Chapter 111: Dinner 1

Adam left the Bridal Chamber with a satisfaction he could barely conceal.

After twelve hours spent cooking, testing, correcting, and redoing certain dishes, he was finally finished.

His inventory now contained the entire dinner, the desserts, the drinks, as well as a good portion of the next day’s breakfast.

And thanks to the time-stopping effect of his storage space, everything would remain exactly as he had put it away.

He headed straight for the dining room.

Empty.

Adam stopped in the doorway.

"Ah."

He had so completely lost track of time in the Chamber that he had expected to find everyone already seated.

A maid passed by in the corridor.

"Excuse me."

She stopped immediately.

"Yes, Mr. Adam?"

"Where are the others?"

"Her Grace is still working in her office." The others haven’t returned from their various activities yet. They should start coming back soon.

Adam nodded.

"Thank you."

He changed direction.

A few minutes later, he reached Isadora’s office.

This time...

His hand moved up toward the door.

Then stopped.

Adam remained silent for a second.

A smile appeared on his face.

He lowered his hand.

And opened it directly.

Isadora was still behind her desk.

Documents were spread out in front of her.

When she saw Adam enter without knocking, her gaze flicked briefly toward the door.

Then a satisfied smile appeared.

"You learn quickly."

"I’ve had enough lessons."

Adam closed the door behind him.

Isadora put down her pen.

"Are you finished?" "

"Everything."

"Dinner too?"

"Dinner, desserts, drinks, and almost all of tomorrow’s breakfast."

This time, even Isadora seemed slightly impressed.

"All that in just a few hours outside?"

"For you."

Adam smiled.

"For me, I spent about twelve hours in the kitchen."

"Twelve hours?"

"Maybe I exaggerated a little."

Isadora chuckled.

Adam approached.

"The others still haven’t come back?"

"Not yet."

She quickly checked the time.

"They should start arriving in less than an hour."

Adam then looked at the documents in front of her.

"And you, you’re still working."

"Yes."

He walked around the desk.

Isadora watched him, intrigued.

Adam gently pulled his chair away.

Before she could ask what he was doing, he carefully lifted her.

"Adam?"

He sat down in her place.

Then he positioned Isadora on his lap, her back against him.

The duchess stiffened slightly in surprise.

Adam simply put his arms around her waist and rested his chin near her shoulder.

"There."

Isadora remained silent.

Then her expression relaxed.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

She picked up her pen as if this new position were perfectly normal.

Adam looked over her shoulder at the documents.

"What are you working on now?"

"The territory reports."

She indicated several piles.

"Agricultural production. Road repairs. Guard reports. Some local tax issues." Two conflicts between villages concerning land boundaries.

Adam quickly scanned the first few pages.

"You’re really handling all of this personally?"

"Not all of it."

"But a lot of it."

"Yes."

He thought for a few moments.

Then he placed a brief, affectionate kiss near her neck before continuing:

"Perhaps you should create more middle management positions."

Isadora slowed her writing slightly.

"I already have some."

"Then more."

"Why?"

"Because if every issue ends up on your desk anyway, you haven’t really delegated the issue. You’ve only delegated the initial review."

Isadora remained silent for a few seconds.

The argument had clearly hit home.

Adam continued:

"Some reports could be handled entirely at a lower level with just a final summary for you."

"That’s a possibility."

She finished a line.

Then she finally put down her pen.

Isadora turned her head slightly toward him and gave him a quick kiss.

"But not today."

Adam smiled.

"Why not?"

She showed him the remaining document.

"Because this one is the last."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

Adam tightened his arms around her slightly.

"Then finish."

For the next few minutes, Isadora continued her work while Adam remained quietly behind her.

He read a few passages.

Asked two or three questions.

But mostly...

He did nothing.

And strangely, this simple moment seemed pleasant to him.

A few minutes later, Isadora finally put down her pen.

"Done."

Adam looked at the pile.

"Everything?"

"Everything that absolutely had to be taken care of today."

She stood up.

Adam did the same.

"Then let’s go eat before you find a new case."

"Wise decision."

They left the office together.

When they arrived near the Bridal Chamber, two voices could already be heard from inside.

Elena.

And Lyriana.

Adam opened the outside door.

The two young women were settled in the large relaxation pit.

Elena was the first to look up.

"Finally!"

Adam entered.

"Were you that hungry?"

