Chapter 252

"I'm going to the Great Plains." Ryan didn't hide anything. His goal this time was to resolve the Western Barbarian problem as soon as possible. The Grand Duke was going to lead the front-line battlefield, and the Grand Duke's target was too obvious. Even those who had never seen him before would... well, too easy to expose him just by looking at the Grand Duke's height.

As for Ryan himself, he wasn't worried. The Western Barbarians were poorly informed and busy fighting, so it was unlikely they would know his situation.

But just in case, if Hainuo can come along, then everything will be foolproof.

"So, you're dealing with the Western Barbarians?" Hainuo smiled faintly. "So, you're going to be my bodyguard? No problem."

Ryan was delighted. "Then it's settled... Come on, Ms. Haino, cheers."

jiu liu ling yi er liu er qi ling

Ding~

The clinking of wine glasses rang out, and Caslathdi's slightly surprised expression was reflected in the swirling red wine.

Wait, what did she just hear? The teacher is going to be Ryan's bodyguard???

Ryan himself may not have realized it, but Caslathdi knew how shocking this matter was. That was her teacher, a seventh-order Holy Word Master, the honorary archbishop of the Gate of Janus. If she didn't want to, even the emperor wouldn't be able to change it!

Don't assume she's ordinary just because she's always kept a low profile!

"... Then it's settled for now. I'll let you know once the alliance is finalized." Ryan raised his glass in acknowledgment, then walked away.

"Teacher, are you really going to the Western Territory with Ryan?" Caslathdi asked in a low voice. "Didn't you say you were waiting for your friend to come to Baron?"

Haino chuckled, "There's still time, isn't there? I'll wait for her here, and if I miss the deadline, I'll leave her a letter."

"That's not the point..." Caslathdi's expression was strange. "Teacher, when did your relationship with Ryan become so good?"

"Huh?" Haino was taken aback. "Is there...?"

"No?"

Haino paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Ryan and I are just friends. He helped me before, so it's only right that I help him now."

"Ryan helped the teacher? What happened?"

"Caslathdi, it's not a good habit to pry into other people's affairs."

"Um... sorry."

Caslathdi lowered her head, looking at the wine in her glass, a strange feeling creeping into her heart.

The Holy Word Master was very perceptive, and for some reason, she always felt that Haino was special to Ryan, and a little too close to him.

The teacher used to be practically uninterested in anything other than academic research at the academy, right? He actually agreed to go to the Western Territory with Ryan this time, even though he was helping out... wait, what if the Ryan...

Caslathdi quickly shook her head. When she came to her senses, she found Haino looking at Ryan's position, a smile involuntarily appearing on her lips.

"!!!!"

Something's not right, it's ten parts, or even nine parts, not right!

"Teacher, I want to go to the Western Territory too!"

Hainuo: "?"

The banquet concluded successfully in a harmonious atmosphere.

Some were happy, some were confused, and some were helpless... When the party ended, the nobles left the castle one after another and returned to their residences by carriage.

"Lord Ryan, please wait a moment. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

'Vainay' called out to Ryan, who was about to leave.

"What business does Your Majesty have with Ryan so late?" Caslathdi couldn't help but turn around as she reached the door.

"It's a matter of state, and it might even be about the Western Territory," Haino chuckled. "Let's go, Caslathdi, don't overthink it."

"Yeah?"

The matter in the Western Territory... that makes sense. Ryan specifically came to see the teacher before, so it seems to be true.

I imagine that Her Vainay the Your Majesty also wants to resolve the threat from the Western Barbarians as soon as possible.

"Empress Motis, may I talk to you again about the alliance? It won't take up too much of your time."

"Vainay" said again.

"Of course, that's what I'd like to do too."

"Your Majesty," Duke Shane bowed to Motis, "Then I will await you outside the castle."

"Go."

Shane bowed to 'Vainay' again and then left.

"Saintess, it seems that Augustus and the Northern Federation will discuss many topics we don't know about this time. Perhaps they really will try to deal with the Gate of Janus." Josh whispered as he followed Lin Qi.

Lin Qi didn't speak, but a hint of disdain appeared in her indifferent eyes, as if expressing some kind of contempt.

Soon only Ryan, 'Vainay', and 'Motis' remained in the hall.

Ryan coughed lightly. "Well... now let's discuss the problems of the Northern Continent. The Western Territory needs to be resolved as soon as possible, and then we need to join forces to repel the Arcadia army. Once the rifles are manufactured, it'll be time for our counterattack. Also, there's the development of the navy; maritime supremacy shouldn't be underestimated... the dwarves, the technology of our civilization, and... um? Your Majesty, what are you doing? Empress Motis... please be quiet!!!"

