Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Meal (3)
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"Ah, this."
Rose wrinkled her nose and shrugged her shoulders.
"Compared to what I used to eat at home, this is nothing much..."
Before Rose could even finish her sentence,
Crunch.
The fork in my hand bent completely into an L-shape. I'd unconsciously gripped it too hard.
"...Madam."
A servant nearby hurriedly replaced it with a new fork. I took it as if nothing had happened and asked again,
"Tell me in detail. What did you eat at home?"
"Well..."
Rose glanced around cautiously for a moment, felt my gaze, and answered hesitantly.
"As Your Excellency knows, my position in the family wasn't great. I ate alone in my room, and they brought me... rather old food."
"What kind?"
"Hard bread and wilted vegetables... Sometimes spoiled food?"
Rose spoke slowly, reminiscing about those days.
"At first, I ate it without realizing it was spoiled and got sick. Later, I could tell just by the smell. Oh, but the bread would soften up if I chewed it long enough, so it was edible."
A heavy atmosphere began to fill the dining hall.
Fabry looked ready to pull out the kitchen knife he used for wartime rations. The servants stared at their polished forks as if they were weapons.
"My stepmother always saw me as a thorn in her side. Compared to that, this food is just a bit unique."
Her tone was casual, as if she were used to it, her attitude detached. But it wasn't truly nothing to her.
"Food laced with real malice... isn't like this."
Rose's eyes held a deep, resilient sadness that only someone who had endured it for so long could possess.
...Irritating.
I had planned to leave Rose's revenge against her family entirely in her hands.
If she needed help, I'd assist—and that would win her favor, so all the better. That was the extent of my shallow thinking.
But my mind had changed. It felt like a thorn I couldn't bear was embedded in my finger.
The Vicander Family...
I began seriously pondering how to ruin them so thoroughly that rumors would spread far and wide.
Social isolation, a plummeting family reputation, sabotage of their business dealings, public humiliation in official venues, and so on.
Every possible form of downfall for a noble house filled my mind, along with a fierce determination to see it through, no matter the effort.
It was decided today. The Vicander Family would vanish from the noble registry.
By my hand.
Twitch.
My fingers twitched, reflecting my foul mood. Gripping the fork like a weapon made the air over the table grow heavy on its own.
In the now-silent dining hall,
"Your Excellency, may I say a word to Madam?"
Fabry stepped forward.
I nodded in permission, and he approached Rose.
"Madam, who am I to meddle in your family's affairs? But as the head chef of this castle, I promise you this one thing."
Fabry thumped his fist against his chest.
"They say bad memories fade when covered by good ones. I'll do my utmost so that you're saying, 'I'm so full, I can't eat another bite!' and happily wondering, 'Hmm, what should I eat next?'"
He placed a hand over his heart and bowed deeply.
"I stake my career and my name on it—you'll never have to endure such sorrow again. I mean it."
Fabry didn't presume to declare vengeance against the Vicanders. Instead, he chose the best way he knew how to help.
Rose bit her lip, as if something welled up inside her, then replied.
"...Thank you, Fabry. And I,"
She smiled brightly.
"already think many of those bad memories have been covered by good ones now."
"Oh, Madam."
Fabry wiped at his eyes, then shook his head vigorously.
"I got ahead of myself. Ahem, today's dishes are just a taste of the variety I'll show you. Please, enjoy the rest."
"I will."
Rose licked her lips once, then immediately picked up another piece of lake monster sashimi and ate it. She burst into delighted laughter.
"Now I see why you said the tangy bite is the key. What a fun texture. But the sashimi itself is excellent too—the flesh is so chewy."
It wasn't forced at all. That was the attitude of someone genuinely savoring it.
"Are we eating it this way the whole time? It seems like it would pair well with other meats too."
"No, how can you say such brilliant things!"
Fabry nearly jumped for joy but restrained himself. Rose's comment had almost brought him to tears.
Analyzing the food with specific tasting notes. And not stopping there, but suggesting even tastier combinations.
Rose... was a tasting genius.
"A spot-on analysis, Madam."
Fabry replied with a spring in his step, as if he might break into a shoulder dance.
"Pair it with the thinly sliced meat prepared here and the dressed vegetables. Only then do you truly experience the Triple Schmichael! That's when you savor the dish properly."
"Ah."
