Duke Baitness’ chef was renowned even in Newway. His culinary skills were once praised as being among the world’s finest, having been responsible for the royal table. At the time, distinguished guests who visited the palace openly coveted this chef, causing his value to skyrocket, much to the royal family’s pride.

When news spread that he had resigned from his position as the palace’s head chef, the upper classes from various countries inquired about his whereabouts.

However, the chef who they hoped would grace their tables had already fallen into someone else’s hands.

It was this chef who had prepared the salmon dish.

The crispy skin and fragrant, soft butter aroma tickled the nose, while the glossy red flesh delighted the eyes. There was only one person who couldn’t enjoy the flesh that would melt in the mouth.

“Miss Eveline.”

As the fork and knife on the plate were not moving satisfactorily, Edwin, sitting far away, called out warningly. Vivian, expecting this, quickly cut the salmon.

“I’m, I’m eating.”

She had anticipated what kind of scolding was coming and gave a fitting answer. Edwin’s parting lips closed again. Vivian dipped a bite-sized piece of flesh into the sauce.

How much weight will I gain if I eat this?

A moment’s hesitation made her reluctant to put the food in her mouth. Unable to eat it, she hesitated and glanced at Edwin, meeting his watchful eyes. Hurriedly lowering her gaze, she put the salmon in her mouth.

I’m eating.

To confirm this, she chewed exaggeratedly, moving her jaw more than necessary.

“Will you be staying in Rodinia for a while longer?”

A cold wind had been blowing at the dining table these past few days. Even without Edwin’s affectionate reply, she keenly felt what role Charlotte’s warbling voice had played. In just a few days, Charlotte’s attitude towards Edwin had become unusual.

Did they have a fight?

Still chewing the salmon, she alternately observed the two.

“That’s the plan.”

“Mrs. Suston sent a letter. It’s about preparing for Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday. Shall I take care of the Queen’s gift and preparations for the palace as before? Or would you like to handle it yourself, Your Grace, if you’re not too busy?”

The pointed question was laced with thorns. Vivian couldn’t swallow the salmon in her mouth, partly because of Edwin but also because of Charlotte.

Charlotte seemed on edge, as if ready to vent her dissatisfaction at any moment, while in contrast, Edwin was calm and indifferent. This gap created an uncomfortable feeling that made Vivian want to flee from between the two.

“Why don’t you rest at the mansion for this year’s Queen’s birthday?”

“Pardon?”

Unlike Edwin’s calm suggestion, Charlotte asked back as if dumbfounded. This scene gradually heightened the tension at the table.

“Why? We’ve attended the royal events every year. If it’s because of the marriage issue…”

“My mother will be coming this time.”

Vivian, who had been quietly eavesdropping, suddenly raised her head. Edwin’s blue eyes, aware of the gaze that met his, followed Vivian’s. The finely trembling gray eyes soon realized the error in their world.

The Seyer Raven family no longer exists in this world. The cause was imprinted on her surname, Eveline. But Edwin Baitness’ situation was a bit different. So it wasn’t particularly strange for him to mention his mother.

Vivian’s face sank with a mixture of regret and guilt. Her lowered eyes rested on the plate.

“Your mother? But you said she was busy with estate matters. That’s why she never leaves the estate…”

“I don’t know the reason.”

“But…”

Vivian, who hadn’t dared to look at Edwin, made an exception for Charlotte. Charlotte, unable to continue speaking, heaved her chest breathlessly and then left her seat, unable to hold back her tears. Following Charlotte with her eyes, Vivian wondered about the apparently not-so-good relationship between the Baroness Baitness and Charlotte.

Mulling over their conversation, she dared to speculate about the inside story of the Baitness family, like a detective from an old mystery novel she had read long ago.

When Charlotte disappeared from view, her lost eyes found their place. Vivian’s timid arrow, having finished her imaginary detective play, pointed towards Edwin.

How could an adult treat his young ward so coldly? Vivian felt even more disappointed.

“How do you think Charlotte feels about this, Miss Eveline?”

Though she had been criticizing Edwin, the question suddenly turned towards her. She hastily picked up the utensils she had set down.

“Huh? Oh, um, well…”

Her mind went blank when asked about such a trivial matter by lips that had threatened to kill and eat her. Just as she thought it would be nice if she could dash away like Charlotte, she chose an appropriate answer.

“Don’t you think she feels let down? I’m not sure, but if you were looking forward to the Queen’s birthday and suddenly couldn’t go, you’d feel deflated and upset, right?”

“What about you? Do you enjoy parties?”

Their gazes intertwined across the table.

