Chapter 20: A Bowl of Water Lily Soup
2321words
The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with an atmosphere so oppressive it made one want to die.
Just as I was trying hard to minimize my presence, praying that I could once again blend into the background unnoticed for the day, the monarch on the throne finally spoke.
"I'm hungry."
His voice had little inflection, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him. But these two words, to me, were like an imperial edict.
"Yes." I immediately understood, respectfully bowed, and turned to walk toward the palace kitchen.
My steps were somewhat unsteady, as last night's experience had drained too much of my energy. But at the same time, deep in my heart, there was also a small expectation that even I hadn't noticed.
After last night's testing, he seemed to have developed a bit of... interest in me? Although the process was strange, at least I was no longer the insignificant little maid who could be disposed of at any time. This was a good start.
Perhaps, through "food," the most basic and warmest medium, I could awaken more of his dormant memories.
With these thoughts in mind, I quickly walked into the Demon King's palace kitchen.
The kitchen here is a completely different concept from what I know as a kitchen. There are no bright lights and clean stoves; instead, there are huge burners with eerie green flames, and the walls are hung with various oddly shaped monster limbs still dripping with unknown fluids. Several burly orc chefs are wielding cleavers larger than doors, processing mountain-like piles of raw meat on the chopping blocks, creating a bloody and wild scene.
Suppressing the discomfort in my stomach, I walk to the corner specifically designated for preparing the Demon Lord's meals. The finest ingredients are stored there, and the tableware is crafted from mithril and black crystal, exuding extraordinary luxury.
According to the records in the maid's manual, Frederick has recently preferred heavy, energy-rich roasted meat. I skillfully selected the most tender piece of meat, supposedly the tenderloin of some flying magical beast, paired it with several spices that could neutralize wild energy, and was about to begin cooking—
A voice full of malice and mockery sounded behind me.
"Well, isn't this the new favorite in front of the lord? What, coming to the kitchen yourself, trying to show off how favored you are?"
I turned around to see a woman wearing an extremely seductive, revealing fiery red dress, arms folded across her chest, leaning against the doorframe, eyeing me with an undisguised, provocative gaze.
Above her head, a blood-red system identifier clearly floated.
【Yoyo, Daughter of the Demon Duke, LV.45】
I understood immediately. So it was her.
Before I came here, I had already studied the profiles of Frederick's main associates from the guidebook. This Yoyo is the only daughter of the most powerful duke in the demon realm, and also Frederick's most fanatical and high-profile admirer. She has always considered herself the future demon queen, and relying on her family's power, she bullies everyone in the palace, viewing any female creature who might get close to Frederick as a thorn in her side.
Obviously, the news that I had been "specially treated" by Frederick all night had already reached her ears.
She was here to pick a fight.
I didn't want to cause trouble, so I lowered my head, pretending not to hear, and prepared to continue with my work.
But she clearly had no intention of letting me off so easily. Swaying her snake-like waist, she gracefully walked to me, and with her long fingernails painted in bright red polish, directly speared away the best tenderloin from the plate I had prepared.
"I see this piece of meat looks good, and I happen to be hungry." She tossed the meat to her attendant behind her, her face full of schadenfreude. "As for the Master... you're just a newcomer, you don't even know the Master's taste, yet you dare to try to curry favor? How ridiculous."
I clenched my fists and looked at her coldly: "This food was prepared for the Master."
"It's mine now." Yoyo laughed contemptuously, "What? Do you have a problem with that? You can go complain to the Master if you want. Let's see if he will punish me, a duke's daughter, for the sake of a lowly stand-in who doesn't even dare to show their face, or if he'll just throw you, an ignorant fool who doesn't know your place, directly into the lava pool?"
She leaned close to my ear and venomously whispered in a voice only the two of us could hear: "Don't think I don't know. You're just another counterfeit brought in by that woman called Anais. A counterfeit should know its place, staying obediently as a shadow. Otherwise, I have a hundred ways to make you die without a sound."
After speaking, she straightened up and loudly commanded the chefs around who didn't dare to breathe: "Listen carefully, all of you. No one is allowed to provide any ingredients from the kitchen to her today. If I find out anyone dares to disobey..." she paused, a flash of cruelty in her eyes, "you know what will happen."
"Yes, yes, Miss Yoyo." The chefs immediately nodded repeatedly, not even daring to look at me.
Yoyo let out a satisfied hum, swaying her hips as she walked away, surrounded by a group of attendants.
In the spacious kitchen, suddenly only I remained, with my completely empty plate in front of me.
The demonic servants around me kept their distance, pointing and whispering about me. In their eyes, there was sympathy, mockery, but mostly, indifferent detachment. No one dared to step forward to help me.
This is the demon realm, a place that believes in the survival of the fittest, where reason holds no power.
I stood in place, silent for a few seconds. The anger that had risen in me due to the provocation quickly subsided, replaced by a cold, clear determination.
In a direct confrontation, I'm no match for Yoyo. Complaining is even more impossible, it would only make me seem incompetent and foolish.
But does she think this will stump me?
She stole my ingredients, but also gave me an excellent opportunity. An opportunity... to serve a dish that is "unique" and belongs only to "Winifred."
The corner of my mouth curled into a challenging smile that even I hadn't noticed.
I looked around, noticing the chefs who avoided me and the empty premium ingredient section. Then, I turned around and resolutely walked out of the kitchen.
I would have to do it myself, to be self-sufficient.
Under the surprised gaze of all the demon attendants, instead of leaving, I walked straight toward the courtyard behind the palace.
