Chương 97: Chapter 94: A Taste of Home

When Melia dropped Moeldywn off back at the castle, the princess was instantly mobbed by servants and messengers the moment she undid her [Invisibility]. Melody straightened, brushed herself off, and adopted a look of practiced patience… even if Melia could smell the resignation and dullness setting in. Perhaps she would create something to relieve Moeldywn's boredom. Maybe she'd bake a cake? Princesses and cakes went well together, didn't they? Or, maybe actually they didn't?

There was that one who suggested peasants eat cake and got beheaded, and then there was that classic old video game. Two opposing teams of soldiers were effectively playing capture the flag with their princesses, and to avoid having their princesses stolen, players fed them cake until they were too fat to move. Hilarious? Possibly. Something that Melia wanted to inflict on this world? Probably not. Though if the effects were temporary… Melia shook her head. She'd worry about all of that later.

For the time being, it was time to finally rejoin her friends. She opened up a portal leading to the same destination she'd sent everyone to, but when she stepped through, nobody was there. Melia wasn't too concerned; she'd sent them away hours ago. She turned on her treasure sense and found that everyone was remarkably close by. Her two [Feather Dusters] and the [Feather Toy] were clumped together with a whole bunch of [Rough Diamonds] somewhere in the palace.

Melia made sure to blink adequately after getting blinded by the [Beacon] and wondered very briefly if dragons were like giant, scaly moths. Why did she have to be attracted to the brightest glowing light? Melia wobbled away on unsteady legs as she let her nose guide her more than her eyes. Not long after, she came upon the room everyone was in. Melia was about to enter, but just as she was about to hop up and turn the knob, she froze.

A lot had happened today, and she was feeling considerably better about herself than she was yesterday, but this would still be the first time she was meeting back up with her friends after nearly going feral. What would they say? Would they shun her? Look at her with cold eyes? Melia had a mini panic attack and was just considering walking away when she heard Lethia's voice floating through the door.

"Ah, Mistress has returned. Excuse me." Shoot, Melia thought. There went her chances of getting away. She couldn't very well run from one of her own [Retainers], could she? Well, obviously she could, just like she could [Stealth] where she stood, remain invisible, and sneak into the kitchens to start comfort-baking. But she didn't, and she was caught somewhat flat-footed, halfway crouched into her jump with her arms slightly raised as the door opened.

"Welcome home, Mistress," Lethia said. Without missing a beat (or indicating that Melia's stance at the door was anything other than natural), she bent down, hooked the gnome under her arms, and lifted her up. Melia decided to roll with the punches and allowed herself to be carried inside. And once she was inside, she realized she put herself in a position she couldn't get out of. Brandy, Alastair, Ellesea, and Y'cennia were all watching her carefully.

They had cool, unaffected smiles on their faces, but Melia could smell the nervousness in the room. She began to fidget.

"So," Jessica took it upon herself to break the proverbial ice. Not just ice. Sub-zero ice. A full glacier of it. No molecular movement? Melia was so frozen she forgot she was supposed to be fidgeting nervously. Jessica stretched and stood up from where she was lounging on a bed. She marched up to Melia, hands on her hips, but because Lethia was so tall, it looked rather adorable. Melia smiled as Jessica frowned, needing to crane her neck up slightly to stare at the gnome in the elf's arms.

Jessica quickly shook her head and continued.

"You're really freaking huge, aren't you?" She asked, staring at Melia.

"That was your real form, right? As the [Destroyer of Worlds]?" Melia squirmed but nodded. Jessica wasn't wrong. She also wasn't wearing her normal [Hunter] gear. Instead, she and the rest of the party were dressed in impeccable finery. Melia glanced at her [Retainers] and had a hunch she knew who was responsible. But no amount of frills and lace on a pure silk dress would ever make Jessica not Jessica.

"You…aren't mad?" Melia asked hesitantly.

"What's there to be mad at?" Jessica sighed as she slumped back down.

"Sure, finding out firsthand that a giant dragon is willing to rampage over a city because I got stabbed is rather complicated, but what am I gonna do about it? From what I understand of dragons, they sort of latch on. What am I going to do, leave? You'd probably just follow us anyway. And let's be honest," Jessica said, looking rather tired, "This was never an equal relationship. Sure, I suppose I could get bitter or mad, but why would I do that when you give me cool stuff?"

"Don't listen to her, Melia," Ellesea shook her head.

