There’s a friendly banquet tonight in the Linton district. A delivery robot distributed the invitations from the host, Madam Vinda, one by one down the street into the mailboxes of the different residents.
Nalun once thought that mailboxes were backwards and silly. Nowadays, it only worked as decorations so the gates of villas didn’t look so simple and monotonous. Therefore, when he saw an invitation card placed on it, he felt rather curious.
Sirius said casually: “This should be the monthly neighborhood activity.”
He reached out two fingers and picked the card up. Sweeping a glance across it, he gave it to Nalun: “This madam’s banquet is pretty interesting.”
After Nalun read it, he was somewhat surprised: “You’d actually attend this kind of neighborhood activity?”
Sirius smiled faintly: “Occasionally.”
Nalun asked: “It’s tonight, are you going?”
Sirius: “Depends on you.”
“Me?” Nalun thought briefly and said: “No need to worry about me. If you want to attend, I can drive home.”
Sirius: “If you are interested, we can attend.”
Nalun: “……We?”
Sirius: “Madam Vinda is a very good cook. And plus……” He took back the card and displayed the words to Nalun: “I can bring my new companion.”
Nalun: “……”
After a moment of silence, Nalun still said: “I’m not used to interacting with wealthy madams.”
Sirius: “En? I remember last time on LuoRi Volcano, you invited many rich madams to attend your banquet.”
Hearing the words ‘LuoRi Volcano’, the Honored Prince’s eyelids twitched. He narrowed his eyes. The atmosphere instantly became dangerous– Any words related to his black history was a sore point for him.
“I also remember, you didn’t invite any females to the onsen party you hosted.” He raised his chin and gestured at the invitation card: “This kind of banquet…… the attendants should be all female, right? Do you plan to discuss new dresses or what’s on sale with them?”
Sirius put away the card: “It looks like tonight is better suited for eating dinner at home.”
As he spoke, Sirius opened the front door and very naturally dragged a certain Honored Prince inside.
“Bang–” The front door closed automatically.
It was already dark. The lighting in the living room was dim. Offset by the background, the Admiral’s expression looked rather profound and mysterious.
“I don’t really participate in the neighborhood activities much either.” Sirius pulled Nalun along to sit at the entrance hall to change shoes. At the same time, he asked: “Baobei~ What do you like to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
Nalun: “……” Wait, weren’t they discussing the banquet? Why did the topic move onto the dinner menu?
Sirius: “Do you have any foods you abstain from?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Rjiec: “Rb. Lbkfnfg, vbc’a sbe atlcx kf’gf yflcu……”
“Jbwf, ajxf j ibbx abufatfg klat wf. Po P gfwfwyfg mbggfmais, atfgf’r j iba bo lcugfvlfcar lc atf oglvuf.” Vlgler uba gfjvs ab qeii atf qfgrbc lcrlvf. Qtfc tf aegcfv tlr tfjv, tf cbalmfv Rjiec’r rbwfktja eckliilcu fzqgfrrlbc: “Rjiec?”
Nalun immediately raised his head: “Oh, let’s go.”
No matter what, since he had already decided to give it a try, then he should be a bit more serious and positive. Just how many people in this world would receive the honor of tasting food personally cooked by the Imperial Admiral? The other looked very confident. Perhaps he should feel a certain anticipation towards Sirius’s cooking.
Nalun glanced at the inside of the fridge. Seeing the different ingredients stuffed inside, he felt even more secure– Sirius looked like quite a big chef.
Therefore, after picking a few dishes, he returned to the living room and got ready to try the game that Sirius had recommended. Kicking the cotton slippers to one side, the Honored Prince sat cross-legged on the rug and held the game controller. He exclaimed deeply: Just being part of a romantic relationship seemed to have returned him back to the years when he was only in junior high. Visiting for the first time, he had already become completely lacking in caution and manners. This was really quite the opposite of his usual way of handling things.
Having spent most of the day on this date, the Honored Prince yawned and looked at the game display that appeared on the screen. Instantly, he sat upright and started examining it.
Unwilling to be left alone, Sirius’s voice traveled over from behind Nalun every once in a while.
“Nalun, how cooked do you want your steak?”
“80%”
“Nalun, do you want the asparagus cold-diced or stir-fried?”
“Soup.”
“Nalun, what kind of patterns do you like on your dining utensils?”
“…….”
A few seconds later, the Honored Prince, who couldn’t bear it anymore, threw down the controller and moved towards the kitchen. He didn’t actually enter and instead leaned against the glass door, examining the person inside with a measuring look.
Sirius: “…….”
Nalun: “I suddenly remembered one thing.”
He knocked on the glass and said with a profound look concealed within his eyes: “How did you get past the security system that Uncle Gavin installed so easily?”
Sirius let out a breath of relief: “Everytime there’s a new system, they would use me as a test. Actually, Rx3.0 is extremely perfect in all aspects. I’m just too familiar with it.”
Nalun: “……”
If the Honored Prince Sr. Angeli knew that he had unintentionally ‘allowed the wolf into the house’, the newly mended friendship between him and Monte Sr. would probably encounter a rift once again.
