Chapter 25: This is fun
The town square buzzed with chatter, groups of people gathering around as gossip spread like wildfire.
"Did you hear? Two men from that famous adventurer group were going at it in broad daylight!"
"In the middle of the town square! Can you believe it? Apparently, one of them is the son of a wealthy merchant. I am glad guards arrested them."
"Oh, that explains it. I heard he was on a lot of drugs. Poor other guy—he doesn't even remember what happened. What innocent woman this time? I hope it is not someone we know."
"There is no woman. They were doing each other.."
"Tch, we need to be careful of perverts like them. Just imagining it is enough to make me sick."
As the town square bustled with talk of the scandalous incident, two young women strolled side by side, discussing a different event from the previous night.
"I swear, it was terrifying." Jeni sighed. "A few adventurers barged into our tavern, totally angry. They harassed us. They want to take revenge on us."
Lily frowned, arms crossed. "That's awful. Did your mom handle it?"
"She tried, but they wouldn't listen. Luckily, they let Shennong leave. He said they started to fight among each other." Jeni let out a deep breath. "I can't help but feel they are going to make more trouble for us."
Lily shook her head. "Men like that ruin the reputation of good adventurers." Her eyes then landed on the young man walking beside Jeni. "Speaking of which... is he good? He is Shennong right?"
Shennong nodded with a warm smile. Thank you for your concern. It's no problem. I am doing great."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "So, how did you two meet?"
Jeni glanced at Shennong before answering. "He works at our tavern. My mom recruited him. He saved Mom from those same adventurers."
Lily smirked. "Oh? So, you're not dating?"
Jeni's face turned red. "What? No! We're just—" She turned toward Shennong. "Are we?"
Shennong chuckled, his emerald eyes twinkling. "It would be my pleasure to go on a date with two beautiful girls like you."
Jeni sighed. "That's not what I wanted to hear."
Lily giggled. "Still, you're quite the sweet boy."
Lily tilted her head. "How old are you, by the way?"
Shennong's smile widened. "I just turned eighteen."
Lily blinked. "Oh, you're young. Jeni's twenty, and I'm twenty-one."
Shennong laughed, his voice teasing. "You shouldn't treat me like my age."
Jeni smiled. "Sure, sure."
Their casual outing continued as they wandered through the barony, visiting its many attractions.
One of their first stops was the flower garden, a breathtaking place filled with blossoms in shades of red, purple, and gold. The air was fragrant with nature's perfume, and the two girls were surprised to see Shennong more fascinated than them. He moved from flower to flower, sniffing each one with deep curiosity and sometimes even plucking petals to taste.
"Uh... are you supposed to eat those?" Jeni asked, watching him with confusion.
Shennong nodded. "Some flowers have medicinal properties. Others can be used for cooking." He licked his lips. "This one's a bit bitter, but it has a cooling effect."
Lily giggled. "You're like a herbalist in disguise."
Shennong shrugged. "Something like that."
Next, they visited the natural water fountains in the barony, a spot where crystal-clear streams bubbled up from the ground, creating small pools.
"These are here because of nearby volcanoes," Shennong explained.
Lily nodded, understanding. "I think I've heard about volcanoes before, but I've never seen one."
Jeni tilted her head. "What's a volcano?"
Shennong blinked, then smiled. "Imagine a giant mountain, but instead of just rock and trees, it has fire inside. When it erupts, it spews lava—hot, melted rock that can destroy everything in its path."
Jeni's eyes widened. "That sounds terrifying."
Shennong nodded. "It is. But volcanoes also create fertile land and sometimes bring forth hot springs."
"Hmm..." Jeni looked at the water, then back at him. "You sure know a lot. Is this one of your hometown knowledge?"
Shennong simply smiled. "I remember things here and there."
After a long day of sightseeing, their stomachs began to rumble.
"Where should we eat?" Jeni wondered aloud.
Shennong grinned. "I'll cook for you."
Jeni blinked. "Wait, really? You can cook?"
Shennong gave a confident nod. "I have a few memories of cooking. Trust me."
Lily clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's go to my place, then. I want to see how good you really are."
Jeni still seemed skeptical, but in the end, she agreed. "Fine, but if it's bad, you owe us a meal at our tavern."
Shennong chuckled. "Deal."
With that, the three of them made their way toward Lily's house, the day's adventure far from over.
