## Chapter 1189
Breakfast was being served in the annex’s dining quarters. Usually, this space was filled with more laughter and chatter than there was food on the plates, but a heavy, somber quiet had claimed the room today.
"Hmm..."
Raon produced a faint, troubled sound while glancing toward the head of the table. In the chair that typically remained unoccupied sat a massive elder with hair like spun gold and crimson eyes, exuding an air of absolute authority. Glenn Zieghart. The most powerful warrior on the continent projected his usual overwhelming pressure, even while sitting for a meal.
"Ahahahahaha!"
Edgar let out a burst of forced, cheerful laughter, clearly attempting to thin the thick tension in the air.
"Father, your presence makes the entire annex feel more vibrant. Particularly your hair—it glitters with such brilliance it’s almost blinding! You look far more luminous than even Raon or Sylvia!"
He frantically rubbed his palms together, resembling a fly, as he heaped praise upon the luster of Glenn's hair.
-That moron...
Wrath let out a weary sigh, as if Edgar had committed a massive blunder.
"Ahem!"
Glenn appeared irritated by Edgar's flattery, releasing a gravelly cough while his gaze grew frigid.
"My hair is what?"
He tilted his chin toward Edgar, silently daring him to repeat the remark.
"Hup! Th-that is to say..."
Edgar’s eyes darted around under the weight of Glenn's displeasure, his breathing becoming ragged.
"Father."
Sylvia, hoping to shift the mood, personally ladled a portion of stew and set it delicately in front of Glenn.
"This is a beef stew I prepared myself. I would be honored if you tried it."
She appeared even more anxious than she usually was when interacting with Rector, swallowing hard against a dry throat.
"Hmm."
Glenn gave a curt nod and took up his utensil. He lifted a spoonful of the stew Sylvia had served and brought it slowly to his lips.
"It is quite good."
Despite his stern facial expression, Glenn’s tone lifted slightly, showing genuine approval.
"the flavors of the meat have integrated perfectly. This seems superior to the work of the chefs in the main building."
He took another bite, seemingly finding the dish truly impressive.
"R-really?"
The tension vanished from Sylvia’s face, replaced by a budding smile.
"I have always been confident in my stews. Raon has enjoyed them since he was a small child."
She squeezed her hand into a fist, stating that Raon's appetite had made her an expert in the kitchen.
"The other items should be to your liking as well. Everyone here is a capable cook."
Sylvia encouraged him to try more, gently sliding the various plates toward Glenn.
"They are certainly not lacking."
Glenn sampled each dish Sylvia offered, nodding with a sense of contentment.
"They aren't overly elaborate, but it is clear they were prepared with great devotion."
A soft smile touched his features, indicating he was pleased with the spread.
"Grandfather! You have to try this! It’s delicious!"
Sia beamed as she sliced a portion of the steak she was eating and moved it onto Glenn’s plate.
"S-Sia!"
Sylvia gasped, reaching out to stop the girl, but she was too slow. The piece of steak, dripping with sauce, landed on Glenn’s plate. The impact caused the sauce to spray, leaving dark brown spots on Glenn’s pristine white shirt.
"Ah!"
Sylvia felt as though a catastrophe had occurred, clutching her head with shaking hands. Her eyes moved frantically, terrified of the impending fallout.
"Oh no!"
"Goodness..."
"Wh-what have we done? Staining the Head of House's attire..."
Helen and the other attendants stopped breathing the moment they saw the sauce on Glenn’s clothing. They were too paralyzed to try and clean it, simply shifting their weight in a state of panic.
"Hup!"
Raon was equally stunned, his mouth hanging open.
'I-is this going to be okay?'
He wondered if the table was about to be flipped. Glenn was a man who obsessed over a flawless appearance; even in the heat of a duel, neither dust nor blood touched his garments. He was naturally a meticulous eater, so Raon was bracing for the explosion Sia’s mess might trigger.
'And he never touches sauce.'
Glenn ate plenty of meat, but for the sake of physical discipline, he always took it plain, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Not knowing how the patriarch would handle this, Raon felt a sharp pang of phantom indigestion in his gut.
-This is a volatile situation, isn't it?
Wrath squinted his eyes, unable to guess the outcome.
"..."
Glenn stared down at the steak resting on his once-perfect plate, then slowly reached for his fork. A powerful aura seemed to radiate from his simple movements, as if he were preparing for a clash with a foe.
"F-Father!"
"Grandfather!"
Just as Sylvia and Raon reached out to intervene, Glenn drove his fork into the sauce-covered meat. Without a moment’s pause, he placed the dripping steak into his mouth and began to chew.
