The Possession-Spoon Chef Feeds the Empire - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 20
Luciella and the horse locked eyes again, studying each other with fixed intensity.
An enormous tension flowed between them.
Like two generals approaching a battle from which there could be no retreat.
Thud.
As the creature shifted its hooves, the orange object at its feet rolled and skittered across the ground.
It was the carrot Luciella had given it that morning.
The moment she glanced toward it, the horse snorted dismissively through its nostrils.
Trying to bribe me with that again?
That was plainly what its expression conveyed.
The more she saw of it, the more disagreeable this creature’s nature proved to be.
Yet Luciella smiled with quiet confidence.
Today would be different.
She ignored the carrot entirely and brought closer the feed bucket she’d set beside her.
…A snort?
The horse’s eyes widened.
Its nostrils flared, and its head tilted of its own accord toward the bucket.
Whinny-whinny! Whinny—
“What is it? Want some?”
Whinny!
As though confronted for the first time with something that enslaved reason itself, its eyes grew wider and wider.
“Then shouldn’t you do what I ask in return?”
The horse’s hoof struck the floor with a sharp tap.
It seemed to be struggling to contain its excitement, though it wasn’t succeeding very well.
Luciella poured some roasted oats into her palm and held it out before the horse.
The horse hesitated briefly, then extended its tongue and licked.
“…!”
In that instant, something shifted in the creature’s eyes.
Its ears pricked sharply forward, and its tail began wagging back and forth in frantic arcs.
As though tasting something stimulating for the very first time, the horse’s already-wide eyes stretched even larger as it savored the food, then licked every last oat crumb from her palm with its tongue.
Not satisfied even then, it thrust its nose toward her wrist, only stopping once it confirmed there was nothing left.
You could almost hear the sound of three years of aloof dignity crumbling to dust.
The entire feed bucket—give me the entire feed bucket!
That’s what those dark eyes were crying out.
“How about this?”
This time it was dried apple slices.
The horse worked itself into an almost convulsive frenzy of excitement.
Its nostrils flared wide open, and its front hooves stamped the floor repeatedly.
Its neck stretched long, surging toward Luciella’s outstretched palm.
Crunch.
Once the apple slice finally entered its mouth, the horse leapt in sheer bliss.
As Luciella fed it the dried apple, she naturally brushed her hand across the horse’s ribs.
There was no resistance.
She slowly moved her hand upward toward its back. The horse remained fixated on the apple slice.
Luciella carefully swung one leg up onto its back.
“Listen to me.”
Luciella spoke softly.
“If you let me ride, I’ll give you everything over there.”
A low whinny.
The creature, understanding her intent, accepted her approach.
It even lowered its body to make mounting easier.
“……”
Two thoughts struck Luciella’s mind simultaneously.
The first was admiration.
So it was true—sensitive creatures could read emotion and intent. She’d been right about that.
The second was exasperation.
So you really are a pathetically submissive horse.
In any case, that day Luciella succeeded in mounting the creature.
Not only that—it carried her around the Front Courtyard in a full circle.
Though she knew nothing whatsoever about Horsemanship, she could guide the horse in her desired direction using a subtle application of Mana Flow Control.
That said, the creature didn’t greet its new rider with wholehearted warmth.
Throughout the circuit of the courtyard, it never once took its eyes off the feed bucket.
Its determination to finish quickly was palpable in every line of its body.
Only when everything was done, when it finally buried its nose in the feed bucket, did it give itself over to something like rapture.
The creature writhed in happiness as though experiencing paradise itself.
* * *
A fortnight had passed.
Bael’s condition had changed visibly.
Walking was still difficult, but his color had returned, his mana circulation was stable, and the amount of time he could stand grew incrementally each day.
‘Today is the day.’
That morning, Luciella entered Bael’s chamber alongside Cain and Ayla, and spoke.
“Let’s go outside.”
“…What?”
“I’ll carry you on my back to see the sunlight. Just the Front Courtyard by the Stable.”
Bael stared at her with an expression of bewilderment.
