Instead of deeming himself lucky that Cora had the decency to remember him while cooking...
Tristan stared at the single plate of food sitting in his hands and felt a slow wave of disbelief settle over him.
One plate... That was all?
No proper arrangement where there would be side dishes in clean layout of bowls and utensils the way a meal was supposed to be presented. In the palace, even the simplest breakfast had arrived on polished trays with multiple small dishes carefully arranged. What he was holding now looked closer to something given to the lowly palace workers in a hurry.
He shook his head sharply as the thought rose and stayed firmly;
He could not eat like this.
His feet were already moving before he fully finished the thought. He stepped out of the room and walked toward the dining area. Cora was already seated at the table. In front of her sat a much larger plate, piled high with rice, meat, and vegetables. The difference between what she had given him and what she was eating herself was almost insulting.
Tristan let out a quiet, sharp breath through his nose.
"This woman..." He gritted out.
Cora tore off a piece of meat and put it in her mouth. She was still chewing when she finally noticed him standing there. She looked up, throwing him a flat look.
"What?" she asked in between chewing.
"I can’t eat like this," Tristan began, his voice was controllably low but did nothing to hide his displeasure.
"Being handed a single plate as if it’s befitting. A proper table should be set with dishes arranged. It’s not an unreasonable expectation."
"You could have-"
Cora’s eyes narrowed on him as if he had freshly lost his mind. She cocked her head, looked at him well then shook her head and returned to her food halfway through his sentence. She continued eating without giving any sign that she was still listening. The sound of her cutleries against the plate was the only response he received.
Tristan closed his mouth. Standing there speaking to someone who had clearly decided to ignore him was pointless. He was still deciding whether to return to his room when another door opened down the short hallway.
Nadia stepped out.
She looked like she had just finished bathing. Her short blonde hair was still slightly damp and clung lightly to the side of her neck. But that wasn’t really the striking part. What she was wearing was the big deal.
It made Tristan’s gaze pause for a moment longer than he intended. She had on only a black half bra that supported her full breasts without attempting to hide them, and a micro mini skirt so short it barely deserved the name. The outfit left the underside of her breasts, all the way down to her waist and nearly the entire length of her pale thighs exposed.
Tristan forced his eyes away after a brief second and kept his expression blank.
Nadia’s attention, however, went straight to the large amount of food on the table. Her red eyes widened slightly in surprise, not from seeing Cora eat that plenty as it was her way.
"Hey, little witch," she said, walking closer. "Where did all this come from? The kitchen was empty this morning."
Cora didn’t even lift her head fully. She simply pointed her chopsticks in Tristan’s direction while still chewing.
"He has money that can be spent."
Nadia’s gaze shifted to Tristan. The look she gave him was cold and full of open dislike.
"I’d rather starve than put anything connected to him in my mouth," she said flatly. Then her eyes narrowed further. "Why are you still here by the way? Shouldn’t you have disappeared by now and returned our real husband?"
Hearing that somehow made Tristan’s mind briefly returned to the daily task that was still incomplete.
He decided to use the moment and try his luck.
The polite, refined approach would not work on her. He already knew that much. So he thought of a lewd statement he could say to make her reveal one fact about herself.
After a short moment of thought, he stepped closer and lowered his voice slightly, keeping his tone calm and alluring.
"Well, you don’t look like someone who wants me gone," he said, paused the continued; "Dressing like that... wasn’t it meant to give me a reason to stay in case I was considering leaving?"
Nadia’s eyes flashed with anger immediately. Her chin lifted in sharp defense.
"You think far too highly of yourself," she snapped. "I wear what I like and because I’m comfortable in it. This has nothing to do with you. Move out of my way."
Tristan’s lips curved in a small, controlled smile.
"So you simply enjoy walking around half-naked."
"Yes," Nadia shot back without hesitation. The word came out sharp and irritated. She glared at him for another second, as if daring him to comment further, then turned and walked away. The extremely short skirt shifted with every step, leaving very little to the imagination.
Meanwhile, Cora just ate on. She kept gulping down spoonful after spoonful.
Then the system appeared before Tristan’s vision;
[Ding!]
[Daily Task Complete]
[Reward Issued: Mysterious Wooden Chest]
Lysander’s voice followed almost immediately, soft and clearly pleased.
"Well done, Host. Are you ready to see what is inside the Mysterious Wooden Chest?"
Tristan remained standing where he was for a moment, his eyes still on the hallway Nadia had disappeared into. Afterwards, a thoughtful look crossed his face then he started walking back to his room with the plate of food still in his hand.
When he had almost reached his door, he finally answered in his mind;
"Open it."