Chapter 151 | Renovations
After the massage was over, Dexter carried Mira to the bathroom, washed the massage oil from her skin, dried her, dressed her in a fresh set of clothes, and wheeled her back to the living room.
What was strange was that Mira refused to speak to him throughout and he had no idea what he had done wrong.
And the whole time. She refused to look at him. Also, her face was still flushed in a deep shade of red. From her neck and even the tip of her ears.
Dexter stood behind her wheelchair, utterly bewildered.
’Did I press too hard? Did I hurt her? Is she having an allergic reaction to the oil?’
He leaned down slightly, trying to catch her gaze. "Mira, are you—"
"Don’t."
Dexter had no choice but to straighten back up.
He stared at the back of her head. The flush on her neck hadn’t faded at all. If anything, it seemed to have deepened since he’d moved her out of the bedroom.
’She must be running a fever.’
’I should probably make something to help with the fever.’
Dexter turned and walked quickly to the kitchen, his mind already racing through recipes.
As a Great Grandmaster Foodsmith, he possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of medicinal ingredients and their effects on the human body. He knew exactly which herbs reduced inflammation, which roots lowered body temperature, and which combinations could reduce fever.
He reached into his spatial storage and began pulling out ingredients.
Dried spirit ginger root, firethorn peppercorns, a thin slice of Millennium Blood Ginseng and a cut of Fiend-Class beast meat.
The meat was rich in dense, restorative properties and possessed a deep, savory flavor that would serve as the perfect backbone for a hearty pepper soup.
He set the Type-II Spirit Cooking Pot on the stove and ignited his Abyssal Flame and within minutes, the kitchen was filled with the sharp, mouth-watering aroma of peppercorns and seared meat.
Twenty minutes later, the soup was done.
He ladled it into a deep ceramic bowl. The broth was a rich, dark amber, flecked with floating peppercorn oil and thin shreds of tender meat. Steam rose into the air as the scent rose with it.
[Name: Pepper Soup]
[Grade: Grade 3]
Not as powerful as the Celestial Origin Star Rice from this morning, but still a genuine Grade Three Arcane Meal
Dexter carried the bowl to the living room.
"Mira," he said gently, kneeling beside her and holding the bowl at her eye level. "I made you pepper soup. I think you might be running a fever, so I added some medicinal herbs. It should help."
Mira finally turned her head.
Her crimson eyes fell on the steaming bowl then her gaze shifted from the soup to Dexter’s face, then back to the soup, then back to his face.
Then she saw he was actually sincere and wasn’t teasing. Which meant he had no idea what he did with the gloves.
Mira blinked her eyes and she almost smiled.
Then, one of her Spectral Arms materialized beside her shoulder.
The translucent mana limb reached forward, wrapped its glowing fingers carefully around the bowl, and lifted it from Dexter’s hands with surprising steadiness.
Dexter was quite impressed by her control. It seemed like she had been training in a secret and is very proficient in it.
The arm carried the bowl to her lips and she tilted her head slightly, taking in a slow sip.
Her eyes widened slightly at the incredible taste. She closed them and then drank in silence, easing the strange, tight feeling that had been coiling inside her body since the massage.
’She looks quite cute when she’s silent...’
’Things might be more peaceful if Mira was the one who couldn’t speak.’
But he shook his head at the random thought.
’But on a serious note, it’s high time I gave them the pill that heals 20 percent of their illnesses.’
Dexter watched her for a moment, satisfied, then stood and walked back toward the kitchen.
He had barely taken three steps when he saw Lyra looking at him with a pitiful expression.
She had just finished her snacks and had been cultivating on the sofa when Dexter walked by with the soup, distracting her.
She looked exactly like a puppy that had been locked outside while its owner ate dinner.
"Alright, alright. I also made some for you."
Dexter shook his eyes as he chuckled then walked back to the kitchen and ladled a second portion into a fresh bowl, the. held it out to her.
Lyra’s pout vanished instantly as her dark eyes lit up like two black holes. She took the bowl and cradled it against her chest like a precious treasure.
’Thanks, Dexter!’
She immediately brought the bowl directly to her lips and took a sip.
A small, barely audible content sound escaped her throat.
Dexter smiled and ladled a third portion.
He carried it down the hallway to the bedroom. Selene was sitting cross-legged on the bed, deep in cultivation.
Her silver-white hair floated weightlessly around her shoulders, stirred by the invisible currents of mana flowing into her body.
Dexter sat on the edge of the bed beside her. "Selene."
Her cultivation paused. Her head turned toward him.
"I made pepper soup. Drink it while it’s still hot — it’s better that way."
He placed the warm bowl carefully into her hands, guiding her fingers to the sides so she could feel the heat and grip it securely.
Selene tilted her head slightly. A small, quiet smile touched her pale lips. "Thank you."
She raised the bowl to her mouth and drank.
Dexter left her to it and returned to his renovation work.
---
The interior of the house was finished, only the exterior remained. He decided to tackle the roof first.
But there was just one problem, the ladder he bought wasn’t tall enough.
He could actually, jump up. With his current Superhuman-level strength, four meters was nothing.
But the house was old. If he landed too hard, he risked cracking the tiles or create even bigger hole which would create an even larger, more expensive problem than the leak he was trying to fix.
’I hope Tessa’s dad has one.’