The grand dining hall of the Grimclaw Palace was alive with the sounds of laughter and conversation. The long banquet table was filled with an extravagant feast—roasted ats, steaming vegetables, golden-brown pastries, and freshly baked bread. The rich aroma of seasoned dishes filled the air, making even the most disciplined of warriors eager to dig in.
At the head of the table, Ivy hesitantly picked up a fork and stared at the food in front of her—a beautifully plated fish cutlet, golden and crispy on the outside, with steam rising from the tender white at within.
Her crimson eyes shimred with curiosity as she took her first bite.
The mont the food touched her tongue, she froze.
Then—
She humd in pure delight, cupping her cheek with her left hand as the warmth of the dish spread through her body.
"It’s sooo good! I’ve never eaten anything like this before!" Ivy exclaid, her small body trembling with excitent.
Sitting beside her, Aiden chuckled, his expression filled with warmth as he reached out and patted her head.
"I told you, Ivy. From now on, you’ll have whatever you want." His voice was gentle, filled with an undeniable love that made her heart squeeze.
Ivy looked up at him with bright, thankful eyes before eagerly taking another bite.
Beside Aiden, Luna was already halfway through her own al, her fluffy wolf ears twitching in approval as she munched on a roasted leg of at.
"Princess," she suddenly spoke, glancing at Lysandra, who sat elegantly beside her, her golden hair cascading down her back, "who is the chef? This is the best food I’ve ever had!"
Lysandra, who had just taken a sip of her fruit wine, smirked in amusent. "I’m glad you like it!"
"Hah! Of course you do!" A younger voice chid in.
Everyone turned to Throk, the goblin prince, whose crimson eyes burned with pride. He placed a hand on his chest, grinning widely.
"Our palace has the best chef in all of Grimclaw Kingdom!" he declared, puffing out his chest.
Luna’s ears perked up, and she took another large bite, savoring the flavors before swallowing. "I might just believe you, Prince," she admitted, licking her lips.
"You better! Our royal chef trained for years to perfect his craft," Throk boasted.
Aiden chuckled. "You talk about him like he’s so kind of war hero."
Throk crossed his arms, nodding seriously. "In a way, he is! He fights in the kitchen so we can feast like kings!"
Lysandra rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. "Ignore my little brother. He can get... overdramatic sotis."
Throk gasped. "Onee-sama! My words hold only truth!"
Aiden, Luna, and even Lysandra laughed at his antics.
But then—
Aiden’s laughter slowly faded as he turned back to Ivy.
Sothing was different.
She was still eating, but her hand trembled slightly as she lifted another bite to her mouth.
Aiden’s eyes widened as he saw a single tear slip down her cheek.
Ivy blinked in confusion, pausing as she reached up to rub the tear away. But as soon as she did, another tear fell.
"Huh?" Ivy murmured softly, staring at her wet fingertips.
Her voice trembled.
"Why... am I crying?"
The room fell into a hushed silence.
Everyone’s eyes were on her.
Luna’s blue eyes softened, and her ears lowered slightly. Lysandra and Throk, who were usually lively, now watched her with quiet warmth.
Ivy stared at her own hands as more tears slipped down her face.
She wasn’t crying because of pain.
She wasn’t crying because of sadness.
She was crying because, for the first ti in her life...
She was happy.
Her crimson eyes, once filled with loneliness, now shimred with pure, overwhelming joy.
Aiden exhaled softly and reached out, gently running his fingers through her silky black hair.
"Ivy," he said gently, "you don’t have to hold it in."
Ivy turned to him, her lower lip trembling. "Onii-Chan... I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying..."
Aiden gave her the warst smile. "It’s alright. None of us are mad at you."
Ivy hesitated, then slowly looked around the table.
Lysandra, Luna, and Throk were all smiling at her—not with pity, but with genuine warmth.
Ivy’s breath hitched.
They didn’t think she was weak for crying.
They didn’t think she was a burden.
She had a place here.
Slowly, her lips curled into the cutest, most innocent smile.
It was so full of pure happiness that it lted everyone’s hearts.
Aiden chuckled, unable to resist. "That’s a good girl."
Then—
Pinch!
"Ouch!" Ivy yelped as Aiden pinched her cheek playfully.
"Now stop crying and eat. You need all the energy you can get," he teased. "You need to get strong like Luna Onee-chan over there."
Ivy blinked, looking at Luna, whose ears twitched in amusent.
The wolf girl smirked. "That’s right, Ivy. If you train hard enough, you’ll be as strong as !"
Ivy sniffled, then grinned. "You an it?!"
Luna nodded. "Of course! I’ll even train you myself if you want."
Ivy’s eyes sparkled with admiration. "I wanna be strong too! Just like you, Onee-chan!"
Luna froze.
For a mont, she just stared.
Then—
Her tail wagged furiously behind her.
"A-Ah..." Luna coughed into her fist, trying (and failing) to hide how happy she was. "Yes! That’s the spirit!"
Lysandra smirked. "You’re glowing."
Luna imdiately covered her face with her hands. "I am NOT!"
Throk snickered. "Luna Onee-chan, huh? Looks like you’re stuck with that na forever now!"
Luna groaned, but deep down, she didn’t mind at all.
anwhile, Ivy turned back to her plate, picking up her fork again.
This ti—
She ate not just to fill her stomach, but to fill her heart.
And as she took another delicious bite, her crimson eyes glead.
For the first ti in her life, she had a ho.
For the first ti in her life, she had a family.
And nothing in the world could ever take that away from her.
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END OF Chapter : 17 : A TASTE OF HAPPINESS!
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