NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: 27 - A Place Called Home (1.93k words)
After a full day wandering the bustling streets of Beast City, I found myself standing before a towering barricade, which cast long shadows over us, hiding what lay beyond, "I thought you wanted to use me as a bargaining chip to secure a house," I said, "Not a prison."
"I'm afraid it wouldn't have been enough to secure us a place like this," Muir replied, "This will be a temporary place until we find suitable land to build our own. We thought you'd appreciate a place you could train in private, so we took the initiative and made a deal with the ape king. It's all settled for now."
Perched atop a rugged hill, the ancient stronghold stood majestic yet isolated, with vast empty lands stretching around it. The large stone mansion's architecture was strikingly different from typical beastmen structures, echoing the ancient aura of Beast City itself.
At the center of the mansion was a grand hall with a fireplace, a spacious area designed for communal dining and meetings. This was flanked by a series of smaller, functional rooms: a kitchen, a library, and a separate study room.
Living quarters were divided into two distinct areas to accommodate the family's and its servants' needs. The family and guest wing boasted spacious bedrooms. In contrast, the servants' section was more modest, with simpler rooms designed for functionality.
Additional spaces within the mansion included a workshop for repairs and crafting, various storage areas for supplies, and a small infirmary.
"Looks like someone's been keeping this place in good shape," Vick noted.
"The ape king was reluctant to give us this place at first, but the emerald from Curtis really helped change his mind," Muir said, walking down the sandy path, "This used to be a guest house for important visitors who came to visit the Beast city, including kings from other animal kingdoms."
"What a beautiful place!" Bai exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in her surroundings. "It looks like an old European castle!"
"European castle?" Muir inquired, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
"Yes, it's a kind of building from Earth that resembles this one. But the ones I've seen on TV were much grander. They were filled with paintings, sculptures, and an array of weapons on display," Bai explained, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she took in Curtis's indifferent demeanor, "Curtis, you must be so rich to afford this!"
"Show Bai her room, Muir. Preferably one that is furthest away from ours," Vick said, sending the girl away.
"Don't worry, Yaya," Curtis said, leaning down to my eye level with a reassuring smile. "We will build a bigger house than a European castle."
I sighed, wondering if he could even understand the significance of what he'd just said.
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The master bedroom was located on the second floor of the mansion. It had its own bathroom, sitting area, and fireplace. There was no furniture, just a few boxes and crates filled with clothing, personal items, and a fur rug that Curtis had brought in.
Not long after, Muir flew in through the large window and landed on the floor beside me, carrying along a stack of furs and blankets. He placed them on the ground and arranged them neatly on each other to create a bed, "Here, I hope it's comfortable," he said.
"Bring some to Bai's room, too," I said, taking a few from the top of the pile and adding them to Bai's pile.
"Alright," Muir nodded. "But why is she getting special treatment? She is not my female."
Muir was silent, then bowed his head and left.
The master bathroom was an open, square space with a stone bathtub and a sink, but none was connected to the plumbing, and there was no toilet.
When I stepped outside of the balcony, the view was breathtaking. The area behind the walls was surrounded by rolling hills, lush forests, and mountains, giving the illusion that you were standing atop a massive natural fortress.
"Do you like it?" Vick asked, coming up behind me. "I think it used to be a noble's vacation house. I wonder what happened to the ancient civilization that went extinct."
"Probably died of boredom," I answered, "They seem to have built a lot of fancy houses for no apparent reason."
Vick chuckled while Curtis nodded approvingly.
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The next day, the trio began working on the house immediately. Vick followed wherever I went, crafting wooden tools with his knife along the way. Curtis worked tirelessly to complete some necessary renovations in record time while Muir went shopping, returning with food and other supplies.
Bai also helped the boys with the renovations, sharing her ideas and cleaning and arranging the furniture and utensils that had been brought back. She was happy to finally be able to do something useful for the first time since we arrived. In the evening, she even decided to prepare a delicious meal for everyone: a simple meal of roasted meat and vegetables with rice.
I didn't contribute much to the renovation, nor did I want to. Instead, I spent most of my time studying the mansion's structure while walking around, how each stone was laid, and how the beams supported the vast weight of the ceiling. "It was built on the backs of slaves," I said, touching the tiny, precise marks on the stones, which were kind of uniform. Like a code, they were piecing together the silent stories the mansion held within its walls.
