"Reject all outside work for the time being, and focus solely on the tasks I assign you."
"This is... this is too much."
"I will decide whether to keep employing you after seeing how you operate."
Only then did Kasto, having realized my intentions, swallow hard. He made a complicated expression as he looked at the money inside the sack, and then,
"Understood."
he answered with resolute determination.
"I will show you the best results in return for your trust."
"There is no need to be overly frugal. Use what is necessary, where it is necessary."
"Yes, Master."
"There are two main tasks I will entrust to you."
I felt Rose, sitting next to me, take a short breath. She was likely paying closer attention to my words than ever before.
"Joel, the castle's chief physician, is the target of the request. Assign men to find out the places he visits periodically and the people he meets."
"Yes. I will assign some smart and quick-witted kids to it."
"And,"
I handed him a piece of paper I had prepared in advance.
"Investigate all the noble houses that ordered the assassination request on me."
There was a lot to prepare if I wanted to gain the upper hand in the war against my uncle.
**
The next day.
Because we had gone to bed late the night before, Rose and I ended up having a rather late breakfast.
"Madam, is it to your liking?"
Omul-omul.
Rose chewed and swallowed her food heartily before offering a gentle smile.
"Of course. Your cooking is truly the best again today."
"Hem-hem, you flatter me."
Fabri brought out a plate of skewered roast quail this time, looking pleased.
'Quite heavy for the morning.'
It had been quite a shock when Selma had worried about Rose's nutritional status on the first day. To think she wasn't naturally small but small because she hadn't been eating properly—was that even conceivable for a noble young lady?
I had immediately ordered Fabri to feed Rose high-quality, nutritious food every day. Thanks to that, all three daily meals lately were close to full-course banquets.
"This is fresh roast quail, hunted early this morning. Please try dipping it in the accompanying sauce."
Fabri looked happiest when Rose enjoyed his food. It was a warm smile I had never once seen in front of me.
"Thank you, Fabri."
Rose let out an exclamation of admiration upon seeing the roast quail. Seeing her bring her knife to the plate, Fabri suddenly muttered.
"You're eating more than on the first day."
"......Oh my."
Startled, Rose stopped her knife.
"Did I... eat that much? Should I stop?"
Her face, which had looked so happy just moments ago, stiffened rapidly.
"I was scolded for eating too much even in House Vikander....... I suppose I still haven't fixed that habit."
"That is not true!"
"Not at all!"
"No."
Answers popped up from all over the place at Rose's absurd self-reproach. Following a deathly pale Fabri, the kitchen servants, who were greatly startled, joined in.
"Wife."
I, the last to answer, tilted my head slightly.
"You are absolutely not eating too much. If you used to eat as much as a sparrow's share, you're now eating about as much as a jay."
"Did you really have to compare it in such detail......"
"Anyway, you need to eat a lot to grow, don't you? You still have a long way to go."
After glaring at Fabri for blurting out useless words, I finished what I had to say.
"This food would just be thrown away if you don't eat it. Don't hold back and eat up."
"Madam, I misspoke just now. Please, I beg you to forget it."
Fabri's desperate plea followed my command.
"Madam, you are the one who saved me when I was merely passing the days of my twilight years without any joy. Now, without you, I cannot live... No, I mean, there is no reward in preparing meals!"
Fabri drooped his eyebrows and pulled out every pitiful expression he could muster. Seeing a man of his bulky frame acting like that was quite a taxing sight.
'Madam! What in the world are you saying!'
'Why would you say such things, Chef! Please take it back right now!'
'No! If Madam eats less, the Chef gets sensitive!'
The dining hall servants couldn't bring themselves to speak. However, they stared wide-eyed, conveying their earnest feelings.
That was only natural, as Rose was the type of person that kitchen workers couldn't help but adore.
'It's so delicious!'
Not only did she eat the food deliciously,
'These candied fruits that came out today are truly exquisite. The sweetness is just right.'
but she always left an impression of what was tasty after eating. Unlike me.
Besides, seeing Rose's once-hollow cheeks gradually become soft and plump made it impossible not to feel a sense of accomplishment.
All these factors combined brought life back to the dining hall lately. Even as the master of the house, I found this change quite agreeable.
"Is it... really?"
When Rose asked hesitantly, Fabri nodded vigorously and answered.
"Yes. Watching you eat deliciously and heartily is the joy of my life. Please do not take this joy away from me."
Even after hearing those words, Rose, who had been observing my reaction,
Deuk.
finally felt reassured when I lightly nodded. And she began to carve and eat the roast quail, little by little.
"...Phew."
'You really have a loose tongue.'
'I apologize. I will correct it.'
Thanks to Fabri, a pleasant mealtime nearly turned into a mess. I was feeling proud of myself for successfully warding off disaster today without letting my guard down, when...
"Your Excellency."
