“It’s really delicious!”
Noel muttered as he ate the beef radish soup. Bern, sitting alone, watched his son eat and teared up.
He had thought he would have to send his son off first, but it turned out to be nothing short of a miracle. As he had told Rio, he wanted to trust Sylvia. Actually, he was already trusting her. Even if he was betrayed again, the fact that his son was saved was enough for him.
“Dad! This yellow thing is so tasty! Try it!”
With his small hands, he picked some up and put it in Bern’s mouth. It was tangy yet melted softly in the mouth. The sweet aftertaste combined with the savory flavor of the egg created a perfect harmony.
It seemed like forever since he had eaten beef that was plentiful in the soup. Adding rice to the soup and topping it with cucumber salad felt endlessly satisfying. Sylvia finally sat down to eat only after making sure everyone had started their meal.
“Phew.”
She had been so busy preparing the food that she was out of breath. Sitting down with a dazed expression, a spoon appeared beside her.
“Here.”
Felix, holding her personal spoon, quickly passed it to her.
“Oh, thank you.”
Sylvia turned to thank him and then noticed his untouched meal.
“Why haven’t you eaten? Is it not good?”
Lately, he had been eating quite well, but it seemed like he hadn’t touched his food at all, which worried her. Wondering if there was something wrong with his taste or smell, her expression became serious. Seeing her turquoise eyes filled with concern, Felix finally felt hungry.
“No, I wanted to eat with you.”
He didn’t like eating alone. Thinking about it, Sylvia was always by his side. He felt empty without seeing her teal hair moving around him while he ate.
His honest response made Sylvia’s face flush with warmth. It was embarrassingly sweet.
And yet, it made her happy.
The fact that someone was waiting to eat with her…… was more delightful than she expected, prompting Sylvia to touch her eyes with her fingers, a habit when she felt embarrassed.
★★51. Corpora Empire★★
Sitting inside the Duchy’s carriage, Lucino’s once robust figure had noticeably slimmed down, making his refined features even more apparent. His jawline had become sharper, casting deep shadows across his face as he looked out the carriage window at the castle.
The carriage headed towards the First Gate of Carpasinus was more ornate than the usual ducal carriage, adorned with various types of jewels on the window frames and wheels. The sunlight reflecting off them was as colorful as his hair.
The strong white horses smoothly exited through the gate. The First Gate led to the Albuum Castle, where the Empire’s Imperial Palace was located. A magical barrier surrounding the path prevented the invasion of magical beasts.
Due to its special nature, commoners could never use it, and even lower-ranked nobles needed a duke’s permission.
With winter just around the corner, Lucino found the sudden summoning by the Crown Prince suspicious, but he hadn’t thought much further.
“If you’re not well-fed, your brain doesn’t work properly,” he often said. However, since Sylvia disappeared, Lucino had hardly eaten properly.
The fresh and novel dishes she had made kept coming back to him. Even though Aaron had meticulously described the food he had seen to the ducal chef, they couldn’t replicate her dishes.
The only thing remotely edible were the fruits and vegetables grown with Sylvia’s magic.
Racing along the straight road, he entered Albuum Castle quickly. He glanced indifferently at the imperial palace, gleaming gold at its highest point. The coachman swiftly drove the carriage into the palace.
Seeing the ducal crest, the knights saluted in unison. Stepping out of the carriage, Lucino was led by the steward into the drawing room. The room was excessively bright, filled with sunlight, and adorned entirely in gold.
Gold, after all, was the metal symbolizing the imperial palace.
“You’ve arrived.”
A playful tone was directed at Lucino.
The crown prince seemed almost cast in gold, from his deep golden eyes to his blond hair, and even his clothes, though slightly different in hue, were all gold.
Combined with the sunlight, it was almost irritatingly bright. Lucino grimaced slightly and offered a formal greeting.
“I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Though the Visconti ducal family had its privileges even in the imperial court, the two were actually cousins. Lucino’s late mother’s younger sister was the current empress.
“As usual, you lack manners, huh? Ah, steward. Bring what’s prepared.”
Lucino’s picky palate was well-known throughout the empire. Therefore, the crown prince had specifically ordered the steward to prepare tea and snacks.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The steward exited the drawing room. The crown prince smiled warmly at Lucino and gestured towards a seat.
“Won’t you sit?”
“Yes.”
With a brief response, Lucino sat opposite the crown prince.
“The snacks prepared this time, you’ve never tasted anything like it before.”
Glancing at the crown prince’s smug expression, Lucino replied indifferently.
“I look forward to it.”
“What’s this? You’re different from usual. Something the matter?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Hmm… Doesn’t seem like it…”
The crown prince scrutinized Lucino, who had become sharper due to weight loss, as the steward returned. Following him, a trolley laden with various desserts entered.
Pleased, the crown prince nodded at the steward, who knelt down, overwhelmed by the approval.
“Your efforts are appreciated, Your Highness.”
“Well done.”
Servants swiftly served the tea and snacks. They arranged the desserts in order and finally poured hot tea into the cups.
A rich, sweet aroma filled the air.
“Ah, this scent is delightful.”
