Chapter 82

 

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The first dish was served.

Surprisingly, despite Ronny’s ‘self-styled’ arrangement, the menu began with a cake.

The expression on the chef’s face as he cut the whole cake seemed almost like he was about to burst into tears, probably because it went against his aesthetic principles.

“It may be awkward, but the cake has to come first in order. This is all because of my father.”

Ronny smiled towards the Duke, and the Duke paused for a moment as he recognized the cake.

“Don’t worry, Father. This time, I didn’t put a ring in the cake.”

Everyone finally understood the significance of the first cake after Ronny’s playful comment. It was the Duke’s proposal cake.

“That reminds me of something Mother said.”

Claude, receiving a piece of cake, reminisced about a long-held memory.

He remembered asking his mother in his childhood, “Why doesn’t Father eat cakes with strawberries on top?”

“What did she say?”

Asked the Tower Master, and Claude, trying to suppress a slight smile, answered,

“Father had hidden a ring in a huge cake but didn’t mark where he hid it.”

“Oh dear.”

As Claude’s story unfolded, everyone looked at the Duke with faces full of sympathy, anticipating the inevitable future.

“Moreover, as if bad luck was at play, no matter how much cake was eaten, the ring never appeared.”

The Duke himself then shared the story from long ago.

“…Because of that, I kept saying ‘I’ll eat more.’ like a madman obsessed with cake. Never in my life have I eaten so much cake. Especially something I don’t even like.”

“So, when did the ring appear?”

At Owen’s question, the Duke answered with a resigned voice,

“…It came out in the very last piece.”

“You were indeed a man worthy of marriage.”

To go to such lengths to find a ring, eating an entire huge cake he didn’t even like, indicated a significant commitment.

“On one hand, it turned out well. Beatrice felt sympathy for me after learning the situation.”

It must have been hard to reject a man who had eaten an entire large cake just to find a ring.

Thanks to that, the two were able to marry immediately after her eighteenth birthday.

“Since then, Father has never eaten cakes with strawberries on top.”

“More precisely, I ate a lifetime’s worth in one sitting.”

Ronny smiled and pointed to the plate in front of him in response to the Duke’s answer.

“I’m sorry, Father. It seems there was one piece left after all.”

“Indeed.”

The Duke tackled the single piece of cake with a somewhat combative stance.

The others glanced at him eating the cake, imagining his younger days.

Though the Duke said it was “hard,” those moments must have remained in his mind as sweet and tender memories.

After everyone happily finished the first plate, they all shared a light drink for a moment.

Soon, the second plate arrived.

Fortunately, it was a normal salad dish and vegetable sticks.

This was also what the Baldwin family’s children would eat the morning after they had done something wrong.

“But, you know.”

While eating a carrot stick, Melody voiced a question, looking around cautiously.

Fortunately, no one showed any displeasure at her remark.

“…Didn’t you say it was supposed to be a dish that we liked or held precious memories?”

Considering this was a dish eaten as punishment, Melody wondered if it really fit the description.

“That’s true, but.”

Ronny also glanced at the carrot sticks with a furrowed brow.

“Sometimes, we kind of brace ourselves for the consequences of our actions.”

Melody then nodded, understanding that Ronny wanted to talk about the moments they had prepared themselves for, rather than the food itself.

Next came a dish of soft fish that Loretta enjoyed eating. They ate it happily, saying that eating the tender white flesh with sauce made them blissfully sigh.

And both the Tower Master and Melody had their turn as the stars of a dish. For Melody, it was a large piece of meat.

Bigger and thicker than usual but deliciously tender and melting in the mouth.

As dish after dish continued to come out and everyone’s stomachs began to fill,

The next plate was served.

And for a moment, there was silence. They had forgotten, amid the excellent dishes, that this was a meal with Ronny’s arbitrary order and menu.

This time, it was stiff rye bread with butter. A survival food known for its long-lasting satiety.

That was all.

While the high-quality butter made it somewhat luxurious, it couldn’t really compare to the other dishes.

“…This, um.”

Ronny cautiously began, and soon, a sigh was heard from one side. It was Jeremiah.

