The situation was easy to guess.
Aslan was perceptive, and his insight wasn’t lacking, yet this was blatant to an extreme degree.
Firstly, Lumel’s words contained everything from the correct answer to the process.
For some reason, Lewena had taught Lumel an old recipe filled with past memories, and it seemed that Lumel had prepared the food according to that recipe.
At first glance, it appeared as cooperation and alliance, but in reality, it looked nothing short of Lumel’s defeat.
Considering the kindness Lewena showed towards Aslan and the confession and kindness Lumel had expressed, this competition was essentially already Lewena’s victory.
It seemed almost unnecessary to even call it a competition, but that’s just how women are.
Aslan glanced at Lumel with a hint of surprise.
He hadn’t expected Lumel to be so naive that he wouldn’t even notice such a thing.
Of course, given that his opponent was Lewena, it might have been understandable.
Fortunately, even when closing his eyes and focusing on luck, there was no sensation of mana, so it didn’t seem to be an illusion magic.
Not long after, Aslan took his seat.
Facing the table full of food, Aslan sat down and glanced sideways at Lumel. Upon receiving that gaze, Lumel smiled faintly.
“Where are the others?”
“They haven’t arrived yet. They must be busy with something.”
As Lumel replied, he approached and cut the lasagna.
Lumel placed the sliced lasagna onto a wooden plate seemingly meant for Aslan.
Aslan suddenly thought that the lasagna on the plate looked somewhat different from the one in his memory.
Was it because it had been so long since he last saw it? Aslan glanced at Lewena, who was watching him with a gentle smile.
“Did Lewena help you?”
However, the question was directed not at Lewena but at Lumel, who responded enthusiastically.
“Lewena did give me the recipe, but I made everything myself.”
In that case, the taste should be worth expecting.
Recalling the flavor Lewena had once conveyed through illusions, Aslan picked up his knife and fork.
With a sharp knife that could potentially slice through the entire plate, Aslan cut the lasagna and speared it with the elongated two-pronged fork.
Thinking it wouldn’t differ much from the lasagna in his memory, Aslan put it into his mouth. Not long after, his eyes widened significantly.
Something was greatly different.
It wasn’t in a bad way; the taste hadn’t worsened.
Rather, it was different in a good way.
Layer upon layer of rich umami and subtle sourness danced on his tongue, while the texture of the finely chopped meat was perfectly cooked, drifting amidst the tender potatoes.
The subtle sourness balanced everything out, making Aslan pause mid-chew before continuing.
The harmony between the cheese and the dough mimicking the key pasta layers of lasagna was excellent.
Between the layered sheets, the unique soft flavor of cheese made from fermented animal milk and the inherent umami of carbohydrates were noticeable.
A taste that struck firmly yet wrapped softly.
If one were to make an analogy, it felt heavy yet comforting, like being pressed against soft breasts.
Aslan’s eyes widened involuntarily. He instinctively grabbed his knife and fork again and cut another piece of lasagna, putting it into his mouth.
Unaware of all this, Lumel sat beside him with a sly smile as Aslan continued eating.
Meanwhile, Lewena’s smile gradually faded ever so slightly.
Conversely, a bright yet subtly mischievous smile appeared on Lumel’s face.
Isolated from all these changes, Aslan focused solely on the taste flowing across his tongue.
Thoughts arose.
Thoughts about the taste.
Without suppressing them, Aslan blurted them out.
“This is… the best lasagna I’ve ever tasted.”
Realizing his mistake immediately after speaking,
The glances he sent revealed that the two women wore contrasting expressions.
Lumel was smiling knowingly, while Lewena raised an eyebrow, expressing her confusion.
Seeing her expression of bewilderment, Aslan realized the whole situation.
“You… changed the recipe, didn’t you?”
Upon hearing Aslan’s words directed at Lumel, Lewena finally reacted as if she had just noticed.
Witnessing those two reactions, Lumel then smiled brightly and spoke with a subtle mischievous tone.
“You noticed, huh? Yes, following Lewena’s recipe exactly left too many regrets…”
Regrets. Hearing that word, Aslan was honestly surprised.
Lewena’s lasagna recipe was, to put it simply, the one used by Lee Hyun-woo’s mother.
Even though she wasn’t a Michelin-starred chef, the mother ran a fairly successful restaurant.
A recipe that produced results good enough to sell for money, yet Lumel found it lacking and successfully improved upon it.
The cooking surpassed even the mother’s lasagna, leaving Aslan blinking his eyes in slight astonishment.
And in realizing all of this, Aslan understood.
Lumel hadn’t simply surrendered or submitted to Lewena.
Rather, he had lured her into attacking by opening a gap, received the attack, and delivered an accurate counterattack.
Moreover, this effectively eliminated any possibility of additional attacks.
Aslan, looking blankly at the lasagna with a bewildered expression,
When he lifted his head again, Lumel asked with a slightly worried look.
“Why are you like that? Doesn’t it suit your taste?”
Given that he had said it was delicious just moments ago, it was clearly a deliberate question.
“No, it’s not that… I’m just a little surprised. It’s delicious.”
After hearing the compliment again, Lumel subtly relaxed, showing a relieved expression as he brushed his chest.
Even the two prominent curves couldn’t resist this charm, so Aslan quickly turned his eyes back to the plate.
