Twisted Fate of the Knight

Cooking Time (Part 1)

Y-yes," Kerz's stuttered since he was surprised by his behavior. Renz's thoughts are focused on the statement in the newspaper where Avy was described suspiciously since it says that the woman is long hair when Avy is a guy so he was really curious about it.

~~

 I sneezed when I woke up as if someone is cursing me. I looked at the time and I slept for a long time because it was two o'clock in the afternoon, it means I missed my lunch so I stood up while still yawning. I went to the kitchen to cook my food since I don't want them to cook for another course because it's embarrassing. They looked at me when I entered the kitchen with a surprise and questioning look why would I go to the kitchen but I just greeted them as I smile. Someone even dropped his grip due to the shock of one of the maids and cooks preparing for dinner. 

 "Don't mind me. Please continue what you are doing, just let me give me some space," I said and go straight where the ingredients so I can think of what I can cook. 

 "S-sure," he said, one of the cooks since they just followed me with a gaze. 

 "Thank you," I said as I hum since I found something great ingredients.

 "Sir Avy, you can tell us what do you want. You don't have to cook," she said, one of the maids who dared to talk to me that he was a little embarrassed to face me. 

 "It's okay. I would appreciate it if you could help me to wash those ingredients for me if you are not busy," I said as I smiled at her, and she blushed as she looks down. 

 "It's my pleasure, Sir Avy," she said as she helps me while the other maids are gossiping that they want to help too but they have something to do. Well, I am going to cook fried pork since I saw some fresh pork and seasonings that I can use. I marinated the sliced pork with the seasoning as I set aside and I get the fruits that Riz washed a while ago. I asked her name a while ago since I didn't know how to call her and it is rude to call someone with 'hey or you'. 

 "What are doing with the pork?" Riz asked me as she was looking at the marinated pork that I set aside while she examining and curiosity can be seen in her face. 

 "You don't know that kind of cooking wherein you will marinate the pork to have more flavor and savory," I said as I slice the fruits into bite sizes. 

 " No, but why it is smell like this," she asked again since it is not really good but it will smell good if you cooked it. I forgot they haven’t had this kind of cooking soaking meat in soy and seasonings. 

 " Well, that's how it is," I said as I get the milk, sugar, and the big bowl where I can mix all the fruits which are the apples, pineapples, peaches, cherries, papayas, and bananas. 

 " Are you making dessert as well?" She said when she approached me and looked at the fruits I was putting in the big bowl. 

 "Yes, do you have any idea what desert am I doing?" I asked as I looked at her.

 " No, but I can tell that you are going to mixed all the fruits in there (she is looking at the bowl with the fruits) and that milk and sugar, Am I right? " She said as she giggled. 

 " You are right but you missed something since I will not directly put the milk and sugar as is," I said as I smirk at her and she pouted. I pat her head and I said 'that's okay' while smiling at her and I said when the pot was ready so she did it immediately. Fortunately, I saw a whisk so I borrowed it from the cook for a while but he said 'take your time, sir Avy,' so I immediately used the milk as I mix it until it was a little bubbly as I mixed the sugar. 

 "Sir Avy, I already prepare what you told me," she said. 

 "Can you put some oil? Thank you, Riz," I said as I smile at her while pouring the milk into the bowl with the fruits as I carefully stir it until it mixed well. 

 "That looks good, Sir Avy," she said without realizing it was next to me while looking at my mixed fruit salad. Yes, it is a fruit salad and I did not know they had this here. 

 "This is called fruit salad," I said as I looked for ice since it tastes better when it's cold and it's good to have but one ice block.

 "Fruit salad?" She repeats it as if thinking while looking at the fruit salad I made so I looked at her what she could think. 

 " Ah! It is similar to the Seasons salad which has a variety of fruits just like this but the difference is that the fruits are specially selected and it was preserved," she said, 

 " Is that so?" I said since I did not know if it was delicious. 

 "Yes, and it was only served to the Royal Family or sometimes in an event," she said, so she was telling me that it was not served to nobles? Why is that?

 " Why does it is only for the Royal Family?" I asked since you can do it when you have the ingredients and the processes. 

 "Because only in the Royal Family bloodline can harvest the special fruit and used to preserve the other fruits," she said.

"Is that so?" I said casually. 

" Can you prepare me some ice?" 

 "Sure," she said so I left my fruit salad first and prepared the pork that I would fry, and on the other side was where I would roast the other marinated pork. 

 "Sir Avy, this is your ice," She said while holding the crushed ice in the bowl. 

 "Leave it there first," I told her.

 "Okay," she responded as she approached me when I am already putting the marinated pork to fry it. 

 "That smells good." She said as she smelled it while looking at what I was cooking. 

 " Of course, so as the taste," I said and I am really getting hungry especially while cooking. 