Whenever she met that ambiguous gaze, somewhere between hostility and goodwill, it reminded her of the 14-year-old boy and stirred the guilt in her heart. A heavy, rough-surfaced stone rolled around in her chest, causing a loud noise.

“I wasn’t one to seek out and enjoy them.”

The good situation of being in the middle of a meal served as an excuse to avoid his eyes. Vivian felt at ease as she looked down at the salmon and moved her cutlery.

“But I loved the music in the ballroom. I enjoyed playing the cello. Now I can’t play anymore since I sold it. If I heard that a famous cellist of the time was attending a party, I would attend, putting aside everything else. Other than that…”

Vivian was surprised at herself for digesting such a long sentence. She felt embarrassed thinking that she had laid out her story to someone she found so frightening and difficult.

“I see.”

He put a full stop to this unexpectedly intimate conversation. The silence brought discomfort, and as it was time to put the salmon in her mouth, fear also crept in. She fiddled with the utensils in her hand, floundering in the air where there was nothing to salvage.

“Don’t leave any. Eat it all.”

“…Yes.”

Feeling grateful to Edwin for his nagging, she squeezed her eyes shut and put the salmon in her mouth. Despite being so afraid of the salmon, its taste was frustratingly sweet.

I need to ask him clearly.

She couldn’t continue to be terrified every day, swayed by words that might or might not be a joke.

Rather than worrying about such lies, she should get a definite ‘no’ from Duke Baitness. And she needed to get her scarf back too, killing two birds with one stone.

“Sophie. I need to go see the Duke.”

It was welcome news for Sophie, who had been waiting for Vivian to get up from her chair. She sprang up from her seat as if she had been waiting for this, stuffing a dry cloth into her apron pocket.

“You’re going to see the Duke? Then I’ll quickly get you ready.”

Sophie, her voice full of excitement, pulled out the stool in front of the dressing table. Vivian tilted her head, touching her hair which she thought was already neat.

“Am I… very untidy right now?”

She had already returned Charlotte’s dress that she had borrowed. She looked down at her stained dress. Feeling embarrassed as if being scolded by Sophie that she couldn’t meet the Duke looking like this, her cheeks flushed.

“No? You’re not untidy at all.”

“Then why do I need to get ready…”

“Because you’re going to see the Duke, of course.”

As Sophie’s eyes sparkled cheerfully, Vivian realized it had been a misunderstanding. She smiled gently, now calm.

“I don’t think I need to get ready to see the Duke…”

She whispered softly, worried that Sophie, who had innocently offered her opinion, might get hurt.

After leaving the room with Sophie, Vivian turned her steps upon hearing from the butler, Abernathy, that Edwin would be fencing in the rear garden.

Vivian regretted not organizing what she should say when meeting Edwin beforehand. She didn’t have confidence in being eloquent in front of someone who caused her so much guilt and fear. It would be fortunate if she didn’t make a fool of herself by stammering awkwardly.

As she reached the entrance leading to the rear garden, her heart began to beat irregularly. Just the thought of facing Edwin made her calves tremble.

The moment of walking along the following corridor felt like being trapped in an eternal time. The white-domed pergola visible at the end under the sunlight was the only resting place for the prisoner.

The sound of clashing swords beyond it brought Vivian’s senses back to reality.

“There he is.”

Sophie pointed to two men in the distance, but Vivian examined the rear garden where only new buds had sprouted. When she used to enjoy afternoon tea with her mother in the pergola, her mother would teach her the names of the brightly blooming flowers.

Those colorful spring flowers she had memorized had disappeared like her mother. This place, reflecting Duke Baitness’ taste, was boringly planted with just grass and a few quince trees. However, it was the perfect environment for the two gentlemen to enjoy fencing.

“Shall I go to the Duke first?”

“No. I can’t interrupt their enjoyable time because of me. I’ll wait until they’re finished.”

Vivian, who had been floundering in bitter memories, sat demurely at the prepared table.

“It might take a long time…”

Vivian smiled maturely, dispelling Sophie’s worry. Only now did the two men engrossed in fencing come into her view.

She was certain that the two clashing swords were Duke Baitness and Royce. Even though their faces weren’t visible due to the masks, she could distinguish them by their body shapes.

The Duke was exceptionally tall, broad-shouldered, and had a lithe and sturdy physique capable of pulling off an impeccably neat appearance. In contrast, Royce gave a sense of overwhelming vastness, like being blocked by a mountain when standing in front of him.

As one game ended, Edwin looked this way. Vivian flinched and sat up straight. Fortunately, the Duke’s face was covered by the mask, so she couldn’t read his expression.

