Ayan woke up early to prepare breakfast. Today is a rare chance to practice her rusty cooking skills after being on the road for so long. They have eaten mostly at inns and hastily made rations convenient for travelling, there was no time to make a decent meal with all the moving and she felt that the children are rapidly losing weight because of it. Though in truth, it might just be her imagination since while in the carriage she would sneakily give them small snacks to boost their appetites and food cooked inside the fairy ring. 

In fact, most of their companions looked weary but her children were still in high spirits. There are designated cooks assigned by Clayton and helpers in-charge of taking care of the needs and meals of everyone so there is no need for her to lift a finger. However, the food they make is not enough to satisfy the gluttons of her family!

There is a lot of food in the space house pantry, she can copy them in an inexhaustible amount to feed a large crowd. Aside from all kinds of ready-made ones, there are plenty of fresh ingredients as well. 

"Good morning," Ayan greeted smilingly when Raven first opened his eyes. 

"Ma~" the child groaned coquettishly and rolled into her arms. 

Ayan excavated the sleepy son from the soft bed and kissed his soft cheek. "Did the baby sleep well?" 

"Um." Raven snuggled closer, smelling his mother's comfortable scent and smiled shyly. 

Ayan poked and played with him a bit before pointing at Carmine, "Come on, let's wake your brother up." 

Raven crawled out of her hold towards the snoring Carmine. The redhead boy is hugging Milk on his arms and would pout his little mouth from time to time. Ayan muffled her laughter seeing his funny appearance, in the end, she couldn't resist softly squeezing the pudgy cheeks to satisfy herself. 

"Meatbun." She murmured in a giggle. 

Carmine woke up with a slow start rolling his blue eyes here and there. Then his tiny paws stretched on the left habitually searching for his little brother who was supposed to be just by his side. When he found it was empty with no sign of his twin, his eyes widened and all the sleepiness was gone. 

"Raven uu~" he called out in a squeaky childish voice. 

"I'm here," Raven replied, patting his foot. 

The redhead smiled brightly, his earlier anxiety gone in an instant. "There you are, I thought you— mommy!" He jumped up and dove straight to their mother's arm the same as his brother. "Good morning, good morning."

"Good morning, baby." Ayan smiled down. "Slept well?"

"Yes!"

"Let's dress up, shall we?" 

At this moment, Milk awakened as well. Ayan coaxed them to brush their teeth and dress up before serving the warm breakfast. "I made you something delicious." 

"Chicken?" Carmine asked happily, he even stopped putting on his socks.

Ayan laughed, reminded of the first time she gave them fried chicken. The children have never eaten something like that and were quickly taken at the first bite. The unique taste of crispy skin and juicy flesh cooked in oil has become Carmine's number one favourite. He would long for it every day and would not leave a single strand of meat once on his plate. He would even chew on the soft bones and sip the marrow cleanly. But Ayan, who was too concerned about their diet, would only make it a few times because it was too oily and unhealthy.

"No." Ayan shook her head. "Not chicken." 

Carmine looked as if the sky was falling. Raven merely tilted his head and thought it was a pity. He liked chicken too but his ultimate favourite is their mother's honey and soy sauce spare ribs. It goes well with warm soft rice. Shortly when morning grooming was done, they came to the dining room. 

"Wow, dumplings!" Carmine squealed, trotting to the table with twinkling eyes. 

Milk sniffed the aroma of freshly grilled fish and ran around excitedly. Raven had to scoop him up to let him choose which fish he wanted to eat. Ayan took their bibs and tied them gently on their necks to avoid stains. "Eat while it's warm." They are leaving the monastery in a few hours and will soon arrive in Ava, to their new home but before that, she needed to prepare the children's needs. 

Outside their chambers is a small space converted into a dining area where they can cook and have a meal as they wish. The people from Ma-i were sent to the east side of the cloistered building along with the servants they brought along the way. On the other hand, Clayton and his team occupied the westernmost side separated from them by a wide quadrangle so Ayan is confident to use the fairy ring far from prying eyes.

Breakfast is a bit hefty in different dishes, with Su-style stewed meat noodles, crispy fried dumplings, pickled radish and cucumber for side dishes, a basketful of various bread, rolled sweet egg and bacon, sausages, steamed rice, grilled fish for protein and fruits.  

When Clayton and the men came, the little ones were already eating their food. Milk is on a small table eating his sweet egg and fish, Raven was fumbling with the slippery noodles strands, chewing his food well unlike Carmine who wouldn't waste any space in his mouth to stuff in the treat. The tender white cheek bulging with food looked like a hamster sack. Ayan watched him amusedly, more love in her doting grey eyes. Realizing that everyone was looking at him, his hand extending on the crispy dumpling paused. 

Blinking his big blue eyes, he shrunk his neck embarrassedly. Ayan quickly gave him milk to drink. 

"Don't mind us young master, do continue…" Knoll chuckled. 

