Chapter 423: Unexpected morning and plans

When Monica and Ginna finally woke up, surprise and guilt washed over them at the sight of the meal laid out on the dining table and the house, usually quite dusty early in the morning, looking spotless from one corner to the next.

The lingering scent of freshly cooked food filled the room, and everything appeared arranged orderly.

The three men were seated at the dining table, having finished their meal only moments ago.

"I... I am really sorry. I woke up a while ago, but then..." Monica trailed off, her regret evident as she glanced at the untouched portion of food reserved for her.

She had intended to get up earlier, both because she usually does and also because she wanted to make a full, good meal for her mate. And yet she had somehow managed to sleep longer than expected.

Luke rose from his seat and waved away her apology. "It’s okay to sleep in once in a while. Besides, it wasn’t as though cooking and cleaning for three people were too much work."

Gustav nodded in agreement. "We divided the work among ourselves, so no one had to shoulder too much of the burden."

Ginna let out a sigh and rubbed her face, still looking somewhat troubled. "I really need to fix my sleeping schedule. I was chatting with Dalia until well past midnight."

The two women had spent much of the previous night discussing various matters, but their conversation had repeatedly returned to the safety of the village and the changes that might follow now that the chief was dead.

Neither of them had been able to stop wondering what would happen next, and as they explored one possibility after another, the hours had slipped away unnoticed.

By the time they finally called it a night, the sky had already begun to lighten. Unsurprisingly, Ginna had ended up missing her usual early morning routine of preparing meals for everyone.

"Really, stop worrying so much, Ginna," Lex assured her. "It’s good for us to take care of the house once in a while. You never know when an emergency might come up, and we can’t always expect the same people to handle everything."

Cooking and cleaning were essential skills for survival, especially when living in a place where one could never be certain what the next day might bring.

Besides, their house wasn’t particularly large, and with only three people to cook for that morning, the work had hardly been overwhelming.

Just then, a soft click came from across the dining hall.

The door to one of the rooms opened, and a drowsy woman emerged, her hair slightly disheveled and her eyes barely open.

She shuffled toward the dining table without the slightest hint of surprise or guilt, seemingly oblivious to the fact that everyone else had already been awake for quite some time.

"Is there anything I can eat?" she asked with a sleepy groan, despite the meal being laid out right in front of her.

The fact that she had managed to overlook the food entirely spoke volumes about just how exhausted she was.

Lex sighed at the sight of his mate. The contrast between her behavior and that of her mother and his was almost comical.

Before she could slump into a chair and drift off again, he stepped forward, placed his hands on her shoulders, and gently turned her around.

"Come with me."

Without giving her much opportunity to protest, he guided her toward the back of the house so she could freshen up before eating.

Not long afterward, another click echoed through the hall as a second door opened.

Another woman emerged, though she appeared considerably more awake than the first.

Even so, her movements were sluggish, and she made her way toward the dining table with the unhurried steps of someone who would much rather have remained in bed.

"Why is everyone standing around?" she asked in a hoarse voice, rubbing her eyes as she approached the table.

Her gaze eventually settled on the food, and she blinked several times, as though only then realizing that breakfast had already been prepared.

Turning toward Monica, she spoke in a voice that still carried the remnants of sleep. "Ma... could you serve me some food, please?"

Monica offered her a sheepish smile and was just about to step forward when Luke moved between them, approaching the young woman instead.

Rather than reaching for the meat she had been eyeing, he suddenly caught her by the ear and gave it a firm tug.

"Aah! What are you doing?" Laila protested, pulling herself away from him. She rubbed her reddened ear and glared at him with an aggrieved pout.

Luke planted his hands on his waist and looked down at her disapprovingly. "What am I supposed to do when you wake up this late? Shouldn’t you have made an exception today, just like the rest of us, and helped with the chores?"

Laila stared at him as though he had accused her of a serious crime. "What do you mean, an exception? I regularly help Mother clean the house and prepare the hearth!"

She immediately turned toward Monica, clearly expecting her mother to confirm her claims.

Luke merely hummed and shifted his gaze to Monica. "Is that true, Monica?"

Monica hesitated, caught between her daughter and the man she couldn’t lie to. After a moment, she gave a reluctant nod.

"Yes... she does help sometimes."

The last word came out considerably quieter than the rest, but the dining hall was silent enough that not a single person missed them.

Laila’s jaw dropped.

"Betrayal! My own mother has betrayed me. My heart is broken!"

Her exaggerated complaint drew a giggle from Monica, who stepped forward and picked up a particularly thick piece of meat. It was glistening with juices, and the aroma alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.

"Here," Monica said, placing it in front of her daughter. "This might help."

Still wearing a sulky expression, Laila grabbed the meat and tore off a generous bite. The tender flesh practically melted in her mouth, and she chewed with considerably more enthusiasm than she had shown during the entire conversation.

Within moments, the indignation on her face began to fade, replaced by the unmistakable satisfaction of someone whose troubles had suddenly become much less important.

For Laila, at least, a delicious breakfast seemed to be an entirely adequate remedy for a broken heart.

Soon, Dalia returned, looking considerably more presentable after washing her face and combing her hair. The sleepiness that had clung to her earlier had faded, and she seemed much more alert as Lex guided her toward the dining table.

Once she was seated, he served her a generous portion of food. Dalia offered him a grateful nod before picking up her meat and joining the others for breakfast.

"Ginna, Monica, you two should eat as well," Luke said, reaching for their hands and gently drawing them closer to the table.

The two women hesitated, still somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of sitting around and enjoying a meal while the morning chores remained undone.

They were accustomed to keeping themselves occupied from the moment they woke up, and allowing someone else to take care of everything did not come naturally to either of them.

However, Luke was persistent, and it did not take long for their reluctance to give way to his insistence.

Once everyone had settled down and begun eating, Luke took a seat across from them.

He had already eaten his fill, so he merely joined them at the table, occasionally accepting a bite when Monica offered him some food.

For a while, the dining hall was filled with the pleasant sounds of conversation and praises.

Yet Luke had something on his mind, and after waiting for the others to get comfortable, he decided it was time to bring it up.

"Soon, I’ll be leaving the village to visit the nearby tribe."

His words immediately silenced the table.

The casual atmosphere vanished as everyone paused mid-meal and turned their attention toward him.

A moment earlier, they had been discussing breakfast, but the sudden announcement had given them something far more important to think about.

"So suddenly? Is something wrong?" Ginna asked, her brows drawing together with concern.

Luke shook his head reassuringly. "Nothing like that. I just want to investigate a few things and meet some potion makers. I’ve actually been looking forward to discussing a few matters with other potion brewers for quite some time now."

Luke knew his mates would be worried considering Luke was a natural trouble magnet. But he had to make some decisions in order to continue growing.

And about their security, he knew he had enough tools and points to guarantee that not even a magical beast could harm them.

What mattered most now was to convince them-

"I understand. I will help you pack your things later."

Surprisingly, the person he believed would be the toughest to convince agreed first.