Chapter Sixty-One: Some Things Must Not Be Done

Although Sonia had been startled, she showed no sign of it. Kassadin was the guest she would be serving exclusively for the next month. If she gave him any reason to feel offended, the Nova Legion would ensure her safety, but her days in the coming month could become unbearably difficult.

Her breath unconsciously grew lighter and slower as she tried to steady herself.

“As long as you perform your duties properly, I won’t hold you accountable for trivial matters,” Harvey said, glancing up at the anxious Sonia while savoring his meal. “So there’s no need to be so tense.”

“…Understood, Mr. Kassadin.” Sonia, realizing her thoughts had been seen through, took a deep breath to compose herself before replying.

Harvey made no further remarks, merely continuing his quiet enjoyment of the food before him.

Sonia watched in astonishment as the mountain of dishes on the table disappeared within minutes under Mr. Kassadin’s elegant movements. The speed was beyond her comprehension.

“Go and bring another one hundred and fifty servings,” Harvey instructed, lifting the wine Sonia had poured for him.

“Right away.” Snapping back to her senses, Sonia swiftly gathered the empty dishes.

“It seems you’ll be serving me for the entire next month,” Harvey continued as he watched Sonia’s efficient movements. “There are a few things you should know. I have no special hobbies, except that I enjoy eating. I usually require four to five meals a day, and each meal is at least two hundred servings. Still, I sometimes go out, so I’m not always on a fixed schedule. Just make sure to have my food ready whenever I call for you. As long as you do that, I won’t make things difficult for you otherwise.”

Listening to this, Sonia looked at Kassadin, whose figure was not in the least overweight, and wondered how he managed to maintain his physique despite eating so much. But she knew better than to voice such a thought. With respectful composure, she replied, “Yes, I will remember your instructions.”

With that, she finished clearing the table and hurried off to prepare more food.

“It does seem quite convenient to have someone to handle meals,” Harvey mused, sipping his wine thoughtfully as he looked at the cleared table.

Back in New York, he had never considered hiring someone to wait on him, wary that it might bring unnecessary trouble on Blue Star. But now, out here in the universe—on Xandar, no less—where he moved about as Kassadin, he could afford to find someone capable to handle his everyday affairs. Still, he needed to take on numerous bounty missions to build his reputation. Perhaps when he decided where to settle more permanently, he would look for someone reliable to manage his daily life. For now, staying at the Elite Hotel with staff to serve him would suffice.

Meanwhile, Sonia had pushed her cart to the gourmet area. She switched to an even larger trolley and, looking at the dazzling array of cuisine, began to make her selections with care.

Mr. Kassadin had said that he had no particular preferences, only that he liked to eat. Giving him the best possible dining experience was now her priority.

“Sonia, aren’t you assigned to only one guest?” the head chef asked, puzzled as he saw her. “How did all that food disappear so quickly? And it looks like you’re going back for more?”

“Yes, just one guest,” Sonia replied, her body tensing slightly. When she turned around, her face already wore a professional smile. “The guest I’m serving enjoys eating and has a very hearty appetite.”

No matter how outrageous Mr. Kassadin’s appetite seemed, she could not discuss it with her colleagues. The workplace was a complicated place; a careless complaint or offhand remark could easily be used against her, perhaps even costing her this job.

“A good appetite is a good thing,” the chef said, his honest face breaking into a smile. “If he keeps eating, it means my food suits his taste.”

“Yes… The guest I’m looking after seems very satisfied with your cooking,” Sonia replied, forcing herself to say what was expected. “He’s waiting upstairs, so I’ll hurry and bring the food up.”

Thankfully, the Elite Hotel employed a rotation of fifty top chefs who worked in shifts, seven days on and then off, ensuring no one had to work continuously. Otherwise, if they learned that a single guest—Mr. Kassadin—could consume eight hundred to a thousand servings a day, their joy would surely vanish.

The hotel, even at full capacity, had only a thousand guests, most of whom sampled only small portions. The chefs’ busiest day was usually the masquerade ball, when everyone dined together. In the coming month, once the chefs witnessed this phenomenon, they would undoubtedly have their suspicions and complaints in private. Today might be the only day they treated her with such kindness.

Sonia regretted the situation, but there was nothing she could do.

“All right, then hurry and get the food upstairs. Don’t keep the guest waiting,” the chef said, his smile growing wider.

For a chef, nothing was more gratifying than having one’s dishes praised, aside from a promotion or a raise. Most guests of the Elite Hotel were distinguished figures, whose compliments were the highest affirmation of their culinary skills.

“I think so too,” Sonia replied with a smile as she quickly made her selections. The chef watched, his gaze growing curious as Sonia piled enough food for at least fifty people onto her cart. Yet she didn’t stop there; after filling one large cart, she brought over two more.

At this point, the chef could no longer remain composed. Was all this really for one person? If someone told him there was a party upstairs, he might have believed it.

Other chefs also began to watch Sonia.

Feeling the weight of curious glances from all sides, Sonia sped up, and as she pushed the carts out of the gourmet area, she caught a few murmured comments.

“Sonia, don’t take this the wrong way—you’ve been here for years, so you know better than to bend the rules. If management finds out you’re sneaking food, you’ll have your pay docked.”

“Thank you for the reminder. I know the rules. I’ll deliver the food now,” Sonia replied, helpless yet unable to explain, and simply pushed the carts away.