NOVEL NEXT Chapter 172: 'Do you... think of me as a lover?'
"Hm."
Rosana, the noble who has trained her manners in front of others, made a visible scowl at the egg roll she tried.
"It's servicable." She settled the bento aside; hands dusting off casually in front of Mel, now pouting with her legs folded.
"If you feed this to the Drakes of the Northern Outskirt," Rosana smirked.
"I'm sure the soldiers would've a much easier time shooting them with their tummies bloated with an acid-like pain."
"Oh come on!" Mel flailed her arms. "I know you're judgemental in regards to food, but I'm not that bad-"
Then, Mel recalled the disgust from her housewife Lila; the disgust as she smashed two eggs together, wonderfully wasting the yolk and smacking them onto the ground.
"Okay. Maybe, I'm a teensy bad."
Mel glanced away, cheeks heating up. "But you can say I tried."
Again, no favourability dropped? Means Rosana didn't dislike it, right?
Mel sighed a little; her past life relied on her strict parents for the meals.
Cooking herself? If you counts dumping an instant noodle into a kettle as cooking, then yes.
"Well the story is that I tried. And I will improve."
A little smile broke out from her frowning lips, as she snapped a confident gaze at Rosana.
"Much like how you'll ascend to Master rank as you said, I too will improve. Watch me!"
Rosana raised a brow, then glanced back at the tar-like substances (yes, substances) that Mel called an egg roll.
Despite her empty stomach, the result of skipping breakfast for early training, she was not more eager for Mel's cooking.
"Sure."
Her thought drifted away, however, as she once again lazily scooped up Mel's 'egg roll'.
"Rooms for improvement were always there for the diligent. That I can assure you."
"Hehe..."
Mel chuckled, then her folded legs unstrained and sprawled away to the ground.
Like a picnic, Mel reminscent; her memories of childhood rushing back in the form casketed food and drizzing barbeque.
"But isn't it boring if I only improve without a reward?"
And in that pretense, she put up a finger as if lecturing.
"I'm the soon-to-be housewife of an Heiress. I imagine myself to be quite a charmer for look, but a good chef I can be as well."
"Hm..." Rosana squinted, yet her teeth still idly 'crunched' onto the black creation from Mel.
"Daring yourself now? You speak as if a reward is a necessity, not a luxury."
"Lame..." Mel's lips threatened to stretch, observing the brief glimmer from Rosana's red eyes.
Yet she pulled back her cheeks that bloated, her expression instead softening.
"I don't work for free." She mumbled. "Though, I would if one of my lovers demand it."
Rosana tilted her head. A play of word, is it?
"I won't admit I'm one of your lovers, my prey."
Rosana flatly rejecteed it; yet the affection flickering was unmistakable.
"Though speak of it. For your daringiness, I shall bring you whatever reward I can afford."
Plan success.
Mel blinked away the mischievousness, as she then held up one finger.
"A month later would be our exam soon."
A lot would happen by then.
The anticipating rematch between her, Rosana, the Witchhunter, and other students.
The duel between Maria and Lila.
And more importantly-
"By then, the Autumn Holiday would come."
Mel maintained a resolute gaze as she declared. "Bring me to your Northern Dukedom by then."
Yet, she was then met with a frown in return.
"The Northern Dukedom..."
She then settled her palm aside, her hand brushing at the wooden ground before nearing Mel's bento.
"For a cooking reward, it did seem a little much."
A breath then hitched in Mel, as she briefly huddled herself while maintaining a steady voice.
"Is it not good?"
Though, Mel's eyes remained locked onto Rosana's.
Rosana sighed; this girl was fully pretending scared.
Yet as she scanned Mel's pitiful frame, the tar-like taste at her tongue stung more, even worse than the poison she was offered by one of Pride's assassins.
"I won't reject it."
Then, she strained for a soft smile. "But I'll sample it myself to determine the last result. Do not get your hopes up."
Liar. Mel resisted the urge to pump her fist.
Rosana had a strict Father at the North, forbidding any guest from entering the warzone with the Drakes if possible.
Meaning? Rosana would need to go through heaps and convince her Father in advance.
In other words, the Heiress was already intending to invite her there.
"But."
Yet, the next declaration then drummed into Mel's ears, as Rosana then carressed Mel's hand.
First confused by the tender gesture, Mel blinked before the grip tightened, with Rosana's thumb stroking in a possessiveness rhythm.
"If you fail," Rosana licked her lips. "I would still invite you, and only you to the Cold Palace of Norrthern Dukedom."
The Heiress leaned into Mel's ear, whispering with seething, hot breath.
"And lock you at the bedchamber to cleanse the bad taste of my mouth."
Sounds like a win! I mean-
"Okay!"
Mel yelled out, her excitement tinged with impure intention as the Heiress chortled.
"It's a promise then." Mel coughed twice. "You know. It's the first time someone invited me to their house, so I'm thankful regardless."
"Really?"
The Heiress cupped her cheek, craning Mel's neck to face her.
Now inch apart, Mel could map out every sharp features of the Dragoness; her ruby eyes baring a domineering presence.
Her senses tingled at the thick redness; swirling and inside the red orbs that belonged yet not belonged to Rosana.
Red, was it?
Mel looseend her gaze in slight sadness; she's been reminded that she never had a chance to meet Rosana when she was a child.
And before the [ Rite of Inheritance ].
"Rosana."
Mel whispered out; her tongue rolling to hide the lingering regret.
"Just in case."
Her hand gripped a little; never had Mel been this nervous.
Lila was mostly readable, but Rosana was always more subtle and careful.
Thus, Mel could only directly ask.
Their quickening breaths mingled with each other; and Mel knew if she closed in this instance, Rosana's hearing could even catch her quickening heartbeat.
She almost hoped Rosana heard it regardless; for that was how sincere Mel was to her.
"Do you... think of me as a lover?"
She muttered out, her shoulders rising ad falling in a steady rhythm.