Zephyr floated across the room, staring at Arad, “I have three things in mind. I’m sure you will refuse two and accept one.”

Arad pulled a chair and sat down, “What are they?”

Zephyr smiled, “Well if you were an elf, I would have suggested licking my toes as a reward.” She shook her head, “But that trick only works on them,”

Arad instantly thought of Vars and Grant, the monk. Those two would definitely take it as a reward without a question. “Of course, I won’t. What else do you have?”

Zephyr giggled, sitting on Arad’s head and bending to stare at his eyes, “I can help hasten the nymph’s manifestation. I’m sure she would love to hand around you as long as you allow her,”

Arad nodded, “Having another powerful ally, that’s quite enticing…” He lifted his hand and squeezed Zephyr, “A nymph would suck my stamina dry. Are you trying to kill me?” He growled.

Zephyr cried, trying to escape his grasp. “Sorry! Sorry! I was joking, I’m joking!” She struggled, and Arad released her.

She panted, staring at him. “You never take a joke, do you?”

“I take a lot of jokes,” Arad replied, “You have something decent in mind, do you?”

“The contract I have with Aella. It entitles me to one minute of vacation each month. I will grant you control over one.” Zephyr said with a proud smile, puffing her chest.

“And what can you do,” Arad stared at her, “One minute isn’t that long, and you don’t seem to have any noticeable power.”

Zephyr glared at Arad. “Aella is the bottleneck of my power, but in that minute I can use your mana. I bet I would be able to spam magic at full power.”

“And what can you do at full power? Blast people away?” Arad stared at her, doubtful at the effectiveness of her power.

Zephyr smiled, “Well, I’m the wind spirit. How powerful do you think I truly am?”

Arad stared at the small pixie, assessing her power and the density of her magic. “You can throw a house away with violent wind,” He said with a confident smile.

“I can throw a house, but my powers are far beyond that,” Zephyr smiled, “I can lift this whole city and throw it all the way to Alina with a large enough tornado,” She lifted her hand, “Of course, I lack mana now,”

Arad’s face turned serious again, “Then you’re saying I can ask you to conjure a tornado once a month?”

“I rather not do it each month. It isn’t easy, you know.” Zephyr shook her head. She didn’t want to exhaust herself. “The casualties would be too massive to do it often.”

She then floated back to Aella, sitting on her head, “But, if she were to come to harm. I’m erasing everything around her,”

“Nobody is going to harm her while I’m around,” Arad smiled, “Then it’s a deal. Now I got myself a curse teacher and a one-in-a-month tornado. What else do I need?”

Zephyr flew to Arad’s face and stared into his eyes, “What else do you need,” She scratched her chin, “Probably something to eat. Shall we go to the dining hall?”

Arad giggled, “That’s just you,” He turned as Aella stood to follow him, “Let’s eat something,”

***

Several minutes later, the maids were hustling in the kitchen trying to make lunch. One rushing to bring the meat and the other watching over the large pots.

The alcohol expert sampling the bottles heading to the king’s table stood at the back. And more servants rushed on every corner.

Alica Dormwick, a humble maid carried an empty basket and rushed to the store room to bring the fresh vegetables. They have set the usual portion of food, but there are some guests at the castle, and they have a large man who eats a lot.

She stood at the storage room door panting. She’s late. Her hand slowly gripped the handle, stopping as something tingled in her ears. She could hear it, a faint crunching sound from the inside.

Alica put the basket down and walked back. She grabbed the nearest broom and approached the door with a worried face. “This sound, it must be a rat.” She gulped down, grabbing the door handle with her trumbling hand.

ZIIIII! The door cried as she slowly looked into the dark, looking for the sound source.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! It was as clear as day, on the other side of the door beside her. She rapidly turned around, swinging her broom down and hitting something.

OW! A voice cried, and she slowly opened her eyes.