Nalun then said: “Do you remember the old guy in the courtroom?”
This address wasn’t particularly polite. Sirius keenly perceived who he was talking about: “The Chief judge? He is a fair and just judge.”
So fair and just that…… even though Xi En was already captured and jailed, he still refused to stop thinking about the night that the Scepter disappeared.
Nalun expressed: “A few days ago, I heard that he’s still running around because of the Scepter thing. He truly believes that an Insectoid spy is hidden within the Empire. If…… there really is another trial, we still need to first come up with a matching statement.”
Sirius paused for a few seconds: “Baobei~ That night, didn’t we……”
Nalun gave him a cold sweeping look: “There’s no need to make that kind of thing public to the masses.”
The Imperial Admiral put down the soup ladle, looking extremely grave: “This will make something simple become complicated. Not to mention, we were……”
Nalun coughed.
Sirius suggested: “Actually, we can also privately contact this judge and clarify everything. We don’t even need to testify in person.”
Nalun didn’t say anything.
Sirius: “……”
After a long time, the Honored Prince didn’t give any arguments to persuade the other. He only calmly spat out.
“Come up with a matching statement.”
Sirius: “……”
After establishing their relationship, the Honored Prince didn’t even bother wasting energy looking for excuses. Strangely, he felt very confident.
Sure enough, the mighty and unyielding Imperial Admiral did not disappoint. He nodded and made a hand gesture: “Okay, baobei~”
As he wished, his cooperation gained him a positive, approving expression from his beloved.
After the Honored Prince described his perfect plan, Sirius felt a sense of admiration. This kind of extremely nonsensical excuse, after being polished by the person before him, made everything seem quite possible. Not to mention, even he found it very hard to notice any flaws that deconstructed Nalun’s lie.
Nalun added: “This is only the plan for the worst possible outcome. We should take preventative measures to crush the issue at the start.”
“No need to worry. Even if there really is a 2nd trial, I’ll accompany you.” Sirius leaned over cheerfully and stuffed a certain something into the web addicted youth’s mouth.
“!!!” Something long and slippery entered his mouth.
Even the Honored Prince’s face turned green.
“How does raw asparagus taste?” As Sirius talked, he stuffed one into his own mouth.
Nalun, extremely pained: “Like a bug wiggling in my mouth.”
Sirius: “……This is a plant.”
Nalun turned around, a posture of not wanting to be disturbed anymore.
Sirius explained: “When you chew it, there’s juice. It’s sweet.”
But this still couldn’t erase the injury that the Honored Prince suffered. It’s already been over a decade since he experienced ‘being fed’. This unexpected ‘juvenile event’ caught him completely off guard.
The doorbell started ringing right at this time.
As the water boiled, the rising vapor tousled the lid of the pot, making it rattle restlessly. Sirius hastily tended to the soup and waved his hand at Nalun to take a look outside.
Holding a mouthful of bug-shaped asparagus, Nalun tentatively chewed. The texture in his mouth was actually pretty crisp and refreshing. The taste was also slightly sweet. However, the appearance of asparagus unboiled by water really didn’t look very appetizing. Next time, he should find a moment to have a discussion with Sirius. He can’t indulge the other and allow him to feed him random bizarre, dubious foods like this.
With this kind of thought, Nalun turned around absentmindedly and got ready to go. At the crucial moment, he suddenly realized and said: “They’re definitely looking for you.”
This was his first time here.
Sirius thought briefly and felt it seemed right. Therefore, he placed the soup ladle in the Honored Prince’s hand: “Then I’ll go take a look. Help me watch the fire.”
Nalun: “……”
Green eyes spinning in a half circle, he stared at the kitchen tool in his hand. Who can tell him, how was he supposed to use this?
Sirius just opened the door when he saw a familiar smiling face.
“We meet again.” The white haired, rich madam said benevolently with poise: “I know you guys most likely won’t be able to attend my banquet tonight.”
Sirius said respectfully: “Madam Vinda.”
Wearing a long golden dress, Madam Vinda stood elegantly, faintly displaying an almost youthful grace. She smiled.
“Haha, these are the pastries I made personally. There are double portions of every type. You and that guest of yours can try them together.”
Sirius smiled and accepted the weaved basket filled with food: “He will like it. Thank you, madam.”
Madam Vinda gave him a glare: “Compared to giving thanks in his stead, I’d rather have a look at which powerful individual managed to get the most popular man in Asha to hide him in his home.”
Sirius: “……”
Madam Vinda: “What kind of expression is that?”
Sirius only smiled, not saying anything.
Madam Vinda, profoundly: “Can’t say?”
Sirius: “You will know.”
Madam Vinda also smiled. This neighborhood lad looked just like every other enamored youngsters she’s seen. When chatting about their sweethearts, there was even a smile in their eyes.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to see how the other person looked while delivering pastries. Otherwise, with the help of her sisters, who’s accompanied her for most of her life, she would have definitely been able to dig out all of the other person’s details within one short minute.
Thank You for the new chapter ( ๑ ❛ ڡ ❛ ๑ )❤
little liar nalun! thanks for the chapter ❤️
thanks for the chapter!