Chapter 431: Getting along

Roxanne and Thea had both been invited to dinner, and thanks to Luke personally arriving to escort the two women, Thea had never even gotten the chance to refuse.

"I feel a little bad that I keep coming over so frequently without ever actually helping with anything," Roxanne remarked as the three of them walked together.

"What is there to feel bad about? We’re all family, just living in different houses. Besides, that arrangement is going to change soon enough."

Roxanne glanced at him, prompting Luke to turn toward her with a smile.

"Before I leave for the trip, I’ll have your belongings moved to my new house. Monica, Ginna, and Laila will be living there as well."

Roxanne moved a little closer and asked, "Wouldn’t that be too sudden?"

Luke hummed thoughtfully. "What’s bothering you? The villagers?"

He could understand if that were the case. Until recently, everyone had regarded Roxanne as the chief’s devoted mate. For her to begin a relationship with Luke so soon after Baldon’s demise might lead people to question her character or look upon her unfavorably.

Of course, reality and people’s perceptions were two entirely different things, and Luke couldn’t care less about the latter. Nevertheless, he respected Roxanne enough to give her time if that was what she wanted.

"No... it’s not that. I just don’t want to impose on Ginna and Laila when they aren’t particularly comfortable around me."

Luke finally understood her concern.

During their trip, Roxanne and Monica had grown quite close. They shared similar temperaments, and Roxanne saw Monica as someone she could learn from. At the same time, Monica admired Roxanne and aspired to become a woman as dignified and elegant as her.

Naturally, their relationship had flourished with time.

Laila, however, was in a different position. The considerable age difference made it difficult for her to behave casually around Roxanne, especially since Roxanne had been the village’s First Lady until recently. She was someone Laila had respected, and expecting her to suddenly treat Roxanne like an ordinary housemate would be a little unfair.

The same applied to Ginna.

Luke understood that much, but there was another matter that took precedence over their personal discomfort.

"At this point, living together has become a necessity. Dangerous beings keep turning their attention toward this village, and I want to create a haven for the few people I genuinely care about. That includes you, Roxanne. I’d much rather have you living in a house surrounded by multiple layers of protection than leave you vulnerable somewhere else. At least until I return."

Roxanne understood his concern. She was just about to nod in agreement when a disgruntled voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"How can you two just ignore me like this? And Luke, didn’t you say you would provide protection for me, too?"

Thea was clearly displeased at being left out of the discussion. What bothered her even more was that Luke hadn’t even suggested she move into the safe haven he intended to build.

Luke grinned and turned toward her. Slipping an arm around her shoulders, he drew her closer to his side.

Thea grumbled at his behavior, but before she could voice another complaint, he spoke.

"Of course! I’ll need someone to sweep the floors and serve as bait in case a beast manages to break through my defenses."

Thea immediately bumped her head against him in protest, but Luke maintained his hold on her.

"You’re so rude!" she complained, although she soon stopped struggling to free herself from his grasp.

Luke chuckled at her reaction.

"Be grateful that you’ll get to stay in what might become the safest house in the world."

Thea tilted her head back to look at him, her expression filled with skepticism.

"How can you say that with such confidence? Can that house withstand an attack from ten men?"

Luke laughed.

"Forget ten. Even a hundred men wouldn’t be able to get inside the place I’m about to build."

He wasn’t boasting without reason. Luke had already planned everything out, and he possessed more than enough resources to begin construction. All that remained was to acquire the necessary materials and put his plans into motion.

Just one round trip to the dungeon, and I can finally get this project underway.

....

As soon as they arrived at Luke’s house, Monica and Ginna welcomed the guests. The two women had been busy arranging the food on the table, but they immediately put their work aside to greet everyone.

"You’re finally here! Welcome. Come on, have a seat," Monica said, her gaze shifting between Roxanne and Thea.

Roxanne stepped forward and pulled Monica into a brief but affectionate hug. Given how close the two had grown, they looked more like sisters than friends as Roxanne said

"I am always coming over to enjoy your company and food while barely ever helping you with anything."

