The kitchen door closed behind Sovinia, sealing off the scent of death and sulfur that filled the Dining Hall. The air in here was completely different, dry with the fragrance of spices and a trace of cold metal.
This kitchen was small, but compactly arranged. In the center stood a heavy stone cooking table, and above it hung rows of iron pots and copper ladles in various sizes.
Set into the wall on the left was a massive stove, the Hellfire Array inside capable of summoning flames from Hell. On the right was a Magic Rune Freezer, runes glowing on its frosted door.
There was no long table, no oven—everything here was designed for fast and efficient ingredient handling. Every detail bore the shadow of her former life, those memories grown so distant and blurred, memories of a place called “China.”
She opened the freezer, a wave of cold air washing over her. Inside, ingredients were neatly arranged: cut pork belly, wrapped in oiled paper; a cleaned pork knuckle; and bundles of crisp green vegetables.
All of these were prepared and replenished by Helana VII at her regular orders. Red string tied around each bundle signaled they had been tested and were free of poison.
Sovinia took out a large slab of pork belly and placed it on the stone counter. She drew a kitchen knife from the rack—heavy, the handle’s feel stirring a wave of long-lost familiarity.
Once, she had been Kimi the Coldhearted, the most feared Heavenly King under the Queen of Demons. She had cooked for herself in this very kitchen—back then, just battle and slaughter were enough to feed her hunger.
This kitchen was the only place in the Dining Hall forbidden to Helana VII. The reason was simple: food was a weakness; what entered her mouth must be under her control.
That old woman, though loyal to Kimi the Coldhearted, was even more loyal to the Queen of Demons.
Now, it was time for this foolish human hero to witness the cunning tactics of the demonkind.
Her plan was clear. Poisoning directly would be too crude and expose her immediately. But if she could make Wohard get used to her preparing the food, then the right to add poison would be firmly in her hands.
The first step: shatter his taste bud defenses with absolute deliciousness. Make him dependent on her cooking.
Besides, if you make the Dog Food tasty, even a dumb dog will behave obediently.
What did this dumb dog need now, after fighting so long for her, exhausted and wounded? Obviously, something rich and sweet—Red Braised Pork would be perfect to break through his sharp vigilance.
***
Lost in thought, Sovinia washed her hands, then placed two strips of pork belly on the cutting board. The kitchen knife chopped swiftly, each stroke cutting the meat into thick pieces.
The pot was already hot. She poured oil along the sides, waiting for the pot to be slick, then lowered the flame, added a bit more cold oil, and dropped in the heavy chunks of pork belly. As the hot oil met the pork skin, a fierce sizzle exploded.
With a flick of her wrist, the iron pot tossed over the flames, meat chunks bouncing inside, to fry off the excess fat…
Bang! Sizzle—
A thunderous sound pierced through the kitchen door.
There was a knock.
“Miss Sovinia? Are you alright? What was that sound? It sounded like… forging armor? Or brewing alchemy potions?”
Sovinia’s movement paused. Her back tensed—a rush of being caught red-handed at some misdeed.
Did the hero’s sharp senses pick up on her?
She turned her head, raising her voice deliberately towards the door.
“Mind your own business! Go take care of yourself for once! Just look at you—filthy and stinking, covered in Slime Mucus! The bathroom’s right of this door, find it yourself!”
Outside, Wohard was silent for a moment. Remembering her earlier silence, he assumed this was another trauma response. His tone softened.
“Alright… I just wanted to ask if you know where I can find something to eat? I’m a bit hungry.”
“Take care of your reeking self first! I don’t want to eat with a pig that just crawled out of the mud!”
A soft sigh sounded outside the door, followed by the clank of armor and footsteps receding.
He actually went to the bath.
Sovinia turned back to her cooking, frying the pork belly until the fat rendered out, then adding slices of ginger to brown and dry the meat.
She caramelized a pot of sugar, poured it in, then cranked up the heat for stewing.
While it simmered, she prepared Red Braised Pork Knuckle. Stir-fried a plate of Green Vegetables. For carbohydrates, she found Wheat Noodles and set them to boil.
The Red Braised Pork finished stewing, its pieces glistening red. She tasted a chunk—the seasoning was perfect. She fried some garlic, poured in the pork, and reduced the sauce over high heat before sprinkling with chopped scallions.
The whole process was smooth and unhurried.
***
By the time all the dishes were ready, rich aromas had filled the entire Dining Hall.
She brought a large bowl of glistening, sauce-laden Red Braised Pork, a pork knuckle tender to falling-apart, a plate of bright green vegetables, and two big bowls of steaming Wheat Noodles, setting them on the only dining table in the center of the room.
