He suspected that Claire only ordered Dumbledore to help her gather spices. He also wondered how this Female Titan managed to convince Dumbledore to go out and collect things for her.
Look at the old principal's expression.
It seemed that the old principal was also very invested in this matter, not just to help the Fox escape disaster. Ian could sense that Dumbledore genuinely wanted to find those materials.
"What did you give my principal…" He wanted to continue asking, but at that moment, the soup pot in the corner of the room suddenly emitted a sharp, clear chirp.
Immediately after.
The golden-red soup churned violently.
The Phoenix mirage, which was originally floating in the void above the pot, magically condensed. Suddenly, it received a sort of summoning, transforming directly into a stream of radiance and darting toward the small bird's nest nearby.
The next moment,
it reformed into a shimmering Phoenix Egg.
Lying quietly in the nest.
"We did it!" Claire's eyes brightened, and she clapped her hands excitedly. "My Phoenix Rejuvenation Soup is finally a success! The timing was just perfect this time!"
She seemed proud of her culinary skill.
Just then.
She picked up a clean wooden bowl and began to serve the soup, saying to Ian as she did so, "Come, have a sip. This is extremely nourishing; it'll grant you some of the Phoenix's abilities."
"Better keep it for yourself." Ian shook his hands repeatedly. "I'm not keen on becoming an egg."
Claire shrugged her shoulders: "Suit yourself, but this soup really is marvelous. Especially the process of the Phoenix returning, it was absolutely perfect."
As she spoke.
Claire enjoyed a full bowl herself.
Looking very pleased.
There was no poisoning.
Nor did she fall down and mutate.
The pot emitted a peculiar aroma, reminiscent of the warmth of baked bread yet carrying a certain sun-like sweetness.
"You're enjoying that like you're tasting something from 'Little Chef'." Ian couldn't help sighing and made a quip as he watched the contentedly enjoying Claire.
Honestly speaking.
The aroma indeed was enticing.
However, Titan physiology is ultimately different from human physiology, so even though Ian smelled quite a tantalizing scent, he was still hesitant to accept this stewed soup.
The crux was that it wasn't plucked, nor scalded in boiling water.
Not clean, not sanitary.
"Even 'Little Chef's' dish isn't as delicious as mine… surprisingly tasty." Claire indeed knew about 'Little Chef', which was a test by Ian, since this cartoon didn't exist in this world's future.
It was something only Ian knew.
If even that cartoon was known, Ian's expression inevitably turned complex, because he realized that perhaps this familiarly approachable Claire was really closely related to him.
Perhaps deeply connected with Raven.
At this moment.
Claire served another bowl.
"Really won't have a taste?"
She continued to tempt Ian.
Ian stared at the floating light spots in the bowl and hesitantly shook his head: "No, better not…"
"This is quite nourishing," Claire coaxed, "It can grant you parts of the Phoenix's abilities—flame affinity, nirvana resistance, even speeds up magic power recovery."
Ian was still hesitating, and then the Female Titan added nonchalantly while serving the soup, "By the way, the remaining soup can be used to refine the Dumbledore family's ancestor."
These words caught Ian off guard.
"...What?!"
Ian's hand trembled, nearly knocking over the soup bowl. He widened his eyes and looked at Claire, doubting if he heard wrong. Yet Claire, as a matter of course, continued to finish a bowl of soup.
"Yes, this is the origin of the Dumbledore Clan."
The Prophet spoke.
Revealing the hidden historical truth.