The first day of work was over, the afterglow of the setting sun reflecting on the sea, as the subordinates filed out of the building one by one.
Julia stretched her waist and said to the two elven girls beside her, “Let’s find a place to eat tonight on Seaside Avenue. My treat.”
Tesvelan said sarcastically, “Oh, you finally remembered to treat me to dinner? Looks like the local noble does know her manners after all.”
“I’m mainly inviting our esteemed Queen, you’re just tagging along,” Julia retorted.
Walking behind them, Livyat felt as if she’d stepped into what people in her previous life called a battlefield of love rivals.
In the evening on Seaside Avenue, the sea breeze was gentle.
Livyat, who often visited the Grand Library, enjoyed the salty and slightly intoxicating air.
A human in official attire strolling side by side with two elves during the rush hour quickly attracted the gaze of passersby.
People were surprised that their country’s cooperation with elves had reached this level.
The once intangible policies suddenly felt real.
Soon, they arrived at a restaurant famous for its seafood dishes.
The waiter was slightly surprised to see a woman in official attire accompanied by two elven ladies, but still professionally led them to seats on the terrace, from which they could directly overlook the Marina and the sea.
“Ladies, what would you like to eat?”
“Since it’s my treat, let me start by ordering a dish. I’ll have the slow-cooked silverfish with barnacle white broth.”
Julia didn’t even look at the menu, ordering straight away.
“Excellent taste, ma’am. That’s our restaurant’s signature delicacy, usually only available by reservation.”
But with Julia in her high-ranking official attire, there was clearly no need to reserve.
Tesvelan deliberately maintained a proper sitting posture.
After scanning the menu for a while, she said, “Oh my, Lady Julia starts with such an extravagant dish. Now we don’t dare to order any cheap mixed fish stew or the like. Then I’ll have the herb-smoked salmon with roasted ham, served with asparagus and fried mint.”
“I never expected Miss Tesvelan would prefer dishes with such ‘rich’ flavors,” Julia said with a smile.
“The spices of Landinset are truly mesmerizing; how could I not? Liv, pick your favorite dish as well.”
The waiter’s gaze shifted to this young lady who seemed to be the focus of the trio.
What lavish guests, indeed—no wonder, with an official and her elven friends.
“Ah, me? Let me see… Everything looks delicious, so I’ll have the fruit wine–soaked sea grapes with candied fried octopus rings! Just reading it makes my mouth water!”
“Pfft…”
Tesvelan’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.
The waiter, beside them, buried his face in his order book, unable to hold back his laughter.
Julia’s expression remained unchanged.
“Fruit wine and sea grapes—sweet and sour, just what Liv likes. Add some of your house’s specialty mains and desserts, and please serve the dishes as soon as possible.”
“Of course. Please enjoy the terrace view and have some of our special drinks. Your dishes will be prioritized.”
With that, the waiter withdrew.
As dusk deepened, the so-called scenery was really just the sound of waves washing back against the sea in the twilight.
Looking down, the distant Marina was still bustling with people at work.
Julia rubbed her forehead and muttered, “Maybe I shouldn’t have come out in official attire. Usually it doesn’t bother me, but today it seems to have an effect.”
Tesvelan mocked her.
“Isn’t that so—when has the young lady ever cared about social impact?”
“Lady Tesvelan, we don’t have any real conflict, do we? Why are you always targeting me? Are you afraid I’ll steal Liv away, or that I’ll keep her in Landinset and never let her go back?”
Julia shot back.
Tesvelan did not back down at all.
“Heh. Lady Julia always drags Liv into everything, doesn’t she?”
“Enough, don’t keep bickering. I don’t want this dinner to go to waste just because I’m here.”
Livyth pouted, looking as if she was angry at her two friends for quarreling.
The green tea tricks she’d learned in her previous life now came so naturally to her—she really was sinking deeper and deeper.
Mmm.
Julia immediately put on her usual polite but insincere smile, while Tesvelan pursed her lips, as if calling her a little vixen.
As it turned out, the waiter’s “soon” was not an empty promise.
Even though they’d sat down and just ordered, the first dish—slow-cooked silverfish with barnacle white broth—arrived right away.
The rich aroma was so strong it made their eyes water.
Julia stood up, took a spoon, and personally served Livyat.
First, a spoonful of silvery, transparent fish; next, a peeled piece of barnacle meat; then, a big ladle of thick, sticky white broth poured on top.
Carefully, she leaned forward and set the bowl in front of Livyat.
“Drink it while it’s hot, Liv.”
“Tch.”
Tesvelan picked up a spoon and started serving herself.
“Thank you, Julia-sis.”
Livyat gazed at the steaming soup, bent down, and sipped a little along the edge of the bowl.
The gelatinous, thick broth almost stuck to her tongue.
Even after swallowing, the intense umami lingered in her mouth—it was so delicious!
Then, scooping up a piece of barnacle meat, she took a bite.
The even more extreme freshness overwhelmed the taste of the soup, rampaging through her mouth.
Livyat grinned foolishly, not noticing that Julia and Tesvelan were both watching her eat with indulgent smiles.
“Someone has no queenly dignity at all. I really don’t know what to do with you,” Tesvelan sighed, taking small sips of soup herself.
Soon, the dish Tesvelan ordered arrived as well.
Without waiting for the plate to settle, Tesvelan skillfully wrapped a slice of moderately thick ham around a piece of smoked salmon, two pieces of fried mint, and half a stalk of asparagus.
She speared it with a fork, held her left palm under it, and offered it to Livyat—pausing deliberately as it reached her mouth.
“Ah—come on, have a bite.”
The whole bundle was stuffed halfway into Livyat’s mouth, forcing her to take a bite.
She chewed with puffed cheeks like a hamster as an incredibly complex aroma burst in her mouth.
Who came up with this little thing?
The more she chewed, the tastier it got, she thought to herself.
Julia glared coldly as Tesvelan wiped Livyat’s mouth after feeding her.
With a huff, she made a roll for herself and ate it.
When the fruit wine–soaked sea grapes with candied fried octopus rings were served, both Julia and Tesvelan tried to feed Livyat.
But Livyat knew exactly what they were up to.
She stood up, mixed the sea grapes and octopus rings dipped in fruit wine together, put some on both Julia’s and Tes’ plates, then served herself, happily stuffing the combination into her mouth.
Julia and Tesvelan simply couldn’t refuse the food Liv gave them.
Even though they didn’t like sweets much, they did their best to finish the sea grapes and octopus rings, chewing heartily and praising the taste.
By now, night had completely fallen.
The waiter lit a candle for them, and the great kerosene lamp of the Marina lighthouse was also burning.
The night sea breeze carried the rising and falling tides, causing the candle to flicker, yet never go out.