Chapter 136: Erik’s Morning
Seven in the morning.
Silver Moon’s central plaza was more crowded than usual today.
Though it was still fairly early, the cafés around the fountain were already nearly full. Many Succubi were eating breakfast while looking up at the enormous LED screen in front of them, where images of Erik standing in a kitchen kept appearing beside a countdown clock.
ERIK’S DAILY LIFE
01:00:00 UNTIL THE FIRST BROADCAST
"Only one hour left?"
A young Succubus looked up at the screen, then turned to her friend standing beside her.
"I’ve been waiting here since six!"
"You’re lucky. I had to ask to switch work shifts just to come here."
"But we don’t even have access to watch it live?"
"At least we can watch the countdown. Maybe they’ll show more promotional images later."
According to the announcement from The Angel Succubus, the first broadcast was only for female customers who had been invited and had their identities verified. Everyone had to pay to activate viewing access, while men were excluded from the registration list.
A woman in an office uniform held her phone, looking at the announcement board as she sighed.
"I don’t understand why a show filming a man cooking costs so much."
"Then do you want to watch it?" the friend beside her asked.
"Of course!"
"Then stop asking."
The two looked at each other, then burst out laughing together.
Amid the crowd, a semi-transparent young woman was excitedly joining the conversation, though no one noticed her presence.
She looked to be only in her twenties, with delicate features, slightly round cheeks, and wide amber eyes full of curiosity. Her chestnut-brown hair, gleaming with copper highlights, reached her waist, while her cream-colored dress trimmed in dark brown was also semi-transparent, revealing the plaza tiles behind her.
"Exactly! I think the price is a little high too!"
The girl put her hands on her hips, acting as though she strongly agreed, then tilted her head to look at the phone in a Succubus’s hand.
"But he’s so handsome. What do you think?"
No one answered.
She blinked, tilted her head in thought, then nodded to herself.
"Ah, right! I think so too!"
She even enthusiastically tried to put an arm around the Succubus beside her. But her arm immediately passed through the other woman’s shoulder, sending her stumbling forward from the lost momentum.
"Huh?"
She blinked several times, looked at her still-intact arm, then looked at the other person. Finally, she puffed up her cheeks and muttered:
"Honestly. At least turn around and look at me once."
Another Succubus suddenly walked straight through her body. The girl slightly hunched her shoulders, putting on an aggrieved expression, then immediately acted as though nothing had happened and naturally joined a group discussing Erik’s image.
At one point, she even stood in front of a pastry stall. Seeing someone buy two pastries, she happily held out her hand.
"Oh, you bought one for me too?"
The other person left holding both pastries. The girl stood there in a daze for several seconds, her lips flattening into a thin line.
"...How mean."
But the instant she looked up and saw Erik’s smile on the screen, that sulky expression vanished. She clasped both hands behind her back, rose onto her toes as though trying to see him more clearly, then smiled in anticipation.
"What interesting things will you do today, Erik?"
She leisurely walked through the crowd, humming an unfamiliar tune under her breath. Even though no one could hear her, she remained cheerful as though she were truly watching the program with friends.
...
In an apartment far from the plaza, Karin sat on the sofa with her arms crossed, looking rather impatient.
Beside her were Velyss and the Succubi who had followed the two of them before. One woman in the group had just activated access to the program, then connected her device to the large screen in the room.
Karin looked at Erik’s image on the screen and gave a faint snort.
"I still don’t understand what you all are expecting. A man willingly letting others see his private life? It doesn’t sound like anything good."
Velyss was sitting near the window, holding a book in her hands.
"You don’t have to watch."
"I need to observe him."
"Mhm."
"To see what he’s plotting."
"I know."
Karin turned to her and frowned.
Velyss closed her book and looked at the screen.
She still remembered what she had witnessed outside Erik’s villa. At the time, Meira, Elowen, and Laviana had been at his side with an unusual sense of ease. That had made her curious, but it was not enough to conclude that he was truly different from other men.
"Just watch," Velyss said calmly. "If it’s an act, it will be exposed sooner or later."
Karin nodded.
"Exactly what I was thinking."
...
At the Silver Moon villa, the cameras had only been placed in shared living areas, as Erik requested. Bedrooms and private spaces were outside the recording range; anyone who did not want to appear could request that the cameras be turned off. Laviana looked at the floor plan with half of it crossed out and said regretfully:
"I had to give up so many beautiful camera angles because of you, Erik."
Erik was washing vegetables in the kitchen. Hearing that, he turned around. Seeing Laviana look at the layout as if she had just lost an entire treasure hoard, he found it both funny and helpless.
"You wanted to place eight cameras in the living room. I don’t have eight people to serve every angle."
"You don’t need eight people. You just need to sit there beautifully."
"Then starting tomorrow, I should charge you every time you look at me."
Laviana laughed and stepped forward to straighten his slightly crooked collar.
"So stingy. I’ve worked so hard for this program."
Erik caught her hand, gently running his thumb over the back of it before sighing with amusement in his voice.
"I know you’ve worked hard. Thank you, Laviana. But I want everyone to be comfortable in their own home."
Laviana looked at him for a moment, and her regret faded away. She leaned over and lightly kissed Erik’s cheek.
"Alright, I’ll listen to you about everything. Besides, I like you this way too."
Before he could ask anything else, she checked the equipment again, said she had one more matter to deal with, then temporarily left the kitchen.
Beside Erik, Elowen stood in front of a large cutting board. She wore a pale white house dress with an apron tied over it, silver hair neatly bound behind her.
At exactly eight o’clock, the countdown on the broadcasting system reached zero.
In the plaza, the LED screen changed to an announcement that the program had begun, accompanied by a constantly updated number of active accounts.