The crown prince beamed, satisfied with the tea’s smoked scent perfectly blending with floral notes. Confident that even a food connoisseur like the duke had never experienced this, he expected astonishment.
However, a quick glance at the duke’s expression disappointed the crown prince. Instead of the typical amazed reaction to something new, Lucino’s face was stiff, scrutinizing the dessert.
The prepared dessert was a fresh cream cake topped with grapes, a challenging fruit to cultivate. This dessert, specially revealed for the first time upon successful grape cultivation, was expected to amaze even the well-traveled duke…
Yet, Lucino’s expression was odd. Initially scrutinizing the grape cake, his gaze turned distant, as if reminiscing about someone dear, his hand almost caressing the cake without touching it.
Watching him, the crown prince asked with a tone of disbelief.
“Duke, what are you doing?”
It seemed he finally regained his senses, as Lucino, who had cleared his throat with a cough, picked up his teacup.
“What am I saying.”
The skill with which he pretended ignorance was certainly noteworthy. Lucino, who quickly composed his expression, sipped his tea a few times before setting it down again.
“It’s Sofuang tea. However, it doesn’t seem to pair well with this cake.”
The combination of the smoked scent and floral fragrance was rich on its own, but it didn’t seem to match well with the fresh grape cream cake. In fact, a rich mousse type seemed more appropriate. A mousse filled with lots of chocolate…
“What’s this? Have you ever tasted this fruit? No? I heard it was the first successful cultivation in the imperial palace, right, chief steward?”
“Yes, it is indeed the first cultivation in the imperial palace, Your Highness.”
The crown prince looked at the cake with a disgusted expression. Lucino responded with a mocking expression.
“I’ve tasted something bigger and sweeter than this. Hmm, it seems the palace has only now succeeded in cultivating it.”
“What?”
The prince’s expectation to see the duke’s face spread with astonishment crumbled disappointingly. With a cooled face, he brought up another topic.
“Ah, the reason I called you today… Have you heard about the story of the Crown Prince of the Capitis Kingdom?”
“The Crown Prince of Capitis?”
“Yes, I heard an amusing story. Do you know how ridiculous things are going on there now? A guy, who turns out to be the queen’s brother acting as the regent king there, came to the imperial palace. He said when the time comes, he will hand over the kingdom, so he asked for an imperial title from us.”
“Are you talking about an imperial title from the Corpora Empire?”
“Yes, quite a bold one, isn’t he? Not hesitating to say he would sell his own country.”
The crown prince recalled Earl Lansmorris who had visited a while ago. Annoyingly, his hair color was similar to his own.
“It’s really delicious!”
Noel muttered as he ate the beef radish soup. Bern, sitting alone, watched his son eat and teared up.
He had thought he would have to send his son off first, but it turned out to be nothing short of a miracle. As he had told Rio, he wanted to trust Sylvia. Actually, he was already trusting her. Even if he was betrayed again, the fact that his son was saved was enough for him.
“Dad! This yellow thing is so tasty! Try it!”
With his small hands, he picked some up and put it in Bern’s mouth. It was tangy yet melted softly in the mouth. The sweet aftertaste combined with the savory flavor of the egg created a perfect harmony.
It seemed like forever since he had eaten beef that was plentiful in the soup. Adding rice to the soup and topping it with cucumber salad felt endlessly satisfying. Sylvia finally sat down to eat only after making sure everyone had started their meal.
“Phew.”
She had been so busy preparing the food that she was out of breath. Sitting down with a dazed expression, a spoon appeared beside her.
“Here.”
Felix, holding her personal spoon, quickly passed it to her.
“Oh, thank you.”
Sylvia turned to thank him and then noticed his untouched meal.
“Why haven’t you eaten? Is it not good?”
Lately, he had been eating quite well, but it seemed like he hadn’t touched his food at all, which worried her. Wondering if there was something wrong with his taste or smell, her expression became serious. Seeing her turquoise eyes filled with concern, Felix finally felt hungry.
“No, I wanted to eat with you.”
He didn’t like eating alone. Thinking about it, Sylvia was always by his side. He felt empty without seeing her teal hair moving around him while he ate.
His honest response made Sylvia’s face flush with warmth. It was embarrassingly sweet.
And yet, it made her happy.
The fact that someone was waiting to eat with her…… was more delightful than she expected, prompting Sylvia to touch her eyes with her fingers, a habit when she felt embarrassed.
★★51. Corpora Empire★★
Sitting inside the Duchy’s carriage, Lucino’s once robust figure had noticeably slimmed down, making his refined features even more apparent. His jawline had become sharper, casting deep shadows across his face as he looked out the carriage window at the castle.
The carriage headed towards the First Gate of Carpasinus was more ornate than the usual ducal carriage, adorned with various types of jewels on the window frames and wheels. The sunlight reflecting off them was as colorful as his hair.
The strong white horses smoothly exited through the gate. The First Gate led to the Albuum Castle, where the Empire’s Imperial Palace was located. A magical barrier surrounding the path prevented the invasion of magical beasts.
Due to its special nature, commoners could never use it, and even lower-ranked nobles needed a duke’s permission.