Only 7,000 words today. My thumb has been hurting, probably tenosynovitis. It's happened before, and it really affects my writing. That's all I can write for now. I'll rest early and see how it goes tomorrow. Sigh...

As usual, I'm asking for more monthly votes again. I was actually thinking of exchanging monthly votes, sob sob~

Chapter 154 Vainay x Motis, Two Empress Compete on the Same Stage [6k5]

Ryan discovered that communicating with the Alts and communicating with the heroines in adult games were two completely different experiences.

Even if they aren't significantly different in appearance or figure, the nature of the interaction changes when you start playing the game to observe the characters' inner thoughts. And if you then incorporate the characters' perspectives at that point...

Ryan swears he's a perfectly normal man with a normal sex drive!

Humans are creatures of curiosity, so in this multi-perspective state of curiosity, Ryan's emotional level rose much faster than in a normal state. So much so that for a brief moment, Ryan felt like a pervert? Oh! Damn God of Desire, what did He do to me?

Ryan felt he should act like a proper gentleman, remaining rational and averse to gambling and drugs.

"Did you know that although Augustus's territory is smaller than that of the Northern Federation, it has a unique geographical location? The Southern Territory of Asakas is a place that produces a lot of bread, and it's not far from your former territory, Vainay."

"Yes, I've heard of that place, so it is..."

'Weinei' and 'Motis' enjoyed the hot dogs that Ryan had prepared for the banquet. The two were so tempted by the taste of the hot dogs that they had just been discussing how they would taste best if they were eaten with hot cheese or with some cream.

"The bread from Asakas is big and soft, with a unique milky aroma. Oh yes, you must eat it with a hot dog and top it with a carefully prepared cream sauce. That is definitely the most tempting food in Augustus."

"Asakas bread... like this?"

As a native of the Southern Territory, 'Vainay' naturally knew how to make Asakas buns with hot dogs. She remembered that she had tried it once before, and she didn't expect Ryan to still remember it.

"Oh, oh, oh! Yes, that's it, isn't it great?" Ryan's eyes lit up. The perfect combination of soft bread and hot dog was top-notch in both appearance and taste.

"I'll try it."

Motis had never tried this combination before, and after hearing Ryan's high praise, she couldn't resist giving it a try.

With the Asakas bread prepared by 'Vainay' and the hot dog prepared by Ryan, the first bite is the rich milky aroma of the bread, the soft texture, and a perfectly placed red grape on top.

The hot dog was heated, so it was a bit firm, which perfectly complemented the softness of the bread, giving 'Motis' a refreshing surprise.

"Hmm... Motis, don't eat so fast. If you want some, make it yourself." 'Vainay' expressed her slight dissatisfaction. This famous Asakas bread sandwich with hot dogs from the Southern Territory was something she had carefully prepared and tasted, but 'Motis' was eating it with relish. This was not prepared for 'Motis'.

10①228з0㈨⑧

"How stingy."

Motis pursed his lips, took the half-eaten food out of his mouth, and after savoring it again with some lingering enjoyment, said, "Although it's delicious, it's definitely lacking in cream to balance it out. If there were cream, the combination of these two would be absolutely wonderful."

"Right, this should be the perfect combination, but the cream needs to be specially prepared to perfectly bring out the combination of hot dog and bread." 'Vainay' smiled and her bright eyes were full of anticipation. "I happen to know some cream preparation techniques and can make it on the spot, but I will need Ryan to cooperate."

Ryan replied expectantly, "No problem, I'll cooperate with whatever you want to do."

"Vainay, you can't hog all the food," Motis said disapprovingly. "Although Asakas bread is famous, you don't know that the Deep Sea Hunter are actually natural gourmets, and our bread is definitely no worse than Asakas's!"

As he spoke, Motis took out a loaf of bread that he had prepared beforehand.

First of all, it looks huge, white, and looks more like a cake. To be honest, Ryan rarely sees bread this big. He once tasted what was almost the largest bread in the entire Northern Continent in the Kingdom of Lotte. That feeling was unforgettable. But there are very few breads that can reach the size of the Kingdom of Lotte. Even in Asakas, it is rare. I didn't expect the bread of the Deep Sea Hunter to be so big.

The bread's milky aroma was just as good as the one 'Vainay' had served, and it was also topped with fragrant red grapes, so translucent that you wanted to take a bite right away.

Immediately afterwards, Motis pushed aside Vainay and made a hot dog out of the Deep Sea Hunter's special bread. The bread was so big that it almost completely encased the hot dog inside. Motis took a bite first and made a satisfied muttering sound.

