However, deep in Monica's eyes, there was no trace of warmth that came from enjoying the food.
She was just eating as a routine, her eyes occasionally glancing out the window, her thoughts drifting back to the lingering smoke of war and the unfinished reckoning in the royal capital.
Leonard and Irina's blood debts had been paid, but Charles III's blood debt had not yet been settled.
Of course, it might be a bit far-fetched to put the blame of his father's blood debt on Charles III.
After all, Charles III may have wanted his father to take over the industry.
It was just that the fickle Irina hooked up with Leonard, which led to what happened later.
She personally executed Leonard and Irina, and the Church of Holy Light also noticed that Karl III was colluding with the orcs.
Even if she wanted to kill Karl III later, it would be impossible.
Because not only are there strong guards in the royal family, but the Church of Holy Light will also protect his life in secret.
Rape of a living person under surveillance is much more useful than rape of a dead person...
As Bellucci's temporary family, Monica has a lot on her mind, but it doesn't affect the rest of Mark's team who don't have much to worry about.
Anna quietly ate her portion of vegetable and fruit salad. The elf's keen sense of nature made her somewhat indifferent to these "perfect" but unnatural fruits and vegetables grown in the manor greenhouse.
Xiao Mu directly transformed himself into a silver goblet, standing quietly beside Mark's hand, with the rim of the cup moving slightly, as if curiously "sniffing" the faint aroma of food in the air.
Next to the dining table.
The butler, Old John, was wearing a neat black tuxedo, his silver hair neatly combed, and he stood not far behind Monica like a silent sculpture.
His eyes swept across the dining table calmly, taking in Mark and Enzo's awkwardness, his face expressionless.
But a barely perceptible tolerance for not observing aristocratic table etiquette seemed to be lingering in the air.
"Ahem," Mark cleared his throat, finally unable to hold it in any longer, and put down the exquisite silver spoon. "Monica, this... lunch is exquisite, but my stomach..."
He patted his abdomen.
"You know..."
Monica wiped the corner of her mouth with her napkin, her movements were impeccably graceful, and she looked up at Mark:
"Bruno, the manor's head chef, once served the nobles of the previous court, and his cooking skills are highly praised."
Her voice was calm, without any emotion, as if she was stating a fact that had nothing to do with her.
"I know, I know," Mark grinned, revealing his white teeth. "My cooking skills are definitely impeccable! But...how about this? I'd like to borrow your kitchen for the afternoon, and I'll take the trouble to cook for everyone. It'll be a way for you to thank Bellucci for taking me in!"
Butler Old John's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
Borrowing the kitchen? An adventurer of unknown origin?
This is simply a desecration of the Bellucci family kitchen temple!
What's more, letting guests cook is an insult to the nobles' dignity!
A very subtle smile seemed to flash across Monica's frozen face.
After two seconds of silence, she nodded slightly:
"Okay. John, take Mark to the kitchen and satisfy his request."
Her tone was still calm, but the command contained in it made the old butler unable to refuse.
"As you command, my lady."
Old John bowed, his voice slightly dry.
Manor kitchen, afternoon.
The kitchen in Bellucci Manor is surprisingly large. At least Mark has never seen such a luxurious kitchen since he came to the Holy Dragon Continent.
The polished marble countertops, the polished copper pots hanging on the walls, the huge fireplace, and the neatly arranged spices and ingredients all demonstrate the luxury of aristocratic life.
But at this moment, there is an extremely "lively" atmosphere here that is completely different from the past.
Mark seemed to be back at home, commanding with confidence.
Although the only people under his command were Enzo, the curious Anna, and a little Mu who pretended to be a child to help carry the food.
Yes, now Xiao Mu has mimicked a human form, but when there are no outsiders around, the human form it mimics is still translucent.
"Enzo! Split those shank bones! Lengthwise! Reveal the marrow! Anna, give me all those herbs! Angelica dahurica, Kaempferia galanga, white cardamom... yes! And the cracked tsaoko and nutmeg! Xiaomu, bring over those two buckets of boiled beef suet!"
Old John stood at the kitchen door with his arms folded and an expressionless face, as if he were overseeing a barbarian invasion.
He watched Mark direct Enzo to use a heavy hand axe to chop the incredibly thick cow leg bones. The bone marrow cavity was exposed to the air, emitting a primitive smell of fat.
Then Mark put the precious magic spices, the angelica dahurica that exudes a strange aura, the galangal that is filled with heat, and the white cardamom with an icy luster...
Together with the crushed cardamom and nutmeg, it is thrown into the pot of melted butter that emits a strong meaty aroma.
“Sizzle—!”
The spices instantly explode in the boiling butter, releasing an aroma that is so complex and overbearing that it is difficult to describe!
The strong spicy aroma mixed with the fat of bone marrow was like an invisible hammer, smashing into every corner of the kitchen!
This aroma is no longer simply spicy, but carries a deep, rich, soul-shaking meat temptation, as if awakening the most primitive desire for fat and strength deep in the blood!
"Cough cough! Ugh..."
Old John was caught off guard and was dizzy and his stomach was churning from the violent "bone marrow spice magic".
He covered his mouth and nose tightly, staggered back, his face pale as paper, as if he saw the furnace of hell ignited in the kitchen.
Using the nobles' precious spices and the vulgar beef bones!
Not to mention that there is no precedent of eating bones in the dietary habits of the Kingdom of Karl.
Even the human kingdom under the rule of the Holy Light Church does not have this custom.
He really didn't know that his young lady had met such a group of wild friends after being away for a few years.
Even the elf lady who was supposed to be more noble in the legend seemed a little too casual!
And they prepared so many magical spices in the kitchen. Are they trying to summon some evil god in the manor kitchen?!
Enzo, however, took a deep breath and closed his eyes in ecstasy: "Hiss... smells so good! It's so damn overbearing! This is the smell of eating meat!"
He felt the blood in his body heating up.
Anna wrinkled her delicate nose and quickly cast a circle of natural magic barrier around herself, exclaiming: "This magical spice scent mixed with bone marrow oil... Such active life force! Mark, is this really... something we can eat?"
She felt the natural magic tremble slightly.
When I saw Mark using these magic spices before, he never mixed them all together like this.
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