CHAPTER 68: HOW DID YOU MAKE SOMETHING SO DELICIOUS?

Mika then turned without a word, heading back toward the house. A minute later, he returned, a kitchen knife in hand. The blade caught the light with a clean, silvery edge as he crouched beside the fallen, colorful bird.

And without any hesitation, he began gutting it, moving with the skill and efficiency of someone who’d done this more than once.

Yelena watched him work for a moment before he glanced up at her with a grin that was a little too smug for her liking.

"Well, Yelena?" He said, eyes glinting. "I proved you wrong. So now, you’ve got to accept your loss and help out with dinner."

She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." He said, nodding toward the second bird that had died earlier. "Gut the other one. De-feather it. Start grilling it."

Yelena scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine, it’s enough to tell me twice. I accept it, okay? You win. This is the least I can do."

She started walking toward the other bird, muttering under her breath before something crossed her mind. She paused and looked back at him.

"But wait, what about the marinade? And seasoning? You already prepped something, right? Should I apply it before grilling? Or are you going to do that?"

To her surprise, Mika shook his head. "Nope. I’m not applying anything...No marinade. No seasoning. Not even salt."

"What?" She frowned. "I don’t get it. I’ve eaten this bird before, you know. The flesh is tender, sure, and juicy, but it doesn’t have much flavor on its own."

"...You need a proper marinade. Even a simple chili rub or a honey glaze makes a world of difference."

She looked thoughtful, then added, "Actually, I’ve got the perfect one for this. Give me ten minutes, I’ll make it now. It’s spicy, a little tangy, and perfect for smoky grilling—"

"No. ." He said firmly, shaking his head again, still working on the colorful bird. His hands didn’t stop moving, even as he cut clean through the bone. "I said no. No marinades. No seasoning. Just grill the meat exactly as it is."

"Why Mika?" Yelena blinked. "That doesn’t even make sense."

Charlotte, who had been sitting on the edge of the bench quietly, finally spoke up, standing and walking over with a casual grin. "Don’t worry about it, Mama. Trust Mika, he knows what he’s doing."

Yelena gave her a dubious look.

"No, seriously." Charlotte said, nodding. "His cooking is just as good as yours. Maybe even better, if I’m being honest. You just have to trust him. It’s a little weird, I know, but he’s got a plan. Let’s just go along with it."

She walked toward the artificial bonfire they had installed in the backyard and flicked the switch, the flames coming to life with a faint whoomph.

"See? All set. Let’s just grill the meat like he said...Mika will show us the rest."

Yelena raised a brow but didn’t argue further. "Alright...I don’t get it, but fine. I’ll play along."

She walked over to the second bird, but unlike Mika, she didn’t kneel down and start plucking feathers by hand. Instead, she lifted one hand, palm upward.

From a tear in space beside her, a sleek, thin sword slid into existence, glowing faintly. With a silent command, it shot forward, and suddenly more swords appeared, slimmer, sharper, floating like extensions of her will.

One sword lifted the bird from the ground as if it weighed nothing. Another sliced expertly across its belly, gutting it in one motion. A third and fourth began de-feathering it rapidly, slashing with such precision that not even a drop of blood was wasted.

In seconds, the bird was completely cleaned, skinned, gutted, and featherless.

Mika looked up from his work, his hands still deep in the bird he was gutting.

"Show-off." He muttered.

"I’m just more efficient then you." Yelena smirked.

She didn’t stop there. The sword holding the bird glided toward the bonfire. With a flick of her fingers, the carcass was sliced into clean, even pieces mid-air.

Smaller swords then appeared around the meat like a flock of precise metal birds, each piece skewered cleanly as if on an invisible spit.

The meat rotated over the flames slowly, sizzling lightly as it cooked evenly from all sides.

Charlotte’s mouth hung open. "That’s so smart, Mama." She whispered, starry-eyed. "You made it look so easy."

Hearing this praise, Yelena couldn’t help but stand a little taller, pride glimmering in her eyes as she watched her floating blades do the work for her.

