TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 44
The dining table is finally serving its purpose after a long time.
After Yuria, the dining table that had been gathering dust for a while was finally being put to use.
From the kitchen where I was cooking, I looked at the people sitting at the table.
The Young Lady wore an indifferent expression.
Hanna, who became the youngest Aura User in the Empire.
And the Master of Culinary Arts… no, even Malik, the eldest son of the Histania Family, Empire’s famous figures were sitting at the humble dining table, sipping hot black tea.
Hanna, savoring the Scent of Black Tea, gave me a Small Smile.
“This time, it’s not green tea?”
“I splurged a bit since I thought Miss Hanna might visit.”
Hanna smiled at the straightforward comment.
“Really? I was planning to surprise you.”
It must have been a joke that suited Hanna’s taste.
Hanna carefully observed the teacup.
With a faint smile, Hanna touched the handle of the teacup and murmured to herself.
“Green tea… was nice too.”
Seizing the moment, I hurriedly pulled out the Cheap Green Tea canister that had been buried in the pantry.
It was the Cheap Green Tea that the Young Lady and I had tried to finish somehow but ultimately failed. Since drinking the artisan-crafted black tea, the green tea hadn’t seen the light of day, and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to use it up.
I showed Hanna the Steel Green Tea Canister.
“Would you like some?”
Noticing my Dark Intent to dispose of the leftovers, the Young Lady spoke up.
“Ricardo, using leftovers is wrong.”
“Leftovers? I’m just trying to serve tea tailored to one’s taste.”
“…That’s called using leftovers.”
A Young Lady oblivious to subtleties.
Hanna awkwardly shook her head.
When she said it was fine, I regretted not being able to get rid of it this time and even suggested she take it home, but thanks to the Young Lady’s honest confession, I failed.
With frustration, I said to the Young Lady.
“Then tomorrow’s snack will be green tea and biscuits.”
“…Using leftovers is wrong.”
“It’s fine. Sometimes, the Master of the House also has to handle leftovers.”
“Then…”
The Young Lady looked at Hanna.
With eyes pleading for Salvation.
“You drink it.”
And handed the green tea to Hanna.
Hanna declined.
Saying the green tea I brew tastes good, or something like that.
With a disappointed heart, I put the green tea back in the pantry.
Dinner was prepared quickly.
Tonight’s dinner menu was tteokbokki.
Although it’s a humble dish to serve to guests, I had no choice since it was a request from Hanna, who came bearing gifts.
Hanna wanted it.
And it was also tonight’s dinner menu.
However, there was no denying the tension of showcasing a new dish in front of the Master of Culinary Arts.
Malik had been watching my cooking with his arms crossed since earlier.
Malik’s demeanor reminded me of a cooking show from a previous life. It felt like he might say, “Chef, come down here for a moment,” at any moment, making it hard to focus on cooking.
“Hmm… Not bad.”
Malik, watching me skillfully handle the ingredients, gave a brief assessment.
I couldn’t decide whether to take it as Praise or to tell him, as a guest, not to critique and just sit on the chair.
Malik, looking at the dish taking shape, asked curiously.
“What kind of dish is this?”
“Ah, is this your first time, Mr. Malik?”
Malik nodded.
The only ones in this estate who had tried tteokbokki were the Young Lady and Hanna.
Come to think of it, Malik had never eaten tteokbokki before, so an explanation of the dish was necessary. Just as I was about to give Malik a simple explanation, I heard Hanna’s sharp Voice from where she was seated.
“Just shut up and eat.”
“…Alright.”
Malik, unable to stand his ground in front of Hanna.
The last time I saw them, Malik couldn’t seem to get enough of Hanna, but now their relationship seemed to have changed quite a bit.
Perhaps my advice last time helped; the two of them looked closer than before, enough to fit the word “siblings.”
Bickering.
“What are you doing in someone else’s house?”
“It’s an Occupational Habit….”
“Job? Isn’t Older Brother’s job a Knight?”
“Well… yes! Imperial Knight.”
“Then act like a Knight and stay still.”
Or not?
It felt like he was a Proprietress devoted to his job…
Anyway, it’s good to see them getting along.
It’s just that I’m worried about the Young Lady and Malik’s relationship.
Since earlier, the Young Lady had been glaring at Malik with her arms crossed. She seemed upset about the uninvited guest.
