Chapter 7.2

Chapter 7.2

“Are you going to eat or not?”

“What? Yes, of course, I will.”

“Then start preparing. The king will be back in about an hour.”

Ara gently patted Baekseol’s neck to soothe her anger but suddenly stopped. She realized it a little belatedly the implication of Seol-do’s words.

“Are you asking me to prepare the meal? I’m a guest.”

Cooking was both Ara’s hobby and specialty. She had inherited her grandmother Mal-soon’s exceptional culinary skills and was already hired as the main cook at a high-end Korean restaurant at a young age.

However, that didn’t mean she deserved to be treated like a maid. This was practically forced labor.

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“The king said that from today, you’ll be in charge of kitchen duties.”

“What? Me?” Ara asked, bewildered.

Instead of answering, Seol-do tossed the remote aside and stretched as she got up.

“For the record, I’m the worst cook in the world.” Seol-do then pointed a long arm towards the floor. “And that crazy mutt only knows how to play princess.”

“Hey!”

An enraged Baekseol couldn’t hold back any longer and lunged at Seol-do.

“I’m going to get in some morning exercise. Oh, and the dining room is over there. Good luck.”

Seol-do nonchalantly grabbed Baekseol by the scruff of her neck, effortlessly stopping her cotton-paw punches, and walked outside. The sound of Baekseol’s barking echoed down the hallway, presumably leading to the front door, and then abruptly stopped.

“……”

Left alone, Ara stood in the middle of the spacious living room, clenching her fists tightly.

‘These da*ned goblins. They think they can just treat me like a pushover. Do they think I’m that easy to manipulate?’

***

An hour later.

Facing a grand nine-dish feast that covered the large dining table, Ara humbly admitted to herself.

I really am a pushover.

But she had no choice. The kitchen in this house was too perfect to ignore, too much of a paradise to turn away from out of pride.

The kitchen was filled with all the appliances she had dreamed of but could never afford. Four refrigerators held fresh vegetables and meat, and the aroma of masterfully aged sauces and kimchi filled the air.

For someone who loved cooking as much as Ara, it was impossible to resist. Adding just a touch of her culinary skills could turn these ingredients into mouthwatering delicacies—how could she possibly hold back?

Before she knew it, Ara was humming a little tune as she served the rice.

The white rice, cooked to perfection in the mini cauldron, let off a sweet fragrance and soft white steam. The bowls of rice looked incredibly appetizing, even just sitting there.

“They should be coming in right about now…”

Ara placed each bowl of rice on the table, casting a glance towards the entrance of the dining room.

One, two… three.

She stared at the bowl set aside for Seok-kyung as if it were him in person.

‘Naughty goblin. Does he think I’m doing this because I like him? Not a chance.

I’m only doing this because he’s the landlord, and since I’m already eating, I might as well set out another bowl. It’s because grandma said that scolding someone for eating is the worst thing you can do.’

She grumbled inwardly, coming up with all sorts of excuses when she heard a voice.

“Today, you’re walking like a human.”

Ara looked up to find the source of the voice.

Seok-kyung was walking toward the dining table, having just entered the dining room. He was dressed in a neat suit, suggesting he had been out somewhere early in the morning. Given the heat, he had taken off his jacket and was carrying it over his arm.

Geez. He’s unbelievably handsome, even in the morning.

Ara was momentarily flustered by Seok-kyung’s annoyingly perfect appearance, unsure where to start her complaints.

Seok-kyung seized the moment to sit at the head of the table. Loosening his tie a bit, he took a refreshing sip of water.

Ara waited until his pronounced Adam’s apple stopped moving before speaking up.

“Kim Seok-kyung.”

“What?”

“Where have you been since early in the morning?”

“I told you I’m busy.”

“Every time you speak, it’s always about how busy you are. Do you take care of all the world’s problems by yourself?”

“Yes. The work I do can only be done by me. There’s only one goblin king in the world.”

Well, there’s no arguing with that.

At a loss for words, Ara bit her lower lip.

Seok-kyung stared at her for a moment, then let out a short sigh and rested his chin on one hand.

“Why were you waiting for me? Did you have something to say?”