MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 546: Starter Pack

Anthony was still in the kitchen baking, his face molded into a serious expression. He moved with deliberate motion and extreme carefulness, as though whatever he was baking was going to be delivered to Vega that very day.

Every flick of his wrist and every movement he made were executed with the kind of precision that only someone truly invested in the moment could possess.

Romulus didn’t speak. He simply continued leaning against the wall, his gaze fixed silently on whatever Anthony was doing.

After a few minutes, the oven that Anthony had been using made a distinct ding sound, a sharp notification that the timer he had set had finally ended.

”Now, for the tasting. Let’s see what this Limitless Talent is really about,” Anthony murmured to himself with a hint of curiosity and pride in his voice.

”Your talent wasn’t given to you for this type of thing,” Romulus stated from the side, his expression flat and unreadable, but Anthony didn’t respond to him. He remained calm and focused, as though the words didn’t matter or simply weren’t worth addressing.

Anthony stepped forward. He wore loafers Pam slippers, on his feet. An apron hung around his body, shielding his clothes from flour, oil, and other messy ingredients. Even though Infinity could easily keep him clean, he had chosen to dress the part.

On his hands were thick baking gloves, unnecessary considering he was immune to heat and flame based attacks thanks to the Divine Flames, but still, he wore them.

After all, how could he call himself a baker if he didn’t at least look like one?

He approached the oven and opened it carefully. A soft hissing sound escaped, followed by a rush of steam that floated into the air like ghosts dissipating. The warm aroma of baked cookies filled the kitchen, almost making Romulus blink in surprise. Anthony reached in and brought out the tray of cookies, his expression one of satisfied calm.

Removing the baking gloves, Anthony picked one of the cookies from the tray and took a bite. He closed his eyes, as though letting the flavor unfold across his tongue, tasting every grain, every note of sweetness and crispness.

”I’m really good at anything, aren’t I?” he smiled as he spoke, his hand already reaching for another cookie with eager enthusiasm.

”I’m sure Vega would love these,” Anthony muttered softly to himself, barely audible.

”Do you want some?” he asked, turning to the prideful flame beside him.

Romulus looked at the cookie thoughtfully. Had he ever eaten anything before? Or rather, when was the last time he had tasted something, if ever? Besides, this was Anthony’s first creation in his journey as a chef. It was only proper that he tasted it.

With that thought, a cookie instantly vanished from the tray and reappeared in Romulus’s hand. Without pause, he tossed it into his mouth and crunched down slowly.

”Maybe you might be able to please Vega if your baking is this good,” Romulus commented with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

With that, he shifted into his smaller form, transforming into a miniature version of himself. He leapt and landed gracefully on Anthony’s head, perching like a regal king on his throne. Anthony didn’t mind. Instead, he quietly began cleaning up the mess he had created in the kitchen.

After a short while, he transferred the cookies onto a plate and headed back to his room. He intended to sit and eat in silence, enjoying the peace. But, of course, the universe had other plans. The barrier he had set up just a few minutes ago instantly shattered.

Anthony’s body froze as he felt the collapse of his barrier. His gaze turned sharply to the door just as it opened, revealing his teammates walking in casually. He didn’t need to guess who had broken the barrier. He already knew, it had to be Kingsley using his Concept of Destruction.

’Tsk. There goes my peace,’ Anthony thought silently to himself.

”What’s with the nice aroma in the air?” Dale, as usual, was the first to speak the moment they walked in.

They all perceived the rich, delicious scent hanging in the air. Their gazes shifted simultaneously to Anthony, who sat there with a plate of cookies and a golden being seated majestically on his head.

”I didn’t know you knew how to bake,” Seraphim commented as she sat beside Anthony, her hand already reaching out toward the plate without hesitation.

”I didn’t,” Anthony replied calmly as he took another bite. ”I started today.”

”Why the sudden urge to learn baking?” Reynold asked as he took a seat across from them, using subtle mana control to pull a cookie toward himself.

He took a bite, chewed, and then paused mid-thought. ”Are you sure this is your first time? Or are you just lying to make yourself feel better?” Reynold asked, honestly doubting what he was hearing.

’How can someone bake something this good and claim it’s their first attempt?’ he thought to himself, chewing slowly.

Seraphim looked Anthony up and down, studying him as he munched on his creation. She wanted to ask about the being sitting on his head but decided to ask something else first, something more pressing.

”Did you bake this for someone?” she asked, not entirely sure, but she had a feeling she was right.

Anthony’s eyes shifted toward her. He smiled faintly before replying, ”How did you know? Did you feel the love and care in the cookie?”

”I can perceive a woman’s scent on your body. It’s a first,” Seraphim replied with a teasing smirk.

Anthony paused, but not just him. Everyone in the room paused and turned their gaze toward him.

”Women’s intuition is really terrifying. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you were my girlfriend and I just got caught cheating,”

Anthony replied smoothly.

He was confident there was no trace of Vega’s scent on his body, but somehow, Seraphim had figured it out instantly. She always did.

”It’s all part of the women’s starter pack,” Seraphim said with a grin.

Anthony smiled softly and responded, ”I baked it for my girlfriend.”

His words caught everyone off guard. None of them had expected him to admit it so bluntly.

”Well, congratulations are in order then,” Seraphim said with a warm smile.

”There’s nothing to congratulate. With your power and your face card, you should have at least ten women. It’s standard,” Dale commented casually, though there was an undercurrent of surprise in his voice. He still couldn’t believe Anthony had gone through the effort to bake for a girl.

”When you get a girl of your own, I’ll reply to that,” Anthony said dryly.

Dale raised an eyebrow in confusion. ”I don’t need any girlfriends. I’m a married man.”

Anthony’s entire body paused as his head slowly turned toward Dale, his expression frozen in complete shock.