Handing back the cup he was holding to Sylvia, Felix stepped back out into the garden. For all the pondering they had done through the night, their exchange had ended quite anticlimactically.
As Sylvia stood in a daze, still processing the brief interaction, there was a knock at the kitchen door.
“Miss Sylvia, shall I help you with the food?”
It was Luke, with his green hair, asking from beyond the door.
“Oh, just a moment, please!”
Hastily, Sylvia used wind magic to slice the egg kimbap. Only after arranging the slices neatly on a plate did she respond.
“Luke, you can come in now!”
No sooner had she spoken than Luke, Isaac, and Jordan entered, quickly grabbing the plates.
Stepping into the living room, Sylvia greeted everyone with a cheerful voice.
“Good morning, everyone!”
★★33. Let’s Go★★
Sylvia was on her way to the Duke’s mansion in a carriage that always arrived before lunchtime. She held her leather backpack tightly on her lap. Today, she was determined to speak her mind.
That she would no longer come to the Duke’s mansion with a packed lunch.
She worried about whether she could say this in front of the Duke, who exuded a beautiful yet unapproachable aura, but she knew she had to. This was not the future she wanted. Felix was sufficient to indirectly influence the dreams she aspired to.
Sylvia nodded resolutely and turned her head towards the majestic Visconti Duke’s mansion, visible through the carriage window.
The carriage stopped familiarly right in front of the mansion entrance. Sylvia alighted with the escort of the coachman.
The first person she encountered upon descending was the butler, Aaron. It had become routine for them to exchange greetings and immediately head to the lounge where the Duke awaited, but…
Today was different.
Sylvia felt bewildered by the unfamiliar corridor adorned with splendid paintings and torso sculptures.
Unsure of where to go, she eventually called out to Aaron.
“Excuse me, butler?”
“Yes, what is it?”
Aaron stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at her. Sylvia glanced around, whispering softly.
“It’s just that this route is different from usual. I was curious about where we are going.”
Aaron, acknowledging the validity of her question, nodded lightly and responded.
“The Duke has expressed a desire to have lunch in a different location today. We have prepared in advance not far from where our mansion’s fruits and vegetables are grown.”
Aaron looked at her, his expression asking if his answer sufficed. Despite the missing subject in his sentence, Sylvia understood well enough and nodded in response.
“Yes, I understand.”
With her affirmation, Aaron turned back around and continued walking. Sylvia followed closely, marveling at the fascinating statues around her.
Just when she thought they had reached the end of the mansion, something sparkling in the sunlight caught her eye. The corridor ended with one wall disappearing, replaced by a smooth, curved railing.
Stepping through the open space that seemed like an exit, a wide expanse of various vegetables and fruits came into view.
Beside it, a lavish table and plush chairs were neatly arranged on purple velvet.
A silver canopy, fluttering in the wind, shaded them from the intense sunlight, and beneath it, long hair imbued with a variety of vibrant colors shimmered in the breeze.
Hearing footsteps, Lucino slowly turned around, causing Sylvia to unwittingly part her lips slightly. He was a large man with a robust physique, noticeable even from a distance.
Yet, his face was handsome, and his jewel-like sparkling hair and eyes were captivating.
A deep and solid bass voice greeted her.
“Have you arrived?”
Sylvia, observing the Duke’s eyes crinkle ever so slightly, greeted him with a stiff neck.
“Hello.”
“My expectations are quite high today.”
Lucino had been enjoying every day lately. He looked forward to the moment he woke up in the morning, eager for the time to taste delicious food and unique fruits and vegetables without missing a single day.
Sylvia, standing next to the plush chair where Lucino had naturally seated himself, took out a three-tiered food container from her leather backpack.
As she spread out the packed lunch in front of the Duke, she began to explain the food.
“This is called egg kimbap. It’s a dish made using rice instead of wheat. The vegetables include carrots, cucumbers, burdock, pickled cabbage, and pineapple, with beef added that’s been marinated in Galbus oil.”
After explaining the egg kimbap, Sylvia moved on to describe the pumpkin leaf and cabbage wraps.
“These are wraps made by steaming pumpkin leaves and cabbage and then filling them with the same ingredients as the egg kimbap.”
Having finished explaining about the apples, pears, and persimmons, she naturally picked up her chopsticks and served some green and scarlet rice-filled egg kimbap onto a plate for Lucino.
“Ah, the colors are pretty.”
