“Snake-like bastard…”

Her cheeks burning, Vanessa subtly glanced at her hand mirror. Hmm. Thanks to a touch of makeup, it didn’t seem too obvious. She felt a bit relieved.

"Are you feeling warm, Your Majesty?"

"Not at all!"

She was flustered because of him, yet he dared to mock her? Turning away from Aslan, Vanessa felt a slight irritation prick at her.

‘I’ve heard it all before. Every sycophant lines up to praise my beauty, claiming I resemble the late Empress more with each passing day, or waxing poetic about the honor of meeting such a dazzling woman as the Empire’s Empress… Only to angle for favors or schemes right after.’

She was tired of it—sick to death of empty compliments on her appearance, which she’d heard since she was young. She thought she’d grown completely accustomed to it, but apparently, she hadn’t.

Whenever people praised her looks, there was always a shadow in their words, a hidden motive that crept out. It didn’t matter if the praise was sincere or not; their compliments masked other intentions. Only those pure and untainted, like innocent children, would speak without hidden agendas.

‘But that damned Aslan Vermont… he had no such shadow.’

When he’d casually thrown out his remark with that terrifyingly serious face, there hadn’t been a trace of hidden intent. His appearance screamed of a man scheming for gain, yet his interior was as transparent as crystal. The disconnect between his looks and his inner self was striking.

‘Probably something he’s accustomed to.’

Anything he said, due to that frightful face, was likely met with overinterpretation and constant misunderstanding. He must’ve reached a point where he just expressed himself without much thought.

‘A shameless fool.’

He’d made an unprompted remark on her appearance—without even taking her formal attire into account! Disrespectful, improper, and downright cheeky.

‘So he thinks I look better in this natural state… Does he now…?’

A natural beauty, he said. He had a knack for brightening a person’s mood.

Vanessa had unconsciously reacted curtly toward Aslan, yet she felt a strange smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Since we have the heroes who safely escorted the picky young lady from Esther, it wouldn’t do to send them off poorly. Order anything you want; the palace has ingredients for every dish."

As they reached the palace dining hall, the Empress, having calmed herself, flashed the children a kind smile. Watching the kids gape in awe at the grand and opulent dining area was, undeniably, endearing.

‘And who’s this?’

Among them, a masked guard caught Vanessa’s eye. Taller than Charlotte and Yulia but still young-looking, she mused.

Did the Vermont Count not particularly favor this one? Yet his frequent glances at the masked child suggested otherwise, his gaze laden with genuine concern.

‘It seems complicated.’

He tried to hide his concern for this one. Why? Was there something unspeakable he didn’t want others to know?

“Food! I’m ready to order!”

“Alright, let’s hear it.”

“Oh, um… c-caviar? Tuna sashimi with white truffle beef? And…?”

“I’d like grilled pine mushrooms… and the palace-special thirty-year-aged bur-bur… bourbon? With vanilla ice cream?”

Their hesitant voices droned out their orders, oddly specific. Vanessa’s eyes narrowed as she noticed Aslan crouching behind the kids, whispering suggestions into their ears.

You…! Using the kids as your mouthpieces?

“This question wasn’t directed at you.”

“Oh. I’ve been caught.”

“Bold as brass, aren’t you? I’ll ask once more: aside from this shameless man’s whispered menu, what would you actually like?”

“Um, would it be okay to order what Aslan suggested? We’ve never had any of those things before…”

“I’m curious to try them!”

The girls’ faces lit up as they called out, smiling brightly with resolute eyes.

‘These are foods they’ve never tasted, even at the estate! They must be exclusive to the palace—how exciting!’

Caviar? Tuna? Names they’d never heard before spilled out. Even at the estate, with its array of fine cuisine, they’d never seen such dishes. And if the old man didn’t indulge in them often, then they must indeed be special to the palace! A drop of drool trailed down Charlotte’s cheek.

‘Not that I’m particularly interested… But if Aslan’s so keen on trying it, then…’

This was the first time she’d seen him show interest in food. He didn’t usually eat much, nor seemed to have any favorite dishes; she’d even wondered if he had a damaged sense of taste. But seeing him excited to try something, she couldn’t help but want to try it too.

