Chapter 100: Lucius’ Frustration, Banquet Planning, Cooking
With the harvest packed and stored, he set out to the market.
Broon had taken over Freya’s position and was now handling shop counter. Isaac planned to hand off the crops he harvested to him and bring Tyr back.
As he stepped out of the house, Chairman Lucius approached him.
"I’ll go with you," the chairman said.
Isaac blinked. "Alright."
Leora joined them at the jeep.
Chairman Lucius drove, saying it had been a long time he was able to drive.
Isaac saw his expression and felt like he should not give him the wheel, but Leora was already in the back seat.
The ride was silent for the first few minutes.
The jeep rolled along the broken road that led to the stronghold market.
The path and the surrounding infrastructure was being slowly built in an outward direction from the central base of Stronghold. Thus, Isaac’s home did not had proper roads since he was near the stronghold’s border.
Chairman Lucius turned his head slightly and stared at Isaac.
It wasn’t a curious or neutral glance. It was the kind of look someone gave when they were seriously reconsidering every assumption they had made about someone.
Isaac met his gaze with a calm expression, one brow raised slightly.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
Lucius didn’t answer right away.
His grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles lightened. The hum of the jeep’s engine filled the silence for a few seconds before he finally spoke.
"I talked to that girl. Emily," he said.
"And?"
"She’s your girlfriend?"
"Yes."
Lucius’s brow twitched. His jaw set as his eyes stayed on the road. "Aren’t you already in a relationship with Alice? You two were in that room alone for over an hour."
"Yes," Isaac replied again, his tone unchanged. "What about it?"
Lucius let out something between a growl and a sigh. It sounded like it had scraped up from deep in his chest.
The jeep remained steady, but the air inside suddenly felt heavier.
He looked over at Isaac again. It was like he was trying to decide whether Isaac was joking or being painfully honest.
"So you’re two-timing my niece?"
Isaac smiled brightly, as if the question had been a compliment. "Yes."
Lucius’s foot twitched near the brake pedal. For a moment, Isaac genuinely thought the jeep might come to a sudden stop.
Lucius stared ahead again, his brows pinched, jaw locked tight. His fingers drummed once on the wheel before curling again into fists.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
He had thought Isaac was level-headed. Maybe a little cheeky, maybe too self-reliant, but dependable, and responsible.
He thought he was not the type to play games with emotions.
And now the kid was casually confessing to dating both Alice and Emily?
Lucius was about to snap. Then he stopped himself.
His mind turned back to Alice.
She always spoke about Isaac when they used to sit together as a family. She would smile when reading his messages.
She still wanted to be with Isaac when people called her a ’whore’ for having Isaac as a close friend despite her being a Talentless.
Her feelings weren’t light. They were deep, painfully so.
If he raised his voice now... if he said something harsh...
She’d take Isaac’s side. Without hesitation.
Lucius knew that already.
The niece he’d raised for nineteen years—taught, protected, and supported—would side with a boy she’d only known for a few years.
He clenched his jaw and looked out the windshield.
"Are you planning to take more girlfriends?" he asked finally.
It wasn’t a trick question. He just needed to know the answer for Alice’s sake.
"How can I say what’ll happen in the future?" Isaac replied after a short pause. "I don’t know. Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t."
Lucius’s lips twitched again.
Part of him understood Isaac was messing with him—partially, at least.
Another part was confused if he should yell or laugh out of frustration.
And the third part, the one that understood Isaac more than he wanted to admit, stayed quiet.
Because deep down, he knew Isaac wasn’t being completely thoughtless. He wasn’t treating relationships as toys.
He was just being honest.
Lucius could see that Isaac cared about both girls. Maybe even more than he understood himself. That was the frustrating part. It wasn’t a shallow affection.
Besides, polygamy was not wrong. It was fine if both sides agreed to it.
Still, that didn’t mean Lucius liked it.
He stayed silent for the rest of the ride, his eyes fixed on the road, his thoughts bouncing between confusion, resignation, and a tiny, begrudging sense of admiration.
Not admiration for Isaac’s answer.
But admiration for the fact that the boy hadn’t lied.
He could have said anything. His silver tongue could have smoothed things over. But he didn’t. He gave the truth, even if it wasn’t what Lucius wanted to hear.
