Fabri, who had been clasping his hands in intense nervousness, the servant standing in front of the cart, and even the servants waiting at the kitchen entrance—all of them stared at Rose.
Rose didn't notice their gazes at all. She was solely focused on the heaping spoonful of soup atop her spoon.
'What's this? Is she looking for flaws?'
'Maybe there's a hair in it or something?'
'It's not the head chef, at least. He doesn't have...'
'Shut it.'
'Or maybe she's hesitating because it's cold?'
While Fabri and the servants busily exchanged glances, I observed Rose's expression with a calm face.
'That's...'
Only I could accurately read her expression right now.
Nom.
Rose finally brought the spoon to her mouth. She chewed it slowly, like a squirrel nibbling on an acorn.
"Ah..."
A small exclamation escaped Rose's lips. Interpreting it as a sigh, Fabri hurried over to her in a fluster.
"Madam, how is it?"
"This is too..."
"Yes, it's a bit cold—"
"Too delicious."
"...Pardon?"
Fabri blinked in bewilderment and asked again.
"It's still—no, Head Chef, your skills are truly excellent."
"Pardon? No, so you're saying the soup is delicious right now?"
"Yes. The coolness makes it even tastier. It really whets the appetite."
Rose lowered her gaze back to the soup.
"I've been craving this so much..."
A murmur filled with longing.
In the novel—that is, in her previous life. Her husband, Dane Schmaikel, hardly ever entered the castle, and the servants were kind but indifferent to Rose.
The one person who showed her warmth amid her withering days was Fabri.
He always prepared food for her whenever she came to the dining hall. No one in Schmaikel Castle should go hungry, he said.
During her cold and bleak married life, Fabri's food had been Rose's sole pleasure.
And moreover...
'It was the last meal she ate before dying.'
This soup was the one Fabri had painstakingly prepared and smuggled into the prison just before Rose, framed as my poisoner, met her end.
It had become something of special significance to her.
Clink.
Without hesitation, Rose scooped up the next spoonful and put it in her mouth.
"I'm serious. It's really delicious, Head Chef."
Then she gave Fabri a bright smile. It was the first smile she'd shown since arriving at this castle.
"-!"
For a moment, time seemed to stop.
Apathy, sorrow, emptiness.
The dark clouds that had always lingered on Rose's face vanished, revealing a smile.
'She could smile like that?'
It was like clear sunlight piercing through the overcast northern sky. Not a light that stabbed the eyes, but one that brightened the heart.
"Hah..."
Fabri let out a low groan.
His cheeks flushed in astonishment, while the corners of his mouth twitched wildly beneath. His pride as head chef was barely holding back a full grin.
Finally regaining his composure, he managed a few words.
"...Thank you, Madam."
"No need to thank me. Um, if it's not too rude..."
Rose blushed shyly.
"Could you introduce me to the other dishes? I'm curious."
Praise he'd never heard from the ladies who had visited before. A few simple words brimming with sincerity.
"Of course!"
He had finally been conquered.
Clap clap.
He broke into a beaming smile and clapped his hands.
"Bring out the prepared dishes, right now! All of them!"
The restless servants snapped to attention. Dishes waiting in the kitchen were swiftly brought out in heaps.
'Just as I expected.'
Only then could I relax and start eating.
I'd thought she'd like this soup, and sure enough.
'Step one: successfully baited with delicious food.'
No matter how wary a wild animal is, it crumbles before food. Especially when starved and exhausted.
And since I'd selected dishes tailored precisely to Rose's tastes, the effect was even greater.
"Wow, how does it taste like this? What's this sauce?"
"It's called remoulade. Mayonnaise and..."
Rose and Fabri were chattering excitedly back and forth. It had been ages since Fabri looked that cheerful.
'He won't bother me for a while.'
I'd always been an owner with scant—or nonexistent—comments on meals. He'd been whining about the lack of satisfaction in cooking, and I'd grown tired of hearing it. This worked out perfectly.
'From now on, if Fabri complains, I'll sic Rose on him.'
With that satisfying thought, as I poked at my food,
"Since Madam is enjoying it so much, shall I go all out and bring the next course? A very special dish that can only be tasted in Schmaikel Territory."
