Chapter 12 (1/2)

“…does it not suit your taste?”

Chloe asked, when I was only staring at the splendid table in front of me and not eating.

“Ah, no. I’m a little surprised.”

Surely the most famous merchant group in the Empire is different. The food on the splendid table was so different from the nursery that I couldn’t even decide what to touch first.

Steamy soup, fresh-looking salad, meat dishes made only with soft cuts, etc. It must have looked weird to be absent-minded while looking at various foods.

‘You’d better eat only enough so that it doesn’t strain your body.’

I’ve never eaten properly until now, so I shouldn’t suddenly eat more by feeling pressured. I felt solemn at the end of my thoughts.

‘Okay, let’s start with the soup first.’

I gulped, looking at the food and slowly spooned the soup and took it to my mouth.

Gulp

The hot, soft soup slowly went down from my mouth.

Ah, it’s delicious.

It’s so delicious. As soon as I put it in, the flavor of the soup filled my mouth.

My hands got faster without realizing, because I was eating this delicious food for the first time in my life.

I was eating the soup in a hurry, and suddenly it became quiet on the table.

“…?”

Did I eat too fast?

Everyone looked surprised with their stiff looks. Did I look ugly when I was eating? I had that thought for awhile.

“Daphne, are you crying?”

When Ricarda asked, I put down the spoon I was holding and touched my cheek. As he said, tears were flowing from my eyes. When I blinked, more tears fell down as if it had waited.

“…did I cry?”

Even I was embarrassed and stammered, and Ricarda asked again.

“I thought you were eating well. Was it bad? Do you want another dish? The lasagna in front is also delicious.”

When he tried to bring another food to me in a hurry with a fidgety voice, I shook my head in embarrassment.

How can you say this food is not delicious?

“I’ve never had such delicious food before. So… did I cry?”

When I spoke to him, Ricarda’s hand, which quickly dropped another dish in front of me, hardened.

Somehow this situation, where silence keeps falling because of me, was so burdensome. I shriveled up as if a heavy load had fallen on my shoulder, but then, Ricarda’s hand moved again.

“I see. Then, would you like to dip this bread in the soup? The bread tastes good when moistened with soup.”

“Ah. Yes.”

Ricarda cut the bread in front and put it on my plate, and as he said, I tried dipping the bread in the soup.

“…it’s delicious.”

My voice rose a little.

I blushed, embarrassed of the voice that rose without my knowledge, and Ricarda smiled brightly.

“Right? Because I made it. It’s nice to see you eat it deliciously!”

With a proud voice, he served a variety of food on a plate little by little.

Lennox, sitting next to me, carefully wiped away the tears from my eyes and cheeks with a handkerchief.

“You shouldn’t have any traces of tears left.”

“Thank you.”

Somehow, I think I’m being treated like a child?

I don’t know why they’re doing this to me, but it wasn’t contempt nor malice, so I decided to put down my heavy heart for a while and enjoy the pleasure in my mouth.

*   *   *

“It was really delicious.”

I was embarrassed to keep eating even after everyone’s meals were over because I ate too slowly, but it was so delicious that I could not easily put down the fork.

Fortunately, everyone told me to eat slowly and said they would wait for me, so I could enjoy the delicious food a little more and, I felt happy.

‘If there was a happiness gauge, I think it’s already 10% full.’

Until now, I was just in a hurry to fill my stomach, so I couldn’t afford to enjoy the taste. But, after eating this leisurely, I thought that food is so delicious and eating is fun.

‘Because there is a saying that people live to eat.’

Unlike usual, I looked at my full stomach and also ate the dessert in front of me.

‘What if they think I’m a pig? What if they kick me out for eating too much?’ I was worried about this for a moment.

‘It’s a rich merchant’s group. Wouldn’t this be okay? And it’s bad to leave food behind.’

I was a little worried, but I succeeded in rationalizing it.

I cleared the pudding in front of me and stroked my stomach satisfactorily. Then I heard a small laugh from the side.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Did you enjoy your meal?”

Lennox, pretending not to laugh, looked at me and smiled softly.

“I’ve never had such delicious food before.”

On that remark, Ricarda raised his head with pride.

“I am responsible for the food in this house. Tell me everything you want to eat! This brother will take responsibility for everything!”

‘Why does he keep emphasizing the word ‘brother’?’

The unfamiliar title bothered me a little, but I nodded.

“I wish it was the same as today.”

Because, everything was perfect!

Since the person who gives something bad is a bad person, so let’s assume that the person who gives something delicious is a good person.

I shook my head, thinking about what I had eaten over the years.

Since I had already erased it neatly from my head, I didn’t want to think about it anymore.

“Hmm hmm. I’m glad you enjoyed your meal.”

“Thanks for the meal.”