“…Ariel? Are you okay?”
After a few glasses of wine, Ariel giggles while hiccuping.
Her face was slightly flushed, and her relaxed eyes were a classic sign of intoxication.
“And I’m still fine! I’m perfectly clear-headed!”
Even under the influence, her denial was typical.
If it were anywhere else, it might have raised some concern, but here, in Ariel’s residence, surrounded by her maid and guards, it didn’t matter if she got drunk.
As the night wore on and glasses were raised, the atmosphere of the party began to heat up.
Conversations flowed, ranging from trivial matters to some deeper personal stories, as often happens at such gatherings.
Then, suddenly, Ariel brought up a new topic.
“Speaking of which, has anyone thought about getting married?”
“Marriage?”
Well, among the medieval nobility, a 26-year-old young lady was quite a bit past her prime.
In Lumia’s case, she was dealing with the curse of the monster chieftain, which had led her to engage in a betrothal contest instead of a typical marriage.
Yet, seeing as the Elrond family seemed to support their bookworm daughter’s free-reading adventures, they must’ve resigned themselves to her choice. Ariel, likewise, had never even considered such matters, making it an unexpected topic for the evening’s conversation.
“Ah… this morning, my maid suddenly started talking about marriage, saying I should meet some men while I’m still at my prettiest age.”
Ah, so that’s why.
It makes sense, after all.
If one wants to marry, one should do so while at the peak of their beauty.
‘Hmm.’
Marriage, huh?
It was a subject I had never once considered.
No, for someone planning a culinary quest to hunt and eat monsters, it was a topic that should probably be avoided entirely.
Marriage was for those settling for a secure future.
Given that the head of a noble family prioritized wealth and honor, while a culinary wanderer like myself valued strength and survival, it seemed better suited to my lifestyle to remain single rather than marry.
Of course, I couldn’t just say that outright; the discrepancy with participating in a betrothal contest was too great, so I chose to soften my response.
“Well… if an opportunity arises again, I might consider it then. What about you?”
“Me? Hmm, I haven’t given it much thought either… but if I had to, I’d want to marry someone kind, like my father, who doesn’t mind social status.”
It seems Lord Elrond has an excellent character.
It’s quite telling that his daughter, free from the family’s expectations, would consider her father a fitting match for marriage.
After Ariel finished her reply, she immediately turned to face Rachel.
“What about you, Lady Rachel?”
Ariel’s gaze landed on Rachel, who had been quietly eating.
*Kuhm.*
Rachel cleared her throat and modestly wiped her mouth with a napkin.
“Are you asking about my thoughts?”
“Yes! I’m curious about your thoughts, my purple knight. Hehe.”
The Purple Knight, Rachel.
Having gone through years of hardship and pain as a woman to earn her title as the best knight, she didn’t seem the least bit interested in men.
Not at all.
In fact, it’s likely she had excluded marriage from her life altogether, which is why she chose to become a personal bodyguard instead of a mercenary or guard at her youthful age.
A personal guard, who must be at the side of the one they serve 24 hours a day, hardly has time to turn their head away, let alone entertain romantic entanglements.
It’s not forced, of course, but at least during their contract, they must do their utmost to complete their responsibilities, and since such contracts typically last for ten-year terms, personal guards rarely marry, devoting their once youthful years to their charges.
Additionally, to be selected as a personal guard for a family at the count level or above typically requires over ten years of skill acquisition, making the average age of first contracts around 30. By the time they complete their first contract, they’re well into their forties—well past the ideal age for chasing marriage.
Moreover, unless there’s a breach of contract from the employer, it’s customary for personal guards to re-sign after successfully completing their term.
Rachel, combining perseverance, determination, and talent, was an exceptional case.
She had been merely 23 when she was employed by the notorious Elden Raphelion.
So, Rachel was at an age where, after the contract ends, she could still venture forth to find marriage, albeit a bit late.
The trouble, however, lay in the fact that she showed not even a hint of interest in such things.
