He/Heroine And My Villainess

HE/HEROINE AND MY VILLAINESS

(TAKING TRACE OF TIME)

After Sir Aloit and Yerre's long conversation, they get back on walking back home full of excitement.

When they arrived, Sir Aloit then boil some hot water for him to use in a bath while Yerre's cook lunch for them to eat.

Yerre cooks a dish that her mother loves to cook for her when she's still five years old. The food Yerre cooked is called fish stew, made from fresh fish, leafy vegetables with coconut milk, garlic, ginger, violet onion, patis, salt, and pepper.

Before Sir Aloit went to take a bath, Yerre requested for him to buy some coconut milk from the villagers, but the villagers refused Sir Aloit money, so instead of buying it. Sir Aloit got it for free from them.

After a while, Sir Aloit went back home, and Yerre then made him peel clean the coconut skin and leave only the shell and flesh inside.

"Uncle, can you scrub out the flesh from its shell?" Yerre request.

"Yeah, but where do you need this coconut for?" Sir Aloit asks, with a face full of curiosity.

"Well... all I can say is that it will be very delicious," Yerre answers with a simple smile.

"Aiyooo, you're making me worry," Sir Aloit responds.

"Are you doubting my capability in cooking, uncle?" Yerre asks with a fake hurt expression.

"Eeey, of course... yes," Sir Aloit reply with a buffering tone of voice and grinned smile, making Yerre release a light laugh.

"All right. I understand, and I know why, but trust me. I will surprise you. I believe in my cooking book supremacy," Yerre replies with a confident smile, which made Sir Aloit smile, then pat her head in gladness. 

"Okay, okay. I can't wait," Sir Aloit responds.

After their conversation, Sir Aloit then went inside his room into the bathroom to clean himself out from the dirt by taking a warm bubble bath, scrubbing, and cleaning himself for thirty minutes. When thirty minutes passed, Sir Aloit then goes out of the bathroom, dried himself with a towel, and change into his comfortable clothes.

"Uncle, are you done taking, bath?" Yerre asks, shouting her words from the kitchen.

"Mn! I will be there in a minute," Sir Aloit reply in a raised voice inside his room.

"Okay," Yerre reply, shouting and excited.

"I'm here. Where, oh, is that a stew?" Sir Aloit, with eyes full of surprise. He went close to the table, smelling and looking at the stew food that's on the bowl.

"Yes, it is," Yerre replies with an excited smile.

"This is the first time seeing a coconut milk being cooked into a stew," Sir Aloit mentions feeling a bit of concern about himself as an invisible sweat formed into his forehead.

"Of course. That is my specialty. I am the only one who knew about this dish," Yerre mentions, making Sir Aloit look at her full of worried.

"By saying that, this also got listed inside the cooking book, you read right?" Sir Aloit asks.

"No," Yerre answer.

"What do you mean, no?" Sir Aloit asks at a pace full of concern.

"Like I said. I learn in the book, and I invent for growth," Yerre answers.

"Ahh..." Sir Aloit reply, nodding while still looking at the stew, gulping not from thirst or hungry but fear.

"Go on, have a taste," Yerre mentions, making Sir Aloit gaze at her with eyes full of uncertainty and indecisive thoughts.

"Uncle?" Yerre calls out upon seeing Sir Aloit not moving to taste her stew.

"O-oh, uh, yes. Give me a spoon," Sir Aloit replies, stuttering with thoughts that he might die because of food poisoning, while Yerre gazes to her side and takes the spoon that she saw beside her.

"Here, uncle." Yerre led the spoon to Sir Aloit with an excited smile, unaware of Sir Aloit's thoughts and feelings.

"Uh, yes. Thank you," Sir Aloit reply with a forced smile as he then went to taste Yerre's unique stew. Putting it to his mouth in slow motion while he's trying not to show a displease and uncomfortable expression.

When the spoon landed inside his mouth, the aroma and flavor of the stew then spread to his mouth like a scented candle and juicy fruit melon, making him wear a shocked and fresh expression.

While Sir Aloit is in a daze and disbelief, Yerre looks at him with a curious expression and nervous feeling, waiting for Sir Aloit to respond and say something about the stew.

"Uncle, how was it?" Yerre asks, with the same feeling and expression as Sir Aloit turned to gaze at her with the same moderation of feeling.

