Chapter 63

Letters arrived immediately after the children departed. Beautiful envelopes were placed not only before Adolf and Adrian but also in front of Ramona.

“To be honest, you did such a wonderful job this time, sister. It would be unscrupulous of them to move on without a word of thanks,” Anna remarked.

“If you invite guests and can’t even manage that much, you might as well not invite them at all,” Ramona replied.

Reading the blossom-pink letter, Ramona wore a satisfied expression. Marchioness Rabid had written a sincere thank-you, adding that she wished to learn how to tie those silk knots the next time they met.

“By the way, sister, where and when did you learn to tie those knots?”

“That? Hmm, I’m not sure. It’s as if my body just remembers how to do it.”

Even Anna had gasped in admiration watching Ramona tie the knots, which were so exquisite they made the gifts inside look even more precious.

“Is there actually anything you can’t do?”

“Well, I’m sure there’s plenty if you look for it…”

Ramona’s expression turned awkward as she read a pale blue letter.

“Duke Lepid sent this. He says he wants to visit right away. But why is he asking me? He should ask the owner of the house. I heard they were friends.”

“They’re friends, but the rumors say they’re like cats and dogs. People say they’re constantly chasing each other, bristling and shouting. It’s a miracle their bond hasn’t snapped yet,” Anna shared, passing on the tidbits she’d picked up while working at the estate.

Ramona let out a soft chuckle. “Cats and dogs, huh? That sounds almost cute.”

***

As the State Council meeting at the Imperial Palace concluded, everyone stood up with a heavy sigh. It had dragged on much later than expected; the sun was already dipping below the horizon. Adolf, thinking that watching Raon play would be a far more efficient use of his time, hurried toward the exit.

“Let’s have a word.”

The moment he stepped out of the conference room, a familiar voice hit his ears, making his brow furrow instantly.

“What? Why? I’m busy. If you have something to say, make it quick.”

The man standing before Adolf shrugged at the blatant display of annoyance. Duke Lepid, his long silver hair tied back, stood with his arms crossed.

“My Hyon said he had a marvelous time at your house.”

“And? Your point?”

“Can’t I go, too?”

“What kind of nonsense is that! You’re not going anywhere! I asked for your grandson to be sent for my grandson’s sake, but you? No! You are permanently banned!”

Adolf glared at the Duke, who was roughly his same height, as if the suggestion wasn’t even worth a second thought. Unfazed, Duke Lepid simply shrugged.

“That’s cold. I put in quite a bit of effort to help you—blocking the attempts to increase penalties for crimes committed under ‘diminished mental capacity’ and stopping judges from reducing sentences just because a criminal wrote a letter of reflection.”

It was true. Duke Lepid was the head of the judiciary. Not long ago, Adolf had whispered into the Duke’s ear the legal suggestions Ramona had made while tempting him with grilled short rib patties. Of course, if the Duke had deemed it nonsense, it wouldn’t have even reached the discussion stage.

“Haven’t you just been neglecting your duties until now? Lounging around and wasting time, indifferent to how things were run.”

In reality, the judiciary loved adhering to existing laws and loathed revising or adding new ones.

“Regardless, I did as you advised. In light of that, can’t I visit the house once? It seems my cute grandson has fallen quite hard for the Lady who looked after yours. I should at least see her face once, shouldn’t I?”

“You don’t need to! Now move! I have to go eat a home-cooked meal.”

Indeed, today was Monday. He could finally partake in a formal home-cooked meal prepared by Ramona, and if he was too late, he’d miss it. He had to get back no matter what.“Home-cooked? Come to think of it, Hyon did say the Lady was an excellent cook…”

“Enough! Out of my way! I’m in a hurry.”

As Adolf practically bolted away like a puppy in desperate need of a walk, Duke Lepid watched him with an inscrutable smile.

“Why is he being so defensive? It’s not like I’m going there to cause trouble like we did when we were kids.”

***

“Chew your food thoroughly. Tell me if it’s too spicy.”

“Yes!”

Ramona had showcased her skills by bringing out dried webfoot octopus caught back in the spring. She stir-fried them in a large pan over a brazier with various vegetables and a vibrant red seasoning. The sight alone was enough to make the waiting servants salivate.

“It looks like Lord Adolf and Raon’s father are going to be very late. There’s so much food… and this kind of dish loses its flavor if it isn’t eaten fresh.”

“Indeed. You are absolutely right.”

“But… is it alright for us to sit here?”

“Oh, Sir Baston! If Lady Ramona invites you, you should simply say thank you and follow her lead.”

