Free Web NovelChapter 72: _A Man Who Cooks
The next morning, Ambrose’s forehead creased, his eyes taking a while to fully open. Once they did, he took in the room and how sunlight shone into it from the windows.
He turned on the bed while his arms subconsciously searched around him. However, when he felt nothing but an empty bed, his heart skipped a beat.
He sat up, sweat already clinging to his naked torso as he scanned his eyes through the room.
Neither Devon nor Orion was here.
[Good morning, sweetheart.] Aura chimed in his head with that horrible timing. [Ready for today’s daily quest?]
He groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. ’What happens if I stop doing daily quests?’
[Well... other than the ones with penalties attached, nothing much. But if you want a higher chance of evolving, I’d suggest the host keeps up his current streak of daily quests.]
Ambrose sucked in a breath.
Of course.
’Hey, remember that mystery box I got for a daily quest?’ he placed his legs out of the bed, already hearing the television playing indistinct voices from the living room. ’I guess it’s time I open it.’
The system flashed a screen in front of him, a silver box wrapped like a Christmas present floating at the centre. Ambrose’s eyes widened with expectation.
A mystery box meant he could get anything totally random.
ANYTHING.
His chest tightened, breathing shallow as he hesitated on clicking on the box.
What if it turns out to be something utterly useless? Right now all he needed was something that could help him get stronger.
[Well, you’ll never know what it is until you open it.]
He nodded once, more to himself than the system. Here goes then.
When he clicked on the box icon, it blipped out of the screen, appearing in a physical form right in front of him. The system screen disappeared as he stretched out a palm, letting it land on it.
It was so... small.
Could anything useful really be in such a small box?
’Gods help me, I guess,’ he shrugged, tapping the box with his other hand.
It sprang open as the silver strips around it scattered off into tiny light specks. After holding back for a few seconds, Ambrose finally huffed, shoving a hand into it.
He touched something metallic and cold.
Frowning, he pulled it out, muttering a prayer that it would be something good—
—Only to find out it was nothing more than a black key.
"The fuck?" His brows twitched. "A key? A fucking key?"
It was as long as his palm, its tip pronged like teeth. No matter how long he peered at it, he couldn’t understand what it could be useful for.
"Aura, this better be a key to a billion EP points." He grumbled, hopping off the bed. "Any ideas? Or—"
[Its purpose will be known once it’s needed.]
"You’ve got to be kidding me," he clicked his tongue, arms lowering. "Just... keep it away from me, would you?"
The key disappeared from between his fingers, as well as the prize box. He sighed, rubbing his neck and stretching out his arms.
CRASH.
The sound of glass shattering on the floor made him jerk with surprise. He rushed to the bedroom door without thinking, swinging it open and stepping out.
"What the heck is—Oh..."
Standing just a few meters in front of his door was Orion. And scattered on the marble floor was a glass cup and what seemed to be yogurt and some fruit slices.
[A parfait, sweetheart.]
"Orion," Devon jogged to the kid just then, pulling him back gently. "I told you to be careful with that."
The boy’s shoulders dropped. "I’m sorry. I was just... so excited to bring daddy the perfect."
"Parfait, Orion."
"... Perfect?"
Devon heaved, head rising to meet Ambrose’s questioning gaze.
"Good morning, Rose. Hope you slept well?"
Ambrose blinked, taking in the Esper.
He had on a form-fitting black T-shirt that outlined way too many muscles. Ambrose’s eyes couldn’t leave those abs or the ginormous—
[Having all these thoughts in front of a child, is—]
’Don’t start with me. I’m only human.’ while he said that mentally, his face lit with a smile. "Morning. You two... were making breakfast?"
Devon nodded, his hand never leaving Orion’s shoulder. "Mmhm. Fluffy pancakes and some fruit and yoghurt parfaits." He winked at the end of that, making Ambrose’s cheeks burn.
There was something dangerously distracting about a man like Devon cooking for him.
"I thought I’d make something for you after last night," Devon broke the distance in a few strides, eyes set on him. "Are you sure you’re okay?"
Ambrose paused for a moment.
He could no longer feel the strain or symptoms that came with being linked with two S-Ranks at once. So it was safe to say he was okay—well, except for that weird dream last night.
But Devon didn’t need to know about that. "I assure you," he rubbed the Esper’s arm, lips curving wider. "I’m fine."
Upon hearing that, Devon’s expression relaxed. "You had me worried last night."
Ambrose’s mouth opened to say something when Orion giggled.
"Daddy carried Papa like a princess last night," he said, eyes gleaming like he was reminiscing. "Like the prince carried Cinderella."
It was Devon’s turn to blush.
He cleared his throat, glancing back at Orion. "Buddy, why don’t you uhm... get a mop so we can clean this up?" he pointed at the spilt parfait and shattered glass.
The boy showed hesitation but shrugged nonetheless, skipping toward the kitchen.
Ambrose was about to tease Devon about carrying him when a knock sounded on the living room door.
Both men stilled, heads snapping to the door.
After giving Devon one look, Ambrose lumbered cautiously to the door, already speaking to the system.
[Visitor is an A-Rank Guide.]
An A-Rank... oh, lord.
It couldn’t be.
He wouldn’t really come here after all this time... right?
Ambrose pulled in a deep breath, already having a strong clue of who it was before he opened the door. As he did, his expression shifted into something icy, brows raised inquisitively.
"Guide Han," he muttered. "To what do I owe the displeasure?"
Han’s face was blank. Robotic.
You couldn’t read his emotions even if you had years of military experience.
Then—like lightning, it twisted into a cunning smirk, his dark eyes glinting with a sly light. "Trust me, Ambrose..." He dragged himself forward by a step. "... You’d want to be more civil. Hear what I have to say."