"Ouch!" Bai exclaimed from the kitchen as she held her finger after cutting herself with the bone knife.
I walked over to check on her, "Leave the cooking to the guys if you can't even cut vegetables without hurting yourself."
"But they are really bad at cooking," Bai whined, rinsing her finger with water before wrapping it with a bandage from her shoulder bag, showing that it wasn't the first time this had happened. "The meat is too dry, and the vegetables are either burned or undercooked."
"And so? It's not like you will die of hunger, are you?" I took the bone knife away from her when she attempted to continue, "You are not doing yourself any favors by trying to do something you're not good at."
"I know," she said, looking defeated, "It's not like you are good at cooking either, are you?"
Vick kept his silence, but when his eyes landed on me, he couldn't help but quip, "Nivi knows how to cook, thanks to Yaya. She told me that before she came to this world, she used to cook regularly for a group of strangers," he said.
"Keep your mouth shut, Vick."
"Oh, did you used to be a cook, Big Sis?" Bai asked excitedly. "Then you must be really good at cooking!"
I looked at the ingredients before me, twirling with the bone knife in my hand. There wasn't much fanfare in my actions ─ just the focused, practiced motions of someone who's learned to make the most of what they have.
Cooking wasn't just about following recipes. It was about understanding the essence of each ingredient, how they complement each other, and how to coax out their best flavor. What Bai was preparing would taste better than what Muir and Curtis cooked, but it could definitely be improved.
As I inspected her work, I continued, "When marinating tougher cuts of meat like this, the goal is to enhance and tenderize, not overpower with spices. Ingredients like acid from lemon juice or vinegar, and enzymes from fruits like pineapple or papaya, can break down the fibers, making the meat more tender."
The inviting scent soon filled the kitchen as the ingredients began to cook, causing Muir and Curtis to appear at the entrance.
"Bai, start plating the meals," I instructed. Without waiting for a response, I moved to wash my hands, then left the kitchen and returned to the dining room, leaving Bai to follow through with the task.
"Why aren't you eating?" Bai asked, taking a seat beside me after she had finished plating the dishes. "Everyone is waiting for you to start eating, Big Sis."
"You should know by now that I'm not the kind of person to enjoy company," I replied, "I'll eat later."
Bai frowned, her eyes staring at me for a long time, "Why are you always so mean to me, and then you end up helping me?"
"It's not intentional," I answered truthfully, "I just don't like you, but not enough to see you dead. That's all."
Bai's frown deepened, but she didn't argue and started digging into the meal. Then she started bawling her eyes out.
"What are you crying for?" I asked.
"Because you said you don't like me, and the food is so good that I can't help but cry," she sniffed, wiping her tears.
I couldn't help but chuckle. This girl was really too simple.
Vick nodded at Muir and Curtis as he scooped a spoonful of rice and meat, "Eat. It's safe."
As Curtis took a bite, his eyes widened almost as much as Muir's did next to him.
"You made this?" Muir paused mid-chew, his eyes widening as he looked from his plate up to me. His glance then shifted back to his meal as if reassessing the flavors unfolding with each bite. "It's better than the last meal we had at Nivi's place."
Bai stuffed her cheeks with food, and the corners of her mouth lifted as she let out a satisfied hum, "So yummy! It's so tender, juicy, and flavorful. I've never eaten such a delicious version of this meal before! You are not only beautiful, but you are also a good cook! This is not fair!"
I didn't bother responding. Instead, I watched as Curtis devoured his plate, followed by Vick, and then Muir. The three males finished their meals quickly and eagerly.
"Can I have a second?" Bai asked with pleading eyes, "I will wash the dishes and clean the kitchen afterward."
I gave her a nod as I started eating my meal. Before Bai could stand up and take the trio's bowls to fill them with a second serving, I stopped her.
"It's for us, not them. They can hunt for themselves." I firmly said, "Just clean the dishes as you promised."
The trio didn't argue with me, but their disappointed expressions were clear.
After the meal, I decided to go for a walk.
Bai wanted to follow me, but I refused and left her with the chores.
╔═══ Author's note ════╗The Ape King got a hold of an emerald, and I wonder how it will change the course of the story. •ᴗ•I thought it would be nice to put some images of their little European Castle for better imagination.╚════════════════╝