Chapter 105

Chapter 78 The Thirteenth Crescent Blade

I woke up hungry.

When I opened my eyes on the bed, I first heard the growling of my stomach… My stomach was empty, and this feeling was very uncomfortable.

Then I realized that I had returned to my large white bed.

Scratching my messy black hair, I threw off the blanket and sat up, staring blankly at my tender white feet.

Last night… I remember Carlos and the others talking about the heretics. Later, I found their conversation somewhat boring, so I leaned back in my chair, thinking about what delicious food Lady would prepare for me when I got back. I wanted to eat so much… Then I don’t remember anything after that.

I fell asleep, and slept straight through until… I turned my head to look out the window.

The sky was beginning to turn pale with the dawn light filtering through the clouds, casting a silvery hue over the black raven feathers outside. A piece of goat cheese stood on the stone ledge outside, nodding its head as if dozing off.

I slept until morning.

So, did I not eat anything yesterday except for the pastries Carlos gave me…

This is terrible!

I hurriedly got out of bed and quickly pulled a dress from the wardrobe, throwing it on. I splashed some water on my face in the washroom, then, while combing my hair with one hand, I ran towards the dining room in my little boots, “click-clack-click.”

At this moment, I felt like I could eat an entire cow.

“Screech” went the door of the dining room, which was quiet inside. Neither Lady nor the maids were here, let alone the Duke or Lafayette. It seemed I woke up too early.

I raised a finger, silently chanting in my heart, “First!”

Then I turned and ran out of the dining room into the adjacent kitchen. Sure enough, I found Lady there, busy talking with the chef who wore a tall hat. It looked like something was about to be taken out of the pot; the aroma of food wafted over from afar.

Unconsciously, I walked toward the pot. Hearing my footsteps, Lady turned around, looking surprised.

“Pepé, why are you here?”

I touched my stomach and replied, “I’m hungry.”

My small steps didn’t stop, and my dark eyes darted around, seeing several bright red fruits on the stove. I immediately grabbed one, intending to put it in my mouth, but Lady caught it swiftly.

“Oh, you little thief!” she exclaimed, snatching the fruit from my hand, “These are salivary fruits, we’ll slice them later for flavor. How can you just eat them directly!”

I immediately protested.

“There are many more. I just… want to taste them.”

Lady rolled her eyes at me.

“Taste them? Can you eat salivary fruits directly? If you bite into one, you’ll choke yourself!”

She looked around, seemingly searching for something I could eat right away. Seeing this, the chef quickly handed over two thumb-sized pastries.

“Lady, give these to the young lady. She looks like she’s starving.”

Lady took the pastries and held them out to me.

“Here. Eat these first.”

I frowned.

“There’s too little…”

The chef chuckled.

“Miss, today’s breakfast is great. Start with these pastries to fill your stomach, but don’t eat too much~”

“…Alright.”

I stuffed both pastries into my mouth, chewed them a few times, and swallowed them down… There was no taste, not even a hint.

So I looked up at Lady again. Before I could speak, she knew what I wanted and immediately pushed me out.

“Quickly, go sit at the table and wait. Breakfast will be ready soon.”

“…Okay.”

Seeing that I couldn’t get away with eating nothing, I obediently followed Lady’s instructions, leaving the kitchen and sitting down at the table.

Then I started tapping my fingers incessantly.

Captain Gray, two Captain Grays…”

When I counted to the three hundred and twentieth Captain Gray, the Duke and Lafayette entered the dining room.

“Oh, the little sleepyhead is awake.” The Duke started teasing me as soon as he saw me. “Hahaha, you must be starving. You slept like a log last night.”

My face warmed slightly, and I lowered my head. “I’m not…”

“Good morning, Pepé.” Lafayette greeted me.

“…Good morning.”

The Duke came over and ruffled my hair.

“Pepé, you’ll come with me to the Central Workshop later.”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head in confusion.

Central Workshop? Ever since I first visited out of curiosity when I first arrived in Winter City, I haven’t been back because it was so dirty and I really didn’t like it. The Duke knew this, and hadn’t asked me to go there again. But today, he suddenly mentioned it, and I froze for a moment before realizing something and my eyes lit up with excitement.

The Duke looked at me and smiled.

“Your weapon is ready.”

“Really? That’s great!”

I was practically overwhelmed with emotion!

Two months had passed, and finally, my weapon was ready. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Father, Mother told me that Pepé’s weapon is the thirteenth Moonblade from the workshop?” Lafayette sat down at the table and asked the Duke.

“Oh, yes, almost all the moon crystals were used up. You and Percival didn’t want them before, and now there aren’t any left.”

“I can’t handle those complicated weapons; a steel sword feels best. As for Percival… he doesn’t want to use weapons, does he?”

“Yeah, that’s why he’s been at the Central Workshop all this time.”

And indeed, Percival had been staying at the workshop for quite some time, and we hadn’t seen him in the castle for a while.

The Duke and Lady had him eat and live with Pagos to help him learn more skills, and the Duke also tutored him every day. Percival seemed genuinely focused, reportedly making rapid progress.

The three of us didn’t have to wait long before breakfast was ready.

Probably because Lafayette was home, breakfast was lavish and delicious, leaving us dazzled. As soon as I sat down, I began devouring everything in sight.

I was really starved. I ate more than everyone else combined, and the Lady didn’t even comment on my messy eating habits. By the end, they even put down their utensils, smiling at me as I ate slower and slower, my face getting warmer.

But I still managed to finish all the food on the table.

After a quick clean-up, I rode with the Duke in a rhinoceros-drawn carriage to the Central Workshop.

We arrived at the familiar place, got off the carriage, and headed straight to the forge, passing by the warehouse and seeing the burly Pagos again.

“Haha! Pepé! I heard you had a big fight last night, wiping out those wimps in the palace, uh, right?”

Pagos was still drunk, his breath reeking of alcohol, which made me wrinkle my nose.

Then he noticed Percival behind him.

It was hard to believe that one person could change so much in such a short time.

Now, Percival had transformed completely. His once pale and clean face was now slightly tanned, and he wore a tank top, showing off his bulging arm muscles, clearly visible veins on his skin.

He smiled happily when he saw us.

“Dad, Pepé, you’re here.”

Then he flexed his arm, tightening the muscles to show off his physique.

“Look at my muscles, how do they look?”

…Never mind, forget what I just thought. He’s still that silly oaf.

“Percival, go get something.”

“…Okay.”