Chapter 93: Praise and Puzzling Brews

Praise me,’ Luminas stated, her expression utterly devoid of emotion, heedless of the many eyes upon her. Though her words carried a hint of a plea, not a trace of shyness marred her perfect composure.

‘Tsk, how utterly unadorable…’ Yalin let out a few dry laughs. ‘Good heavens,’ he thought, ‘how am I supposed to praise her in front of this many people?’ In that brief moment, dozens of gazes, each brimming with murderous intent, had already fallen upon him.

Still, he had only himself to blame for his earlier loose tongue. His original intention had merely been to boost her favorability, hoping she might show him some mercy should she ever turn her blade on him, but he had never imagined she would actually take him seriously.

He remained unsure, however, whether her demand was a jest or genuinely meant. Yalin cleared his throat, then launched into a performance of exaggerated praise.

“Oh, Miss Luminas, you truly are remarkable! To secure such a victory with such effortless grace! Keep up this incredible momentum in your future matches!”

“Mm.”

Luminas merely nodded, her face betraying no change in expression, “I am pleased.”

“Is that so? Well, I’m glad you’re pleased.”

‘Though, for the life of him, he couldn’t discern an ounce of pleasure on her face.’

“The weapon enchantment, it proved highly effective.”

“Is that so? I’m relieved to hear it.”

“Mm. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing, merely my duty.”

“Very well. I shall depart.”

“Right, safe travels.”

“See you next time.”

“See you next time…”

It felt as though he were conversing with an automaton. Having apparently exhausted her conversational capacity, Luminas gave a final nod and turned to depart.

Yalin finally let out a sigh of relief.

Before long, however, a heavy slap landed on his shoulder.

“Hey! What’s your relationship with her?!”

“Tell me, what exactly is your relationship with her?” Totomia demanded, his eyes wide with genuine shock. He had always prided himself on knowing Yalin intimately, yet he had never once heard of such a close relationship blossoming between Yalin and Luminas.

“Nothing much, I merely assisted her with a weapon repair.”

“Seriously? You can do that? Oh, right, I suppose you *are* an alchemist.” Totomia let out a sigh, his features settling into a somewhat dejected expression. “Ah, I truly never imagined that little one could be so formidable. I gravely underestimated her.”

‘Ah, speaking of which, this fellow was brimming with confidence before the fight, boasting that he was an even match for Luminas. Yet, the moment he stepped onto the stage, he was utterly obliterated in less than five seconds.’ It was genuinely astonishing that he still possessed the audacity to approach him, for Yalin, in truth, felt a profound sense of secondhand embarrassment on his behalf.

“Well, don’t fret over it. At least you managed to parry one of her attacks, didn’t you?” Yalin offered a dismissive platitude, yet to his surprise, his words seemed to invigorate Totomia.

“Hahaha, you truly are my brother, always so perceptive! Indeed, while that little one’s speed was astonishing, I still managed to react, thereby fending off her initial assault!”

“What about the second one?”

“Uh…” Totomia rubbed his nose. “While I could react, my body simply couldn’t keep pace… Still, it counts as withstanding an attack, doesn’t it? Look at those witless fools, daring to mock me, claiming I was utterly defenseless. They didn’t even possess the courage to step onto the stage themselves… Ah, well, it just goes to show, only you truly understand me, brother.”

‘Well, it seems his hide is even thicker than I’d imagined.’

Totomia grumbled a few more complaints, before finally shaking his head and sighing, “Nevertheless, a loss is a loss. That diminutive Luminas is undeniably formidable, and I bear no grievances for having been bested by her.” Then, with an abrupt shift in topic, he leaned conspiratorially towards Yalin and spoke with a mysterious air. “But Yalin, don’t you agree that a childhood sweetheart is undeniably superior to a ‘sudden arrival’?”

Yalin cast a sidelong glance at him. “Tell me,” he began, “isn’t this a rather abrupt shift in topic? Isn’t this a bit too much? Why have you suddenly veered into that territory?”

