The Cursed King

Elise returned to the dining area to find Loriel reading some documents. But Loriel quickly looked up and smiled. "I received the pamphlets and other learning materials from my friend who recommended you to study under Chef Lucy Fournier."

"Oh." Elise's eyes widened. Loriel already helped her get in touch with Marc to have work, but he still got in contact with a chef?

A smile pursed on Loriel's lips and he said, "Did you know that the last name Fournier in French means the man responsible for cooking the dough in the fourneau or 'oven'? If I can tell anything, your instructor comes from a line of bakers."

"That's interesting." Elise took a seat in front of Loriel and smiled. "I can't help but feel grateful for doing so much for me. It feels too much, but I'll do my best to repay your kindness."

The relationship between the two of them was truly acquaintances with strange circumstances at best. Elise's nanny's warning about stranger danger flew out of the window the moment she met Loriel.

This man was a stranger to her, but look at how kind he was toward her? On the other hand, the people who claimed to be her family tried to hurt her for money. Tsk.

From now on, Elise decided to treat everyone, including strangers, as kind people until they were proven to be bad.

She didn't know, in this regard, Loriel actually did the opposite of her. To him, everyone was bad, until they could prove their worth to him. 

Loriel and Elise spent the rest of the evening dining and talking together. When Elise asked Loriel about how his walk in the morning went, Loriel only smiled and said it was a good one.

***

The next day soon arrived and was over in a flash. It was right after Elise's work in the Sanderman Group that she ended up traveling to the baking studio courtesy of the chauffeur of the company.

Marc did his best to ensure that traveling to and fro from the company to her baking studio was a smooth process and he texted Alex to mention the chauffeur services discreetly yesterday. 

Marc didn't want Loriel to complain and nag him about it and it was sort of true that certain employees did get drivers. Mostly those who were on the higher-ups, but Elise didn't need to know that.

When Elise arrived and stepped out of the car, she headed inside a small but lavish building. It was clear that the people whom Loriel knew were one of the elites.

The front view provided posters and displays of assorted pastries and cake, each one delectable and a feast for the eyes.

Elise stepped inside and was greeted by the sight of the chef. 

A handsome man was busy setting up things at the counter of his store. He looked up and smiled, "Ah, you must be my new student?"

Elise looked around and expected there were more people, but it was just her. Elise stared at the man. "Um, I was told that I'll be taught under the Pâtissier, Chef Lucy?"

The man nodded and grinned. "Yes, that's me… were you expecting a woman?"

"Actually, yes..." Elise said.

Lucy chuckled but waved a hand. "Yeah, most of those who come to study and become my protege are often surprised. … But enough talk, shall we begin, Miss?"

"Oh, alright." Elise nodded.

Chef Lucy smiled and led her to his kitchen. "You see, my name is Lucius. Lucy is a pet name I received from my dear friends and family when I was growing up and it's stuck with me. I kind of like it now. Seeing people's faces when they found out I was actually a man is priceless… hehehe."

"Really?" Elise's eyes widened and stopped in her tracks. It was different from what Elise herself experienced. Tessa once called her 'Mad' as an 'affectionate' nickname for Madeline. "They sound… kind of harsh."

"No, not at all," Lucy told her and only gave a resigned grin. "They're affectionate like that, although the time when my parents dressed me up in a girl's dress when I was in seventh grade does make me question their choices."

Elise couldn't help but laugh out loud at Chef Lucy's explanation. She decided she liked this baking teacher of hers.

*** 

Loriel was pacing in his living room restlessly. Tonight was the night where Elise came home a little later than usual due to her baking courses. 

It was so hard for the man to let her out of his sight for this long. Just letting her going to work had taken a lot of patience from him. And now, she also added a baking course to her list of things to do outside of the house. Sigh.

As much as Loriel wanted to just have Elise around his side and recover her memory, that wasn't right. Elise needed to enjoy her life and have her own independence. 

As far as Elise was concerned, Loriel was nothing but a kind man who helped her out to have these opportunities. Loriel was the reason why Elise found a job and was able to learn baking from a renowned chef.

So, not liking any of it didn't mean that he had any right to stop her.

And thus this was the only way to meet with her.

Loriel couldn't just happen to suddenly arrive there at the front porch of the baking building to meet with Elise and come out as a stalker, but there was always the option to be around the area.

It wasn't weird that Loriel was going out shopping, right? Well, Elise knew how much food he had stocked in the pantry. Or he could just meet up with some of his clients, could he?

"How did your first lesson go with Chef Lucy?" Loriel asked once the two of them met together.

Elise smiled at Loriel. "It was great, my teacher was pretty cool and helped introduce me to pastry chef terms and dishes available in their country. By the way, you were right, my teacher came from France."

"Ah, that's neat," Loriel commented.

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Imagine when Loriel finds out that Chef Lucy is actually a man? What do you think he will do? ^^