With a satisfied exclamation, Lucino first tasted the egg kimbap made with green rice.
“Mm.”
He smiled as he tasted the crunchy vegetables, fluffy egg, and the sweet and savory mix of pineapple and stir-fried beef.
“Mm.”
Nodding, he then tried the egg kimbap made with carrot juice, chewing thoughtfully. The Duke, who ate quickly, efficiently consumed both the egg kimbap and the pumpkin leaf and cabbage wraps.
Sylvia busily maneuvered her chopsticks, continuously replenishing the quickly emptying plate in front of her. Having finished the egg kimbap and wraps in no time, Lucino enjoyed the lingering taste of the food in his mouth with a sip of the cool barley tea Sylvia had prepared.
As Sylvia neatly arranged apples, pears, and sweet persimmons on a newly brought empty plate, Lucino spoke.
“Your food is truly novel. How can you make such dishes? And the freshness of the vegetables and fruits is remarkable! Especially, the sweetness of the fruits is unmatched in the empire.”
Lucino smiled at Sylvia with excessive praise, his smile somewhat burdensome.
“To think I had you come to the Duke’s mansion without preparation…”
Lucino gently shook his head and picked up a pear with his fork, taking a bite. The crisp crunching sound was heard.
“I’m a bit slow in that regard. That’s why I’ve prepared something special just for you.”
Sylvia merely listened. In her mind, she was continuously calculating the timing to express her decision to stop coming. However, the mention of something prepared for her piqued her interest, not out of anticipation, but out of concern that it might be as unreasonably priced as before.
“Yes?”
She asked, hoping it wouldn’t be the case. Lucino smiled broadly, his lips curling up at the ends in satisfaction.
“Surely, you will find it to your liking.”
Sylvia blinked blankly at his confident smile.
“But, what exactly…”
After finishing his fruit, Lucino wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.
“Follow me.”
Without calling for Aaron, the Duke stood up and strode off. Sylvia hurried after him, chopsticks still clenched in one hand.
She rolled her eyes, trying to gauge Aaron’s expression as he followed beside her, but his face remained impassive.
Sylvia stopped just a few steps behind the Duke.
Lucino caressed a newly made doorknob, then firmly turned it.
A space flooded with bright light was revealed. The Duke entered first, and Sylvia hesitated before following.
“This is your exclusive kitchen.”
Lucino explained with a bright smile. Sylvia’s mouth fell open at the sight of the spacious kitchen, too vast to take in at a glance.
From the large table made of fine wood to the shelves, unfamiliar cabinets, fireplace, a large gemstone plate with fire magic circles, and on the walls, gemstone plates with wind magic circles engraved like murals.
Sunlight filled the room through large windows, which, when opened, led to a terrace. Fully bloomed roses swayed in the breeze, scattering their fragrance, and the outdoor table and chairs set for resting were elegantly crafted.
“No, this is…”
Lost for words, Sylvia could only turn her head back and forth, unable to continue speaking. Aaron nodded as if her reaction was expected and added an explanation.
“This space was created by His Grace’s direct command, especially for you. We hope it meets your approval.”
If it sounded like a veiled threat, could it be her ears that were mistaken?
Sylvia felt the words of refusal rise to her throat, but she knew this was not the moment for such sentiments. She felt rigid with the weight of obligation, her head movement stiff and robotic as she spoke.
“Th-thank you, Your Grace.”
“Ha ha, I’m glad you like it. That’s very fortunate.”
His smile was radiant and beautiful, but Sylvia no longer saw it.
“Ha ha…”
She laughed mechanically, continuously nodding her head with a dazed expression.
***
After alighting from the carriage, Sylvia trudged into her home. The mercenaries who greeted her with blank expressions quickly gathered around.
“Miss Sylvia, are you unwell? You don’t look too good!”
The silver eyes tinged with the hue of ice, belonging to a sword imbued with the element of ice, looked at her with concern.
“No, I think… I’m okay. Probably.”
Sylvia managed a smile in response. Hubert caught up to Sylvia, who was dragging her feet like a marionette with cut strings, as she headed to her room.
“Miss Sylvia, are you alright? You look very pale.”
She faced those deep blue eyes and said,
“I’m fine… I just need to rest.”
Her head was throbbing, and she felt the need to rest. Sylvia weakly made her way to her room.
The mercenaries looked at each other, puzzled, as she walked away.
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