“Then it seems you’re tired. Let me feed you.”
Before Aslan could reply that there was no need, the woman leaned closer, grabbing her own fork and knife.
Sending subtle glances, the woman pressed close to Aslan while cutting his lasagna.
It was too intimate and warm to refuse.
As Aslan oscillated between awkwardness and confusion, Lumel skewered the cut lasagna with a fork and offered it.
“A~h, please.”
It would be rude to refuse. Aslan silently opened his mouth, and Lumel accurately placed the lasagna inside before withdrawing the fork.
The woman carefully withdrew her hand and smiled as she began slicing the next piece of lasagna.
Watching this, both Lewena and Aslan realized.
Lumel hadn’t lost.
And Aslan, realizing that an unexpected situation might arise now, glanced at Lewena.
Expecting her to frown in anger,
But contrary to Aslan’s thoughts, Lewena remained calm.
Her faint smile had faded, and she looked displeased, but that was all.
She wore an expression of resignation.
An uncharacteristic sight for Lewena.
Just as Aslan thought this, Lumel leaned closer to him.
“Come on, Aslan.”
Holding the fork with a benevolent smile, Aslan accepted it absentmindedly, focusing on the taste to avoid feeling uncomfortable from the close contact.
“That’s good.”
The woman feeding Aslan used the same fork herself, smiling coyly.
Her seductive smile carried deep desire.
This desire pressed against Aslan like tides of rising and falling water.
Each time she fed him, her large bosom was squeezed between their arms, brushing against Aslan’s hand like a curtain as she leaned forward.
Casually turning his eyes, he heard giggles barely concealing embarrassment.
It didn’t take long to finish the entire sheet of lasagna.
By the time one sheet was emptied and only three remained, Lumel straightened his leaning body and spoke.
“To reiterate… I think I want to continue preparing meals for Aslan every day from now on.”
The sudden statement came as Lumel subtly caressed Aslan’s thigh with his hand.
“Though embarrassing, I’ve even fantasized about it. Fantasies of sharing meals I prepare, and casually making dishes that Aslan desires without hesitation.”
“It’ll be troublesome, so maybe Lumel doesn’t have to do it every time…”
“No, it’s not troublesome at all. On the contrary, it makes me happy knowing that everything that builds Aslan daily will pass through my hands. It’s fine.”
Without fussing with her braided hair, the woman calmly uttered such bashful words.
Her slightly flushed face carried excitement, and Aslan, upon seeing it, gained a significant insight accompanied by considerable unease.
A certain conviction that he wouldn’t be able to endure much longer.
“Can I… eat directly? It’s so delicious…”
Contrary to Aslan’s expectation of refusal, Lumel dismissed it with a gentle smile, almost teasing.
Instead, she handed over the fork and knife she had been using without hesitation, which might still carry traces of her saliva.
“Since there’s plenty, please help yourself.”
That smile. The enigmatic smile that pulled something within Aslan’s heart made him steady only due to the gaze of Lewena fixed on him.
Had that gaze not been there, he might have…
Soon, Aslan shook his head vigorously and continued eating.
To feel pure gastronomic pleasure and appreciation would be impossible, as this meal overflowed with emotions—emotions not primarily his own.
Aslan occasionally glanced at Lumel and Lewena, who were smiling at each other, and continued eating until a certain question popped into his mind.
“Ah.”
At Aslan’s sudden exclamation, both Lumel and Lewena turned their attention to him, prompting him to speak.
“Did Lumel make all of this alone?”
“Yes, I made everything.”
“Lewena… didn’t help at all?”
Although there was no response, the silence was affirmative. Seeing Lumel quietly smiling, Aslan grew curious.
The root of this curiosity was simple.
‘Lewena knows how to cook, right?’
Precisely because there was no reason for her not to help.
Rather, helping would have brought numerous benefits.
This so-called lasagna competition wouldn’t have occurred if Lewena had personally cooked.
Her complete non-involvement left Aslan with several questions.
Did she let her guard down?
Although it was uncertain whether she truly relaxed, recalling her resigned expression earlier suggested otherwise.
Certainly, Lewena was a priest, still connected to the Abyss, and potentially an adversary.
Yet, the question lingered. Aslan, who loved Lewena, couldn’t help but worry about her due to his nature.
The woman who didn’t even partake in the meal but merely watched silently.
The woman who didn’t assist in cooking but stood still, gazing only at Aslan.
Aslan thought something was off.
Yet, he couldn’t ask. If Lewena was hiding something, asking wouldn’t yield answers.
Because that’s who Lewena was.
Moreover, verbalizing vague instincts was beyond Aslan’s eloquence.
Such thoughts soon ceased.
“Hey, what’s going on? Is there a feast or something? Why is there so much food?”
Thanks to Angie, who entered the inn with the rest of the traveling party and cheerfully greeted everyone.
“Oh, everyone, please come in. It’s not a feast, but it’s a joyful day, so I’ve prepared as much as I could.”
Naturally, Lumel welcomed the group as if she were the hostess.
Angie casually took the empty seat beside Aslan.
Even Lewena, standing silently and observing the group, remained still.
As the members of the traveling party gradually took their seats, it didn’t take long for the dishes to be emptied.
