“…Ariel? Are you okay?”
After having a few glasses of wine, Ariel hiccuped and giggled.
Her face was tinged with a light blush, and her slightly unfocused eyes were the typical reactions of someone tipsy.
And then.
“Heh, I’m still fine! I’m perfectly fine!”
Denying her inebriation despite clearly being tipsy was also a typical reaction.
In other places, this might be a bit concerning, but here, in Ariel’s quarters, it was fine. Her attendants and guards were on standby, so it wouldn’t matter if she got quite drunk.
As they tilted their wine glasses one by one, the night deepened, and the heat of the party began to rise.
From trivial small talk to somewhat deep, personal stories, the conversations flowed, as they do in such drinking gatherings.
Then suddenly, Ariel brought up a new topic.
“By the way, do you all have any thoughts about marriage?”
“Marriage?”
Indeed, in medieval noble society, a 26-year-old lady would have far surpassed the prime age for marriage.
In Remian’s case, she had to overcome the curse of the monster chieftain, which had delayed her engagement and marriage.
However, seeing that the Elrond Count’s house supported their book-loving daughter’s free reading journeys, it seemed they had already given up on such matters. Ariel also hadn’t given it the slightest thought, so it was an unexpected topic to come up at a drinking party.
“Ah… This morning, a maid suddenly started talking about marriage. She said I should meet a man while I’m at my prettiest.”
Ah.
So that was the reason.
There was some truth in what she said.
If one wanted to, it was indeed right to do so when one was at their most beautiful.
‘Hmm.’
Marriage.
It was a topic I had never once considered.
No, it was a topic that shouldn’t even be considered by someone planning a gastronomic journey involving directly hunting and eating monsters.
Marriage is something that should be done by those planning a stable future.
The life of a noble house head, who must prioritize wealth and honor, and the life of a gourmet traveler, who must prioritize strength and survival, are better suited to solitude than marriage.
Of course, saying that outright would be too disconnected from the justification for participating in the engagement ceremony, so I decided to tone it down appropriately.
“Well… if the opportunity arises again, I’ll think about it then. How about you?”
“Me? Hmm, I haven’t really thought about it much either… But if I absolutely had to, I’d like someone who is kind, regardless of status, like my dad.”
It seems that Count Elrond has an excellent character.
Seeing that his daughter, free from the expectations of the household, considers him a marital partner shows how highly she thinks of him.
Ariel, having finished her answer, immediately looked at Rachel.
“How about you, Sir Rachel?”
All eyes turned to Rachel, who had been quietly eating.
Cough.
Rachel cleared her throat once and had to wipe her mouth gently with a handkerchief while lowering her head.
“Are you asking me?”
“Yes. I’m curious about what the knight in purple thinks. Hehe.”
Rachel, the knight in purple.
Having endured hardships and pain to earn the title of the best knight, she didn’t seem interested in men at all.
No.
From the start, marriage was something she had excluded from her life. It was likely why she became a dedicated knight instead of a mercenary or a guard at such a young age.
A personal guard, who must spend 24 hours a day by the side of the one they serve, wouldn’t have time to indulge in affairs or even glance away.
Though it wasn’t enforced, during the contract period, they had to do their best to fulfill their responsibilities and duties, and since this contract period was usually for ten-year increments, it was said that personal guards typically didn’t marry, dedicating their youth to the ones they served.
Especially to be selected as a personal guard for a family of at least count rank or higher, it would take at least ten years just to build up that skill, making the average age for a first contract around thirty. By the time they finished their first contract, they would already be in their forties, entering the twilight of life.
To dream of marriage by then would be too late.
Also, if the employer didn’t cancel the contract, it was customary for personal guards who completed their contract period safely to renew their contracts.
Rachel, with her perseverance, dedication, and talent, was a special case.
When she was hired by Elden Lafellion, a notorious lecher, she was only 23 years old.
