Chapter 8 Wrong Rumors about the Wild Beast (2)

"What have you done to the meat?" Steven asked after he caught me using his kitchen without his permission.

Steven has an inquisitive gaze. And surprisingly, he didn't seem angry at all. Instead, his expression was one of genuine curiosity.

"I couldn't help but overhear you say it was delicious. Is it really that good?" he asked, his tone was open.

It was strange to have such a casual conversation with him after everything that had happened between us. But I decided to answer him honestly.

"Actually, I re-cooked it, and it turned out pretty tasty," I replied, feeling a bit nervous as he walked closer.

With a swift motion, Steven reached for another fork and savored a bite of the dish. His eyes widened in surprise but soon relaxed into a look of contentment.

As he remained silent, I couldn't decipher his thoughts.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I blurted out, "Is it good?" I immediately regretted asking such a redundant question.

Even so, Steven's response was a slow nod of approval accompanied by a shy expression.

'He's feeling shy?!'

The rumors about Steven were rampant, painting him as a ferocious beast. I couldn't help but believe them when I witnessed him easily take down a group of rogues. However, the Steven standing before me now seems more like a timid rabbit than a fierce predator.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"I'm not very good at cooking," he admitted, his gaze fixed ahead. Then, turning to me, he asked, "Do you think you could cook more often? Maybe something as yummy as this?"

'More often' suggests that he was contemplating the possibility of cohabiting with me at some point down the line.

But wait, what about his curse?

What if I end up dying while living with him, as everyone warns?

I don't know if I should say yes. Perhaps, I should decline and inform him that our time together will be brief.

However, Steven's genuine and innocent gaze, free of ill intentions, has ensnared me.

No other man has ever looked at me with such purity and cleanliness. And so...

"Sure. I will," I replied.

The words came out of my mouth before I even had a chance to second-guess myself. But as I stood there, I realized I had no reason to feel proud.

Steven's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you so much," he exclaimed.

Thank you?

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise.

Miren and Samantha had never once thanked me for cooking for them. Yet here was a man I had just met, thanking me with all his heart simply because I had offered to cook for him.

It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to me.

"Tonight, you can sleep on the sofa. Rest well," he said before leaving me wordlessly.

I looked at the deer and in the direction of the man who treated me dearly.

Perhaps my initial assessment of Steven had been misguided.

Contrary to the rumors that had circulated about him, Steven was not a savage beast. Rather, he possessed a quiet strength and a clear understanding of the difference between love and hate.

He was a man of simple convictions - if he disliked something, he made no effort to hide it, and if he enjoyed something, he embraced it fully. And yet, despite his straightforward nature, I couldn't help but feel that he harbored no ill will towards me. After all, why else would he have risked his own safety to save me?

He even offered to lend me his large, soft sofa so I could sleep.

'Could it be that he is open to the idea of me living with him?'

The thought lingers in my mind as I gaze up at the ceiling.

"A life with strong Steven.'

As I pondered the idea, a weird thought suddenly crossed my head.

"Why not I propose a deal where he teaches me how to fight, and I cook for him in return?"