Chapter 16 – Sweet Treats and Records

“Old Goat?” Illias rubbed his chin.

He was currently sitting in front of their home. Old Goat was drinking tea with an old buddy talking about Cursed Legions and something about probability, chances, great evils coming for their child, and keeping their eyes on a swivel in case something of grand proportions ever happened.

A lot of it was complete nonsense. It made Illias worry about his grandpa.

The conversation between the two old men paused.

“Hmm?”

“How do a person join a legion?”

“What? Why would you want to join a legion?”

Illias shrugged. “Cause.”

Old Goat stared hard, but Illias ignored him. The other old man, with a dozen liver spots on his face, stared with equal intensity. Illias refused to offer an explanation because he knew Old Goat would try to stop him. Not that it would do anything. Max was growing stronger with personal training right this moment. Probably eating amazing food and having a ton of fun as well.

All the while, he was here. Sitting on the floor because he was too sore to get up and do any more exercising.

“Illias? What are you planning?”

“Nothing! Just thinking out loud. Nothing else.”

Old Goat gave him a look full of suspicion.

Max cleaned the bowl of beans with the last piece of bread. He was stuffed and yet, he stood up anyway.

The recruits all looked up at him.

He got out of the benches and walked back to where the head cook and the other two legionaries were currently waiting and placed his large platter before them. That got everyone in the Chow Hall’s attention. Legionaries stopped eating, guards turned from their usual angles to stare, the rest of the recruits snickered, Caleb frowned deeply and looked down to his own food.

Arnie cursed under his breath and hurried to follow him.

Max waited until his friend was there.

“Seconds, please.”

The head cook looked at him for a long moment. And then, as though a spark had been ignited, his face bloomed into the brightest, largest smile that had ever graced the rotund man’s face. He laughed and pushed the two legionaries out of the way as he slapped down a potato, massive ladle of beans, and four pieces of bread on his platter.

Some of the legionaries started to laugh.

“First bunch of recruits to ever like your food…”

“…these recruits seem extra dumb. Who asks for seconds of Galgori’s cooking?”

“Probably the best thing they’ve ever eaten. Lots of slum kids been recruited lately…”

“Or maybe it’s just those two?”

The head cook’s expression remained unwavering. “Don’t you listen to them, boy! You’ve made me a happy man today.”

Max nodded and returned to his seat, followed by a hollow looking Arnie.

“Why’d you grab seconds?”

Max looked up at the whispering voice and found Caleb leaning in toward them. Max shrugged. “I was hungry.”

“Hungry? Is Arnold hungry too?”

Arnie gagged as he stuffed his face with another piece of bread, potato, and beans.

“Yep,” Max said without hesitation. “Abosolutely starving.”

Caleb frowned as he looked between the food, Arnie, Max, and the beaming head cook that was still laughing with the other two legionaries. Those two men grabbed their arms after what appeared to be the dozenth punch from the larger man.

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Max witnessed the studying gaze Caleb gave everything he did so far for a moment and then turned back to the food.

It’s not going to eat itself.

Caleb sighed. He got up and took his platter to the head cook. The large man’s laughter only grew louder as he gave Caleb the second portions and promised to give him thirds too if he asked for it. Caleb thanked him politely and hurried back to his seat. He began to stuff his face with the food without saying another thing.

Max acted like he wasn’t watching, but he was.

Most of the recruits around them just shook their heads and pushed their platters away from them, but a few copied Max. Namely the few that Arnie had mentioned as the most dangerous including Olir and Ricardo, Kelvin, Austinius, and Pratheous.

He wasn’t sure if they sensed the healing and recovery properties within the food or were just copying him. He would be surprised to see any of them did. He hadn’t noticed it until the Ledger had mentioned it. The system itself had been quiet about the subject even though he had a platter full of food already.

Maybe it would have changed when he began to eat?