"You’ve been talking about your dinner all morning."

Lyriana added calmly,

"She’s been talking about it ever since she got back."

Elena looked at her.

"You wanted to know too."

"I never said otherwise."

Adam laughed.

He joined Isadora in the pit.

They chatted quietly while waiting for the others.

Elena naturally wanted to know the menu.

Adam refused.

Lyriana tried a more subtle approach.

"At least the number of courses?"

"No."

"The main ingredients?"

"No, not that either."

"Hot or cold?"

Adam looked at her.

"You’re spying even during dinner?"

A small smile appeared on his face.

"Always."

The first to return was Elaria.

She had barely crossed the threshold when she asked,

"Did you actually use the cocoa?"

Adam stared at her.

"How do you know I bought some?"

"Shiora."

"Obviously."

Vespera arrived a few minutes later.

Then Shiora.

She already seemed far too curious.

Selene was the last.

She entered.

Stopped.

Sniffed the air lightly.

Then looked at Adam.

"I sense something."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"The food is in my inventory."

Selene thought for a moment.

"Then I’m probably sensing the memory of the food." "

Shiora sighed.

"I think you’re just hungry."

"So am I."

When everyone was finally present, the Chamber reacted.

A large round table appeared near the kitchen.

In the center was a large circular disc that could rotate freely so everyone could reach the food without having to get up.

Adam looked at it approvingly.

"Handy."

They sat down.

Selene was already staring at the empty center of the table.

Adam smiled.

"Very good."

He opened his inventory.

The first pizza appeared.

Before it even touched his hands, the Chamber teleported it directly to the center of the table.

Then a second.

A third.

The paella.

The crab soup.

The burgers.

The stuffed chicken.

The various sauces.

In a few seconds, the table was full.

Then Adam remembered the juices.

He barely had time to think about it before several more bottles appeared.

Silence fell.

Seven women were now staring at the center of the table.

The colors.

The smells.

The shapes.

Nothing resembled the food they knew.

Even the dishes with familiar ingredients had been assembled in a completely different way.

Selene swallowed emphatically.

Elena was hardly more discreet.

Shiora almost looked like she was analyzing a new industry.

Vespera examined the pizza as if it were some unknown artifact.

Adam crossed his arms.

"Okay. Quick introduction before Selene declares war on the table."

"I have perfect control of my instincts."

Her gaze never left the food.

No one believed her.

Adam pointed to the pizzas.

"It’s called a pizza."

Elena examined the melted cheese.

"Is it bread?"

"A thin crust baked with tomato sauce, cheese, and various toppings."

He listed them one by one:

"Cheese and tomato. Vegetables. Chicken. Meat." Seafood.

Selene had already chosen the meat one.

Adam moved on to the next order.

"Paella adapted with rice and various seafood."

Lyriana examined the shrimp.

"You actually use these things to cook?"

"Yes. And you’ll understand why."

Then:

"Crab soup."

"Burgers."

Shiora examined the burger.

"How do you eat this?"

Adam took one.

"Like this."

And bit straight into it.

The whole table stared at him.

Isadora frowned slightly.

"With your hands?"

"With your hands."

Vespera seemed deeply skeptical.

"Despite the sauce?"

"That’s precisely why there’s bread around it." "

Selene immediately took hers.

"I already like this method."

Well...

"Stuffed roast chicken. This one will be much more familiar, even if the preparation and the stuffing are different."

Then he indicated the sauces.

"Mayonnaise. Ketchup. Garlic sauce. Mild, medium, and hot hot sauce."

Selene reached for the fourth one.

Adam said nothing.

Isadora noticed her smile.

But too late.

The first dish actually tasted was the pizza.

Elena took a slice with cheese and tomato.

She took a bite.

Then she stopped completely.

Adam watched her expression change.

"So?"

Elena chewed slowly.

The crispness of the crust.

The slightly sweet acidity of the tomato.

The melted cheese.

The basil.

She swallowed.

Then she looked at her portion.

"Why has no one ever thought of putting all this together?"

Adam burst out laughing.

"I take it, it’s good."

"Give me the chicken one."

Beside her, Selene had already finished half of her first slice.

"It’s excellent."

She took a second.

Then a third.

"The cheese with the meat... and the pastry soaking up the juices..."

Adam looked at her.

"Breathe between bites."

"Waste of time."