Chapter 1111 - 657: Yearning for More, Yearning for Power
Noon.
Sage walked out of the bathroom, naturally extending his hands for the maid to gently wipe away the water on his body with a towel, and then proceeded to dress.
Unlike Lily, his daily routines were quite simple—eating, training, fishing, and banqueting.
Earlier, he had gone to train first, then to soak in the bath and enjoy a massage, preparing to have lunch.
As the weather warmed up, Sage’s attire became simpler; he wore an open pirate shirt and simple black pants. But frankly, the weather didn’t concern him much at all.
No matter how cold it got, just adding one more layer of a vest was usually sufficient.
As for his fur cape, due to its fusion with Homiez, it was no longer an ordinary cloak—offering warmth in winter and coolness in summer. Besides serving as a flashy item, it could also be used to strike people.
Upon arriving at the dining room, the long table was already full of dishes. Once seated, maids served him by bringing the dishes upfront and feeding him by hand.
The prepared prawns were peeled by the maid, and Sage only ate the most exquisite part. The crab’s roe and meat were separately removed, served by the maid who meticulously spooned out the most precise quantity for the perfect taste.
A suckling pig was only eaten for its skin, the crisp skin dipped in special sauce was quite delightful.
Licking the yogurt lid... never had one.
One maid didn’t hold the grape steady, dropping it on the floor.
Sage merely glanced and said, "Pick it up and eat it."
The maid said with a smile of deference, "Master, it’s just one grape..."
"Every meal should be cherished for its hard-earned value."
Sage chuckled, "At first, I didn’t have the privilege to waste, now I do, but you don’t. Pick it up and eat it."
"Yes, Master..."
The maid obediently bent down, revealing a neckline, picked up the grape, and placed it into her mouth.
No doubt the delicacies were delicious; ingredients exclusively prepared for Sage were incredibly hard to procure, some rare ingredients even Sage himself couldn’t get enough of, naturally never reaching the market.
For example, the special grapes came from Dressrosa, newly cultivated by combining extinct Wano Country’s ’Ancient Wine-making Vine,’ meticulously nurtured by the Little People Race to grow in Dressrosa.
Even the proficient ’Tontatta Tribe’ couldn’t increase its yield—it was a rarity, naturally adding to Sage’s menu.
However, no matter how delectable, eating too much becomes monotonous. The maids were not just there to feed Sage but also to consume his leftovers. The masters of lunch required 600 dishes, most being devoured by him—what remained was divided among the maids, undigested parts packed to be taken home.
At the Royal Palace, if nothing else, they had the most exposure to exquisite food and treasures.
Besides fulfilling their culinary desires, they had significant monetary value, attracting sky-high prices once taken out, though due to respect towards the master, unless extremely short of money, the maids wouldn’t sell them.
Maid salaries at the Royal Palace were substantial; with these extra perks, they earned quite a lot.
Especially lately, the maids could save quite a bit of food.
Since this period, the dishes weren’t prepared by Lord Marika but by the cooking team—although tasty, lacking that nuance from Lord Marika.
Hence the master couldn’t even eat over 400 dishes for lunch, finishing half was adequate, sometimes just over 200 dishes.
"Tsk, when will Marika finish up? The meals these past days aren’t quite right; the craftsmanship is fine, but the taste is off," Sage clicked his tongue.
The maid beside him chuckled, "Master, please don’t say that, or else the cooking team might be saddened."
"Hahaha, getting disheartened over such minor setbacks—such is not the trait of the strong," Sage laughed heartily, "Bella..."
"Yes."
Bella, attentively watching the maids’ service, promptly responded.
"After lunch, go ask Lily when she’ll be finished."
"Still needs some time."
Just as he finished speaking, Lily’s voice came from the door.
She entered the dining room with Kalifa, unceremoniously sat next to Sage, ordered the maids to prepare tableware, then said:
"Marika is currently managing frontline logistics. Once the front advances further, she can return to the kitchen."
"Rare to see you come to eat here, been very busy lately?"
Sage chuckled, "Don’t discuss work as soon as you’re here, tasks are endless—the larger the territory, the harder the work. Lily, delegate tasks like me."
Lily pursed her lips, "You are the Captain."
Could it be possible, we are all under your command?
"Indeed, don’t slam the door on your way out; this is the sea, not the Ninja Village," Sage jested.
Lily shook her head helplessly.
By now, she was accustomed to Sage’s occasional incomprehensible remarks.
Perhaps it’s West Sea O’hara’s local custom, like how Nico Robin sometimes enjoys making dark jokes.
"I met Sivier; I think she is quite capable, potentially assisting me in handling most affairs. However, she needs observation to understand what she’s suitable for,"
Lily said, "After all, she can mobilize a million-population island, was able to stall Moriah with commanding abilities. And her ability to organize disparate subordinates, earning respect and faith, reaching a level of belief strength, added with her fruit—an immense increase in combat power."