Chapter 63: Running Away from Home
"Holy crap, is that Franklin? Since when did he become so amazing—those are superpowers, right?"
"What's he doing? That big stone slab… and that squid…"
"I know! He's gonna make teppan-grilled squid—wait, no, stone-grilled squid!"
"Using superpowers just to cook—what a waste! But damn, it smells incredible."
Amid the chatter, Franklin wielded razor-sharp blades formed from flattened vines enchanted with golden spiritual energy. With a few swift motions, the squid was sliced into thousands of small pieces that fell neatly onto the stone slab. Under precise control of his aura, he began cooking the squid effortlessly on the stone surface.
On the other side, a massive stone pot took shape. Water aura condensed into clear liquid that poured in, and fire aura ignited beneath it until it boiled. Crabs were tossed straight into the pot, while wood aura conjured countless seasonings that dropped in for steaming.
The remaining spices were dried, ground, and sprinkled evenly over the grilling squid. From inside the school building came gasps that soon turned into cheers, and the rich aroma of the stone-grilled squid spread through the air.
Seeing Lala's eyes light up with excitement, Franklin smiled faintly. A piece of smooth stone, formed from earth aura, split off, and vines carried a few beautifully prepared portions of squid toward her.
With a casual wave, Franklin formed wooden benches, tables, and utensils. At his invitation, Lala sat down eagerly, tasting the dish placed before her.
As she ate one bite after another, her face filled with bliss, and Franklin's satisfied smile deepened. He waved his hand again—thousands of servings of stone-grilled squid floated out the window, landing neatly on every student's desk, teachers and the principal included.
Back in her dorm, Haruna Sairenji was still hiding under her blanket when a vine poked her through it. The moment she pulled the cover away, a wave of delicious aroma hit her. Staring at the food brought to her by the green vine, she felt momentarily dazed.
Ryōko Mikado smiled at Haruna's stunned expression and began explaining what had happened.
Just then, a beam of white light descended—it was Zastin. Seeing the remaining hundreds of squid pieces, he started eating without hesitation.
"Ah, good thing His Majesty's orders were simple, or I might've missed the son-in-law's cooking!"
As he took a bite, Zastin's face twisted into one of near-ecstatic pleasure, leaving Franklin speechless.
"This is incredible! It's on par with Miss Mikan's cooking. I didn't know you had this kind of ability, son-in-law! Guess we'll never have to worry about food again. I'm so blessed!"
After preparing the crab soup and sending it out to Lala and the entire school in the same way, Franklin's face had turned pale as paper. He had been draining spiritual stones to restore his energy while cooking nonstop.
When he saw Lala finish every last bite, he took a deep breath, blood rushing back to his face until it glowed with color again.
"So, Lala—how was it?"
Lala threw her arms around him, her smile radiant enough to melt his heart.
"Thank you, Lin. I'm really glad I met you."
Holding her soft body in his arms, Franklin felt that everything had been worth it.
"It's nothing, Lala. You don't need to worry about things like that. You yourself are a treasure—there's no need to waste time adding meaningless decorations to your brilliance."
Lala shook her head, her gentle voice brushing against his ear.
"I don't think that's true. Everything that happened today was worth it. I've gotten to know you better, Lin. Choosing you as my fiancé was the best decision I've ever made."
Their eyes met at close range. Her cherry-colored lips were right there, her eyes slowly closing. Franklin couldn't resist and kissed her. When their lips finally parted, Lala's gaze shimmered with warmth, making his heart race.
A soft cough broke the moment. Both of them jumped apart instantly, their faces flushed red.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Franklin turned toward the sound—Zastin stood there, gnawing on a crab leg while staring at them.
"Son-in-law, I still have duties to perform. Don't make my job too hard, alright?"
Though his face wore an innocent smile, Franklin felt a wave of danger roll over him. Zastin's power was clearly weaker than his—so why did he feel such a strong sense of threat?
Activating his Eye of True Sight, Franklin saw Zastin's combat power was still at 496—completely unchanged. So why that intense sense of danger?
The only conclusion he could reach was that Zastin must have some hidden ability, one that even Eye of True Sight couldn't detect.
"Couldn't help it—couldn't help it! By the way, Zastin, what did Father-in-law need you for?"
At that, Zastin's expression turned serious, and the sense of danger over Franklin's head disappeared instantly.
"It's quite a problem, actually. Lady Lala ran away from home—and now even her two younger sisters have snuck out too.
His Majesty thinks they might come to Blue Star to find Lady Lala. That's why he sent me here to keep an eye out. If you see them, son-in-law, let me know so I can report back."
Finishing his words, Zastin tossed aside the empty crab shell and happily grabbed another leg, eating with pure joy. Watching him, Franklin could only sigh helplessly.
But the information Zastin had just revealed made Franklin's eyes brighten. The ultimate assist—his adorable, universe-class little sisters-in-law were coming! His happy days were just ahead.
Then reality hit him. What did he have right now that could make Momo fall for him and willingly create the "Harem Plan" for his sake? That was a very real problem—and one Franklin had to solve.
He thought long and hard but couldn't come up with an answer. Then he felt something soft wrap around his arm—Lala had hugged him again, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Lin, let's go. Class isn't over yet—everyone's still waiting."
The meal was nearly finished. The stone plates and wooden utensils dissolved into aura and faded into the air.
The students were back to their usual state, and the teachers resumed their lessons as if nothing had happened—like it had all been a dream.
"So, that was the power of your gadget? It's incredible. But… are you sure there won't be any side effects?"
Franklin knew well that Lala's inventions always came with quirks. A gadget that could influence such a large area—if something went wrong, it'd be catastrophic.
Lala thought for a moment, then nodded confidently. "This one's perfectly safe! I got it from a man in a black robe when I was a kid. He encouraged me to study high-tech inventions—that's how I discovered my talent for research."
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