While the meat turned slowly over the open flames, sizzling gently as Yelena’s floating blades rotated it evenly, Charlotte sat cross-legged nearby, her chin resting on her palm.

Her eyes gleamed with fascination, completely drawn in by the sight. The way the juices dripped onto the fire, releasing small bursts of aroma, and the faint crackling that accompanied the slow spin, it was oddly mesmerizing.

Just then, Mika stretched his arms above his head and began walking back toward the house.

"I’m heading in." He said over his shoulder, giving them both a lazy wave. "Bring the meat once it’s done. I’ll have the table set up by the time you get there."

Yelena narrowed her eyes and shifted her gaze toward the bird carcass still lying limp nearby.

"What about the rest of that?" She called out after him. "You haven’t even properly gutted it. There’s just one shallow cut down the middle, you basically haven’t touched it."

Mika didn’t even pause. He simply raised his voice just enough to be heard as he disappeared toward the house.

"I already got what I needed. The rest is useless." He replied flatly. "Just bring the meat in when it’s ready."

Yelena stared after him, completely confused. The bird was still intact, barely cut into, and it didn’t even look like anything had been taken from it. She frowned, looking at the untouched carcass, her thoughts clouded with suspicion.

’What the hell had he actually done?’

But she shook her head and decided not to dwell on it.

For now, grilling the meat properly was more important. The flesh had begun to darken to a golden brown, the skin crisping ever so slightly while the inside remained tender. In just a few minutes more, it was perfectly done.

She leaned in, gave the meat a testing bite, and nodded approvingly. It was succulent and tender, still hot, with the juices practically spilling out with each chew. She cut off a piece and handed it to Charlotte.

Charlotte eagerly took a bite, and her entire face lit up.

"Mama, this is so good! It’s so soft and juicy, I swear, just biting into it makes all these flavors burst in my mouth!"

But then she paused, chewing slower, and squinted.

"Hmm...It’s kind of tasteless though. Like, it needs something. It’s not bad at all, it just needs a little kick."

"That’s exactly what I told him too. But he wouldn’t listen." Yelena huffed lightly.

Charlotte jumped up, brushing off her hands. "Well, let’s see what Mika’s up to. If he’s been acting all mysterious again, maybe he’s got something to season it with."

With that, they both headed back toward the house, Yelena walking behind while the floating blades hovered close, carrying the roasted meat still skewered on the blades.

As they entered the house, they were met with a pleasant surprise. The dining table in the living room had been completely set.

Plates were neatly placed for all three of them, glasses already filled with a bright orange juice that seemed freshly squeezed, and beside each plate was a warm bowl of golden-yellow soup.

Mika was already seated at the far end of the table, chin resting in his palm as he lazily swirled his juice. He looked completely casual, but clearly proud of himself.

Charlotte spotted the spot beside him and wasted no time.

"Dibs!" She declared, skipping forward with a smirk. "I’m sitting next to Mika!"

She plopped down beside him with a victorious grin, folding her hands and watching Yelena expectantly.

That left only one seat, next to Charlotte, technically meant for Yelena. But instead of walking over to it, Yelena simply stepped past, eyes sweeping over the table, before she wordlessly lifted the plate, the soup bowl, and the juice glass meant for her and carried them around to the other side.

Without asking, she placed them next to Mika’s opposite side and sat herself down beside him instead to which Mika turned his head slightly, one brow twitching up as he looked at her sideways.

"I set this whole thing up." He said, his tone half amused, half annoyed. "The places were arranged perfectly. You were supposed to sit over there, with Charlotte."

Yelena gave him a smug look, her lips curling.

"I can sit wherever I want." She said coolly. "This is my house. If I want to sit next to my Mika, then that’s exactly what I’ll do. No one can tell me otherwise."

She sat down smoothly beside him and leaned back in her chair, watching him with a sly expression. Charlotte gawked dramatically from across the table.

"Mama! Not fair! You just totally stole my seat strategy!"

