Chapter 559: This Life Is Worth It, Riven's Strong Enemy
Riven was, first and foremost, a master of the blade. Even though her hands had never once graced the handle of a standard kitchen knife, her innate grip and balance were flawless. Yet, the sheer intensity radiating from her stance the moment she picked up the steel cleaver sent Lucifer into a fit of sudden, breathless laughter. Riven held the small blade with a white-knuckled death grip, her shoulders squared and her eyes narrowed as if preparing to decapitate an invisible assassin. Ren stood beside her, offering a helpless, quiet sigh.
He had deliberately chosen to start her culinary training with simple vegetables. Meat was far too complex for a beginner; it demanded a deep understanding of muscle fibers, fat distribution, blade temperature, and the specific resistance of different cuts. There were simply too many variables to track.
Despite Ren's constant claims that his cooking was merely average, he held himself to an exacting standard. Lucifer handled the desserts, a delicate art that rarely required heavy blade work, but hot cuisine was an entirely different beast. The foundation of any great dish began with the knife. Vegetables offered a forgiving starting line. If a cut went awry, the mangled produce could easily be salvaged into a crisp salad or blended into a fresh morning juice. It was a far safer gamble than ruining a premium cut of beef.
Right now, Riven was locked in a staring contest with a single, vibrant orange carrot resting on the cutting board. She held the knife aloft, measuring the distance and angle with agonizing precision, yet she made no move to strike. Lucifer leaned against the counter, watching the silver-haired warrior's deadly serious expression, feeling a strange knot of secondhand tension tightening in her own chest. Lucifer could not cook a hot meal to save her life, but even she knew this was excessive. Riven was treating the root vegetable like it was rigged with high explosives. The sheer gravity in the room made it feel as though the carrot had gained sentience and was actively challenging her to a duel to the death.
Unable to bear the heavy silence any longer, Lucifer cleared her throat. "Um... Riven? What exactly are you doing?"
"I am observing," Riven replied, her voice low and utterly devoid of humor.
"Huh?" Both Ren and Lucifer blinked in unison.
Riven's crimson eyes narrowed further, the blade trembling slightly in her grip. "By carefully analyzing the subtle movements and hidden demeanor of a strong enemy, one secures a decisive victory on the battlefield."
Lucifer offered a slow, dazed clap. It was a truly magnificent mindset for a seasoned veteran of Noxus. But then reality snapped back into place, and the Queen of Hell threw her hands up in exasperation. "It is a carrot! What kind of strong enemy is a vegetable?! You can literally just bite into it raw!"
Riven slowly turned her head, genuinely perplexed. "If it can be consumed raw... why are we bothering to cook it?"
Lucifer froze, her mouth opening and closing. 'Wait, why do we cook it?' The logic was so brutally straightforward that it actually felt reasonable, even if it completely undermined the entire concept of culinary arts.
Ren let out a soft, amused breath. "Because applying heat and technique elevates it," he explained smoothly. "It enhances the visual appeal, deepens the natural sweetness, and transforms the texture into something far more incredible than its raw state."
A few seconds ticked by. Riven returned her intense glare to the cutting board, the knife still hovering uselessly in the air. Ren read the subtle tension in her shoulders. She was not hesitating out of fear; she simply had no concept of how much force to apply without shattering the board beneath it.
Closing the distance, Ren stepped up close behind her. He reached out, his hand gently covering hers over the spine of the knife. Riven stiffened slightly at the warm contact, but he just smiled. "Do not overthink it. It is only a carrot. Even if you butcher the cuts, it is still perfectly edible. No one masters the blade in the kitchen on their first try, and we have an entire pantry full of replacements if you need them."
Riven gave a stiff nod. Guided by his steady grip, she pressed the steel down, slicing through the orange flesh with a crisp thwack.
"See? Perfect," Ren murmured, his voice a calm anchor. "When you are prepping vegetables, you want to guide the blade with your off-hand, curling your fingers inward to protect your knuckles. Like this. It helps you gauge the exact thickness of the cut."
Lucifer leaned over the counter, resting her chin in her hands as she watched the intimate lesson unfold. She could not help but feel a twinge of absurd pity for the vegetable. This particular carrot was living an incredibly distinguished final moment. It was being executed by one of Noxus's most lethal warriors, observed by the reigning Queen of Hell, and personally guided by Ren himself. What cosmic karma had this humble root accumulated to deserve such a star-studded demise?
"Hmm, very good," Ren praised, stepping back to let her continue. "You have already got the rhythm down. As expected of a master swordswoman, the transition to a kitchen knife is flawless. You will be a natural in no time."
