He frowned as his eyes scanned the countless lights again. Considering her strength, her star should have stood out even if he lacked the special bond he shared with his wives. Yet no matter where he looked, he couldn’t find anything that matched her.
Just before the void began fading away, he noticed something unusual.
One star seemed... incomplete.
It wasn’t fully present within the void. Half of its existence appeared clear, while the other half looked blurred, as though it existed somewhere else at the same time. Isaac stared at it, wondering whether that strange star belonged to Sword Empress.
He never found the answer.
The world around him dissolved before he could investigate further. The stars vanished, the void disappeared, and the next instant Isaac found himself standing in the backyard of his mansion once again.
"How was it?" Sera asked with an amused smile as though she had been waiting for him to return.
Isaac let out a slow breath before answering. "Well, it was definitely an experience. I’m not even sure where to begin explaining it."
As everyone looked toward him, Isaac briefly glanced at Sword Empress. She stood exactly where she had been before, showing no obvious change. He couldn’t help wondering whether that strange half-present star had really belonged to her.
Maybe reincarnators simply had different stars.
Before he could think any further, Alice suddenly froze. Sword Empress did the same a heartbeat later, and both of them slowly closed their eyes as a warm golden glow enveloped their bodies.
Isaac immediately looked toward Avery.
"What’s happening to them?" he asked.
"Their potential is increasing. I told you before that when a species becomes connected, the strongest members of that species raise everyone else’s ceiling. The same thing is happening to every human right now, and some people might even awaken a new skill," Avery answered with a smile.
She paused for a moment before looking directly at Isaac.
"You should have received a considerable increase in innate talent as well."
Isaac slowly nodded. Then a smile spread across his face.
Without saying another word, he turned around and walked briskly toward the mansion.
"Where are you going?" Avery called after him, noticing the unusually excited expression on his face.
Isaac didn’t even slow down.
"Cooking," he answered cheerfully.
If his innate talent had improved across multiple fields, then his cooking talent should have increased too. That meant he could finally prove everyone wrong. At long last, the day had come when nobody would be able to criticize his food.
The moment he entered the kitchen, he rolled up his sleeves and immediately began preparing ingredients. At almost the same time, his senses detected someone flying away from the mansion sneakily.
"Celia..."
Isaac activated Sovereign of Land.
Thick roots burst from the farm outside before racing across the ground. They caught Celia just as she reached the edge of the property and wrapped around her before she could take flight.
"Let me go! I’m not eating anything you cook!" Celia complained while struggling desperately.
The roots ignored every protest.
Normally, the skill dragged its targets underground. This time, however, Isaac subtly altered its effect with his evolved Aura, causing the roots to carry Celia through the front door instead before gently depositing her into a chair at the dining table.
Isaac hummed happily while continuing to cook. Celia repeatedly tried to sneak away, but every time she stood up, another root calmly pushed her back into her seat.
A few minutes later, Alice and Sword Empress entered the dining room.
Alice stopped in the doorway the moment she saw Isaac standing in the kitchen. Her expression stiffened for a second as if old memories had resurfaced, and she quietly closed her eyes before taking a slow breath.
When she opened them again, her face was filled with determination.
Without saying a word, she walked over decisively and sat beside Celia, who looked like someone awaiting her final meal.
Isaac had his back to Alice, but his Spatial Perception clearly captured everything happening behind him.
Watching her close her eyes like someone accepting her fate made him roll his eyes. Did she really have to be that dramatic?
"You should sit down, Master. I’ll have a snack ready in a few minutes," Isaac said as he noticed Sword Empress still standing near the doorway.
She looked toward the kitchen for a moment before shaking her head.
"I’m good. I’ll pass for now," she replied in a calm voice, then turned around and walked back outside.
Isaac simply shrugged and returned his attention to the stove. It didn’t matter if they doubted him now. Once they tasted what he had made, they would inevitably change their minds.
He also searched for Catherine while stirring the pan. Using Spatial Perception together with several of his detection skills, he carefully swept the mansion and its surroundings. Despite that, he couldn’t find even the slightest trace of her.
Isaac clicked his tongue in mild annoyance.
"She’s really determined to stay hidden," he muttered before giving up. There was no point wasting more time when snack still had to be prepared.
For a light snack before the main meal, he decided to make crispy potato croquettes stuffed with melted cheese and finely chopped herbs. The potatoes had already been boiled earlier in the day, making the preparation quick, but each croquette still needed to be carefully shaped, coated with breadcrumbs, and fried until the outside became golden while the inside stayed soft.
The pleasant aroma gradually spread through the kitchen. Isaac made his own additions, which he believed would improve the dish.
Then, he transferred the croquettes onto a plate lined with paper to drain the excess oil before arranging them neatly beside a small bowl of creamy garlic sauce. Looking at the finished dish, he nodded to himself in satisfaction.
He carried the plate to the dining table and placed it in front of Alice and Celia.
"Try it," he said with a confident smile.
Alice looked down at the croquettes in silence. She picked one up decisively, dipped it lightly into the sauce, and took a careful bite.
Celia watched her for several seconds before sighing in resignation.
"I can’t believe I love you so much that I’m trying your cooking despite having tasted it once. I’m a fool," she mumbled, grabbing one for herself. She bit into it with the expression of someone expecting the worst.
Isaac folded his arms and looked at both of them expectantly. He waited until they had each swallowed their first bite before smiling.
"So, how is it?" he asked.