Thus, Rachel would be at an age where, even after her contract period expired, she could still seek marriage if she wanted to, albeit a bit late.
The problem was that she seemed entirely uninterested in it.
So, a typical answer was expected.
But.
“Lately, I’ve been a bit interested.”
What came was an answer completely opposite to what was expected.
Hmm.
When the contract period ends, will I have to say goodbye to my first mentor after transmigrating to this world?
I suddenly felt like I might miss her.
**
“Lately… you say?”
“Yes.”
In response to Ariel’s question, Rachel answered as she drank her wine.
I, too, was intrigued by Rachel’s answer and asked.
“Oh, I thought you weren’t interested in men at all. That’s unexpected.”
“I just had high standards.”
“Is that so.”
Indeed, with Rachel’s level of beauty, she must have received numerous letters from men.
Humans naturally feel attracted to those with similar sensibilities and tastes.
A beautiful female knight who stepped into the rough world of men was bound to stir their hearts.
Among the countless arrows of Cupid thrown her way, at least one must have struck Rachel’s heart.
Perhaps she had already promised her future to the owner of one of those arrows here in the northern grand duchy.
A romantic promise to return after the contract period ended.
She was likely speaking indirectly because she couldn’t reveal the truth in front of the one she served.
She might be reprimanded for being distracted.
Regardless, I had no intention of interfering with her future. If she was opening her eyes to the new world of marriage, it was only right to support her.
“As a disciple, I support my master’s enlightenment.”
But Rachel looked at me intently.
Thinking something might be on my face, I was about to touch around my mouth.
“Thank you.”
Rachel bowed her head and replied.
There was no need to thank me.
Having owed my master a lot, and planning to incur more debt on the gastronomic journey, if she were to marry, I would have to at least provide a few pieces of dowry furniture.
It’s only right for a human to repay their debts.
“Elden?”
Ariel, following Rachel, took a sip of wine and called me.
Her eyes were half-closed, and her cheeks were red like she had put on rouge.
“Hmm?”
“If you were to meet a woman, what kind of type would you like to meet?”
“Type?”
“Ah… I’m just curious. Hehe.”
What type of woman.
If it were the modern era, I would easily answer by comparing to celebrities, but in this medieval period without video media, there was nothing to compare to.
Regrettably, modern-day Lee Jun-woo was so indifferent to love that he thought more about a gastronomic journey than a sweet romance.
The life of Lee Jun-woo was too tightly packed to include something like love.
Although a compensatory mindset might naturally make one think, ‘I should date first!’ a gastronomic journey was also driven by a strong compensatory mindset for the harsh previous life.
Moreover.
‘A romantic relationship isn’t something that happens just because you want it to.’
While adding romance to a gastronomic journey would be nice, the absence of it wouldn’t reduce the charm and peace, so it was a topic I had never really considered.
The only thing I could answer with was a belief that had persisted from my previous life.
“Someone who cherishes animals and plants?”
It was an uncharacteristic belief for Elden Lafellion, but at least I saw people who cherished animals and plants in a positive light.
In reality, such people were more likely to have a warm heart.
Because I had never seen anyone who treated animals and plants poorly have a good character, I might have had such a belief.
Cherishing animals and plants doesn’t guarantee a good person, but at least ‘in my eyes,’ they seemed better than those who didn’t.
Of course.
People who cherished them as a means to express their twisted affection or to boost their shattered self-esteem were exceptions.
After a while.
“Oh, I raise flowers….”
“I have a baby bird in a cage….”
Two passions flared up momentarily and then quickly subsided.
It was a faint heat that couldn’t reach the ears soaked in drunkenness.
Also, due to the ensuing commotion, it was soon forgotten.
Clang!
“Kyaa!”
A maid, placing a dish of monster cuisine on the table, accidentally knocked it over, and the dish landed on my thigh.
I remembered reading about it in a book.
A grilled dish of the giant crab monster, Red Blue Giant Crab.
