"Is it... gone already?"
By the time she snapped back to reality, the plate before her was already empty. Nakiri Alice stared dumbfounded at the plate, licked clean as new, and muttered distractedly.
But soon, as if remembering something, her gaze shifted to the nearby baking dish, where two portions of the cheese-baked potatoes still remained.
While she had been savoring her portion, Dylan had already consumed three and was just about to transfer the fourth onto his own plate.
"Here, you can have it. Let's give the last portion to Mr. Jonah, the bodyguard who bought my clothes earlier."
Seeing Nakiri Alice's burning gaze fixed on him, Dylan hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately pushed his plate towards her. Simultaneously, he offered the final remaining portion to Jonah, who had been waiting patiently nearby.
"Ah? For me...?"
Jonah, the bodyguard in the black suit who had bought Dylan's clothes and given him the two chocolate bars, sounded surprised.
"Yes. Thank you for your help earlier."
Dylan expressed his sincere gratitude. If Jonah hadn't thoughtfully prepared the chocolate for him, he couldn't imagine how excruciating those 40 minutes of waiting would have been while starving and unable to eat.
"This..."
"Just take it and eat. Dylan's cooking is amazing, definitely more delicious than any cheese-baked potato you've ever had."
Noticing Jonah's hesitation, Nakiri Alice spoke up, her words slightly muffled as she ate her second portion. A blush crept onto her face as she spoke, clearly remembering her initial boasts to Dylan.
"I understand. Thank you, Young Miss. Thank you, Mr. Dylan."
"Go on, try it. After you finish this, I should probably be taking my leave."
Now dressed in new clothes, coupled with his stature which was tall for his age, Dylan figured finding a job as a chef shouldn't be too difficult.
At the very least, potential employers would likely give him a chance to demonstrate his skills.
Of course, the most crucial factor was that after eating the cheese-baked potatoes, Dylan felt a significant portion of his internal energy had recovered. He could use it normally again; dealing with two or three strong adult men wouldn't be a problem if he got serious.
Unfortunately, because he had been too young in his previous life, his body was still developing. Over-training could have stunted his growth, so he rarely focused specifically on physical conditioning.
However, he was now 13 years old and already over 170 centimeters tall. In another two years, he should reach 180 centimeters, allowing him to officially start serious training.
"You're leaving? Where are you planning to go? If you don't have a place to stay, you can live here. My house has plenty of empty rooms."
Hearing Dylan intended to leave, Nakiri Alice suddenly grabbed his arm, speaking anxiously, her eyes revealing her reluctance to let him go.
She had finally found someone she could talk to, someone whose cooking skills were incredible. If possible, she didn't want him to leave just like that!
"Stay here? While it's a tempting offer, I still want to find some work. A man's gotta eat, after all."
Dylan stated his thoughts frankly. He didn't have a single cent in his pocket; he was completely empty-handed. He'd genuinely starve if he didn't find work.
"Can't you just stay?"
Nakiri Alice pouted, unwilling to release her grip on Dylan's sleeve. She had finally made a friend; before him, she had always been alone, which made her feel very lonely.
"If I don't go, will you support me?"
Dylan asked half-jokingly, though the idea was genuinely tempting. With the Nakiri family's influence, supporting him likely wouldn't be a major issue.
However, wouldn't that make him someone who lived off a woman?!
"I'll support you!"
Nakiri Alice blurted out the words without thinking, then immediately realized what she'd said, a blush spreading across her young face.
"I mean, I want you to be my teacher! To teach me about cooking! The salary will definitely be higher than any restaurant outside!" she hastily added. Although young, she understood quite a bit. Compared to conservative Japan, Northern Europe, especially Denmark where they likely were, had a much more open atmosphere.
"Become a teacher..."
Dylan fell into deep thought, seriously considering the offer. Finding a job now would be troublesome, as would finding lodging. Staying here and becoming Nakiri Alice's teacher seemed much simpler.
Teaching someone cooking in exchange for payment was a respectable enough job. Maybe he could do it for two years, save up enough money, and then leave!
