“No. Hazel has changed too. That guy lately, whatever he does, he goes ‘Oh my, oh my’ imitating an old person.”

“Simons also got glasses from somewhere, saying butlers should wear them, and walks around with ones without prescription.”

Even while living in human form, they were unskilled at imitating humans. Perhaps it was natural, since there were no humans to reference.

After Snow returned, everyone started imitating Snow. But no matter how much they tried to copy Snow, the imitators could never surpass the original.

To receive as much attention from the lady as Snow, they had no choice but to devise new methods.

So they started stocking up on books read by humans and researching concepts. Considering Litania’s age, they mainly looked at gossip magazines and romance novels frequently read by young women, naturally picking up concepts that often appeared there.

“I saw it a lot in novels. They say on snowy days like this, people want to have special experiences.”

“Special experiences? We’re pressed for time to prepare a banquet……”

“No, we just had a banquet recently. They say rehashing the same episode twice lacks freshness and is forbidden.”

“Then what should we do? We can’t suddenly come up with new dishes either.”

The servants put their heads together and pondered. Then, as if struck by a good idea, Pepper clapped his bear-like palms together and shouted loudly.

“Open the grand dining hall!”

“The grand dining hall, that’s the solution!”

“Changing the venue is the quickest way rather than serving awkward newly developed dishes.”

“As expected, Pepper’s good at scheming. Even if your sense is bad!”

“Want me to roll your head too?”

Their behavior of cheering and praising each other, then quickly growling and losing their temper was completely different from the previously quiet and gloomy servants of the dragon castle.

Snow, who was returning to the room with clothes for Litania to change into, sighed as he saw them from afar.

“Idiots.”

The sun had set, and the yellow lights gently illuminated the quiet castle.

“The grand dining hall?”

“Yes. Everyone said it would be good to have dinner there today.”

“Alright. But why the grand dining hall out of nowhere?”

Although she had toured the dragon castle once, the main palace alone was so vast that she couldn’t go everywhere. She only visited places she could reach in a day, and for the rest, she just got rough explanations of their locations and structures. She knew there was a grand dining hall, but since they usually ate in the first-floor dining room and held large banquets in the banquet hall, Litania had never been to the grand dining hall before.

“Is today some special day?”

It’s a special day when the lady and master seem to be in a good mood.

……To avoid saying that, Snow bit the inside of his mouth hard.

“It’s the day you first started horseback riding, my lady. It’s very special.”

“Haha. Are you encouraging me to learn diligently? Thank you.”

Litania responded with a pleased expression, as if she had sincerely understood Snow’s made-up excuse.

“Shall we go down then? I’ll guide you.”

“Yes. Please do, Snow.”

The castle’s grand dining hall was very large and beautiful. As soon as they entered, the sight of lavish and beautiful decorations filled their eyes.

Under the arched ceiling so high it nearly reached three stories, a large and magnificent chandelier hung, and the play of light created by the crystals swaying as if floating in the air etched rainbow-colored patches of light throughout the room.

The large pillars with huge fireplaces were surrounded by frames intricately carved in gold and silver, and on the golden consoles placed on either side of the fireplaces were iron candlesticks shaped like flowers and vines.

The candles flickering on the thin, long candlesticks looked as if they had gathered starlight flowing in from outside the windows.

In the glass cabinets, chalices and bowls made of plaster were displayed, with numerous animals also carved on them.

Strangely, they were all animals reminiscent of the servants of this dragon castle.

“Welcome, Litania.”

“I’m sorry, Orbis. Did you wait?”

“No. You arrived just in time. I just came a little early.”

Thinking that was fortunate, Litania walked briskly along the massive table stretched out in the center of the dining hall to the seat opposite Orbis. Snow pulled out the chair so Litania could sit down.

“So this is what the grand dining hall is like. It’s my first time here.”

“If you like it, shall we have meals here from now on?”

“Oh, it’s too luxurious.”

On the table, the candles in the golden candlesticks were slowly lighting up. Under Chef Pepper’s direction, the servants brought out dishes and cuisine, arranging them in front of the two.

Plates embossed with gold leaf were set down, and prepared spoons, forks, and knives were neatly placed.

Litania blushed as she watched the magical foods being placed before her.

Golden roast turkey, fragrant beef stew full of herbs, freshly baked bread exuding a savory aroma with melted cheese generously sprinkled on top.

“We prepared only the dishes you tasted more than twice at the last banquet, my lady.”

“Oh? You remembered all that?”

No wonder there were fish dishes that didn’t usually come out, along with various salads filling the plates.

“It’s a shame to eat so lavishly when it’s not even a special day.”

“Not special? It’s very special.”

“Is me starting horseback riding such a special occasion?”

Could it be that they thought she lacked exercise, seeing her usually cooped up in her room eating snacks, drinking tea, and only taking short walks? So when she started exercising, they cheered and prepared such luxurious food?

‘I should exercise more from now on.’

Orbis said he would teach her swimming too, so she thought she should start learning to swim when the weather gets warmer as she picked up her fork and knife.

As the master and mistress began their meal, the servants retreated to the corners. But their eyes were still clearly fixed on Litania and Orbis.

‘She looks happy, doesn’t she?’

‘She seems to like it.’

‘See, I told you changing the venue is best for freshness.’

‘But now that we’ve used the grand dining hall, where should we set up next time?’

‘Shall we build a dome on the lake?’

‘A dome?’

‘We’ll put a table there. How about making her feel like she’s dining on water?’

‘Would the lady like something like that?’

‘I saw it in a novel, all the female protagonists loved white houses overlooking the sea. There must be something about water that stimulates a woman’s sensibility.’

‘But there’s no sea here.’

‘That’s why I said let’s make it on the lake.’

The servants’ somewhat misaligned conversations were exchanged extensively through eye contact.

Orbis heard all of their eye conversations but didn’t particularly mind. His attention, like the servants’, was focused solely on Litania.

Litania was carefully placing lobster meat soaked in cream sauce onto her spoon.

‘She probably hasn’t been outside the Imperial Palace until I took her out.’

Surprisingly, she ate seafood well. She even ate seaweed, which most nobles dislike, without hesitation. According to Pepper, she could handle spicy food quite well too.

‘She seems to eat well, but I wonder why she doesn’t gain weight.’

Although Litania was thin, she wasn’t just skin and bones, but Orbis wanted to fatten her up because she seemed too light and ephemeral.

The servants likewise said that Litania looked like there was nothing to chew on now, and that she needed to put on more weight.

Litania always took their sincere expressions as jokes.

“Litania, you like moist foods, don’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“You mainly eat dishes with lots of sauce or stews.”

“Oh, is that so? I didn’t realize. I eat dry bread and cookies well too. But I find it easier to swallow when there’s some moisture.”

“That’s certainly true.”

Orbis smiled, recalling the memory of feeding Litania when she had injured her arm.

Although Litania wasn’t sick but had hurt her shoulder, there was no need for her to eat patient meals, but because Hazel had strongly insisted on feeding her easily digestible food, mostly watery meals were served.

Orbis recalled how every time he fed her a spoonful of food, she would utter incomprehensible words in a wistful voice.