The lake shimmered in the subtle moonlight.

Couples who had ventured out from the festival in the forest were sporadically visible.

I hesitated, looking for a place to sit.

“There looks good!”

The spot I chose was in front of the lake where the grass grew neatly.

Kashar, who had been following me, pointed late to what I was carrying.

“What’s that?”

“Hehe, just wait and see.”

It was a picnic bag I had been carrying since before attending the festival.

‘I had it all planned out.’

The monthly street festival in the capital was a dating course for couples.

For the finale of the eating and playing festival, sitting by the lake was recommended, as the moon reflected on the water was quite famous for its beauty.

‘But Kashar can’t taste anything.’

In fact, he could not feel any taste or smell other than the food I made.

“Just wait a moment!”

I set Kashar aside and hurriedly set up the spot.

I opened the bag, spread a cloth on the ground, and took out a thermos with a magical heatretaining spell.

“……A box?”

Kashar looked puzzled.

Indeed, inside the picnic bag, the thermos took up most of the space due to its size.

“Come, come. Sit down!”

I patted the spot next to me, and Kashar, who had been standing still, sat down on the picnic cloth.

His legs were so long they protruded out, but in a place like this, protecting your backside was enough.

“Didn’t you eat dinner again?”

“Eh, I’m fine even if I don’t eat.”

“Still, I’m worried.”

On days like today, when he left the castle, he either fasted all day or only ate the packed lunch I had prepared.

‘Because I could only prepare lunch today.’

Though he couldn’t taste it, eating food was a chore. The problem lay elsewhere.

‘He must feel hungry, though.’

Even if being of royal blood meant his health wasn’t affected, the feeling of an empty stomach was very real.

To not feel hunger, he would have to fast for an extended period, which was even worse.

‘……Is that why he’s in a bad mood?’

Food can significantly affect one’s mood.

I couldn’t exactly say Kashar had a good temperament since he became my man.

“I’ve shown off some of my skills.”

I opened the thermos to finish the sentence, and a burst of warmth rose.

“Tada, roasted chicken!”

It was ovenroasted chicken, seasoned and chopped into pieces.

Tucked between the wellcooked, brown chicken were whole potatoes and neatly sliced carrots.

It was the perfect latenight meal.

But the secret weapon was still left.

“A beer can’t be missing with chicken.”

Two cans remained in the picnic bag. One was alcoholic, and the other was nonalcoholic beer.

Our midnight picnic was beginning.

“Doesn’t it smell good?”

“……Different from the smell of blood I’ve been smelling all day.”

This guy, what had he been doing outside?

‘Come to think of it, he said he can recognize bad smells and tastes.’

I wondered where he had gone during the day, but I really didn’t want to know.

Instead, I picked up a juicy leg and placed it in his hand.

“Here.”

I should act as if I didn’t hear him.

Kashar, who had been admiring the chicken, took a bite of the soft flesh.

‘The skin should be elastic and crispy, and the meat should be full of juicy flavors.’

As evidence, a faint trace of grease remained on Kashar’s lips.

His eyes widened as he slowly chewed and swallowed, and his red pupils quivered.

His hand automatically reached for the next piece.

‘Roasted chicken is the answer!’

He always enjoyed my food, but this time his reaction was the most certain.

I watched Kashar tear into the chicken with satisfaction.

Of course, preparing the chicken and the packed lunch was laborious and cumbersome.

However.

‘It’s easy if you think he has an allergy.’

It wasn’t a big deal to bring someone who could only taste my food to a festival.

‘Plus, he’s enjoying it.’

The way Kashar was eating the chicken could outperform any roasted chicken commercial model.

I didn’t wait and picked up the remaining leg.

The moment I bit into it, hot steam and juices flowed out.

Now, here we go!
“Kashar! Cheers!”

“Cheers?”

I opened a can of nonalcoholic beer and handed it to him.

For me, it was naturally a lager with an alcohol content of 6.5%.

“Cheers!”

We clinked our cans and took refreshing sips of beer.

“Grrr!”

The fizz sliding down my throat made my whole body shiver.

It wasn’t extremely cold, but this refreshing sensation felt exactly like a beer on a summer night.

‘No Han River here, I guess.’

If the world had Han River chicken and beer, this world had lake chicken and beer.

Both were hard to rank as latenight date spots, I thought to myself.

Kashar followed suit, taking a sip of his beer.

After a few sips, Kashar tilted the can and squinted his eyes.

“Is this a soft drink?”

“No? It’s alcohol? It’s just a different kind than mine.”

I lied, dabbing chicken grease on my lips.

‘Patients shouldn’t drink alcohol.’

I wasn’t sure if alcohol worsened the disease, but it was always bad for a chronic illness.

‘I’ll protect my lover’s health!’