Rose unhesitatingly stacked the sashimi, meat, and vegetables as instructed and popped them into her mouth.
Clap clap.
She clapped her hands excitedly.
"You're right—it tastes even better this way? So much richer. The dressed vegetables blend perfectly."
"Exactly...!"
Fabry treated Rose almost like a goddess.
"I'll serve you other monster dishes next time. The world of Schmichael cuisine is endless!"
The servants exchanged glances with creaks of awe,
"Whoa..."
"Wow..."
Thumbs up.
As if on cue, they raised their thumbs. Respect for Rose began rippling in their eyes.
This person is the real deal! A true one has appeared!
As expected of Madam. Overcoming this trial so effortlessly...
She's small, but destined for greatness!
The dining hall buzzed like a party. Everyone grinned, eagerly feeding and tending to Rose.
Surrounded by people and eating, Rose looked truly happy.
She really... keeps surprising me.
Watching the little squirrel eat so enjoyably eased my earlier irritation bit by bit.
I usually focused only on the food during meals, not observing others, but now it didn't matter.
"Your Excellency."
Rose smiled warmly and pushed her plate toward me.
"Please, have some too."
"Mm."
I picked up a piece of lake monster sashimi as well.
The tangy bite and chewy texture tasted especially delicious. It felt different from my usual "food is food" mindset.
"...Delicious."
I murmured it without thinking.
"Gasp!"
"Your Excellency, what did you just say?"
The servants and Fabry turned to me in shock.
"I didn't say anything."
"No, we heard it clear as day with these ears?"
Making such a fuss over one word like "delicious." Anyone would think I'd never said it before. (I hadn't.)
"Go focus on serving Madam."
I waved them away dismissively.
"B-But we definitely heard..."
"Yessir..."
The servants and Fabry turned back to Rose, still puzzled.
Slice.
As I picked up another piece with vegetables,
"......"
I felt Rose's frank gaze. Our eyes met, and she beamed.
Her eyes crinkled with a radiant smile that shattered like light. It was so dazzling I nearly looked away.
What's so funny? The habitual retort nearly slipped out, but,
"...You eat the rest too, Madam."
What came out was utterly ordinary. Completely unlike me.
"Yes, Your Excellency. Thank you. For the wonderful meal."
"Mm."
As I silently resumed eating, Rose focused back on her food too.
"......"
For the first time, what had always been mere obligatory hunger relief and nutrition felt enjoyable. I was already looking forward to the next meal.
Rustle, rustle.
I quickly flipped through the documents.
I need to hurry.
On the day the lab was completed, Rose had pulled off her cute little scheme.
'Could you visit my lab sometime?'
'I'll tell you if you come to the lab.'
Today was the day I'd promised to visit her lab. I had a rough idea of what she'd prepared.
Thud.
Butler Bill, assisting beside me, placed a stack of papers on the desk. Neatly bundled invitations.
"All done?"
"Yes, Your Excellency. As you instructed, I selected mainly from loyal vassal families."
I planned to let Rose choose which invitations to accept from these. It would reveal her judgment.
"I'll hand them to Madam later."
"No, leave them."
I glanced away from the invitations and back to the documents.
"I'm meeting Madam soon, so I'll give them to her myself."
"Understood."
As I focused,
Knock knock.
A servant outside announced a visitor.
"Chief Physician Joel has arrived."
What could this be about?
I glanced up briefly, then noticed Bill's expression. Realization dawned.
It's about Bill.
Pretending nonchalance, I tidied the desk papers.
"Let him in."
Soon, Chief Physician Joel entered with his usual affable smile.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
"What is it?"
Bill and Joel exchanged glances and signals,
"Actually, I asked him to come. We have something to report together."
Bill stepped forward.
"Among the recent items Madam ordered, there's something Your Excellency should know about."
True to his word of being my eyes and ears, Bill was fulfilling his role diligently.
"Explain in detail."
"As per your orders, we let Madam purchase whatever she wanted without interference. But Sir Joel happened to see the list and raised a concern."
Joel handed over a sheet of paper.
"This is the list of items Madam recently purchased."
Magic studies tools and some herbs.
I scanned it quickly and asked,
"What's the problem?"
"On the list..."
Joel hesitated briefly, then spoke as if with great resolve.
"There's a poisonous plant."