A/N: I am alive. Get shit on. Here's the next chapter!
Sseth Enjoyer: He is. Granted, anything would be enjoyable after the Lands Between.
ParticularFrog: I'll fuckn' do it again.
GETH Prime: I AM. Sadly, I got transferred to another university, so things have been rough.
RhoMarck: Dude will literally suplex a mountain.
Guest: I'll be honest. I completely forgot about Fischl. But you do make a great point and delivered a good idea! Only, I know literally nothing about her aside from the schizo thing.
Flight Nest: Don't bet on it. While Morgot, Mohg, and Godfrey were killed, they weren't destined killed like poor Godwyn. The dude is omega dead due to the Ranni. Now that I mentioned it, I didn't really stop to think about Mohg, the femboy lover...
Flight Nest: The man will suplex the entirety of my family tree if I stop him.
Anyways... Here's the chapter.
The sun was setting, and the chirping and singing of the birds were slowly being replaced by the calls of insects. Godfrey observed from a distance the people of Springvale lighting up the village as the night approached. Many bewildered townsfolk curiously glanced at the giant who peacefully strolled through the Village.
Sadly, the rustic beauty of the Village meant little to the former Elden Lord.
No, what he looked for was the source of such a delicious smell. Moving closer to a small crowd of people, Godfrey knew that there was the source of the sweet fragrance he searched for. Without any difficulty due to his height, he loomed above the crowd and, in the middle, saw a spear-wielding child... arguing with a much older lady while a cooking pot held the most appetizing meat he'd seen yet.
And for better or worse, the thing didn't smell bad, almost tempting.
Behind the child, their friend apparently, was the only person Godfrey didn't think would find so easily. Standing in a grand and unintimidating 5'1.5", a Young blond girl wearing a white dress with a design Godfrey had never seen before, silently watched the two arguing.
"Lumine..." Just to make sure, Godfrey pulled out the picture of her and compared the two side by side. The white flowers on the hair, the haircut, the color of the eyes, everything was there, even the floating child in the picture was there behind her. "There's no mistaking it. 'tis her." So he casually approached them, well, as casually as a gigantic demigod can, accidentally overhearing the discussion.
"That's pure overkill! You're going all out on the trimmings and doing no justice to the meat whatsoever," The older woman said. It seems that they are having quite an argument. "Who wants to eat a roast when you can taste everything except the roast?" The woman finished.
Godfrey couldn't tell for how long that conversation was going on, but he pondered if he should interrupt the two. It wouldn't be respectful to simply barge into their conversation, he was a guest in this village after all, so he decided to wait patiently.
"Hmph. Well, there's only one surefire way out of a cooking dispute..." The child responded, getting into a pose and pointing her index finger at the older woman. "I declare a cook-off!" She exclaimed. Godfrey could only hum in amusement while the situation unfurled. "Suits me! If you can't beat my cooking, it'll show that Draff was clearly wrong about you." The older woman said in response. Before long, the child walked away, declaring to go hunt ingredients.
Before Lumine had a chance to chase after the girl, Godfrey stood in her way. "A moment of thy time," He said with the most non-threatening voice he could muster. "Lumine." She stopped. Only, she eyed him, not uttering a singular word. "Wooah! Look at the size of this man!" The floating child spoke, her voice filled with amazement. "He's like, the size of a Lawachurl!"
Godfrey's left eye twitched impatiently. "I've known that thou hast connections with the nobles of Liyue. Be I correct?" He firmly spoke. The small flying girl staggered backward behind Lumine. "He speaks the same way Fishl does..." But Lumine simply nodded her head. "So 'tis true then. Thou knows the allegedly meetest chef in Teyvat, Xiangling." She once again nodded her head. "Speaking of... Where did she run off to? She was here just a minute ago!" Cogs turned inside the Elden Lord's head. The flying girl said Xiangling was here just now, then it must mean that-
"The child? She's the most famous chef?" Godfrey inquired, confused. "Yup! That's her," the kid said. "'name's Paimon by the way... Seems like you know Lumine already." Godfrey took in that information and breathed in deeply. "I am Godfrey. Amber told a few things about thee," He did a small bow to the two girls, which Lumine answered in kind. "She quoth that thou could help me become a judge at the upcoming cooking duel in Liyue... Yet most importantly," Godfrey analyzed the duo. Paimon was nothing he needed to worry about. Lumine on the other hand, left him completely and utterly confused. Everything about her screamed harmlessness, and yet Amber had said that he couldn't best her in battle. Her semblance, her neutral stance, the way she silently stared at him... It matched perfectly with the way that Tarnished carried herself. "I was told that thou could beat me in battle," He said, towering over the girl who tensed up in response. "That, I shall not allow."
"Wait, wait, wait! You wanna start a fight?!" Paimon said, raising her tiny fists, mimicking a fighting stance in a pitiful attempt at intimidation. "Not against thou, Child," The Elden Lord said, casually pushing her out of the way using the palm of his hand. "He- Hey! How da-" Her complaints were quickly shut down when Godfrey glanced at her. "Thee." He said, pointing at Lumine, who, at this point had already reached for the iron sword in her back, waiting.
