Marvel Magic Case Files.

Chapter 64 Dinner and Doubt

After washing, cherry tomatoes are halved and placed in a white porcelain bowl, along with chopped red peppers and shallots. Next, strips of Italian salami are added, along with chickpeas and strips of Adana cheese, and finally, some endive for a touch of bitterness. Oh, and chopped romaine lettuce. Then comes the dressing—minced garlic is mixed with a little Spanish sherry vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and olive oil, then poured over the salad and tossed. A delicious appetizer salad is ready.

Meanwhile, unseen servants were slaughtering, scaling, deboning, and removing the bones from the fresh salmon. The plump salmon, lightly marinated with salt and black pepper, was then placed skin-side down in a sizzling pan of hot, melted butter, accompanied by unpeeled garlic and a whole sprig of rosemary. The moment it hit the pan, the aroma of the fish filled the entire kitchen under the heat and the oil. It was an extremely simple dish, perfect for dinner. Salomon cut two lemon wedges and placed them on a round plate, along with the perfectly cooked salmon.

Of course, along with the salmon came expensive lobsters. Salomon chose a smaller, cooked lobster, but with tender meat. He chopped chili peppers, added a little salt, minced garlic, and a handful of chopped parsley, mashed and mixed these ingredients, then stirred them together with softened butter at room temperature. He spread this mixture over the halved lobsters, pressing it firmly. Afterward, he used a freezing ray spell to freeze the lobsters, allowing the butter to harden again. He then placed the lobsters, cut side down, in a hot skillet.

These delicious foods can make this dinner even more enjoyable.

This was Salomon's first time cooking, and it felt a bit strange. Although he could remember the steps after reading the recipe, he was still a little flustered when it came to actually doing it. Thanks to the first-level spell "Invisible Servant," he only needed to give the order, and these helpful assistants could do anything, including cooking.

Therefore, for a sorcerer, cooking is similar to a magical experiment. He only needs to control variables and adjust parameters, such as the placement of seasonings, the position of the plates, and the quality of the ingredients, to reap a perfect dinner.

Bayonetta and Ceresa spent a long time in the bathroom, enough time for Salomon to prepare dinner.

The sorcerer never imagined that, despite the witch's constant hunting of angels, her most frequent residence was actually in New York. But it was precisely because of this that Salomon was able to prepare tonight's ingredients. He listened to the playful laughter from the bathroom as he busied himself in the kitchen, but even Salomon himself didn't realize that he was maintaining a smile while cooking. Because this feeling made him feel incredibly warm, a kind of…home-like feeling.

In Kamar-Taj's dining hall, everyone ate in complete silence, a rule seemingly set by some old man; while at Athena's residence, everything looked like food from a Michelin-starred restaurant—exquisite, delicious, yet unfamiliar. Kamar-Taj was home to many, but here, it felt like his own home.

The placement of the dishes and the arrangement of the chairs gave him a very familiar feeling. He could sit in the soft chair naturally, turn on the lamp, and read a book he had never read before, as if he had done it before.

The house, which had been uninhabited for a long time, once again radiated warm light as the residents returned.

After Salomon set the dinner and cutlery on the table, he called out towards the bathroom, "Dinner's ready!" A moment later, two people, one big and one small, wearing glasses and wrapped in bath towels, came out and walked towards the dining room, splashing water droplets onto the wooden floor.

"It smells so good, boya! I never knew you were such a good cook. I thought we'd only be having pasta tonight," Bayonetta said with satisfaction. Ceresia, who was clinging to her legs, also tilted her head up, inhaling the aroma in the air. Salomon put on his slingshot ring, chanted a spell, and a warm breeze enveloped Bayonetta and Ceresia. After a few seconds, their damp hair dried.

"Eat quickly." The sorcerer took off his sling ring and put it in his pocket. "Don't catch a cold. I don't know how to brew many potions right now."

Seresa sat between Bayonetta and Salomon, who helped her with salad, lobster, and fish, and of course, ice cream. The dinner was extremely pleasant; after eating until her stomach was round and full, Seresa began to yawn, and Bayonetta offered to take her to bed. But before the witch left, she gestured for Salomon to stay; she had something to discuss.

Meanwhile, the sorcerer used this time to wash the dishes—what's so strange about that? No matter how skilled you are, you still have to wash dishes. When Bayonetta returned, Salomon was already sitting on the sofa in the living room, idly flipping through a fashion magazine.

"What's this? A brass pocket watch?" Salomon looked at the object in the witch's hand with suspicion. "But why does this pocket watch look so familiar? Did you take your pocket watch apart? I don't know how to fix this thing."