She sat down. The chair was Kimi’s habitual seat—built of black iron and beast hide, immense in size.
Sovinia, with her elven girl body, looked especially petite seated there. Her long legs barely touched the ground, and her arms had to lift to fit the table’s height.
Just then, the bathroom door opened.
Wohard came out. He had shed his filthy, battered armor, wearing only simple linen trousers.
Hot water had washed away the blood and Slime Mucus, revealing his solid upper body. His eyes were red; before stepping out, he had washed them to hide the fact he’d been crying.
His short golden hair hung damp across his brow, and in the dim light, the burn scar on one side of his face looked less ferocious.
The instant he stepped out, he froze, his gaze glued to the table laden with food. He had never smelled such fragrance, nor seen dishes like these.
What was that? Meat chunks braised a deep, tempting red, glazed with a shiny sauce. What was that? A huge bone, trembling with tender meat.
Green vegetables and white noodles, too.
His eyes drifted past the food, landing on the silver-haired elven girl sitting at the table.
She sat quietly in the giant chair, golden eyes reflecting the dim light, like two molten pieces of amber.
Steam rose from the dishes, blurring her delicate profile, making her look almost unreal. She didn’t look at him, only gazed at the food before her, slender fingers drumming unconsciously on the tabletop.
The sight struck Wohard like a soft hammer, hitting the softest part of his heart.
Days of slaughter, the deaths of comrades, endless hatred—all those heavy things seemed to melt away with the aroma of this food and the scene before him.
It felt unreal.
***
He slipped on a shirt and walked over, voice uncertain. “My goodness… all that ruckus earlier, you were making all this?”
Sovinia lifted her golden eyes to look at him.
“Yeah, what else? Just realizing it now? What, you don’t dare to try?”
Wohard picked up a pair of wooden chopsticks—favored by Adventurers, he knew how to use them.
He lifted a piece of Red Braised Pork and put it in his mouth. The skin was soft and glutinous, the fat melted instantly, the lean was tender and savory, and the rich sauce enveloped his entire palate.
A wave of warmth spread from his stomach, rushing through his limbs. Hunger and exhaustion seemed to vanish under its touch.
He almost wanted to grab the whole bowl and dump it into his mouth, but his knightly upbringing forced him to restrain that urge.
He glanced at the beautiful elf girl across from him, whose gaze was locked on him. He set down the chopsticks, took a spoon, and elegantly scooped some meat into his noodle bowl, then began to eat the noodles.
He ate quickly, but tried to remain refined. After finishing one bowl, he served himself another, all while Sovinia, who had been watching him, still hadn’t touched her food.
“Aren’t you hungry? Or… is this not to your taste?” he asked, pausing.
Why stop? Such a big dog, eating so little Dog Food—did he not like it?
Sovinia leaned forward slightly, a barely noticeable tension flickering in her golden eyes.
“This kind of food is too ordinary for me. But you—shouldn’t it taste good to you? I mean, it must taste good to you.”
Wohard didn’t answer. He simply showed it.
He finished off the remaining noodles and meat in his bowl, then without hesitation, scooped most of the Red Braised Pork into his own bowl.
He ate what he scooped, and when he finished, scooped more.
He had three bowls in a row. Only when the bowl was almost empty did he suddenly realize his rudeness—he ought to have left some for Sovinia.
He looked up a bit sheepishly, only to see a surprising sight.
The always cool and proud elf girl across from him was now smiling faintly. Her long white ears stood upright with excitement, twitching slightly.
Was she… happy?
The discovery made Wohard’s heart skip a beat. Was she happy because he liked her cooking?
He didn’t know, but inside, Sovinia was roaring with laughter.
Stupid human, the dumb dog’s biggest weakness is his stomach. Perfect. From now on, the right to add poison belongs to this Heavenly King. If he dares disobey, I’ll spike his food and poison him good.
A sense of unprecedented security wrapped her heart.
She stood from the massive chair, her slender frame stretching out. Walking to the table, she dumped the last remaining chunks of Red Braised Pork into her noodles.
She sat again, picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, and placed it in her mouth, chewing carefully.
The flavor was familiar, but for some reason, especially appetizing now—maybe because of Wohard.
She ate cheerfully—completely unaware she was eating “Dog Food.” Her long legs swung gently under the table, slim calves tracing graceful arcs in the dim light. That satisfied, secure look gave her a gentle radiance.
Wohard was stunned.
Sovinia swallowed the mouthful, looked up at Wohard, and pointed to the mostly untouched pork knuckle.
“That one’s your reward. I’m not really hungry, and I don’t like greasy meat that much.”
As soon as she finished, Wohard grabbed the huge knuckle and tore into it without hesitation.