Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: A New Friendship and a Curious Dinner
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It was Irnel who came to Lucillea's room.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
Lucillea readily nodded in response.
“Yeah, come in.”
Irnel entered Lucillea's room, and for a brief moment, silence fell again.
Despite being the one to seek her out, Irnel couldn't easily bring herself to speak.
The awkward and embarrassing atmosphere continued.
‘Why isn't she saying anything?’
No, more importantly, why is she here? This is painfully awkward.
As Lucillea scratched her cheek in awkwardness, Irnel struggled to speak.
“About Keilin… thank you.”
“Huh? Oh, that? Uh… well… yeah, it was nothing.”
Lucillea stammered at the sudden thanks. Irnel, too, seemed to find the moment awkward and couldn't meet her eyes.
“They say Keilin will be fine by tomorrow.”
“Oh, really? That's a relief.”
“It's thanks to you. Because you were brave.”
Lucillea scratched the back of her head.
“No, well. To be honest, at that moment, I was the only one who could have gone looking for Keilin anyway.”
“You don't have to be so modest. You showed courage in a potentially dangerous moment to save a comrade.”
Then, she took out a fist-sized pouch from her clothes and held it out.
Lucillea looked at the pouch Irnel offered and asked.
“What's this?”
“I noticed you were gathering materials from the monsters.”
“I was, but…”
“From the monsters we took care of while you were away, I ripped out… I mean, I gathered the materials.”
At those words, Lucillea's eyes widened.
“…For me?”
Irnel quietly nodded. Her gaze was still fixed on the floor.
Lucillea slowly took the pouch.
When she opened it, she found it was full of Ice Spider poison sacs.
‘Gasp!’
[Gasp!]
Lucillea and Cookie gasped in unison.
The Ice Spider was a monster that appeared in the northern mountains. They usually lived in places like caves, but during their spawning season, they would leave the caves to hunt animals or humans.
They mainly used venom to paralyze their prey, and this Ice Spider venom was popular because it could be used to make paralysis potions or paralysis resistance potions.
However, if gathered incorrectly, the poison sac could burst and poison the collector, so Lucillea had given up on gathering them.
‘But with that aloof and prim face, she gathered this… so many of them?’
Lucillea stared at Irnel in astonishment, then a thought suddenly struck her.
‘She has an incredible talent for gathering, doesn't she?!’
To Lucillea, Irnel no longer seemed like a cold and blunt 'Serdian' type of kid.
She now looked like a tremendous ally who could help with her material gathering.
She could almost see a radiant halo glowing behind Irnel.
Lucillea tightly closed the pouch, put it in her materials box, and then approached Irnel again.
Then she firmly grasped both of Irnel's hands.
“Sister.”
“…Huh?!”
Irnel's face flushed with bewilderment at being so suddenly called ‘sister’.
“S-Sister?!”
“Yes, Sister Irnel!”
“…”
Irnel's lips parted, but no words came out. Lucillea continued speaking.
“I saved Keilin because we're teammates and comrades. I believe that if I were in the same crisis, you would have stepped up too, Sister. So I wasn't really expecting any thanks, you know?”
Lucillea said with a bright smile.
“But thank you so much for thinking of me and preparing such a precious gift, Sister Irnel! I'll be good to you from now on!”
Along with the thought, *I hope we can keep going on practical training in the same team!*
“Ah, I… Me too, I'll also be…”
Just as Irnel was trying to respond.
A servant from the barony knocked on the door from outside and spoke.
“Dinner is ready.”
Lucillea looked toward the door and answered cheerfully.
“Okay, we'll be right there!”
As the servant's footsteps faded away, Lucillea took Irnel's hand and led her to the door.
“Let's go eat, Sister! You must be hungry, right? Let's eat a lot!”
With a dazed expression, Irnel let herself be led by the hand to the dining hall.
***
The meal was set in a large, splendid dining hall.
A magnificent chandelier cast a soft glow from the ceiling, and the long table was laden with golden candelabras and meticulously prepared dishes.
The children arrived at the dining hall and took their seats at the end of the table.
Not long after, Elbadin and the baron entered.
As Baron Jaeger sat down, he looked at the children who had already arrived with a gentle gaze.
“It is a great honor to be able to dine with the chosen children of the Grand Ducal family.”
Elbadin responded with a slight nod.
“I will not forget the consideration you've shown to the children.”
A moment later, the meal began.
The center of the table was abundantly filled with roasted meats and vegetables seasoned with herbs, while hot soup, golden-brown pies, and a variety of colorful jams and cheeses adorned the table beautifully.
Baron Jaeger tilted his head slightly toward Elbadin and asked.
“How was your journey?”
“It was tolerable.”
Elbadin's tone remained impassive.
At that, Baron Jaeger's gaze shifted to the children. He smiled and continued speaking.
“To see the chosen children of the Grand Ducal family, whom I had only heard about, in person is truly an honor. The aura emanating from each and every one of them is extraordinary.”
“Aura alone is not enough.”
Elbadin replied curtly, raising his wine glass.
Meanwhile, the children were carefully exchanging words in low voices.
“This meat, the basil flavor is amazing.”
Lucillea whispered, and Reiden chuckled softly.
“Spices like this are usually used in the south. It's unexpected.”
At his reply, Lucillea raised an eyebrow.
“You know a lot about this kind of thing?”
“A little.”
Reiden answered briefly, a somewhat bitter smile on his face for some reason.
“I like to cook.”
Ah, Lucillea nodded as if she understood.
“So that's why you made such delicious sandwiches?”
“That was a secret recipe Mei taught me.”
“Some people can't get the taste right even if you tell them step-by-step.”
“I'll make them for you again sometime.”
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
Lucillea suppressed a smile and nodded quickly.
Then she looked at Irnel, placed a large piece of meat on her plate, and whispered softly.
“You eat a lot too, Sister!”
“Ah, uh-huh…”
As if still unused to being called ‘sister’, Irnel still wore a bewildered expression.
Just then, Baron Jaeger, who had been eating quietly, fixed his gaze on Lucillea.
“When you first arrived, I recall there was a parrot on that child's shoulder, but I don't see it now.”
Hearing the baron's words directed at her, Lucillea paused her fork and glanced at her own shoulder.
“Oh, I left him in the bedroom. I couldn't have him causing trouble at an important occasion like this. Parrots are more mischievous than they look.”
Baron Jaeger nodded at her words and smiled gently.
“You are a remarkably thoughtful young lady.”
Lucillea smiled sweetly.
“You're too kind.”
At her reply, Baron Jaeger lifted his wine glass, his gaze quietly dropping.
“I wish my child were as resolute and sharp as the little lady.”
At that, Elbadin looked at Baron Jaeger.
“You have a child? I hadn't heard you were married.”
“Haha,” Baron Jaeger laughed awkwardly, a look of embarrassment on his face.
“I adopted one not too long ago.”
“Adopted?”
“Yes.”
At the word 'adopted', Lucillea glanced at Reiden. It reminded her of his father, Diego.
‘Is adoption some kind of trend these days, or what?’