"Hup!"
"Ah..."
"F-Father..."
Helen pressed a hand to her mouth, Raon exhaled sharply, and Sylvia spoke his name in a quivering tone. All three were well aware of Glenn's fastidiousness and couldn't hide their shock.
"How is it?"
Sia watched Glenn with a bright grin, oblivious to the suffocating atmosphere.
"Hmm!"
Glenn shut his eyes for a second as if evaluating the taste, then opened them and gave a firm nod.
"It is excellent! The extra sauce Sia added makes the flavor even more robust!"
He purposefully left a bit of sauce on the corner of his lip while smiling warmly at the young girl.
"See? Steak is best when you use a lot of sauce!"
Sia laughed and began preparing another piece, coating it in sauce before handing it to Glenn.
"My thanks."
Glenn consumed every bite Sia offered, his smile never wavering.
"F-Father..."
Sylvia blinked rapidly, baffled by this side of Glenn she had never witnessed.
"Sia clearly has a refined palate for fine dining!"
Glenn chuckled happily, continuing to share the meal with Sia.
"She truly knows how to appreciate food."
It wasn't a performance—his face took on a healthy flush, showing he was genuinely having a good time.
"Raon taught me everything!"
Sia giggled, crediting Raon for her appreciation of good food.
"Is that right?"
Glenn turned his gaze toward Raon, still smiling.
"In that case, how should I eat this to get the best flavor?"
He gestured toward a grilled tomato sitting near the steak.
"Ah, yes."
Raon gave a quick nod and picked up his cutlery.
"The tomato is large enough to be good on its own, but it’s much better if you layer it with some ham and cheese."
He assembled a bite with sweet cheese and salty ham atop the tomato and offered it to Glenn.
"Let's see..."
Glenn’s eyes shone with interest as he tried the combination Raon had suggested.
"Hmm!"
His eyes widened as if the taste had surpassed his expectations, and he let out a sound of deep appreciation.
"Precisely as you said. The balance of flavors is quite remarkable."
Glenn noted that while it was a simple method, it tasted superior today, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
-Huh?
Wrath blinked rapidly as he watched Glenn’s expression.
-What has happened to that ancient monster who usually lives on nothing but Nadine bread? Is the world turning upside down tomorrow?
The spirit tilted his head, unable to comprehend the extent of Glenn’s affection for his grandchildren. It seemed even Glenn was starting to grow on him.
"Father, please have some of this as well."
Seeing the mood had softened, Sylvia placed some peeled shrimp onto Glenn’s plate.
"Thank you."
Glenn appeared determined not to decline anything today, happily eating the grilled shrimp his daughter-in-law provided.
"Hehe."
"Should we prepare more?"
"I'll handle it!"
The maids who had cooked the meal felt a surge of pride seeing Glenn's enjoyment, heading back to the kitchen with bright faces.
"Father!"
Edgar, who had been silenced by the earlier tension, suddenly stood up. He piled various condiments and greens onto a piece of steak and held it out to Glenn.
"This is my personal favorite! I’ve mixed two types of steak sauce for a perfect sweet and salty profile, then added greens to balance the richness! It’s an explosion of savory flavor; one bite will take you to another world!"
Edgar declared that this would surpass everything else served so far, his breathing heavy with excitement.
"Raon told me this was the best! He even said his Dad was the greatest cook!"
Edgar pumped a fist, claiming this was a flavor Raon himself had validated.
"I never said that..."
Raon sighed as he watched Edgar invent a memory that never happened.
-Is he genuinely a fool?
Wrath shook his head in disappointment at Edgar.
"..."
Glenn stared at the steak Edgar had put together, his brow furrowing deeply.
"Two sauces? That sounds excessively salty. And there are far too many vegetables. Eat it yourself!"
He dismissed the offering with a sharp wave of his hand, looking completely uninterested in Edgar’s creation.
"Ah, well..."
Despite his surge of confidence, Edgar failed to impress Glenn and slumped back into his chair, looking crushed.
"Grandfather, try this one!"
"Of course!"
Glenn ignored Edgar's dish and accepted the steak Sia held out—which was also loaded with two types of sauce. It was a complete contradiction to what he had just told Edgar about the saltiness.
"Sia, you should have some too."
He began offering her bits of his own food. They looked like any other grandfather and granddaughter sharing a bond, and the sight brought a smile to everyone at the table.
'This is pleasant.'
Raon nodded to himself, noticing that the annex’s dining room felt warmer than it ever had.
'We feel more like a real family now.'
