“Ah, this?”
Rose scrunched her nose with a sniff and shrugged her shoulders.
“This is nothing compared to what I used to eat at home...”
Before Rose could even finish her sentence,
Snap.
The fork in my hand folded completely into an L-shape. It was because I had unknowingly put too much force into my grip.
“...Madam.”
A servant nearby hurriedly replaced it with another fork. I grabbed the new fork as if nothing had happened and continued asking.
“Tell me in detail. What did you eat at home?”
“Um...”
Rose gauged the atmosphere for a moment before hesitantly answering upon feeling my gaze.
“As you already know, Your Excellency, my standing in the family wasn't that great. I ate alone in my room, and they brought me... somewhat old food.”
“What kind?”
“Hard bread and stale vegetables... occasionally spoiled food?”
Rose spoke slowly as she recalled that time.
“At first, I didn't know the food was spoiled and got a stomachache. Later, I could tell just by smelling it. Ah, but the bread was at least edible if I kept it in my mouth for a long time; it gradually softened up.”
A sinister air began to flow through the dining room.
Fabri looked ready to bring out a kitchen knife used on the front lines at any moment. The servants also stared at the forks they were wiping as if they were weapons.
“My stepmother always saw me as a thorn in her side. Compared to those times, this food is just a bit unique.”
Her nonchalant tone and detached attitude made it seem familiar. But it wasn't truly nothing to her.
“Truly malicious food... isn't like this.”
In Rose's eyes was a solid sadness that only those who had endured for a long time could possess.
‘...How unpleasant.’
I had intended to leave Rose's revenge against her family entirely in her own hands.
If Rose needed help, I would help her. Helping her would earn her favor, so it would be a good deal—just a shallow thought like that.
But my mind changed. It felt like an intolerable thorn had pierced my finger.
‘The Vikander family, huh...’
I began to seriously consider how to make a rumor that I had thoroughly destroyed them.
Isolation from high society, a vertical drop in the family's reputation, backdoor dealings against the family's business, humiliation in public places, and so on.
Every possible kind of downfall a family could experience filled my head. Along with a strong will to willingly carry out that task, even if it meant going through the trouble.
I decided on today. The Vikander family will disappear from the noble registry.
By my hands.
Click.
My fingers twitched as if reflecting my uncomfortable mood. As I gripped the fork tightly like a weapon, the air over the dining table naturally grew heavy.
As the dining room fell quiet,
“Your Excellency, may I say a word to the Madam?”
Fabri stepped forward.
Nod.
When I moved my head to give permission, Fabri approached Rose.
“Madam, how could I dare to meddle in your family's affairs? But as the head chef of this castle, I promise you this one thing.”
Fabri's fist thumped against his chest.
“They say bad memories are overwritten by good memories. I will do my best to ensure that you can have the happy dilemma of ‘Ah, what should I eat?’ until you say, ‘I'm so full I can't eat anymore!’”
He bowed deeply with his hand placed over his heart.
“On my career and my name, I will make sure you never experience such a sad thing again. I mean it.”
Fabri did not dare make a declaration that he would do something to the Vikander family. Instead, he chose the best method he could.
Rose bit her lip for a moment as if something welled up inside her before answering.
“...Thank you, Fabri. And I,”
And she smiled brightly.
“I think it's already been covered with a lot of good memories right now.”
“Oh my, Madam.”
Fabri wiped his eyes and then shook his head wildly.
“I got carried away. Ahem, today's food is just a fraction of the various dishes I will show you in the future. Please continue to enjoy.”
“I will.”
Swipe.
Rose licked her lips once and then picked up another piece of Hosu fish sashimi and ate it. Then she burst into laughter.
“I think I know why you said the tangy taste is the key. It's a really fun texture. But the taste of the sashimi itself is excellent too. The flesh is very chewy.”
She was definitely not forcing herself to eat. That was the attitude of someone genuinely enjoying it.
“But are we only going to keep eating it this way? I think it would go well with other meats too.”
“Oh, how could you make such an excellent remark!”
Fabri almost jumped up but barely restrained himself. Rose's remark just now almost made Fabri cry.
Analyzing the food and giving a specific tasting review. Not stopping there, but suggesting combinations that would likely taste better.
Rose was... a genius of tasting.
“That's an accurate analysis.”
Fabri answered, looking as if he were about to dance a shoulder dance.
“Please accompany it with the thinly sliced meat and dressed vegetables prepared here. Only when you eat it like this can you finally experience the Triple Schmaichel! That is when you truly taste this dish.”
“Aha.”
Without hesitation, Rose stacked the Hosu fish sashimi, meat, and vegetables as Fabri instructed and put them in her mouth.
Clap, clap.
Then she clapped her hands in excitement.