Succubi without viewing access could only discuss the public information. Meanwhile, in private rooms, high-end clubs, and households granted access, an image of Erik’s kitchen appeared on the screens.
On the screen, Erik stood beside Elowen, teaching her how to hold a knife.
Erik gently corrected the way she held it. "Be careful with your fingers."
"But I’ve used a bow to fight monsters before."
"And you still need to learn how to cut vegetables?"
"Try shooting an arrow at a carrot and see whether it turns into food on its own."
Erik stood behind her, one hand gently holding her wrist while the other showed her how to bring the knife down. Elowen blushed slightly but still followed his instructions attentively.
The first vegetable slices she cut were fairly even.
"See?" Erik smiled. "You’re doing well."
"Of course I am."
Elowen immediately lifted her head, looking proud.
Erik looked at the uneven slices on the other side and decided not to ruin her mood.
At the same time, the comment section began to grow lively.
[Wait, is that man really holding a knife?]
[He’s even standing behind her and teaching her!]
[My Partner has never set foot in the kitchen ??.]
[Lady Elowen looks so adorable when she blushes ??????!]
[?? It’s definitely scripted. Who would believe a man would willingly do this?]
[If it’s an act, then please keep acting until tonight! ?? ?? ]
[I want a morning like this too ?? ...]
Erik had no idea just how lively the comment section had become.
He was busy watching Elowen put the vegetables into the pan.
"Don’t stand too close. The oil could splash onto your hand."
"I can use mana to avoid it."
"True, but if you use mana, why are you learning how to cook?"
Elowen blushed a little, but when Erik leaned down to kiss her forehead lightly in encouragement, the tension on her face immediately disappeared.
She looked up at him, then smiled faintly.
"Then later, you have to eat everything I make."
"Of course."
"Even if it isn’t good?"
"I’ll eat it. But I still have the right to offer feedback, don’t I?"
Elowen thought for several seconds.
"Alright. But your feedback has to be gentle."
"I’ll try."
The scene made many viewers smile. In a society where men were usually served, Erik patiently teaching Elowen how to cook was already strange enough. Yet he was even happy about her clumsiness, allowing her to tease him and demand praise without showing the slightest annoyance.
Just as Erik was helping Elowen season the food, the sound of high heels suddenly came from the living room.
"Erik, I’m back!"
Laviana entered the kitchen carrying a large bouquet of flowers. She wore a dark red dress that hugged her body, her long red hair falling naturally down her back. Seeing Erik turn around, she immediately revealed a smile full of satisfaction.
"For you."
Erik looked at the bouquet, then at her.
"It’s really for me?"
"Are there any other men in the kitchen?"
He laughed, though he was still somewhat surprised as he accepted the bouquet. The soft petals were beautifully arranged in color, and in the middle was a small card with his name written on it.
𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
"I thought you bought them to decorate the living room."
Laviana placed a hand on her hip.
"Erik, don’t you know that men can receive flowers too?"
"I know they can. I just didn’t expect it to be my turn."
He brought the bouquet closer, gently inhaled its scent, then raised his head to look at her. This smile was far gentler than before.
"Thank you, Laviana. I truly like them."
Laviana watched his reaction, and her gaze softened too. She had prepared the bouquet simply because she wanted to see that expression.
"You’ve taken care of us so many times. What’s wrong with letting us spoil you a little now and then?"
"There’s nothing wrong with it." Erik smiled. "I’m just not used to it."
"Then you’ll have to get used to it."
Laviana stepped forward, wrapped both arms around his waist, and pulled herself close. Erik leaned slightly to keep the bouquet from being crushed between them, the corners of his lips curving helplessly.
"Wait, my flowers."
"You care more about the bouquet than the woman who gave it to you?"
"I’m carefully holding onto your gift."
Laviana laughed, then looked straight into his eyes.
"What about the person who gave it? Doesn’t she get a reward?"
Erik looked at her expectant expression and finally had no choice but to place the bouquet on the counter beside him, then take the initiative to wrap his arms around her waist.
"You already prepared the answer for me, didn’t you?"
"Of course."
She rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his. Erik smiled softly and returned the kiss, one hand holding Laviana’s back while the other gently stroked her red hair. The motion was so natural that he almost forgot the camera was filming.
Behind them, Elowen had just turned around and froze. The spoon in her hand slowly lowered.
"Laviana!"
The two did not immediately pull apart.
"I’m cooking!"
Laviana finally backed away a little, though her arms were still around Erik’s waist. She turned to Elowen, her smile clearly teasing.
"Did I interrupt your food?"
"Of course you did!" Elowen pointed at the pan. "The kitchen is dangerous!"
Erik looked at Elowen’s overly serious expression and had to struggle not to laugh. He held out a hand to her.
"Alright, I’m here. No one is going to steal your sous-chef."
Elowen looked at his hand, then at Laviana, who was still holding him. Her pointed ears gradually turned red.
"I wasn’t talking about that!"
"Mhm, I know." Erik spoke gently, though his smile became even more obvious. "You’re worried about the pan."
"Erik!"
The more flustered she became, the more happily Laviana laughed.
"Then should I take Erik to the living room? The kitchen will stop being dangerous right away."
"No!"
Elowen blurted out the answer, then immediately pressed her lips together when she realized the two were looking at her with amusement.
Erik finally stopped teasing her. He gently removed Laviana’s hands, walked over to hug Elowen from behind, then kissed her hair.
"I promised I would cook with you. We’re not done yet, so where could I possibly go?"
Elowen leaned lightly into his chest. The anger from earlier vanished so quickly that even she felt a little embarrassed.
"...Then remember that."
"I remember."
Laviana rested her chin on her hand as she watched the two, smiling with interest. When Elowen turned to glare at her, she even waved casually as though she had nothing to do with what had just happened.
Meanwhile, the comment section nearly exploded.