I wondered why Isidore Dakiten, an imperial investigator, was refusing the welcome banquet.

“You said we’d do it later, but we’re doing it after all. The new chef is already preparing banquet dishes that can be stored for a long time.”

The head maid, who had been preparing thoroughly, said this was actually a good thing. It’s a good opportunity to get back at the butler.

“Use all the silver tableware for the banquet. Head maid, you’re responsible for counting every piece of silverware. Have Marie and Denise help count too.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Tell the chef to consider dishes that use as many different types of silverware as possible.”

“Yes.”

“The budget should have been secured by now, right?”

“I’m still fighting with the butler about that. He makes all sorts of excuses saying there’s no money, but it doesn’t make sense that Lucenford has no money even if it’s planting season.”

“You need to stand firm. Both I and His Grace are on your side.”

“If both of Your Graces are on my side, I can keep fighting tirelessly.”

Fabiola Sirenster, who became the new head maid a while after Kaella collapsed, was excluded from this meeting with the investigator.

So she was able to move around freely while the investigator was snooping around the castle. But the butler was suffering greatly as the investigator had begun to focus his investigation on him.

“That’s very reassuring to hear.”

Well, I should tell her to go now. Fabiola must be as busy as Isidore Dakiten who just left.

“Um, Your Grace. Is there any food you’d like to eat?”

“…Huh?”

Kaella didn’t understand at first.

“The chef has excluded all the foods Your Grace can’t eat, so for this banquet, he really wants to make dishes that Your Grace would like to eat.”

“Me?”

“Yes, of course. Your Grace should have some favorite foods too. If you tell me, I’ll discuss it with the doctor and make sure it’s on the table today.”

Fabiola smiled at Kaella, who was like a daughter to her. The new chef, herself, and the three maids that the duchess had brought all agreed on one thing – that Her Grace the Duchess was much too thin.

After the busy wedding and long journey to Lucenford, it had been difficult, and then they nearly killed her with food, so would Her Grace even want to eat!

Her meal portions had been increasing a bit lately, but then she had a setback and couldn’t eat well, which was very worrying.

“Is there no food that comes to mind?”

When there was no answer, the head maid asked carefully. Having nearly starved to death, there was no way she didn’t have food she wanted to eat. The occasional upset stomach was because she tried to eat more than the set meal portions.

But more than that, Kaella never imagined there would be someone at Lucenford who would warmly ask her what she wanted to eat. She didn’t know such a day would come.

“Food…”

Her voice trembled, so Kaella quickly swallowed and steadied her voice.

“…There’s a lot, but I don’t know if it’s possible.”

“We’ll do our best to accommodate. You came from the south to marry in the north, so you should at least be able to eat the food you miss. How much you must long for it. His Grace the Grand Duke has repeatedly instructed us to take good care of you.”

To think her husband was among those caring for and thinking of her. Kaella clasped her hands tightly. It was a happy thing, but she felt uneasy when told that Peon was treating her well. Because he was the one who ultimately rejected her.

“I’d like a soft steamed fish dish. Cod or flatfish, anything is fine. I’d prefer white fish, with a tangy sauce on top.”

“That sounds delicious! You mean a sour and spicy southern-style sauce, right? What else?”

“Also…”

The craving for food she had obsessively hidden surged. Kaella hesitated, trying to restrain herself as she named two or three dishes.

While Kaella’s expression brightened a bit thanks to the smiling head maid who said anything was fine, Lord Isidore Dakiten, who had left the duchess’s office, was watching through a corridor window as the grand duke ordered a horse to be brought out.

‘Why just one?’

Shouldn’t at least five or six knights accompany him when going to check the border area? But his cousin mounted a single sturdy warhorse and rode off alone.

The massive rider atop the massive warhorse was quite noticeable even when looked up at from above. Isidore thought for a moment, then quickly went down the stairs towards the stables.

“Has His Grace already left?”

“Yes, he has.”

An investigator is bound to face defensive attitudes full of wariness wherever he goes. The insularity peculiar to Lucenford was especially tremendous.