"Jessica's playing it down, but we value your company. Now that we've had a chance to sit and think, we're starting to understand who you are. Or I am, at least. For me, in a way, being friends with you is sort of like becoming friends with the founder of Arcanus Scholastia. Not something I'd ever seek out or dream was possible, but since it's here, I don't want to throw it away."

"If possible," Alastair gave her a lopsided smile, "Just try to keep your wrath in check. We don't want to burn down the kingdom if somebody stubs their toe."

"I'll…try," Melia deflated. She looked around the room, and while she could tell there was more they weren't saying, her entire group was radiating honesty. These were their true, genuine feelings.

"So basically…I got all worked up for nothing?"

"You do you, girl," Jessica shrugged.

"You know what…?" Melia said, squirming out of Lethia's arms.

"You're right. I will do me."

"Oh gods," Ellesea groaned.

"Jessica, what have you gotten us into this time?" Melia caught Jessica starting to look doubtful from the corner of her eye, but she'd already made up her mind. She turned back to Lethia and tugged on her dress.

"I need a kitchen."

"Yes, Mistress," Lethia beamed.

"Shall I make an inquiry to the palace staff?" Melia opened her mouth to respond, but quickly shut it. There were pretty good odds that what she planned to make could be shared with others, and, on the off-chance she made something for Moeldywn, she wanted it to be a surprise.

"Hmmm," Melia frowned.

"If that's our only option, it'll have to do." She started looking through her inventory, sorting through all her crafting gear. The problem was, she had all the skills in the world to make something amazing, but they wouldn't do anything on their own. She also needed equipment (of which she had in the finest quality), and a proper workstation. While she could do what she did back in Lakeridge and build one of her own [Cooking] stations, last time she wasn't planning on making anything special.

Using a premium workstation might make the difference between a 5-star dish with multiple buffs and a 5-star dish that had effects. Okay, so maybe most people might judge her for splitting hairs, but Melia was in a picky mood.

"Mistress," L'menia purred.

"If the royal kitchens aren't up to your standard, why not go back home?"

"Not up to standards…?" Ellesea muttered.

"What world are we living in when the royal kitchens are insufficient?"

"Hmm," Melia frowned.

"Is that really going to do it?" She supposed it really mattered what her [Retainers] (or this world) considered her "home" to be. Was it the mansion? The Obsidian Mansion certainly had the prestige to fit the bill for a place with a fancy kitchen. The facilities, however, might be a little… outdated. And destroyed. Or taken over by a dungeon? Melia wasn't sure about all the specifics of her newfound property. It also couldn't be the abbey.

Yes, Melia just built a lair there, but she installed treasure, not plumbing. Hmm. Did she need to connect her [Moonwell] to a fancy industrial kitchen with induction burners and multiple high-powered dishwashers? That sounded like work.

"Of course," Lethia beamed.

"We've kept the cottage in pristine order. It has been ready for your return since the moment you disappeared." Melia's eyes widened with excitement. Of course! Her seaside cottage in Horizon! Technically it was a "guild house." The game offered player housing in small, medium, and large plots, depending on the size of a guild. They were expensive, and the design philosophy was that these large houses, created to accommodate multiple players, were supposed to be community things.

Players would pool their savings to finance a home… but, of course, the prohibitive price tag did not stop players who already owned exorbitant wealth. Melia had multiple player houses, one in each of the main cities. She never really used most of them, as she always considered Horizon her main base.

"Meni, that's a great idea!" Melia cheered, and the huge tigerkin mimicked her excitement by punching the air. Y'cennia and Ellesea shared a worried look.

"Why do I feel like we're right back to being in over our heads?" Y'cennia moaned.

"We never left," Ellesea patted her consolingly on the shoulder.

"We never left."

Securing a carriage was easy when one had [Retainers]. Melia barely had to confirm the suggested plan when one of the three instantly vanished to secure transit. By the time the other two led the large group of people outside the palace estate, two carriages and Midna were all waiting for them. Melia spotted the cat and hurried over.

"Oh, my baby! I didn't forget about you, honestly!" Midna merely yawned hugely and licked Melia's face.

"Where did she even come from?" Brandy asked, picking Melia up and placing her on the Nightsaber's back.

"Do not underestimate the skills of a high-level, trained mount," Layalee said. She was helping the other girls into one of the rides, who were tossing Midna worried looks.

"I think we forgot something back in Whispershade when we ported out," Jessica said.

"Don't worry," Lethia chuckled.

"We arranged stabling for your animals." Brandy climbed up behind Melia and patted the giant cat on the side.

