Chapter 223: The Delicacy Without Seconds

The meal was nothing short of delicacy, the rice holding almost no difference to the rice back on Earth. If anything it felt softer, absorbing the soup better, cradling each drop of broth. I wasn’t used to eating rice in this manner back on Earth.

And the meat was soft, easily tearing and melting beneath each bite. Something that tasted like mild honey squeezed out of the tender flesh, mixing with my saliva in a way that made me want to slow down and savor it but also made it impossible to stop.

Each spoonful was something to look forward to. I never stopped until there was nothing left to look forward to.

The plate was empty.

“Awww, why do you look so sad Cee, did you enjoy it that much?” Nisha said with that annoying girly tone they use.

“It’s… it’s nothing like that!” I retorted.

Cressida tapped my back, consoling me. “It’s okay to want seconds…”

Light exploded from my eyes, but before I could speak, Ophelia raised her hand slightly.

“No seconds.”

Cressida looked like she had just been told she had a terminal illness.

“What… do you mean no seconds?” Her voice shook.

“Aside from the fact that we are very broke and Grandmother is making us eat and spend on budget, this delicacy loses its beautiful taste on the second try.”

’Oh… how does that even work?’ I wondered, but also figured that her reason was sort of valid. The budget part, at least. The taste part made no sense.

I accepted reality quickly. It wasn’t like I was still hungry. The food had just been too good.

’I hope she cooks it another time.’

Meanwhile, beside me, Cressida had her face buried in both palms, her shoulders shaking.

Ophelia looked at her and sighed. Odelia was just arriving at the table with her own portion. She sat down opposite me, right next to her sister. Sorry, look-alike.

I don’t know what it was in my mind that expected her to push her portion toward me, asking me and Cressida to share it, but she did not do so. She merely continued to eat while looking at us indifferently. Not a trace of sympathy.

“This is why this Manhattan job will make a lot of difference.” Milo leaned forward and locked his fingers, giving a side glance to Levi who was seated beside him, opposite our section of the sofa.

On our side there was Tristan, Cressida, and me. On the other side there was Nisha at the northernmost edge, then Levi, Milo, Ophelia, and Odelia. Their sofa was larger than ours, so naturally more people sat there.

Grangran wasn’t here.

As Milo mentioned the Manhattan job, a chilling silence settled over the room.

Levi exhaled and leaned back, spreading his arms over the back of the chair. He watched the black arching roof for a few moments, then came back to reality.

“The Manhattan job, huh? How so?”

Milo adjusted his glasses.

“Because it’ll draw attention. Since you started that investigation, we’ve paid less attention to work and more time trying to help you. Only Derry and Po have been making delivery jobs. Thanks to them we can even afford to eat meals like this.” He paused, letting that sink in. “We’ve actually lost a lot of clients to Manhattan. Not to mention the way they’re laying claims over Spirit Gates is insane. We have no gates to excavate, which means no Spirit crystals for us to mine, no beast carcasses. In fact, it’s a miracle we’re not bankrupt yet. All. Thanks. To. You… Levi.”

The silence that started, continued. There was an unspoken, unknown, dangerous spark in the air between Levi and Milo. Particularly coming from Milo.

Levi, on the other hand, was just silent. His expression carved from stone.

“And were you able to get to the bottom of what you’re looking for? What you won’t tell any of us.”

This had to be the hardest I had ever seen Levi’s face. He was angry, obviously, but hiding it. Hiding his anger in plain sight.

He inhaled deeply and exhaled.

“Dead end. Drop it Milo, okay? I messed up and I’m sorry about that. Let’s focus on returning to glory.” He grinned. “Wouldn’t it be interesting, causing trouble again?”

Milo held his eyes for a few seconds, then glanced at Tristan before he smiled.

“I guess. Against Manhattan, it’ll ultimately be worth it.”

Levi nodded.

“Hm jmm.”

“Killings!” Cressida shouted, startling even me beside her.

“Will we be allowed to kill a lot of people? I want to kill a lot of people!!”

My gaze trembled as I looked at her like she had gone mad. I glanced at the others too, but there was nothing in their expressions. They were treating her outburst like it was just another day.

“Of course, Cress. But no killing without permission.” Levi said with a smile on his face.

’Is that what’s important here?!’

This young lady, actually a girl, looked like she was either sixteen or seventeen with her small stature. Practically a child.

’Shouldn’t we all be scolding her right now?’

But instead, it looked like they all didn’t mind. No one batted an eye.

“Will you tell us already? Details.”

’We are just going to continue like she didn’t just say that?’

Levi nodded. “Ah, right.” He locked in. “We discovered that Manhattan might be involved in some really, really illegal business.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The silence was deafening.

Milo lifted his head, and Levi staggered back. He must have thought Milo wanted to hit him, but Milo simply scratched the back of his neck in silence.

“Are you messing with us, Levi?”

Levi looked at Milo’s hand cautiously and shook his head.

“Why would I?”

Milo cocked his head. “Is there a history of psychotic disorder in your family? There isn’t one that I’m aware of, but if so, do you want to herald it?”

Levi frowned. “What of all disorders? I hate psychotic ones!”

Milo scratched his neck again. He suddenly looked dangerous. Too dangerous.

“Actually, what am I saying? You are psychotic. You are.” He suddenly switched, outrage spilling over. “I’m going to kill you because what the hell do you mean illegal things?! We all do illegal things, you rotten crate egg! Your brain is rotten! Actually, look at you, you’re rotten yourself, actually even worse! You’re fermented wrongly! Isn’t what we do illegal too, you shit head!”

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