Morning arrived the next day and Juliet along with Zieve went along with the same routine as usual. Juliet cleaned the snowy porch and wiped the dust of the new furnitures. Though they never had any customer for the entire day. Juliet never complained and so did Zieve as the two of them talked to each other while laughing.
Suddenly, amidst their conversation. The door swung open and the startled Juliet hurriedly fixed her figure to greet the incoming customers but her figure froze when she saw that the so-called customers were the previous crew members of the Juliet"s Dreamy House.
All of them wore luxurious clothes and thick robes that protected them from the coldness of the upcoming winter. On their faces were mocking smiles that looked down on Juliet and Zieve.
"What"s with that condescending look? Have you all forgotten that Juliet was the one who picked you up from the streets and treated you as humans instead of garbages?!" Zieve lashed out upon seeing their smiles and Juliet stopped him with her small palm.
"Zieve, look at you still wearing that dusty chef"s uniform. If not for the fact that you weren"t so foolish as to actually choose this little girl over your future, we would"ve been comrades. Are you someone that likes little girls, perhaps?"
One of the male crew members that disliked Zieve mocked and the latter"s expression darkened as he retorted with a chilling voice: "At the least, I am someone that remembers their debts, unlike you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds that are worse than dogs! In the first place, why did you even come here? To kick us while we"re down?"
Zieve went straight to the point and Juliet"s expression became indescribable, numerous emotions flashed through her eyes such as bitterness and sadness.
"Kick you while you"re down? How can I kick you down when you"re already on the ground?" Another male crew member mocked and the first crew member that talked followed up.
"We"re not here to mock you, or even our benefactor, juliet." His voice became indifferent and Zieve revealed a condescending expression, "Our benefactor? So you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds still remember that Juliet is your benefactor."
"Shut it, Zieve! Who are you to interfere in our decisions! You"re just a little girl"s dog that"s earning less than a commoner!"
"That"s enough!"
Juliet finally erupted in anger and everyone held their voices in astonishment. It was the first time that they saw such an adorable little girl like her erupt into anger. With cheeks reddened and overwhelmed with emotions. Juliet swept her gaze over her previous crew and said.
"Get out."
Everyone"s figure trembled when they heard her freezing tone. It was as if Juliet transformed into another person that was vastly different from her normal and business mode. Her teary eyes looked piercing and her slightly trembling frame looked dignified.
"S-s-sure..."
No one knew who went first but each and everyone of the crew walked out of the restaurant with complex emotions on their faces. A foreboding sensation filled their hearts that they didn"t dare to confirm as they shook their heads in unwillingness and denial.
"That"s impossible, there"s no way that a little girl like her could possibly stand up against the Imperial Clan."
They surmised in their hearts as they retreated away from the Dreamy House.
Left inside the room were Zieve and Juliet.
The former wore a surprised expression. He never thought that Juliet could transform into such a terrifying monster when provoked. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, he calmed himself down and approached her with caution.
"I"m sorry about that Zieve, I just wasn"t able to hold my emotions..." Juliet apologized with a wry smile on her face and Zieve hurriedly waved his hands in the air, "O-Of course, it"s fine! It"s those ungrateful b.a.s.t.a.r.ds" fault anyways! You have the right to do that earlier..."
"Wasn"t it unbecoming of me? I tried so hard in maintaining my bossy image so I would be devastated if I became a monster in your eyes..." Juliet hung her head low and her mood sunk to the bottom.
"Of course not! Such a thing wouldn"t happen! J-J-Juliet is the perfect angel in my eyes so there"s no way that I"ll consider you as a monster!" Zieve declared in a panic and Juliet swayed her body to face him with a sweet smile on her face.
"That"s a promise, okay?" She said and the panicked Zieve choked in his words. His eyes focused on Juliet"s smiling visage as his mind madly spun, engraving the scene into the deepest archive in his mind.
Zieve nodded his head like a wooden chicken evoking Juliet"s laughter as she tasked him to prepare the best meal that he could so that they would have the energy to face the storm that would arrive tomorrow.
Jacob"s arrival from the Commerce Block was tomorrow and they had to preserve most of their energy for the battlefield that would surely arrive. Zieve didn"t hold back on anything, may it be ingredients or seasonings as he unleashed the extent of his capabilities.
Juliet acted like a waitress. She arranged the table and placed the dishes above it. Soon, dishes that could feed five people arrived on the table and Juliet beautifully arranged them in a square.
"Juliet, why did we prepare so many food? With just the two of us, it"s impossible to finish this much without having a stomachache..." Zieve asked in curiosity and Juliet sat down on the seat just beside Zieve.
"That"s because, Mama and Papa will come here to join us. They should be arriving soon so we finished our preparations in the nick of time." Juliet nonchalantly declared. Little did she knew that her words caused a clamor in Zieve"s heart as the usually composed Zieve sweated bullets on his forehead.
"d.a.m.n, Juliet"s parents will join us today? s.h.i.+t, what should I do, what if they"re gonna think of me weirdly for accompanying a small girl like her? d.a.m.n it, what should I do, seeing Juliet"s att.i.tude earlier, her parents should be worse and what would happen if I managed to provoke them because of how r.e.t.a.r.ded i am..."
He rapidly mumbled under his breath and Juliet lightly laughed when she saw how panicked he was. Stretching her hand, she wiped her forehead clean with a handkerchief and gave an innocent smile of delight.
"Now your forehead is s.h.i.+ny~" She jokingly said and Zieve could only reveal a crooked smile on his face.
On the other side, at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Dan, Natalie and Grace who received Juliet"s invitations solemnly stared at the letter that Juliet sent.
"Mama, Papa. Me and Zieve will be making dinner. I hope that Mama and Papa can join us so we can talk and have fun together. Signed, Juliet~"
Dan"s expression was dark while Natalie and Grace revealed small smiles on their faces.
"Zieve? That"s a strange name for a girl..." Dan muttered and Natalie nudged his shoulders, "A girl? What are you saying, Zieve is certainly a boy"s name." Grace lightly laughed in the face of Dan"s in denial actions.
"A boy?! That"s impossible! How could my little girl Juliet invite a boy to a family dinner?! Could it be that she"s with him and she"s trying to introduce us to him?! That"s unacceptable!" Dan erupted in anger and Natalie smacked the back of his head, making him stop his farce.
"Don"t get too worked up. You may scare the man that our little girl invited..." Natalie chortled and Grace"s figure intermittently trembled at the side as she tried her best in suppressing her laughter.
"Okay, i understand but I must bring with me my trusted daggers and a semi-automatic rifles." Dan"s face looked menacing as he casually armed himself with sharp knives and modern weapons. Exiting the pavilion with Natalie and Grace in tow, the three of them flew towards the direction of the Outer Disciple Region.
Inside the Juliet"s Dreamy House. Two figures with contrasting emotions could be seen sitting beside each other. One beamed with excitement while the other seethed with anxiety and heaviness as if he was awaiting his execution.
Soon, footsteps echoed behind the restaurant"s door and Juliet beamed with excitement upon hearing these familiar footsteps. Zieve"s anxiety reached the limit as he tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
With a creak, the door opened and a figure armed with two sharp knives and a semi-automatic rifle on his back came rus.h.i.+ng in with a solemn expression on his face.
"Where the h.e.l.l is the man that Juliet invited?!"
Zieve"s face paled and he froze in his seat.