Monica giggled as they parted, though she continued holding Roxanne’s hands.

"Well, you can help me now! How about you eat the food and tell me how I can make it better?"

Roxanne smiled, readily accepting the proposal.

"That... I can do all day."

The two women burst into laughter, their cheerful exchange filling the room with warmth.

Meanwhile, Luke approached Ginna, who had returned to arranging the dishes, and remarked, "Hey, you’ve been rather busy today."

Ginna offered him a helpless smile. "Sorry... I was just trying to get a few things done. And since I heard you were spending time with Monica, I thought I should give you two some space."

Luke tilted his head, a hint of confusion crossing his face.

"What’s that supposed to mean? Why would you think your presence would be a hindrance, Ginna?"

Ginna lowered her eyes, a faint smile lingering on her lips as she struggled to find an answer.

Luke shook his head in mild disappointment before speaking again.

"Tonight, don’t sleep with Dalia. Wait for me instead. I need your help with something."

Ginna blinked in surprise at his unexpected request, but after a moment, she nodded obediently.

Meanwhile, Thea had once again found herself excluded from the conversation. With no intention of standing around while everyone else enjoyed their time, she decided to take a seat and focus on the food laid out before her.

The delicious aroma had already awakened an appetite that had remained dormant for far too long.

She hadn’t been eating particularly well these past few days, and the food prepared at her own house had been rather bland. Compared to those uninspiring meals, the dishes waiting before her looked positively irresistible.

"You should start with the roasted rabbit legs."

A voice suddenly called out from the side, drawing Thea’s attention away from the food.

Turning her head, she found a familiar brunette standing nearby.

"You... Your name is Laila, right?"

Laila nodded before pulling out a chair and taking a seat beside her.

Thea frowned slightly. There were plenty of vacant seats around the table, so she couldn’t help wondering why the girl had chosen to sit right next to her.

"Try these first. They’re my favorites, and I think you’ll love them too."

With that, Laila placed two small roasted rabbit legs on Thea’s earthen plate.

Thea glanced down at the meat, taking in its beautifully charred skin and the tantalizing aroma that rose from it. Her appetite, which had already been awakened by the sight of the food, grew even stronger.

"If you say so..."

Grumbling under her breath, she picked up one of the rabbit legs and took a bite.

"Mm..."

A soft sound escaped her before she could stop herself. The moment her teeth sank into the meat, its juicy tenderness and rich flavor spread across her tongue. Her eyes instinctively curved with delight as she savored the mouthful.

"Told you."

Laila’s voice pulled her out of her brief daze. Thea immediately covered her lips, a little embarrassed by her unrestrained reaction, only for the brunette to continue without paying it any mind.

"Here, try dipping it in this."

Laila reached for something resting on a broad leaf and held it out to her. It looked like a thick paste, its texture suggesting that it had been prepared by grinding several ingredients together.

"It’s a dip. Something Luke came up with."

Thea snickered as she examined it.

"He can cook, too?"

Laila gave her a wry smile.

"Not really. But he sometimes comes up with these weird things that somehow end up tasting great."

Thea chuckled, taking another bite of the roasted meat.

"And here I thought there was something I could do better than him."

Laila’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You can cook?"

Thea’s expression stiffened for a moment. She quickly cleared her throat, attempting to recover her composure before replying.

"Well, I’m definitely better than him."

Laila giggled at her reaction. "It’s surprising to see that even Lady Thea can get flustered."

"Hammmm... Mmm..." Thea continued eating, pointedly ignoring the brunette as though she hadn’t heard a single word. However, the faint curve of her lips betrayed her, revealing that she wasn’t nearly as annoyed as she pretended to be.

Watching their interaction from the side, Luke couldn’t help feeling relieved. He hadn’t expected Thea to get along with Laila so quickly, of all people, but seeing the two women comfortably chatting and sharing food was a pleasant surprise.

Well, it didn’t really matter who got along with whom, as long as everyone was getting along.

That’s what matters, after all.