The Meat Side Dish's Destination

The dawn at the mountain stronghold, where thick darkness had settled heavily over the peaks, was utterly silent. Yet in one corner of the main building, a slender thread of light leaked through the crack of the office door.

Rodin, on his way down the hallway to the bathroom, spotted the glow and stopped in his tracks.

"...Still not sleeping? What the hell are you doing?"

Muttering under his breath, Rodin nudged the door open. With a faint creak, the room revealed itself as an ocean of documents. Right in the middle of that savage sea of paper, Veronica lay slumped over her desk, pen still clutched in her hand.

The usual dignified majesty of the imperial princess had vanished without a trace. Pale moonlight illuminated her exhausted face. Dark circles of fatigue clung beneath her eyes from several all-nighters, and her knuckles had gone bone-white from gripping the pen.

Rodin's brow twitched at the sight. Someone exhausting themselves like this in his territory went against every peaceful principle he held.

"Hey. Wake up."

When he rapped his knuckles on the desk, Veronica jolted upright with a gasp.

"Mm... Ah, Mr. Rodin? I'm sorry. I only meant to rest my eyes for a moment..."

Veronica hastily smoothed her disheveled hair and tried to hide the ink-stained ledger. Rodin stood with his arms crossed, staring down at her with clear annoyance.

"Does that ledger put food on the table? Do it in moderation and get some sleep. Why suffer on purpose?"

"I was drafting strategies for tomorrow's negotiation with the fertilizer merchants. As you know, those traders aren't ordinary opponents. We have to save every single coin if you want to plant more of the Gold Cabbage you love so much."

Veronica rubbed her heavy-lidded eyes and forced a smile. The smile looked so fragile that Rodin found himself glaring at a random nail in the wall instead.

"Who asked you to push yourself this hard? I never told you to go this far. Don't collapse from overwork tomorrow, it'll be a pain. If you collapse, there's no one left to handle the books and my head will hurt."

"Hehe. Are you worrying about me? Don't fret. I'm quite used to far worse all-nighters back at the imperial palace."

"Worrying? As if. Hey, turn off the light. Oil isn't free. Go to bed already."

Rodin spat the words gruffly and turned on his heel, heading back into the hallway. Yet his footsteps felt heavier than usual. The fact that the empire's greatest administrative genius was wearing herself down over mere fertilizer costs for a remote mountain stronghold strangely twisted something in his chest.

The dining hall was as rowdy as ever that morning. The bandits, freshly scrubbed, were desperately trying to follow the table manners Veronica had drilled into them. Yet the moment meat appeared, all instincts took over.

Dagan and Gil in particular were waging a silent war with their chopsticks over the best-cooked pieces.

"Whoa! The meat's fried perfectly today! As expected, when sister-in-law's touch is involved, even the meat levels up!" Dagan exclaimed, mouth stuffed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠full.

"Hey! That piece was mine! You wanna die? Damn, this is annoying!" Gil growled, lunging for another slice, only to freeze under Rodin's icy glare.

"Shut up. Keep your trap closed while eating. My ears are about to fall off."

Rodin's single bark plunged the hall into brief silence. He chewed his rice with deliberate indifference, but kept ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stealing glances at the seat beside him.

Veronica was listlessly stirring her spoon in her soup bowl, staring into empty space. Her rice had barely been touched, and her complexion looked even paler than it had at dawn.

"...What's with your face? Looks worse than a cabbage chewed up by bugs. You sick or something?"

Veronica blinked, snapping back to attention at his blunt remark.

"My, isn't that a bit too harsh? I'm simply a little sleepy. I don't have much appetite."

She set her spoon down weakly. The elegant princess who once commanded the empire was gone; only a frail woman on the verge of collapse remained.

Rodin stared at the large piece of meat on his own tray. Perfectly marbled, beautifully seared—the undisputed star of the morning meal.

Tap.

He dropped the meat right in the center of Veronica's plate.

The piece he would normally have devoured in one bite.

Silence fell so completely it felt as if the sound of that single piece landing had echoed through the entire hall. Dagan and Gil's chopsticks froze mid-air, mouths hanging open.

"...Mr. Rodin? This is..."

Veronica looked back and forth between him and her bowl in confusion. Rodin avoided her gaze and shoved another mouthful of rice in.

"Eat. If you stay this weak, you'll mess up the fertilizer calculations tomorrow. If the numbers start dancing, my skull's gonna dance right along with them."

"But this is your favorite cut..."

"Who said that? Me? No way. Too greasy. Waste of good meat to throw it out, so you handle it. It's just disposal, don't thank me or anything."

Rodin's voice was ice-cold. But everyone present knew the truth—that was the softest, most tender cut of loin, the very first piece he'd claimed that morning.

"If the money-making machine breaks, it's a hassle. Don't misunderstand. I'm just a farmer who believes in efficient management."

Veronica didn't miss the faint red tint creeping up Rodin's ears. She stared at the meat atop her rice for a moment, then smiled softly as a warm current rose from deep within her chest.

