After enjoying a warm breakfast together at the mansion, the five teenagers quickly prepared and departed for the academy after saying goodbye to Elisa.
At the academy, teaching and learning activities proceeded as they did every other day. Kazien, Alvin, Allen, Arken, and Erica attended every subject calmly. Finally, the long bell rang, signaling that break time had arrived.
Instead of joining the hustle and bustle of the other students heading to the cafeteria, the five of them walked down the corridor toward a different destination. They were heading to the teachers' office.
Arriving in front of the sturdy wooden double doors, Kazien raised his hand.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Kazien's knock was clear. It did not take long before the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard from inside.
Creak...
The door opened, and the figure of Professor Orlando appeared behind it. The magic instructor's expression immediately turned to one of surprise when he saw who was standing in front of the office.
"What brings you all here?" Orlando asked curiously, his brow furrowing slightly.
Alvin stepped forward with a polite smile on his face. "We are here to keep our promise to all the teachers!" Alvin answered directly. "Yesterday, we promised to bring a variety of our home-cooked dishes for Dean Claus and all the staff here at the academy."
Hearing Alvin's answer, the frown on Professor Orlando's forehead vanished, replaced by a look of interest. He immediately stepped back and invited the five of them into the room.
Once inside, the atmosphere of the teachers' room, which had been filled with the scratching of pens and quiet discussions, stopped instantly. All the teachers, busy with their respective tasks, immediately shifted their attention. Their gaze fell upon the five special students who had just entered the room.
Professor Dania, who was checking a stack of exam papers, looked up. "Did you come here to let us taste your cooking?" Dania asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Of course, Professor Dania!" Alvin replied without hesitation. "We promised yesterday to serve you all the dishes we made!"
"Hahaha."
Suddenly, a man's deep laughter rang out from the main entrance of the teachers' room. Everyone turned to find Dean Claus standing there. The academy leader happened to be dropping by to check on his staff.
"You all really did it, didn't you?" Dean Claus said, his tone sounding somewhere between disbelief and amazement at their arrival.
Kazien's three fiancés nodded together, confirming Dean Claus's words.
"In that case..." Dean Claus added with a wide smile. "Please, serve it to us before this break ends."
With pleasure, Kazien's three fiancés immediately moved to perform their task. The dimensional storage magic they possessed made this process very easy.
Alvin spread his arms, and in an instant, he pulled a massive pot from his dimensional space. On the other side, Allen summoned piles of clean plates, bowls, spoons, and glasses. Meanwhile, Arken brought out stacks of forks and, most surprisingly, a large wooden table to serve as a buffet.
"Where should I place this table, Dean Claus?" Arken asked while holding the large table with ease, his eyes scanning every corner of the teachers' room.
"Just put it in the empty corner on your left." Dean Claus answered, pointing to the area. "Make sure the table is somewhat flush against the wall so it doesn't block the way."
Arken nodded in understanding and immediately placed the long table exactly where the Dean had indicated. After the table was steady, Allen and Arken quickly and neatly arranged all the plates and cutlery. Kazien and Erica also helped set out the bowls and glasses so it looked as beautiful as a formal banquet.
Then, the long-awaited moment arrived. Alvin lifted the lid of the large pot.
As the lid opened, a cloud of hot steam rose into the air. The aroma of a herb-rich, mouth-watering broth immediately wafted out, filling every corner of the teachers' room. Instantly, an intense hunger hit everyone there without exception. Some teachers even reflexively swallowed their saliva.
However, the display did not end there.
After placing the soup pot, Alvin used his storage magic again. This time, he brought out silver trays filled with stacks of premium grilled meat that they had prepared and seasoned perfectly. The presence of the grilled meat made the delicious aroma even denser and more tempting within the room.
"Wow... the smell is truly making me hungry!" Dean Claus praised while inhaling deeply, enjoying the delicious blend of herbs and meat. "I can't wait to taste your cooking."
"Please wait just a moment longer, Dean Claus." Allen said with a friendly smile as he began pouring hot soup into the bowls lined up on the table. "Once we finish preparing the portions, you and all the teachers can immediately enjoy all the dishes here."
Dean Claus nodded in agreement. He stood patiently with the other teachers, waiting for the feast to be fully set.
A few moments later, everything was perfectly arranged.
"Please..." Arken said warmly, spreading his arms like a polite, high-end restaurant waiter. "Enjoy our cooking."
Without needing to be asked twice, Dean Claus and the academy teachers stepped toward the buffet. They took plates filled with pieces of grilled meat glistening with seasoning, along with bowls of soup broth full of vegetables and soft potato chunks.
The usually stiff and serious atmosphere of the teachers' room spontaneously transformed into a warm banquet hall. The clinking of spoons and plates mixed with murmurs of admiration and light conversation among the teachers.
Dean Claus, who had sat back at his desk with his food, decided to try the grilled meat first.
Hap!
A piece of grilled meat entered his mouth. The academy leader began to chew slowly to truly savor the texture and the flavor of the seasoning that had seeped perfectly into the fibers of the meat.
Suddenly, he fell silent. His jaw stopped moving for a moment, he didn't chew, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Wow! This tastes incredible! You all are truly amazing!" Dean Claus praised with genuine amazement after swallowing the meat he had just eaten. "You are all truly great!"
Hearing that honest reaction, Kazien's three fiancés looked at each other and smiled. They felt greatly relieved that their grilled meat had satisfied the Dean's expectations.
Not stopping there, Dean Claus took his spoon.
Slurp!
He sipped the potato and vegetable soup broth. Within seconds, the delicious and comforting savory flavor spread across his tongue.
"This soup is also delicious and very warm!" Dean Claus praised again, this time looking at the large pot at the end of the table. "This is the first time I've enjoyed home cooking this delicious. Honestly, even the dishes in the fancy restaurants in the capital don't compare to this!"
Hearing such high praise, Alvin smiled gently and looked at the purple-haired girl next to him.
"That soup was made by Erica, Dean Claus." Alvin said, answering the Dean's praise. "She worked very hard learning under our guidance this morning, and that soup is the result."
Hearing Alvin's acknowledgment, Professor Dania, who was enjoying her portion of soup, nearly choked slightly in surprise.
"You really did it?!" Professor Dania exclaimed with a stunned but admiring face. "I'm actually feeling inferior to you, Erica!"
"T-Thank you very much for your praise, Dean Claus, Professor Dania." Erica answered, her face spontaneously turning red with embarrassment. She never expected that the soup from her hard work since the early hours of the morning would successfully satisfy the palates and stomachs of everyone in the room.
The other teachers also did not stop praising their cooking, which felt so delicious to them. Not a few of them unhesitatingly went back for a second plate. If they didn't feel full, perhaps everyone enjoying the meal would have kept returning to the buffet.
Seeing the scene before them, Kazien, Alvin, Allen, Arken, and Erica felt very satisfied and relieved because their cooking had truly succeeded in pampering everyone's sense of taste.
And in the midst of the bustle, Kazien's sapphire blue eyes looked straight at his three fiancés and his cousin, Erica. A sincere, thin smile formed on his lips. A feeling of pride flowed through his chest.
They really did their best! Kazien praised proudly in his heart. It is no wonder that they have been awake since very early this morning, even before the sun had shown its light in the east. And then, while we were getting ready in the room, they even asked me to make a large table so suddenly just to prepare this extraordinary feast.