Since the masters were absent, Freire, Sir Baston, and Sir Billion had been invited to the table. While Freire and Sir Billion sat down naturally, Sir Baston was fidgeting with nerves. He looked as uncomfortable as a man in a suit that didn’t fit, his brow twitching at his first encounter with the stir-fried octopus.

“Is it too spicy? Have some milk; it’s right here.”

Ramona had lowered the heat slightly since Raon was eating, but it was clear that someone trying it for the first time would feel like they were breathing fire. Sir Baston, unable to refuse since it was her suggestion, drank the milk while breaking into a cold sweat.

“My mouth is stinging, but it is remarkably delicious. I’ve heard spicy food can be addictive, and it seems that isn’t wrong.”

Just one bite sent a thrill through his body. Ramona then placed a thin cheese pizza in front of him.

“If it’s too spicy, try wrapping the octopus in the pizza. It should taste good.”

“Yes… thank you for your… hiss, haaa… kindness.”

Despite the heat, he couldn’t stop eating.

“If you sliced some spicy Cheongyang peppers into this, the flavor would be incredible.”

“Sir Billion, it seems you know a thing or two about food! Hahaha!”

Ramona’s cooking was highly addictive. People said there were those who had never tried it, but no one who had tried it only once. For instance, Sir Onyx had recently taken to hovering around Ramona every Monday evening, hoping for scraps.

Watching Freire and Billion laugh and eat, Sir Baston—mouth ablaze—guarded his portion of the octopus to the very end while chugging milk.

“Mom, please make stir-fried squid next time.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

Happiness was written all over Raon’s face as he ate the octopus over white rice. He kept exclaiming how delicious it was, finishing two whole bowls. One by one, the diners put down their spoons, their bellies so full they felt sluggish.

“It’s been a while since I’ve feasted like this. Probably because those two weren’t here.”

“Exactly. It feels almost strange to eat without having to mind my surroundings.”

As Freire and Billion chatted, Sir Baston finished off the vegetables, soothing his stomach with milk.

“Sir Baston, how was the taste?”

“It was painfully spicy, but delicious. I hope for another occasion like this… or rather, I wish my subordinates could taste something this good.”

Feeling a twinge of guilt for enjoying it alone, Sir Baston ignored the piercing gazes of the other knights who were watching him with envy.

“I’ll consider that if the opportunity arises,” Ramona said, wiping the corners of Raon’s mouth. She had never cooked enough to feed an entire battalion of knights, so she left it as a vague promise for the future.

“By the way, when did they say they would arrive?”

Adiel, who had been dabbing Raon’s face with a napkin, checked the clock. “They are arriving just now.”

The three men flinched at the news that the masters were arriving just as the food was gone. They could almost picture the masters exploding in rage and dragging them to the training grounds to run laps.

***

Though they tried to hurry, the sun had already set. As soon as Adolf stepped through the warp gate, Adrian arrived.

“Are you late too?”

“Yes.”

Adrian, arriving later than expected, looked slightly frustrated. He had intended to come early, but his friends had held him up. He hurried past Adolf.

“Do you think there’s any left?”

“Hardly. Knowing Ramona’s personality, she likely invited others to eat with her.”

And likely people with massive appetites. Still, hoping against hope, Adolf picked up his pace.

“Move aside.”

“I refuse. Finders keepers—whoever gets there first gets the leftovers.”

“What are you talking about? Don’t block your father’s path. Haven’t you heard of ‘elders first’?”

“Death doesn’t discriminate between the young and old. So, please yield for the sake of your son, who might depart this world before you.”

Grumbling that his father only invoked age when it suited him, Adrian soon fell into a pout. Despite running until he was out of breath, there was no food left on the table.

“Even if we were a little late…”

A flicker of anger even appeared in Adolf’s eyes. Just as they were both feeling dazed, wondering if they had worked and rushed back for nothing, Ramona smiled brightly.

“Shall I make you some fried rice?”

“Yes!”

The two of them sat down as if they had never been upset. Ramona added rice to the remaining sauce. She stir-fried it with sesame oil and seaweed flakes brought from the Southern Continent, then topped it with a generous layer of cheese powder. Seeing that, their dissatisfaction evaporated instantly.

“W-wait! Father! That’s the best part!”

“Finders keepers, son.”

As Adolf scraped the crispy, scorched rice from the bottom of the pan, Adrian’s eyes blazed with competition. Watching the boundaries of hierarchy vanish in the face of a good meal, Ramona couldn’t help but chuckle.