But this made Isidore all the more worried about Kaella who had come here alone. This is why such an absurd, truly impossible incident occurred. Because this neighborhood is in such a state.

“It looked like he went alone. Shouldn’t an escort follow?”

“His Grace knows the geography of this area well. He carefully navigates the border and the evil dragon’s territory. He knows the roads far better than most locals here.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Isidore nodded with a sigh of relief.

“Then I’ll go out too. Bring me a horse.”

“Will you be alright?”

“The Grand Duke is also my cousin. He hasn’t been gone long, so I can catch up if I go right away.”

“That’s not it, you never know what might jump out there. Since the Grand Duke moves extremely fast, if you go out and can’t find him, return immediately. During the spring thaw like now, not only demons controlled by the evil dragon, but bandit groups appear everywhere.”

“Bandit groups?”

“The ones living up there. The Vainland or Volga people.”

“You mean foreigners. I see.”

“You really must be careful! The demons are dancing about!”

The knight tending to the warhorses handed over a horse while earnestly imploring. Isidore set off in pursuit of Peon, who had left alone unencumbered. He had never heard of a leader patrolling the border alone without escorts in an area where battle could break out at any time.

‘This is strange.’

It was strange. And Isidore, having the typical knight’s mindset that it was unthinkable to let a superior go inspect the border alone, hurried to find Peon. Fortunately, he spotted a rider on a black horse in the distance.

Where was Peon heading? Instead of immediately riding up to join Peon, Isidore kept a suitable distance and began quietly following from behind.

*

That evening, the new chef hurriedly put his skills to use with the budget that the head maid had obtained, or rather extracted, after a big fight with the butler.

The castle residents already knew how loudly the head maid had fought with the butler during the day, to the point that even the outside investigators had heard about it.

Apparently it started out quite normally. The butler, exhausted from the head maid who kept chasing after him and demanding things as soon as she was appointed, responded halfheartedly.

“It doesn’t make sense that there’s no money.”

“Isn’t it planting season now? The budget normally runs out around this time.”

“If Lucenford’s budget runs out, what do we do in emergencies? You’re saying we don’t even have the means to hold a banquet right now.”

“Isn’t that new chef demanding a big budget to make strange dishes! Being frugal and economical is Lucenford’s virtue.”

“To the Kline people, it won’t look frugal, but poor and miserly.”

Viscount Rolf Anderson’s face instantly turned bright red.

“Madam! Your words are too harsh!”

Miserly! Poor! What kind of greasy-bellied Kline talk is that!

“It’s the truth.”

Lady Fabiola Sirenster said coldly.

“We need to be as dignified as possible, but having no money is a big problem. Her Grace already collapsed because of the banquet food, so if the banquet quality is poor, we’ll look ridiculous.”

“Well, that’s partly because our duchess grew up a bit picky and weak when it comes to food.”

Lady Sirenster’s eyes flashed dangerously.

“You sound similar to those who were executed for forcing Her Grace to drink Perenco full of turberry.”

The head maid, who was clearly no ordinary angry, made the butler shut his mouth.

“You should be careful with the investigator here. I’m worried it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”

The butler had no choice but to provide more budget.

Of course, the head maid didn’t forget to spread what the butler had said after saying just that. Thanks to this, by the time the banquet started, the investigators each cast glances at the butler as if checking on him.

In a banquet filled with those watching, those wanting to hide, those needlessly anxious, and those exploring, investigating and digging, the only one who looked happy was Beatrice Lavalle, who had managed to drag her sick body out.

Somehow she looked more vibrant than when lying in bed. Though not all Lucenford nobles attended so the scale wasn’t that large, it was still the first official banquet held since Kaella collapsed.

And at that banquet, the grand duke was only concerned with whether the duchess was eating well or not. This was true even when Beatrice, skilled at leading high society, tried to dominate the table atmosphere.

“…Is it to your taste?”

From the appetizers to the specially requested southern-style steamed fish, he carefully watched Kaella eat.

Kaella, who was barely able to keep from pouncing on her plate thanks to that gaze, managed to nod.