Thus, I expected her answer to be quite predictable.
But then.
“I’ve been feeling a bit interested lately.”
That was the unexpected response.
Hmm.
Could I be bidding farewell to my first mentor after reincarnation once the contract ends?
Suddenly, I felt a pang of regret.
“Lately… you say?”
“Yes.”
Rachel took a sip of her wine in response to Ariel’s question.
I, too, was intrigued by Rachel’s answer and asked,
“Oh, I thought you had zero interest in men. This is surprising.”
“I just had high standards.”
“Is that so?”
After all, with Rachel’s looks, she must have received countless love letters from many admirers.
Humans tend to be drawn to others who share similar vibes and tastes.
A beautiful knight stepping into the rough-and-tumble world of men would definitely stir the hearts of many.
Among the many Cupid’s arrows flying around, surely at least one must have found its mark in Rachel’s heart.
Perhaps here in the Grand Ducal Castle, she had already made promises for the future with the owner of that arrow.
A romantic pledge to return after her contract ends, perhaps?
She couldn’t openly discuss such things in front of her employer, so I could understand her roundabout approach.
After all, she might face unnecessary reproach for looking elsewhere.
Anyway, I had no intention of interfering with her future and if she was beginning to open her eyes to the world of marriage, I ought to support it.
“As your disciple, I cheer for your enlightenment.”
Yet, Rachel was staring at me intently.
Was there something on my face? Just as I was about to check my mouth.
“Thank you.”
Rachel nodded her head in acknowledgment.
There’s no need for thanks.
After all, I owe her a great deal, and I’ll be accumulating more debts on this culinary journey, so if she gets married, I’ll have to provide a few vintage furnishings as a dowry.
If one incurs debts, it is only right to repay them.
“Elden?”
Ariel called out to me after taking a sip of wine like Rachel.
Her eyes were half-lidded, and her cheeks were as rosy as if she had dipped them in blush.
“Yeah?”
“If you were to meet a girl, what type would you like?”
“Type?”
“Ah… just curious. Hehe.”
What type of girl?
If it were the modern world, I could easily give an answer by referencing celebrities, but in this medieval age without visual media, I had no such comparisons to offer.
Regrettably, the modern version of me, Lee Jun-woo, was more focused on culinary quests than on romance, being numb to the idea of love.
And fitting a love life into his tight schedule was impossible—
Thoughts of “I should date first!” would naturally arise, yet it also strongly stemmed from a compensation psychology for his past, which had also been quite the grueling culinary expedition.
Above all,
“Love isn’t something that just happens because you want it to.”
It would be lovely if culinary adventures included love, but not having it doesn’t diminish the joy and comfort of those adventures, so I hadn’t really thought about it.
The only belief I could express, one that had persisted since my past life, was this:
“A person who cares for animals and plants.”
It was indeed a belief that didn’t sound much like Elden Raphelion, but I had a soft spot for those who value life.
Such people were likely to have warm hearts.
After all, with people who carelessly treat living beings, I had never encountered a morally upright individual, which might have further solidified my belief.
Caring for flora and fauna doesn’t guarantee someone is good, but in my eyes, they certainly seemed more favorable than those who acted otherwise.
Of course,
This did not include those who used the care of life as a means to express their distorted affection or raise deflated self-esteem.
A moment later.
“Um, I grow flowers…”
“I care for baby birds in a cage…”
Two sparks of warmth flared up for just a moment before quickly dying out.
They were weak sparks that never actually reached my intoxicated ears.
Moreover, they were soon forgotten amidst the ensuing commotion.
*Clang!*
“Eek!”
A maid accidentally knocked over a bowl of monster dish onto the table, and the meal sprung onto my thigh.
I recognized it.
The Red-Blue Giant Crab, a culinary delight mentioned in the books.
With its shell of red and blue and its juicy meat, it was a delicacy found only in the northwestern coasts, making it a rare ingredient in these northern realms.
The instant I realized this, one thought consumed me,
I must save it.
