Chapter 26: The minotaurs appear?

Chapter 26: The minotaurs appear?

[POV: Lumiere Venrite, bastard child]

I sat on the woven mat in my humble abode, with stacks of parchment piled up around me.

My office was far from fancy, but it was good enough for me to make it my own.

Although, I was convinced that it was a bit too small for Serena to run around in without knocking something over in the process.

I casually looked up from the scroll I was reading, as I heard her clanging wooden bowls from afar.

"(She must be making something delicious..)" (Lumiere)

I couldn't wait to finish all this reading and sink my teeth into the sumptuous feast she had been preparing for me.

The scrolls I was reading were incredibly mundane!

One of them was about the different varieties of mushrooms in the Great Forest, while the other spoke of the various insects that thrived in it.

Even the detailed instructions on how to make my own herbal remedy... ugh! If I'd known I would have been studying something as boring as this, I would have stayed in my fancy house in the royal capital.

But, this was what life in the Great Forest was all about - trailing frogs, day-old baguettes, and scrolls, lots of scrolls.

I had reached the end of another scroll about aquatic creatures in a nearby lake, when I heard Serena call out to me, "Master Lumiere, the food is ready!".

Finally, some entertainment.

I slipped into my ragged slippers, made by our "skilled" grygans, before stepping out of my office building. I made my way to the recently constructed building - the kitchen house, where the scent of something delectable wafted through my nostrils.

The kitchen was the heart of our community, where our "master" chefs whipped up mouthwatering meat dishes for all.

However, Fasit, the chieftess of the grygans, had issued an order that no one should eat there when I, the village chief, was present. But I never really cared about that.

"Hey, boss, you're here!" Mojito, the lively leader of our security team, jumped up from his spot and gave me a bear hug. "We're just discussing our new training regime over a cup of herbal tea." He handed me a steaming cup, and I took a sip. It tasted like a blend of mint and lemon.

"I'd be happy to listen," I said, taking in the surroundings of the kitchen house.

The earthy smell of the soil mixed with the sweet scent of spices floating from the cauldrons.

Sangria, the leader of our hunting team, sat elegantly, sipping her tea with her bow and arrow strapped to her back. Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders, concealing her face, adding an air of mystery around her.

Old man Martini, the veteran of our builders' team, sat on a high earthen platform supervising a grygan working on building a new wooden pot.

We really did need iron, this wasn't going to cut it.

Old man Martini noticed me glancing around and asked, "Would you like to have something to eat, chief?"

"Absolutely, Serena has prepared something for me," I said, relaxing into the earthen platform. "Stay, don't worry Fasit's rule doesn't apply to me. You aren't much of a distraction," I joked.

Martini and Mojito laughed, and even Sangria cracked a small smile.

As I waited for my food, I used [Earth Magic] to create my own sitting spot and asked Mojito about the new training routine.

"Well, boss, we were thinking of adding blue snake hunting to our daily routine. You know, just to add a little spice to our mundane assignments," Mojito said excitedly.

From the sound of how excited he was, I could imagine everyone chasing after some poor blue snake screaming like little girls. Oh, what a sight that would be!

I couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of our security team running after a blue snake, their usual serious demeanor abandoned in favor of pure adrenaline-fueled excitement.

"I like the idea, Mojito. Blue snake hunting could be a great way to keep everyone sharp and on their toes," I said.

Sangria chimed in, "Plus, it could also help us learn more about the blue snakes in our surrounding areas and potentially find new resources or opportunities."

True, their scales did have value.

Martini, who had been quietly listening, nodded in agreement. "It could also be a good way to test out our new traps."

As we talked more about the idea, I could see the enthusiasm growing in everyone's eyes. It was clear that they were all ready for a new challenge and adventure.

I chuckled as I sat at the kitchen table with my subordinates, Sangria, Old man Martini, and Mojito.

Mojito was in the middle of recounting one of his many non-existent adventures when I caught a whiff of something delicious - my lunch, prepared by my lovely partner, Serena.

As she walked in with my meal, I couldn't help but feel my heart skip a beat. Even after all these years, she still had that effect on me.

"Thank you, Serena," I said as she placed the wooden bowl in front of me. Despite our limited resources, Serena always managed to make our meals taste like they were made in a grand castle.

Old man Martini, who was in the middle of sipping his tea, looked up and greeted Serena with a smile. "You really outdid yourself this time, Lady Serena. Everything looks and smells amazing!"

Sangria nodded in agreement, "Your cooking skills are truly something to behold." Her voice was quite formal and indifferent.

Mojito, always the jester, leaned in with a grin, "Lord Lumiere's so lucky to have you, Lady Serena. Who needs a steel pot when you've got a wooden bowl full of love, right?"

I felt my cheeks heat up as Serena gave me a quick peck on the cheek.

"Oh?! It seems the boss is blushing, how cute!" (Mojito)

Before I could say anything, Mojito's joke prompted me to do something about it.

I activated my [Water Magic] and a small wave of water formed in my hand. Focusing my energy, I blasted Mojito with a powerful wave of water that sent him flying out of the kitchen house, sputtering and coughing.

Old man Martini burst out laughing while Sangria just took another sip of her tea, unfazed.

"Remind me not to make any more jokes," Mojito grumbled as he picked himself up from the ground.

Serena just smiled at me, "Don't worry, my lord. I think it was worth it."

We all shared a laugh, enjoying the company and the delicious food.

As I ate, I couldn't help but feel grateful for everything in my life - my friends, my love, and the magic that allowed me to protect what was important to me.

But that would soon change...

As I sat with my subordinates, enjoying another meal made by Serena, one of the grygans from the security post came looking for me. I waved in greeting and he bowed respectfully before informing me of a slight problem.

My companions, Sangria, Old man Martini, and Mojito, furrowed their brows in surprise as he explained that there was a minotaur envoy outside the village.

Mojito looked worried, "Minotaurs? They can be very troublesome people. This doesn't sound good."

The rest of us agreed silently, except for Serena, who asked, "Why is this a problem? Aren't we supposed to be helping each other out?"

Old man Martini shook his head, "It's not that simple, Lady Serena. Minotaurs can be difficult to deal with, especially if they're here to demand something."

I sighed, already anticipating the headache that was bound to ensue. "You're right. We should go see what they want."

Serena grabbed my hand and I felt a sense of calm wash over me.

She often showed such displays of affection in public, and I appreciated it always.

Mojito trailed closely behind us, always dutiful in keeping the village safe. n0velUSb.c0m

We made our way towards the minotaur envoy, and Fasit asked to accompany us as she knew just how troublesome it could be to converse with minotaurs.

I agreed, grateful for her help as we approached the envoy. They were a towering group, each one exuding a strong presence that made it clear they were not to be underestimated. I tried to keep a calm expression on my face as I spoke with their leader, but inside I was a mess.

"You must be the underlings," the leader rumbled. "We come in peace, but we have business with your village."

I tensed, knowing that this was only the beginning. "What kind of business?" I asked.

In my opinion, this would only end in one possible way... a battle.