There in the dark, she could see her broom resting on an old man’s face. In that corner, Arad, King Baltos, Aella, and Zephyr sat. Munching on what they found stored in there.

“What are you doing?” King Baltos cried, putting the cheese slice in his left hand and the bread in his right on the table.

Arad looked up, munching on a dry-aged cow leg while Aella had an apple in one hand and a large carrot in the other, her nose pinched with a clothes peg. Zephyr sat on a rack, scooping honey with her arm from a jar.

The maid stared at the king. Confused, “What are you doing here? Didn’t Kin tell you not to?” She sighed.

“Kin won’t keep me away from my snacks,” The king growled, “I’m old and don’t have many years left, so I will live them as I want,” He stood, munching on the cheese slice.

The maid stared at the king, and Arad could sense it. She wasn’t afraid, but exhausted. This isn’t the first time they found the king snacking alone in the dark storage room.

“Just ask us, and we will bring you food,” Alica sighed, “In fact, we sent you snacks just half an hour ago, didn’t we?”

The king glared at the maid, “Alica, I asked for cheese and bread, nothing more. Nothing less. You maids sent me a tiny blueberry cheese that won’t fill a rat, and that fancy bread with weird seeds in it. How many times have I told you that isn’t something I like,”

“The chef spent an hour preparing it,” Alica sighed, and the king scratched his beard, “Then I have to kick that chef out. He made me wait an hour while I merely asked for cheese and bread. Look I got it myself in less than a minute.”

Alica scratched her head, not knowing how to deal with this king. He might keep the demeanor of a noble, but he’s fed up with almost everything.

CRACK! As Alica pondered, she spotted Arad behind the king, biting the cow leg in half, munching the bone, and swallowing everything. The faint hair on her back stood, and she froze in place. That wasn’t something a human jaw could achieve.

“Alica, are you listening?” Baltos waved his hand in front of her face, “I’m taking the cheese wheel with me,”

Alica was stunned, staring at Arad eat. The room was slightly dark, so she rubbed her eyes. Maybe he was holding something besides a cow’s leg. No, Arad definitely was eating a whole cow leg, bones and everything.

“What is going on?” Kin walked through the door with Mira beside her. They stared at the mess.

“Baltos?” Kin sighed.

“Arad?” Mira smiled.

“Want some?” Arad extended the cow leg toward Mira, but she pushed it away with her hands, “Sorry, it isn’t cooked so I can’t eat it.” 𝒃𝙚𝙙𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝒍．𝒆𝒕

“Kin! Tell her, or are you with them?” Baltos growled, and Kin approached him.

“I’m with the maids. A king should act like a king.” She stared at Alica, “Give him what he wants but in his room and make sure his healer approves it.” She then approached Arad, “You follow me.”

Arad stood, staring at Kin, “Why?”

“You haven’t eaten in a while, have you?” She looked at Arad, “We’re going to the basement. I will give you something to eat.”

Alica stared at Kin, confused, “The basement? Why?”

“Take care of Baltos,” Kin glared at her, and Alica bowed. Kin wasn’t just their headmaid, but the first queen. She can’t afford to offend her and keep her job here.

Alica stared at Baltos and bowed down, “Sorry for my actions earlier,”

Baltos laughed, “Don’t mind it, don’t mind it,” He smiled, “Just send me my cheese,”

Alica smiled. As a king, Baltos had ruled the kingdom since he was fifteen years old, conquered the orcs, and defeated the redcap pirates of the Dead Sea. But those countless adventures and expeditions have molded him into a troublemaker.

Baltos was used to sneaking out of the castle to drink, and eat, and there was a time when he was missing for a whole week. Only for him to return having slayed a horde of bandits that captured him when he was out.

Baltos took the cheese wheel with him and strolled out as Alica followed him silently. He can rule with an iron hand if he wants. But he doesn’t. Alica smiled. They should be thankful he isn’t a tyrant but just an old man trying to enjoy his life.