Shennong followed behind Lily and Jeni as they entered the small house, his sharp eyes scanning the modest space. The walls were worn, the wooden floor creaked under their weight, and a faint scent of medical herbs lingered in the air.
It was even smaller than Jeni's place—there wasn't even a proper kitchen, just a hearth in the corner where they cooked. A few pots and wooden utensils were neatly placed on a shelf, but the lack of resources was evident.
Lily's little brother peeked from behind a tattered curtain that separated one of the rooms. His eyes were wide and curious. Their mother lay resting in another corner, her breathing shallow which clearly showed how sick she was.
Shennong exhaled softly. He wasn't a sentimental man, but seeing their living conditions stirred something in him.
"Is this really how a maid of baron's house live? I thought they were supposed to be rich." He was confused, but looking at Lily's mother, he understood that Lily might be using most of her money to treat her.
It was even more difficult than he had imagined. No proper stove, no proper ingredients. He glanced at the vegetables, cheese and meat they had gathered from the market. What could he make quickly?
Then, an idea hit him. Something simple. Something warm. Something filling.
"I'll make grilled cheese," he announced suddenly.
Lily blinked. "Grilled...cheese?"
Jeni tilted her head, intrigued. "Is this one of your hometown's secrets? Because I've never heard of that dish."
Shennong smirked. "Maybe."
Lily's little brother stepped closer. "What's grilled cheese?" he asked in a small voice.
Shennong walked over to the hearth, setting down the loaf of bread and the small block of cheese they had gotten from a vendor. He pulled out a pan, and inspected it. It was old but still usable.
"I'll show you."
He started by slicing the bread into thick pieces, then carefully cutting the cheese into even slabs. Jeni and Lily watched as he worked, his movements practised but efficient.
"You've done this before," Jeni noted.
Shennong gave a casual shrug. "Once or twice."
He grabbed some butter and spread it generously on one side of each bread slice. Then, placing the pan over the open fire, he let it heat up. Once it was warm enough, he placed a slice of bread butter-side down, layering the cheese on top before covering it with another slice, butter-side up.
A satisfying sizzle filled the small room as the bread made contact with the hot pan.
Lily leaned in. "It smells good."
Jeni crossed her arms. "I didn't know you could cook like this."
Shennong chuckled. "There's a lot you don't know about me."
He pressed the sandwich down lightly with a wooden spatula, allowing the cheese to melt while the bread was crisp. The fire from the hearth made it tricky, and he had to adjust the pan's placement several times to prevent burning. But even with his best efforts, the bread darkened a little too much on one side.
After a few minutes, he carefully flipped the sandwich. The room was filled with the rich aroma of toasted bread and melted cheese. Lily's little brother's stomach let out a quiet grumble, making him flush in embarrassment.
Jeni laughed. "Seems like someone is excited to eat."
Shennong let the sandwich cook for another few minutes before taking it out. He placed it on a wooden board and sliced it in half, revealing the gooey, melted cheese inside. The edges were slightly burnt, but it still looked good.
He handed a piece to Lily, then to her brother, and finally to Jeni.
Lily hesitated at first, but as soon as she took a bite, her eyes widened. The warm, cheesy goodness mixed with the buttery crispness of the bread melted in her mouth. She quickly took another bite.
Lily's brother gasped. "It's so good!"
Jeni took a bite as well, chewing slowly before her lips curled into a grin. "Damn, Shennong. I didn't know you had this in you."
Shennong rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just a simple dish."
Jeni waved her hand. "No, this is more than simple! I'm definitely going to tell Josie to add this to our menu."
Shennong raised an eyebrow. "That's great, I guess."
Lily finished her piece quickly, licking the crumbs from her fingers. "This is amazing...! I've never had something like this before. I wish she could also taste this." Lily looked sad, as she looked at her mother but Shennong didn't want her to think about it so he changed the topic fast.
He leaned back slightly, watching their reactions with a small, satisfied smile. Cooking wasn't something he thought much about, but seeing them enjoy the food warmed something deep inside him.
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Lily's brother held up his empty hands. "Can we have more?"
Shennong chuckled. "Yeah. Let's make another batch."
And just like that, in the dim warmth of the small house, surrounded by laughter and full stomachs, Shennong realized something.
Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to have fun with them once in a while and maybe this would help him to get close to Lily.