After a few hours chatting with our demi-human friend. Mya has prepared her guests some dinner.
"Oh, dinner's ready."
Mya noticed that both of our tummies were grumbling, our guts were not filled because of the inn's service. So, Mya had prepared us dinner to fill our stomach to the fullest.
"What are you cooking Mya?"
"Beef stew!"
My brother and I started upon hearing the dish's name. Personality, the Rynd family has a specific taste for cows and beef, delectation to its savory aroma and its exquisite flavor. My taste buds were tinging upon hearing the word "beef stew"
Personally, my all-time favorite dish was no other than beef stew. It reminded me of both my hometown and my past life on Earth. It was nostalgic. Even taking a quick bite of this glamorous dish will make my taste buds go numb. The last time I took a beef stew was before our rescue operation in the inn.
"This is it. This is the aroma that tempts me to no end." Elias said excitedly
It had been days since Elias had come face to face with this most immaculate dish. Waiting before him was the complex aroma of various vegetables, meat and spices. He made sure to enjoy this delightful scent first. He was intoxicated by its smell, simply frying or boiling meat and vegetables could not produce such a scent as entrancing as this.
"Mya, Eirene. Let's dine in!"
I took a deep breath, gulped and dipped my spoon into the soup. Just enough for one mouthful. The rich condensed flavor of the meat and vegetables soup spread throughout the plate. The beef was boiled after being lightly roasted, then combined with the sweetness of the unknown boiled vegetables, and then further seasoned with a variety of spices and herbs.
"This dish is delicious! Mya, how did you make this masterpiece!"
While sipping through a plate full of delicious soup. Mya told her secret recipe.
"Roxy, this is one of my family's recipes, it passed down on multiple generations until it's made to perfection."
"Mya, this dish is out of this world."
"As you say Roxy, do not underestimate a cat like me."
The combination of the soft, almost melting carrots and the crisper light yellow mixed well with the flavor of the soup, leaving a pleasant warmth in my mouth. Normally, I hated vegetables when I was a kid, but today I still hate vegetables. However, when combined with a rich soup like this, it was a Michelin star meal.
As it progressed, Elias devoured half the bowl in one go. I knew it's delicious, but seeing my brother drink at least half a liter of soup, I can tell that it is part of his diet.
"Hmm…mmmhm, this stew reminded me of Elisha." Elias stammered, then said in a exaggerating voice.
"Oh yeah. This beef stew resembles big sis's cooking, I wonder what she's been doing now."
I haven't heard from Elicia in a while. She promised that she will return in at least a week. But she'd not returned for at least a full month as of now. I knew that she'd been assigned to a larger party inside Caria City. But as the time passed, I slowly lost the promise she'd given me. I hope she's been doing well.
I think Elias knew Elicia's whereabouts, but as he mentioned earlier. Caria is a large city, no more than a million residents live there, the haves and have-nots. The poor and the rich, riffraff and criminals live. Even demi-humans live there in harmony, and slavery was a thing in the past, at such a big place. It is harder to find Elicia over a hugely wide area.
As always, I took my time with the dish, thoroughly enjoying it until finally finishing off the rich and savory meat.
After admiring Mya's cooking, we finished the bowl entirely, scraping off every excess meat and vegetables over the hot pot. Even better, it was tasty than blood.
Then, Mya took the plates and placed it into the sink, then proceeded cleaning over the plates. She was more of a dishwasher than a demi-human.
While my brother and I were the only ones remaining at the table, Elias questioned me in an instant.
"Eirene, I'll be leaving tomorrow. Me and my party will be heading to Caria at sunrise, I'll be staying in this household at least a day, I still miss living in this place."
"Huh? A day, can you stay at least a week from now. I miss you terribly living in this very house of ours."
"Sorry, but I still have work to do."
"Hmmm…"
Knowing that my brother will abandon the family once again, I decided to tell him about his goals.
"Brother, what are your goals?"
Then, Elias raised both of his eyebrows and began explaining his goals for the future.
"First, I will hunt down the remaining father's killers. I've killed one of them and I will continue my investigation."
Then his second goal.
"Second, I will hunt down all the immoral knights that were a huge enemy in the bureau. I will avenge my mentor and my father."
Then his third goal.
"Third, I will locate the legendary artifact known as the Pandora's Box, it is an artifact that can grant wishes to anything you desire. I will use this wish to revive our dead parents. Mom and Dad."
Then his last and final goal.
"Lastly, I will reconnect our family once again. Accepting my revenge and living a normal life. Simple as that."
I was shocked upon learning his formidable goals. Not only will he use his strength to avenge both his mentor and our father, but use his goal to attain a beautiful and normal life. He didn't let go of the past, instead he will recover the past that had once been gone.
After learning the shocking truth about Elias, I went into my old room and looked at the interior.
"..."
I fell silent as I entered my old bedroom, it was left unchanged after I moved into the Flower Manor, and this was, without a doubt, the same room Mya had kept clean for a full week, believing against all odds that I would one day return to her.
I tackled my soft and comfy bed I'd once called home. The room was not worth stealing as I moved out of this house, only Mya lives there right now.
Those words signaled me of my long, painful journey.