Chapter 88: For a Sensitive Stomach, Eat Sothing Soft
By the ti the Magi-Engineering Application class ended the next morning, it was already close to noon.
Ryan packed up his notes and politely declined Professor Ferguson’s invitation for a further discussion on an energy circuit optimization issue—once the professor’s mind started wandering, he could drag anyone into a conversation until evening—and quickly headed back to Silver Fir House.
Before reaching the door of room 207, he saw an unusual sight.
Cosette was standing outside, her body slightly turned, pressing against the door. Her hands were absently twisting the edge of her apron, her head occasionally swiveling to glance down the corridor, looking like a young bird on alert outside an unfamiliar nest.
When Ryan’s figure appeared at the end of the hallway, her hazel eyes suddenly brightened. She almost ran toward him on tiptoe, her steps clearly hurried and flustered.
“Master, Master!” She lowered her voice, grabbing the sleeve of Ryan’s coat with a chill in her fingertips. “Just now... just now...”
“What happened?” Ryan stopped and looked down at her. Cosette’s small face was tense, with tiny beads of sweat even appearing on her nose.
“There was soone, soone brought... brought this thing over.” She pointed with a trembling hand to the door. “A huge box! The person was wearing black, expressionless, their speech so stiff. They told to make sure it got into Viscount Velt’s hands, and then just left... It was... so scary.” She added nervously, “I thought... I thought it was soone seeking revenge, or maybe sothing bad.”
Ryan furrowed his brows and opened the door.
The light inside the room was blocked by an object that occupied most of the desk.
It was a rectangular box, roughly 70 cm long, 50 cm wide, and 30 cm tall, tightly wrapped in a layer of heavy, deep black fabric.
The fabric was not ordinary cotton or linen. It had a faint, muted sheen, and upon closer inspection, one could make out extrely fine silver runes woven into the texture, forming an invisible barrier—this was high-quality demon-sealing fabric, used to seal away magical aura, prevent mana detection, and block external contamination.
Common households might not even have seen such material before.
“What... what is this, Master?” Cosette followed closely behind Ryan, her gaze curious yet fearful, locked on the black box emitting such a rare aura.
Ryan didn’t imdiately respond. He walked over, his fingers brushing over the surface of the demon-sealing fabric. The fabric felt cool and supple, and the rune threads seed to pulse under his fingertips, almost alive.
He found a fold and untied a dark silver string, then slowly pulled the thick fabric back.
What he expected—dangerous items, magical traps, or warning symbols—didn’t appear.
What was revealed instead was a large box made entirely of so dark hardwood, the edges wrapped in brass reinforcents.
The box had no family crest or markings, only a simple geotric relief on the lid. As Ryan’s fingers touched the copper latch on the edge of the lid, a rich, mixed aroma of oils, spices, and natural ingredients imdiately surged from the almost-opened gap.
Click.
The lid was completely opened.
Instantly, a rich, layered scent of heat and flavor filled the room, pushing away the usual slls of the cafeteria’s bland stews and bread.
Inside the box were several layers, each separated by finely crafted partitions. The top layer held the main course: a whole rack of ribs, roasted to a golden brown with the skin crisp and sizzling, the caral-colored sauce thick and rich, dotted with plump roasted garlic.
Next to it was a whole stead silver-scaled fish, drizzled with lemon juice and sprinkled with herbs, its eyes clear and its flesh white and delicate. There was also a serving of baked snails, smothered in rich cheese and garlic butter.
The middle layer held sides: glistening roasted mushrooms, sprinkled with coarse sea salt and rosemary; asparagus drenched in amber sauce, crunchy and dripping with juice; a small pile of golden fried potato wedges, crispy at the edges, releasing the sweet scent of potatoes.
The bottom layer even held soup and dessert: creamy white mushroom soup in a heated clay pot, and small cakes dusted with fresh berries and powdered sugar, looking as delicate as snowflakes.
