Chapter 988 Chapter 987: Chatting With The In-Laws
We all watched as the Demoness loaded her plate up with the traditional grilled chicken dish that the man had prepared, Anput raising a brow and sharing a glance with her Mother as they both grew more and more amused at her actions, while I just sighed quietly and began to scoop some rice out for myself, deciding to treat this meal similarly to how I ate at the Empire.
The cuisines were able to be prepared similarly enough - instead of pasta, they had rice, and just like with a chicken parmesan I could lather the rice in sauce and layer some meat on top of it to create my own dish.
Then there was the delectable naan that was waiting to be used as the shell for a wrap if I wanted it to become a new dish as well, or I could simply eat it as is and enjoy the fluffy bread on its own, what with its oil infused crust and impeccable flavors from the herbs that it had been baked with.
There were so many combinations with the ingredients on this table, and I was more than aware that grabbing a plate of chili and cumin infused chicken was not the greatest idea for my stomach when the hottest things I had been eating had been crushed pepper and a few other spices...
But, this was a learning moment for the Demoness I loved so dearly, so I remained quiet about what was a rather bold and arguably a terrible idea and instead began to dig in to my own meal, sating my hunger with the fragrant rice and delicious curry, all while the natives to the Sultanate remained quiet as well.
Lady Kio was smiling slightly as she watched Jahi take a big bite of the grilled chicken that had a rather noticeable red tinge to its flesh, while the Sultana passed plates around for the pups, who were all mimicking their Mother as they stared at the Demoness. Read latest chapters at novelhall.com
Leone too had paused for a moment, but seeing that I had begun to eat she just shrugged and got her own plate together, though she observed how Jahi's blue face darkened a few seconds after that chicken hit her tongue, and how swiftly her eyes began to water as she reached for her glass.
"Ah, bad idea. Here..."
Anput decided to help somewhat with this, the Jackalkin taking Jahi's glass and pouring some lemon juice into it before handing it back, something that Lady Kio found unsatisfying as she sighed and muttered "Should've let her suffer and learn like the rest of us..."
The Demoness didn't hear her though as she started to gulp down her water, trying desperately to wash away the heat that permeated her head and tongue, this new palate choice surprising her body immensely as her cheeks continued to flush, turning her skin purple.
"Does lemon actually work? I never really tried it - since we don't have anything this spicy that I deem worth making - but I had heard that acidic things help alleviate the heat? I know in some places its really popular to have milk afterwards, but..."
Even if the words that came out of her mouth were "Batul, stop letting the curry drip onto your chin! You're old enough to know how to eat!", her eyes were still rather warm, but the moment she noticed that I was observing her, she turned towards me and snapped "What?", that warmth leaving her eyes instantly.
"Nothing. Just thinking, Lady Kio. I'm curious about the woman my Mother spent some time with in the Academy."
She snorted and looked away, mild disdain filling her obsidian eyes as she said "Well, don't be. Whatever your Mother can do, I can do better, and she knows it. Better grades, better family, better skills!"
"I believe that would mean you don't have a better personality, Kio... Miss Julie was rather-"
"Hah?!"
Glaring at her wife, Lady Kio sneered at the Sultana and almost snarled as she said "She was rather what?!", which made her wife sigh and remain quiet, letting her simmer in her own anger for the moment.
"Why were you and Mother always... butting heads together? It doesn't really make much sense, especially now. You were both next in line for your respective Packs, yes, but that doesn't mean you needed to harbor animosity towards one another, especially since the Zara and Sera Packs were neutral to one another."
"Bah, what the hells would you know... You were never directly compared to someone else, told that they did this better, that they had higher hopes for this thing... Your stint in the Academy was what, a single semester? You didn't see how harsh it can be, how much is required of you in order to pass. Add onto that the pressure of your Pack as they judge you from afar... of course I disliked the bitch!"
Even as she said that, Lady Kio leaned back in her chair and looked towards the windows, staring out over the city and falling quiet as her dark eyes filled with memories, but just like I had come to expect her mercurial personality caused her to return to being annoyed as she added "Especially not after that day; I owed her for it, even if I hated it, and then I owed her again since she helped me figure out who the hell had drugged me! Just thinking about it pisses me off again!"
Grinding her teeth together, the Dogkin was about to say something else when another servant entered the dining hall, this one female and quite beautiful too, and as soon as she entered she smiled, her expression warming and lighting up as she said "Begum Anput! You've returned!"
Such a proclamation was of course warranting the scrutiny of Leone, Jahi and I, so we turned towards Anput and inspected the expression she wore, the surprise and recognition in her eyes causing us to narrow ours as we wondered how she 'knew' this servant...