Gritting his teeth inwardly and watching the girls that seemed to have stars in their eyes, Michael looked at the unrepenting Helen, who defiantly glared at him.

Smiling gently enough to scare the fierce tigress, he sent his right hand across her waist and dragged her closer to him, drawing another gasp from the surprised ladies.

By now, Helen's face was red enough to assume she had a high fever. She tried nudging Michael to let go, but he didn't relent either, making her drop her head further, not daring to meet her sisters' eyes.

"As Helen mentioned, I made the mistake of saying I can cook to Aylin. As you can imagine, she didn't take that very lightly."

Low chuckles escaped the girls' lips, drawing their attention from the red-faced Helen. They were well aware of Aylin's tendency to explode in anger.

Furthermore, a newbie Wanderer said that he could cook after meeting her. It would be surprising if she didn't believe him to be courting her based on what she previously encountered in every city she traveled to.

[And what happened next?](Evelyn)

"Well, let's just say that Aylin was the first among you sisters to be forced to stay awake overnight..."

Another ruthless pinch from Helen followed, and Michael quickly caught himself before he went over the line.

"...studying my recipes. In the end, both she, Hoduin, and Martel decided to open some restaurants with me. So, as you can imagine, I'd say I managed to win the small contest."

Michael realized that he dodged a bullet there, though Hella and Mina seemed to have caught on to his play on words, judging by the blush on their faces while looking at the angry tigress in his arms.

[What's a restaurant?](Evelyn)

Seeing the large doe eyes of the innocent young girl, Michael felt slightly ashamed but quickly blamed it on Helen for pushing him into retaliating.

Coughing to chase away the awkwardness, he explained the notion of the restaurant as a high-society dining establishment. Tia and Mia were already salivating at the promise of delicious dishes, even if he didn't mention any ingredients.

'It seems like Aylin spoiled them rotten with her cooking. Can't really blame them after tasting the local cuisine. Even at Raskya's inn, the food is barely palatable due to good ingredients and some seasoning.'

Smiling, Mina seemed to have managed to escape the awkwardness of Michael's implied joke and proposed a very interesting idea.

[In that case, would you mind cooking for us, Michael? The servants shouldn't have gotten started preparing anything yet for lunch.](Mina)

Hearing the words 'servant,' Michael remembered that he was no longer on Earth but thought nothing more of it. After all, with how lovely these girls were, he sincerely doubted that these servants were treated poorly.

As for cooking for the sisters...

"With everything that happened, I didn't even realize that it was noon already. If you wouldn't mind, I can prepare something as long as I get some assistance from your... employees."

Even with the cultural differences, Michael couldn't bring himself to call them servants. He wasn't accustomed to the practices in the Sanctuary just yet.

So, he took a couple of minutes to explain the meaning of the word 'employee' using very novel terms based on the 21st-century workforce market.

He left the wooden pavilion under the guidance of one of these employees and realized that he was probably the only man around in this Pink Palace.

The women in the kitchen were preparing fresh ingredients and watched him curiously as the one who guided him explained that he would prepare the food for the mistresses, and they were to help him.

After a few minutes of introductions, Michael seriously pondered what he should cook for the ladies.

As strange as the weather seemed to hold no sway in the yard of these famous chicks, it was still winter.

'Some hot dishes should be best.'

-------------------------------------------------

A strange silence loomed at the pavilion as five pairs of pretty eyes seemed to drill through Helen's thin skin.

[What!? Stop staring like vultures, you little vixens!](Helen)

[*Sob* Big sister Helen is already cursing at us while protecting her husband. She forgot about us already!](Tia)

[You little brat! What 'husband'? Don't act silly!](Helen)

[Okay, Tia. Stop teasing Helen. But I must say, I'm impressed. Leaving aside his interaction with you and Aylin, his notions on 'employee' and 'employer,' as well as the rights and obligations of each party, are quite novel. I'm curious what Uncle Collin would think of it.](Mina)

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

[Eh... I wouldn't go visit Uncle Collin anytime soon...](Helen)

Seeing the 'she did something again' looks her sisters were giving him, Helen turned her pouting face to the side and explained what happened this morning.

While the girls were excited, angry, indignant, and unsettled by what had happened, Mina appeared calmer.

[We all know how petty Prava can get. Helen, you and Gonk are mostly safe since you're both strong and have backing. But Michael is different. As a newbie Wanderer, he humiliated the Church of Light in front of a crowd large enough for the entire city to find by dinner.](Mina)

[Uhm... didn't he do it to save two innocent people?](Evelyn)

[It doesn't matter. For big organizations such as the Church, their reputation is what's most important. A few dead people are nothing as long as they can maintain their prestige among the common folk.](Mei)

[Do you think they'll attack him? I don't think even Prava is brazen enough to do so after what happened.](Hella)

[Well... there's one more thing you should know.](Helen)

After explaining what Michael went through, Nevesk and how Aylin didn't get the Quest but was rather given to a newbie Necromancer puzzled the girls.

When Mina pointed out that it should be a Main Quest, Helen continued with the story about Lilith. Even without the major details, the fact that she was spotted in Nevesk and that Michael even found one of her altars unnerved the girls.

[That explains the random extra 2 Dexterity I gained.](Tia)

[It looks like things will get worse soon.](Mina)

[Wait, did you say Michael knows Lorath? The exiled Horadrim?](Hella)

[Mhm. But he already left for the Dry Steeps, according to my sources.](Helen)

[You had the guards stalk him?](Mina)

Seeing her frowning sister, Helen shrugged.

