Chapter 581

Chapter 581

Princess Mia’s Attempt to Win Over... Fails?

To ensure that Xiaolei did not escape, Mia, who had spectacularly lured Xiaolei with her horse-shaped bread, suggested that they have their meal together. Mia immediately took Xiaolei’s hand and led her towards the hot pot prepared by Anne.

The portable black horse-shaped bread was quite hard, so it was usually eaten after being soaked in soup or another liquid. As she saw the horse-shaped bread floating and soaking up the soup in the hot pot, Xiaolei let out a cute squeal of delight, but quickly composed herself.

“Hmm, hmm... It looks good, but there’s something missing.”

And then Xiaolei returned to her tent and quickly brought something back.

“Oh, what’s that?”

“That’s cheese. If you add it to the pot, it will melt and taste amazing.”

“Oh...”

“I also have some dried meat. If we chop it up and add it, it will mix with the cheese and really enrich the flavour.”

“Wow!”

With skilled movements, Xiaolei shaved off the surface of the cheese and added it to the pot. She then added the dried meat, which gave the Tearmoon hot pot an exquisite colour.

The first thing that stood out to Mia was the delightful, appetising aroma of the cheese, followed by the glimpse of the delicious chunks of dried meat coated with the gooey cheese.

“Wow, this looks wonderful! As expected of ingredients from the Equestrian Kingdom. Well then, let’s dig in...”

While the pot still simmered, Mia transferred some of the dried meat Xiaolei had provided onto her own plate and immediately took a bite.

“Hmf!”

Steam escaped her mouth. The melted cheese was very hot, so Mia took deep breaths in and out to avoid burning her mouth. Perhaps that was a good thing because the rich flavour of the cheese spread throughout her mouth all at once—a trio of mellow flavour, refreshing acidity, and the strong, salty savouriness of the dried meat. When she bit into the crunchy dried meat, the juicy soup that had soaked into it spread throughout her mouth.

“Oh, wow... this is wonderful...”

After that, words were unnecessary. Mia and Xiaolei were completely engrossed in their meal. Perhaps because they were hungry, the taste was so very delicious! It was irresistibly so! Before they knew it, the pot was empty!

Mia felt as though she had experienced an optical illusion and time had flown by—it was truly astonishing.

“Ah, somehow I was totally absorbed in eating. Hehehe, I’m completely full now. It was a lot of fun, Xiaolei-san.”

Mia said cheerfully, but Xiaolei suddenly turned her face away.

“Princess Mia...”

For a moment, Xiaolei seemed deeply impressed, but then quickly turned her face away.

“That’s just too idealistic. There’s no way I could believe that.”

“I see. That’s unfortunate.”

Mia sighed softly.

‘She is quite the formidable opponent. Hmm, in this case...’

In a turn of events, Mia planned a complete change in her strategy. After all, that was her speciality.

“However, I must praise Rakuro and your riding.”

She had decided to flatter Xiaolei with all her strength. Mia had a track record of successfully overcoming several crises using this flattering strategy, at least in her own mind.

Even at that moment, she kept talking, trying to find a way. Thanks to Xiaolei, she had enjoyed a delicious dinner, so her tongue moved smoothly.

“Rakuro’s run today was splendid, truly worthy of its name as the Moonhare among Moonhares. It was quite magnificent! As the princess of the Tearmoon Empire, I believe that I know fine horses. Rakuro is a wonderful horse that won’t lose to any of the horses in the Empire. And you too, Xiaolei-san. Even if no one else saw how wonderfully you fought, I saw it for sure.”

Mia pleaded emphatically that she was the only one who held her in high esteem. She was earnestly trying to create an atmosphere where it would be difficult for Xiaolei to ask Mia something like, “Give me your horse.”

How cunning!

“I-I don’t want to hear such obvious flattery.”

Xiaolei said as she stood up.

“I have no intention of getting along with you any further. Please be prepared for tomorrow!”

With those words, Xiaolei left Mia. As Mia watched her leave, she sighed softly.

“Hmm, I wonder if I failed...”

Mia stood and looked up at the sky.

“Well then... what should I do tomorrow...?”

As if reflecting Mia’s anxiety, the shining moon was gradually veiled by a thin layer of clouds.