Chapter 231: Deceiving the cook

The people in the colony within the Great Walls were quite busy just like most of them always were every day since the very first announcement of the Hunter's Tournament. The Wizard set the tournament, knowing that it was quite a profitable event but he had no idea the people would take it so seriously. 

The people had gone quite poor again, and the economy grew unstable as people failed to comply with the Wizard's tax system by leaving their duties and showing a strong reluctance for labor and agriculture. This quickly spelled a shortage in food and laborers. The former was much more of a problem within these walls, especially when the fact that one of the major places to purchase food was gone. People in the village was shocked to see that the Inn was in ruins.

Food was not the sole monumental problem for the residents of the colony as many outsiders sought to the leverage the opportunities that the tournament opened. The outsiders schemed conspiracies against the colony and even residents were planning to commit deeds of deviance. Others ... were merely training.

***

It was once again for morning in the colony. 

Jin sat down at the dinner table in his house. 

Kaylie was seated in the living room with Franklin. They were both stuffing their mouths. Strangely, she never liked eating at the table—something about it good posture being too "painful" for her. When she had seen Jin come home yesterday, she was a bit shaken by his presence or rather dazed by his pulchritude. 

"What are you doing in the kitchen over there?" Kaylie asked in the distance.

"Isn't obvious?" Jin smirked.

"We don't use that table anymore," Kaylie said, "so get outta there and allow the spiders to emphasize the fact that it's obsolete."

Jin simply leaned back, reclining the chair and even making himself even more comfortable. "Some pancakes would be quite preferred."

"I'm not making you any pancakes," Kaylie snapped.

"Then a nice chocolate cake since you opted to do the harder thing," Jin said. 

Kaylie got out of her seat. "See what I mean, Frank? This guy is a menace to society."

Franklin looked over at Jin. "Much expected of Loki's successor, must I say."

Jin looked over at Kaylie for the first time since he'd sat down at the table. "How about you make me something to eat Kaylie?"

Kaylie furrowed her brows. "I'm not cooking you anything for the last time!" She walked into the kitchen and began to stare at Jin in the face.

Jin retained his smirk.

Her face softened a bit, and she shifted on her feet, straightening her posture. "You're lucky you're so damn hot." She frowned.

Jin deliberately stood. There was a sheer bit of arrogance on his face as he turned to Kaylie. He started inching toward her on his feet but had kept his nose looking down at her.

She retracted her head a trifle.

Franklin's eyes widened. "Hey, you two," he said, "you better not forget I'm in this house with you before you decide to get into action."

Jin stopped when he was right in front of her. He looked down at her and then at her face again. Finally, he placed a hand upon her face. 

She flinched, but then found herself at ease. Though, her anxiety rose. Her cheeks flushed. Sheer fright in her attentive eyes.

Jin suddenly clutched a hand around her throat, and pulled her toward him. Her lips met his. Then, he quickly slipped his tongue between her lips and into her mouth. Kaylie's eyes widened. 

Their tongues intertwined, and then locked. They slid them atop each other. Their faces subtly moved in an almost circular motion as they shared a kiss.

She closed her eyes. 

Jin then pulled away from her. 

Kaylie quickly took a step back with sheer embarrasent on her face. She then clasped her hands behind her back, and averted her gaze. Her face was redder than a rose freshly picked from a garden.

Jin's eyes began to glow green. "Look me in the eyes, Kaylie."

Kaylie hesitated. But she slowly found herself lost in those radiating eyes of his. A breath was taken away from her.

"Tell me you love me," Jin said.

"I—," she stuttered, "I love you ... I always have."

"You are mine, Kaylie," Jin said, "but I ... I'm not yours. Savvy?"

Kaylie's lips parted. She nodded.

"From today," Jin said, an aura leaving his eyes, "you cook for me."

"Of course," Kaylie's eyes flashed green in an instant, "I'm your cook. I've always loved cooking for you," she averted her eyes once more, "so that I could've gained your attention. That's the only thing I could've done for your hard-earned attention, after all. Maybe this is what I am," she smiled, "I'm ... your cook."

Jin smirked. "Yes."

Kaylie turned around. "I'll be making you some apple pies and a big chocolate cake. We're low on food—but I'll make something of it."

Jin watched as she walked away.

[Effect: Deceptive Delusion]

Still smirking, Jin walked back over to the table and sat with his feet atop with, and his backside on the lurching chair.

