Chapter 990 A Talk With An Old Dragon
-----
Jotun looked at Drake in shock, as Nifl smiled at her side.
"I've never seen a dragon like to cook so much before. Look at him, he's making so many new plates I've never seen in my damn life!" Jotun said while drooling. "W-Why is he like this? This is not really within our nature…"
"Little Drake is just that special himself!" Said Svartalf, the grandmother of Drake.
"My son makes the best food but today we'll be able to finally taste it ourselves." Fafnir said.
"Yeah, just you wait, he makes amazing food." Benladann said.
As the time went by, Jotun saw Drake cooking delicious food while the laughs and cheers of the dragons continued. The moonlight atop the sky shone brightly, as the stars beautifully decorated the night sky.
The laughter, the happiness, the smell of delicious food, the cheers of friends and family. Drake couldn't help but smile as he experienced all these things. The people around him were all happy as he served them food.
For the first time in his life, he was able to serve a big crowd of people he cared for. Every time he made a new plate and gave it to someone, he felt fulfilled as he saw them devour it and smile, licking their lips and thanking him for such a delicious treat.
Despite all the hardships, despite all his strength, and despite all the things he had done and will have to do, Drake was a very simple man, with a simple and humble heart. As he saw people smile when he gave them the food he prepared, he couldn't help but smile and say "No problem! Here, have seconds!".
As time went by, Jotun who still was slightly skeptic of Drake began to change her perspective. This dragon… he was really someone different than anybody he had ever meet before.
"This guy…" She muttered. "It feels like he's not even a dragon! Hahaha…"
Suddenly a large plate was served to her table by Drake.
"Here Aunt! Try this out, I'm sure you'll like it." He said.
"Hm? What's this strange dish? I've never seen this before…" Jotun said, looking at the dish.
It was very simple, but for her it was strange.
It was a big plate, of almost the size of a whole house, filled with fluffy white rice accompanied by pickled vegetables and a large serving of red curry, specially spicy, with lots of juice, potatoes, carrots, and meat cut into tiny pieces, this was the Dominus Boar meat.
The smell of spiciness quickly enticed her, as Jotun swallowed saliva, using he dexterous dragon hands, she took a bit of it using a spoon she materialized out of iron ore.
As she directed the spoon to her mouth and as she chewed over the food, an explosion of flavors reached her palate. Her eyes opened wide, as she suddenly felt taken away to a different world altogether… the past, in fact.
When she was small and little, and her mother, Tiamat, gave her a delicious meal she had always wanted to remember but could not. It was a simple meal her mother made, boiling grains and then serving them with meat cut into pieces for the little dragon pups to be able to eat it, she added spices for flavor and even small vegetables for complete nutrition.
"T-This is… its so similar to mother's dish…" Jotun began to suddenly cry, as she felt the delicious spiciness in her tongue.
"E-Eh? It is?" Drake asked in surprise.
"It's so good!" Jotun cried, beginning to eat the entire dish with her mouth and without using the spoon at all! "So good! So goooood!"
The dragons quickly noticed Jotun crying in happiness, as Drake opened his mouth wide in surprise.
"Well, here's seconds!" He said with a smile, serving her more.
"This is delicious! It is so nice!" Cried Jotun, eating everything up again, and then, she slowly looked back at Drake. "I-I… I never thought I would eat the same dish my mother once feed to me… Where did you even got this recipe?!"
"I… Well, it is named Curry and Rice, it is something from my home world." Drake said with a smile. "I think it is a coincidence they're similar dishes. I am sure your mother feed you something similar so you would feel comfortable as you grew up, ahaha… Curry and Rice got veggies, grains, and meat, so it is a complete meal! My daughters love it too."
Jotun laughed a bit, as she smiled back.
"Heh… Hahaha… I guess I've been looking at you wrong the whole time. You little bastard…" Jotun said. "A King is not just about strength alone… It is also about being able to reach the hearts of people, even as you do it through food, it still counts… You're someone amazing, Drake."
"E-Eh? Me?" Drake wondered, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, please don't praise me like that…"
"You're way too humble!" Jotun angrily roared, slapping his back with her tail "Come on! Be more proud of yourself!"
"I am… I just don't like to really brag about everything. I am happy as I am." Said Drake.
"Happy… as you are?" Jotun wondered.
Someone like her who always felt secretly sorrowful and discontent with life felt surprised that someone that for her, was so young and filled with potential was already happy with what he had.
"Yeah, can't you see? I've got everything I need here. My family, some delicious food, and wine… What else do I want anyways? Life's simpler than most people give it credit for. But I know others are struggling out there, trying to live the simple life I have… Now that I am getting more recognized as a King of Dragons, and as the King of the Guardians of this world, I'll try my best to help out people around me, and just like all my ancestors, I'll fight for this happiness."
"…"
Jotun was left speechless by Drake's words, which came so easily out of his mouth.
She couldn't believe a youngster such as him would suddenly change her perspective at life so much in a single day.
-----