SWNOVELXO Chapter 66
That evening.
Before I knew it, I found myself having dinner with the Grand Duke. The moment I arrived at the dining room, a small exclamation escaped my lips.
“Wow.”
The table was so lavishly set that I almost worried it might collapse under the weight of the dishes. And strangely enough, every single item on the menu was something I liked.
Even in one corner of the dining room, on a small tray, desserts had been prepared in advance… Even the flowers used for decoration suited my taste.
To be honest, I had been holding onto a bit of a grudge because of the whole “reconsideration of lodging and meal expenses” issue earlier in the day. But now, I had to bite my lips to keep the smile from breaking free.
‘Well, it’s not like I ever had that much self-restraint, anyway.’
My gaze was completely drawn to the massive roasted pork leg in the center of the table, and as if bewitched, I walked toward the table.
It was only after I sat down that I finally looked at the Grand Duke.
“Wow, is today a special occasion? Could it be my birthday?”
I didn’t even try to hide my excitement and beamed at him.
That was just how powerful the mouthwatering aroma of my favorite dishes was.
‘Did the head chef put in extra effort? Or… was this Bonita’s doing?’
I leaned toward the latter, as Bonita had been paying extra attention to me lately.
Whenever I struggled with pointless worries or couldn’t sleep at night, Bonita had always been there for me.
‘Oh! Even pumpkin soup!’
Right in front of me, set as an appetizer, was a neatly plated bowl of golden pumpkin soup.
But…
Why did it suddenly feel like my face was tingling?
Cautiously lifting my head, I discovered the Grand Duke still staring at me.
…Meaning, from the moment I walked in and sat down, he hadn’t touched his food or spoken a single word. He had just been watching me.
‘W-What does he want?’
Holding my spoon, I carefully observed him and noticed something peculiar.
His expression seemed… worried? Or perhaps even upset?
It was hard to tell. Even when I focused intently, his face appeared nearly expressionless.
But somehow…
“U-Uhm.”
Feeling uneasy, I set my spoon down and hesitantly spoke to him.
“Do you… have something to say?”
“…Me?”
“Yes?”
Of course!
There were only two people here—him and me. Did he think I was directing my question to my ancestors in the heavens?
However, instead of voicing my thoughts, I simply put on an awkward smile.
“Are you asking if I have something to say to you?”
“…Then am I supposed to be the one with something to say?”
Logically, the one who started staring first should have the reason for doing so. But the Grand Duke acted as if I was the one who needed to say something to him.
Just as my face was about to shift into a frown—
“Oh…”
Something clicked in my mind.
Clearing my throat, I stood up from my seat and formally bowed.
“Uh… It’s an honor to share such a splendid dinner with Your Grace.”
It had been a long time since I’d shown him any formal etiquette, so it felt incredibly awkward.
Yet, he only continued to gaze at me with that unreadable expression.
“Splendid, huh…”
“……”
Now what was wrong?
It would be much easier if he just told me outright.
I couldn’t tell if this was the kind of roundabout noble speech noble ladies used or if it was just his way of speaking as a high-ranking noble.
Thankfully, the Grand Duke didn’t maintain his rigid expression for long.
“When you say ‘splendid,’ do you mean that it suits your taste?”
“Well, of course! Everything here is exactly what I like, from the appetizers to the wine pairing.”
Honestly, my mood had improved the moment I saw the food.
Even now, as I glanced at the delicious-looking dishes, my mouth watered. I nodded at the Grand Duke.
A faint chuckle.
Finally, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
‘Scary…’
A beautiful man’s smile was dazzling, but lately, his constantly shifting demeanor was making me uneasy.
Was he… overworked and mentally exhausted from his duties?
“By the way, Your Grace.”
“Hmm?”
“How’s your health these days?”
It wouldn’t be polite to outright ask about his ‘mental’ or ‘head’ condition, so I kept my words vague.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Well, yes…”
If Liam had been in my place, I bet the Grand Duke’s mansion would’ve been swarming with all the priests from the capital by now.
Because the moment I asked, his lips curled up in a way that seemed highly suspicious.
“…Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.”
Since I couldn’t outright contradict him, I pretended to accept his words and swiftly changed the subject.
“Uhh… The steak’s doneness is perfect today.”
“Indeed. I place great importance on the doneness of steak. They did an excellent job. It’s evenly cooked. And the seasoning?”
“It’s great.”
“Seasoning is the core of any dish. The chef executed the intended flavors perfectly.”
After a brief exchange about food, the conversation was on the verge of dying down when the Grand Duke suddenly asked me,
“Has anything happened lately?”
“Oh, lately?”
Actually, there was something on my mind.
Something I had briefly mentioned to him before.
“I’ve been thinking about scouting a certain talent for my comic book business, but I’m unsure how to go about it.”
“Scouting?”
“Yes, Baroness Pavron.”
I briefly explained the situation to him.
“…But the problem is, I don’t know if Baroness Pavron would be willing to come to the Grand Duchy.”
“Why would she need to come to the Grand Duchy?”
“Well, in order to work on the comic books…”
“But from what you’ve told me, it doesn’t seem like a highly collaborative process.”
Huh?
That was an unexpected perspective.
Unlike an illustrator, who needed direct collaboration, a story writer didn’t necessarily have to be in the same place as the team.
As I considered different ways work could be structured, a metaphorical light bulb lit up in my head.
“The only concern would be security.”
“Oh…!”
Why hadn’t I thought of that sooner?
With a bright smile, I grabbed the dessert plate that had just been served.
“Princess?”
“Dinner was amazing! But I just remembered something urgent… so I’ll be going now!”
Important matters should always be addressed immediately.
It was a shame to leave the food unfinished, but I had no choice.
I gave the Grand Duke a quick nod and dashed out of the dining room.
I had no idea that his gaze lingered on my back for a very long time.
* * *
The biggest concern on my mind was the living arrangements of Baron Pavron and his wife.
If I were to recruit Baroness Pavron as a story writer, the couple would have to relocate.
Given the baron’s kind-hearted nature, he would likely refuse out of guilt.
Not to mention, it would put an excessive distance between her and Marchioness Ambrose.
But, but—!
‘What if remote work was an option!?’
Then there would be no problem.
So, the very next morning, after coming up with the idea, I hopped on a teleportation carriage and headed straight for the Pavron estate.
…For some reason, the motion sickness seemed to be getting worse, but that was a secondary issue.
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling better, Baroness.”
“Oh my, Lady! You’ve come to visit me again. And this…!”
Her face lit up as she caught sight of the new thermos design set to launch next month.
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
Was it just my imagination, or had she been unable to take her eyes off the thermos since she spotted it?
Anyway.
Now that she was well enough to sit on the sofa rather than lie in bed, I watched her with satisfaction.
“It’s nothing. I’m just relieved to see you recovering.”
“Marchioness Ambrose has been a great help.”
After some lighthearted conversation, the moment finally arrived.
“But what brings you all the way here today?”
It was obvious that this visit wasn’t just a simple check-in.
Meeting her gaze directly, I calmly got to the point.
“Please join the production of Safety rules for duke’s haunted manor, Baroness.”