[Leaving all relationships aside, I am still the Captains of the guards. Protecting you and the city is my duty. I don't necessarily doubt Michael since there isn't much he should know at his low level. Lorath, on the other hand... we all know how tricky he is.](Helen)

[You can't possibly doubt the allegiance of a Horadrim!? Exiled or not, his vow is still in place.](Hella)

[I don't doubt his purpose. Just his means. I don't like being kept in the dark, especially when the safety of so many people is at stake.](Helen)

[I guess that's how you fell for Michael? I was wondering how exactly he managed to trick you in his bed.](Mina)

[Mina!](Helen)

Seeing how Helen didn't deny getting in Michael's bed, another round of gasps followed. After much teasing, Mina redirected the conversation back to the main subject.

[We heard him saying he must talk with Prava as Lorath guided him to her. We all know how chain Quests work...](Mina)

[Wait, you think he has a chain Main Quest!?](Tia)

[It would be pretty surprising but not unheard of.](Evelyn)

[I think he should already be on the second World Tier if that's the case. The Sanctuary doesn't mind Wanderers playing with the kiddie gloves but wouldn't give many opportunities either.](Mei)

[Meaning that Prava would direct where his next Main Quest goes? Ugh... I don't like the sound of that.](Hella)

[Not even Prava can interfere with the will of the Sanctuary. Plus, there's more that Michael didn't tell me. I think there's a connection between him and Lilith.](Helen)

[As in, he's playing for the enemy?](Tia)

Seeing the dangerous glint in Tia's eyes, Helen exasperatedly knocked on her forehead.

[Just because he's keeping a secret or two doesn't mean he's an enemy. Which one of us doesn't have a couple of secrets? However, his connection to Lilith is there for sure. Hella, do you remember what you said before about the Shrines of Power?](Helen)

[Mhm. Only those who believe in Inarius or are willing to stay on his side can use them. I guess you think the same applies to Lilith's Altars?](Hella)

[Yes. However, from what he told me, he activated both a shrine of Inarius and Lilith's altar...](Helen)

Silence ensued as all six girls pondered for a while. In the end, Mina clapped her hands and brought them out from whatever crazy theories they were coming up with.

[The bottom line is that he can be considered a neutral party. The Sanctuary wouldn't select someone that would harm it or its interests for a Main Quest. So stop thinking about it. As for you, Helen, don't push for answers. Let him tell you when he's ready.](Mina)

[Hmpf! Talking as if you have plenty of experience with men. I don't remember seeing you bring anyone home.](Helen)

Hearing the words and remembering Michael's allusion to how he 'kept Helen up all night,' Mina blushed furiously and became the target for teasing of all the girls around her.

Fortunately, her 'knight in shining armor' arrived with several other servants carrying mouthwatering dishes.

Just the smell alone was enough to cull the heated conversation among the girls as all of them watched the plates greedily.

"Sorry it took so long, but I got lost when cooking. I didn't even notice that almost two hours passed already."

[Don't worry about it! Quick, quick! Tell us what's that! It smells incredible.](Helen)

Seeing the other five nod eagerly, he chuckled and had the servant girls place seven bowls filled with steaming stew on the table.

"This is what it's called in my hometown Classic Beef Stew. Even if, as Wanderers, we are not affected as badly by the winter weather, eating something that matches the seasons is always nice. Also, I cooked too much and had the rest of your employees taste the dish as well. As a result, I ended up handing over the cooking recipe, so if you like it, they can cook it for you in the future."

The girls smiled at the implied meaning behind Michael's words and didn't think much of it. After all, the servants were free to eat whatever they wanted as long as they did their jobs properly.

The girls didn't have high standards, so they usually didn't even bother talking with them as long as no huge mistakes were made. As for the servant girls, they were more than happy to maintain the status quo.

Two to three minutes later, another servant girl arrived with freshly baked bread, making Michael salivate at the look of it.

The coarse bread he had eaten for the past three months made him forget what actual bread looked like.

[We can talk later! Let's eat before the food gets cold.](Helen)

Seeing her saliva almost dripping from the corners of her mouth, Michael rolled his eyes but didn't say anything to expose her. They all ate with great relish, praising his cooking in between bites.

Not even ten minutes later, some servant girls returned to clean the tables.

As for the six ladies, they were licking their lips, still savoring the taste of the dish.

[That was incredible. I ate something similar before, but the meat's taste overpowered the rest of the ingredients.](Mina)

[I think that big sis Aylin cooked something similar once, but it was more of a soup.](Hella)

[I remember, I remember! It was pretty delicious but wasn't as filling as this stew.](Evelyn)

[Eh... Am I the only one that could eat one more bowl?](Tia)

[Brat! Aren't you afraid you'll get fat? Short girls are cute only if they're not wide.](Helen)

[Big sis Mina! Big sis Helen is teasing me again!](Tia)

Seeing the rowdy girls, Michael smiled and watched the servant girls return with seven more plates, making the ladies widen their eyes and nostrils in anticipation.

"As Wanderers, we obviously eat more than normal people do since we also expend more energy than they do. So, I've prepared a second dish."

[Uhm... I really want to eat. It smells so good...](Mei)

[Uuuu... Helen will tease me about my waist getting bigger again...](Evelyn)

"You don't have to worry. This dish is called Vegetable Biryani, and it consists mostly of rice and vegetables. It's delicious but also low in calories."

['Calories'? What's that?](Tia)

Seeing the hopeful eyes of the girl, Michael couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He calmly explained how every dish had a specific amount of components that would add to the body's fat reserves. The explanation was dumbed down, not because he looked down on the girls, but because he wasn't sure if biology even worked as he remembered it working on Earth.

The term 'calories' quickly caught on among the ladies and even the servant girls listening in, as it quickly became the enemy of all women present.

The Biryani was quickly devoured, and the girls appeared full and pleased.

Secretly, he was glad that he decided to lay off on the desert, as he wanted to keep some aces in the sleeves for later encounters.