"Onward!" The group proceeded through the Nobles' District, moving down quiet lanes with quiet manors and grand mansions, sheltered by tall hedges and iron gates. The original player's housing zone, as well as Melia's home, was down on the coast of the harbor. As it was designed to be fancy, flashy, and expensive, it wasn't like the normal, average housing the majority of Horizon residents had to settle for.

Not only was it in a prime location to enjoy the beautiful ocean, but it was historically significant as the place where heroes dwelled. As such, once the Visitors vanished after the game shut down, it was quickly gobbled up by the wealthy socialites of Horizon looking to flaunt their wealth and make themselves look important. It was a strange dichotomy of old vs new.

Where the ancient homes built at the dawn of Eutevor's empire were large and imposing, the homes left vacant by vanishing heroes were tightly packed like urban suburbs. And yet, to Horizon's nobility, they were equally as coveted. As [Sunrise] made their way toward the ocean, the lane grew narrower as the houses seemed to shrink. Not that any of them were small by any means, but instead of ancestral estates built to house generations, they seemed more fitting for small groups.

If a guild of 100 people could be considered "small." Instead of sprawling lawns covering acres of land, each plot was reduced to a decent front yard bordering the lane and a single large building. They stopped looking like British palaces and took on a more… hybridized feel. A mix of Mediterranean, Costa Rican, and tropical architecture gave the buildings a peculiar relaxing feeling. And yet, they didn't feel out of place.

"Woah," Melia heard Jessica mutter. She turned to see the [Hunter] sticking her head out of the window.

"So this is where the nobles come to play?"

"Have you never seen the beach before?" Ellesea giggled. She, too, was sticking her head out of the window…in fact, all of [Sunrise] was. Al was, once again, in a carriage of his own, but that simply meant he had more window to hang out of.

"Girl, getting stung by flying jellyfish at Gold Coast is not the same as a vacation resort." Melia nodded. At first, she wondered how this world would treat the old player housing area. The game had treated it exactly as Jessica said: a resort. While not every house was built directly on the sand, every property had easy access to the water.

And, unlike what Melia would have found in a real historical setting, the beaches in the player district of Ebonvale's Horizon came equipped with volleyball nets, tanning lounges, and colorful umbrellas. As they got closer to the beach and the lane became bumpier as the cracks between the stones were filled with sand, the sound of rolling waves and the crispness of salty brine heralded the imminent arrival of the ocean.

Despite being "small" homes compared to the rest of the Nobles' District up the hill, each and every one of these buildings was under high demand and went for multiple fortunes whenever a plot went up for sale.

"Can you imagine who lives in some of these?" Y'cennia asked.

"They don't live in them, Cennie," Jessica scoffed.

"These are summer homes and stuff." The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"And stuff," Ellesea nodded sagely.

"Jessica, you are a barbarian."

"Nope," Jessica cackled, "You want one of those, look no further than Layalee." The [Retainer] in question flexed and smiled.

"It is seen as an extreme status symbol to own one of these homes," Ellesea said.

"After all, this suburb used to be solely inhabited by Visitors. This was the home of heroes." Melia saw the girls glancing their way…but it soon became evident they were staring at Brandy. Melia smiled. In her mind, Brandy was the real hero anyway.

"Where…are we going?" Ellesea eventually asked. They were running out of streets to turn down and soon enough they'd dead-end on the beach itself. As she had said, the most expensive and highly coveted homes were on the beach itself.

"We're almost there!" Melia cheered excitedly.

"You have got to be kidding me," Jessica gasped. They passed the last possible street to turn down, and all that was left was the frontage road that ran parallel to the ocean. The driver turned left at a word from Layalee and the girls were left speechless. Because, yes, Melia did own a house on Lane 1. Back in the beginning, when it was almost impossible to get player housing due to limited availability and market hoarding, Melia had stayed awake for hours to claim a plot.

At the time, she had felt slightly guilty, because she didn't have the same responsibilities or sleep patterns as a normal player, but it was worth it in the end. Technically, hers was the very closest one to the beach, and the third house down the lane. … though, to be fair, now that her old home was coming into view, Jessica's outcry could have been related to something else entirely.

"I've always wondered who owned this home," Ellesea groaned.

"Of course it's you. It couldn't be anybody else but you." The first house on Lane 1 was a large estate. Meant for guilds of 100 plus people, it was about the size of a modern-day hotel. Three stories, probably close to a hundred rooms, and if Melia was to equate it to something she was (not entirely) familiar with, it sat on around an acre of land. House 2 on Lane 1 was a medium estate. It was nearly identical to the large estate, except scaled down. Two stories. 40 to 50 rooms.