"That could work, but..."
Just as Dylan was about to say something more, a sound came from the villa's main entrance, followed by light, quick footsteps. A beautiful figure passed through the entryway and appeared before them.
"Oh my, Alice. Is this your new little boyfriend? Hmm, not bad, quite a handsome young man."
The newcomer's eyes swept over Dylan from head to toe. She had long white hair, a gentle and intelligent face, and wore a stylishly alluring black dress.
From her appearance, it wasn't hard to guess she was likely Nakiri Alice's mother.
"And who is this beautiful lady? You look so much like Alice; you must be her older sister," Dylan smoothly inquired.
"Oh dear, oh my, you're mistaken. I'm Alice's mother,"
Hearing Dylan call her 'sister', the mature white-haired woman instantly became bashful, waving her hands slightly while saying "Oh dear, oh my," unable to hide the delight on her face. Her name was Nakiri Leonora.
"How is that possible! You look so young, I was certain you had to be her sister! By the way, my name is Dylan. I'm a friend of Alice's."
Dylan put on an appropriately shocked expression. If the Oscars were held here, he'd surely deserve a little golden statue.
"Just friends? What a pity, you two look so good together. But do I really look that young?" Nakiri Leonora asked, clearly pleased.
"Absolutely! Time hasn't left a single trace on your face! Maybe I should just call you 'sister' from now on. Addressing such a youthful face as 'auntie' would make me feel guilty!"
"Alright! Then you can call me sister from now on. And are you really not considering Alice? She'll be just as beautiful as me when she grows up, you know~"
Dylan continued the flattery with a smile, though half of his words were genuine. Nakiri Leonora truly did look remarkably young. Money certainly helped; her face showed no signs of aging.
The other half, however, stemmed from Dylan having already known Nakiri Leonora's identity; theoretically, he shouldn't have mistaken her.
This demonstrated Dylan's high emotional intelligence. For a woman who was already married and had raised children, age was undoubtedly a sensitive topic.
At such times, sincerely complimenting her youthfulness, even if she suspected it was flattery, was extremely effective!
To secure his stay in this house as Nakiri Alice's teacher, Dylan decided to first win some favor with Nakiri Leonora through words.
"Mom! What nonsense are you talking?!"
Hearing the back-and-forth between the two, culminating in Nakiri Leonora practically offering her up to Dylan, Nakiri Alice stomped her foot, her face bright red, protesting vehemently.
"Hahaha, Alice is embarrassed! Just a moment ago, I saw you holding onto his sleeve. Why did you let go as soon as I arrived?"
Observing Nakiri Alice's reaction and recalling the scene she witnessed upon entering, Nakiri Leonora couldn't help but cover her mouth and tease her daughter.
It was precisely because she saw that interaction that she started playing matchmaker. Young girls didn't just grab boys' sleeves for no reason; that was something couples did!
____________
Heeeey! 👋 NEW Walnut translation JUST DROPPED! 🎉
And your Director is going WILD to celebrate! 🤪 Get ready for this...
🔥 INSANE 50% DISCOUNT on Patreon! 🔥
Seriously, HALF PRICE! 🤑 HUGE savings!
BUT ACT FAST! 🚨 This crazy deal self-destructs in ONLY 3 DAYS! ⏳💨
Don't walk, RUN! 🏃♀️💨 Weeeeeyyyy!
➡️ GET YOUR 50% OFF NOW!!!: patreon.com/Walnutchan ⬅️
GO! GO! GO! 🚀
Want MORE chapters & Early Access? 🤔 Of course you do! 👇
❤️ Support Wancheng Funeral Parlor with Reviews and Power Stones! ❤️
🎁 REWARD: Get 1 EXTRA FREE chapter for every 5 Reviews / 100 Power Stones! ✨ Sweet deal, right?
✨ EARLY ACCESS: Read 40 CHAPTERS AHEAD right now on Patreon! Support & get ahead here: patreon.com/Walnutchan ✨