Little did he know, Kai had seen it all.

He entered the kitchen, and looked Jin right in the eyes. 

Jin turned his head to see him. "Oh, it's you, Kai. Where've you been?"

"Are you and my sister a couple now?" Kai grimaced.

"We aren't."

"You just kissed my sister!" Kai snapped.

"I did it to get her baking." 

Kai snarled. "You bastard!"

"Her saliva is amazing," Jin said.

Kai was about to attack but relented, taking a step back instead. "I've made up my mind. I want that rematch today."

"Sure," Jin said, "but I'm only available tomorrow. Today, I eat everything in the house."

"Huh?"

"We'll fight tomorrow," Jin smiled, "if that's what you want."

Kai furrowed his brows at Jin again.

Jin scoffed. "You honestly think I like your sister?"

"Let me see," Kai placed a hand on his chin and shifted on his feet, "you just tongue wrestled her, and complimented her saliva—you're totally not in love with my sister, Jin. Not at all."

Jin turned his head to look at Kai. "You honestly think I like your sister?" He repeated. This time, his eyes were flaring green. 

Kai quailed. Those weren't lying eyes. They were impenetrable. Kai's doubts wavered until he averted his gaze. "So you're saying you kissed my sister to get her to bake for you? I mean, she always had a crush on you. But not cool, man—not cool."

Jin looked away. "Man's gotta do what he's gotta do. I apologize though."

"Thanks for at least doing that," Kai said.

"I apologize for putting your sister under a spell," Jin said.

"Oh please," Kai scoffed. "You're getting cocky in your looks nowadays, aren't you?"

Jin looked at him, cocked his head, closed his eyes and smiled.

Kai sat down at the table. "Hey, Kaylie? Could you bake some extra for me and my apprentice?"

"I only bake for Jin! I am Jin's cook."

Kai looked at Jin. "Geez. I'm beginning to think you really put her under a spell." He tittered.

Jin simply gave him another smile.

"So what have you been up to?" Kai asked. "Haven't heard from you in a while."

"I've been busy," Jin said. "You? How's your apprentice and the whole mentorship thing treating you?"

"Ohh," Kai said, "my apprentice is quite mature. He knows exactly what he has to do. BUT ..." Kai frowned instantly, "he's lazy. He only talks, never actually putting in the effort. Just a mouth. And your apprentice?"

"He's probably dead," Jin said.

"God's bone, Jin," Kai eyes widened, "you killed your apprentice? Didn't you get a kid!"

"No," Jin said, "he got himself killed. He's at the hospital right now. Something about poison."

"Damn," Kai said, "my condolences if he actually dies. If it's an ability, it's likely that you could have the owner reverse it or something—I don't know much about abilities, clearly."

Jin sighed. "Mhm." 

"You're not gonna let the kid die," Kai looked him in the eyes, " are you?" 

"Depends on my mood," Jin said.

"What?" Kai grimaced. "It's a kid man though. I mentor some grown lazy ass man. You're lucky. If his twin hears he's dead, he's not gonna get over it, you know. Those two look like they hate each other, but they are like love birds, to be honest with you.

"I think we all do that at some point in our lives. We actually love our rivals. Those twins are something else. I'm being completely honest. They've run the farms for a while, doing all the hard work. They came in handy back then. 

"When they signed up to become apprentices, the villagers were all down about it. I've known the kids for a while too. It'll hurt me to know he's died before achieving his dream of becoming the greatest at everything. Or rather it'll pain me to know that he never got to discover the truth about that dream.

"Also, if you lose him—you lose your chances."

"What chances?"

"You don't know?" Kai raised a brow. "First, apprentices fight each other, and then Hunters fight Hunters. And then, there'll be a special match where Hunters and their apprentices duo up to fight other duos. You won't be qualified for that match if you don't have a—"

"I'll pay him a visit today." Jin said.

"Glad I encouraged you," Kai said.

"You didn't encourage me."

"Totally did."

"Didn't."

"You're making me want that rematch so badly."

Jin smirked. "Not like you're gonna win or anything so ..." he trailed off.

"If I win," Kai said, "I'll be SS-rank, wouldn't I? That would be amazing. I hear Hunters at that caliber are treated like Gods. Actually, I didn't hear that. I just know that. It's quite obvious, really."

Jin smirked.