“It’s not abrupt at all; rather, it’s a sudden burst of inspiration.” Totomia narrowed his eyes, adopting an air of profound wisdom. “Consider this: aren’t contemporary novels rife with scenarios where the ‘sudden arrival’ steals away the childhood sweetheart? Yet, in the realm of reality, a childhood sweetheart is undoubtedly far more dependable! After all, she’s a girl you’ve watched grow up alongside you; one must surely cherish such a bond.” He added, “Of course, this is merely my personal opinion.”

Having delivered his sermon, he clapped Yalin on the shoulder before departing alone. As ever, Yalin found himself utterly bewildered by the man’s rambling. Yet, despite the confusion, his words had stirred a memory within Yalin, a vivid image of his own hometown. A picturesque little town, nestled amidst towering mountains. ‘Hmm, it seems it’s time to go back for a visit.’

“Young Lady, your coffee is here!” Within the opulent villa, Nomnom happily wheeled a dining cart into Luluti’s chambers. “This coffee, you see, I brewed it myself! I even took special lessons from the head maid for quite some time. Do hurry and try it!” With utmost care, she placed the gold-rimmed coffee cup upon the table.

Her ample bosom, however, swayed so dramatically that it completely obscured Luluti’s view, leaving her unable to see a thing. With a touch of irritation, Luluti pushed Nomnom to the side, finally revealing the steaming, dark brown liquid within the cup.

“This… is coffee?” she questioned, unable to suppress a frown. By all appearances, it hardly seemed palatable. And yet, its aroma was surprisingly pleasant.

“That’s right! This is coffee, and all the grown-ups adore it!” Nomnom giggled foolishly, then her expression turned to one of worry. “But, Young Lady, I’ve heard coffee is quite bitter. You’re still so little, can you truly drink it…?”

“I am certainly no child,” Luluti retorted, fixing Nomnom with a glare. “Furthermore, wasn’t it mentioned that sugar could be added to this? You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

“Of course not! How could I possibly forget anything the Young Lady says!” Nomnom’s head shook like a rattle drum. “I was merely concerned you wouldn’t be accustomed to it, so I made sure to add a generous amount of sugar!”

‘There’s no need for quite so much; it’s merely for flavoring… Never mind.’ Luluti swept a strand of golden hair behind her ear, then, parting her delicate pink lips, she gently blew on the surface a few times before taking a tentative sip. In the very next instant, her expression utterly transformed.

A peculiar, acrid blend of salt and bitterness exploded across her palate, nearly causing her to choke and spit it out.

Having, thankfully, received a proper education in etiquette, Luluti would never commit such an unseemly act. Thus, she could only forcibly suppress her revulsion and swallow the concoction. “Nomnom! You stupid cat! What did you put in there!?” Slamming the cup down, Luluti shrieked in indignation, her two cat ears immediately flattening in displeasure.

Nomnom quivered in fright at the sudden outcry. “Young Lady,” she stammered, “I only added coffee and sugar…”

“You drink it yourself! Is this truly sugar?!”

Nomnom’s hands trembled as she took the cup, and after a cautious sip, her face immediately drained of all color. “Oh, oh no, Young Lady!! I accidentally mistook salt for sugar! I… I deserve to die a thousand deaths!”

“You can’t even tell salt from sugar! How utterly useless are you as a maid! I should have dismissed you long ago!”

“No, please, Young Lady! I beg you, spare my life! If you dismiss me, I’ll have no choice but to beg on the streets, w-w-w-w-w…” Nomnom cried, her eyes brimming with tears. Luluti shot her an exasperated look, finally letting out a helpless sigh. “Fine, let someone else brew the coffee. You just stick to delivering meals!”

“W-w-w-w, Young Lady, you’re truly too kind…” Nomnom wiped away her tears, then broke into a foolish grin. “Then, shall I fetch you some water?”

“No need, there’s water here.” Luluti was too weary to deal with the maid any longer. She propped her chin on her hands, gazing absently out the window at the boundless, azure sky.