A Meal with the Grand Duke
Oh...
I had only ever read textbooks in this world. I didn't have a habit of reading books, so I didn't read them. Was that the reason?
"Interesting..."
Since Kyle had gone out for his successor training, I was reading a book alone in my room. The book Kyle had given me still seemed to have a bit of his warmth. I read it roughly and then closed it. It was fun, but not enough to read all day. Because it had a slightly stimulating element, it was interesting.
"When will he come back..."
It had only been 30 minutes since Kyle left, but I was extremely bored. Was my concentration that low? It had only been 30 minutes since I started reading...
"Still about 2 hours left..."
I couldn't greet Kyle, but anyway, there were about 2 hours until Kyle arrived. I didn't know what to do until then.
"...Should I read another book?"
It didn't seem bad. There were many books that Kyle had given me.
"Um... Becoming the top elite cook of the academy, discovering breast pads in grandfather's piggy bank, gaining the ability to generate sweet potatoes after drinking cider..."
It seemed like there were quite a few books that were a bit strange besides the one I had read first. I didn't know what the titles meant from the start. It was literally something or other...
"..."
All of them were books that Kyle had brought. There were several others besides this one. It was surprising that Kyle had brought all these books at once. It was envious that he had the strength to carry them all at once. I was just a pathetic servant who didn't exercise or work.
"Becoming the one who steals the tutor?"
It was an extremely stimulating title. It had a completely different feel from the other books.
"Hmm..."
The cover was also a bit different. The cover had extremely colorful illustrations and a woman character with a somewhat lewd body, different from the other books. It was like a book from the romance novels I had seen in my previous life.
"It looks interesting."
I took out a new book from the one Kyle had left behind, the one I had just encountered, and started reading it before Kyle arrived. The content itself wasn't that special. It was exactly as the title said. When I opened my eyes, the protagonist who had reincarnated into the body of the Confucius who had been in a coma for several months was about to 'eat' the female protagonist on the cover, who was the tutor. The heroine, the tutor, was a somewhat foolish character. She was the type of character who seduced the protagonist without any hesitation. How could she not know that she was being seduced?
"..."
By the way, there were books like this in the library? It was a type of book that was very bad for a child's sensibilities. Stimulating, violent, lewd. It was a book that contained exactly three elements.
"Oh my, oh my..."
While reading the book, I kept looking at the cover. Not only to look at the woman character on the cover, but also to wonder if it was okay for a minor to read this book.
"Hah..."
At least, it was clear that I should remove books of this kind from the library. It was wrong that there were books of this kind in the Eristirol Castle.
"Anyway, I'll hide this book..."
There were probably many books, so losing one or two wouldn't be noticed. Probably?
*Knock knock.*
"Come in."
"Sophia-ssi."
"Ah, it's Lord Kyle."
I said come in when someone knocked on the door. And it was Kyle. It seemed like he hadn't read the book for long, but it had already been 2 hours.
"Have you been resting well?"
"Um... I spent the time reading the books you gave me, my lord."
"Ah, how are you? I brought some books from the library."
"Is that so...?"
It seemed like there were many books in the library besides the one I had just seen that needed to be burned.
"Yes."
Kyle was sitting next to me, peeling an apple for me. Perhaps because he learned swordsmanship from Elin, he was good at peeling apples too. He might become a good husband later. Most women like domestic men, don't they? Kyle would probably be a good husband too.
"Would you like to eat?"
"Yes."
I took the apple Kyle offered and ate it. It was an apple. But because it was from Kyle, it tasted a bit more delicious.
"It's delicious."
"It's not something I brought. What are you talking about."
"No. Because you gave it to me, it tastes even better."
It wasn't this tasty when Elin gave it. It was because Kyle gave it.
"...If you say it like that, I would be grateful."
I smiled while looking at Kyle. Kyle was looking at my legs and body. He was still worried about my injured body.
"My lord, please stop looking."
"...Yes."
"I'm really fine. You don't have to worry. You have told me several times that it's enough to help me like this."
It was a real plea to Kyle. It had already been a long time, so why was he still worrying...
