The old man got off his stool and headed towards the oven, taking a towel over his hands. Reaching in and taking out the metal dish, Norbert was instantly hit by the smells as he leaned over the old man, looked over his shoulder, and licked his lips at the food.
Stepping back as the old man turned around, Norbert stood a meter away, looking sheepishly at him as he leaned over, taking four plates out and a knife. Placing them on top of one another, Norbert watched as he delicately cut the piece into four, ensuring it still contained itself and did not spill out in a mess like when Norbert ever tried cutting a lasagne.
When he was finished, the old man took the tray and placed it in the sink. He left it there, taking two plates, and Norbert took the other two. He then walked towards his helmet, still on the floor, stopping there, wondering if he should take it. The old man nodded slightly.
Placing the two dishes down, Norbert took the helmet, holding it under his arm as he held one plate in each hand. He followed the old man towards the end of the kitchen behind the stool. A door was kicked open, and Norbert saw a winding staircase, light runes lit on the sides every rotation to have enough light to see in the place.
Careful not to drop anything, Norbert made his way up the staircase, finally stopping after several rotations; Norbert assumed that they were now about the third floor, definitely passing the second unless the structure had a hidden fourth floor that Norbert knew putting it past with the hidden door that Norbert had to go through to get into the kitchen.
The older man walked down a short hallway, a door opening up as he knocked on it.
“Come in!” Norbert heard Elizabeth shout from the other side, the sound trying to escape the metal door muffling its path.
The older man nodded as he pushed it open. Norbert looked at the small rectangular table, the only wholly wooden structure Norbert had seen in the entire building, on the upper floors. There are only four wooden chairs at the table,
"It's a shame that Norbert couldn’t come; Gluve said he had brought someone who assisted him in preparing the meal." Elizabeth explained to Vivienne as they both looked towards them. Norbert stopped in his place and smiled sheepishly.
The two of them just stared at him, not believing that he would be right there. Old man Gluve turned around, seeing Norbert still standing there, motionless near the doorway. Knowing it would look bad, he continued walking towards the table, placing the two plates he had beneath the lady of the house and her guest.
Sitting down in one of the free chairs, he coughed into his hand, hoping it would cause Norbert to move. Taken out of his train of thought, he quickly made his way to the table, the rest of the room, the bedroom, and the driveway opposite the one he came through. Gold plates in swirls of nature came from the hinges of the shiny metal door.
Placed both down at the table, Norbert placed his helmet next to him as he sat down, the clatter of plates bringing both.
"The boy who left, has prepared the meal," Elizabeth said to Norbert.
Norbert just gave a blank stare, distracted by the vapour going into his nose. Instantly, Elizabeth was taken out of his mind as he looked down at the meal. Taking the cutlery, Norbert cut a piece off before anyone could protest, popping the vegetables he helped peel into his mouth.
Instantly, Norbert felt his mouth explode in flavours. A smoked flavour comes from meat cooked for hours and hours to only fall off the bone. The flaky skin hides the delicious and juicy flesh.
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He chewed slowly, closing his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. He left his hands on the table as he continued to chew, letting the flavours mix together and become one. Swallowing it down, Norbert looked around, seeing everyone else having started to dig in as well.
Swallowing down the food, Norbert takes another slice, making sure to get some of the meat as well. Both of them interact together, like a happy couple on their wedding day, all sunshine and rainbows.
Wiping a tear from his eye Norbert looked towards the chef “How is this so good?”
“The way its cooked.” Gluve said to Norbert.
“Not biting, I’ve never made something taste this good. Not that I cook that much.” Norbert said, not wanting to insult the maker of the fantastic dish in front of him.
"Let’s not bore the conversation with the theory and practice of magic when we have this meal. There are others more qualified than any here on the subject. Speaking, although I can only start the oven once a day, naturally, my specific mana allows this flavour to be added to the food.” Gluve said to Norbert.
Norbert still thought about what the chef had said to him “I was aware of nuances in different people but not to something to this degree." Norbert said, finally out of his mental paralysis as he took another bite, letting the flavours twinkle on his tongue.
"Here are "always outliers; take yourself, for example," Vivien" said. Norbert, seeing the glint of a researcher in her eyes, unpacked a new science project that had been placed on her lap. There were all the little buttons to press, reactions to see, and history to learn about her subject.
Norbert turned to Elizabeth, the woman’s face stone cold, not hinting at all to Norbert, knowing that she didn’t want to get in trouble with Norbert. The two of them know each other's secret secrets at least, yet let this Grimm in on the secret. Norbert panned over to look at Gluve, not wanting to get into the depths of his ability, knowing that it could be painting a massive target on his back.
Tapping the side of his nose, Norbert continued to eat, continuing to feel Vivienne’s gaze scrutinising his every movement. The rest of the meal was spent in silence, groans going around the table as the food was slowly and carefully devoured.
Finishing up, Norbert wiped his mouth, placing his helmet on his head and gloves on his hands again. "Here a "you leaving to?"" Vivien," he asked as he started to get up from his chair.
Standing up and looking down at the woman, Norbert asked bluntly, "Isn't the tournament starting soon?" Nervousness started to creep into his stomach as he wondered how it would be for him.
You have several more cycles until your needed.” Said Vivienne , dismissing Norbert’s claim sitting down, Norbert looked around the table, the sense of a trap he had just walked in on, a moment before it bit into his leg.
Looking around the table, eyes slowly went from one person to the next until they rested in the centre, where the plates were piled up, the cutlery at the top. Next to it was a jug, Norbert taking it and filling his cup up as he took off his helmet, taking a swig of the drink, downing it in one gulp as he looked around, his left hand falling off the table and resting on his leg, dancing over the blades there.
Fiddling with the grips of the dagger, Norbert felt something tie around his pinkie finger. Looking to the left, Vivienne smiled as she talked with Elizabeth, and Norbert was unable to hear the words coming out of either of their mouths. Gluve just smiled and looked at Norbert, a sad look in his eye as if he knew what was going to happen next.
Norbert breathed out, forcing energy throughout his body, grasping onto the snake that played with his finger, its darkness trying to slither out. Eyeing off Vivienne, the woman's mouth move for a moment before she continued, the snake starting to wrap tighter around his finger, two barbs pressed into it through his glove.
He released the snake, moving his hand up above the table. The snake slithers around his leg until it finally goes away from him. Norbert was just sitting there smiling, as well, as he looked back at Gluve, wondering how many conversations like this the man had seen.
After several minutes, I was still unable to hear either woman. It was. It was not like Norbert was trying to listen to the conversation, knowing when things would have been better not knowing. Placing his helmet back on his hand, the two parts clicked together as he continuously breathed his breath, comforting himself within its confines.
Before anyone could resist him, Norbert took the dishes in the centre up in one fell swoop and walked away from the table. “I’ll meet you on the front steps.” he said to the table as he exited the room. About to grab the door, Norbert saw Gluve there, grasping it as he opened it towards them. The two men stepped through, leaving the conversation behind.