Chapter 528: Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Kargryxmor Family.
“Enjoy!” Tasianna, Beth, and I placed the dishes for tonight’s dinner on the large dinner table, placed outside my house. As it was supposed to include my rather large party and maternal family, this round table could serve a maximum of twenty people, albeit, it would be cramped.
Designed like a Chinese round table with the rotating tray on top—a “Lazy Susan”—I had our artificers create a manatech one that also acted like a hotpot cooker, stew warmer, and also a grill for Korean barbeque! All of these functions were placed in the middle, on this rotating turntable, with a non-moving outer ring where the grill grate could be placed to grill everything. An empty hole was right underneath, to allow charcoal to be place.
Large and bulky, this furniture was my answer to a modern feast. Most Asian dining cultures usually involve sharing various dishes with each other, instead of ordering and receiving your own. Everything would be placed in the middle, or cooked, and people would take whatever they wanted. It was quite traditional Mexican, if you wanted a more western example.
Japanese dining culture was more European with how we mostly eat what we ordered, although the barbeque culture was quite popular, especially in bars. During my K-Pop stanning era—so when I was addicted to Korean culture to the point I learned the language—I did quite enjoy Korean barbeque with my family, and I wanted to emulate that experience with my family on Peolynca.
Eating on a round table, with everybody facing each other, allowed people to speak with others in a more comfortable position than on a rectangular table. It was less exclusive, you could say, as it made everybody feel equal with all the food placed in the middle. No favoritism on one side, as people could simply turn the turntable to get whatever they wanted.
“I see.” Kahalameet stroked his whiskers after I gave him an explanation for the table, looking over at the marinated meat. “So, we grill the food on the table? I say, did you see this from Inferno Nest? The dragonkin there enjoy cooking everything on the spot with their control over fire.”
I shook my head. “I just really wanted to eat it. We did it a month ago to celebrate Rego and the others’ induction as my retainers. Still ‘temporary,’ as Shay still can’t get himself to accept them, though, but the celebration was still legit. Barbecue, grilled by a dragon that knows [Pyrokinesis] just sounded perfect.”
“Their minds are still invested with their home land! Even if they are no traitors or even spies in the first place, I will not allow them to call themselves your guards when they are still too weak! If they cannot even defeat Bethlieranha in single combat, why would we need another master of pyro in Aurora?” Shay glowered as he helped divide the kimchi and other side dishes.
“You are only dissatisfied with us because I still treat you as my junior, Captain. Age still brings wisdom, and that you cannot disagree with,” Rego spoke back in Draconic, prompting Beth to snicker while Shay glared at him. “Yet, you speak the truth. We are still weak. If I, the eldest, cannot contend with Empress Melloxtressa’s retainer wyverns, then I am still not able to protect Princess Hestia. I am fully aware of the ‘ash and fire’ now. I will train. With Her Highness’s blessing, I shall not shirk my training. Am I right, everybody?”