"...Understood. So the 'management machine' doesn't break down, I'll gratefully consume the fuel the owner has provided."

Veronica took a bite. Healthy color slowly returned to her previously pale cheeks.

Dagan and Gil set their chopsticks down in perfect unison. Tears shimmered in both their eyes.

"Ugh... Gil, you seeing this? The boss... Our cold-blooded, tearless boss has finally discovered love! That's the legendary affection attack, isn't it!" Dagan whispered, wiping away fat tears.

Gil clutched his chest, voice thick with emotion. "Boss, I've got goosebumps all over. 'It's a waste to throw away'! That's the absolute peak of tsundere those nobles always talk about! Our boss is a munchkin even when it comes to romance!"

As the two bandits grew more theatrical, Rodin's eyebrows began to twitch violently.

"Hey. You two got a death wish or something? Eat your damn food. One more stupid word and lunch today is dirt."

Even under Rodin's murderous threat, Dagan refused to stop. He bowed so low toward Veronica it was almost pathetic.

"Sister-in-law! I mean, General Manager! Don't just eat the meat—devour the boss's love while you're at it! Should we make ourselves scarce? Maybe go for a nice walk?"

"Say 'sister-in-law' one more time and I'll plant you in the field for real. Your blood's too muddy to make decent fertilizer, though. Counting to three. One."

As Rodin began counting with deliberate slowness, Dagan and Gil shrieked and buried their faces in their trays.

"Eek! We're eating! Only meat! We'll chew the meat like our lives depend on it! Chomp chomp!"

The dining hall instantly filled with the desperate sounds of bandits eating for their lives. Rodin sighed and returned to his meal, but Veronica's faint smile kept drifting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into the corner of his vision, leaving him with a strangely complicated feeling.

After the meal, as Rodin headed back toward the office, light footsteps echoed down the hallway behind him.

"Mr. Rodin, a moment please."

Veronica caught the edge of his sleeve. Rodin turned with clear annoyance, but froze the instant he met her eyes.

Her gaze no longer held its usual cool intellect. Something deep and viscous swirled within them. To the princess who had been abandoned by the imperial family and hunted by assassins, Rodin had become far more than a mere benefactor—he was the only sanctuary left in the world where she could truly stand.

"Mr. Rodin, that meat earlier... It was truly delicious. I feel much stronger now, thanks to you."

"I didn't give it to make it taste good. Like I said, eat properly so you can work. If the books end up wrong, that's on you."

Rodin looked away, voice gruff. But Veronica stepped closer and gently gripped his arm.

"You really... hide your kindness until the very end. That part of you makes me even less willing to let go. I've grown quite accustomed to it now—your clumsy consideration."

"What? Less willing to let go? You saying something scary ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all of a sudden? I'm just a cabbage farmer. Don't carry heavy stuff."

"Hehe, I'm joking. Now then, I'll work even harder than yesterday to generate more profit. I must prove my worth to remain at your side as general manager. I will manage your life perfectly, so please look forward to it."

Veronica's eyes sparkled with strange intensity. It was a feeling of relief that bordered on obsession. A chill ran down Rodin's spine, but he shook his head and turned toward the fields.

"...Do whatever you want. I'm going to water the cabbages. Don't follow me—you'll get dirt on you."

Rodin stood in the middle of the cabbage field, shaking soil from his pickaxe. The morning commotion had passed, and peaceful farming hours had returned. But that peace didn't last long.

From the outer watchtower, Dagan came sprinting like a madman, kicking up clouds of dust.

"Boss! Booooss! Big trouble! This is huge!"

"Ugh, seriously. Why is there always a commotion? I told you all to let me live quietly."

Rodin frowned in irritation. What Dagan held wasn't the usual merchant receipt. It was a luxurious parchment envelope stamped with an ornate gold seal that radiated oppressive authority.

"Look at this! It's an invitation from Count Valder of the nearby territory! It bears the Count's personal seal!"

"Valder? Who's that? Someone who trades cabbages with me? Or some bastard who skipped out on the toll?"

"No! He's the count who rules these lands! Our toll business has been so successful that rumors must have reached him! Looks like he's trying to pressure us outright!"

Dagan's voice trembled. Rodin snatched the envelope without expression.

"Ah... What a pain in the ass. Hey, where's the messenger who brought this?"

"He already ran off! The message says he wants to inquire about the well-being of the princess currently staying at the stronghold and politely invites her to his domain! He's openly trying to steal the general manager away!"

Rodin's eyes turned ice-cold in an instant. The moment he clenched the invitation, the luxurious gold-stamped parchment crunched and disintegrated into powder that scattered on the wind.

"The princess? Touching my general manager? When she's already busy enough calculating fertilizer costs?"

The overwhelming pressure radiating from Rodin's body swept the surrounding dust into a massive whirlwind.

"I don't care if it's a count or a king—anyone who interferes with my cabbage farming gets turned into premium fertilizer for next year's crop."

The legendary mercenary king's rage-laden warning settled heavily over the outskirts of the stronghold, announcing the arrival of a new storm.