'Vainay' retorted, ' Empress Motis, if the bread is too big, it will disrupt the overall balance. The perfect combination with the hot dog and cream is the best match.'

Motis grinned provocatively. "How will you know if you don't try? The hot dog has to be incorporated to achieve the best effect. Don't believe me? Give it a try!"

"Let's give it a try."

'Vainay' was unconvinced. She felt that the bread she prepared paired perfectly with the hot dog Ryan had prepared. Everything is about balance; too much of an extreme won't make food delicious... gulp. 'Vainay' took her first bite, and her previous thoughts vanished instantly. The hot dog, sandwiched between two large slices of bread, resembled a small lotus bud peeking out. The combination of softness and firmness brought out the best in the texture of this delicacy.

"It's definitely not inferior to Asakas ... we're evenly matched," 'Vainay' said stubbornly.

The actual result was probably 60/40; she did lose by a small margin. But as Empress Augustus, she would never admit to being inferior to the Northern Federation; it was a matter of the Empress's dignity.

Motis scoffed. "A loss is a loss. Can't the mighty Empress Augustus even accept defeat?"

"Hmph~ This doesn't count as a loss. The combination of bread and hot dogs is only one part of the dish. Ultimately, it needs cream to blend them together and achieve the most perfect state. Didn't you just say that?"

"You mean, it's a competition to see who can create the most perfect flavor in the end?"

"Of course, regardless of taste, a good meal should have a perfect combination of color, aroma, and flavor. If we're going to compare, we should look at the final result."

"Very well, it was you who initiated the challenge, I accept it."

"Heh~"

'Vainay' and 'Motis' exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with a fierce battle intent, leaving Ryan utterly bewildered... Wait, where did this inexplicable competitive spirit come from?

Bibo Burn series?

That being said, Ryan didn't mind being the referee for this competition between the Empress. Besides, he needed to provide hot dogs as raw materials, and the key to the final competition between the two Empress —the cream preparation—required his full cooperation.

However, problems soon arose.

He was alone, and even if he had to work together to make cream, he could only satisfy one person's needs at a time.

"You go first," Motis said generously.

'Vainay' snorted: 'Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. The performance of the container for making cream will be greatly improved after the first use, and the preparation time will be longer after the second use. You want to make it take longer so that the cream will be more fragrant, right?'

"That's not what I meant; you've misunderstood."

"Whether it is or not, you know in your heart, but it doesn't matter."

A smile appeared in 'Vainay's' eyes. 'Motis's' experience in making cream was obviously not as good as hers. She only knew that the containers would be more durable later, but she didn't know that the cream made the first time was actually the thickest and most fragrant. The cream would become thinner and thinner later on, and if it was used repeatedly, it would even cause the cream to not come out.

Motis, this contest is destined to be your defeat!

Ryan remained silent throughout the entire process; as a referee, he needed to be fair and impartial.

"Alright, let's begin."

'Vainay' flavored cream.

Her technique was light and agile.

She grasped the handle of the cream mixer and began to stir, but not the whole mixer at once. Instead, she used the dexterity of her fingers to rotate it and pull it up and down. Soon, a small amount of cream overflowed from the top of the mixer.

Motis was slightly surprised; this speed was much faster than she had expected.

After all, this was her first time using the cream mixer. Even with the Magic Power enhancement, based on her experience, she judged that the mixer wouldn't overflow with cream so quickly. Looking at Lai Lai's expression, she was satisfied and appreciative, clearly recognizing 'Vainay's' skill.

For a moment, Motis couldn't help but feel a little worried. This was her first time competing with 'Vainay'. As the Empress of the Northern Federation, she didn't want to lose to the Empress of Augustus in this aspect. This was a contest that concerned the honor of the two great empires!

Fortunately, apart from the initial overflow of cream, the consistency remained unchanged. Seeing that no cream was appearing, 'Vainay' couldn't help but get a little anxious and increased the intensity of the mixing.

Halfway through mixing, she tried blending the hot dog with the bread, attempting to achieve the perfect consistency. If the cream could flow out of the bread, the natural, cascading artistry would be the finishing touch to this culinary creation.

Of course, this method is much more difficult. It was already difficult to prepare 'Vainay' in the first place, and now it is even more difficult.

"Why isn't it better yet?" 'Vainay' asked in surprise. "It wasn't like this last time."

Ryan coughed lightly. "I recently enhanced it, so it may be more difficult to use now."

"I see..."

"Why don't you two mix it together? The upgraded mixer will produce more cream than before, which should be enough for the two of you."

"Oh well."