It’s definitely not because of him—it’s for me! Yulia shook her head with firm resolve.

“What devoted little ones. I didn’t want to serve him a single bite, but since you’re asking, I’ll let it go this time.”

Vanessa gave an exasperated chuckle, handing the order to an attendant as the kitchen began preparing the feast.

The Empress was accustomed to ordering quick and simple meals, enough for minimal sustenance in the shortest time possible. The chef glanced over the elaborate list with surprise before the cooking began. The palace’s annual food budget seemed to evaporate in that moment.

“Wow, it looks delicious…”

“These dishes look so unique!”

“Enjoy as much as you like. I’m not sure if they’ll suit your tastes, though…”

“Yuri… Yuria, come sit with us! Let’s eat together!”

“Huh? Oh, uh, sure?”

“Sit here; we’re all companions who worked hard together.”

Charlotte, with her mouth stuffed with steak, waved Yuri over while Yulia patted the empty seat beside her. Hesitating, Yuri felt a slight push from Aslan and reluctantly sat down.

‘Bra strap…’

As Yuri sighed at the aroma of the food, Aslan squeezed his eyes shut, his hand trembling where it had brushed against Yuri’s back. He’d hoped it was just his imagination, but… who knew she’d come to work cross-dressed like this?

A hero like that… This world was doomed. He almost felt like shedding a tear.

“Hmm? This ‘caviar,’ was it? It’s just salty…”

“These pine mushrooms… smell weird…”

“This truffle… the smell is too strong…”

Their eager expressions crumbled as they tasted each dish in turn. Even Yuri, who had pulled her mask aside to try the food, scrunched her face.

What kind of flavor was this? Judging by Aslan and the Empress’s reactions, the ingredients seemed expensive, but why were they so pricey? The hidden egg-and-cheese toast the maid snuck to her tasted far better!

The kids glanced at each other with uncertain expressions, only to see Aslan calmly devouring his meal. He was just about to pour whiskey over the vanilla ice cream when—

“Count Vermont. Follow me. The chef will take new orders from the children and prepare those.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Cream pasta! With really thick cream, please!”

“I want an omelet!”

“And… a bit of fried rice, maybe…”

As Aslan stood up, the kids excitedly began requesting their own favorite dishes, and Vanessa shot him a sharp glare. Yet, Aslan’s expression remained as calm as ever.

“Thank you for the meal. It was a rare opportunity to savor such exquisite dishes. I’m sure the children enjoyed it, too.”

“Such shamelessness… Weren’t those all your preferences?”

“These delicacies are almost impossible to experience otherwise, and it was a valuable experience for the children. Food, after all, is best appreciated when you understand it. Right now, they may think it’s just salty or oddly fragrant, but when they taste it again, they’ll fully appreciate the flavor. I’m sincerely grateful for providing this foundational experience, Your Majesty.”

“…”

Aslan spoke smoothly, too smoothly. Vanessa glared at him, clicking her tongue. There it was again—that absurdly candid, transparent nature of his.

Well, if it was truly for the kids’ sake, she could forgive it.

“You really are… Never mind. Anyway, why does your knight follow you around without a weapon? Is she that confident in her magic?”

“Oh, her sword? I have it here.”

“…?”

“Sylvia, would you show her?”

“Yes.”

“…?!”

With a slight tilt of his head, Aslan gestured, and Sylvia reached into his mouth, drawing out a sword hilt, before slipping it back. Vanessa’s face was struck with horror.

“What in the world…?”

“It’s a rather unique sword. It seems I’ve become its storage.”

“…I command you to undergo a thorough examination. I worry this may affect your health. That aside, I called you separately to fulfill my end of the bargain.”

“What bargain is that?”

“The reward for the mission. You’d inquired about the whereabouts of the Neomium, correct?”

Finally?

A shiver ran through Aslan’s eyes.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“According to the Imperial Intelligence Service’s monitoring of the black market, the last sale of Neomium took place seven years ago. Upon investigating the buyer’s false identity, we discovered it was owned by Irene Vermont—your sister.”

“…!”

A stunned expression crossed Aslan’s face at the unexpected name.