This was too strange.
Felyn sat in his seat, holding his knife and fork, looking at the cream stew that Adeline had placed in front of him.
Whether in terms of color or aroma, it was absolutely perfect—definitely not something a beginner could make.
But Adeline seemed to have no previous cooking experience.
Did she make this?
"What's wrong? Why... aren't you eating?"
Adeline in front of him gripped her fork tightly, her gaze somewhat unfocused.
Tonight she was being unusually enthusiastic. Normally she would make him show off for at least half an hour by her side.
But today, not only was there no showing off, she wasn't making him do any work either. Instead, she was cooking for him.
Too strange.
Could there be drugs in this?!
But why would she do such a thing?
Could it be that she went to school today and saw him eating lunch with Viloti?
"Adeline, did you go to my school today?" Felyn asked tentatively.
"I did. How did you know?"
This was bad—she definitely saw him eating lunch with Viloti, and in her anger she simply drugged the food to poison him!
Felyn's fork gently touched the stew, but he couldn't see anything unusual.
Should I eat it?
Felyn looked up at Adeline, only to find her guiltily looking elsewhere.
"Fe... Felyn, eat quickly, or it'll get cold."
A pink flush appeared on Adeline's cheeks, and her voice unconsciously grew weaker.
"It's rare... for me to cook for someone. This is my first time..."
Felyn gritted his teeth. Here goes nothing.
Hopefully Daiyi would know he died at Adeline's house and get some compensation money for him.
Felyn carefully took a spoonful of the stew, and the rich cream aroma immediately blossomed on his taste buds.
The tender meat had just the right elasticity, almost melting on his tongue.
The meat's deliciousness had no trace of gaminess, replaced instead by a subtle sweet fragrance.
"Delicious."
Felyn couldn't help but praise it.
It was hard to imagine that such flavors came from a young lady cooking for the first time.
"This Icali lamb is the hardest to remove the gaminess from. How did you manage it?"
"I looked up a lot of books."
Adeline softly explained, gesturing with her slender fingers in the air while explaining the process.
"I see."
So tonight's dinner really was made by her own hands.
Felyn shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about such things.
These dishes might have something added by Adeline.
He might suddenly drop dead in a moment.
Or worse, Adeline might have added some strange drug to turn him into a devoted slave with only her in his mind.
Felyn felt that if he kept thinking like this, he'd scare himself to death before any poison took effect.
He might as well test what exactly had been added to this food.
"Adeline, thank you for making all this delicious food for me tonight."
"It's nothing. If Felyn likes it, I'll make it for you every day." Adeline's voice grew smaller and smaller. Making food for you every day would be like... like a wife...
She pressed her legs tightly together, her lips slightly parted, breathing out warm air.
"Adeline, could you open your mouth?"
Felyn forked a piece of meat and stood up, bringing it to Adeline's face. "Ahh~"
"You want to feed me?" Adeline's eyes instantly widened, Felyn's figure reflected in her gray-blue pupils.
Her fingers unconsciously gripped her skirt hem, the blush on her cheeks rapidly spreading to her ear tips.
To actually be so bold as to feed me...
The distance between them was close enough to feel each other's breath, and there seemed to be subtle electric currents flowing through the air.
Adeline slightly parted her cherry lips, and Felyn carefully brought the fork to her mouth.
Her cheeks were tinted with an alluring pink. When the stew touched her lips, she carefully bit down, slowly bringing the food into her mouth.
Her pink tongue licked her lower lip, then she gently swallowed. Her moist eyes looked up slightly, watching Felyn's facial expression.
Her rose-tea colored hair gave off a maiden's scent, draped over Felyn's wrist as if inviting something.
Seeing this scene, Felyn couldn't help but swallow, suppressing the restlessness rising in his heart.
Adeline had eaten it.
She hadn't drugged the food.
That afternoon, Adeline had indeed bought everything the maid had recommended.
But when she left the shop and passed by a family restaurant, she smelled the delicious aroma of stew.
She saw the happiness on the faces of a couple eating with their child through the glass.
