Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1772: Last Meal

”Are we heading to the Morton Observatory right now?” Adam asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Gladius shrugged before rising from his seat.

”It’s up to you. But, since Xyrea and I spent over two hours grocery shopping, it would make sense to at least eat something before heading off to an important meeting. Don’t you think?”

Silvana raised an eyebrow. ”You want me to cook something for you? Seriously?”

”Hah, don’t pretend you’d say no to Adam if he asked you to do that.”

She was about to say something, but quickly realized Adam was right.

”Pffft!” Silvana crossed her arms over her chest as she pouted. ”Cooking for Adam and for you and Xyrea are two different things. I’m still mad at you guys for keeping us apart for so long!”

”Don’t be so dramatic.” Gladius waved his hand dismissively. ”It’s only been two days. That’s not that long. There have been plenty of times when you haven’t seen each other for much longer.”

Silvana grimaced. ”Yes, but I always knew Adam was fine, that he was resting or recovering from a tough fight. Now, he’s gone missing, and you were the one who took him.”

”It wasn’t me, it was Xyrea.” Gladius shoved his hands into his pockets with an innocent look.

”It doesn’t matter!” Silvana waved her hand. ”The Hollow Lands? It’s not the safest place in the world, you know? After what Adam told me, I’m just convinced you were risking his life!”

A devious glint flashed across Gladius’s eyes.

”Yeah, but it all ended well, didn’t it? And, let’s not talk about it anymore.”

Step. Step. Step.

Gladius stepped forward, walking past the table and heading toward the kitchen.

”Agh...?” Silvana was confused when Gladius rolled up his sleeves to his shoulders.

Without explanation, Gladius picked up the freshly bought steaks from the table, slicing open the packaging with a smooth motion.

”When I suggested dinner, I didn’t say I wanted you or Xyrea to make it.” He glanced back over his shoulder. ”You know, Silvana. I’m an excellent cook.”

Xyrea, who was standing to the side, gave a slight smirk for a moment. Unlike Adam and Silvana, who hadn’t seen Gladius’s full power, she knew there was a hidden meaning in his words. After all, being a chef was part of his title, and only a small number of humans had that distinction, unlike monsters.

Silvana was speechless, but Adam found the situation amusing.

”Hahaha, I never would have thought I’d see a Second Rank Phantom cook. To see the result, I’m willing to wait a little while.”

Whooooooosh.

Gladius deftly grabbed a knife from the stand and swung it in his hand.

”You won’t be disappointed. Xyrea likes my food, and her appetite is very hard to satisfy.”

Xyrea nodded. ”That’s true. Aside from sweets and coffee, I don’t like most human food. Though over the past few hundred years, I’ve gotten used to a lot of things. Still, when Gladius cooks, I’m ready to eat practically anything.”

”Well, well.” The corners of Adam’s mouth turned up as anticipation shone in his eyes. ”That’s intriguing. Go ahead, show us what you’re capable of.”

Silvana didn’t say anything, but her expression made it clear she was curious too.

”Alright, in that case, I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”

With that, Gladius fell silent, and only his ever-present smirk remained on his face.

First, he made X-shaped cuts in the steaks, not deep enough to ruin the structure, but deep enough to allow the spices to penetrate much more of the meat than usual.

Then, he took a small skillet and poured in some sesame oil. While the oil was heating up, he crushed some pepper and tossed it into the oil to bring out its flavor, followed by finely chopped garlic and a sprig of rosemary.

Without wasting any time, Gladius began chopping vegetables for the salad and preparing the dressing for it. It was quite hot outside, so he didn’t want to make a heavy dish, but rather something light and refreshing yet satisfying.

Unlike Adam and Silvana, who watched Gladius cook as if it were a show, Xyrea’s gaze was intense.

She had tried many times to replicate the taste of his dishes. She did everything exactly as he did, and yet she couldn’t reach his level.

Xyrea was Gladius’s Operator, and she had fully embraced that role, but her monstrous nature remained with her as well. She didn’t just want to serve him, but to approach his level of power and skill. She was constantly improving, striving to become a true equal partner to Gladius.

When the light salad of vegetables and olives was ready, Gladius flipped the steaks to the other side in the sizzling oil. He pulled a baguette out of the bag, sliced it, and toasted it in the oil, which had absorbed a multitude of flavors.

Finally, he took fresh butter from the pack and mixed it with herbs before slicing it, preparing to serve the dish.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Soon enough, four plates were on the table, making Silvana swallow hard as her appetite surged.

On each plate was a sliced steak resting on herb-infused butter that was slowly melting under the heat radiating from the steak, intensifying the already rich flavor. Steam rose from the steaks, wafting over slices of bread filled with sauce and topped with a golden crust of soft cheese, and to finish, there was a light summer salad with crisp, fresh vegetables.

”I hope you enjoy it.” Gladius bowed and waved his hand theatrically.

Before Adam could even pick up his fork, Gladius pulled out a bottle of wine and placed four glasses on the table.

”It was hard to find that one at the First Ring, but luckily, there are a few shops here with rare goods. What could be better than wine with meat, right?”

Once the four glasses were filled with wine, Adam and everyone else took their first bite.

Adam quietly savored the rich flavor while Silvana’s eyes widened in shock.

”Damn! This is so delicious!!!” She exclaimed with delight.

Sip.

Gladius took a sip of wine.

”Glad you liked it.” He turned to Xyrea. ”What about you?”

”Excellent...” Her lips trembled. ”As always.”

Gladius shrugged.

”Glad to hear it. Adam, a dinner like this is a fitting start to your meeting with Aiden Henk, isn’t it?”

Adam nodded as his gaze grew deeper.

”Yes. I hope that after our conversation, I’ll have just as good an impression as I do of this steak.”

Gladius smirked.

”Hope so.”