“Yes.”

That answer didn’t seem sufficient. Peon was still staring at her intently.

Though he looked as if carved from stone, his overall impression was cold and unapproachable, so that gaze felt very heavy.

“It’s delicious.”

The small answer that followed was almost a whisper. Peon nodded upon hearing that answer over the clinking of tableware and low murmur of conversation.

‘Is he smiling?’

The man whose expressions barely changed seemed to be smiling. His face looked gentle in the warm light. But she shouldn’t be fooled by illusions. Kaella quickly lowered her gaze.

“It’s so nice to gather just us after so long. Don’t you agree, Isidore?”

Beatrice, who had been closely observing what the two were doing, narrowed her eyes and spoke up.

“Sister, how did you come here?”

“His Majesty the Emperor was worried and told me to come check things out too. Peon and I have always been close, you know.”

“It was Her Grace who collapsed, not the Grand Duke.”

Isidore retorted gruffly. He had already lost track of Peon while following him today, and now Beatrice was interfering with the investigation too.

What could be more concerning to an investigator than someone else sent separately by the emperor? Was he sent to monitor whether the job was being done properly? Isidore had been relieved hearing she was bedridden, but seeing her out and about made him quite irritated.

“I’m close with Kael… I mean.”

Beatrice paused, glanced at Peon, then spoke again.

“I’m close with Her Grace too. Isn’t that right, Your Grace?”

Kaella looked up from her meal. Her and Beatrice are close? When Beatrice looked down on her and treated her like a maid every day, barely held back by Kaella’s status, they’re close? The food stuck in her throat.

“Ah, seeing how you call Her Grace ‘Your Grace’ but call the Grand Duke by name, I can tell who’s closer to you, Sister.”

Why is he like that? Beatrice was already annoyed by Isidore who had been going on about delaying the banquet, but now he was picking fights at the banquet table, and her eyes began to turn vicious.

“Since it came up, leave me out of it too.”

Even Peon joined in with a cold, calm voice that was all the more frightening for its quietness.

“As a married man, I find it unpleasant to be needlessly misunderstood.”

The table instantly froze over. The one who dominated this table of especially noble status was the grand duke who had just been sitting quietly. This is why Isidore couldn’t lift a finger against his cousin.

Kaella, who had been eating quietly, looked at Peon with round eyes. Even Beatrice flinched at his rebuke, but when he met his wife’s eyes, he showed a faint smile.

“Please eat more.”

Kaella, whose eyes were shaking wildly, barely swallowed the food she had been chewing. Peon nodded slightly as if to say it was alright.

The silence masquerading as peace that the grand duke created lasted quite a while. Kaella silently continued eating.

She didn’t know what to say. Because the atmosphere was so awkward, there was nothing to look at but the plate in front of her that kept being filled and emptied again.

It was around the time she had sent back three plates.

“But Your Grace eats very quickly.”

Beatrice opened her mouth with a thoroughly irritated face. What on earth was she trying to say? As soon as Kaella raised her head, words full of laughter flew at her.

“I’m worried because the speed at which your plates are changing is too fast. I know married women’s hearts and waistbands loosen up, but you might get sick eating so hurriedly.”

You’re eating like a pig. You’ll get fat.

It would be better to speak directly than those sharp words she had heard far too many times. She had heard them so much that she immediately understood what they meant. Kaella unconsciously put down her fork.

She wanted to eat. She wanted to eat so badly. At the same time, she couldn’t eat. A mocking gaze swept her from head to toe. Her insides clenched up. Her head hurt. She had to say something in response.

No, did she really have to? Couldn’t it just end without her doing anything?

“Is that so. I’ve been paying a lot of attention to my wife’s eating, so I unknowingly told her to eat more. It’s my fault. I’m sorry, dear.”

It was Peon who responded before the silence could even settle.

“Don’t worry, I told you to eat more because it’s nice to see you eating.”

He treated Kaella noticeably more gently than others.

“I know your waistline better than anyone, so don’t worry about that either.”