"This pocket watch is exactly the same as mine, but it's not mine; it belongs to that little one." Bayonetta sat down next to Salomon, stretching her long legs naturally and placing her feet on the sorcerer's lap. "Although I'm very reluctant to suspect that little one, she might indeed be a trap used against me."

"Did you examine Ceresa while she was bathing? Did she have any magical alterations on her body?" Salomon asked. "Like some random tattoo or something similar. Or is she lying? Otherwise, what could a little girl do?"

"I'm curious too, but I'm pretty sure the little one wasn't lying." The witch said in a bored tone, tugging at the silver chain on Salomon's clothes with her toes. "She's almost asleep. That child won't close her eyes until I'm next to her. Honestly, I'm not her mother. Go check her body later and see if there's anything hidden. I'm not very good at that."

Salomon, familiar with witches, immediately understood her subtext. She meant: I don't want that little one to have anything that could harm her. Even though I'm not her mother, I can't bear to watch a child go to her death.

Faced with Salomon's questioning, the witch merely snorted and offered no explanation.

The sorcerer's examination confirmed Bayonetta's intuition: the little one lying in bed, softly snoring, showed no signs of magic. Salomon's arcane vision revealed Ceresa, dressed in new pajamas, without a trace of magical aura. However, Ceresa's ability to see through the Infernal Realm and perceive angels indicated she was no ordinary person; these mysteries would only be solved later.

"Now I don't have to worry about her suddenly exploding," Salomon said in a low voice to Bayonetta, who was standing beside him. "But I still have a question. What's the pocket watch you're wearing for?"

By this time, Salomon had a guess, but he didn't voice it. Instead, he continued, "Is Ceresa's pocket watch exactly the same as yours?"

"Completely identical," Bayonetta replied, frowning. "Even without the scratches, I still think they're exactly the same."

"Why would you think that?"

"Boya, this is a woman's intuition."

"Alright, let's go with your gut feeling." Salomon nodded helplessly, glancing at Ceresa, his premonition growing stronger. Bayonetta continued, "I suspect Ceresa was sent by that Lumen Sage Baldr, and the father Ceresa speaks of is very likely Baldr."

“!!!!!!”

"Why do you look so surprised?" the witch asked. "That's one possibility, isn't it?"

Salomon, looking helpless, finally pulled Bayonetta into the living room. He hesitated several times, then took a deep breath and explained Baldr's relationship with her. Bayonetta's reaction wasn't as strong as Salomon had expected. She sat on the sofa, lost in thought for a long time before asking, "Did the Sorcerer Supreme tell you this?"

"Yes," the sorcerer nodded in acknowledgment. The Venerable One's actions were indeed unethical, but Salomon could understand why he had done so, and therefore he was prepared to accept the witch's reprimand. But Bayonetta merely gave him a disdainful look. "Boya, don't become as cold-blooded as your teacher in the future. Big sister is a weak woman; she can't fight back."

"It's difficult, Bayonetta, but I'll try my best." Salomon sighed. "For now, focus on Seresa. Kamar-Taj will make it up to you later, and so will I. I'll make sure you're satisfied."

"Boya feels so sorry for his older sister?" The witch smiled and agreed to the sorcerer's plan, but this woman never spoke properly and always seized the opportunity to tease Salomon.

"Did something come to mind?" Salomon asked.

"No, it's the same as before. Fire, towers, angels, and Baldr floating in the sky. But that guy is covered in feathers, so he looks pretty much like those monsters."

"Even if Ceresa was indeed sent by Baldr, it doesn't mean she's really his child. And even if she were, what good would it do him to send his daughter to you? Did an angel eat his brain? Sending a little girl hoping to reform an enemy? Even ancient Greek dramas weren't this absurd," the sorcerer couldn't help but retort. "So, Ceresa might be your sister now. What are you going to do?"

"Whatever Baldr wants to do, my destination is Vigrid." The witch leaned back lazily on the sofa. "As for that little one... your cooking is pretty good, so I'll leave it to you! Remember to take her shopping for clothes tomorrow. I'm going to continue exploring Vigrid. The hints from those two stone sculptures today were too obvious; I won't let this opportunity slip by."

"Aren't you worried that this is just another trap set by Badr?" Salomon asked anxiously. "What if your trip to Vigrid is also part of Badr's plan?"

"Anyway, someone will help, won't they?" The witch winked her left eye at Salomon. "I'm leaving it all to you."

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)