“I know. It’s mine, right?”

His voice carried a hint of annoyance, because Ronny had chosen such a meager dish for him.

The tower was filled with all kinds of delicacies. There, the world’s distribution standards didn’t apply, so fresh ingredients could be easily obtained from anywhere.

As a result, the tower’s banquets were filled with dishes delicious enough to surpass even the royal court.

Yet, upon seeing the stiff rye bread, Jeremiah immediately recognized that it was meant for him.

“When I’m incredibly busy, even going to eat seems like a waste of time. There are only 24 hours in a day.”

Rye bread was simple to eat and provided longer-lasting satiety than other foods, without causing any stomach discomfort.

Even so.

“…It’s not like I particularly like it.”

Jeremiah would eat it just to avoid the hassle of dealing with people.

Otherwise, magicians concerned about his growth would bring a variety of meals, stealing his time.

“Sorry to interrupt the conversation, Jeremiah.”

Then, Claude, sitting opposite Jeremiah, awkwardly smiled and revealed a fact.

“This isn’t your plate. It’s mine, right, Ronny?”

He looked for agreement, but Ronny just shrugged his shoulders.

“Even though we have 24 hours in a day, dedicating all of that time to meals feels a bit wasteful, especially when busy.”

Claude ended up choosing such a simple menu when the academy exams approached, without anyone asking him to.

“Of course, I don’t always eat this way. Usually, I add something to it. This is really for when I’m in a rush. Right, Jeremiah?”

When he asked for confirmation, Jeremiah inadvertently responded.

“That’s true, but with eggs or….”

“Tomatoes are good too.”

“And often with mashed potatoes.”

“And you always add cheese to that?”

Potatoes and cheese are eternal companions. So, Jeremiah nodded, adding a bit of a know-it-all tone, “And pepper too.”

“The tower has a wealth of ingredients, so we often add cooked seafood.”

“That’s enviable. At the academy, adding ham is the height of luxury. You’re living in a good place, Jeremiah.”

At his joking remark, Jeremiah was startled and quickly turned away.

‘Why did I get excited talking about food….’

All because Ronny brought such subpar fillings.

Jeremiah clenched his lips tightly, determined not to respond to Claude in the future.

“It seems Jeremiah and I have similar tastes.”

‘Hmph, just because of a sandwich, acting all friendly. I won’t respond from now on.’

Despite Jeremiah’s stiff response, Claude continued talking.

“The tower is a treasure trove of gastronomy, so you can surely make sandwiches with a variety of ingredients.”

“….”

“If Jeremiah has inherited my excellent taste, he’ll definitely fill his sandwiches with thinly sliced cucumbers. The crisp texture and the fresh scent of cucumber spread happiness in your mouth.”

But when he started talking about the scent of cucumbers, Jeremiah couldn’t hold back any longer and suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Indeed, Brother, you are truly unbearable! Cucumbers! Cucumbers!”

When the Tower Master quietly mentioned, “Jeremiah really dislikes cucumbers,” Jeremiah shuddered as if he had been waiting for this moment and shook his head.

“I despise them. I can’t stand their mushy insides, and I hate the bitter skin. I cannot forgive the entire societal attitude that allows such a thing to be recognized as food in the first place, with its smell!”

After finishing his speech with a voice that had risen considerably, Jeremiah suddenly came to his senses.

‘…What have I done!’

That was what he usually said when he was tormented by people in the tower trying to fix his picky eating habits by offering him cucumbers.

“Ah.”

Jeremiah awkwardly sat back down, too embarrassed to lift his head.

Owen might be used to hearing such complaints, but it was different for the other family members. They might be thinking Jeremiah was odd by now.

As proof, the entire banquet hall was silent. Probably because everyone was too flustered to speak.

Jeremiah wished someone would change the subject.

“…When it comes to unpleasant smells, mushrooms are actually more unforgivable, aren’t they?”

Jeremiah’s wish was soon fulfilled as Claude’s grumbling complaint was heard.

Hearing this, Loretta raised her hand high and exclaimed in a bright voice,

“No, that’s not true! Both cucumbers and mushrooms are delicious and precious!”