"Yo-made-this?" Sir Aloit ask back with a voice toned like an AI machine.

"Yes! So how was it, uncle?" Yerre answer with a sweet smile. 

"I... they're..." Sir Aloit gazes at the stew and to Yerre back and forth. 

"Hm? They're what, uncle?" Yerre looks at him. 

"They're..." Sir Aloit gaze back at Yerre. 

"They're...???" 

"Are you sure you haven't tried cooking some food before?" Sir Aloit asks for assurance because he could not believe what he had tasted today. 

"Well... Hmm..." Yerre touches her chin with her right hand, pretending that she is thinking through her memories.

"Well?" Sir Aloit asks, impatient. 

"I have... not, jeje," Yerre answer, lying. 

"I see," 

"So, how was it, uncle? Is it good? Or..." Yerre asks. 

"They're perfect. The flavor, sweetness, taste is all in balance. The aroma and the fragrance of this made me lost my thoughts for a while. Your cooking book supremacy does works," Sir Aloit explains, making Yerre wear a wide and relief smile. 

"Are you sure? You're not lying?" Yerre asks because she feels nervous when she cooks the dish her aunty Fey thought of her before. People have different taste buds and environments of the tongue, so Yerre worried that the food she made would not taste good. 

Alda always tells her that the food she cooks was fine and that is delicious. But when Yerre tastes it herself. Something is still missing and lacking.

That is why every time Yerre cooked. Even if other people say it's delicious, she has to make sure that what they are saying is not out of pity and forced.

"Yes, if you don't believe me taste it," Sir Aloit mentions with an honest smile.

"Okay," Yerre respond, then went to have a taste of the food she cooked. Once she had done tasting it, her eyes then showed delight and astonishment.

"See? Told you," Sir Aloit reply with a grinned smile upon seeing Yerre's reactions.

"I can't believe this," Yerre blurts out.

"I know. I also can't believe it. But I am happy knowing that you can now cook your food. I feel proud," Sir Aloit responds with a genuine smile, making Yerre feel warmed and appreciated.

"Thank you, uncle," Yerre replies with a thankful smile and glad feeling.

"Ey, yo. You're welcome, but you do not need to thank me. Come on, let's eat lunch, then proceed on enhancing your horse riding skills," Sir Aloit mentions, reminding Yerre.

"Ah, right? I almost forgot about the practice again, jeje," Yerre reply with a light, awkward laugh.

"Aish, don't worry about it so much. Come on, let's eat and have fun doing horse practice after," Sir Aloit reply with a wistful smile.

"Em!" Yerre answer, full of excitement.

After it, they eat lunch in silence and then rest for fifteen minutes before proceeding to their scheduled activities, horse riding practice.

"Are you ready to learn further about horse riding?" Sir Aloit asks. They are now on top of their horse riding.

"Yes, I am ready," Yerre answer, making Sir Aloit nod and smile.

"Okay. Do the first thing I thought you back to the Marquis residence," Sir Aloit demand as Yerre then went on demonstrating all the steps and rules that Sir Aloit thought her before they left the Marquis residence, for fifteen seconds.

"Good, now watch me on how I made my horse run and stop with my command, okay?" Sir Aloit mentions while Yerre's mood turned serious.

"Okay, uncle," Yerre answer, ready to listen and learn step by step.

Sir Aloit shows his instructions while riding his horse for ten minutes.

"You get my instructions?" Sir Aloit asks in a calm tone of voice.

"Yes, I did," Yerre answer with a bright smile.

"Good. Now is your turn to show it to me. Don't worry. I will be right at your back if you need me," Sir Aloit mentions, making Yerre sigh in relief.

"Okay, uncle," Yerre replies.

"All right, are you ready?" Sir Aloit mentions.

"Yes, but uncle, don't leave me, okay?" Yerre demand with a nervous tone of voice, which made Sir Aloit laugh and smile.

"Don't worry. I won't," Sir Aloit reply with a secured and assuring smile.

Yerre then nods and starts doing the things Sir Aloit wants her to follow and show to do.

"Good, think of your horse as your half body. Trust your horse's movements and speed. Don't be nervous," Sir Aloit instructs as they are now riding their horses, side by side, at a slow pace.

To be continued.