Chapter 66
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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body. Chapter 66 And so that evening. Finding myself unexpectedly sharing dinner with the Grand Duke, I let out a small gasp the moment I arrived at the Dining Room.
"Wow."
The table was laden so abundantly I worried it might collapse, yet every single dish consisted of things I adored. Even the desserts arranged on a small tray in one corner of the Dining Room, and the decorative flowers themselves—all matched my tastes perfectly. To be honest, I still harbored a slight grudge from the "room and board reassessment" matter that had occurred earlier that day, so I bit back the laughter threatening to spill from my lips. 'Right, as if I've ever had any backbone to begin with.' My gaze was stolen by the enormous roasted pork leg at the center of the table, and I walked toward it as though entranced. Only after I sat down could I finally look at the Grand Duke.
"Wow, what's the occasion? Is it my birthday perhaps?"
I made no attempt to hide my delight and grinned widely. The appeal of these carefully curated dishes, wafting such delicious aromas, was truly formidable. 'Did the head chef put in extra effort? Or could it be... Bonita's influence?' I mentally ranked Bonita as the more likely candidate, given how attentively she had been caring for me recently. Whenever I was troubled by needless worries or couldn't sleep late into the night, Bonita was always by my side. 'Oh, there's even pumpkin soup!' In the soup bowl set directly before me as an appetizer, golden pumpkin soup sat arranged neatly. But then. Why did my face suddenly feel so warm? Lifting my head cautiously, I discovered the Grand Duke still gazing in my direction. ...Which meant that from the moment I entered until I sat down, he hadn't touched the food or opened his mouth—he'd simply been watching me. 'What, what does he want?' Holding a small spoon, I observed him carefully and realized something peculiar. His expression seemed worried somehow, yet also angry. In fact, even that required close inspection to discern—at first glance, his face was utterly expressionless. That face, somehow...
"Um, excuse me."
Growing restless, I set down my spoon and opened my mouth toward the Grand Duke.
"Is there something you wanted to say?"
"...Me?"
"Yes?"
Of course. There are only the two of us here—surely I wasn't directing my question toward our ancestors in heaven? Yet instead of speaking my mind openly, I managed an awkward smile.
"You're asking if I have something to say?"
"...Then am I supposed to have something to say?"
The one who looked first should be the one with something to discuss, yet the Grand Duke acted as though I were the one who ought to have something to say to him. Just as a dissatisfied expression was naturally rising to my face.
"Ah...."
Something nagged at me. I cleared my throat and rose from my seat, offering a respectful bow.
"It's truly an honor to share such a wonderful dinner with you, Your Grace."
It had been so long since I'd bothered with such formalities toward him that it felt remarkably awkward. Yet he merely gazed at me with an inscrutable expression.
"Wonderful, you say...."
"...."
What was displeasing him now? I wished he'd simply tell me the right answer so I could put my mind at ease. I couldn't quite discern whether the Grand Duke was employing the manner of speech typical of noble ladies or merely the roundabout way of speaking befitting a great aristocrat. Fortunately, however, the Grand Duke soon relaxed his rigid expression.
"Does 'wonderful' mean it pleases the princess?"
"Of course? Everything suits my taste perfectly. From the appetizers to the paired wines."
It was true that my mood had lifted from the moment I saw the food. Even now, as I surveyed the deliciously appetizing dishes before me, I nodded toward the Grand Duke. A soft chuckle. Only then did his face break into a smile. 'That's frightening.' His smile was enchanting, yet I'd grown increasingly concerned about his mercurial temperament of late. Could it be that he'd suffered some mental strain from being overwhelmed with worries and consumed by administrative duties?
"By the way, Your Grace."
"Hmm?"
"How has your health been lately?"
It seemed only proper to avoid direct words like "mental" health or "mind," and so forth.
"Are you concerned about me?"
"Yes, somewhat...."
Had it been Liam in my place tonight rather than me, every priest in the Imperial Capital might have been summoned to the Grand Duke's Residence. Because the moment my question left my lips, the upward curve of the Grand Duke's mouth seemed decidedly suspicious.
"You're truly well, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm fine. There's nothing troubling me."
Unable to contradict him there, I simply acquiesced and changed the subject.
"The steak's doneness seems quite appropriate this evening."
"Indeed. I place great importance on the doneness of steak myself. You've done it wonderfully—it's cooked very evenly. How's the seasoning?"
"Excellent."
"Seasoning is the core of all cuisine. The chef has executed the dish with perfect finish, matching their intended vision."
After our brief conversation ended and the atmosphere began to settle, the Grand Duke posed a question to me.
"Anything noteworthy lately?"
"Lately, you say?"
Truth be told, there was one concern weighing on my mind. It was a topic I'd casually brought up to him before.
"I'm thinking about scouting talented individuals for the Manga Business, but I'm not sure how to go about it."
"Scouting?"
"Ah, Baroness Fabron."
I gave him a brief explanation of everything that had happened so far.
"...But the problem is, I'm not sure if Baroness Fabron would be willing to come all the way to the Grand Duchy."
"Why would Baroness Fabron need to come to the Grand Duchy?"
"Well, to produce manga..."
"Based on what the princess has told me, it doesn't seem like extensive collaboration would be necessary."
Oh, that's true. It was something I hadn't considered. Unlike an illustrator who would need to work directly with others, a story writer wouldn't necessarily need to be in the same space. As I naturally recalled the various work arrangements I knew of, I felt a lightbulb moment ignite in my mind.
"The only thing we'd need to worry about would be security."
"Ah...!"
Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? I smiled brightly and reached for the dessert bowl that had just been served.
"Princess?"
"I had a wonderful dinner tonight. But I just remembered something urgent, so I'll be taking my leave!"
Important matters must be pursued immediately when they come to mind. It's a shame to waste the remaining food, but there's no help for it. I nodded to the Grand Duke and slipped out of the Dining Room in an instant. Unaware that his gaze followed my retreating figure for a very long time. * * * My greatest concern had been the matter of where Fabron Marquis and his wife would reside. If I recruited Baroness Fabron as a story writer, the couple's living situation would change. Given the kind marquis's nature, there was a high probability he'd refuse out of guilt. Moreover, the distance from Embrose Marquise would become excessively far. But, but! 'If remote work were possible!?' There would be nothing we couldn't do. So the morning after the idea struck me, I boarded the teleportation circle and headed to Fabron Manor. ...My motion sickness did seem to be getting worse, but that was secondary.
"I'm glad your health has improved, Baroness."
"My goodness, young lady. You've come to visit me again. And this is...!"
Her face brightened as she saw the new thermos design scheduled for release next month.
"I'm so grateful I don't know what to say."
Was it my imagination that her eyes seemed unable to leave the thermos from the moment she spotted it? In any case. I gazed at her with a pleased expression as she now sat on the sofa rather than the sickbed, able to converse comfortably.
"Not at all. I'm relieved to see you've improved so much."
"The Embrose Marquise has been of tremendous help."
After that, our conversation drifted through trivial pleasantries for a moment.
"But what brings you all the way here?"
It was obvious to anyone that this wasn't merely a courtesy visit for her health. I met her gaze directly and broached the subject with measured calm.
"Please join me in producing 【Safety Protocols of the Goedam Duchy】, Madam."
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