Demonic Pornstar System novel Chapter 878

Chapter 878: Happy Mom

The staging plain fell behind them with Pebble’s ground-whispering stride a low tremor at their backs.

Vespera walked close to Kaiden, her hands loose at her sides, her stride matched to his.

The composure she’d worn in the tent and with Pebble had loosened into quiet happiness, a mother content to walk beside her cherished son.

"You did well in there," she murmured, low enough that only he caught it.

Kaiden grinned at her. "Anything less would’ve been unacceptable." A wink followed. "Learned from the best, after all."

"..." Vespera paused, blinked once, slow.

When her eyes opened, the pride behind them was so warm and unhidden that many wouldn’t recognize her one bit.

The curve at the corner of her mouth stayed for the rest of the walk.

They found Eclipse past the cluster of the numerous command vehicles present.

Renoa ran the food line with a clipboard under one arm and a ladle in the other, plating servings, shouting for more rice over her shoulder, and redirecting a limping fighter toward medical without breaking stride. She’d been at it since before the meeting started, and the efficiency hadn’t flagged once.

Tessa and Talia sat with a cluster of Eclipse fighters at the far end, and the ease between the former guild leaders and their new guildmates looked fresh but growing fast. Tessa was in the middle of a story that had three veterans laughing, while Talia nursed a drink beside her, content to listen.

Alice had stationed herself at the end of the table with her chin raised, presiding over the camp cook’s work.

While it was true that she had only learned to make waffles last month...

"The rice is too mushy," Alice informed the cook. "You should use less water, Miss Agatha."

"???" Agatha had served the Ashborn household since before Alice was born, and was currently employed as Eclipse’s head chef.

She’d watched this girl grow from a silent child into one of the most dangerous fighters on the continent, and in all those years, Alice’s opinion on food had never gone beyond "It’s fine" and "Not hungry if big brother isn’t eating with me."

She stared at the critic, then at the girl, then back at the critic.

"...Since when do you care about cooking, young miss?"

"Since always." Alice’s chin rose.

Alexandra held a plate beside her, eating happily. "The food is great, Alice. You’re just critiquing to critique. Miss Agatha used the perfect amount of water, it’s not mushy at all." She smiled at the cook, apologetic.

The cook looked at the gentle girl standing next to Alice, the one who corrected the little Ashborn murder machine to her face and only received a ’Hmph!’ and instantly understood.

Alice had made a friend. A real one.

And the friend had somehow taught her to care about things like cooking.

The older woman’s expression softened, and she set her ladle down. "Well then. Since you have such strong opinions, little miss, how would you sear a flame drake’s flank?"

"Low heat first to render the mana pockets, then sear on high for the crust. If you go straight to high, the mana bursts and ruins the texture."

The cook’s ladle hand went still. Most professional cooks got that one wrong.

"How do you handle the mana sacs in a dire boar’s shoulder without the meat going bitter?"

"Pierce and drain before you start cutting. If you go straight to butchering, the membrane tears and ruins everything around it."

Agatha stared at the girl who had never shown a flicker of interest in food for sixteen years and was now rattling off monster butchery techniques like a field instructor.

Alexandra hid a beyond proud smile behind her next bite.

The cook folded her arms. She was fully invested now.

"Final question." She leaned in. "You have a freshly killed mana bear. Blood saturated with volatile mana. Thirty minutes before crystallization turns every cut to leather. Walk me through it."

Alice opened her mouth, and her eyes slid toward Alexandra with all the subtlety of a searchlight.

Alexandra chewed, watching her, and offered absolutely nothing.

"...Hang it and bleed it immediately," Alice started.

"Obviously. What solution do you flush the veins with to keep the mana from crystallizing during the drain?"

"...Cold water?"

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