Getting prompt, Carmine smiled widely showing his little teeth and continued to demolish his plate of ten dumplings. The rest took their plates and began picking dishes of their own choice. In the long days of travelling, coupled with Ayan's easygoing nature, the Thorns no longer felt distant and intimidated when facing their masters. Even when the lord is comparable to icy tundra, the mistress is a burst of sunshine warming their hearts. With her here, the lord will not punish them for tiny transgressions. Well, except during training. 

The large servings multiplied by the cornucopia seemed such a waste but leave it to Clayton and his men, whatever food Ayan made, no matter how many were easily swallowed down in their stomach. Not even a grain is neglected. 

The meal was done before most of Naya awoke. Meanwhile outside, the visitors who came yesterday were finally able to enter.  

"The test is over." Father Vonni remarked with an impersonal tone. 

As soon as he finished speaking, a horrified scream came from the inner chamber where Ayan had gone a day before. Father Vonni looked at the said direction and sighed for the hundredth time before deciding to return to the outside hall. This matter of insisting to enter the prayer room had already chafed his patience, let alone the woman's unseemly screaming and breaking the silence of the monastery. 

Captain James had a pensive look on him as he waited for Lady Lucia to return. Not even half an hour passed, a slightly dishevelled and hysterical woman rushed out. The moment her sights landed on the captain, she burst into ugly tears and squeezed into his arms as if afraid of something.

"Something's up," Knoll said to Johann who happened to have heard the screaming and came to eavesdrop as well. They were still digesting the delicious meal by walking around. Madam's food is sinfully good, you can get full by just thinking about it. "Hells, she looked like she suffered a nightmare."

"It must have been a terrible one." The apprentice monk said that the gal and her team came yesterday knocking outside the door for several hours disturbing everyone's sleep. She kept begging until the poor monks lost patience and let them in past midnight.

The mercenary group watched the developing fiasco from afar with mild curiosity. They were getting ready for the next leg of the journey when they were interrupted by the new arrivals. It was already this morning when they found out that a fancy team of imperial knights arrived, occupying most of the Naya and in just one morning they had transformed the bleak and tranquil surroundings into one of their own. Tents were pitched and colourful banners hung here and there announcing an important person's presence. 

"Wait," Knoll paused and took another look at the crying lady. "Isn't she the said Diviner from the Holy Temple? How could she turn out like that?" 

Johann smiled secretly. "I have no idea." 

That Lucia Neu has some means to climb high and she is sure is showy. All this flamboyance was just to let others know who she is. Strangely she is crying as if she lost a lot of money. It seems she came here with a purpose and failed to acquire it. Well, whatever it was, Johann didn't care as long she stopped being a scourge to his lord and lady. 

As the two were about to pass by to greet Father Vonni, Captain James demanded, "Who allowed you to come here?" 

It was Johann who answered as he playfully looked at Lucia Neu's hilarious appearance. "We came for Father Vonni to extend our gratitude for sheltering our team and also bid farewell." 

"You are that mercenary team." James Eidloth said impatiently and hid Lady Lucia away from those prying eyes. If not for the warning of the head monk yesterday, the brat would not get away from stealing glances at their lady. Johann on the other hand rolled his eyes inwardly, he very much can tell what the blasted knight meant with his gestures. Did he think he had any other ideas about her? So without paying them any more attention he stepped up to relay the lord's message to Father Vonni and turned his back. 

"Thorns." Lucia raised her head. Hatred filled her eyes. 

On the other side… 

"Tsk, tsk," Knoll clicked his tongue, "The aristocratic chap's kinda paranoid, isn't he? He'd been glaring at us like we're some kind of dirty animal. Did he think we tryna rob the silvers and steal the women?" 

The remark made Johann laugh. "Well, don't let the bad attitude irritate you, old guy."

"Humph, chap can't even distinguish good from bad with that eye of his. What a pity." He also resembled some pansy Knoll knew back in Arpeggio. 

"Sad news is that we'll be seeing more of those types in the capital." Johann laughed all over again. "The lord might even be acquainted with a few." 

"Good heavens…" 

As the duo left, the frown on Captain James' face did not recede. 

"The Thorns are heading to the imperial capital this time." He said quite cynically. "They have made quite a reputation in Arpeggio at Clayton Rozenberg's leadership." 

Lucia heard him and waved her hand off, "They are nothing but commoners now. Although Clayton Rozenberg is talented, he is no longer the same man as he was back in Lattice."

"Milady is right," he agreed. No matter how much effort he puts in, as a fallen nobleman he can no longer stand on the same level as them. He even pitied Clayton a little bit when thinking of his experience. 

"Mercenaries and knighthood are two different things," Lucia added confidently, a mocking smile at the edge of her mouth. This is the price to pay for not coming into her side. She could have easily brought him all the glory he deserved. As for those other men who ignored her, they will also suffer without her help!

Captain James thought there would be less chance to meet the Thorns after this incident. Unfortunately, they'd had the worst luck since they ran into the said mercenary group and it even continued until they caught up on the same path back to Ava.