Chapter 15: On What Basis
Ding!
[Host has tasted his wife’s bad cooking and behaved like a good husband. You are rewarded with Master Chef experience and skills, and 1 random Gacha Ticket.]
Lucien skewered a piece of Impaler meat on a thin branch.
With the Master Chef experience and skills, he added the right ingredients at the right time. The delicious aroma made Seraphina’s eyes light up. She couldn’t wait to eat it.
"Isn’t it done now?" Seraphina complained, her gaze showing how impatient she was.
Lucien couldn’t hold back his laughter at her behaviour. "It’s almost done." He rubbed her cheek.
Seraphina pouted. After adding the finishing touches, the meat was ready. The moment Lucien handed it to her, she snatched it.
"Delicious!"
He watched as she devoured the whole thing in a few seconds. Her cheeks puffed out, her mouth full of meat.
Lucien kept watching her. He found her behaviour cute for no reason.
"What?" Seraphina’s face flushed as she felt Lucien’s intense gaze on her.
"I never thought my wife was a foodie," Lucien chuckled.
"Hmph, how did you learn to cook? I’ve never seen you in the kitchen." Seraphina was curious, her gaze on her husband, wanting answers.
"That’s a secret." Lucien grinned.
---
Ding!
[You have impressed your wife with your cooking. Food is one of the ways to a woman’s heart. You are becoming perfect in her eyes.]
Ding!
[Seraphina Drax’s Obsession Link has deepened. Obsession increased by 30%. Resonance increased by 40%. The bond tightens.]
---
Lucien felt the tugs of his clothes drawn, which drew his attention away from the system interface.
He turned to see her looking at him with puppy-like eyes.
He had heard about it before but found it unrealistic, yet seeing one, he knew why most men couldn’t defend against it. The cuteness was beyond what he could measure.
"Tell me the secret to your cooking," she asked with the puppy eyes.
It felt like an arrow had been shot into his heart.
This was the first time seeing Seraphina behaving like this. It felt different from the image of her he had in his mind.
Lucien coughed and turned to the side. "I can’t tell you my secret, but I can teach you how to cook."
If one looked closer, the tips of his ears were red.
"What’s wrong with me?" Lucien asked himself inwardly.
Seraphina’s expression turned crafty, hearing her husband’s reply.
Lucien, who was lost in thought, felt his lips warm as Seraphina crashed her lips into his.
He got hold of himself, looking at the lips that were devouring his.
He savoured the taste of her lips. When they finally parted, Lucien felt dizzy.
He thought that with his strong physical stats, he could withstand her kiss. But this kiss had literally sucked his soul.
Seraphina’s face was all red, her eyes dreamy, licking her lips as if intoxicated.
She wanted more. She wanted to suck those lips forever.
She snuggled closer to Lucien and whispered into his ear, "Let’s do it."
She looked like a woman in heat.
Lucien wasn’t dumb enough not to realise what she was talking about. His face flushed.
She was so direct. Even though they were married and should have done the deed by now, he felt she might devour him whole.
He felt a stirring below, an urge he quickly suppressed.
"We can’t do it out in the open," he said with a chuckle.
Seraphina’s mood wasn’t dampened. "That doesn’t matter. I have a small tent we can use."
Lucien coughed. Had she already prepared for this?
As he was about to speak, both of their gazes snapped to the side. "It seems we have company."
The delicious aroma of roasted meat had attracted more Volkoids. Perfect for sharpening his combat experience.
"Give me a few minutes." Lucien used this opportunity and charged into the forest.
---
With the Fang of the Unnamed Dark in his grip, Lucien moved like a shadow. The first Volkoid – a hulking, fur-covered beast with tusks – spotted him and lunged.
Lucien sidestepped, the blade whispering through the air. The Fang caught the creature under the jaw, splitting it open. It fell without a sound.
Two more charged from the left. Lucien spun, his new armour flowing with him. The first swing took one across the throat; the second swing, a backhand, cleaved into the other’s ribs. Both crumpled.
A fourth tried to circle behind him. Lucien didn’t turn. He heard its heavy breathing, felt the shift of grass.
At the last moment, he dropped low and thrust upward. The Fang pierced its chest. The Volkoid’s eyes went wide, then dim.
The remaining seven hesitated. Their red eyes flickered. Lucien didn’t wait. He stepped forward, the blade leading. Each step was a cut. Each cut was precise.
Silent Draw made his attacks invisible – no flash of steel, no whistle of wind. The Volkoids stumbled, confused, dying before they understood where the danger came from.
Within two minutes, eleven bodies lay in the grass. Blood soaked the earth.
Lucien wiped the blade on a fallen creature’s fur and turned back.
---
On his return, he saw they had company.
Seven groups of men surrounded Seraphina, holding her captive. Their leader’s face was familiar – the burly man he had encountered when leaving the mercenary association.
"Should I say you are stupid, smart, or what?" Lucien shook his head, not baffled by the appearance.
He had sensed them since they had encountered the Cottontail Impalers. The system had registered their killing intent. He had expected this – he wanted to see how they would strike.
Sometimes, he wondered, reading novels, how dumb some characters could be. Did cultivating not increase their intelligence, even a bit?
Maybe it didn’t.
"Young man, you dared offend me, Shea. Drop your weapons, kneel down, and beg me if you want me to spare you..."
"And on what basis would I?" Lucien interrupted his long speech. He had no time to listen.
Shea’s expression turned ugly. His minions picked the right time to fawn over their boss.
"How dare you talk to our boss like this!" A thin, average young man came forward and shouted.
Shea seemed to gain face from the words of his minions.
"Your wife seems pretty. I will forgive you." Shea’s eyes gleamed with lust.
Lucien shook his head. How daft could a human be? Well, if the world were full of intelligent people, there wouldn’t be any fun. It would be too boring. They needed some fools to stir things up.
"I said, on what basis would I?" Lucien said in a disdainful manner – like an elephant looking at an ant.
Shea’s expression turned ugly. The minion who had spoken saw this and attacked.
"You will regret talking to our boss like this!"
He charged with his sword, attacking with killing intent.
Lucien shook his head.
SWOOSH!