The courtyard in the demon realm could hardly be a bird-singing, flower-fragrant paradise. Here grew various twisted, eerie plants that emitted a ghostly glow. Fortunately, yesterday while confined to my chamber, I had observed this courtyard through the window out of boredom.
I remembered that in an inconspicuous pool corrupted by dark energy in the corner of the courtyard, there grew several... lotus plants.
They seemed out of place among the aggressive demon realm vegetation surrounding them, floating quietly on the black water surface, their large seed pods hanging low, emanating a pure and gentle aura.
【System Notification: Discovered rare ingredient [Abyssal Water Lily]. Effects: Calms the mind, soothes the heart, removes negative status effects, contains trace amounts of light energy.】
This is it!
I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my pants, and without hesitation stepped into the cold, decay-scented pool water while people around me stared as if I were insane. I carefully avoided the small magical creatures that might bite underwater and collected several of the fullest, freshest lotus seed pods.
Back in the kitchen, I ignored everyone's shocked stares and walked straight to the smallest, abandoned stove.
I didn't use magical fire. Instead, I took out two fire stones from my pocket, tools I kept for emergencies during my travels in the human realm. I skillfully struck the stones together and lit the firewood under the stove. The warm, orange-red flames looked so out of place in this cold world of eerie green magical fire.
Then, I began to process the lotus seedpod. With a small knife I had picked up, I skillfully cut through the hard shell, extracting round, plump lotus seeds that resembled white jade. I carefully removed the bitter lotus heart from each seed using my fingernails.
This is a motion I had performed countless times before.
Ten years ago, young Frederick would often stay awake all night, mentally agitated due to the dark powers raging in his bloodline. As his mentor then, I searched through all the ancient texts in the Royal Academy to find this folk remedy—lotus seeds from the Holy Light Lake, simmered into a soup, could soothe his restless soul.
Each time, I would personally peel the lotus seeds for him one by one, remove the bitter centers, and then slowly simmer them with the gentlest holy light fire.
And now, ten years later, I once again prepare this soup for him with my own hands.
Unable to find sugar, I searched in the courtyard for a magical plant that secretes sweet juice and carefully extracted its liquid. Unable to find milk, I used my "Moonlight Flower Spirit" talent to cultivate several "Moonlight Flowers" that could condense sweet morning dew, collecting about half a bowl of this dewwater.
[System Prompt: You are performing 'Cooking', skill check in progress... Check successful! Hidden talent [Soul of the Chef God] triggered! Cooking effect +50%!]
I placed all ingredients into the clay pot and slowly, patiently simmered them over the gentlest flame.
Soon, an indescribable, sweet fragrance wafted from the clay pot. Unlike the bold intensity of any food from the magic realm, this aroma was elegant and soothing, carrying the fragrance of plants and a hint of sweet warmth, as if it could smooth away all anxiety and unease from one's heart.
The entire kitchen fell silent.
Those demon chefs and servants who were originally laughing at me, at this moment all stopped their work, unconsciously taking a deep breath, with expressions of intoxication and disbelief on their faces.
They had never smelled such... "clean" fragrance before.
Under everyone's shocked gaze, I placed that bowl of milky-white water lily soup, full of lotus seeds and exuding fragrance, into a simple white porcelain bowl.
Then, I carried it, turned around, and once again walked toward that chamber that would determine my fate.
When I entered that deathly silent hall again, carrying this bowl of water lily soup that was completely out of place with the style of the entire Demon King's palace, Frederick on the throne didn't even open his eyes, just lazily asked: "Took so long?"
His tone carried a hint of displeasure from a monarch who had been kept waiting.
I didn't speak, just silently, step by step, walked up to him and gently placed the white porcelain bowl on the low table beside him.
"Thud."
A soft sound.
Frederick impatiently opened his eyes and casually glanced at the contents of the bowl.
In that moment, his expression froze.
Those deep purple eyes of his, as profound as an abyss, suddenly contracted to the size of a pinpoint. His languid posture vanished without a trace, and like a dragon whose reverse scale had been touched, he abruptly sat upright on his throne.
He stared fixedly at those few plump lotus seeds floating in the milky white soup in the bowl, his breathing, instantly becoming heavy.
Then, he suddenly raised his head to look at me, that gaze becoming incredibly complex. Shock, doubt, disbelief, wild joy, and... a profound, bone-deep sadness... all these intense emotions that nearly tore him apart were frantically intertwining and colliding in his eyes.
I just stood silently before him, allowing him to examine me, saying nothing.
I knew that this bowl of soup had more power than any words.
He stared intently at the bowl of soup, then looked up at me, then down at the bowl again... repeating this several times. His hand resting on the armrest of the throne had already turned white at the knuckles from gripping so tightly.
After a long, long while.
He finally spoke, his voice as hoarse as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.
"You... leave first."
I respectfully bowed and slowly withdrew from the great hall.
The heavy palace door closed behind me, cutting off all his gazes. All strength seemed to be drained from my body at this moment. I leaned powerlessly against the cold door, as fatigue from the intense tension washed over me like a tide.
My eyelids grew heavier and heavier...
Without realizing it, I dozed off while leaning against the door.
I don't know how long had passed. As I was in a daze and about to fall completely asleep, the palace door behind me suddenly opened without any warning.
Having lost my support, my body tilted and I was about to fall backward.
A hand, quick as lightning, reached out and grabbed the back of my collar, lifting me up effortlessly like a small cat.
I opened my eyes groggily, meeting Frederick's expressionless handsome face just inches away from mine.
Still holding me up, he pushed me forward, walking with great strides.
"Where... where are we going?" I stumbled as he pushed me, asking in confusion.
"To bathe."
He uttered two words concisely, without a trace of emotion.