Before things could escalate further, the older woman stepped in to control the situation. "Oh no, you two won't start any funny business in my yard!" The woman turned to Lumine, "Go after Xiangling, Traveller. Because, if she plans to beat me she's gonna need help." She spoke in an almost threatening voice brimming with confidence, then turned to Godfrey, as Lumine and Paimon ran out of the village. "And you! An outsider, come in front of my house and almost stirs up a fight! What do you have to say for yourself?"
Godfrey wasn't just going to let Lumine escape without a scratch, but he also knew better than to irritate someone in their home. 'She shall return.' He thought to himself, sighing. "I ask for thy forgiveness, madam," He said, bowing his head slightly. "In mine eagerness, it seems I forgot where I stand."
The woman blushed slightly, "It's no big deal." She didn't notice before, but Godfrey was at least twice her height, and due to his abnormally developed muscles, his silhouette appeared to be even more monstrous. Her eyes explored his physique like a child in a toy shop. "Although..." Godfrey raised his head, revealing his aged, gray, and white beard and hair. "I could have you help me with a few things."
The Elden Lord raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Speak."
The woman grinned. "I need some help setting up the stage for tomorrow's cook-off I'll have against Xiangling, and I would appreciate someone with your strength to help."
Godfrey thought for a moment. "I shall do it, under one condition. I shall be one of the judges overlooking thy duel."
The woman smiled. "Consider it a deal well struck!" She exclaimed, throwing a pair of protective gloves to Godfrey. "There's a pile of wood on the side of the house. You do the heavy lifting and I'll do the tying up and-" But Godfrey didn't care. "Worry not, I can do it alone." He spoke, walking towards the side of her house. "We'd be sure not having thou to get muscle aches ere the duel, do we?"
His speech was refined, perhaps too refined. She didn't understand half of his sentence but got the gist of it. "Right... Name's Brook, by the way."
The Elden Lord took all of the ropes and tied them around his left arm and simply lifted the wood pillars and began setting up the foundation and skeleton of the stands where the cook-off would take place. Brook couldn't help but whistle at how efficiently the hulking ball of muscles worked. "'Tis Godfrey."
"Huh?"
Godfrey huffed. "Mine name. 'Tis Godfrey." Brook nodded and made her way inside her house, leaving Godfrey to work by himself.
Before long, both stands were completed. Sighing in satisfaction with a job well done, Godfrey stretched his arms before sitting by the foot of a nearby tree. "Oi! Godfrey!" Glancing over towards the voice calling out his name, Godfrey quickly rose to his feet after noticing what Brook had in her hands. "There we go..." She laid out a blanket over the grass for Godfrey. "I don't have a bed that fits your size, so I hope this would-" But he simply raised his hand, making her give up her worries.
"I also brought you dinner." She said, handing him a plate with vegetables and what seemed to be chicken meat.
The Elden Lord accepted the food and sat down with his legs crossed. Brook couldn't help but be amazed once again by the absurd size of this man, even setting down Godfrey was still somewhat taller than her. "Art thou trying to buy mine voice for tomorrow's duel, with food?" Godfrey asked, taking in the fragrance the plate presented to him exuded. "Nay!" Brook exclaimed, poking a jab at Godfrey's ways of speech. "I just don't want you starving to death in front of my house. Looks bad for my business." Godfrey hummed.
Picking a chicken strip with the leaves on the side, he brought the fork Brook handed to him to his mouth, Godfrey took in the explosions of flavors invading his tastebuds. "'tis smoked fowl."
Brook was thoroughly amused. "Ah, so you've noticed. Maybe you'll truly be a good judge." But Godfrey wasn't done.
"The onions were smoked alongside the fowl, which allowed for the meat to absorb the natural spice the onion wrought," Gulping that down, the Elden Lord didn't waste any time and picked a piece of baked potato he hadn't seen there before. "The potato too absorbed the taste of the meat's fulsome that dripped onto it..." After that, Godfrey quietly finished the meal as Brook patiently waited for his final verdict. "'twere a marvelous dish, rich in flavor and substance. The ingredients married with each other in an explosion of texture and taste. That was a meal befitting of a king, alas..."
Brook accepted all of those compliments. "See? I'm telling you I'll win." But Godfrey wasn't finished yet.
"If Xiangling is the real deal, it shan't be enough to win the duel."
Brook raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Huh? Elaborate." Godfrey nodded, his expression became serious. "I am from a land far aroint, beyond the fog, and aye since I arrived in Mondstadt, every dish I've eaten, every food I've consumed, hath been absurdly good and they had been cooked by most competent chefs, yourself included." He then pulled out his Mora pouch and began counting his money. "Yet, they all put Xiangling on a pedestal."
