Chapter 16: Hot Pot
Even under a sealed state, Athena couldn’t rival with Paglio, so Athena couldn’t bring out her full strength in the face of the poison dragon. However, her greatsword immediately showed amazing power when facing Ganke.
Athena hacked again with her blade’s edge this time. In the midst of the sparks, Ganke’s hammer was divided into two; his feet went deeper again. Athena controlled her strength precisely. After cutting the hammer, the greatsword stopped right above the centaur’s head.
Chen Rui quickly went to Alice and whispered, then gave a basket to little loli.
“Get out of the way, you lesser demon. Call the coward, Alan out!” Athena wasn’t stupid. She immediately guessed who was behind Ganke’s action, then she slowly withdrew her sword.
Ganke felt a scary murderous vibe left from the top of his head. His head was full of cold sweat, knowing that Athena was already merciful. Otherwise, that horrifying strike would not only cut off the hammer. When he was petrified, there was a loud shout suddenly, “Stop!”
The one who spoke was actually Chen Rui. The human pointed at Ganke and spoke loudly, “Ganke, you are so daring to actually attack Master Athena! Her Royal Highness, Princess Alice haven’t even spoken, yet you gave an order without permission. Do your eyes still have the little princess, Princess Royal, and the Lucifer Royal Family?”
“I didn’t!” As Ganke heard Chen Rui said that he attacked Athena, he got nervous. It was Athena who attacked first. He quickly defended himself when Chen Rui mentioned the Lucifer Royal Family.
It was an awkward silence other than Alice’s “crunching” noise while she bit the Jade Dragonfruit. She then said vaguely, “You attacked Athena? You don’t even put my sister and me in your eyes!”
“I didn’t! I did! I, I, I…” Ganke was shocked. He didn’t know what to say at the moment. “Little princess, this human being is too deceitful. Don’t believe him!”
“This man is indeed deceitful,” Alice nodded. Just as Ganke rejoiced covertly, little loli’s finger that was holding the Jade Dragonfruit pointed at Chen Rui and her tone changed. “But he is more reasonable than you.”
It wasn’t clear whether his words were reasonable or the Jade Dragonfruit was reasonable. Chen Rui seemed to think of a corrupt official in one of the joke. Anyway, it seemed that preparing Jade Dragonfruits for Alice was the wisest move.
“Chen Rui, looking at the fact that you didn’t forget to pick some fruits for the princess while gathering herbs, I will forgive you this time,” Alice looked at Ganke who was anxious and sweating. “Big guy, don’t be silly. Tell Alan, if he wants to kill someone by my hand, he must be more reasonable than others.”
More “reasonable”? That is an obvious bribe! It seemed that this little loli understood everything. She was just deliberately being unreasonable. Ganke noticed Alice didn’t pursue, he quickly withdrew with his soldiers as if a pardon was granted. Chen Rui was happy that the Demon Realm was still relatively simpler. If it was the ancient time in his previous world, anyone could be simply convicted, it wasn’t impossible for Ganke and his family to be exterminated.
“Let’s go, Athena.” Alice held Athena’s arm intimately as if she had never been angry.
“Isn’t Her Royal Highness blaming me for going out to play secretly?” Athena deliberately shook off Alice; her face looked unhappy. Seeing that, Kia covered her mouth and smiled at the side.
Alice was indeed a flexible blackhearted person. She whispered to Athena for a while with smiles, then she made another joke. The duo returned to their usual sister-like intimacy upon arriving the palace’s entrance. As Alice heard Athena said that she brought back a few preys, she thought of the scene at the picnic previously, and she couldn’t help but drooled and grinned at Chen Rui.
Chen Rui only felt that under those sights, he seemed to have become some kind of barbecue on an iron stick. He quickly said, “This time there is a new way of eating. Compared with barbecue, it has a distinct flavor, but I don’t know whether little princess can take spicy?”
“Really as delicious as the barbecue?” Little loli lowered her voice and asked. After getting the guarantee from the human with Athena-style chest-patting, her volume suddenly increased, “There is never the word fear in the dictionary of the Lucifer Royal Family, I, Alice. Lucifer is fearless!”
Looking at the little princess’s confidence, the imperial guards looked at her in admiration and all of them stood upright as they are proud to be a warrior for the Lucifer Royal Family, but they didn’t know the true purpose of the little loli’s bold words was to get free food and drink.
Alice enjoyed the admiration look on everyone and walked fearlessly toward Aldas’ lab.
When they reached the lab, Slee quickly greeted them when he saw them. Chen Rui learned from Slee that Master Aldas had an emergency and went to the palace to discuss with Princess Shea.