Fabri's suspiciously excited voice brushed my ears.
...Wait, no way?
"Do you know there's a massive lake to the north of Schmaikel Territory?"
"Of course... No, I've never heard of it."
"Yes, and there's a fish that only lives in that lake."
"A dish made from extremely rare ingredients, then."
"Exactly."
I eyed Fabri coldly, his face flushed like a schoolgirl's.
"..."
Serving a rare dish meant only for me... it was a bit annoying, but not a real problem.
The biggest issue right now was,
'That's not fish—it's a monster.'
The ingredient for that dish.
While cooking on the front lines, Fabri had faced ingredient shortages. So he'd wondered if monster meat could be used.
He started using orc meat instead of pork, lake monster flesh instead of fish.
The taste was surprisingly excellent. Without knowing the ingredients, you'd think it was a delicacy.
Above all, the people of Schmaikel Territory had no aversion to such things.
'Whoa! We can cook and eat those monster bastards? That's killing two birds with one stone!'
'An excellent solution to food shortages! I'll develop a cookbook manual and distribute it!'
—Reactions like that.
But that was limited to this territory.
'Kyaaak!'
The first lady to see this dish fainted on the spot.
'Urk...'
The next lady, forcing it down to curry my favor, vomited right there.
'No matter how well Rose eats, this won't do.'
Fabri had lost his reason in his excitement.
Moreover, Rose had only just regressed. In the novel, it was much later before she could stomach those dishes.
I'd just succeeded with the delicious bait strategy, and now crisis loomed.
"Well then..."
The moment Fabri grabbed the food cover,
"Hold it!"
I shot up from my seat.
"Your Grace?"
Fabri's hand froze. Beneath the half-lifted cover, the lake monster's form was visible.
First came the creature's massive triangular body. Next to it, neatly sliced fillets of uniform size. Finally, crowning it all, its primary weapon: the elongated tail.
It was a sight that would surely terrorize Rose's eyes.
I had to stop it. Absolutely!
"Fabri. You haven't forgotten who your master is, have you?"
"Of course. Naturally, Your Grace—"
"Then you know whose needs come first."
At my irritated tone, Fabri panicked.
"Yes? But earlier you said you'd eat alone..."
"Bring that here. Now."
"Uh..."
As Fabri hesitated, Rose stepped in.
"I'm fine, Head Chef. I've already eaten plenty."
"Madam, still..."
"It's okay, go to Your Grace."
"Yes..."
Fabri's shoulders slumped,
Clink.
and he covered the dish again. The grotesque lake monster sashimi vanished safely.
"Your Grace, then—"
The moment Fabri approached and set down the plate,
"Bring the dessert."
I quickly cut him off, not giving him a chance to uncover it.
Fabri looked crestfallen.
"Now? You're not having more?"
"I'm full now. And you, Madam?"
Rose, caught off guard by being addressed, answered after a pause.
"Me too."
"There you have it."
I nodded and summoned a nearby servant.
"Clear this away."
"Yes."
The time-bomb-like lake monster sashimi was whisked away.
Everything proceeded smoothly in an instant, leaving Fabri visibly flustered. I whispered to him alone.
"Skip the slime pudding."
"How did you know... Gah."
Fabri finally snapped out of it and paled in shock.
"We'll talk later."
With that, his face darkened to a sooty hue.
"My god, what have I done...?"
Reeling in shock, he staggered aside.
Whatever. I turned my gaze to the dessert plates the servants brought. Perfectly normal(?) varieties.
'That was close.'
The pleasant meal had nearly turned into a horrific ordeal. Good thing I stayed vigilant.
And now, this realization hit me.
'No one I can trust.'
Not even the loyal butler or the head chef who'd never missed my tastes. Delegating to them led to these absurd antics.
I'd been overtrusting them all this time. Time to readjust my assessment.
"Wow."
Watching Rose marvel at the sorbet, I steeled my resolve once more.
'Stay on guard until the end.'
The day wasn't over yet. The most crucial event awaited me.
'Tonight.'
Our first night together would be the most critical turning point.