"Laniakea, before you go, take this with you." The head chef—who was also Laniakea's teacher—handed him a bracelet with his name engraved on it.
"Laniakea, you're like a son to me. Remember, if you ever want to come back early, we will always welcome you. Just come back safe and sound," he said.
"Yes, Chef. I'll make sure not to disappoint you, and I'll come back even healthier than I am now."
"I don't think you can get any healthier than that," the head chef said, letting out a small chuckle.
Laniakea entered the carriage with the young lady and her guard, and they began heading toward her estate. All of Laniakea's family and coworkers watched him leave. The tavern owner remarked, "Like a son, huh? I didn't expect that from you. Especially after his passing."
"You don't have to remind me, Thomas. Just let me feel like a proud father."
"It's 'Boss' and not 'Thomas.' Well, I guess I'll allow it for now, 'Great Storm Jonathan.'"
"Heh, haven't heard that title in a long time. I'll go inside now; the customers must be waiting for their food. We've been out here long enough," Jonathan said, unable to wipe the smirk from his face.
"Sister, do you know when Laniakea will come back?" Jessica asked the nun as the carriage drove away and the men headed back inside.
"I'm sure it'll be soon. Please don't worry," the nun answered.
"Okay. And Sister, can you teach me how to cook too? I want to surprise Lan when he comes back."
The carriage entered a forest, and the young lady asked, "Well, Laniakea, do you know what you're going to do first once you arrive? It's probably the first time you've left your town."
"I heard that the first thing you do is greet the owner of the estate, and then the servants?"
"It's not 'owner,' it's 'head of the family.' My father is currently in the capital, so I am living in the residence with my mother and my little brother. What you'll need to do first is greet my mother—the current representative, also known as the acting head of the family—then my brother. After that, you should probably introduce yourself to the kitchen staff, since you're going to be working there. Understand?"
"Yes, I understand. So: representative, sibling, staff. Correct?"
"Yes, that is correct."
The guard stared over at Laniakea. The boy realized his mistake without the guard saying a word; he had spoken informally to a noble.
"I would like to apologize for speaking informally, Young Lady!"
"It's fine, I forgive you. You're still not used to it."
The guard interjected, "Young Lady, you cannot be this good to him. Like this, he will never learn."
"I already said it's fine, and the boy is clearly intelligent, so he'll likely learn quickly."
Laniakea sat in the carriage quietly, watching the scene unfold and remaining silent for the rest of the ride to avoid further mistakes.
"We've arrived," said the chauffeur.
The guard stepped out first, and Laniakea followed, copying the guard's movements.
"Young Lady," the guard said, holding his hand out to help her step down, showing his respect.
"My beautiful daughter! You finally came back. You've only been gone for a few hours, yet it felt like days," said the young lady's mother, the acting head of the house.
Laniakea waited for the lady and her mother to greet each other before speaking up. "Hello, Acting Head. I am Laniakea, the chef who was hired by the Young Lady. I hope not to disturb your noble self with my presence."
The acting head was slightly surprised that such a young commoner could offer such a formal greeting. "Don't worry. As long as you don't cause any trouble, you won't be a disturbance. I'm impressed you know such formal speech. I knew anyone chosen by my daughter wouldn't be ordinary, but I am still surprised."
Laniakea looked pleased with himself. He glanced at the guard, who gave a small nod of approval while letting out a sigh.
"Mother, where is Felix? He's usually the first one here to greet me."
"He's inside. He said he had a surprise for you."
"Well then, I'll make my way in. Laniakea, go to the kitchen and introduce yourself. The other cooks will show you where you'll be staying," the young lady said, signaling the guard to show Laniakea the way.