Eventually, the jeep pulled into the parking lot of the market.
Lucius didn’t say anything as he shut off the engine.
Isaac opened the passenger door and stepped out calmly, brushing dust off his pants.
The market was already bustling, people moving between stalls, trading food, minerals, crafted gear, and low-tier monster parts.
Isaac stepped out and stretched. "I’ll hand over the crates to Broon."
Lucius followed him toward the shop.
As they walked, eyes followed them.
Shopkeepers paused, their hands hovering over goods, while awakeners whispered to each other, their faces a mix of shock and curiosity.
Seeing Isaac and Chairman Lucius together was unexpected.
The market had been rife with rumors that Isaac had struck Chairman Lucius’s daughter, sparking a bitter feud.
Now, seeing them side by side, the gossip reignited, spreading through the stalls like a spark in dry grass.
"Why’s he with the guy who hit his daughter?"
"Maybe it didn’t happen. Did anyone actually see it happen?"
"You’re joking, right? Everyone knows it’s true."
"If it’s true, then why are they together?"
Isaac heard bits of the chatter. He ignored them.
Chairman Lucius, however, seemed to enjoy the attention.
He smiled broadly, stopping to greet shopkeepers and businessmen tied to his company.
His memory was sharp, and he showed it by calling each person he met by name, and he asked about their lives, and their work.
The vendors blinked, surprised that a man of his stature bothered to remember them.
Isaac glanced at Chairman Lucius, quietly impressed.
"You really know all their names?" he asked.
"I do. It is an important skill for a businessman," answered Chairman Lucius.
They continued through the market.
Chairman Lucius’s smile stayed steady, and Isaac realized it was no accident.
The chairman had joined him deliberately, to show everyone they weren’t at odds.
The rumors of their conflict were loud, but their calm, friendly walk together would challenge those stories.
It was a smart play, and a quick way to deal with prior rumors.
As they neared the Family shop, Chairman Lucius slowed his pace, turning to Isaac. "I’m hosting a banquet tomorrow at my house."
Isaac shifted the crate in his arms, curious.
"What’s the occasion?" he asked.
"To celebrate Alice’s awakening. Some of my family members were quick to insult her before. Now I’m going to rub it in their faces that my niece awakened an SSS rank Talent." Chairman Lucius grinned, and a glint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
Isaac’s lips curved. "You wanted to show them up too?"
"Huh, you had the same idea?" Chairman Lucius raised an eyebrow, then laughed.
Isaac nodded, balancing the crates. "Yeah. They’ve been looking down on her quite a lot. An SSS rank Talent would give them a good smack."
Chairman Lucius clapped him on the shoulder. "I guess you aren’t half shabby, hahaha."
They both wanted Alice to stand tall.
That shared purpose created a connection between them and made them feel like they’d been allies for years.
Isaac hadn’t expected to click with Chairman Lucius, but here they were, grinning like old friends.
To Isaac, it seemed Chairman Lucius had decided to give him the permission for polygamy.
They reached the shop. Isaac pushed open the door, the bell above jingling. Broon looked up from his ledger.
"Isaac! And...?" said Broon.
"I’m Lucius Calloway." Chairman Lucius nodded politely. "Good to see you, kid. How’s business?"
"Steady, sir," replied Broon, confused as to who Lucius was.
Isaac dropped the boxes in the inner room.
He stacked the crates carefully, checking the inventory with a quick glance.
Then, he checked the shop’s accounts. It showed consistent sales. He asked Broon if there had been any troublesome customers, which fortunately did not happen.
"All done," said Isaac.
"Let’s move," replied Chairman Lucius.
They stepped back into the market, and moved towards the jeep with Tyr in tow.
The treant hung happily on Isaac’s shoulder, chomping down on a tangerine.
They sat into the jeep and returned home.
When they pulled up to the house, the scent of warm food hit them before the door even opened.
Isaac blinked, then lightly sniffed the air. It was rich, layered scent of freshly cooked vegetables, something lightly roasted, and the distinct sweetness of sautéed garlic.
His stomach growled.
Leora stepped out of the jeep. Tyr landed beside Isaac, licking the last of the sticky tangerine juice from his bark-colored fingers.
