Chapter 52: THIRD POV.

"This is actually pretty good. How’d you make this?" Jacob said after tasting the first bite of Persephone’s cooking. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

He looked down at the plate with wide eyes, genuinely surprised by the flavor.

He had expected something simple, maybe even a bit bland, but the taste was rich and unlike anything he had eaten in the village so far.

"I’m glad you like it," Persephone said. She sat back slightly, watching him with a soft expression.

There was a bit of pride in her voice, and she seemed to relax as she saw him enjoy the meal.

"You never told me you were this good of a cook. Is there some kind of special ingredient?" Jacob asked with simmering eyes.

He took another bite, savoring the way the different sea herbs and fresh fish blended together.

He looked like a kid who had just discovered a new favorite snack. He was so impressed that he didn’t even notice the tension starting to fill the room.

Persephone giggled, enjoying his reaction.

"It’s a secret," she said, tapping her chin playfully. She liked seeing him this happy, and she liked even more that she was the reason for it.

"But I’d be happy to make more whenever. You need only but ask," Persephone added.

She leaned in a little closer to him, her voice warm and inviting.

it was obvious she wanted nothing more than to take care of him, and that this wasn’t just a one-time thing.

Hearing her words, Jacob’s eyes shimmered even more. "Really? That would be amazing. I mean, Artria’s food is okay, but this is on a whole different level."

" I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything this sweet." He was talking fast now, his excitement getting the better of him.

Jacob was so focused on the food and Persephone that he completely forgot to watch his words.

Artria, on the other hand, frowned on seeing this. She sat a few feet away, her body stiff.

She hadn’t said a word since they sat down to eat. The sight of Jacob’s "shimmering eyes" and the way he was praising Persephone felt like a heavy weight on her chest.

She felt a sharp pang of something that felt a lot like jealousy, but she tried to push it down.

Artria glanced at the sushi-like dish in her hand that Persephone had made. It looked beautiful, neatly rolled and decorated with colorful sea fans.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, she took a small bite.

’I-Its actually really good.’ Artria was surprised to discover that Jacob wasn’t actually making up his reaction.

The meal was just that good. The texture was perfect, and the seasoning was just right. It was better than anything she had ever prepared in this house.

’H-How.’ Artria stuttered in her head. She felt a sense of panic rising. ’How come she’s this good at cooking?’

Artria felt at a loss. If there was one thing she truly believed she was better at than her sister, then it was cooking.

She had spent years as a normal villager, preparing meals every day, learning which plants tasted best and how to prepare fish for the hunters.

She took pride in her chores and her ability to run a home. But it seemed she was sorely mistaken about where she stood.

Persephone’s cooking outclassed hers by a notable amount. It wasn’t even close. The flavors were more complex, and the preparation was more professional. It made Artria’s own cooking feel like child’s play in comparison.

And yet she didn’t understand why. Her sister had fled into the wild years ago. She had been living alone in a dark, cold cave at the edge of the reef.

She shouldn’t have been able to grow her cooking skills this much. In Artria’s mind, Persephone should have been struggling to survive on raw fish and scraps, not developing the skills of a master chef.

Persephone sensed Artria’s bitter mood. She could see the way her sister’s shoulders were hunched and how she was staring at the food with a look of defeat.

Persephone didn’t feel sorry for her. Instead, she flashed her sister a mocking smile. It was a quick look, one that Jacob didn’t see, but it was full of triumph.

It was a smile that no doubt irritated Artria to her core.

If only Artria knew the truth. If only she knew that Persephone had spent countless times perfecting her cooking skills by catering to all those humans who ended up stranded at sea near her cave.

Over the years, many sailors had been lost in the storms, their boats breaking apart on the rocks. Persephone had often brought them to her cave.

The only reason her skills were this good was because she had a lot of practice trying to keep those humans alive and happy.

She had experimented with their supplies and learned what they liked.

Unfortunately, those men weren’t able to survive long in the underwater environment, even with her help. She hadn’t truly enjoyed the labor of her efforts back then because the people she cooked for always ended up gone.

But with Jacob here, things were different. Unlike them, he was part sea-creature due to having survived the transformation.

She was happy to see that at least he loved it very much.

"I think I’ll head outside for a while," Artria suddenly said. Her voice was sharp, cutting through Jacob’s chatter.

She placed her plate down on the floor, the food barely touched. She couldn’t stand to sit there for another second, watching the two of them. She felt like an outsider in her own home.

Artria began swimming toward the entrance, her movements quick and agitated.

"What? But you haven’t even touched your food yet," Jacob said, surprised. He stopped mid-bite, looking at her with a confused expression.

"We just started eating. And it’s really good, Artria, you should try to finish it."

"I’m not hungry..." Artria replied in a flat tone.

She didn’t turn back to look at him. She didn’t want him to see the frustration in her eyes or the way her lip was trembling.