With the help of the imp, Chen Rui started to get busy. Kia and Athena also helped from time to time, but Athena was lacking talent. She was more of a hindrance. Alice was bored while waiting, so she took the Peg’s Solitaire that Aldas had left on the table to play. Chen Rui thought this set of beautiful new chess probably couldn’t escape her hands, and the master could only be helpless again.
After some time, Chen Rui finally finished.
Alice who was breathing in the fragrance while widening her eyes, saw a strange big pot on the table with burning flame below. She asked curiously, “It smells so good! What is this?”
“This is called a hot pot, come on, give it a try.” Chen Rui said. He let Slee take out the tableware and give it to everyone. He also put some cut meat slices and side dishes into the pot. After the barbecue previously, he knew the common condiments in the Demon Realm like the back of his hands. That was thanks to the glutton Alice who was fully equipped. Although the ingredients and condiments here weren’t as plentiful as of Chen Rui’s previous life, there were several unique spices that weren’t available in that world, so it was more than enough to handle some home cooking.
Alice observed Chen Rui and learned. She wanted to take a piece of meat; but she couldn’t figure out Chen Rui’s homemade chopsticks, so she simply used a spoon to scoop one out with soup and put into her mouth.
“Wow, it’s so hot! So spicy!” Alice exclaimed exaggeratedly, but her hands were moving faster and faster. Soon, not only little loli, but also Athena and Kia fell in love with the hot pot.
“Don’t rush, you can continue to add ingredients while eating.” Chen Rui handed the lettuce to Alice. He saw the imp salivating, but he still stood respectfully at the side. He said, “Slee, what are you doing? Come and eat!”
“Slee can also eat?” Slee almost thought that he misheard. He took a long time to respond. Recalling the bullying he suffered since young, his tiny eyes suddenly burst into tears – Oh Lord, such a great and benevolent master. He is simply the gift of the Demon God! Even without that contract, Slee will not betray master! Unless… there’s a hundred black crystal coins in front of me! No, two hundred!
Chen Rui didn’t have Alice’s “<Mind Reading>”, so he wouldn’t know the bargaining in the imp’s heart. He added more dishes, a bit of every ingredient for his freshly recruited servant. This touching move immediately made the imp doubled his bargain for betraying his master to four hundred.
The deeply rooted concept as the lowest class made Slee don’t dare to eat on the same table with the royal family like Alice. He took some in his bowl, sat at a corner and started eating. He felt that this was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten.
After devouring everything, Alice touched her rounded belly satisfyingly and looked at Chen Rui with compliment. “Chen Rui, you really are not bad. I’ve decided. From now on you will be my right-hand man!”
This rhythmical voice echoed in the lab and astounded the right-hand man; whereas the servant of the right-hand man was still envious.
Fortunately, it wasn’t the toy boy like last time. They’re really different.
Having said that, if I truly became Alice’s toy boy or gigolo, I am afraid I’ll be promoted by Princess Royal – to a eunuch.
“This is a great honor.” Alice counted her fingers and said, “My right-hand man will always be with me. Every day, you have to tell me stories and make food for me. The magic crystal coins that you usually earn have to submit half to me. If I eat out, you’ll have to pay.”
Isn’t that worse than being a slave? Chen Rui had a cold sweat and shook his head decisively, “I have always been a noble person and never curry favor. This great honor should be given to others.”
Athena saw her own eyes that Chen Rui added the “antidote” into the hot pot as spices. Alice really did not doubt and she ate a lot with Kia. Athena’s was finally relieved, and she secretly admired the wit of her human friend. She said, “Alice, stop fooling around. We’ve already eaten the hot pot. Let’s go back soon.”
“Why do I always feel like you are always on his side?” Alice looked at Athena suspiciously and stared at Chen Rui. “Oh right, at the city gate, you seemed to have said that some human is your friend?”
Athena’s face turned slightly hot, and she admitted openly, “Yes. Although I haven’t known him for a long time, I think Chen Rui is worthy as a friend, much stronger than the sinister coward, Alan!”
“Chen Rui can tell stories, can make something fun and tasty,” Alice thought and tilted her head, then she nodded. “Since he is Athena’s friend, then he can be considered as my friend I guess.”
Chen Rui was speechless for Alice’s criteria for friends. Alice walked over and patted Chen Rui’s shoulder like a senior of a club, “From now on if anyone bullies you, tell them my name and no one would dare to touch you. Of course, except when I bully you…”
Right at that moment, Aldas appeared at the lab’s entrance.
“Master!” Chen Rui stepped forward. “Come, try this good new stuff.”
The dark elf master uncharacteristically shook his head and did not speak. Chen Rui then noticed that Aldas’s dark face had an unprecedented gloominess and seriousness.