Yelena chuckled softly and tapped the edge of her plate, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she looked at Mika.

"Okay, Mr. Smart Guy." She said with a sly smile. "What exactly are you planning to do with this meat?"

She made a lazy flick of her fingers, and the sword-like utensils she’d summoned all dropped the skewers onto the tray before them with perfect coordination.

"I’ve done my job perfectly. Cut everything just right, down to the last grain of fat, hell, I even restrained myself from adding a marinade even though I really wanted to."

She leaned in slightly, tone teasing but laced with a warning.

"So you better have a really good way of making sure each bite is full of flavor, or I swear, I’ll be very upset with you for wasting such good meat."

Mika just shrugged, utterly confident. "Trust me. I know you’ve got that cooking show, and yeah, millions and millions of people drool over your recipes worldwide—"

Yelena narrowed her eyes at that, feeling the compliment was a bit too smooth for comfort.

"But when it comes to cooking..." Mika tilted his head, a smug grin pulling at his lips. "...actually, when it comes to anything really, there’s no one who can top me."

Yelena’s teeth clicked together slightly as she suppressed a twitch. What irritated her more was the fact that what he said...was annoyingly true.

He truly was at the top of the world in all sorts of aspects and there was no denying that.

She didn’t even have an argument ready for once. All she could do was let out a grumble and toss her hair back with a huff.

"Alright then, Master Chef." She mocked, folding her arms and eyeing him. "Go on, prove your point."

She started plating the skewers properly, spacing them out neatly on the tray and handing out plates.

"Now tell me, how are you magically going to make all this meat so flavorful? And don’t give me some nonsense answer, as even if you dump spices on them now, nothing’s going to penetrate."

"This meat’s really hard to flavour after cooking. You should’ve marinated it earlier, like I told you, in a hearty manner."

But Mika held up a finger and wiggled it, eyes glinting.

"No explanations this time. I just want you to experience it for yourself."

He pointed at the soup-like bowl he’d set near the tray earlier. It had a strange color, somewhere between gold and yellow, and a glossy texture that shimmered slightly in the light.

"Take the meat. Dip it into that. Then take a bite. That’s all."

Yelena eyed the bowl with open suspicion, narrowing her gaze.

"What even is that?" She asked, lowering her head a little to sniff it.

The aroma was...confusing. Deep and complex. A little sweet, a little sour, but heavy with savory undertones. She couldn’t tell what it was made of, which only annoyed her more.

"I’m not telling you that." Mika simply shook his head with a grin. "If I told you, you wouldn’t even try it. So just dip it in and take a bite. Both of you. You’ll understand."

Yelena was still quite suspicious of the broth in front of her. But Charlotte on the other hand didn’t even wait.

With an enthusiastic smile, she picked up her fork and skewered one of the glistening meat pieces, beaming at Mika.

"Thank you for the meal!" She said brightly, then added with a cheeky grin. "And thanks for cooking it, Mika even though Mama did most of the work."

Charlotte then dipped the meat deeply into the strange yellow broth, letting it soak for a moment before lifting it to her mouth.

Seeing this, Yelena leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowed, trying to gauge her daughter’s reaction. She was ready to call her out if she exaggerated, especially if she was just putting on a show to impress Mika.

But the moment Charlotte bit down, all the skepticism vanished.

Her daughter’s eyes flew wide open. She went completely still for a second, then let out a muffled sound and slammed her fist on the table.

"Mmmhh!" She whined, her cheeks full. "It’s...oh my God...!"

She kept chewing and chewing, refusing to swallow, as if every bite was releasing a new wave of flavor.

"Wha...How is it even this good?! It’s just meat! It’s not even marinated properly! But this, this, this is godly!"

Still chewing furiously, Charlotte dipped another piece in without hesitation.

Seeing her daughter’s reaction, Yelena’s brow furrowed, her intrigue winning over. She grabbed her own fork, stabbed into the meat, and dipped it generously into the same strange golden liquid.

