Aster didn''t hold back when it came to his cooking. He whipped up a feast worthy of royalty—if there were any left around, that is. He didn''t just focus on making the dishes mouthwatering; he also considered that Cassy was currently blind, putting extra effort into the textures and aromas to enhance her experience.


    The girls gathered around the table without hesitation, eagerly inspecting the foodid out before them. Unable to contain themselves, they each reached for one of the appetizers.


    The first bite was a fancy stuffed mushroom cap, filled with a savory mix of creamy ricotta, fresh herbs, and just a hint of garlic. Baked to a golden brown, each mouthful exploded with a blend of vors, with a crispy breadcrumb topping providing the perfect crunch over its soft, cheesy core.


    "This is amazing... The food only makes me hungrier for more!" Liz said, her eyes gleaming as she savored the taste.


    Even Cassy, who couldn''t see what she was eating, let a delighted smile spread across her face after Aster guided her hand. Each chew brought out newyers of vor, allowing her to enjoy the food in her own way.


    Next came the soup—a warm, creamy tomato bisque served in a mug for easy holding, paired with buttery breadsticks. Tina was the first to dive in, sipping from the mug with a blissful sigh as the rich, velvety vor of ripe tomatoes and herbs danced across her pte.


    Curious, she picked up a breadstick, dipped it in the bisque, and took a bite. Thebination of the crispy exterior and soft interior of the breadstick with the warm, smooth bisque left her momentarily speechless, lost in the harmonious medley of vors.


    Then came the main course, and it was Kali''s turn to indulge. She eagerly dove into the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes, letting out an appreciative hum.


    The meat, slow-cooked in a savory sauce until it fell off the bone, was so tender it practically melted in her mouth. The smooth, buttery mashed potatoes bnced the richness of the ribs, offsetting the grease perfectly and keeping her appetite sharp. Explore more at empire


    Meanwhile, a quinoa sd with avocado, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes remained mostly untouched. Aster had added it for nutritional bnce, but he knew the girls had a distinct preference for meat over greens. He chuckled to himself, thinking he should''ve seen iting.


    In mere minutes, every te was polished clean, leaving only remnants of the sd—which only Cassy and Aster sampled out of courtesy—and one final item: dessert.


    The pièce de résistance was a silky vani panna cotta topped with a generousyer of syrupy, crushed berries. Light and creamy with a delicate hint of sweetness, the panna cotta melted on their tongues, bringing smiles to the girls'' faces as they savored each spoonful slowly, relishing every bite.


    As they enjoyed the dessert, Aster''s expression grew serious. He decided now was the time to bring up a more pressing issue.


    "Everyone, listen up," he began, his tone drawing the girls'' full attention.


    "Even though we managed to get Cassy back, our fight against Lori and her group is far from over."


    The girls paused, expressions shifting to a mixture of worry and frustration. However, they continued to scoop spoonfuls of the dessert into their mouths, savoring the treat as they listened.


    "How many of them managed to remove their limiters?" Kali turned to Cassy and asked bluntly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.


    The question was a bit insensitive, given all that Cassy had gone through while in Lori''s camp, but it needed asking sooner rather thanter.


    "Three," Cassy replied, a small frown on her lips. "Only the two guys haven''t gotten their limiters removed yet."


    "So, three out of five..." Aster muttered, frowning at his hands resting on the table.


    A heavy silence filled the room, the quiet clinking of spoons on porcin the only sound. Finally, Aster raised his head, his voice firm as heid out their n.


    "We can''t stay as we are. We need to grow stronger while we still have the chance." He turned to Cassy. "But first, Cassy..."


    She gave him a faint smile, already understanding what he wanted to ask. She shook her head gently.


    "Sorry, Star, but I don''t want my eyes healed just yet. Once I can heal myself, or when the threat from the Aracelli Race has passed, then... maybe."


    Aster fell silent, recognizing her reasoning. Restoring her vision might make her an even bigger target for Lori, who still needed Cassy''s skills to remove the limiters from Lionel and Sebastian. Until Lori''s threat was dealt with, having her vision back would only increase the danger.


    "Healing yourself, huh..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Aster mused, thinking about what it would take for her to reach that level. Restoring vision required a high-level healing skill, a feat possible only at level 500 or above—a distant goal, but not impossible.


    "Then we''ll focus on leveling up as much as possible," he decided. "That means diving back into the dungeon and pushing ourselves harder."


    Hearing this, Tina suddenly broke into a smile, crossing her arms over her chest in a way that made them jiggle slightly. "Well, actually, we have a surprise for you, darling!"


    Aster raised an eyebrow as Liz chimed in, her tone smug. "While you were out, we gathered supplies that''ll make our dungeon dives a lot easier."


    Ignoring Tina''s mock-furious re for stealing her line, Liz continued, "Trust me, you''re in for a treat."


    "Even I was surprised," Kali added, a sly grin spreading across her face as she shot Tina a teasing nce. "When I first saw the things this ''horny cat'' ordered for you, I was left speechless."


    Aster''s curiosity was piqued. The girls'' excitement was infectious, and he couldn''t help but smile.


    "What exactly did you get?" he asked, a glint of intrigue in his eyes.


    "Oh, just wait," Tina replied with a smirk. "You''ll see soon enough."


    The mood shifted as they finished the panna cotta,ughter and light-hearted teasing filling the air. For a moment, the tension from their earlier conversation seemed to dissipate, reced by the warmth of shared ns and the thrill of whaty ahead.


    But even as theyughed, Aster''s mind lingered on the battles toe, steeling himself for the challenges that awaited them all. This respite was brief—a calm before the storm—but it was one he''d treasure. Whatever new tools they had, he knew they''d need every advantage they could get.


    With their ns set and a renewed sense of determination, Aster knew their path was clear: they''d face the dungeon''s depths and all the dangers within, growing stronger together, one battle at a time.