Each dish was presented like a work of art, with generous portions, and the colors, aroma, and presentation highlighted the expensive ingredients and superb culinary skills. This was a level of quality far beyond the academy’s cafeteria or any ordinary restaurant.
Cosette, who had been tense and nervous, couldn't help but sniff the air as soon as the box opened.
The rich fragrance—she had only ever faintly slled sothing similar when passing by the academy’s most expensive Golden Oak Leaf Restaurant. Now, it overwheld her senses without restraint.
She subconsciously swallowed, her eyes glued to the golden, tempting ribs and the snow-white fish belly. Her mouth even parted slightly, and a bead of drool almost escaped. She suddenly snapped back to reality, hurriedly wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, her cheeks flushing red.
“Th... this... such delicious food...” she mumbled, her voice full of disbelief. “Where... where did this co from? How... how expensive must this be?”
Ryan looked at the grand al in front of him, then at his little maid, who was clearly distracted by the sight of the food yet still trying to hold herself back. He couldn't help but smile.
“Do you want to eat it?” he asked.
“Huh?” Cosette froze for a mont, looking up at him in confusion.
“Then eat it.” Ryan pulled two chairs over and sat down himself. “You haven’t had lunch yet, right? This will be lunch for today.”
“C... can we?” Cosette was even more confused, her fingers nervously wringing together. “Master, did they... send this to the wrong place? Why... why did it co to us? And... this looks... so expensive!”
As Ryan’s personal maid, Cosette was no longer the little holess girl who once thought a silver coin was a fortune.
After Ryan had given her the responsibility of shopping for daily necessities, she had quickly learned the prices at the academy.
Here, most students ca from noble families, and many spent money as if it were water. A decent al outside the cafeteria could cost 20 or 30 silver coins.
anwhile, after deducting tuition fees, Ryan only had 20 gold coins available for this sester.
The two of them had been pinching pennies, relying on the free als from the cafeteria and occasionally buying cheap ingredients to improve their als.
It wasn’t until Ryan started earning a little extra from repairing magic tools that the situation slightly improved, but even after deducting the cost of materials, his monthly net inco was only about 3 or 4 gold coins.
This large box in front of them... the silver-scaled fish alone must be worth more than a gold coin! Not to ntion the other dishes that all looked very expensive.
This was practically gold lted into food!
Cosette was still stunned by the astronomical cost of the al when Ryan had already picked up the delicate silver utensils accompanying the box, spearing a piece of tender fish and taking a bite. He nodded.
“It’s good. Eat. It’s been sent for us.” His tone was casual. “From now on, soone will deliver als like this every day at noon. You won’t need to go to the cafeteria for lunch anymore.”
“Eh? What? Why?” Cosette was completely shocked, her little brain unable to process it.
No need to go get lunch? Her first reaction wasn’t the relief of having less work, but a strange panic, as if she was about to be replaced.
She suddenly rushed to Ryan’s side, tightly grabbing his arm, her eyes brimming with tears. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Master! Master, don’t leave Cosette! I’ll work hard! I eat very little! I’ve learned a lot of words recently, I can help you organize your notes! Master, don’t look for soone else... Wuu…”
Ryan was taken aback by her sudden, intense reaction, then couldn’t help but laugh. He put down his utensils and reached up to rub her fluffy head, the gesture a little gentler than usual.
“What are you thinking with that little head of yours?” he said helplessly. “This food was sent by soone else, I’ve made arrangents with them. They’ll be bringing us lunch every day. Don’t overthink things.”
“I don’t have anyone else but you as my maid.”
He then casually speared a piece of the plump fish belly, white and tender, without any bones, and held it up to Cosette’s slightly parted lips.
Cosette was still dazed by his words, her face flushed, and before she could react, the fish, scented with lemon and herbs, was already at her lips.
Her lips closed instinctively, and the warm, delicate taste spread through her mouth instantly.
This top-tier flavor, never before experienced, combined with the impact of being fed by her master, left her face flushed red as if it had been painted with the color of embarrassnt and surprise.
