Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

A few minutes before Lucas comes back to the hotel...

"Where the hell did he go?" Evelyn mutters to herself in the restaurant.

Lucas ran out of the restaurant. Evelyn was wondering what happened that he had to go out in such a hurry, but since he was always acting strange, she didn't think too much of it.

She sighed and looked around the restaurant, everyone eating in silence and she was pretty bored right now so she decided to check things up with Emma

Evelyn held up her AI bracelet and called her.

"...Hey, Emma, where are you?"

—Me? I'm shopping. Why?

Shopping. There were too many shops around. Where was she exactly?

"What shop?"

—I'm buying some clothes.

"For yourself?"

—No, I'm not buying these for me. I already have more than enough for me.

"Who are you buying for then?"

-It's for Adrian.

"...Why would you buy clothes for him?"

Evelyn asked in a confused voice.

—Hm? I'm just making him try on some clothes. He's got the face of a model, but you know how he dresses. So I'm buying him some clothes.

Pausing for a moment, Emma continue

— It's for the masquerade party we're going to later.

"I see, so you are going to enjoy tonight with Adrian at the party? I didn't know you were sly one Emma"

Evelyn said as she teased Emma, she could hear the sound of Emma's surprised voice from the other side of the receiver.

-W...What do you mean by that?... It's not what you think!!!

Evelyn just laughed at the flustered voice of Emma.

She loves to tease her now and then.

-By the way, where are you right now?

Emma said as she decided to change the change the topic.

"I'm at a restaurant."

—With Lucas?

"Yeah, he brought me here to eat some food."

—Really? What's the restaurant called?

Evelyn looked around the restaurant. There was a sign engraved with the restaurant's name.

[Hotel Cessia]

"The name is [Hotel Cessia]."

-Did I hear that right? Hotel Cessia?

"Yeah, I think so. Why? Is this place famous?"

—...Lucas brought you there? How?

"Hah?"

Because of Emma's odd reaction, Evelyn tilted her head.

—I tried to make a reservation and failed. Even with a VIP membership, you need to make a reservation at least a week in advance.

"Really? Is this place that famous?"

—Ehew...

Evelyn's innocent question caused Emma to let out a deep sigh. But Evelyn, who didn't care about such things, truthfully had no way of knowing how famous this restaurant was.

—Evelyn, do you remember the name of the hero who cooks at Hotel Cessia?

"Hmm, I don't think Lucas mentioned it. Why?"

—Well, that's because it's none other than Chef Renaldo.

"Chef Renaldo? Wait, isn't he the most famous cooking hero in the entire city?"

—Exactly. His dishes are renowned for their exquisite taste and innovative presentation. People often wait months just to get a reservation at his restaurant.

"Wow, no wonder it's so difficult to get a table here. But how did Lucas manage to get me here?"

—Who cares about that right now? But hey, consider yourself lucky. Not everyone gets the chance to dine at Chef Renaldo's restaurant.

—Enjoy your meal! I'm off to pick out some more outfits for Adrian. See you later!

Before Evelyn could reply the call ended.

Evelyn stared at the appetizer in front of her. It was a simple soup and salad, but for some reason, they seemed to glisten like jewels.

Picking up her spoon, she slowly scooped up a spoonful and took a sip.

The moment her tongue made contact with the soup, her eyes widened and her body trembled.

"..."

She was at a complete loss for words...

stared at the appetizer in front of her. It was a simple soup and salad, but for some reason, they seemed to glisten like jewels.

Picking up her spoon, she slowly scooped up a spoonful and took a sip.

The moment her tongue made contact with the soup, her eyes widened and her body trembled.

"..."

She was at a complete loss for words...

Evelyn's taste buds erupted with a symphony of flavours she had never experienced before. Each spoonful of soup danced on her palate, tantalizing her senses with its richness and depth.

As she savoured the exquisite dish, Evelyn's mind drifted away from the bustling restaurant around her. She was transported to a world where only the flavours of Chef Renaldo's creation existed—a world of culinary perfection and sensory delight.

Lost in the moment, Evelyn found herself smiling as she relished every mouthful of the divine soup. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly content, her worries and uncertainties fading into the background as she surrendered to the blissful pleasure of the meal.

With each passing moment, Evelyn's admiration for Lucas grew. How had he managed to secure a reservation at such a prestigious restaurant? What other surprises did he have in store for her?

As she continued to dine, Evelyn's mind buzzed with excitement.

But for now, all she could do was savour the moment and indulge in the culinary masterpiece before her, grateful for the rare opportunity to experience Chef Renaldo's genius firsthand.

At that moment Lucas came back.

Seeing him coming back, Evelyn stopped eating for a moment, she placed her spoon on the table and gazed at him.

"Who was that?" Evelyn asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Just someone I thought I knew," Lucas replied vaguely.

Evelyn studied him for a moment, her eyes searching mine for any hint of what had transpired. However, finding nothing, she simply nodded in understanding.

There was silence for a moment before Lucas gazed and went down to the soup in front of him.

"Oh? It's already here."

Lucas said as he took one of the spoons and started to sip the soup, meanwhile Evelyn stairs him as he slowly drank the soup.

"How did you make a reservation for this place? I heard it's famous. Did this acquaintance of yours help you?"

At her words, Lucas's hands shook slightly, and it didn't escape Emma's eyes.

"Um, yeah. Anyways, aren't you going to eat?"

Lucas quickly changed the subject.

"...I will."

The lunch continued. The two of them ate without further conversation.

Once the appetizer disappeared from their plates, the waiter came back with the main entrée.

Evelyn's suspicion was quickly melted away by the transcendental flavour of Chef Renaldo's food

**

"Whew, I'm stuffed."

Evelyn and I came out of the restaurant. As expected of a course menu, food streamed in endlessly over an hour, and I was stuffed full as a result. Of course, I could have stopped eating in the middle, but the food was too good to pass up.

It was a good experience.

I had to thank this world for letting me try this heavenly flavour.

"...Hey."

When I was rubbing my puffed-up belly, Evelyn suddenly called my name. Just like me, she had a satisfied expression.

"What."

"Thanks for the food."

"...Don't be. You paid for it."

Evelyn insisted on paying for the food, saying that it was only natural since I made the reservation. The bill came up to 500,000 C, but she paid for it nonetheless.

"The membership fee must be expensive, so it's the least I can do."

Evelyn said so as she glanced at me from head to toe.

I didn't know what she meant by membership fee, but I just nodded understandingly.

"Right."

"...So, where are you going now?"

At her words, I glanced at my watch. It was almost 3:00.

Since the masquerade started at 5:00, I needed to go now and look around the venue for a good place to observe the inside.

And I need to do that alone, so I must split away from Evelyn.

"How about we split up?"

"Do you want us to split up?"

There was a sudden change in her voice as she said those words, her expression was down and she was looking sad.

But she quickly hid that expression.

I know what it this about, spending time together must resort to those old memoirs when we were together.

I know because I have some memories of Lucas and Evelyn together.

I also don't want to go but I don't have any other choice.

I need to check things there.

With a cheerful expression, Evelyn said

"That's great let's split up. I'll go ahead first."

Evelyn nodded and started walking the opposite direction.

"Hello. Yeah, Emma, where are you? I'll meet up with you guys."

With my sharp sense, I could hear Evelyn 's voice even from a distance.

—What about Lucas?

She was obviously talking to Evelyn.

"We just split up."

—Huh? Why? We still have time left.

"He is the one who wants to split up, I don't know why. By the way, can I also go to that masquerade party you were talking about?"

Evelyn's final words caught my attention.

The masquerade party... wasn't in that direction.