My Rules Are The Rules!
“Whoever calls me foolish, I’ll treat them to roast goose~~”
Henry hummed a little tune as he pulled a roast goose with glossy, tender skin from the Alchemy Furnace.
The moment the roast goose came out of the furnace, Henry’s nose was enveloped by its rich aroma.
The color of the skin was as if kissed by the lingering light of the setting sun, presenting a tempting reddish-orange hue, translucent and gleaming like amber. The fat on the skin glistened with a captivating sheen under the light.
Just by looking at the surface, Henry knew this roast goose was absolutely perfect.
“What smells so delicious?”
Lilith walked out while sniffing the air.
When she saw the roast goose in Henry’s hands, she quickly understood what was going on.
She hadn’t expected Henry to have this kind of skill, being able to roast a goose so delectably.
Based on her over ten years of cooking experience, Henry definitely had some talent.
While it was still steaming hot, Henry hurriedly placed the roast goose on the cutting board.
He lightly sliced into the goose, and immediately a thick, flavorful juice slowly flowed out. The juice, like a divine nectar, carried a rich meaty fragrance and the aroma of spices, trickling down along the grain of the goose meat.
Henry used a bowl to catch the goose drippings, then skillfully began cutting the roast goose into pieces with a knife.
Lilith stood behind Henry, carefully watching his movements.
“Young Master Henry, didn’t you say you couldn’t cook?”
“That’s right, I said I can’t cook, but I never said I couldn’t do roasted delicacies.”
Lilith really felt like taking the knife from Henry’s hand and giving him a good whack on the head with it.
But the thought of not getting her salary if Henry died quickly calmed her irritable mood.
For the sake of money, she held it in.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
The sound of knocking came from the door. Lilith turned and went to open it.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw two women, neither yielding to the other, both wanting to be the first to enter.
Lilith, who had opened the door, seemed more like the mistress of the house.
“Ladies, please mind your manners.”
Lilith’s reminder brought a temporary end to their struggle.
But upon entering, Sherisa caught a whiff of a tantalizing aroma stimulating her nostrils.
“What is that smell? It smells amazing.”
“Young Master Henry spent a long time making a roast goose, saying he wanted to entertain you both. He also made a few other dishes so that our distinguished guests can eat their fill.”
After she finished speaking, Henry emerged from the kitchen.
“Henry, you can actually cook!”
Jessica seemed surprised.
“Ah, it’s nothing special! Here, quickly have a fresh roast goose leg each!”
Henry grabbed two goose legs and placed them in front of the two women, then looked at them with an expectant expression.
Jessica initially intended to use chopsticks, but Henry stopped her.
“Use your hands! You absolutely must use your hands to eat a roast goose leg! Otherwise, it has no soul!”
“But using hands isn’t very proper…” Jessica still felt a bit embarrassed, as it didn’t quite fit the etiquette of a lady.
Sherisa, however, had no such reservations.
The chef knows best how food should be eaten.
Since Henry said to use hands, then she would use hands.
She took a bite of the goose leg and instantly experienced that incredibly crispy outer skin. CRUNCH!
The crispness of the goose skin shattered between her teeth, releasing a burst of rich fat. The fat spread in her mouth, yet didn’t feel greasy at all; instead, it carried a sweetness and mellow richness that instantly enveloped her taste buds.
Sherisa’s eyes immediately lit up!
Seeing Sherisa’s reaction, Jessica stopped being awkward and took a bite following the skin.
Juice overflowed in her mouth. Jessica felt she had never tasted such delicious roast goose before.
“Mmm! So delicious!”
Jessica couldn’t help but take a few more bites. She had originally wanted to maintain her ladylike persona, but in the face of such delicious food, everything else was insignificant.
Watching the two of them eating so heartily, Henry felt immensely satisfied.
But then he turned his head and looked at Lilith.
Lilith’s face showed no expression. She just silently entered the kitchen to bring out the remaining dishes.
Henry, however, followed her and said cautiously,
“Let’s find some time to roast some other things privately another day. Consider this today’s hospitality for guests.”
“Your words make it sound like I’m your wife. Also, I’m not that petty. I hadn’t planned on joining the table for this meal.” Lilith’s voice was calm, seemingly without any emotional fluctuation.
“My house doesn’t have any rules about who can or cannot eat at the table.”
Hearing this, Lilith stopped walking, her expression turning somewhat helpless.
“Young Master Henry, if it were just the two of us normally, then of course we wouldn’t need to stand on ceremony. But now we have guests. In the eyes of outsiders, a maid eating at the same table as her master is a loss of dignity.”
This was how Lilith had been educated since childhood.
When it came to important matters, she would never drop the ball.
“Dignity, my ass! When I was kicked out by the Rumelter Family, I had even less dignity. Other people’s rules don’t apply here. My rules are the rules, and that’s final!”
Henry slapped Lilith on the butt, then, holding the dishes, scurried off to the dining table.
Lilith stood frozen in place, watching Henry’s retreating back.
Suddenly, a trace of a helpless smile appeared on her expressionless face.
She shook her head and murmured softly.
“What a strange coward.”
The four of them sat around a small round table. Although it seemed a bit crowded, the atmosphere was rather cozy.
Jessica asked Henry about his recent school life and if he needed any help.
As the current ruler of the Empire, Jessica naturally could mobilize some resources to help Henry.
In Jessica’s view, Henry had no need to rely on the Rumelter Family at all, because there was a very thick thigh right in front of him waiting for him to cling to!
Sherisa, however, calmly responded to Jessica’s words.
“My mother thinks highly of Henry and even plans to take him as a disciple. Your Royal Highness the Princess need not trouble yourself. Just focus on matters of state.”
“Didn’t I ask Henry, not you?”
“And what if I answered on Henry’s behalf?”
No sooner had the meal finished than the two women started getting restless again.
As the person concerned, Henry could only hide to the side, trembling.
Noob.JPG.
“Henry, how about we find some time to go traveling? I heard from Mother that Klata is preparing to hold a garden fair, said to let everyone see how technology changes lives.”
Henry was very familiar with the name Klata.
It was the name of another nation, one that focused on technological development and also utilized a large number of Puppets as substitutes for human labor.
“I’ll definitely go when I have the time.”
Henry calculated the timing; Act 1 should be starting soon, and he needed to prepare in advance.
The group started chatting about casual topics to pass the time.
Lilith, meanwhile, went to start filling the Hot Springs.
She sat alone by the stone ledge, quietly watching the three people inside the house.