With winter just around the corner, Lucino found the sudden summoning by the Crown Prince suspicious, but he hadn’t thought much further.
“If you’re not well-fed, your brain doesn’t work properly,” he often said. However, since Sylvia disappeared, Lucino had hardly eaten properly.
The fresh and novel dishes she had made kept coming back to him. Even though Aaron had meticulously described the food he had seen to the ducal chef, they couldn’t replicate her dishes.
The only thing remotely edible were the fruits and vegetables grown with Sylvia’s magic.
Racing along the straight road, he entered Albuum Castle quickly. He glanced indifferently at the imperial palace, gleaming gold at its highest point. The coachman swiftly drove the carriage into the palace.
Seeing the ducal crest, the knights saluted in unison. Stepping out of the carriage, Lucino was led by the steward into the drawing room. The room was excessively bright, filled with sunlight, and adorned entirely in gold.
Gold, after all, was the metal symbolizing the imperial palace.
“You’ve arrived.”
A playful tone was directed at Lucino.
The crown prince seemed almost cast in gold, from his deep golden eyes to his blond hair, and even his clothes, though slightly different in hue, were all gold.
Combined with the sunlight, it was almost irritatingly bright. Lucino grimaced slightly and offered a formal greeting.
“I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Though the Visconti ducal family had its privileges even in the imperial court, the two were actually cousins. Lucino’s late mother’s younger sister was the current empress.
“As usual, you lack manners, huh? Ah, steward. Bring what’s prepared.”
Lucino’s picky palate was well-known throughout the empire. Therefore, the crown prince had specifically ordered the steward to prepare tea and snacks.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The steward exited the drawing room. The crown prince smiled warmly at Lucino and gestured towards a seat.
“Won’t you sit?”
“Yes.”
With a brief response, Lucino sat opposite the crown prince.
“The snacks prepared this time, you’ve never tasted anything like it before.”
Glancing at the crown prince’s smug expression, Lucino replied indifferently.
“I look forward to it.”
“What’s this? You’re different from usual. Something the matter?”
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Hmm… Doesn’t seem like it…”
The crown prince scrutinized Lucino, who had become sharper due to weight loss, as the steward returned. Following him, a trolley laden with various desserts entered.
Pleased, the crown prince nodded at the steward, who knelt down, overwhelmed by the approval.
“Your efforts are appreciated, Your Highness.”
“Well done.”
Servants swiftly served the tea and snacks. They arranged the desserts in order and finally poured hot tea into the cups.
A rich, sweet aroma filled the air.
“Ah, this scent is delightful.”
The crown prince beamed, satisfied with the tea’s smoked scent perfectly blending with floral notes. Confident that even a food connoisseur like the duke had never experienced this, he expected astonishment.
However, a quick glance at the duke’s expression disappointed the crown prince. Instead of the typical amazed reaction to something new, Lucino’s face was stiff, scrutinizing the dessert.
The prepared dessert was a fresh cream cake topped with grapes, a challenging fruit to cultivate. This dessert, specially revealed for the first time upon successful grape cultivation, was expected to amaze even the well-traveled duke…
Yet, Lucino’s expression was odd. Initially scrutinizing the grape cake, his gaze turned distant, as if reminiscing about someone dear, his hand almost caressing the cake without touching it.
Watching him, the crown prince asked with a tone of disbelief.
“Duke, what are you doing?”
It seemed he finally regained his senses, as Lucino, who had cleared his throat with a cough, picked up his teacup.
“What am I saying.”
The skill with which he pretended ignorance was certainly noteworthy. Lucino, who quickly composed his expression, sipped his tea a few times before setting it down again.
“It’s Sofuang tea. However, it doesn’t seem to pair well with this cake.”
The combination of the smoked scent and floral fragrance was rich on its own, but it didn’t seem to match well with the fresh grape cream cake. In fact, a rich mousse type seemed more appropriate. A mousse filled with lots of chocolate…
“What’s this? Have you ever tasted this fruit? No? I heard it was the first successful cultivation in the imperial palace, right, chief steward?”
“Yes, it is indeed the first cultivation in the imperial palace, Your Highness.”
The crown prince looked at the cake with a disgusted expression. Lucino responded with a mocking expression.
“I’ve tasted something bigger and sweeter than this. Hmm, it seems the palace has only now succeeded in cultivating it.”
“What?”
The prince’s expectation to see the duke’s face spread with astonishment crumbled disappointingly. With a cooled face, he brought up another topic.
“Ah, the reason I called you today… Have you heard about the story of the Crown Prince of the Capitis Kingdom?”
“The Crown Prince of Capitis?”
“Yes, I heard an amusing story. Do you know how ridiculous things are going on there now? A guy, who turns out to be the queen’s brother acting as the regent king there, came to the imperial palace. He said when the time comes, he will hand over the kingdom, so he asked for an imperial title from us.”
“Are you talking about an imperial title from the Corpora Empire?”
“Yes, quite a bold one, isn’t he? Not hesitating to say he would sell his own country.”
The crown prince recalled Earl Lansmorris who had visited a while ago. Annoyingly, his hair color was similar to his own.