Chairman Lucius paused, taking in a deep breath of the aroma.
"What are they cooking?" he asked, almost confused. "It smells... good."
He walked to the front door and pushed it open. The scent inside was even stronger. It was fresher, crisper, and somehow even more mouthwatering.
Inside, Isaac saw Alice and Emily at the stove.
They had aprons tied neatly around their waists, sleeves rolled up, and Alice had her hair tied back.
Alice was arranging sliced vegetables on a steaming plate, while Emily stirred a pot and peeked into the oven.
They were happily engaging in coversations, much to Isaac’s relief.
Selene stood off to the side, holding a chopping knife with visible hesitation. She seemed more like a confused assistant than a cook.
The dining table had already been set, filled with plates of hot food.
Isaac could recognize dishes made from their homegrown potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, cabbage, and peas. The colors were vivid, and the scent sharp and inviting.
Emily turned as they entered, her expression lighting up.
"You’re back!" she said, placing the ladle aside. Her smile was bright, even as her cheeks were pink from standing near the stove.
"This smells amazing," Isaac replied, genuinely impressed.
Emily nodded toward the table. "We used your vegetables. They look... really good when cooked. Better than I thought."
Alice gave nod. "We didn’t get vegetables this good even back home."
Chairman Lucius coughed lightly at that comment. "Ahem... Our chef is considered top tier, you know."
But even he didn’t try to argue too much. His eyes lingered on the dishes with obvious curiosity.
Soon, everyone gathered around the table.
Isaac sat first, with Emily and Alice at his sides. Selene sat quietly, avoiding eye contact. Professor Catherine and Leora settled next to Selene, while Chairman Lucius sat across from Isaac.
As they prepared to dig in, Professor Catherine smirked.
"Look at them," she said, motioning toward Isaac and the two girls beside him. "They look like newlyweds."
"Ahem!" Chairman Lucius cleared his throat again, louder this time.
Emily ducked her head, smiling nervously.
Alice didn’t react. She just placed a bowl in front of Isaac without saying anything. Her movements were calm.
A stream of +0.4 AP, +0.5 AP, +0.5 AP came from Emily, and Alice.
Isaac almost chuckled. Professor Catherine’s comment made them happy.
Everyone began eating.
Chairman Lucius took the first bite, and his eyes widened. He blinked, looked down at his plate, then took another, slower bite.
Even Leora raised her brows as she tasted the food.
Selene, though more composed, gave a quiet nod of approval.
Professor Catherine tasted a spoonful, narrowed her eyes in brief thought, then casually scooped up another portion.
"This is good. The potato-garlic mash," Chairman Lucius said, setting down his spoon, "is balanced in flavor and aroma. The sweetness of the garlic doesn’t overpower the starch of the potato. The peas are crunchy and fresh, and the cabbage rolls... mmm... perfectly seasoned."
He looked up. "There’s a light touch to the spices. The meat was likely grilled rather than roasted—smart choice, considering the quality of ingredients. You’ve used very little oil but retained moisture."
Isaac was surprised by the praises.
He turned his head slowly toward Alice for an explanation.
She was ignoring her uncle completely and chewing on a tomato slice.
"Father is a gourmet," Selene spoke up. "He likes tasting food... but this is the first time I’ve seen him praising it so much."
Isaac gave a slow nod. He didn’t openly reply, but he noticed Alice subtly watching his reaction to Selene’s words.
He remembered what Alice had asked of him—give Selene a chance. At the very least, be polite.
He sighed internally, then turned back to Selene.
"I guess... being praised by a gourmet makes me happy," he said, his tone calm but not cold.
Selene blinked, then smiled softly. It was a small expression, but it held genuine relief.
She had been worried. Worried that Isaac hated her. Worried that he was only being civil for Alice’s sake.
During the past few days, she had tried to convince herself that he rescued her out of obligation, not care.
But even with that understanding, her heart still beat fast when he met him, or spoke to him.
She could not understand her feelings.
Alice, satisfied that Isaac wasn’t being overly cold, finally lifted her own spoon and took a bite.
"It’s tasty," she said plainly.
That was high praise from her.
Finally, Emily sat back and took a spoonful into her mouth.