They had been clashing since their first meeting.
-Who are you?
-…You?
-Yes, you.
-Then who are you?
-I am the Master of the House here.
-Ah… so you’re the rumored Villainess Olivia?
-…Want to fight?
The Young Lady glared at Malik.
Malik glared at the Young Lady.
The two were suffocating in many ways.
As Hanna watched the fierce exchange of looks between the Young Lady and Malik, she jabbed Malik’s Side strongly.
“…Don’t act cocky.”
Hanna had become Malik’s Assigned Bully.
Hanna seemed to have changed a lot. The timid look she had due to her inferiority complex about the sword was gone, replaced by a confident and bold demeanor, which was pleasant to see.
When the tteokbokki was finished, I put on Mittens.
Seeing this, the Young Lady said.
“Ricardo is hurt, so Malik, bring it over.”
Malik glared at the Young Lady but, under Hanna’s strong jab to his Side again, walked over to the kitchen.
***
The pot was emptied quickly.
Malik, who had been eyeing the food with interest, abandoned noble etiquette and devoured his plate, while Hanna, sweating profusely, muttered, “This is the taste…!” and finished her plate rapidly.
“My dinner…”
The Young Lady, holding a fork, looked at the empty pot in despair, muttering, “Ah… this can’t be…” with a tearful expression.
Perhaps because they were swordsmen, Hanna and Malik seemed to have an exceptional Talent for eating. Watching them eat so deliciously made me feel good.
Of course, the Young Lady’s expression was souring.
“Eat just a little, you pigs…!”
“…”
“…”
“Don’t ignore me!”
By the time the pot was completely emptied.
I carefully decided to interrupt their meal.
The question I hadn’t asked earlier.
‘Why are you two here?’
I couldn’t ask earlier because of the chaos, but now that I had the time, I decided to ask.
“So, what brings you to our mansion?”
It didn’t seem like they came for fun, nor just to eat.
I specifically addressed Malik.
Because I had a guess as to the reason.
“Judging by the pile of gifts you brought, it seems you came for another reason. Am I wrong, Mr. Malik?”
Malik, who had been poking at the rice cake with his fork, flinched. Then he lightly shook his head, wiped his mouth, and answered.
“It’s not like last time with Mantis… no, Pascal. I came to express my gratitude.”
As I thought. It seemed they came because of the potion I sent this time.
I had sent a legendary sword to Hanna and a potion to Malik as packages. They must have come to thank me. I pretended not to know.
It’s a principle of mine to feign ignorance as a show of humility. That way, I might also get a meal voucher for Friends of Forest and maybe some allowance.
With an expression of complete cluelessness, I looked at Malik.
“A thank-you?”
Malik gave an empty laugh, as if he had read my inner thoughts.
“Yes, a thank-you… But it’s faster to show it than to say it.”
Malik put down his fork and clenched his fist firmly.
A shimmering energy glowing in light brown.
It was faint and weak but undeniably Aura.
Malik gave a refined smile. His provocative gaze seemed to ask what I thought of this, but I disliked The Man’s smile so much that I wanted to punch it.
But he’s a patron, so I had to hold back.
As the head of the household, I had to bear its weight and unclench my tightly gripped fist.
With a face that looked like a decade-long burden had been lifted, Malik spoke to me.
“Thanks to the potion you gave me, I was able to surpass my limits.”
Hiding my dark intent, I responded to Malik’s words with a shake of my head.
“Oh, come on… What help could I have possibly given? It’s all thanks to your own efforts, Mr. Malik.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Malik nodded his head.
“That’s certainly true.”
What a shameless guy.
In a way, Malik’s words were correct.
If one could awaken Aura just by using a potion, then who in the world wouldn’t awaken? If every wealthy noble could use Aura, they’d all be flying around. Considering the fact that the youngest Aura User before Hanna was an ordinary commoner, awakening Aura through doping was almost impossible.
Malik knew this as well, which is why he threw humility out the window and admitted it.
But still, he’s insufferable.
Malik gave a wistful smile.
“Since that day, I’ve had an epiphany.”
“An epiphany about my excellent swordsmanship, perhaps?”
“Do you not know the meaning of humility?”
“…Isn’t it true, though?”
Malik clicked his tongue in annoyance and continued.
“Anyway, after that battle, I realized how lacking I was. I was so consumed by my sense of superiority that I couldn’t see those around me.”