"What am I even doing..."
Adeline looked at her reflection in the glass, feeling somewhat ridiculous.
Would buying these things really keep Felyn firmly under my control?
Would buying these things mean Felyn would only have my in his heart?
Even if Felyn would be controlled by her because of these things, couldn't other bad women do the same?
Even if Felyn would kneel down and beg to do anything out of desire, was that the Felyn she wanted?
Adeline put the briefcase in the car and went somewhere else.
She did want Felyn to be controlled by her, but she wanted it to be Felyn's own choice, not through these external aids.
She went to a bookstore, bought a bunch of stew recipes and guides, and had the freshest ingredients delivered.
This most excellent young lady of Lanchester Academy spent only one afternoon, at the cost of four failures, to create cream stew that could rival a master chef's work.
"Felyn's love for me isn't so cheap as to require such things."
Adeline thought this in her heart, even feeling somewhat guilty toward Felyn.
He was just a humble fallen noble who loved her, yet she wanted to control his heart with these things.
"Felyn, shall we have some wine?" Adeline suggested.
"Mm, I don't mind, but can you handle alcohol, Adeline?"
"Me? Of course I'm fine."
Adeline watched the red wine being poured into the glass while repeating her plan in her mind.
Step one: Get Felyn drunk first.
Step two: Ask Felyn if he really likes Zervanie.
Step three: Ask Felyn if he really likes Viloti.
Step four: Ask Felyn if he really likes me.
Final step: Ask Felyn when he plans to propose to me.
Such a flawless plan—only I, Adeline, could think of something like this.
Ten minutes later.
"Felyn, one more glass!"
Felyn looked at the completely red-faced Adeline in front of him and sighed helplessly.
She was completely drunk.
She had barely had a few sips, yet she could get this drunk?
"Adeline, aren't you a bit drunk? Drink less."
"I'm not! Felyn, when are you going to get drunk?"
Adeline leaned against the backrest. The alcohol made her feel hot, so she kept pulling at her collar with her hand. Sweat slid down from her chest, quite alluring.
"You're not drunk, so I can't ask you my first step."
"What second step?"
Felyn collected all the wine glasses on the table to prevent Adeline from knocking them over during her drunken episode.
"It's whether you like Zervanie or not!"
"Zervanie? I don't like her. Why are you suddenly asking this?"
"Really? You're not lying to me, right? You won't be stolen away by Zervanie, will you? She's a bad woman who can act—don't be seduced by her."
Adeline felt uncomfortable leaning against the chair, so she swayed as she stood up, supporting herself on the table as she walked toward Felyn.
"Felyn... Felyn..."
Felyn quickly stood up to support Adeline, afraid she might suddenly fall.
"If you can't drink, then don't..."
Felyn said quietly. Adeline in his arms seemed to be in pain, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Felyn, am I amazing? I made the stew in just one afternoon."
"Amazing, amazing."
"Then pat my head!"
Adeline threw herself into Felyn's arms, gripping his shirt tightly with her hands, her head resting against his chest.
"Pat, pat quickly."
"Okay, okay, I'll pat." Felyn was forced into compliance by the acting spoiled Adeline in his arms. He reached out and placed his hand on her rose-tea colored hair.
"Adeline, you're really amazing."
Feeling the gentle caressing from above her head, Adeline's eyebrows relaxed considerably, and a satisfied smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"Felyn, I have another question I want to ask you. I'm asking so many questions—you don't find me annoying, do you?"
Adeline's nose nuzzled against Felyn's neck, and she gently sniffed.
"No, I'll answer all of Adeline's questions."
"Really? You won't lie?"
"Really, I won't lie to Adeline."
"Then..."
Adeline wrapped her arms around Felyn's neck. Her chest was completely pressed against Felyn's body, her breasts barely contained.
Her hot breath carrying the scent of alcohol brushed against Felyn's chin, surprisingly pleasant.
Adeline lifted her face, gazing into Felyn's eyes.
"Felyn, will you always like me?"
(End of Chapter)