“At my age, to be carried on someone’s back……”
“It’s a favor I’m asking.”
Luciella spoke quickly.
“I’ve made you all that food. Surely you can do me one small favor?”
Bael’s eyes flickered uncertainly.
“Perhaps the food wasn’t to your taste. These things happen.”
Luciella murmured sadly, almost to herself.
“…I never said it was tasteless.”
Bael regarded her with an expression of genuine alarm.
Now was the moment.
Luciella began to persuade Bael using the technique her mother had taught her.
What had she called it?
Gaslighting?
“Or perhaps my effort simply wasn’t sufficient. It’s all my fault, really.”
“That’s not what I meant……”
“We’re only going to the Front Courtyard by the Stable. If you don’t like it, we can return immediately. If you still refuse, then that’s all I’m worth.”
“No, that’s not it!”
Bael’s face flushed as he protested.
“So you’ll go?”
“…Being carried piggyback like some fool for a stroll.”
Bael furrowed his brow as he spoke.
Luciella smiled faintly.
He was already halfway convinced.
“Is it that you’re worried Theo or another cousin might see and give you trouble?”
When Cain, who had been observing, interjected, Bael’s eyes twitched ever so slightly.
There seemed to be some truth to it.
“That problem is not difficult to solve.”
Cain spoke with elegant assurance.
“I’ll arrange the timing so you can land him a good punch yourself.”
“…What?”
“That’s rather a good idea.”
Just as Luciella was doubting her own ears, Ayla, standing beside her, spoke up with perfect composure.
“If we all pretend not to have seen anything, then nothing ever happened.”
“…I see. That makes sense.”
Bael fell silent for a moment, then nodded as though the logic were sound.
“……”
Luciella found herself swept up in conflicted emotions.
The Belleon family—more petty than they appeared.
Yet the moral character of the Belleon family was not the pressing concern at this moment.
The moment Cain carried her into the Front Courtyard, the black horse was standing there waiting.
Its appearance was utterly transformed from a fortnight before.
Its notably long mane gleamed with luster, and its long legs possessed a renewed suppleness.
The taut muscles of its substantial frame seemed ready to burst with barely contained energy.
Luciella finally accepted the fact that she had failed to turn the creature into a fat pig.
Bathed in sunlight, the horse was breathtakingly beautiful.
“What is……”
Bael murmured, staring at the horse.
“You’re going to ride that.”
“What?”
“You were supposedly a gifted horseman. Jerome said Theo only started strutting around after you fell ill.”
“That may be true, but……”
Bael murmured, looking down at his own legs.
“Riding requires strength in the legs.”
Cain carefully interjected, glancing at Luciella.
“It may be possible with more time, but in your current state……”
“I had a special saddle custom-made to prevent falling. As for steering……”
She looked at the horse and drew a dried apple slice from her pocket, flicking it playfully into the air before catching it again.
Whinny.
The horse responded immediately.
“I only need to transmit the direction through mana, and it will respond instantly.”
The creature rushed forward, snatching the apple slice from her palm before crunching it noisily, drool flying in all directions.
“…It seems rather frivolous. You truly think I can ride this creature?”
Bael asked, tilting his head in doubt.
“Only its temperament is frivolous.”
Luciella countered.
“Its movements are docile and elegant.”
* * *
“If you move gently, I’ll roast black barley whole for you tonight, serve it with perilla leaf decoction, and for dessert, apple compote with honey doubled. Does that work?”
Luciella turned to the horse and spoke.
Whinny!
In truth, the horse had no way of knowing what menu she was describing.
It didn’t understand every human word.
Yet through two weeks of communion, the creature naturally grasped her intentions.
Bear this human. Go where the human wishes. Gently lower the human at the end. Then the mouth becomes happy.
An infinite happiness, experienced for the first time in its life, as though tasting heaven itself.
As though having made a resolve, the horse offered up its back.
“……”
Bael studied the horse for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Luciella.
“You prepared all this?”
“I did. With incredible difficulty, honestly. It was exhausting.”
“…For me?”
“Isn’t that obvious? You said you wanted to move.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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