That evening.
Before I knew it, I found myself having dinner with the Grand Duke. As soon as I reached the dining room, a small shout escaped my lips.
"amazing."
The table was so lavishly set that I was almost afraid it would collapse under the weight of the dishes. The strange thing is that every item on the menu was one of my favorite things.
Even in one corner of the dining room, on a small tray, desserts were prepared in advance... Even the flowers used for decoration were to my taste.
Honestly, I was holding a little grudge over the “revisiting room and board costs” thing that happened earlier in the day. But now, I had to hard to suppress my smile.
“Well, anyway, I've never had that much self-control.”
My gaze was completely drawn to the huge roasted pork leg in the middle of the table, and as if enchanted, I walked towards the table.
I did not look at the Grand Duke until after I sat down.
“Oh my God, is today a special occasion? Could it be my birthday?”
I didn't even try to hide my excitement, and smiled broadly at him.
Such was the power of the delicious aroma of my favorite dishes.
Did the chef go the extra mile? Or was this Bonita's doing?
I was leaning towards the latter option, because Bonita had been paying extra attention to me lately.
Whenever I had useless fears or couldn't sleep at night, Bonita was always there for me.
Oh! Even pumpkin soup!
Right before my eyes, as an appetizer, was an elegant bowl of golden pumpkin soup.
But…
Why did I suddenly feel a tingling sensation in my face?
I raised my head cautiously and discovered that the Grand Duke was still staring at me.
...In other words, from the moment I entered and sat down, he did not touch his food or say a single word. He was just watching me.
What does he want?
I grabbed my spoon, watched him carefully and noticed something strange.
His expression looked... worried? Or maybe even upset?
It was difficult to determine. Even when I focused hard, his face seemed almost expressionless.
But somehow…
“U-um.”
I felt uncomfortable, so I put my spoon down and spoke to him hesitantly.
“Do you have… something to say?”
"…I?"
"Yes?"
naturally!
There were only two people here – him and me. Did he think I was directing my question to my ancestors in heaven?
But instead of expressing my thoughts, I just gave an embarrassed smile.
“Are you asking me if I have anything to say to you?”
“…So am I supposed to be the one who has something to say?”
Logically, whoever started staring first should have a reason for doing so. But the Grand Duke acted as if I was the one who should say something to him.
And just as my face was about to turn into a frown—
“Oh…”
I realized something.
After clearing my throat, I rose from my seat and bowed formally.
“Oh… it is an honor to share this wonderful dinner with you.”
It had been a long time since I had taught him any formal rules, so I felt very embarrassed.
However, he continued to stare at me with that mysterious look.
“Cool, isn't it?”
“……”
What's the problem now?
It would be much easier if he told me directly.
I couldn't tell if this was the kind of convoluted gentlemanly speech that noble ladies used or if it was just his way of speaking as a high-ranking noble.
Fortunately, the Grand Duke did not maintain his impassive expression for long.
“When you say ‘cool,’ do you mean it suits your taste?”
“Absolutely! Everything here is exactly how I like it, from the appetizers to the right wine selection.”
Honestly, my mood improved as soon as I saw the food.
Even now, as I peek at the delicious dishes, I drool. I nodded to the Grand Duke.
Chuckle.
Finally, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
“Scary...”
The handsome man's smile was dazzling, but lately, his ever-changing behavior was making me feel uncomfortable.
Was he... mentally and physically exhausted from his duties?
“By the way, Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“How is your health these days?”
It was not polite to ask him directly about his “mental” or “mental” state, so I kept my words vague.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Well, yeah...”
If Liam were in my place, I bet the Grand Duke's Palace would now be filled with all the priests from the capital.
Because the moment she asked him, a smile appeared on his lips that looked very suspicious.
“...Are you sure you're okay?”
“Yes, I'm fine. There's nothing wrong.”
Since I couldn't oppose him directly, I pretended to accept his words and quickly changed the subject.
“Hmm… the steak is perfectly done today.”
"Sure. I place a lot of importance on the doneness of the steak. They did an excellent job. It's evenly cooked. And the seasoning?"
"it's great."
“Spices are the foundation of any dish. The chef has mastered the required flavors perfectly.”
After a short talk about food, the conversation was about to die down when the Grand Duke suddenly asked me,
“Has anything happened recently?”
“Oh, recently?”
In fact, there was something on my mind.
Something I had briefly mentioned to him before.
“I was thinking about looking for specific talent for my comic book project, but I'm not sure how to do it.”
“Scouts?”
“Yes, Baroness Bavron.”
I explained the situation to him briefly.
“…But the problem is that I don’t know whether Baroness Bavron will be willing to come to the Grand Duchy.”
“Why would you need to come to the Grand Duchy?”
“Well, in order to work on comic books...”
“But from what you've told me, it doesn't seem like a very collaborative process.”
huh?
That was an unexpected perspective.
Unlike the illustrator, who needed direct collaboration, the story writer did not have to be in the same place as the team.
As I was thinking about different ways in which work could be organized, a metaphorical idea lit up in my head.
“The only concern is security.”
“Oh…!”
Why didn't I think of that before?
With a bright smile, she grabbed the plate of dessert that had just been served.
"princess?"
Dinner was great! But I remembered something urgent...so I'll go now!
Important matters should be addressed immediately.
It was unfortunate to leave the food unfinished, but I had no choice.
I quickly nodded to the Grand Duke and then rushed out of the dining room.
I didn't know that his gaze had been fixed on my back for a very long time.
* * *
My biggest concern was the living arrangements of Baron Bavron and his wife.
If you hire Baroness Bavron as a storyteller, the couple will have to move elsewhere.
Given the Baron's good nature, he would likely refuse out of guilt.
Not to mention that it would create excessive distance between her and the Marchioness Ambrose.
But, but—!
What if remote work was an option?!
Then there will be no problem.
So, the very next morning, after I had the idea, I jumped on a teleporter and headed straight to Bavron Manor.
...For some reason, the motion sickness seemed to get worse, but that was a minor problem.
“I'm glad to see you feeling better, Baroness.”
Oh my God, ma'am! You came to visit me again. And this...!
Her face lit up when she saw the new thermos design scheduled to be launched next month.
“I don't know how to thank you.”
Was that just an illusion on my part, or had she not been able to take her eyes off the thermos ever since she saw it?
anyway.
Now that she was well enough to sit on the couch instead of lying in bed, I watched her with satisfaction.
"Nothing. I'm just relieved to see you're recovering."
“The Marchioness Ambrose has been a great help.”
After some light conversation, the moment finally arrived.
“But what brings you here today?”
It was clear that this visit was not just a simple check-in.
With a straight look at her, she calmly got to the point.
“I ask you to participate in preparing the safety rules for the Duke’s Haunted Mansion, Baroness.”