The plot might have been similar to a small corner strip mall. But, where the large estate had low hedges surrounding its verdant lawns, the medium estate had a large sandstone wall. More specifically, the wall was about 6 feet high along 90 percent of the perimeter, but on the far edge, bordering the third estate, it shot up to about 12 feet. All because of a [Moai] statue that had been swiveled to peek over the wall. The girls in the carriage stared judgingly at Melia, but she couldn't help but grin.

This was better than she imagined! Her neighbors in the game didn't care one bit about what decorations Melia put in her yard. In fact, over the years, the plot was vacated and resold numerous times as the occupants stopped playing the game and their monthly rent went unpaid. And despite being player housing for guilds, most people didn't hang around these districts anyway. Either they idled in main cities waiting for raids to form… or else they'd be inside the houses decorating the interiors.

Besides, what were they going to say? It was a video game. It didn't have an HOA. Melia didn't even know what one did… other than suck out dues. The carriages (and Midna) came to a stop in front of Lane 1's house 3. It was a small estate, built to look like a Sicilian cottage. The walls were bleached white stone, with green ivy crawling artfully up one side, and it had high, arched windows with subtle wrought-iron reliefs. It was designed to accommodate 15 to 30 people…

but this was the home of one woman, and one woman only. The knee-high run of sandstone walling off the property wouldn't keep anyone out except Melia herself, and at that point it would be a mild inconvenience only to climb over it. Twin lampposts were stationed at the entry to the sandy walk leading from the lane to her front door, and a spotless mithril sign swung gently in the breeze. [NMI], it proudly proclaimed, and in the last hundred years, only three people had crossed its threshold.

Much to the chagrin of the entire neighborhood.

"What…sort of monster…are you?" Ellesea muttered through strangled breath. They'd dismounted the carriages and entered the yard…where somehow, many of the ornaments had been hidden from sight.

"Hahaha," Melia laughed sheepishly.

"I should probably clean this up." Melia's taste in decor was… questionable. She was not one of those girls who could sit down with one of those "villager games," where players traded with npcs to build relationships and earn furniture. She did not, and probably never would, understand the art of feng shui. In those games, Melia was just as likely to send her neighbors letters that simply read: BUTTS than she was to get into character and try to woo residents based on their likes and personalities.

Especially after she learned it was random anyway and the game only checked that the player sent a letter, not what they wrote. So, it should be no surprise that Melia's yard was atrocious. Perhaps the [Moai] could be forgiven precisely because it couldn't be overlooked. It was a commanding decoration that made others feel judged under its imperious gaze. But that was only one of many, widely varied decorations sitting in front of Melia's home.

Though, to be fair, every single piece was Exotic in rarity and quite likely priceless, if not one of a kind in this new world. For instance… the [Pink Flamingo]. Melia had one sticking out of the middle of the lawn. Or the deer-scare next to it. It was added during the expansion that introduced the "Far East" and was called a [Shishi Odoshi], so, of course, Melia had to build one. Next was a [Planter S], which lacked space-warping capabilities and could grow only 4 crops at a time.

Melia didn't particularly care to use it when growing ingredients or materials, because it worked too slowly and she could grind things much faster. But, she already made it so it would be a waste to take it away. There was a random wooden bench made of [Liferoot] that Melia liked the look of, but it sat against the far wall of her home and didn't have a decent view. In short, Melia placed her junk wherever she felt like it in the moment and didn't bother cleaning up after herself.

Feeling slightly self-conscious, she scurried up the path and reached for the door. Lethia's hand closed around the handle before Melia could jump for it and the [Retainer] stepped aside while she pushed it open with a flourish.

"Mistress," she said, her voice full of emotion.

"Welcome home." The group stepped inside and let out a whistle of appreciation. Fortunately, Melia's taste for inside decor was slightly better…though that was mostly due to the game limiting where she could place certain items.

"Wow," Jessica breathed, her eyes grown wide as she quickly turned her head left and right. A set of stairs against one wall led up to the second story while another ran beneath it to a basement. A [Grand Piano] sat in one corner, while multiple paintings hung on the walls. Several bookshelves, filled with ancient texts, lined the walls. But it was something else that she finally locked onto.

"What is this?" she asked excitedly. Melia turned to see her testing her hand against a squishy piece of furniture before jumping up recklessly and landing on top of it. She sank deeply into the beanbag so that it looked like her arms and legs were the only things sticking out.

