Nighttime Encounters - Chapter 29
[Be careful, Rosia.]
Hearing Luperne’s warning, Trinity lifted her head and looked ahead. A neatly uniformed servant was walking in front of her. Trinity bowed to the servant and casually brushed past him.
Only after the echoing sound of footsteps faded away did she whisper softly to herself, “As the heir to the Calskronin Ducal House, I was worried he’d have a taste for very expensive and fancy food.”
To captivate the man who took the hair ribbon, she grabbed hold of the spirit hovering around the man and probed. What kind of food does the young master Calskronin like? Even to the mediator Rosiana, the spirit wasn’t so eager to answer her.
“There will be no threat to his life,” assured Rosia. “I’m just to get my hair tie back without causing too much trouble.Perhaps this might be an opportunity for you as well. An opportunity to tell him how you feel.”
Rosia continued to urge them. “If you cooperate this time, I’ll protect you from evil spirits. Isn’t that a lot to ask for a useless hair tie?”
The answer, which Rosia had only managed to extract through persistence, threats, and the assurances of Luperne, guardian spirit of the Escalona Empire, was surprisingly simple.
“Chicken soup.”
It might be time-consuming and laborious, but it wasn’t expensive. She had to wake up early in the morning to prepare the food, nonetheless.
After walking for a while, Trinity halted in front of a certain door. Pushing it open, Trinity frowned. The bright light from the bustling hallway streamed through the open doorway. Unlike the servant corridors, the main hallway was lavishly decorated. Golden candle holders etched with angels, elegant wallpaper adorned with vines, and scattered marble sculptures adorned the hallway.
Struggling against the unfamiliar brightness, Trinity hastened her steps down the corridor. The opulent crimson carpet lining the corridor muffled the sound of footsteps entirely. It was late at night, so no one was coming or going..
“Did he eat what I gave him?”
[Yes, Roselia’s guardian confirmed it. He ate everything, not a morsel left.]
Trinity breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness.”
She hadn’t lied to the man. Since the crack of dawn, she had personally handled the chicken, making the broth herself. She meticulously tore the scalding hot chicken into pieces, ensuring it was perfectly suited for consumption. From trimming the vegetables to simmering them in the broth, it was a level of dedication that might have been challenging even for a beloved partner. Even now, she felt like sweating when she thought about the trouble she went through to make the soup for that jerk.
“It was worth it.”
Luckily, Master Calskronin ate it.
However…
“You said you only ate the chicken soup, leaving the other food untouched.”
As Trinity playfully bantered, Luperne’s voice trembled with anger.
[He knows nothing about the harmony of food. How dare he treat the dishes I developed as trash.]
Apart from the chicken soup, the other dishes were made following Luperne’s recipes. The food that Luperne claimed was a labor of love and that he had tried his best to feed Rosia.
“In the end, it wasn’t food fit for humans.”
Trinity giggled, and Luperne balled her fists.
[That ignorant Calskronin failed to understand my profound culinary philosophy.]
Luperne grumbled in frustration.
[Even if it seems like an odd combination, they say it’s fantastic when you taste it. Once I remake it and feed it to him…]
“He might just die.”
[Yes, he might.]
Luperne, who had been mindlessly parroting Rosia’s words, snapped.
[Die? What’s he going to die from? How can you say that without even trying it?]
“Do I really have to try it? Just by looking at it, I can roughly estimate.”
Trinity smirked and stopped walking. She looked at the ornately carved door and thought of the man beyond it. She didn’t approve entirely of that man, but refusing Luperne’s food had pleased her immensely.
“Sometimes, there are subtle connections that go unnoticed.”
At Trinity’s words, Luperne shouted in frustration.
[Rosia, even you. How could you trample on my feelings like this? Do you have any idea how much effort I put into developing that recipe?]
Trinity glanced casually at Luperne and declared, “Anyway, I made a promise to that spirit. I won’t take actions that endanger a man’s life.”
[Are you saying my food is life-threatening? I carefully select only the most nutritious, top-quality ingredients, meticulously research the appropriate ratios and blends…]
With Luperne’s rambling voice as background music, Trinity focused on the door.
“It doesn’t matter, as long as you eat your chicken soup.”
With a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, Trinity muttered softly, “Well, shall we get started then?”
It was time to retrieve the hair ribbon stolen by that man.
This time, the objective wasn’t about banishing spirits. It was about finding an item that gave her a reason to live. To Trinity, it was as crucial as getting rid of an evil spirit! She had to succeed, no matter what.
“Let’s find the hair ribbon quickly and escape.”
Trinity clenched her fist lightly, raising it with pursed lips.
Knock, knock.
She gently tapped on the door.
No answer.
Knock, knock.
The sound of clear wood echoed down the deserted hallway.
Trinity ran her tongue across her dry lips, counting the seconds.
“Laundry service,” Trinity whispered, low enough that the guests in the room would never hear her.
It was completely silent. Only then did she cautiously retrieve a key from her apron pocket. The silvery key’s reflection shimmered in Trinity’s crimson eyes. She didn’t want to use magic unnecessarily and have the man notice. So when she stole the maid’s clothes, she also stole the master key.
“He should know all the trouble he’s putting me through.”
Trinity tightly clutched the key and cautiously inserted it into the keyhole. With a subtle metal friction, the key met the lock, resonating with a click. As she turned the key, the handle rotated and the door swung open.
