Roland was designing the medal pattern for tomorrow's investiture ceremony. Logically, this not particularly important task should have been completed long ago, but he had been somewhat restless since the afternoon.

Specifically, since Nightingale kissed him.

Although he had some faint premonitions before, she hadn't made it clear, and he didn't want to take the initiative to bring it up. But now that it was certain, how should he respond to her feelings?

Nightingale's question also made him understand that he didn't dislike her, even felt somewhat smug. Who could dislike a beautiful, intelligent, and steady woman who spent her days and nights with him? Roland couldn't give a positive response because of the ingrained notions formed over more than twenty years, the practical problems he would face in the future, and… Anna's feelings. Especially the last point; he couldn't ignore Anna and act solely according to his own preferences.

Perhaps these answers could only be given by time.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in, it's not locked," Roland called out, surprised. Who would come to the office at this hour?

Anna pushed the door open, holding two plates in one hand and an earthenware pot in the other. Before she could speak, Roland already smelled the tempting aroma.

"Food?"

"Mm," Anna smiled, placing the plates on the table. Then, she removed the bowl covering the earthenware pot and poured out the milky-white soup. "This is called Honey-Roasted Mushrooms. One plate is made by me, and the other is made by Nightingale. The pot contains mushroom soup, seasoned with common herb leaves."

"It looks delicious," Roland licked his lips. "Sit down and eat with me."

Anna nodded and sat down across the table.

"Where's Nightingale? Why didn't she come?"

"She said… she doesn't know what expression to use when she sees you," she replied. "I don't quite understand why she cares about that."

"..." *So that's it,* Roland sighed softly in his heart. Although he spoke righteously, without any regret, and shamelessly said, "It's not your fault, I just did what I wanted to do," he was actually no better than a squirrel cautiously peeking out of its hole. *Really, is this bold or timid…?* "In that case, let's eat first."

He picked up a mushroom slice and put it in his mouth. The sweetness of the honey instantly melted, followed by the juice contained in the mushroom. In an era without MSG, this rich, savory sensation was astonishing… A few grains of salt further enhanced its flavor, and finally, there was the mushroom's own chewy texture, delicate and resilient. The taste was simply impeccable.

"These… are not ordinary mushrooms?" Roland immediately noticed the difference after swallowing. Generally, it was good enough if mushrooms remained smooth and springy after grilling. How could they have their own juice? It wasn't like they were boiled in soup.

"Mm, it's a specialty of the Misty Forest. The people in the town call it Bird Kiss Mushroom," Anna smiled, explaining the origin of the mushrooms. "That's why I wanted you to try it."

Roland tasted another mushroom used for soup. It was equally delicious, with even richer juice, like eating a soup dumpling, and it also had a crunchy texture. This long-lost taste reminded him of a very common, versatile seasoning that was suitable for any dish in later generations – MSG. Before monosodium glutamate was discovered, chefs could only indirectly enhance the flavor of dishes, such as using whole chickens, bones, mushrooms, and soybeans to make broth. Although later chefs preferred using original flavors to showcase their exquisite culinary skills, it had to be said that even a clumsy novice could make the taste of food richer by more than one level with just a little MSG.

If Bird Kiss Mushroom was naturally succulent and juicy, it would be an ideal material for extracting MSG. It grew on trees and was difficult to pick, so it wasn't promoted? That wasn't a problem for Roland.

"Are there many of these mushrooms?"

"I don't know… but there should be quite a few," Anna took a small bite. "Maisie said she only flew around the edge of the forest once and helped me pick a big bag."

"That's really good news," Roland cleanly finished the mushroom slices roasted by Anna and reached for the other plate. "I was worrying about meat patties being seasoned with either pepper or honey. I'm getting tired of it—噗."

"What's wrong?"

"No… it's nothing." Tears welled up in his heart. Heavens, this one is really salty. Did Nightingale accidentally drop it into the salt jar? Although he thought so, he still swallowed the mushroom. Afterward, Roland discovered that the remaining mushroom slices were either burnt or undercooked, with one side charred and the other half-raw. Fortunately, the Bird Kiss Mushroom itself was very delicious, which greatly masked her poor cooking skills.

"I… I'm full," he put down his chopsticks. After finally finishing the second plate and drinking the soup clean, his stomach was already bulging. "Thank you."

"Mm, and Nightingale too," Anna's smile was extremely cute. Roland couldn't help but pinch her nose. The latter whimpered and leaned forward to kiss the prince's cheek. "Then I'll go wash the dishes. Remember to go to bed early."

After the witch left, Roland exhaled softly.

Although he didn't want to ignore Anna's feelings… some things were not so easy to say. He thought helplessly that it was probably related to his status as a mechanical dog. After all, he rarely interacted with women throughout his academic career. Even after graduating and successfully entering a large design institute with a considerable salary, this hadn't changed.

Fortunately, there was still a long way to go before completely defeating the church. He could slowly consider what to do next. As for now, he should concentrate on completing the work at hand.

…

The next morning, when Roland ascended the wooden platform temporarily set up in the square, it was already packed with people.

The Border Town of today had undergone earth-shattering changes compared to its previous desolate and impoverished appearance. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it had been completely renewed.

The scattered old houses in the town had been completely demolished, replaced by construction sites everywhere and uniform brick houses. Moreover, the latter were all built according to the overall planning of the residential area, looking neat and tidy at a glance—although they only occupied one-third of the town's land, they were enough to accommodate the original two thousand residents.

When the three-story and four-story residences were put into construction, as well as the subsequent development of the residential area, the population living on the same piece of land would only increase. As far as the current situation was concerned, the name Border Town was obviously not in line with the real situation. No town could have a population of nearly 20,000 and a professional army of 600 people. He planned to formally upgrade this place to a real city next spring.

Under the effect of Echo's ability, Roland's voice quickly quieted the crowd.

"Today is the first investiture ceremony of Border Town, used to reward and encourage those who have made significant contributions to this place. Since I arrived here, almost half a year has passed. We have defeated the demon beasts, defeated the Duke, and built the town into what it is today. Many people have paid a lot for this, among which are several outstanding individuals. They are not nobles, nor are they rich merchants. Before working for me, they were just ordinary people, just like you!"

He looked around and said loudly, "But now, they will receive generous rewards! This includes a medal crafted by my own hands, one hundred Gold Dragons, and five acres of land!"

This news caused a stir in the crowd. Leaving aside the medal and the land, just those one hundred Gold Dragons were an enviable sum of money.

"This kind of ceremony will not be held only once – in the future, an investiture ceremony will be held every year, regardless of birth or wealth, as long as the achievements are outstanding, this highest honor can be obtained!"

As soon as Roland finished speaking, the cannon fire simulated by Echo resounded throughout the audience. In the continuous roar, Iron Axe, Kaimo Strale, and Nana Wapaien stepped onto the wooden platform surrounded by the First Army.(。)