Too good to resist!

Huh?

If I don't insult him, he'll bring me food?

There's really a deal that good?

In that case, maybe it wouldn't be so... no, wait!

"What are you after?"

At that moment, Valentina instinctively sensed something was wrong. She stared sternly at Herbert, trying to find any crack in his expression.

She couldn't put her finger on why, but something just felt off.

Something's wrong... something's definitely wrong!

This fellow is smiling far too brightly. He's definitely up to no good!

Hah, young mortal.

You can't fool me!

At that thought, Valentina snorted coldly and raised her head haughtily. "Boy, I don't know what you're plotting, but you can't fool the great Demonflame."

"Hah, save your breath. Don't think a few meat skewers will buy me off!"

"Nothing in this world can make a great dragon bow her head!"

"Not even the gods!"

Valentina delivered those words with lofty disdain, displaying all the arrogance and defiance of an epic dragon.

The only thing that somewhat spoiled the atmosphere was that she hadn't managed to wipe the grease from the corners of her mouth before speaking.

Meanwhile, her slender fingers, coated in seasoning and grease, never stopped moving, unconsciously feeling around inside the box...

Only to find nothing.

"What!?"

Realization struck the dragon lady, and her expression changed. Moving with incredible speed, she snatched up the wooden box in disbelief, only to find a few scraps left inside.

It's all gone!

How did it disappear so quickly!!?

In an instant, an overwhelming wave of regret surged through her, making her heart ache so badly she could barely breathe.

This isn't right!

There was so much just a moment ago...

Where's all the meat?

Who ate it all!?

And just as Valentina's face filled with despair, her lips trembling in a silent lament, the corners of Herbert's mouth curled upward.

Smiles don't disappear. They just migrate to my face.

He didn't respond to Valentina's earlier declaration. Instead, he asked with concern, "Miss Valentina, what's wrong? Was that not enough to eat?"

Valentina said, "...Ahem, cough!"

What a pointless question.

What do you think?

Of course it wasn't enough!

But facts were facts, and circumstances were circumstances. Her haughty pride wouldn't let her lower her head and take back what she'd just said.

So, even though her heart was already bleeding, she could only see it through and swallow all her bitter tears.

She turned her head away, her voice almost choked with emotion as she said weakly:

"No, I'm not... hungry!"

That's right.

I'm not hungry. Not hungry at all.

Valentina kept brainwashing herself-not hungry, not hungry, not hungry, not hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry, hungry!

I'm so hungry!

It had been fine when she wasn't eating anything. She wouldn't deliberately recall the feeling of swallowing food.

During her long imprisonment, she had long since grown accustomed to hunger, and had even pushed it out of her mind.

As a powerful dragon at the pinnacle of the legendary rank, only one step away from epic, she had long since stopped needing ordinary food to sustain herself. Absorbing mana alone was enough to keep her alive.

But there was a very, very big difference between "staying alive" and "living comfortably"!

She simply couldn't give up the pleasure of eating.

Grrr-

Her stomach let out a mournful cry, continually reminding Valentina of its hunger.

Gulp.

Watching Valentina's neck, Herbert caught the exact moment she swallowed her saliva, and was inwardly delighted.

Good.

She took the bait, just as expected.

Seeing that the time was about right, Herbert shook his head regretfully and sighed. "Oh, so you're not hungry anymore. Looks like I misunderstood."

"I thought one serving wouldn't be enough after all those years of hunger, so I made a point of preparing another."

Muttering to himself, he took another prepared wooden box from behind his back and pushed it in front of her... just out of reach.

*???*

Valentina's expression twisted as realization struck her. She turned her head back in disbelief-and saw another box brimming with grilled skewers.

The texture of the meat, its sheen, how perfectly it was cooked, its aroma... it looked even more tempting than the first box!

She wanted to slap the version of herself from thirty seconds ago.

Damn it, you just had to run your mouth!

Why were you in such a hurry to spout all that crap!?

What now?

What am I supposed to do!!!

"What am I supposed to do now?"

While Valentina agonized, Herbert spoke leisurely, muttering to himself as though troubled. "What a headache. I made so much that I can't possibly finish it alone. What should I do? Throw it away?"

You're going to do what!!?

Valentina's heart trembled at those words. She almost couldn't stop herself from roaring, If you won't eat it, give it to me!

Herbert shook his head again and sighed. "No, no, no. How could I even think that? Wasting food is shameful! I absolutely can't do that."

Yes, yes, yes!

You can't do that!

If you can't finish it, I can help you eat it!

"That's right, I can find someone to help me finish these skewers. But who should I ask?"

The breathing inside the cell suddenly quickened. Valentina nearly spoke up on the spot.

Me!

Ask me!!!

Ask me to help you eat them-

Yet Herbert utterly failed to take the hint, and his very next words crushed her hopes.

"Miss Valentina is already full, so I'll have to find someone else!"

No!

I'm not, I didn't, don't make things up...

I can still eat!

"Miss Freime, perhaps? I wonder if she eats anything besides fish. Oh well, I'll go ask her first..."

With that, Herbert moved to pick up the box and head toward the second area.

At that point, Valentina finally couldn't bear it any longer and began coughing forcefully.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

"Oh? Miss Valentina, what's wrong?" Herbert turned back, looking puzzled at the dragon lady's flushed face.

"I... ahem!"

Valentina took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. Finally making up her mind, she said in a low voice, "I can help you!"

"You can help me? Help with what... oh! You mean these skewers?"

Herbert looked bewildered for a moment, then blinked and asked, "But aren't you already full?"

The dragon lady's lips moved. After a moment of hesitation, she finally gritted her teeth and forced the words out of her throat. "...Since it's troubling you so much, I suppose I could help you eat a little more."

She wasn't an idiot. Of course she knew Herbert had deliberately put on this whole performance to make her bow her head. He was bound to make some unreasonable demand.

She understood.

But she simply couldn't hold out any longer.

They smelled far too good!

Valentina had already made up her mind: she would lower her head for now and get the meat into her mouth, then go back on her word afterward and refuse to agree to anything.

"Thank you so much!"

But, completely contrary to her expectations, Herbert didn't make things difficult at all. He immediately pushed the box forward, right up against the bars.

Huh?

No demands?

Valentina was bewildered, and for a moment she didn't even reach for it.

"What are you waiting for? Go on, eat!"

Hearing his gentle urging and seeing the sincerity on the boy's face, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.

"Phew..."

At that moment, only one thought remained in her mind.

These skewers...

They're just too good to resist!