As the stew was brought to the table, the potato pie—baked again using the leftover ingredients from the cheese and potato pie—and the baguette also came out of the oven.
Caesar looked at the girl sitting at the table and couldn't help but frown in confusion. She had noticed her hovering around Andrew earlier but hadn't expected to see her at their meal.
For some reason, an inexplicable discomfort began to well up inside her. Caesar stared at Jane and asked:
"And you are?"
Hearing the faint trace of hostility in Caesar's tone, the corner of Jane's mouth curled into a smirk.
'What a cute little girl. She really makes me want to tease her~'
But Jane wasn't the kind of meek girl who would falter at a simple question. Her eyes narrowed slightly as a seductive smile spread across her face.
"I'm just a traveler passing through Blazewood to refuel, that's all. Don't you mind me, okay~?"
Although her intuition screamed that this woman wasn't so simple, the Outer Ring was never short on people who appeared out of nowhere, so Caesar decided not to dwell on it.
With the fragrant and visually appealing feast laid before them, even the four members of the Sons of Calydon, who had been slumped in their chairs with no appetite, couldn't help but pick up their forks and spoons.
Caesar had always trusted Andrew's cooking skills. And even though she had just had a disastrous experience not long ago, his guarantee was enough for her. Without a hint of hesitation, she scooped up a large chunk of meat and put it in her mouth.
Unbeknownst to her, the other three members of the Sons of Calydon all waited quietly. Only after Caesar took a hearty bite of the stew and let out a gasp of delight did they relax and finally start eating.
Immediately, the pace of their eating quickened.
In any case, Andrew felt he had, in a way, tricked an innocent bystander, so he was feeling a bit apologetic.
And besides, he still remembered the girl's teasing words from earlier.
Thus, Andrew placed a super-sized combination platter directly in front of Jane: a serving of stew, an entire cheese and potato pie, and a sliced baguette.
"Enjoy."
At Andrew's gesture, Jane looked at the astonishingly large portion in front of her, her expression one of surprise, though she quickly suppressed it.
A slight curve appeared on Jane's lips as she elegantly picked up her spoon, moving with the grace of a noble lady from some unknown house.
As she gently pressed the spoon against the beef, the perfectly cooked meat offered a slight, springy resistance.
When Jane took a bite, she had expected such a large piece of meat to be tough, but she was surprised to find that as her teeth closed, the beef parted cleanly, and its juices instantly flooded her mouth.
The flavor of the broth and the juices from the beef mingled perfectly on her palate.
At first, there was the subtle tang of sour cream, whetting her appetite without being overpowering, blending beautifully yet unobtrusively with the tartness of the cocoa from the small pieces of dark chocolate.
This made Jane, who hadn't felt particularly hungry, suddenly aware of the emptiness in her stomach.
The wine, despite the long cooking time, had not lost its rich aroma. The creaminess of the butter and the fresh fragrance of celery and carrots fused together, creating a complex but balanced profile.
The beef itself was incredibly tender thanks to the red wine, while the added cremini mushrooms and bacon lent the stew the fragrance of pork fat, a smoky aroma, and the umami sweetness of the fungi.
The nutty essence of the dark chocolate was also there, subtle but impossible to ignore.
The multitude of aromas complemented one another without a single clash, creating a wonderful sensation for anyone who smelled it.
This was a stew that would make anyone who tasted it involuntarily praise its deliciousness.
Paired with the freshly baked baguette, the bread, soaked in the rich broth, was so good that Jane couldn't help but take a few extra bites before finally looking up at Andrew.
"Well now, little brother. I have to say, your cooking skills are completely beyond my expectations~"
Her pink tongue darted out, deftly licking away the trace of sour cream from her lips, her eyes locked on Andrew's the entire time.
Then, Jane's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips curling into a smile.
"It's so delicious, I'll never be able to forget it. I think I might not be able to live without you after this. How about... you come with me?"
As she spoke, the smile on her face widened, as if she were genuinely inquiring about what to do next.
"Or... I could follow you around and be your little bed-warmer. That works too, you know~"
"B-Bed... what?!"
This time, even the incredibly dense Caesar was instantly flustered. She dropped her knife and shouted in disbelief.
Then, under the amused gazes of the other Sons of Calydon members, Caesar scrambled to position herself between Andrew and Jane, abandoning her half-eaten stew.
Having rushed to stand between them, Caesar turned back to Jane and said urgently:
"Y-Y-You! What are you suddenly saying?! Bed-warmer?! Even if there was one, it wouldn't be you!"
It wasn't just Caesar. Everyone in the Silver Squad, except for Soldier 11, instinctively looked up and stared at Jane. Although Belle kept her head down and didn't stop eating, her slowed movements betrayed her interest.
Looking at Caesar, whose face was bright red as her mind raced with who-knows-what, Jane lightly covered her lips with her hands and let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh my! It seems my services won't be needed. Looks like someone has already volunteered for the position. I didn't realize, little brother, you're quite the ladies' man~"
Nearby, Piper commented, her voice perfectly clear despite the spoon in her mouth.
"Whoa! I didn't know you were so bold, Caesar! Kids these days, am I right~?"
Beside her, Lighter pushed his sunglasses up with his index finger and chose to give his boss a big thumbs-up.
Hearing all this, Caesar's face exploded in crimson. The anger that had been rising just moments before vanished without a trace. Her thoughts ground to a complete halt, and whatever she had been about to say was instantly forgotten.
Her finger, still pointing at Jane, began to tremble. Utterly consumed by embarrassment, Caesar's mind was a chaotic mess. She could only stammer out a series of meaningless sounds while pointing back and forth between herself and Jane.
"Awawawa! Uwaaaawawaawaa!!!"
Seeing Caesar get so flustered over a single comment, Jane burst into cheerful laughter.
Watching Caesar, whose attack was low and whose defense was paper-thin, Andrew couldn't help but facepalm. She was being played like a fiddle by this girl.
Towards this girl who was clearly a black-bellied schemer deep down, Andrew just waved his hand dismissively.
"Making jokes like that isn't a good idea. And don't say I didn't warn you."
As he spoke, Andrew pushed the huge pile of food closer to Jane, a smile forming on his own face.
"All of this in front of you is yours. No wasting it, okay?"
Although Andrew had defused Jane's provocative words, Caesar, who had let out an unconscious sigh of relief, couldn't help but feel a tiny bit disappointed for some reason.
_____
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