"Are we heading to the Morton Observatory right now?" Adam asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Gladius shrugged before rising from his seat.
"Itās up to you. But, since Xyrea and I spent over two hours grocery shopping, it would make sense to at least eat something before heading off to an important meeting. Donāt you think?"
Silvana raised an eyebrow. "You want me to cook something for you? Seriously?"
"Hah, donāt pretend youād say no to Adam if he asked you to do that."
She was about to say something, but quickly realized Adam was right.
"Pffft!" Silvana crossed her arms over her chest as she pouted. "Cooking for Adam and for you and Xyrea are two different things. Iām still mad at you guys for keeping us apart for so long!"
"Donāt be so dramatic." Gladius waved his hand dismissively. "Itās only been two days. Thatās not that long. There have been plenty of times when you havenāt seen each other for much longer."
Silvana grimaced. "Yes, but I always knew Adam was fine, that he was resting or recovering from a tough fight. Now, heās gone missing, and you were the one who took him."
"It wasnāt me, it was Xyrea." Gladius shoved his hands into his pockets with an innocent look.
"It doesnāt matter!" Silvana waved her hand. "The Hollow Lands? Itās not the safest place in the world, you know? After what Adam told me, Iām just convinced you were risking his life!"
A devious glint flashed across Gladiusās eyes.
"Yeah, but it all ended well, didnāt it? And, letās not talk about it anymore."
Step. Step. Step.
Gladius stepped forward, walking past the table and heading toward the kitchen.
"Agh...?" Silvana was confused when Gladius rolled up his sleeves to his shoulders.
Without explanation, Gladius picked up the freshly bought steaks from the table, slicing open the packaging with a smooth motion.
"When I suggested dinner, I didnāt say I wanted you or Xyrea to make it." He glanced back over his shoulder. "You know, Silvana. Iām an excellent cook."
Xyrea, who was standing to the side, gave a slight smirk for a moment. Unlike Adam and Silvana, who hadnāt seen Gladiusās full power, she knew there was a hidden meaning in his words. After all, being a chef was part of his title, and only a small number of humans had that distinction, unlike monsters.
Silvana was speechless, but Adam found the situation amusing.
"Hahaha, I never would have thought Iād see a Second Rank Phantom cook. To see the result, Iām willing to wait a little while."
Whooooooosh.
Gladius deftly grabbed a knife from the stand and swung it in his hand.
"You wonāt be disappointed. Xyrea likes my food, and her appetite is very hard to satisfy."
Xyrea nodded. "Thatās true. Aside from sweets and coffee, I donāt like most human food. Though over the past few hundred years, Iāve gotten used to a lot of things. Still, when Gladius cooks, Iām ready to eat practically anything."
"Well, well." The corners of Adamās mouth turned up as anticipation shone in his eyes. "Thatās intriguing. Go ahead, show us what youāre capable of."
Silvana didnāt say anything, but her expression made it clear she was curious too.
"Alright, in that case, I wonāt keep you waiting any longer."
With that, Gladius fell silent, and only his ever-present smirk remained on his face.
First, he made X-shaped cuts in the steaks, not deep enough to ruin the structure, but deep enough to allow the spices to penetrate much more of the meat than usual.
Then, he took a small skillet and poured in some sesame oil. While the oil was heating up, he crushed some pepper and tossed it into the oil to bring out its flavor, followed by finely chopped garlic and a sprig of rosemary.
Without wasting any time, Gladius began chopping vegetables for the salad and preparing the dressing for it. It was quite hot outside, so he didnāt want to make a heavy dish, but rather something light and refreshing yet satisfying.
Unlike Adam and Silvana, who watched Gladius cook as if it were a show, Xyreaās gaze was intense.
She had tried many times to replicate the taste of his dishes. She did everything exactly as he did, and yet she couldnāt reach his level.
Xyrea was Gladiusās Operator, and she had fully embraced that role, but her monstrous nature remained with her as well. She didnāt just want to serve him, but to approach his level of power and skill. She was constantly improving, striving to become a true equal partner to Gladius.
When the light salad of vegetables and olives was ready, Gladius flipped the steaks to the other side in the sizzling oil. He pulled a baguette out of the bag, sliced it, and toasted it in the oil, which had absorbed a multitude of flavors.
Finally, he took fresh butter from the pack and mixed it with herbs before slicing it, preparing to serve the dish.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Soon enough, four plates were on the table, making Silvana swallow hard as her appetite surged.
On each plate was a sliced steak resting on herb-infused butter that was slowly melting under the heat radiating from the steak, intensifying the already rich flavor. Steam rose from the steaks, wafting over slices of bread filled with sauce and topped with a golden crust of soft cheese, and to finish, there was a light summer salad with crisp, fresh vegetables.
"I hope you enjoy it." Gladius bowed and waved his hand theatrically.
Before Adam could even pick up his fork, Gladius pulled out a bottle of wine and placed four glasses on the table.
"It was hard to find that one at the First Ring, but luckily, there are a few shops here with rare goods. What could be better than wine with meat, right?"
Once the four glasses were filled with wine, Adam and everyone else took their first bite.
Adam quietly savored the rich flavor while Silvanaās eyes widened in shock.
"Damn! This is so delicious!!!" She exclaimed with delight.
Sip.
Gladius took a sip of wine.
"Glad you liked it." He turned to Xyrea. "What about you?"
"Excellent..." Her lips trembled. "As always."
Gladius shrugged.
"Glad to hear it. Adam, a dinner like this is a fitting start to your meeting with Aiden Henk, isnāt it?"
Adam nodded as his gaze grew deeper.
"Yes. I hope that after our conversation, Iāll have just as good an impression as I do of this steak."
Gladius smirked.
"Hope so."