Rose carefully called out to me. She had already polished off the roast quail.
"About what happened yesterday."
Aware that there were listeners in this dining hall, Rose cleverly chose to vaguely refer to it as 'what happened yesterday.'
"What about it?"
"By any chance... will you give me a reward too?"
"......"
This time, I was the one who stopped my fork-wielding hand.
I understood what Rose was trying to say. It was likely about the conversation regarding rewards that Helena and I had shared.
However, it was unexpected that Rose would bring up the word 'reward' herself.
"It seemed like you would give a reward if a task was completed well. I just thought that, if so, perhaps I could receive one too."
"Do you think you did well?"
I only asked to confirm what she was thinking, but Rose's expression darkened.
"Ah, I suppose it's not...... I'm sorry......"
Her voice grew rapidly sullen as well.
"......"
Fabri and the dining hall servants' stinging gazes flew over and pierced me like arrows. Fabri's gaze, in particular, was exceptionally intense.
'Your Excellency? You scolded me for it, so why are you doing this?'
...Good grief. I was the one who let my guard down.
I had just asked as casually as I always did, without any ulterior motive, not knowing Rose would react like that.
In retrospect, it was understandable why the original Rose grumbled about me being a 'Princess.' Not in the sense of a royal princess, but a 'Princess of Maws'—a terrifying mouth.
Anyway, I needed to do some damage control.
"Wife."
I raised a hand, concealing my troubled demeanor.
"I was not scolding you. I was merely asking for your thoughts."
"Ah...?"
Rose, who had deeply bowed her head, raised her face again. A clear light shimmered in her previously darkened eyes.
"Your Excellency, what do you mean?"
"To be honest, you did better than expected."
"Ah... really?"
"I will leave the next tea party invitation to you. It would be best to sort through them well and show your face at one of them."
Rose's face visibly brightened.
"Tea party, tea party......"
Rose fell into thought for a moment as if recalling the terms of the contract, and then
"What do you want as a reward?"
at my question, she suddenly snapped back to reality. Then, showing visible anxiety, she asked back.
"Can I really say it?"
"Yes."
What was she trying to say? I had already told her to buy anything she wanted or wished to purchase without holding back.
Was she short on money? Should I give her more? Or was it something hard to buy with money? Don't tell me she wanted a treasure from the royal family?
While I was having such thoughts.
"Um... there is actually something I want to eat."
Rose brought up an unexpected topic.
Hmm, food. I hadn't thought of that.
"Is it something Fabri finds difficult to make?"
"Um......"
Rose couldn't answer right away and looked quite hesitant.
"Madam, what in the world is it! Just say the word! I will learn and make it immediately! Or we could just invite that chef to this castle!"
At Fabri's wailing, Rose seemed to gather her courage and spoke slowly.
"It's not that, it's actually a dish that only Fabri can make."
......Don't tell me?
While I furrowed my brows at this ominous premonition, Fabri grew even more fired up and urged Rose.
"What is it? Just say the word! I might not be able to handle a dragon, but I'll at least raid a griffin's nest...... No, never mind."
I stopped Fabri, who looked ready to pull out his favored weapon at any moment, with a mere glance.
Having barely calmed down, Fabri coughed awkwardly.
"Hem-hem, I apologize. What kind of food would you like? Since this is your first time making a request, Madam, I am very much looking forward to it."
"Um, well."
Rose pondered for a moment before speaking as if she had made up her mind.
"On the first day I came to the castle, there was a dish that was brought out and then taken back."
"Pardon? By any chance, the lake...... are you referring to that?"
"The dish you made with that rare fish that only lives in the lake. You definitely brought it out."
Rose blushed slightly and asked me in a small, shy voice,
"I've been curious about it this whole time. Could I try it?"
Kku-woong.
That single, small remark turned into a massive boulder and struck the dining hall.
"--!"
Fabri turned to look at me, his face filled with ecstasy.
"Finally!"
"My God."
The servants nearly dropped their plates, hastily catching them.
"......."
And finally, me, furrowing my brows.
'She remembers that?'
Fabri had cleared it away right away out of sheer stubbornness.
I thought she would have missed it because it was her first day and everything was so chaotic, but it seemed Rose remembered that day quite vividly.
'This is problematic.'
Reason told me that Rose would freak out and say it was absolutely unacceptable. But emotion coaxed me to trust Rose just this once.
Besides, this was the first time since arriving at the castle that Rose had actually asked for something to eat. If I were a husband who dearly loved his wife, it was only right to grant her wish.
"Your Excellency?"
Whether he knew of my dilemma or not, Fabri flashed his eyes at me. Seeing him fidgeting, it looked like he wanted to run to the kitchen right at that very moment.
"......Do you have the ingredients?"
To my question, asked with a sliver of hope,
"Of course!"
Fabri's answer ruthlessly delivered despair.