Food was sacred to Aegon in both of his lives. Due to his poor health condition in his previous life, he wasn't allowed to eat normal food, though there were definitely exceptions. And those exceptions made food one of the most important things for him.

That followed into his second life too, especially since he was eating Xiu's cooking daily, which was surprisingly very good. He really hadn't expected someone like her to be such a good cook.

Fortunately for him, she was an excellent cook who made delicious meals for him every day.

She really showed him the meaning of indulgence in its truest form.

Now, she had even made his favorite chocolate pancakes for breakfast, how could he care about anything else?

It was his top priority.

"You look tired. What were you doing last night?"

The familiar warm voice pulled Aegon out of his daydreaming, and he turned his head toward the source.

His Opa.

Arnold was slowly entering the category of old men, but he didn't look too old yet. His body was still healthy and strong, and muscles could still be seen across his tall frame.

But there was always exhaustion in his eyes, as though his life was flickering like a fading candle within those jet-black irises. It always worried Aegon, but there was nothing he could do to help.

It wasn't a physical injury but a mental one. That couldn't be healed easily.

He didn't let those emotions show on his face since he knew it would only graze old wounds. Instead, he simply answered, "I did make some very good things, though nothing particularly special or new. We can go together to see it after breakfast."

"That reminds me, she ran off with a face full of anger, but I suppose you managed to placate her temper?" Arnold said, smiling faintly at the thought of his daughter's angry face.

"She can never remain angry at me," Aegon sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll end up too spoiled and become arrogant? Doesn't she realize this?"

"And here I thought you understood your Xiu a lot." Seeing his confused face, Arnold continued patiently, "She does realize what she's doing and what the consequences could be."

"And she still indulges me this much?" Aegon was even more confused. Did his aunt want to raise him into some pampered young master? As far as he knew, that was impossible for Xiu.

"She wants you to grow into a fine man," Arnold said, a gentle look flashing across his face. "If you were going in the wrong direction and truly becoming arrogant, she would've stopped you long ago and steered you back. But you've never done that, so she happily acts on her urges and spoils you rotten."

Aegon froze as memories surfaced. He recalled the times Xiu had scolded him, though only a few yet he remembered them vividly thanks to his perfect memory. He realized now how subtle her influence on his growth had been.

'Wait! I tend to lean more toward the cautious and humble side sometimes, so she spoils me even more to balance it. Aghh! This woman!' Aegon facepalmed, wondering if it was possible for him to love her even more than he already did.

"So don't think too much about it," Arnold chuckled. "She's reckless, but she would never joke with your life. She knows exactly what she's doing. Let her indulge you, you're the only one who gets this treatment."

"Oh, I will," Aegon smiled.

He had never once stopped Xiu, even though she could go over the top at times and cause him some annoyance. He liked how she pampered him, always with that wide smile on her face.

"Pancakes INCOMING!"

With a shout, Xiu entered the dining room carrying a tray full of fluffy pancakes. She flashed a grin at Aegon and set them before him.

"Enjoy them!"

Without a second's delay, he attacked the divine pancakes, as he called them, and ate with a euphoric smile on his face. His eyes closed as he hummed in bliss.

They were as delicious as ever. He could feel them melting in his mouth as the rich chocolate assaulted his taste buds. He had a sweet tooth, so to him they tasted even better.

Arnold and Xiu only took one pancake each as they simply watched Aegon devour the rest with pure enthusiasm. He didn't spare them any attention and didn't even speak.

His whole focus was on the pancakes, and before long, he had finished the full tray. Leaning back in his chair, he smiled in satisfaction and muttered, "Man, I feel like I'm in heaven."

For that, he received a light bonk on the head as Xiu scolded him, "Don't say such stupid things."

Aegon muttered a quiet apology and stared up at the ceiling. He knew how sensitive the two of them were about anything related to death. They still hadn't recovered from his grandmother's passing, so he had no wish to rub salt in their wounds.

"By the way, is this because I'm going to the Academy?" Aegon asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes. I'll pack lots of snacks for you, but you won't be able to eat these delicious pancakes for a while, so I was worried about you," Xiu explained, a dejected look on her face. "I want to go with you, but who will take care of our Elder Old then?"

"I can take care of myself very well," Arnold snorted in displeasure at that nickname. "Also, she's not going with you because she wants you to grow independently. We've caged you since your birth, so it's time you experienced the world on your own."

"Why would you put it like that?" Aegon frowned as he wiped his mouth. "I enjoy every second of my time here. If I didn't want to explore the world, I would've stayed here with you two happily."

"But you do want to explore the world, so you need to live by yourself," Arnold explained calmly. "Besides, I know very well how good my family's upbringing is, so I don't want to give you just that alone. You grew up fine, but you need to see the world as well."

Aegon definitely disagreed with him. Even though Xiu had only been in her early twenties when she adopted him, she had raised him far better than anyone else ever could, and the same went for Arnold.

Although Arnold didn't actively play a direct role in his life, he stood as the strongest pillar of support behind him.

"Are you two not coming with me because of my biological parents?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.