"Have you never seen a macaron before?" Melia laughed.

"Not one the size of a couch," Ellesea muttered. She walked up to the pink, white, and brown object that resembled a sandwich cookie and peered into the hole. Jessica managed to reach up and pull her down; with a squeak, the [Macaron Ottoman] claimed another victim.

"We've kept it exactly as you left it, Mistress," Lethia said. Melia looked up and saw the pride in her [Retainer]'s eyes, and once again she was floored that she had such loyal companions. One hundred years of dusting a vacant cottage was a very long time.

"Thank you," Melia said, growing slightly misty-eyed.

"Thank you very much. All of you."

"Think nothing of it!" L'menia said brightly, with a cheesy grin, and thrust her hand forward in a V sign. Layalee, however, brought out her sturdy [Frying Pan] and clonked her over the head.

"Ouch!" L'menia cried.

"What was that for?!"

"You're just trying to get on our lady's good side," Layalee scolded in her squeaky voice.

"Hoping she won't get mad at you for sneaking into the [Catnip]."

"It was only once!" L'menia panicked. Her eyes darted manically toward Melia, as if the gnome was about to condemn her for committing a cardinal sin. But Melia could only laugh…[Catnip] was an ingredient in certain pet foods and joke recipes; she had no idea that beastkins could enjoy the stuff. Judging from how Y'cennia's ears both swiveled in her direction like radar dishes, despite her looking the opposite way, it was very telling.

"Speaking of," Melia teased, watching L'menia clam up fearfully. She let the tigerkin fluster for several moments before taking it easy on her.

"Time to do what we came to do. To the kitchen!"

In Melia's home, the kitchen was in the basement. Maybe there were some lore reasons why this was the best place to put the [Cooking] workstation, but if there were, Melia didn't know them. It wasn't like she considered [Cooking] to be a servant's job, though if her [Retainers] wished to sharpen their skills down there, they were more than welcome to. Bounding down the stairs, Melia found the place exactly as she remembered it.

Unlike the kitchen at Penny's restaurant, there weren't any stainless steel appliances or gleaming surfaces. And not because the [Retainers] didn't keep it clean. The workspace was spotless, but it also fit the setting of the house it was in, the Sicilian cottage. As such, it appeared to be an old brick hearth with a simple grill, a stove, and a stone basin for running water. But Melia had crafted every piece here herself, and she'd upgraded them fully, so they were of the highest quality.

Though she likely wouldn't think anything of it, her oven could reach temperatures hotter than a volcano and her fireplace could melt a [Firelord Elemental]. So it was that she entered the raid-boss of all kitchens and began checking things out.

Y'cennia followed the tiny gnome into the unsuspecting kitchen. Her presence was tolerated, as neither the maids nor the gnome herself yelled at her to get back, but the catkin was having second thoughts. She made the mistake of trying to [Identify] some [Cookware] and she felt ill. Now that she was over level 400, she could see more of certain stats than she would have in the past. She wished she couldn't. Nobody in their right mind needed [Crockery] with stats.

Least of all a [Crock Pot] that could probably beat a demon lord all by itself. Y'cennia shook her head. She was trying not to think about divine quests and her part in them, but this kitchen wasn't helping. Lady Meliastraza opened the oven grate and walked inside. Unlike the first time Y'cennia saw it happen, she didn't feel like her soul was leaving her body, and she felt a burst of warmth as fire bloomed.

Lady Meliastraza walked out, seemingly pleased with herself, and Y'cennia could see the faintest wisp of smoke trailing from her mouth. … had she lit the fire herself? As in, with dragon breath? Were they about to cook with literal dragon fire? Y'cennia decided it was best to stop thinking about it.

"Oooh, Cennie," Lady Meliastraza said.

"Wanna help?" A reasonable person of her skill level should say no. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, a rank 4 [Alchemist] with a single measly level in [Cooking] had to offer a [Grandmaster] in both fields. But she was intensely curious and also a smidge excited. She wouldn't miss the chance to work with Lady Meliastraza again for anything in the world.

"What are we making today?" Y'cennia asked. Her tail began swishing behind her and she tried to will it to stop, but sometimes it had a mind of its own.

"Sweets," Lady Meliastraza declared.

"It's time to comfort bake."

"Do dragons comfort bake?" Y'cennia heard Jessica mutter behind her. She also heard Ellesea whack her over the head with her staff.

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be," Y'cennia admitted, "But I'll do my best."

