Elián;
She then claps, and suddenly, about five maids walk into the room pushing carts carrying food. My eyes widen at the sight of them. How many people does it take to serve one person breakfast?
Two of the maids who walk in have rabbit ears like the Alana, but the others…
The third lady has a dark snout at the tip of her nose, like that of a dog, and has black dog ears on top of her head. I blink at her in amusement, but she doesn't meet my gaze.
The lady next to her doesn't have ears on her head, but she has elf-like ears and fangs… what animal is that?
The fifth lady has feathers along her arms, and as much as I know that it's rude to stare, I can't for the life of me, stop!
They are all human-animal hybrids… What did Koda call them again? Ah! Beastmen!
They are all beast… ladies but they look so beautiful. Even with the… features they have.
Is this how everyone here looks? Are there people with more animal features than human features? Why am I suddenly eager to see more of what the people here look like?
Maybe Alana notices me staring because she slowly steps forward clearing her throat.
"Master Elián, for breakfast today, we have an array of dishes. We don't know what you'd like so we made the best meals for breakfast. You can eat as much as you like while we take notes of your likes and dislikes." She says, and I reluctantly tear my gaze away from the ladies beside the bed.
The ladies then uncover the dishes and as the aroma of different delicacies hits my nose, my mouth starts to water.
However, at the sight of the colourful variety of dishes laid out, I freeze.
A massive smile that I can not control splits my face as my eyes widen like china saucers one would find at any grandma's house.
If there's one thing I can not resist… It's food.
Forget money, forget comfort… throw it all out the window and give me food. I used to be so sure that if I were ever to be kidnapped, all my captor would need to get me in the back of some van would be a trail of quality food.
Yes, I may have a slender build, but that's just a cruel deception from how much I love food.
So, imagine my excitement when I saw the array of meals set out in front of me.
If this were a movie, I'm pretty sure this is the part where you'd hear dramatic music swelling in the background, and the camera zooming in, in slow motion.
I blink at the carts in stunned silence, half expecting these dishes to start glowing, because… they look almost too perfect… beautiful to be eaten.
There's a plate of croissants drizzled with what looks… and smells… like lavender glaze?
Right beside it, stacked into a perfect pyramid are little, shiny bread rolls… They look so inviting. Probably honey-glossed… I watch as steam gently curls up from the plate, and my salivation worsens just thinking of how soft those rolls could be.
On another cart, there's a colourful mess of roasted… roots? And something that smells suspiciously like bacon, except it's deeper… smokier… What animal meat is that?
I don't know, I don't trust it. I'm not eating that.
In the next cart, there's a bowl of salad made entirely of flower petals?! The salad also has glittering berries that shimmer like they were dusted with stars. Who eats flowers for breakfast!?
The drinks are on a god level of 'what the fuck' though.
One cup smells like mint and warm vanilla. Another smells like someone boiled down a cinnamon stick and kissed it with lavender. I'll just stick to water…
For the food… I don't know whether to eat this food or frame it and hang it in an art gallery. It's more of art than food. The colours, scent… everything seem deliberately chosen with expert attention to detail.
"So, Master Elián, what would you like to have first?" She questions, and I point at the croissants.
She nods, and one of the ladies hands the plate to me. My stomach rumbles again as I lift the croissant to my lips, mouth already watering from the scent alone.
I sink my teeth into the warm goodness of it, and sweet shivers rush through me at the sweet taste and how it seems to dissolve on my tongue.
Ugh! This is heaven!!
… In just a few minutes, I had already gone through half the plate of croissants and half of the bread rolls.
A maid soon walks in with a cup of what seems to be orange juice, and hands it over to me with a deep bow. I look up at Alana, and she smiles.
"I noticed how you looked at the drinks. I figured you might prefer something simpler." She replies, and I'm amused by her efficiency.
If this were the real world, in some restaurant, I would have tipped her.
"Thank you." I reply as I take the cup, and yes. It's orange juice! I empty the cup in long, satisfying swings, and then I drop the cup in the cart.
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, feeling too full to even shift, and the ladies beside the carts finally move. They'd been so still the whole time, I forgot they were still in the room.
Now I feel bad. I should have told them to leave right?
I watch the ladies walk out with the cart, and Alana claps again. This time, another set of five ladies walk in briskly, all wearing different colours of milk maiden dresses, carrying heaps of towels, and trays.
I raise a brow at Alana, and she smiles once again.
"We're here to bathe you." She says, and every thought in my head screeches to a stop.
"Huh?!"
We!??
She steps forward, and I eye her wearily.
"There's a variety of scents you can choose from for your bath." She speaks as she gestures, and one of the milkmaid-looking girls steps forward, holding up a tray with tiny glass vials.
"We have the Amber Woods scent, which is rich and warm. Then there's the Moon Garden, if you prefer something soft and floral. We also have Citrus Bloom ,which is light and refreshing. And finally, Milk and Honey, which is a house favourite." She explains, and I blink at her.
So many scents?? Aren't baths just for, you know… getting clean? When did it turn into becoming an ingredient for perfumes??
I squint at the vials, and Alana watches me.
"Are you serious?" I question, and she nods.
"Of course," She replies with a slight tilt of her head, and I take a deep breath.
"Okay…"
"There is also the matter of your bath styles. There are cloud baths, petal baths, crystal baths, and steam baths. Each has its benefits. Some… more indulgent than others. But whichever you choose, we'd go with."
She replies, and my brain icks as I hear it again.
"You… you keep saying 'we'," I note, and she nods.
"Yes… Master Elián. We are here to bathe you. It's our duty." She replies, and I pull back in alarm.
6 women to bathe me!?
How much of me is there?! Do they intend to wash away my sins?
"What scent and bath style do you prefer, Master Elián?"
She questions as she steps forward, and I tighten my grip on the duvet before holding a hand out to her.
"Wait! Just wait a goddamn minute!" I exclaim, and she pauses with a raised brow.
"Just show me where the bathroom is. I can bathe myself. I don't need you all in there with me!" I exclaim in horror, and Alana pulls back with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Master Elián, but we can not do that. It's our duty to have you bathed." She replies, and my jaw drops.
"That's a rather unnecessary duty. I'm a grown man! I know how to bathe myself!" I retort, and I see Alana's smile filter a bit. Like she's trying to keep it together.
"You are our Alphas omega. We are to offer you full comfort. And that involves bathing you." She replies and I grit my teeth.
"Don't call me that!" I snap before securing the duvet properly and getting off the bed. I turn to the door beside the bed where I presume the bathroom is, and I let out an annoyed huff.
"None of you are touching me. And that's final." I note before trying to walk away, and Alana's voice stops me.
Her voice is suddenly filled with fear and panic.
"M…Master Elián, please. If we fail to do this… We'll be punished by the Alphas. We were asked to feed and bathe you. If you don't let is carry out the instructions then…" She begins, and I turn to her in fright.
They'll get punished because I didn't let them bathe me?!