She knew what he was hinting at. To face someone such as Xiangling, you would need much more than plain skill and talent, the biggest factor in such a confrontation was nerves. She trembled in her boots just thinking about it. Imagine the nerves someone had to control just to face the best chef in Teyvat on equal grounds... But Brook did not falter, however. "Even if I put up a front of confidence, I would be lying if I said that I am not scared to face her," She said, capturing Godfrey's attention. "But, because of that fear, I won't run away, or else I'll forever be scared." She wasn't sure if had the strength to stand against her of all people, but goddammit there wasn't a world where she'd run away!
Godfrey nodded in understanding. "Good," He stated. "That is the resolve needed for someone about to brow off against a dragon." Godfrey finished, proud of Brook's resolve.
"You better not be biased about the results." The Elden Lord chuckled. "As would I would tarnish thy resolve. I'd sooner get married once again than do that."
Satisfied with Godfrey's response, Brook took the empty plate and fork from Godfrey and sat down next to the Demigod. Godfrey paid no mind to her and continued counting his Mora. 3.000 It seems. He wondered how Mora was weightless, or how 3.000 individual coins the size of his thumb could all fit inside of his small pouch, but soon gave up when he reached the conclusion of 'Magic'. He did not know how much 3.000 Mora was in comparison to the normal price of things, but, should he need more, there were slimes and Hilichurls aplenty out in the wilderness.
"Why did you try to start a fight with the Traveller?" Brook spoke, breaking the silence and serenity of the night.
Godfrey exhaled. "Where I hail from, I am called the lord of the battlefield, so it is only logical that I would seek to fight those deemed firm-set, doth thou agree?" Brook did not answer immediately, thinking carefully about her next words. "Traveller, that girl, she defeated the dragon Stormterror, are you sure you want to do it?" But Godfrey simply hummed. "So it shall be an e'en broil." He stated.
It was clear just how much ego this man had. Brook got up, brushing the dirt off of her clothing with her hands. "Tell you what, if you happen to pass by Springvale again, don't be a stranger and come buy something, I'm sure a big man like yourself needs a lotta meat to keep that shape, and I can say with confidence that I make the best steak in all of Mondstadt." Godfrey smiled at the woman. "I shall."
Brook nodded satisfied and made her way into her house. But just before getting inside, she shouted, "Remember this! Meat is the meaning of life! And tomorrow, I will be dubbed Teyvat's best cook!" And just like that, she closed the door behind her. Godfrey soon would fall asleep sitting crosslegged beneath a tree.
Leyndell, the Royal Captal
After their usual training Godfrey, alongside his knights returned to the city blessed by gold. Every day was like this monotonous drag, but it was a necessary monotony.
There was tension in the air, the relations between the Erdtree and the ancient dragons worsened by the second, and a war against the nobles of the house Caria and the scholars of the academy of Raya Lucaria was inevitable, so the training of men was needed.
After being showered by praises coming from the common man and knights alike, the Elden Lord returned to the royal palace, bathed by the Erdtree's soothing golden light.
Bidding his knights farewell for the day, Godfrey and Serosh were greeted by a most amusing image. A small boy, with flowing golden hair, was currently standing on top of a stool, shouting at one of Marika's chefs. "Lord Godwyn, I warrant thou that today's menu was handpicked by thy mother!" Godfrey watched amused by the shenanigans of his son. "Then she's an blinking idiot! Whom in their right mind would pick a meal that doesn't hast meat on it?" Oh, the poor servant.
Godwyn was difficult to anger. It was the first time Godfrey had seen his son have such an outrage, though, he did little other than watch the scene unfold. "I am sorry mine lord, then I shall compose a separate trencher with-"
It was time for Godfrey to step in. Spoiled or not, he would not allow his son to disobey his mother.
"That will be all."
Godwyn quickly jumped off of the stool and bowed before Godrey alongside the chef. "We shall hast a talk, Godwyn. Continue the planned dish Marika asked for." The chef nodded and returned to his work, but Godwyn was not amused. "But father! 'tis-"
"Enough,"
Godfrey said firmly, shutting up his son instantly. "I understand thy love for meat son, forsooth, I do." Godwyn remained stoic to his father's comment. "And while I too hit together that thy mother is unreasonable at times, there is no reason not to eat something other than meat. How ill can those vegetables of hers possibly be?"
Godwyn nodded, still not thrilled with the idea that he won't eat any meat for dinner and Godfrey knew this. "Father, meat is the meaning of life! There is no argument that could be made against the imagining of eating meat!"
Godfrey patted his son on the head. "There are many dishes that do not use meat. Hast an open mind and I am sure thou shall enjoy e'en those." But the boy was stubborn.
"As if!"
Godfrey chuckled. "That stubbornness of yours is enough to end a war..." Godfrey pondered for a moment, pitying the boy. "Say to thou what, endure today's dinner and I shall personally take thou to a place where boiled prawn is plentiful, where thou shall eat meat to thy heart's content"
Godwyn's eyes brightened with a golden hue. "Do thou warrant?" Godfrey nodded. "Only if thou keep thy part of the bargain."
A/N: Also,
gustavopachecosiqueira: Fudendo.