"You'll be perfect, I know it!" Lady Meliastraza retrieved some of those god-tier cooking implements and started pulling ingredients out of her inventory. Milk. Sugar. Honey. Eggs. Cinnamon. All of the finest quality. Not a single piece was below 5-stars. Flour. Salt. Sweet Cream. Her tail swished faster. More ingredients came, and soon the counter, which seemed to hold far more bottles and jars than it rightly should, was full. They had enough goods on display to overrun an entire bakery.

"Something I've found helpful," Lady Meliastraza said as she filled a bowl with various things and started mixing, "Is that there's more to [Cooking] than reading the directions. For me, half the fun of making things comes from imagining the people I'm making them for. I think of their smiling faces, the joy I can bring to their lives, how much I can help them. I feel like really putting my heart into it helps infuse it with emotion… gives it that extra ingredient it might be lacking."

Y'cennia wasn't sure you could distill emotion into an essence… and if you could, it would definitely be an [Alchemy] reagent. She nodded along anyway as if she really understood.

"For instance," Lady Meliastraza chirped, buttering a baking pan and pouring some batter into it in folds, "Just today, I was thinking about Melody."

"Queen Moeldywn?" Y'cennia reflexively asked. Lady Meliastraza laughed.

"Melody," she grinned.

"Princess of the finest degree. And, I thought to myself…what do princesses like? Cake."

"Do princesses like cake?" Ellesea muttered in the background, and this time Jessica was the one to whack her with a stick.

"I see," Y'cennia nodded seriously. There was a lesson here; she was sure of it. Lady Meliastraza mixed more ingredients, creating a lovely bowl of sparkling strawberry jelly, glistening like crushed rubies in the sunlight. She placed it on the counter and used a skill to keep it cold. Despite the heat of the oven, Y'cennia could feel the frost radiating off of it.

"Melody, when I first met her, loved cake," Lady Meliastraza said.

"She'd offer it to me all the time. She always had snacks provided whenever I'd visit. She was sweet, innocent, and maybe a little naive about the world." She chuckled as she stuck the batter in the oven. She used some skills Y'cennia couldn't track, and moments later, she retrieved a perfectly circular cake, cooked to golden perfection.

"So was I, I think," Lady Meliastraza said sadly, as she repeated the process with another layer.

"I thought she might have been a little spoiled, you know. She's got that amazingly posh accent; she's always had it and she never lost it. Just this prim and proper little girl, having tea time, eating cake and cookies. I always wondered," she laughed, "If that was all she ate, how she managed to stay so skinny."

"Never ask a girl her secrets," Y'cennia heard Eluna this time, though her sensitive ears also picked up something that probably wasn't meant to be shared.

"Exercise is freakin' hard work."

"Now, I know she's not the same little girl I used to visit on a daily basis," Lady Meliastraza smiled, bringing out the final tray of cake. She seemed to be satisfied with four rounds, and after cooling the spongy platforms with a skill, she spread a layer of glistening jam on top of the base. She added a circle of cake, and then a layer of cream. She repeated it twice more, alternating between the layers each time.

"But I can't help but want to pamper her anyway," Lady Meliastraza grinned sheepishly.

"To me, she'll always be the beautiful little princess, not the fearsome queen. Is that so wrong? Maybe." She activated another skill and her hands became a blur. They moved so fast, Y'cennia's eyes couldn't keep up. In seconds, the cake went from a plain cylinder of spongy layers to a fully decorated masterpiece, complete with icing smeared across in waves. Squat droplets had been piped around the rim, and several fresh strawberries were artfully placed in eye-catching lumps.

Lady Meliastraza seemed distracted, as if more interested in her memories than the cake itself.

"But no matter what, I want to give her my best, and I think these feelings help." She nodded in satisfaction, and for the first time she looked down at her creation. Y'cennia [Identified] it, too.

[Noble Indulgence] Level: 150 Rarity: Epic Quality: 5-stars On consumption: gain 2% of your primary stat for the next 4 hours. On consumption: gain [Noble] or [Indulgence]. Lasts 30 minutes.

Of course, she had to read the description of the effect.

[Noble] If you are not a princess, gain [Noble]. Now you are a princess.

[Indulgence] If you are a princess, gain [Indulgence]. Now you know the weight of your station.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

But before Y'cennia puzzled out what it meant, Lady Meliastraza hastily stashed the cake away. When Y'cennia glanced at the gnome, she was blushing furiously.

"I think," Lady Meliastraza said hastily, "It worked too well. Let's try something else, shall we?"