"Looks like we'll be going back to the Phoenix District," I told them as we began our way north.
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