She quickly lowered her head, her long lashes trembling rapidly as she chanically chewed, unsure if she was savoring the expensive fish or the faint sweetness that had quietly arisen in her heart.
Ryan didn’t pay attention to her little actions. He withdrew the fork and, without a care, cut a piece of crispy, saucy rib and popped it into his mouth.
The richness of the fat, the complex aroma of spices, and the natural savor of the at exploded on his taste buds.
He chewed, admitting that, despite his usual view that spending large amounts of money on food was an inefficient use of resources, this was... undeniably delicious.
Delicious to the point that it could relax any tense nerves, if only for a mont.
After swallowing the fish, Cosette’s tense shoulders finally relaxed. She sniffed, hurriedly wiping away the remaining tears on her face with her sleeve, her cheeks still bright red, uncertain whether it was from earlier excitent or the current embarrassnt.
She lowered her head and sat properly in another chair, hands on her lap, back straight, like a soldier awaiting formal orders.
“Eat,” Ryan said simply, gesturing toward the full box of food.
“Y... Yes!” Cosette imdiately picked up her portion of silverware, her fingers still trembling slightly.
She carefully speared a small golden fried potato wedge and took a bite. The crispy outer shell cracked between her teeth, and the soft, warm interior carried the sweet, salty flavor of the potatoes.
Her eyes instantly lit up, like stars being lit, the previous panic and confusion temporarily forgotten.
Master and maid silently enjoyed the extravagant al that had seemingly fallen from the heavens.
The flavors were indeed impeccable, every bite overturning their past experience of ager als.
Though the portions were large, they chewed slowly and savorily, eventually finishing about two-thirds of the food, both feeling slightly dazed and full, unable to finish it all.
Cosette let out a small, satisfied burp, then quickly covered her mouth, her ears turning bright red.
Her eyes, however, couldn’t help but glance at the lower layer of the box, where the delicate little cakes decorated with fresh berries and snow-like sugar lay untouched.
Her gaze was like a child eyeing a beloved toy but too shy to ask for it.
Ryan put down his silver fork with a light clink, following her gaze. He reached over and took the small plate with the cakes, sliding it toward Cosette.
“Eat them,” he said. “Don’t waste them.”
Cosette’s eyes went wide as she stared at the cakes, then at Ryan. Under his gaze, she picked up a small silver spoon, carefully scooping a piece of cake with berries and taking a bite.
The cream was sweet but not overwhelming, the cake light and fluffy, and the berries’ slight tartness perfectly balanced the sweetness... She closed her eyes in happiness, savoring each small bite, eating with utmost reverence.
If most people on the continent worshipped the Holy Church, then this little maid was now likely worshipping the Church of Cream.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, looking at the chaotic scene on the table—by their past standards, this was practically the aftermath of a feast.
It was all the work of Princess Cecilia. Or rather, her first tangible proof that her claim of sponsoring Ryan wasn’t empty words.
From today onward, his als would be provided by people arranged by the princess, with top-notch nutrition, portioning, and flavors that would be adjusted to his preferences.
Not only that, but the princess had also imdiately sent a bag of exactly 100 gold coins—no more, no less.
This was already a substantial sum. Even the children of earls at the academy would typically have a living allowance of around 50 or 60 gold coins per sester after tuition fees. This was more than enough to live comfortably at the academy.
Ryan, on the other hand, had been getting by on just 20 gold coins, scraping through the sester.
This 100 gold coins, along with the luxurious lunch, silently declared that the sponsorship had begun, and the cooperation had entered its substantial phase.
In a way, Ryan Velt was indeed now eating the soft rice provided by the princess.
He glanced at Cosette, who was blissfully eating the cake, the expression of satisfaction clearly written across her face.
Her earlier panic had been soothed by the food, and perhaps other emotions were also stirring inside her, but at least for now, she was calm.
This was quite a nice perk of cooperation, wasn’t it?
The afternoon sun outside was perfect, streaming through the windows and casting bright patches of light in the room still filled with the lingering scent of food.
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