I will save it.
I must absolutely save it.
With a swift motion, I snatched the sliding Red-Blue Giant Crab off my thigh and placed it back in the bowl.
My mom used to say that if you pick up food that has fallen on the floor within five seconds, it’s still fine to eat.
Given that I had only ever tasted land-based monster cuisine until now, I wanted to immediately blow on the dish and devour it, but I couldn’t do that in the hush that had fallen over the hall.
*Slurp.*
I’m fine, though.
Maid Evian was entering her 16th year serving Count Elrond—she was a veteran.
“Evian, Maren, Rydel, you will be in charge of the service for this party.”
It was only natural for her to be selected as the head maid for the party.
I had my concerns, but I thought she would manage just fine.
She would do well and receive a bonus, I thought.
It didn’t take long for me to realize just how naive and foolish that assumption was.
*Clang!*
“Eek!”
The moment I faced the madman known as Elden Raphelion, the vibrations of my body set off a series of unfortunate events.
The bowl toppled off the table, its contents splattering onto Elden’s thigh.
My legs, which had been desperately holding me up, gave way, and I had to kneel.
And then, I had to pray.
“P-please forgive me! I’ve committed a grave sin!”
Not long after, the head maid came rushing in from the entrance, having observed the entire situation. She bent at the waist.
“Y-Young Master Elden, it’s my oversight. Please punish me…”
The most dreaded scenario had struck at the worst possible time.
Just as the alcohol began to seep in and the haze of intoxication took hold.
Of course, I couldn’t enforce a death sentence on a maid from another house because of this mistake, but I was sure some slapping would occur.
No.
That scoundrel Elden would definitely kick rather than slap.
However…
“It’s fine; just get up.”
Elden extended a hand to help the fallen maid up instead of kicking her.
The head maid assumed he was going to hit her.
But instead, Elden slipped a silver coin into the upper pocket of Evian’s maid uniform.
The head maid thought it was to become her transportation fare.
But Elden was actually comforting and encouraging Evian.
It was something unbelievable to see and hear.
“Due to this mistake, the head maid won’t be giving you a bonus, so take this.”
“Y-yes?”
“Everyone makes mistakes; don’t be disheartened.”
“And, head maid?”
“Yes, yes, Young Master.”
“Don’t scold this girl too harshly. She must have been extremely nervous; that tension likely stemmed from my actions, so I share some responsibility. Therefore, please comfort her instead of punishing her.”
“Yes… Oh, understood.”
A bewildering situation had ensued.
Indeed, gossip about Young Master Elden stated that he wouldn’t tolerate even a momentary mistake, leading to maids being dismissed from the Raphelion mansion more than enough times to fill ten cartloads.
Yet here he was, generously forgiving a mistake and even willing to share the blame.
It seems that;
My lady had been running around, sweating on her feet while exalting Elden’s transformation, so perhaps her innocent belief wasn’t unfounded.
“Th-thank you… Young Master.”
Evian bowed her head, expressing her gratitude to Elden, and thus the situation was almost resolved.
No one knew that it was merely a quick resolution so that she could dive straight into the longed-for sea monster cuisine.
And.
The heat blossomed in Ariel’s eyes who liked someone thoughtful, regardless of status.
No one noticed that Rachel’s eyes also glowed as she watched Elden, whose exterior and interior were growing stronger.
Thus, the midsummer night party was winding down.
“Get the one who treated me to monster cuisine today.”
“W-was it not to your taste? Please forgive me…”
“Here, take two silver coins. I’m sorry it’s all I brought; it was a marvelous feast.”
“……!!”
Instead of the night winding down, an unexpected wave of emotion was blooming in Ariel’s accommodation.
“Are you perhaps thinking of going on a journey?”
“Yes?”
“A culinary trip where you hunt and cook the monsters you catch, freshly prepared.”
“I-I have a wife and kids…”
“Oh, really? Hmm.”
As expected.
It won’t be as easy.
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