Javier dusted himself off, standing tall despite the blood trickling from his nose. His eyes sparkled as he scanned the yard for his Pekkos.
Liana exhaled and glanced at Javier.
What a weirdo. Any other noble child would've run crying to their mother after a fall like that, and yet this young master of mine is just grinning from ear to ear as if nothing happened.
She glanced at him again.
Not just this, but his behavior too. He's a bit weirder than his siblings. He carries himself with a maturity beyond his years. Not just his height, but the way he faces challenges. He doesn't flinch, doesn't complain. He just gets back up and keeps going.
"Liana, look at them!" he exclaimed, pointing at the brightly colored birds pecking in their makeshift pen.
She couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm.
"Young master," she said, walking over. "You're bleeding."
"Huh?" He blinked. "Where?"
Liana exhaled before walking toward him, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. She reached up with delicate fingers, her beautiful emerald eyes focused intently on his nose as she gently wiped the blood away. A soft, sweet smile played on her lips.
Javier smiled, his gaze drifting from her face down to her full, soft pink lips.
"Thanks, Liana. You're the best."
"And you're the oddest," she replied, shaking her head fondly.
After a while.
Liana stood back, watching Javier work alongside the family carpenter on the Pekkos' cage. The carpenter, a man in his forties, kept sneaking glances, his expression caught between awkward admiration and nerves.
"Don't worry, young master," he said hesitantly, wiping sweat from his brow. "We've got this. No need to trouble yourself."
"Ehh? I just want to help!"
The carpenter scratched his head, glancing at his baffled assistants. "Uh… but, young master… this is… umm…"
Liana sighed. "Young master, why don't you let them handle it? It's their job to build and maintain the estate's structures. They're being paid for this."
"Eh? But I'm having fun here!" He grinned, holding up the hammer.
Liana shook her head and glanced at the Pekko, who was now sitting on the ground, enjoying the sunlight, before looking back at Javier.
"Why don't you ride the Pekkos in the meantime? I'm sure your Pekko could use some exercise, and you could practice controlling it."
Javier paused, looked at the hammer, then at Liana, his eyes drifting to the large orange Pekko nearby. He nodded with a smile. "Okay~"
After Javier left the area, the carpenter let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Miss Liana. It's… well, if Lord Garius found out we let the young master do manual labor while we stood by, we'd be in trouble. We're paid to do this work, after all."
"Mm… don't worry about it." Liana smiled faintly, both hands folded in front of her maid dress as she glanced at Javier, who was now trying to climb onto the huge orange Pekko.
Javier rode his Pekko in wide circles around the field, laughing as the bird darted with surprising agility.
He pulled the reins, stopping in front of Liana. "Hmm… what do Pekkos eat?"
"Meat, fruits, vegetables. They're not heavy eaters."
His eyes lit up. "Good!" He climbed down, reached into his magic storage, and pulled out a pile of monster meat that thudded onto the ground.
He ran a hand over it, grinning. "How about we grill some for the Pekkos and us?"
Liana stepped forward, giving him a sharp glare. "Young master! Wash it first, season it properly, and don't even think about an open fire with sticks. Use the grill set."
"Ehhhh!?" he groaned.
"No ehhhh!" Liana glanced around and spotted several household maids nearby. She walked over and called them. "You there. Bring out the large grill set and some proper seasonings."
Javier exhaled and glanced up at the huge orange Pekko behind him. The bird tilted its head, then let out a low squawk. Javier shrugged. The Pekko shrugged back, bobbing its head in agreement.
After a moment.
Liana helped set everything up, arranging the grill, washing the meat thoroughly, and seasoning it with a blend of herbs and spices from the kitchen. She worked with practiced efficiency, her movements graceful and precise.
"Alright, young master. Everything is ready."
"Yosh!" Javier rubbed both palms together before reaching for the meat. He placed the thick slabs onto the hot grill with a satisfying sizzle, the sound punctuated by the crackle of fat hitting the flames. The aroma of seasoned monster meat filled the air, rich and savory.
"All right, Pekkos!" Javier called out cheerfully as the meat cooked.
They all enjoyed the grilled meat. Javier tossed a piece toward the orange Pekko, and the bird leaped into the air, snatching it mid-flight with a sharp clack of its beak before landing and swallowing it whole.
Liana smiled, watching how happy and excited her young master was. Then her eyes landed on the piles of monster meat nearby.
Look at all this meat. These are rare, high-grade monster parts. Not everyone could afford to eat something like this—it depends on the level and type of monster. And he just pulled it out like it was nothing.
Javier cheerfully plated the grilled meat onto two oversized pet plates. The Pekkos devoured it in seconds, squawking happily. They kept coming back for more until finally, after several rounds, both birds stopped eating and rested on the ground in content, their bellies full.
"Wow! They're full already!" He turned back to the grill, noticing the heaps still waiting. "But there's so much more!" He glanced at Liana. "What do we do with the rest? There's still seasoned raw meat and grilled meat left."
Liana looked at the meat again, then called over the carpenter and workers nearby, gesturing to the mountain of extra meat. "Take a break and enjoy the grilled meat. There's plenty for everyone."
The carpenter hesitated, then agreed as the delicious smell wafted over.
She turned to the maids nearby. "Bring the raw seasoned meat to the kitchen for the family's dinner tonight."
The maids bowed gracefully. "Yes, Miss Liana."
While all the workers sat around eating, Liana took over the grill and cooked the portions she had set aside for herself and Javier. She flipped the cuts evenly, the juices dripping onto the coals, and sneaked a bite, savoring the flavor.
"Mmm! Yummy! This is good!" Javier chomped down. "Meat tastes better when you've worked for it!"
Liana smiled, glancing at Javier. "Careful, don't choke."
He grinned, taking another massive bite. "You've got to try this one!"
"I already did," she replied, flipping another piece.
( End Of Chapter )