After dictating the recipe to the frantic Head Chef and appointing Elin as the "Royal Noodle Supervisor," I escaped the kitchen with two steaming plates.
Back in the safety of my room, the silence was a welcome relief.
I set the plates on the small round table near the balcony and pulled out a chair.
Kaelen hesitated, standing by the door as usual.
"Sit," I commanded softly.
He obeyed, sitting stiffly at first, but as he began to eat, his posture relaxed.
It was the first time we had eaten just us together.
Just the two of us. No guards, no princes, no threatening Systems.
He ate slowly, methodically, but I could tell he was genuinely enjoying it. The tension that usually held his shoulders tight had melted away with the steam from the broth.
"My Lady," he said, setting his fork down after finishing the last bite. "If Her Imperial Majesty likes these 'noodles'... she will definitely include this dish in the Grand Convergence banquet."
