The dinner was a lively affair, with everyone seated at the freshly built table in the newly renovated dining hall of Castle Cayyenne. After a month of intense labor, Van felt completely drained, but he had to admit, the food spread before them was impressive. The table was brimming with an array of meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, and even fruit juices in goblets. How had all this appeared so suddenly? He hadn’t noticed the servants moving in and out earlier, but the food was clearly ready for them now.
"How did they manage to do this?" Van muttered, staring at the feast.
Panamera, always cheerful, laughed and waved off his question. "There have been a few servants coming and going since earlier. You didn’t notice?"
"I really didn’t..." Van admitted sheepishly, which made everyone burst out laughing.
Once the laughter died down, Panamera raised her glass for a toast, her usual bold energy lighting up the room. "Well, let’s not keep the meal waiting any longer. Everyone, let’s enjoy!"
Van immediately reached for the perfectly roasted meat on the table. As he took a bite, the skin crackled and gave way to tender meat. The savory juice, along with the sweet-spicy paste that coated it, created an exquisite blend of flavors. It was so good that it made him crave rice.
"Van-sama, would you like some vegetables as well?" a voice asked.
Van turned to see Till, who was serving him with a bright smile. She had already cut up some fish and bread into bite-sized pieces for him.
"You know me too well," Van commented with a smile. "You picked exactly what I wanted."
Till puffed her chest out proudly. "Of course! I’m your personal maid, after all!"
The warmth in her expression spread to the other servants who were working nearby. Their soft smiles reflected the easy camaraderie that had formed around the dinner table. As Van continued eating, he felt a deep sense of happiness not just from the delicious food, but from the shared joy of everyone present.
Panamera and Dee were chatting happily about their battlefield experiences, laughing freely. At first, Arte seemed a little nervous, but as the meal progressed, she relaxed, joining Till in talking about the dishes and thoroughly enjoying the food.
Zetros and the other city administrators, who had initially been tense, seemed to loosen up as well, joining in the warmth of the evening. The once-tense atmosphere gradually transformed into one of camaraderie and comfort, with all the heavy work of the past month finally seeming worth it.
Van couldn’t help but smile as he observed the scene, the satisfaction of hard work and good food settling in his chest. It was moments like these that made everything worthwhile.
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