Cooking and Clashing

While Celia lowered her head gloomily, her heart filled with conflict.

The crackling of the hearth and the thickening aroma of food in the kitchen roused both women from their thoughts.

"Oh no!" Freya lifted her skirt and hurried toward the stove. "The beef I was stewing for Master Ansu... I hope it hasn't boiled dry!"

Freya carefully lifted the lid, and a cloud of steam carrying a rich blend of fruit and meat aromas billowed out.

Fortunately, she had reacted in time. The sauce in the pot had thickened perfectly without drying out, and the tender beef brisket shimmered with an enticing luster within the wine-red sauce.

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, Celia's voice, devoid of any discernible emotion, came from behind her:

"What dish is this? It looks quite refined."

Freya paused and looked back to see Celia eyeing the meal she had prepared on the counter, a rare flicker of curiosity in her gaze.

"It's Vilanti Red Wine Beef Stew, a famous dish from the southern Empire," Freya explained softly. "I originally thought there wouldn't be many ingredients in your kitchen, but I didn't expect... to find such high-quality aged red wine. That's why I thought of this dish."

"I do have quite a stock of ingredients," Celia said, nodding thoughtfully as she looked at the delicious-looking meal. "I had a cult executor bring that red wine for me on his way. I didn't expect the quality to be so good..."

In Ansu's words, that executor was quite eager for a promotion...

Freya looked at the "Heartfelt Recovery Meal" she had meticulously prepared for Master Ansu with satisfaction.

The main course was oatmeal porridge with honey and milk, accompanied by freshly warmed soft white bread. Aside from the red wine beef stew, there were heart-shaped fried eggs and a crisp-looking vegetable salad.

This Heartfelt Recovery Meal was not only visually appealing and fragrant but also nutritionally balanced. Master Ansu would surely love it.

"Hmm... Your cooking skills are decent enough."

Celia stared at the flawless delicacies, and as she looked, she found herself feeling a bit hungry...

Though she was loath to admit it.

Compared to the girl before her, the gap in their culinary skills seemed a bit too wide...

She narrowed her eyes, scanning Freya as the girl carefully arranged the plating.

The glow of the magic illumination cast a soft light on Freya's focused profile. The former Holy Maiden of the church radiated a tranquil and gentle aura.

Tsk...

She really is the gentle and virtuous type...

Celia felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. She crossed her arms and said coldly:

"Put everything down. You're not needed here anymore; I'll take it to him."

"I'll go with you!" Freya quickly looked up. "Which room is Master Ansu in?"

"I said I don't need you!" Celia stepped forward and waved her hand lightly. An invisible gravity magic steadily lifted the entire tray.

"But..." Freya couldn't hold back any longer as she asked pleadingly, "When can I see Master Ansu?"

"When he recovers." Celia turned back and gave her a faint glance. "Don't worry, I'll tell him how much you've been missing him."

"Alright..." Freya could only sigh inwardly.

"And another thing!" Celia specifically warned, "Don't you dare reveal a single word of what we just said to Ansu!"

Freya nodded gently. "I understand."

The conversation seemed over. Just as Freya thought Celia was about to leave and would stop making things difficult for her today...

The witch suddenly turned back with a smile, catching her off guard.

"Freya..."

"Are there many things that you and Ansu are hiding from me?"

With a violent surge of black magic, Celia's eyes gradually transformed into her demon blood-red eyes. She sneered, staring unblinkingly at the girl before her.

Soul Dominion - Hypnosis.

"Tell me what is in your heart. I want to hear your true thoughts..."

Freya was startled, her pale gold eyes turning dull for a split second.

"We..."

But in the next moment, a faint white light enveloped Freya's body. She shuddered, and her consciousness suddenly cleared.

"What could we possibly be hiding from you?" Freya frowned as she looked at her, feeling both surprised and lingering fear.

How could this woman change her mood so instantly? She gave no warning at all!

If she hadn't listened to Master Ansu's advice and remained prepared, she definitely would have fallen for it...

"Celia! What kind of person do you take Master Ansu for? During this time, he has been so busy trying to help you escape Samantha's plot that he's had almost no time to rest, yet you suspect him like this!"

The air fell silent for a moment, and Celia's expression became even more astonished.

Freya had clearly blocked her black magic.

"You..." Celia raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to the ancient holy seal clutched tightly in Freya's hand.

Engraved on the seal was the Radiant Cross Emblem representing the Church of Holy Light. She vaguely remembered Freya carrying this thing with her three days ago.

So she had been guarding against her all along?

"Fine!" Celia was so angry she laughed. "Ansu even told you about this? He warned you long ago to be on guard against my black magic?"

Freya took a deep breath and met her gaze fearlessly. "It has nothing to do with Master Ansu! I was the one who specifically asked him how to guard against you!"

"Is... that so?" Celia narrowed her eyes slightly. "You're quite the cautious one, aren't you?"

"It's a good thing I am!" Freya snorted. "If I didn't know that you like to hypnotize people and gloomily pry into their hearts, I wouldn't have risked stealing this from the Holy Dome Cathedral! It turns out I was right to do so!"

Back when she was on a "date" with Master Ansu in Maplewood Town, he had solemnly warned her that Celia had a very powerful trump card...

He told her she must never fall for it, or they would both be finished!

Once she learned that the trump card was a black magic that could hypnotize others, she immediately thought of a consecrated holy-attribute weapon stored in the Holy Dome Cathedral.

Freya instinctively tightened her grip on the ancient holy seal. It was precisely because the seal was enchanted with 【Mind Shield】, which could resist mental attacks, that she was able to block the hateful witch's black magic.

Celia recovered from her initial surprise. She merely gave the holy seal in Freya's hand a faint glance before looking away with disdain.

"You're just relying on an external object, yet you look so proud..."

She added with a half-smile, "I wonder if you'll still be able to use that seal once I chop off your arm!"

"No!" Terrified, Freya curled up tightly, shielding the precious holy seal against her chest.

Seeing the girl's trembling and pitiful state, Celia suddenly found it boring.

"Look at how scared you are..."

She curled her lip, finally picked up the tray, and left the kitchen.

"Forget it, I'll talk to you next time."

"Hmph... I'm going to settle the score with Ansu first! That guy, hiding everything from me! I must give him a little punishment!"

Freya watched Celia's retreating figure in silence.

While she felt a sense of relief, she also couldn't help but worry for Master Ansu.