Riven let out a heavy, exhausted exhale, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "It was... a truly formidable enemy."
"No, it was not! It is literally just a carrot, Riven!" Lucifer groaned, rubbing her temples.
Lucifer was genuinely awestruck by the warrior's deeply ingrained, utterly bizarre combat logic.
While the kitchen remained a battlefield of diced vegetables, the upper floor of the restaurant began to stir. Nakiri Mana and the rest of the WGO executives were finally dragging themselves out of bed. Their daily schedules were notoriously brutal, especially with the monumental task of officially establishing the World Gourmet Organization's new branch weighing on their shoulders.
Mana shuffled down the stairs, elegantly rubbing her temples. Her usual pristine aura was softened by a lazy, sleep-deprived haze. "Ugh... Where is Ren? Lucifer is not upstairs either. Did those two slip out this early?" She paused, blinking slowly. "No, that cannot be right... It is not past closing time yet."
Rantabi trailed right behind her, a messy hair tie barely holding her locks together and a thick, moisturizing sheet mask plastered over her face. She let out a massive yawn. "Maybe they went out for a delivery run? But they would not both leave at the same time..."
Decora leaned against the banister, a sly smile curving her lips. "Setting that aside... Lady Mana, why is Ren the very first person you look for the moment you open your eyes?"
The surrounding Executive Officers immediately exchanged knowing, predatory smirks. The teasing hit its mark instantly. Mana's sleepiness vanished, replaced by a furious blush that spread all the way to the tips of her ears.
"I... I was just simply... uh... hmm... ah!" She stammered, frantically waving her hands. "Right! I was just simply curious about his whereabouts! That is all!"
"Tch..." Rantabi, Decora, and Courage all clicked their tongues in unison, their collective disbelief painfully obvious.
Even Anne, who usually maintained a polite neutrality, gave a soft, exasperated sigh. Outnumbered and utterly transparent, Mana could only lower her head, her aristocratic pride crumbling into embarrassed silence.
Hearing the commotion, Lucifer poked her horned head out from the kitchen doorway, shooting the group an irritated glare. "You girls really let your imaginations run wild before breakfast. Did it never occur to you to check the kitchen?"
"Oh! That makes sense!" the five women chimed together.
Lucifer blinked, suddenly realizing something was off. "Wait a minute. Why are you all awake right now? Were you not supposed to sleep in for at least another hour?"
The WGO girls exchanged guilty glances. "Uh... we actually did not sleep at all last night."
Lucifer pinched the bridge of her nose. "Are you mortals trying to cultivate immortality or just actively trying to turn into demons? No wonder half of you are wearing sheet masks right now."
Mana let out a long, exhausted sigh, leaning heavily against the dining table. "It was that dedicated supply truck lane issue. We stayed up finishing the final logistical reports, and by the time we cleared out the backlog of previous zoning disputes, the sun was already coming up."
"And the result?" Lucifer asked, crossing her arms.
"It turns out there really were a few minor clerical errors in the original draft," Mana admitted, waving a dismissive hand. "But those are not the priority. The main headache is still securing that lane! It was a complete miscalculation on our part." She paused, her gaze drifting over to her subordinate. "By the way, Courage... this face mask feels incredibly soothing. What brand is this?"
Courage beamed beneath her damp mask. "It is from that high-end cosmetics boutique Sonoko took us to the other day! The hydration is absolutely divine!"
"Oh! We should definitely make time to go back there..." Mana murmured, easily distracted by the promise of luxury skincare.
Lucifer stared at the gaggle of sleep-deprived, highly influential culinary executives and shook her head. "Save the salon talk for later. What do you all want for breakfast?"
"Anything!" the five women chorused without missing a beat.
"Alright, alright, I give up on you people," Lucifer muttered, mentally running through the rest of the household's morning orders. "For Cerberus, I do not even need to ask, it is meat. Pandora will just want her usual black coffee. Modeus is obsessed with literally anything Ren puts on a plate. Nami just needs a glass of fresh orange juice. Aoandon will eat whatever is put in front of her." She paused, a dark smirk crossing her lips. "And as for Justice... there is absolutely no need to consider her opinion."
Rantabi gave her a flat, dead-fish stare. "You really have a complicated love-hate relationship with Justice, do you not?"
"It is purely hate! Who in their right mind would be in love with that annoying meathead?!" Lucifer snapped, her tail lashing indignantly behind her. She quickly cleared her throat, smoothing down her apron. "Anyway, get yourselves seated. I have someone new to introduce to all of you in a bit!"
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