 " Really? Can I taste it?" She said while smiling.

 "Riz, you can't do that! Please forgive her impudence, Sir Avy," the cook said when I am about to answer her as he scolds Riz. 

 "It's okay since I made too much for myself," I said as I smiled awkwardly since they are really dedicated to their works.

 "Still, we are still at work Sir," he said kaya I sighed. "It's alright. I won't tell Ian, okay?" I said as I smiled at them since they are stiff since I've arrived but Riz was the only one who is not.

 "Really?!" Riz said happily as if she was not scolded a while ago. 

 "Riz!" The cook said to her as she acted that she will zip her mouth. 

 "By the way, you guys don't have to be so formal to me, okay? I will be happy if we could talk in a friendly way," I said since I want them to be more relaxed around me just like in the Collins state where I seem to be just their friend or co-worker but there is still a limitation. 

 "Is that really alright?" He said while looking at me if I am not joking. 

 " Of course, why?" I said as I looked at him curiously. 

 " Because Sir Ian told us to---hmp mmm," The cook stopped her talking about Ian so I frowned looking at them because the cook still covered Riz's mouth with one of his hands.

"Never mind what she told you, Sir Avy," he said and pulled Riz away. I was about to ask Riz but I noticed that what I was cooking smelled good so I turned it upside down. I was also grilling on the other side of the stove and it was as if my saliva was coming out smelling the fragrant smell of pork.

~~ 

Meanwhile... 

 "Riz, please control your mouth, okay?" He said to her when he dragged her away from Avy. 

 "I'm sorry since Sir Avy wants to be friends with us," she answered as she looks down on the floor. 

 "Even though, you remembered Sir Ian told us, right?"

 "Yes, but.." she said. 

 "Well, he just wants us to treat him with respect it means we must know our limits since we are lucky that he is kind enough but if he is not we are in trouble," he said to Riz so her face became even sadder as she nodded. 

 "But, I can tell that he is a nice person," she commented.

" You can't tell that too early since we just know him less than a month and we are not sure if he is kind like Sir Ian," he said with a concerned look on his face. 

 "I understand," she said as she goes back to help Avy. 

 ~~ 

 Riz approached me but she is less cheerful now since she was not smiling. 

 " Are you alright?" I asked her since seems down. 

 "I'm okay," she said as she smiled but she forced a smile so I thought about what they talked about earlier. 

"Is that so? Then, can you continue this?" I said although I was curious why but I just let it go because they might say I was so talkative. She nodded in response so I gave her the tong as I use the ice to chill the fruit salad that I made and set aside. I looked at the one I was grilling so Riz is next to me now since she's frying the marinated pork.

"Be careful, Riz," I said as I pulled her since she was not on her own because she almost gets a burn from the oil that spilled from the frying pan that had touched the tong.

"I'm s-sorry!" She said while bowing to me when she walked away from me.

"It's okay. Are you hurt?" I ask her as I went to the sink to cool my hands since they got caught when I pulled her.

"Sir Avy, are you okay?! You got burn!?" She said when she saw my left hand was very red and cried looking at me. All of the staff looked at us with their eyes with fear as if I will do something bad to them.

"I'm really sorry?!" I looked at Riz who was now kneeling in front of me. Why would they look at me like that? So I sat down so that Riz and I could face each other and I touched her face and lifted up so I could see her.

"Please pardon her, Sir Avy," The cook said as he also kneeled beside Riz so I frowned, even more, looking at her then I looked at Riz who is shivering in fear so that I let go of her face weeping with fear.

"*sigh* I am okay. You don't have to plead as if I am going to punish you guys. I get this (burn) because I don't want you to get hurt Riz so stand up and Mr. cook you don't have to do that as well since you didn't do wrong," I said while smiling as I put some ice on my burn since it is hurt a little.

"Riz, get the first aid kit," He said to her, and Riz immediately follows him.

"I am very sorry, Sir Avy," He said as he bows in front of me. I don't know why he apologized even though I said he did nothing wrong.

"You don't have to. I am okay so no need to feel pressure since working in the kitchen is normal to get hurt by burns or cuts so it's normal," I said while smiling as I turn the pork that I was grilling while he was cleaning up the spilled oil on the floor as he put a new frying pan. It's good that no fried pork was thrown away because it would be a waste.

"I understand," He said as he smiles when this is the first time I see him smile for the entire time I am here. They continued cooking while Riz treated my burnt hand and I was not allowed to hold on anymore so I just watched them and now they are talking as if I was not there unlike before that they are just quiet except for Riz since she was asking me.

"Alright, time to taste what we cooked," I said as I called them to stop what they are doing.

"Come on. Eat," I said since they just looked at me when I ate and waited for them to take what we cooked. 

"Can we--

 "My lady will you -----"