Nero was both taking in the splendour of Silas' house while trying not to be too judgmental when they arrived in the dining room, which caused him to freeze. It was no secret that Nero did his best to keep himself well fed.
Not only was high nutrition a requirement for his growing body, but he wanted to supply plenty of fuel to the muscle he had spent an enormous amount of effort building. Before moving into the hostel, that often meant shamelessly dipping into his parents rations and eating extra while in school.
Despite all of this, he never worried about getting fat. That was mainly because no one was fat in Kolar. Even those who did not aspire to a life in the army maintained sufficient physical fitness because one could never really expect when they might run into a dangerous situation.
So, in Nero's eyes, the fact that he was not even close to being worried about becoming fat meant he was still not eating enough. With his rigorous exercise routine, he'd need to truly eat every chance he got if he ever wanted to even get close to it, though obviously getting fat was not his goal. He just wanted to make sure he was keeping his body as fit as possible for the eventual boost he'd get at the Initiate level.
The incredibly long table, fit to seat twelve people, five on each side across its length and one at each end, which was stocked full of food, was an extremely welcome sight.
"It was all we could do on short notice, I hope you don't mind," Silas said incredibly casually, as he plucked a single potato chip from a bowl and bit it. His acting was truly horrid, but that somehow made this situation better.
"Well, if it was short notice, then it can't be helped," said Nero sorrowfully as he grabbed a plate and began filling it. He showed no hesitation whatsoever, and did not go through the motions where the host and guests both tell each other to eat first.
"It's lovely, thank you," said Vanessa as she chuckled. "This is too much, in fact. You shouldn't have."
"Nonsense. Of course I had to," Silas said with swelling pride. He'd seen his father make this exact exchange many times, but it was his first.
Unlike Nero, who had taken everything without the need for an explanation, Silas provided Vanessa with a detailed explanation for each food item and how it was prepared. Sometimes she would take small amounts, while other times she had to politely refuse his insistence that she try some.
Nero observed the exchange and the clear display of strange etiquettes, but he did not feign any kind of such politeness. He also noticed how the food was fresh and steaming upon their arrival. It seemed giving them a prolonged tour of the front of the house served another purpose: to delay them long enough for the table to be laid.
While in his current circumstance Nero did not feel the need to put on airs, that did not mean that in the future he would not be faced with such a situation. Even now, while munching on a food he did not know the name of, he was learning new things. He observed how Vanessa used a different fork for the salad, and a different one for the rice. The way she held the knife with her long, slender fingers was impractical for offensive use, but it made it easy for her to cut through her meat. He averted his gaze just before she noticed him looking. It would not do to be accused of ogling twice in one day.
He also made a mental note to look into dining etiquette, as well as any other formality he might need to face when interacting with the super wealthy. He knew for a fact that besides basic discipline, there would be no such pretentiousness in the army. But that didn't mean he wouldn't have to face such situations.
Just as Silas finally sat down and joined the meal, someone knocked on the door before opening it.
"Young master Silas, your father is summoning you," said the old man who entered. He was also dressed formally, and though he was not exactly polite, he was not rude either. More than anything, Nero was intrigued by his apparent age. It was rare to encounter old people, which is why it was easy to categorise them.
They were either extremely formidable, extremely lucky, or boasted some extremely capable skill or ability which caused someone to invest a lot in their security.
Silas, who had been greatly enjoying everything up until that moment, froze. Surprise and slight concern flashed in his eyes, though he immediately tried to hide it.
"Looks like dad is free," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Please, you two continue to eat. I'll go see what he has to say. He'll most likely call you two as well, or maybe he'll even join us, who knows?"
"Are you sure we shouldn't join you?" Nero asked probingly. The old man had specifically said Silas' name, so he was certain that they were excluded in the summons, but it couldn't hurt to ask. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novęlfire.net
"No, don't worry. I'll be right back," he said, before walking out the room. He wanted to appear calm, but his faster than usual gait was very revealing.
Nero gave Vanessa a questioning look, but she only shook her head. With a shrug, Nero continued to eat. He also noticed that the butler who had summoned Silas stayed standing in the corner of the room. Maybe he was there in case they needed something. Or maybe he was there to keep an eye on them.
The only thing Nero knew for certain was the environment in this house was far from normal, and that the chicken gravy he was eating was sublime. He added more of it to his plate and he sped up eating.
As a guest, it would be rude to waste food that had been laid out for him, so he wanted to make the most of it.