She lifted it to her mouth and bit down.

And just like her daughter, her entire expression shifted. Her eyes widened slightly, her shoulders loosening in surprise as the flavor hit her.

"This..." She muttered between chews. "This isn’t possible..."

She looked down at the remaining sauce like it held secrets from another world.

"It’s so savory...and meaty...almost like the entire essence of the animal was soaked directly into the fibers."

She took another bite, and more of the juicy broth gushed down her throat, each swallow feeling almost indecently satisfying.

"It’s addictive." She mumbled. "Too addictive even...It’s like the meat’s alive with flavor now...I, what even is this?"

As she ate, Charlotte jabbed her fork toward her mother like she was preparing to duel her across the table.

"Mama, you can’t doubt him anymore!" She declared with righteous fire, voice rising like a knight defending her liege. "Mika promised and he delivered! This is incredible and you yourself can’t hold back after tasting it! So, you’re not allowed to complain even one word!"

Yelena raised an eyebrow, slowly chewing as she glanced at her dramatic daughter. Then, letting out a long sigh, she set down her spoon with a resigned clink.

"I wasn’t planning to." She muttered. "It’d be the dumbest lie I’ve ever told if I said this wasn’t good."

Mika puffed up immediately, visibly swelling with pride like a well-fed rooster, which only made Yelena groan and roll her eyes at his smugness.

But the chef inside her couldn’t resist. Her curiosity flared hotter than the fire outside. She reached out, grabbed him by the shoulders with both hands, and yanked him forward.

"Alright, spit it out, Mika." She demanded, eyes narrowing like a predator. "What the hell did you put in that soup? There’s no way this is normal. Did you use some ancient technique? Secret herbs from a celestial forest? Some forbidden bone broth passed down by gods?"

She leaned in even closer, eyes gleaming.

"Wait, is it dragon marrow? Leviathan oil? Phoenix fat?! Tell me!"

Mika blinked at her, utterly unbothered. Then casually leaned back in his seat, picked up a piece of meat, and said with a shrug,

"Oh, that?...Well, to tell you the truth I didn’t even make it."

"...What?" Yelena said, confused about his unexpected reply.

"What I’m trying to say was that it was already pre-made."

"Pre-made?! Like store-bought? From where?! How have I never heard of this brand?!" Charlotte’s mouth hung open. "Mama, if this is some new soup base, we need to stock up, this is going to sell out instantly!"

But Mika shook his head, still chewing. "Nah, not like that. I didn’t buy it."

Yelena blinked. "...Then what do you mean it was pre-made?"

Seeing their curious gazes, Mika leaned forward slightly, smiling like he was about to drop the hottest plot twist of the century.

"Pre-made in the sense that it came straight from the bird." He said. "The one outside that I had killed itself."

There was a heavy pause.

Charlotte and Yelena both stopped mid-bite, their expressions slowly morphing from confusion to suspicion. They then turned to him in sync, pale-faced and wary.

"What do you mean it came from the bird?" Yelena asked slowly. "What part?"

"Yeah..." Charlotte added, visibly sweating. "W-What part of the bird are we talking about?"

"I mean, it should be obvious, right?" Mika grinned wider. "Look at the color of the soup."

They both glanced at the shimmering golden broth and they wished they didn’t.

"...No..." Yelena whispered, eyes narrowing while Charlotte gulped.

Mika leaned back like a victorious mastermind and declared cheerfully,

"I’ll also tell that it’s from the bladder if you haven’t figured it out."

Charlotte dropped her fork with a loud clang.

"The what?!"

"The bladder."

Mika repeated, grinning like a troll under a bridge.

"And with that you should understand and if you don’t you should go and revise your anatomy about the fact that you’ve been dunking your meat in is bird piss this whole while."

"...Fresh bird piss that I squeezed out of the colourful chicken’s bladder..."

"...It’s quite flavourful isn’t it?"

He asked with a cheeky smile on his face while both mother and daughter looked like they were regretting all their life decisions right now...