Chapter 26: Dark Cuisine, Terrifying Indeed!

He picked one up, took a bite out of it, and in an instant, a strong feeling surged from his tongue throughout his body.

A layer of fine cold sweat appeared on his face as he swallowed the remaining half whole.

“How is it?”

So close! It was Michelle’s face, just inches away, with a pair of sparkling big eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of unease.

“Uh, how should I put it? The taste is indeed quite special, it’s the kind that’s hard to forget.”

Leo said, feeling guilty.

“The taste is really hard to describe.” Nathan and the others reminisced.

“Is that so?”

Such an ambiguous statement kept the unease in Michelle’s heart from dissipating.

“Besides us, who else has tasted the food you made?” Heles asked.

“The Holy Knights. Every time I eat by myself, they all finish it in an instant, saying it’s incredibly delicious and they couldn’t help but eat it all.” Michelle recalled.

“Very well done!”

The few of them exchanged glances, and Nathan was the first to speak, while the others silently gave a thumbs up.

“Really? That’s great! I thought it wouldn’t suit your tastes, now I can relax.”

Michelle showed a happy smile, like the sun in winter, melting the ice and snow, warming the seasons.

Thank you for your hard work, Holy Knights, you have protected this smile!

“Then everyone, eat to your heart’s content!” Michelle finally felt relieved and showed a cheerful smile.

Looking at the basket of dumplings on the table, everyone hesitated.

“Jin, weren’t you watching the whole time? How did it turn out like this?”

The seniors were communicating telepathically.

“I don’t know how it turned out like this either.” Jin was also quite puzzled.

“Captain, you said it was delicious first, you handle it.”

Heles looked coldly at Nathan.

Nathan: “…”

Is it too late to back out now?

“Let’s divide it!”

“I’m full!” Yuris was the first to put down his chopsticks.

“Traitor!!”

The four seniors glared fiercely at Yuris, while Yuris looked puzzled, wondering why they were staring at him like that.

“These guys are so pathetic.”

Leo brought the dumplings to himself, eating one after another.

Isn’t it just a bit unappetizing? I’ve eaten worse, as long as it’s not poisonous, it should be fine.

Nathan and the others looked at him with admiration.

Hero!

“Leo, how can you do this? The seniors have only eaten a little.” Michelle was worried that Leo’s actions would upset the seniors.

“I’m still not full, is that okay?” Leo looked down on them.

“Of course it’s fine, eat as much as you want, haha.” Nathan and the others forced awkward smiles.

Saved.

It felt like encountering a savior.

“How about I go make some more?”

“No need, absolutely not!”

“Don’t trouble yourself anymore.”

The few of them quickly refused.

“I’m full.”

After the last dumpling went down, Leo stood up.

“I’m going out for a bit to stretch.”

Before Leo could walk out the door, his body suddenly collapsed.

“Leo!”

…

Opening his eyes, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

“Strange, how did I end up here?”

Leo rubbed his somewhat dizzy head.

“I remember attending the welcome party hosted by the seniors, and then…”

His memory was hazy, and he couldn’t recall.

“You’re awake.”

Beside him was a woman in a white coat.

“Fortunately, the detoxification was timely, but the food you ate is still in your system, so your stomach will inevitably feel uncomfortable. Be careful in the future, don’t eat unclean things.” The woman advised.

“Is this the medical center?”

Looking around the environment, Leo remembered that he seemed to have eaten the dumplings made by Michelle and then passed out.

“Could it be?!”

Leo was astonished, how could normal food be turned into poison?

Dark cuisine, terrifying indeed!

“You just need to rest for a while, and you can go out.”

The woman then left Leo alone, busy with her own missions. Shortly after she left, there was a knock on the door.

When the door opened, Michelle walked in, her face showing a hint of worry, “Leo, are you okay?!”

“Uh, I’m fine now.”

Leo tried to stand up, but a sharp pain shot through his stomach.

Michelle hurriedly pressed him back down onto the bed, “No, you can’t move around yet.”

So embarrassing, he ended up in the hospital because of an upset stomach, how humiliating!

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault!”

Michelle lowered her head, looking guilty.

“It’s not your fault, it’s my own issue.”

Leo had eaten things that were even worse, he just didn’t expect the effect to be so severe.

“If it weren’t for me making it so unappetizing, you wouldn’t have ended up like this. It’s all my fault for being too stupid, not realizing how bad my cooking was, so self-righteous.”

Tears welled up in Michelle’s eyes, looking pitiful, standing there like a wounded little animal, she had indeed realized.

“Actually, everyone doesn’t need to worry about me, I’m not that fragile. If it really tastes bad, just say it directly, I will improve. It’s all the knights’ fault for keeping it from me, making me think my cooking was good, otherwise Leo wouldn’t…”

Michelle puffed out her cheeks, looking adorably like a little squirrel.

“It was my own insistence to finish it all, it has nothing to do with anyone else. If you feel guilty, then when my cooking improves in the future, you can come and enjoy it.”

It wasn’t a big deal, but if Michelle kept feeling guilty, Leo would also feel uncomfortable.

“Mm!”

Michelle nodded heavily, “I will definitely work hard to improve my cooking skills, so you can taste the flavor, but if it’s bad in the future, you must say it directly, you can’t just endure it like now.”

“Definitely!”

Leo smiled awkwardly, this kind of experience was enough for one time, he didn’t want a second.

“To make it up to you, let me treat you to a meal, of course, we’ll eat out.”

Michelle suddenly said with great enthusiasm.

“Just in time, your weapon is broken. I know a master blacksmith who can remake your weapon. Even with a low budget, the weapons he forges are amazing, and I will also enchant the weapon to enhance its power, it will definitely be better than your ancestral sword.”

This girl really thought that his broken sword was the ancestral sword of the swordsmanship dojo.

“Mm, okay!”

Leo naturally agreed, the sword he was currently using was basically temporary, it would be best if it could increase a bit of strength.

“By the way, here’s that gold coin back to you.”

Speaking of weapons, Leo remembered that he had accidentally taken Michelle’s gold coin while doing a mission, so he returned it to her.

“Why?” Michelle looked a bit confused.

“I’m not short on gold coins right now, enough to forge a good weapon. If you feel guilty, just introducing the blacksmith would already offset it.”

This time it was Michelle treating, next time he could return the favor, giving them a reason to spend time alone together, good job!

Strange, why was he thinking like this? It must be the food issue.

“Alright, let me see, are you free this Saturday?”

Michelle’s sparkling eyes were filled with anticipation.

“I should be free.”

“Great! Then it’s settled.” Michelle was very happy.

After the girl left, the room became empty, and the air seemed to still carry the familiar fragrance of the girl. Leo suddenly felt a faint sense of loss.

———-
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