Short answer: he didn’t. Never did.
But the Duke, who was too focused on his family’s happiness, could only see smiles and was just too glad to see such a thing.
And currently, that was more than enough for him.
He hadn’t seen their faces in too long, and he wasn’t about to stop whatever was currently making them happy.
Also, in the Duke’s mind, it was great that his precious son didn’t seem to be destined to be thrown out to the mines anymore.
Truly, his boy had matured and wasn’t going around dominating everyone!
If he only knew.
For one ruler would definitely disagree.
Still, there was really no denying it. When it came to food, there was no question of Luca’s dominance.
Even the Orcs in King Garick’s party couldn’t hide their excitement over every single thing served today.
As beings who lived for food, particularly meat, they couldn’t have imagined finding superior food in the land of these midgets.
And it wasn’t just one item. Even the drinks they served were enough to blow everyone’s mind.
Heck, even blood tasted better?!
When they’d first heard the name of the dish, they hesitated.
After all, while their ancestors had once fought with their teeth, biting into enemies raw on the battlefield, those days were long gone.
These days, no one in their right mind would bite into flesh unless they were dead sure it wasn’t contaminated with dormant corruption.
However, that didn’t mean they were kept away from blood.
That would be impossible, for blood was something even the young Orcs were familiar with. It was something that lingered and stuck around.
Usually necessary for rituals, for rites of passage, or just an unfortunate result of battling. It was one of those things where they might enjoy fighting, but blood wasn’t something they’d crave.
The thought alone had been unthinkable.
Until today.
That giant vat hadn’t even lasted long.
The moment one brave soul took a chance, the whole line fell apart, and everyone scrambled for a bowl.
Even now, the great Orc King still felt irritated that he hadn’t been the first to try it.
However, more than the flavor and satisfaction brought about by the food they served, what was impossible to ignore was the sheer amount of spiritual energy packed into every dish, which would have been enough to sustain a battle.
And this was just dinner.
King Garick kept eating quietly, his mind churning.
What was his daughter thinking when she asked to come here?
Was this a show of might?
A veiled threat to force his hand?
But then he heard it.
Luca Kyros stood up.
The boy’s shy yet calm voice carried easily across the room as he smiled faintly and said:
"Thank you. To all of you, for making this possible."
He bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you for your contributions and for the enthusiasm that made this project succeed. And today..."
Luca gestured gracefully toward the tables.
"...is the day to marvel at the fruits of all your hard work. The lettuce you’re enjoying tonight came from our first-ever harvest. From today onward, our supply chain will be even stronger. And it’s all thanks to everyone’s dedication."
The smile he gave them after that sent the hall into an uproar.
The people of House Kyros—including Princess Kira and Ada—cheered so loudly it startled the Orc guests.
Their voices practically shook the rafters.
Harvest? Supply chain? King Garick thought blankly, staring down at his plate.
His expression must’ve slipped, because his daughter suddenly leaned closer and grinned at him.
"Father," she said sweetly. "Will you join us tomorrow morning?"
The King frowned.
"Why? What’s there?"
Kira only flashed him another grin, her eyes glinting.
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