The Spider Queen

(Earth Federation- Alpha Star System)

(Planet Gaia- Peterlor Estate)

"What the hell is the holdup?! Am I paying you fucking morons to sleep on the job? Those steaks and souffles should have been out yesterday!"

"But sir! We can't keep up with the duke's daughter! She has already finished one hundred and fifty courses already!"

"Excuses! Excuses! Fuck off! Fuck off! FUCK OFF!"

The sounds of yelling and angry roars filled the kitchen as a dozen chefs frantically ran from station to station.

Head chef Gordan Ryene scowled as he directed his ire towards the newly hired chefs that were struggling to keep up with the pace.

If he had to describe these highly trained and qualified chefs using three descriptions, then it would probably be…

Amateurs. Dim wits. Useless sacks of shit.

The Emerald Sky's Restaurant was one of the most prestigious restaurants on planet Gaia and had in the past been hired to serve the late emperor himself.

One does not acquire such an impressive reputation without maintaining only the highest standard of quality.

Duke Peterlor was a powerful client that deserved only the best that could be provided and Gordan swore that not a single meal would be anything less than five stars.

Robotic waiters stood silently along the walls of the kitchen with empty plates held carefully in their palms.

Occasionally a chef would run up to one of the robots and place a warm meal on the empty plate before rushing back to their station.

The robotic waiter would then scan the dish for toxins and then proceed through the door and enter into the dining room.

The dining room was a large open hall that was dimly lit by bioluminescent plants that were specially grown on the pillars that were scattered around the room.

A heavy chandelier swung gently from side to side as the sounds of classical music could be heard coming from the speakers overhead.

In the center of the spacious hall was a magnificent wooden table with intricate patterns carved onto its surface.

Several chairs were placed along the edges of the table with each made from the finest materials that money could buy.

The frames of the chairs were crusted with rare jewels while the seat was made from a special type of memory foam that perfectly molded to fit the shape of the person sitting down.

Three well-dressed individuals sat down on these chairs with plates of food neatly piled in front of them.

The seat at the head of the table was occupied by Duke Peterlor who was content to watch as his daughter devoured plate after plate of food into her ravenous mouth.

Lily sat down on the chair next to Sophie and took small, cute bites of the roasted potato skins on her plate.

Sophie maintained the refined attitude and demeanor that was expected of a lady of noble birth, but something was a bit off…

Although her movements were slow and elegant, it was an undeniable fact that the food seemed to just disappear down her throat.

From cold noodle soups filled with rare vegetables and edible gold to gigantic slabs of meat freshly roasted and smeared with honey.

No plate could survive more than a few minutes in front of her.

But could you blame her? Sophie had tasted very little other than vials upon vials of nutrient solution and the occasional fresh meal during her three months stay in the Unovan Syndicate.

Grade S nutrient solutions did not taste terrible but frankly it felt like drinking water and that was barely appealing to Sophie since there was nothing more satisfying than ripping into flesh…

Sophie quickly pushed that dangerous thought to the back of her mind and continued to devour another bowl of mystery soup.

She was tempted to let out a sigh of appreciation as an explosion of flavors burst in her mouth when she sipped the hot liquid.

"Big sister… big sister…" a soft whisper entered Sophie's ears. A tiny hand tugged at her sleeve as Lily stared at her pitifully.

"What's wrong?" Sophie replied softly. Lily's face blushed as she gestured towards her plate. There was a giant bone in the middle of her dish that was covered in spicy oil.

Sophie realised the issue and smiled at the little girl.

She picked up a knife and scrapped the meat and bone marrow off the bone with smooth movements before slicing the meat into bite-sized chunks.

"Thank you," Lily replied with a warm grin. The little girl buried herself in the food and got sauce on the corners of her lip.

Sophie's smile softened as she picked up a tissue and wiped the corners of Lily's face silently without complaint.

Duke Peterlor stared silently as he observed a side of his daughter that he had never seen before.

When did his daughter become so caring and motherly?

Although as he thought about the matter further it did make sense that the pair had bonded over the course of the last several months.

Anyone who had experienced so many life and death situations with a companion by their side would have formed a strong connection.

Duke Peterlor silently made a note to himself to arrange a meeting with Count Blackait as soon as possible.

House Blackait had not formerly made an announcement that they would be choosing a new heir but one of Lily's cousins had all but been confirmed as the logically choice.

A brief frown flashed across the duke's face as he remembered the bloody battle of succession that had resulted from his father's swaying heart.

Maybe there was a way to reintegrate Lily back into her family without causing a conflict.

Duke Peterlor mulled over several possible methods in his mind before settling down on a certain option.

Sophie hadn't noticed her father's contemplative mood as she eagerly stabbed her fork into a large fish-like creature that had been fried until its skin was crispy.

Crunch!

The oily fatty exterior immediately broke down under the force of Sophie's bite and she could taste the sweet tang of tender meat.

Sophie reached for a goblet and took a small sip of wine from the glass.

Her body's immunity to poison meant that alcohol was instantly broken down when it entered her liver, but Sophie still enjoyed the taste.

"My daughter… have you decided when you want to return to university?" Duke Peterlor suddenly asked out of the blue.

The handsome middle-aged man sounded casual but under the table his fists were clenched tightly together.

Duke Peterlor tried his best to calm down and not let his daughter know about his internal struggles.

He had been tempted to never let her leave the Peterlor estate ever again.

In fact, a small part of him screamed that it was the best option to keep her safe but….

He couldn't.

Sophie wasn't a canary that he could raise for a lifetime. She was his daughter, an individual who needed to grow and spread her wings.

The power struggles and hidden undercurrents beneath the so- called 'peaceful state' of the Earth Federation had only gotten worse since the emperor's death.

Emperor Sisrelis' choice to kill himself had left a power vacuum and as history would tell, many a noble house had disappeared in the long river of time during a war for succession.

Should he be killed one day… Duke Peterlor would never forgive himself if his daughter were unable to look after herself and survive without his protection.

Sophie stopped eating and placed her fork down on the side of the table. She took a few deep breaths and then gently exhaled to focus her thoughts.

"Dad. I have been doing some thinking and I think maybe it's better if I don't rush back to university," Sophie explained seriously.

"There are only two weeks left in this semester, so it doesn't make sense that I show up just for finals season."

"I don't know if I have to talk to the dean or the departmental heads, but I was considering re-enrolling in my courses next semester and then going to summer school to make up for my lost credits."

"Whatever you decide… I will support you," Duke Peterlor spoke firmly. He got up from his chair and placed a warm hand on Sophie's shoulder.

"But I do think that you deserve some well needed rest."