Having Wives And Raising Children Levels Me Up

Chapter 78: 78. Eating Together.

Hearing his words, Rowena finally crossed the room and took a seat beside Tatiana.

Of course, the dragon lady barely even cared about Rowena sitting close to her because all her attention was already fixed on what Austin was doing in front of her.

Yes, that’s right, there was a collection of different foods being made right now and Tatiana didn’t want to take her eyes off any of them.

Rowena glanced at the food as well and she could see sliced rounds of pale golden flesh sitting fanned across a tray.

They looked crispy along the edges and glistened faintly with oil.

But right beside them, a mountain of cut strips sizzled away in a wide pan, turning a deep amber colour as Austin tossed them with a flick of his wrist.

Further along, Rowena noticed a thick, creamy mound sitting in a bowl.

It was pale orange in colour, dotted here and there with flecks of herbs and a generous pat of melting butter.

But next to all that, in a second pan entirely, were several enormous chicken thighs, legs, and wings.

Their skin was currently crackling and turning a rich golden brown colour as Austin fried them all diligently.

Now, even the Countess couldn’t help but gulp as she swallowed her saliva.

But that wouldn’t stop her from asking a really important question right now.

"What.....is all this?" Rowena asked as she leaned forward even more toward the counter.

"It’s breakfast, of course. Just a little something I picked up a long time ago. So trust me when I say this, you’re definitely going to like it." Austin simply replied whilst not even glancing up from his work.

The chef beside him let out a small laugh as she glanced at her Countess. "My lady. I’ve worked in this kitchen for over a century, but never have I seen anything like this."

"You mean the food."

"Well, the food is one thing, but that’s not what I’m talking about."

"Then what is it?"

"Sir Austin actually asked me to prepare three different sauces in the time it usually takes me to make one. At first, I thought it was impossible, but glancing at his culinary skills, I knew he was a monster chef at first glance, and right now, he’s going to make me a monster chef too! Muahaha!!" The dark elf cackled out loudly like a maniac.

And since she was currently wearing a black eye patch on one eye, it made her look even more like a villainess laughing maniacally.

"She’s actually pretty good too." Austin added with a grin, and the beautiful dark elf smiled even more as she focused on what she was doing.

Meanwhile, one of the maids near the doorway leaned toward another elf and whispered so that no one else would hear what they were saying.

"I never knew Sir Austin could cook like this. I thought he was only good with potions."

"Apparently, he’s good at everything." Another elf whispered back, whilst a third maid had her eyes fixed hungrily on the chicken he was frying.

"That looks so delicious. I wish I was sitting in front of him too. This isn’t fair." She uttered softly as a thin line of drool slid from her mouth and down onto the maid beside her.

"Hey, stop drooling on my dress, Bree. I’m warning you."

"I’m not drooling, I’m just... appreciating the sweet smell very intensely."

Austin chuckled at the exchange the ladies were having without turning around.

Thanks to the symbiotic contract and the changes that had occurred within him, he could clearly hear what they were saying, and right now he was clearly enjoying the attention far more than he was letting on.

And so, he continued working through the remaining ingredients with the same confidence he’d shown from the start.

He was now slicing, seasoning, flipping, tasting, and adjusting anything that required adjusting.

He never once lost his rhythm, even as the small audience around him grew steadily more restless.

But it took the better part of an hour before he finally straightened up, wiped his hands on a cloth, and turned to address the room properly.

"Sorry for the wait, ladies. Breakfast is ready." Austin addressed the females who had all been watching him work.

Tatiana was the first to move, reaching for one of the enormous chicken legs with the intention of eating it immediately, but Austin instantly caught her wrist mid-motion without even looking at her.

"Calm yourself. We’re not eating here. We’ll be doing that in the dining room, so you two, go get cleaned up and join me later." Since Austin had begun cooking very early that morning, Nora and Tatiana had gotten a whiff of the sweet scent all the way from the hallway, so they had left their rooms in search of the source without getting themselves cleaned up yet.

But now that breakfast was ready, both ladies instantly vanished out of the kitchen and into their respective rooms.

By the time everyone reconvened in the dining room, the long table had been laid out properly.

Even the potatoes in their various forms, ranging from fries to mashed potatoes, were all arranged across several platters.

The fried chicken was piled high at the centre as well, with sauces set out in small ceramic dishes beside it.

The four of them settled into their seats, and within moments, the room was filled with the happy moans of women experiencing bliss thanks to Austin’s cooking.

"Oh, hubby. This is amazing. What is this?" Nora asked after taking her first bite of the crispy golden strips of potatoes.

"It’s a family secret, my love." Austin replied with a wink.

"But I thought we’re family already."

"Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it later." Austin assured her, but Tatiana expressed her own opinion as she reached for a second chicken leg.

"Yum yum. I don’t care what it’s called. I just want to eat more. This is so good." Tatiana kept eating as the juices ran down her fingers whilst she tore into the chicken without a shred of restraint. "Oh my goodness. This is so delicious. I love it, partner."

"You love it, huh?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I really do."

"Well, too bad, cause I won’t be giving you any more after today."

"What?!?" Tatiana exclaimed with a shocked look on her face, but Austin simply grinned ominously as he teased the dragon lady for what she had done to him during their picnic.