“It's tastier when I do as you say. The flavor is much richer. The dressed vegetables blend well together.”
“That's right...!”
Fabri's attitude toward Rose was almost akin to worshipping a goddess.
“Next time, I will serve you other monster cuisines. Schmaichel's culinary world is boundless!”
The servants stiffly glanced at each other, then—
“Whoa...”
“Wow...”
Pop.
They raised their thumbs up as if they had made a promise. A wave of respect for Rose began to swell in their eyes.
‘T-This person is the real deal! The real deal has appeared!’
‘As expected of the Madam. To pass this trial so easily...’
‘She may be small in stature, but she is destined for greatness!’
The atmosphere in the dining room was like a party. Everyone was smiling brightly, enthusiastically feeding and taking care of Rose.
Rose, surrounded by people and eating, looked genuinely happy.
‘Really... She surprises me multiple times.’
Watching the little squirrel eat deliciously, my earlier displeasure slowly faded.
I usually only focused on the food during meal times and didn't observe others, but now I felt like it didn't matter.
“Your Excellency.”
Rose smiled radiantly and pushed her plate toward me.
“Please eat too, Your Excellency.”
“Mm.”
I also picked up a piece of Hosu fish and ate it.
The tangy taste popping in my mouth and the chewy texture felt exceptionally delicious. It was a different feeling from the days when I thought of food as just food.
“...It's delicious.”
I muttered that without realizing it.
“Gasp!”
“Your Excellency, what did you just say?”
The servants and Fabri turned to look at me in surprise.
“I didn't say anything.”
“No, you did! I heard it clearly with these ears!”
To make such a fuss over a single word saying it's delicious. Anyone who saw this would think I had never said it was delicious before. (Which was true.)
“Go and focus on attending to the Madam.”
I waved my hand and shooed the surrounding servants away.
“B-But I definitely heard it...”
“Aw...”
The servants and Fabri, still unsure, turned back to Rose.
Swipe.
As I picked up another piece of Hosu fish along with some vegetables,
“......”
I felt Rose's steady gaze. When our eyes met, Rose beamed.
Her eyes crinkled slightly, and her bright smile scattered like light. It was so dazzling that I almost looked away without realizing it.
A habitual remark like ‘What's so funny?’ could have popped out,
“...You finish your meal too, Madam.”
But the words that came out of my mouth were just ordinary. It was truly unlike me.
“Yes, Your Excellency. Thank you. For giving me a good reward.”
“Sure.”
As I silently began to eat, Rose also began to focus on her food again.
“......”
It was the first time a meal felt enjoyable rather than just an obligatory way to sate my hunger and replenish my nutrition. I was already looking forward to the next mealtime.
**
Rustle, rustle.
I quickly checked the documents, flipping through them.
‘I should hurry.’
The day the laboratory was completed, Rose had played a cute trick.
‘Could you visit my laboratory once?’
‘I will tell you when you come to the laboratory.’
Today was the day I promised Rose to visit the laboratory. I could roughly guess what Rose had prepared.
Thump.
Bill, the butler assisting me, placed a bundle of papers on the desk. It was a neatly organized stack of invitations.
“Is it all done?”
“Yes, Your Excellency. As you ordered, I have filtered them mainly for the families of loyal vassals.”
Now, I planned to have Rose choose which invitation to reply to. There, I would be able to glimpse Rose's judgment.
“I will deliver these to the Madam later.”
“No, leave them.”
I took my eyes off the invitations and looked back at the documents as I spoke.
“I plan to meet my wife soon, so I will hand them to her myself.”
“Yes.”
While I was focusing like that.
Knock, knock.
A servant from outside announced a visitor.
“Sir Joel has arrived.”
What was going on all of a sudden?
I glanced up and suddenly saw Bill's expression. And I realized.
‘This is related to Bill.’
Pretending not to know, I calmly organized the documents on the desk.
“Tell him to come in.”
Soon, Joel, the attending physician, entered the room with his usual good-natured smile.
“Greetings, Your Excellency.”
“What is the matter?”
Bill and Joel exchanged glances, then—
“Actually, I asked him to come. There is something we need to report together.”
Bill stepped forward and began to speak.
“Among the items the Madam ordered recently, a matter arose that you needed to know.”
True to his word to be my eyes and ears, Bill was faithfully performing his role.
“Tell me in detail.”
“First of all, as you ordered, I followed whatever the Madam purchased. However, Sir Joel happened to see the purchase list and raised an issue.”
Joel handed me a piece of paper he was holding and spoke.
“This is the list of items the Madam recently purchased.”
Magical Scholar tools, and some medicinal herbs.
After scanning the list with my eyes, I asked.
“What is the problem?”
“In the list...”
Joel hesitated for a moment before speaking as if he had made a big decision.
“There is a poisonous herb.”