"Is there anything else you need?"
"No. Having you here like this is enough."
I didn't particularly want anything. My leg hurt, but it was just the pain. It didn't hurt much if I didn't walk directly. Moreover, Kyle was helping me by being next to me. Whether washing, walking in the hallway, or usually, he was helping me, so it wasn't a problem.
"You are always here by my side, my lord."
"...That's right."
"Since there is someone by my side, what more do I need?"
"..."
I was the type who didn't have much greed for anything. I just needed to be able to eat rice. Of course, it was better if it was delicious. Originally, the place I had lived for several years had good hot springs, delicious food, and I enjoyed working.
"Anyway, it's fine."
"Then, why don't you have a meal? You haven't eaten dinner yet, have you?"
"Yes."
After eating only lunch, I had been staying quietly in the room.
"Then, why don't we go have a meal together? Father has allowed us to eat together."
"Eh... really?"
The head of the family allowing a servant to eat with him? It was unbelievable.
"Even so, eating with a servant..."
It was an undignified thing, wasn't it? A normal noble wouldn't think that way. Kyle was free in many ways. Originally, if he hadn't been, he couldn't have been away for several years.
"It's fine. If Father objects, I'll allow it."
"..."
Honestly, Kyle's appearance was quite handsome.
Anyway, I moved while being supported by Kyle. Every time I moved like this, because I was receiving Kyle's help, Kyle looked very reliable. Is this an alpha male? Well, his height was close to 190, his shoulders close to 60. With muscles all over his body and a handsome face, even if he were an alpha male, it wouldn't be a problem at all.
"Thank you."
I sat at the dining hall seat. It was very strange that I was sitting in the seat where the family or guests of Eristirol usually sat. Normally, I would stand quietly in the back waiting.
"Oh... ohh..."
This dining hall, the cooking was amazing! The food the servants ate wasn't bad quality. Since the staff welfare was so good, it was natural that it was good. But the real nobles ate something different.
"Wow..."
It was a level where I couldn't help but sigh from my mouth. I was really amazed! If I were someone who looked for gourmet places, I would have given Eristirol Castle 50 out of 5 stars. It was truly that amazing in quality.
"Lord Kyle, is it okay for me to eat something like this...?"
Actually, I wasn't dreaming, was I? If not, I wouldn't have been able to eat such food... It really didn't make sense. Was it okay for such good food to enter my mouth?
"Before eating, I should at least give my thanks..."
"You don't have to. After all, you'll be able to eat it always from now on."
"Really?!"
To be able to eat such food always? It really didn't make sense...
"Yes. Eat quickly. You should eat before the tableware."
"N... n... yes...!"
I put the meat stew on the table into my mouth.
"Oh... ohh..."
"How is it?"
"It's the best..."
I really went crazy. Is this food? Was what I had eaten until now not food? Actually, weren't all the ingredients wearing the disguise of food? If not, there wouldn't be such a difference. The food I ate at the party before wasn't this good. No matter how much it was a party, it was food given in the capital!
"Eat with pleasure."
The fact that my body was half-broken was probably not for eating this food now? Yeah, it seemed better to eat this food than to have a cast for more than 2 months. I couldn't eat this food for real for my whole life. Even if I lived in this family for life, the food I would eat would eventually be the food from the servants' dining hall. Kyle was eating like this because he felt responsible for me. After my body healed, I wouldn't be able to eat like this. Kyle said he could eat it for life, but that wasn't etiquette. So, the important thing now was one thing.
"Thank you, my lord..."
I really couldn't not say this.
"Eat comfortably. If you feel uncomfortable, I'll feed you."
"Really?"
Because of the bandages, eating food from far away was extremely uncomfortable. But if Kyle fed me, it wasn't a problem. Instead, it was an even more comfortable way to eat.
"Then, if you serve me the meat stew over there, I would be grateful. Because it's far away and hard to eat..."
"Yes."
Kyle scooped the meat stew with a spoon and fed it to my mouth. It was the best taste among the foods I had eaten seriously. If I could eat this food for life, I would be happy. Was the taste of what other nobles usually ate like this?