Malik reached out to take Hanna’s hand.
He seemed to be overflowing with familial love.
Hanna frowned and slapped Malik’s hand away with a sharp smack. Then, she said something to Malik’s face that must be a common phrase for an older brother to hear.
“What nonsense, you filthy thing.”
They truly looked like real siblings.
Malik shared various stories.
He begged Hanna for forgiveness.
He said he got beaten up mercilessly at the Academy.
He proudly recounted how he begged Hanna, who refused to accept his apology, and got hit with a scabbard, with Aura, and in front of everyone, like a dog.
He seemed like a crazy bastard.
The Young Lady seemed to agree.
“Crazy bastard.”
She left the same impression I had.
Anyway, Malik said he gained enlightenment through that process.
And thanks to it, he awakened Aura.
Hanna came to our mansion to express her thanks for the legendary sword I had gifted her.
Wrapping up the story, Malik pointed to the pile of gifts stacked beside the dining table.
A doll. Flowers. Accessories. And.
“Huh?”
Even a Friends of Forest Meal Voucher, which the Young Lady loved the most.
The Young Lady’s eyes widened as she saw the meal voucher in Malik’s hand.
“Ricardo, it’s a meal voucher. And not just one… but ten!”
The Young Lady smiled the brightest smile I’d seen today.
Leaning in close, I whispered into the Young Lady’s ear.
“That person is the Proprietress.”
“Proprietress?”
“Yes… Friends of Forest.”
The Young Lady looked at me with eyes that asked why I hadn’t mentioned this earlier.
She glanced at Malik, then back at me, wearing a disbelieving expression, as if asking if this made any sense. I nodded in response, answering her silently.
The Young Lady whispered to me.
“A household that only thinks about swords?”
“Yes.”
“Even though they’re idiots who only know swords?”
I nodded.
“So, is that person the one you said gave a lot of money?”
“Yes.”
“…Did I make a mistake?”
The Young Lady fell silent.
Then, awkwardly, she extended her hand to Malik.
“Uh… I look forward to working with you.”
Malik replied coldly.
“Too late.”
The Young Lady looked as if her world had crumbled.
*
As it got late, the Histania Siblings decided to stay the night at our mansion.
The sleepover was made possible thanks to the Young Lady’s efforts to win Malik’s favor and my persuasion.
Hanna went into the Young Lady’s room with her, while I sat at the dining table with Malik, drinking tea.
“Phew…”
As he cooled the hot tea, Malik expressed his gratitude for dinner.
“I ate well. It was my first time trying such food, and it was truly delicious.”
“Hearing that you enjoyed it makes me happy.”
After a brief silence, Malik spoke to me with a serious expression.
“So, I was thinking… How about adding that tteokbokki dish to our store’s menu?”
I swallowed nervously.
“Pardon?”
Malik continued, saying he would, of course, pay royalties for the recipe and proposed a joint business venture. He claimed it was a dish destined for success.
“I’ll make it a 3:7 split so you won’t feel left out. Together, we can conquer the Entire Continent’s Culinary Industry.” I looked at Malik, who had such an odd goal, and said.
“Mr. Malik.”
“What, you don’t like it? Then how about a 6:4 split… but no more than that.”
It seemed Malik had an Innate Talent for this field rather than for swords. Of course, he wielded swords at a high level, but…
His Talent in the Culinary Business was extraordinary.
“Wasn’t your dream to become a Knight Commander?”
Malik pressed his lips together tightly.
After the business talk ended, Malik pulled out A Sheet of Paper from his pocket.
“In exchange for the Recipe, a 3:7 split. I’ll handle the operations, and you’ll handle the development. No complaints, right?”
“Yes. Mr. Malik, you can take care of all the bothersome work.”
“…Annoying. Then let’s end this discussion here and move on to this paper. You must be most curious about this, right?”
Malik unfolded the paper on the Dining Table.
A Blueprint of a chair with two large wheels on either side was spread out on the Dining Table.
“I thoroughly read the Letter you sent. The handwriting was atrocious, but I managed to solve it by calling an Ancient Language Interpreter… It was horrifying. The handwriting. Anyway, judging by the drawing, it’s undoubtedly an amazing invention.”
With a Question Mark on his head, Malik asked.
“What did you say this chair was called?”
I told Malik.
“It’s called a Wheelchair.”