In the past, meals with Glenn were always stiff and uncomfortable, but Sia's presence had acted like a gentle breeze, thawing the ice. He felt they didn't need to envy any other household.
-The mood is great, so start eating!
Wrath wrinkled his nose.
-How long are you going to sit there watching with all this food right in front of you!
The spirit nudged his shoulder, urging him to dig in.
'I'll start now.'
Just as Raon smiled and lifted his fork.
"Father!"
Edgar seemed to have recovered his spirit and stood up once more.
"Please, allow me to pour you a drink!"
He produced a bottle of high-end wine and walked to Glenn’s side.
"This vintage is a masterpiece from the southern seas. The grapes were pressed and the juice aged deep in the salt-water currents! It’s nearly impossible to find, regardless of wealth or status! Raon brought it home, and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion!"
Edgar explained he was opening it specifically for Glenn, his hands shaking as he uncorked the bottle.
"..."
Glenn looked at Edgar with a chilling stare and shook his head.
"Do you believe I came here for a celebration? I am here to instruct Raon, yet you are trying to serve alcohol in the morning! Drink it yourself!"
He glared at Edgar as if the man were incapable of acting with maturity.
"Ah..."
Edgar stood frozen, still clutching the wine.
"Y-you're right. My apologies..."
Clearly stung by the repeated rejections, he sat back down in the corner, looking like a deflated balloon.
"Grandfather, have this!"
Sia, unbothered by Edgar’s plight, offered Glenn an abalone she had shucked herself.
"My word! Our Sia is even skilled at shelling abalone!"
Glenn actually clapped his hands, his anger vanishing instantly as he took the abalone from her.
"Father. Please, have a little something to drink."
Sylvia retrieved a bottle from the cabinet and filled Glenn's glass.
"Yes. A bit of wine is the perfect accompaniment to meat."
Unlike his reaction to Edgar, Glenn drained the glass in a single motion.
"Mm! Quite good!"
Even though it was of a lower grade than what Edgar had offered, he smiled as if he were drinking the finest nectar.
"Hup!"
Edgar seemed to realize that Glenn’s irritation was directed solely at him. He hugged his wine bottle, his eyes beginning to water.
'If it’s gotten to this point...'
Raon let out a quiet, dry laugh at the sight of Edgar draped in a literal shadow of gloom while the rest of the table remained bright.
‘Is it possible he just doesn't like Father as a person?’
-That’s part of it, but your father simply has zero sense of timing!
Wrath sighed, noting Edgar’s complete lack of situational awareness.
'No sense of timing? What do you mean?'
Raon blinked, looking back at his father.
-Good grief, now I see where your own terrible timing comes from!
Wrath pinched the bridge of his nose, looking between Raon and Edgar.
-You are exactly like him!
'I'm asking you why!'
---
Once the breakfast—which was only miserable for one person—concluded, Raon headed to the lake behind the annex to begin his physical warm-ups. Looking back, he spotted Glenn in the garden, chatting with Sia while they examined the flowers.
The patriarch couldn't stop grinning, clearly cherishing the moment. He looked like any doting grandfather, not the legendary Destructive King of the North, Glenn Zieghart.
'I really didn't anticipate Grandfather coming here personally.'
Glenn had mentioned visiting, but Raon hadn't expected him to actually move in. To be honest, he had been anxious and unsettled by the idea. But after today’s meal, he felt he could relax. Away from the main building, Glenn was softening his edges and fitting into the annex life.
'Well, except for one person.'
By the time breakfast ended, Edgar looked sickly, as if he hadn't eaten in days. Aside from him, everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.
'But I wonder how the training will go?'
Raon pressed his lips together.
'Will it be sword lessons? Or will he just hand me some texts and leave me to it like before?'
As he pondered the nature of the upcoming instruction, Glenn stepped away from Sia and walked toward him.
"Every time I see it, I find this place lovely. The annex building."
Unlike his previous visits, Glenn nodded with genuine appreciation for the home.
"I feel the same way."
Raon offered a smile in return.
"Now that we’ve eaten, we should begin your lessons."
Glenn pulled a plain, untitled manual from his robes, signaling the start of the training.
"Yes."
Just as Raon reached out with both hands to accept the text, the book in Glenn's grip was suddenly engulfed in red lightning, turning into a pile of black soot.
"G-Grandfather?"
Raon’s jaw dropped as he watched the remnants of the manual drift away in the breeze.
"On second thought, you have no use for something like this."
Glenn shook his head steadily, making it clear the destruction was intentional.
"Because you can never become me."
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yes, please continue with rest of the chapters
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