Its shell was red and blue, and even its flesh was red and blue, hence its name. It only appeared on the northwestern coast, making it a rare ingredient in the northern region.
The moment I recognized it.
There was only one thought in my mind,
Save it.
Save it at all costs.
I must save it.
Snap!
I quickly grabbed the Red Blue Giant Crab’s grilled meat, sliding off my thigh towards the floor, and placed it
back on the plate.
My mom used to say.
Even if it falls on the floor, if you pick it up within five seconds, it’s still good.
Having only eaten land monster cuisine so far, I wanted to blow on it and eat it immediately, but I couldn’t do that in the suddenly silent hall.
Sigh.
I’m fine, though.
**
Evian, the maid, had been serving the Elrond family for sixteen years, making her a veteran.
“Evian, Maren, Riddel, you three will be in charge of attending to this party.”
It was only natural for someone like her to be selected as the maid in charge of the party.
She felt nervous but believed she could do well.
She thought she would do well and receive a bonus.
It didn’t take long to realize how complacent and ridiculous that thought was.
Clang!
“Kyaa!”
The trembling that began the moment she faced the madman Elden Lafellion finally caused an accident.
The dish flipped over the table, and the food spilled onto Elden’s thigh.
Her legs gave way, and she had to sit down.
And she had to beg.
“P-please forgive me! I’ve committed a grave sin-!”
Soon after, the head maid, who had been monitoring the situation from the entrance of the banquet hall, hurried over and bowed deeply.
“L-Lord Elden. This is my fault. Please punish me…!”
The worst situation occurred at the worst possible time.
The moment the wine bottles were adequately emptied, and the drunkenness began to rise.
Although they couldn’t pronounce a death sentence on a maid from another house for such a mistake, a slap was certainly expected.
No.
Elden, the notorious troublemaker, would surely kick instead of slap.
But.
“…Stand up, it’s okay.”
Instead of kicking the prostrating maid, Elden helped her up.
The head maid thought he was going to punch her.
But Elden put a silver coin in Evian’s upper pocket.
The head maid thought it would be funeral money.
But Elden comforted and encouraged Evian.
It was something hard to believe even after seeing and hearing it.
“Since the head maid won’t give you a bonus because of this mistake, take this.”
“Huh, what?”
“Everyone makes mistakes, so don’t be discouraged. And head maid?”
“Yes, yes, my lord.”
“Don’t scold this friend too harshly. Imagine how nervous she must have been. That nervousness might have been caused by me, so it’s partly my fault too. Please comfort her instead of reprimanding her.”
“Y-yes… I, I understand.”
A bewildering situation.
The rumor that Lord Elden, who never tolerated a single mistake, had expelled dozens of maids from the Lafellion mansion for such errors, wasn’t unfounded.
But the Elden before them overlooked the mistake with generosity and even shared the responsibility for it.
It seemed that the lady’s fervent proclamation about Elden’s change wasn’t a misguided belief.
“Th-thank you…. My lord.”
Evian bowed her head and thanked Elden, and the situation was settled.
No one knew that it was the quick resolution by a glutton who couldn’t wait to devour his first taste of sea monster cuisine.
And then.
Ariel, who preferred a kind person regardless of status, felt warmth towards Elden.
Rachel, who saw his growing inner strength, also felt warmth towards him.
Thus.
The early summer night party was coming to an end.
“Bring me the one who served me the monster cuisine today.”
“Was it not to your liking? Please forgive us…!”
“Here, take these two silver coins. I apologize for only having these. It was an excellent feast.”
“……!!”
Instead of the night ending, an unexpected wave of emotion was rising in Ariel’s quarters.
“Do you perhaps plan to go on a journey?”
“Huh?”
“A gastronomic journey where you immediately cook and eat the monsters you hunt yourself.”
“I have a wife and children….”
“I see. Hmm.”
Indeed.
It’s not easy.
So nice
Thanks for the chapter 😁