My Lady Chef
Chapter 125: The Sage's Tower

Lorelei's POV:

I was late!

I thought to myself as I had my maid dress me up in a simple manner and was fastening my cloak when I almost collided with a figure that came out of the room in front of me.

I halted and saw who it was.

My father and his knight, Sir Percival. I inherited my teal green hair from him and even my mother said I looked a lot like him except for the eyes. I got them from her and it was because of that, My father does not maintain much eye contact when we meet.

I heard that looking into my eyes somehow makes it painful for him.

It has always been that but for some reason, something inside him has changed because he was now staring at me without turning away.

This was the first time he has locked gazes with me ever since I baked him some muffins to go with his coffee the other night.

"Good afternoon Father, Sir Percival." I curtsied to him automatically.

The knight smiled and nodded but my father's unsmiling expression did not change but his keen eye saw my attire and cloak.

"Where are you going?" He asked me.

I blinked. He has never cared about where I am going....

"Oh. Ah...Her Grace, The duchess Alaina asked me to accompany her to an..." I almost blurted out the destination of the place but stopped myself "an excursion in the city today. I asked for your permission yesterday night, sir."

"I see. Carry on. Be home by your curfew, Lorelei." he reminded me sternly.

"Yes, sir."

I kept my bow until he walked away. When his footsteps faded, I resumed my quick pace as I ran towards the front entrance where the Aisenburg carriage was waiting for me.

The footman hopped off the back and opened the door. I saw the Duchess smiling at me, her hands on her lap, a leather book tucked between her fingers. She was looking pretty in a beautiful dusky rose gown and white laces with a matching white bonnet and shoes.

"You are late." she joked good-naturedly as I sat beside her as the carriage door shut and we drove off. "Thankfully, The Sage's Tower is happy to receive us anytime."

"Sorry, Lady Alaina. I was just too engrossed studying. I have a few days until I take my cooking exam and I still think I am unprepared." I fluffed my blue gown free of the creases. " So please tell me why are we going to the Tower? Not everyone can get permission to go there. Not even the royal family."

"My husband has asked me to search for a mage who can instruct me on controlling my mana." she looked a bit annoyed but also resigned. "I told him I will not use magick since I am more interested in cooking but he insisted that it was for my safety. It was a long debate last night but I decided to humor him."

"Magick? Wow. I did not know you can use magick."

"I had no idea I could do it as well."

"When did this happen?"

"In Guthrie. During an infiltration of the remaining rebels while my husband left to escort the prince and his entourage. You had left by then."

"Oh, I see. So you used magick without any training." I looked concerned because I know the consequences of using magick without knowing your limits, People get hurt and they also die when they can't control the power. "Thank the goddess, you are okay, right?"

The duchess smiled.

"I recovered rather quickly."

That shocked me because most people who overuse their magick need days to recover. But since everyone knows now that Lady Alaina has fey blood in her; that may be the reason.

The carriage suddenly stopped and I

looked out the window to see the cylindrical edifice made of Ivory stone and Mana Crystals. It sat on an island in the middle of a lake located just to the East side of the city. I could also see that there was no bridge that leads to the tower so Lady Alaina and I had to get out of the carriage.

A young man wearing the Tower's signature white robes and a silver belt greeted us with respect and asked the driver to wait here while he led us to the tower.

"Welcome, Lady Alaina and companion. The Master has heard of the Duke's request. Please follow me." the young man was polite as he led us to the edge of the lake, where I saw nothing but a stone pedesta with an orb floating above it.

"Your Grace, Please use your mana to activate the bridge to the Tower." The guide offered to the duchess.

She hesitated but she slowly placed a hand on the orb. It glowed and a rumbling sound accompanied by an emerging stone bridge from the depths of the lake appeared.

"The Tower has recognized the Duchess' mana. The first test is complete. " the guide smiled warmly at us. "Ladies. Please follow me."

The bridge was dry despite coming from the lake so we did not need to put up our skirts as we crossed it and soon the huge wooden doors of the Tower loomed over us.

It was a very thick door as the mage knocked on the wooden surface and it creaked as it opened as if pulled by an invisible hand.

The interior was absolutely clean and very simple with a few drapes along the windows and banners emblazoned with the Tower's emblem which is a hand gripping an orb, surrounded by some stars. Underneath it were words written against a swirling ribbon that ties everything together.

It reads "Knowledge. Truth. Power" in Ancient Script.

Several mages robed in different colors walked from one place to another, their expressions preoccupied with their studies; some even read books while talking to themselves.

I even saw a younger apprentice dressed in black robes, using floating wisps of fire to light the candelabras lining the tables

"Unfortunately Your Grace, The Sage will not be able to receive you due to certain circumstances."

We both looked confused at the guide's words until Alaina voices her concerns.

"My husband specifically told me not to bother staying if the Sage is not the one who will select my master." Her words were blunt but it was not haughty or self-important.

But the mage paled upon hearing her mention of the Duke. Sweat popped in his brow as he nervously bowed.

"Many apologies, Your Grace. I did not mean to offend the duke b-but the Sage-"

We were climbing up two steps at

that time when an explosion from

the top of the tower erupted and I gasped when I saw a man pushed down by a huge hand falling down. The ground shook as everyone continued on as if it was a daily occurrence.

We looked down and saw that it was a chef from the Royal Palace from the looks of it. He looked unharmed but the wetness staining his pants and the frightened expression on his face shows that this was the first time he was experiencing this.

The man was carried out of the tower promptly by a few apprentices

"The...Sage has been rejecting royal chefs ever since our old one retired. He has not been able to eat properly which is why he has been growing more....rude." The guide murmured, ashamed that we had to experience it.

"You say that he has not been able to eat?" Alaina said

"Y-yes. His tastebuds have become numb a few weeks ago so any dish is tasteless to him. No royal chef has been able to satisfy him since then."

I smiled as the duchess looked intrigued rather than intimidated. I am sensing that her "lady chef" mode is on.

"Lead me to the Sage. I want to meet him. Now."