The two took off their masks and rested under a tree. Just as she was about to stand up thinking it might be time to approach, Edwin put on his mask and picked up his sword again. Realizing it wasn’t time to step in yet, she slumped down like a deflated puppy.

Her tense shoulders drooped gently. But to maintain her dignity, she quickly straightened her shoulders again. If she had known the rules of fencing, she might have passed the time cheering for one of them, but she watched the game with bored eyes, not even knowing who was scoring points.

Finally, the time she had patiently waited for bore fruit. The two men took off their masks and shook hands lightly, and when Edwin said something to Royce, the courteous Royce left his seat.

Watching this scene, Vivian’s tension rapidly increased. She swallowed dryly and adjusted her posture once more. As she was neatly folding her hands, Edwin’s blue eyes suddenly met Vivian’s.

“Vivian.”

Approaching with his mask tucked at his waist, he sparkled strangely under the sunlight. As he swept back his wet hair with one motion and smiled, she doubted if this was the same man she knew.

The flawless and upright smile she had always seen was markedly different from usual. The clean and dignified curve of his mouth was elegant enough to be intimidating, but it also gave an imperceptible sense of rejection.

But today, it was overflowing with something more human, more vivid and moist rather than dry.

The man before her was a boy.

Not an adult who had lost everything, but a pure and innocent boy who had lost nothing. She felt confused by her own interpretation of the man standing before her.

“What brings you here?”

She was momentarily dazed but quickly came to her senses. Vivian, who had sprung up from her seat, puffed out her chest.

The pergola was a few steps higher than where he was standing. As he was about to step up one stair, Vivian, unable to allow the distance, stepped back just as much. Fortunately, Edwin didn’t come any closer. He just had one foot resting on the step.

“Who won today’s game? I don’t know much about fencing.”

Her method of starting the conversation was as refined as befitting a noble lady.

“I did.”

His answer was as brief and clear as the delay in responding.

“Ah. I see. Congratu…lations.”

“So. What’s your purpose for coming here?”

He brought Vivian, who was digressing from the introduction, to the main point. The sentences that had been floating freely in her mind became orderly.

“I had something I wanted to ask you clearly. And… I need to get my scarf back.”

“Why the scarf?”

“Miss Windler said she would embroider it for me.”

“What did you want to clarify?”

He tapped the tip of one foot resting on the step, making a thud, thud sound. That noise seemed to climb up the steps, narrowing the distance, and she worried it might choke her, but she decided to trust his smile that she read under the sparkling sunlight.

“Are you really… going to kill and eat me?”

Her face flushed even as she blurted it out. She must have looked like a fool who had fallen for such a ridiculous prank. It was a relief that his smile didn’t waver into mockery, but that posed an even bigger problem.

Does that mean it wasn’t a joke?

His expression was perfect for causing such a misunderstanding.

“I, I thought it was a joke. I thought you were keeping me alive until I repaid your money. I didn’t believe it. Really.”

Despite her rambling words growing longer, the Duke just kept smiling without adding anything. Feeling embarrassed, Vivian added more.

“But recently, Miss Windler said the same thing… Of course. Absolutely. I didn’t believe it. Still, I want to confirm it with you.”

Vivian put strength into her gaze. A breeze laden with the scent of spring flowers passed between the two. As his wet hair became disheveled, he swept it back to tidy it.

“Charlotte said the same thing?”

“Yes. That’s why I need to hear it clearly from you.”

“What exactly did Charlotte say? That the Baitness family eats people so be careful? Or something else?”

She wanted a definite answer, but what came back was another question.

“She said it was a secret… only known to family members. And that rumors spread quickly, so I should be careful.”

She tactfully omitted the part about becoming the evening’s menu if she wasn’t careful.

I see. With that brief response and a slow nod, he turned his steps. As he showed his back while the conversation wasn’t over, Vivian was greatly flustered.

“Y-Your Grace!”

Edwin turned back at Vivian’s desperate call. Despite his indifferent dismissal, his refreshingly cool smile spread, causing confusion.

“I didn’t get an answer. You and Miss Windler were just playing a mean joke on me, right? And what about my scarf? Can I come get it later?”

“No. There’s no need for that.”

This man smiling brightly, glistening with sweat, surely can’t be the man I know. Vivian thought deep in her heart.

“I threw it away.”

“Th-threw it away? My scarf?”

“Yes.”

With that rude answer that didn’t match his smile at all, Edwin left the rear garden. She couldn’t confirm the truth of the prank that had made her tremble with fear.

She gained nothing compared to the time she had invested.