Bon Appétit

Samgyetang is usually eaten to improve the body’s health on the three hottest days of the year*. This dish will relieve Legion’s fatigue from his work.

*TL/N: Korea has the three hottest days of the year (복날; boknal). Korean celebrate these days by preparing food made by chickens to rejuvenate the body and increase health and stamina.

Legion picked up the chicken using his fork. The boiled and tender meat slowly separated from the bone. The delicious scent tickled his nose and stimulated his appetite. When he ate the chicken, the light savory taste stimulated his tongue. It was his first time eating this dish, but it wasn’t bad. Rather, it was really good.

Naturally, he began to eat more with his fork.

“Try the soup, too.”

He tried drinking the soup with a spoon at Luana’s recommendation. The slightly greasy chicken-flavored broth rejuvenated his body. His tense shoulders were immediately relaxed. Luana always serves unique dishes that have the power to stimulate his appetite.

“I tried to feed you well these days, but you keep losing weight. So, I won’t let you goo until you finish eating all of them.”

Legion was pleased to see her pouting her lips. As he slowly ate the samgyetang, time gradually passed. As he was about to finish, Luana pulled out a small bowl she had prepared. It was a bowl of rice.

“It’s delicious even with rice!”

At the same time, she also served a red-looking salad. She has been moving around recently, so she didn’t have much time.

“Is this the kimchi you’ve been wanting to make so much?”

“Yes! It’s a little spicy, but it tastes really good when you eat it with it!”

Luana was always right, especially about food and eating, and Legion trusted her word. After mixing the rice with the remaining soup, he added the bright red salad she recommended. After he took a bite, a burning sensation struck him.

“Ugh!”

It’s spicy! Instead, it was too spicy, but it wasn’t that bad. Could it be that Luana lied? Looking at Luana with a confused expression, he saw her taking some kimchi with a fork.

When Legion and her eyes met, Luana smiled and immediately put her kimchi in her mouth.

‘I have to stop her!’

Maybe it was her first cooking failure. He couldn’t let Luana eat this spicy food, but it was too late. Luana was already eating the kimchi.

‘How will you react?’

While holding his breath, the kimchi went down her throat.

“Whoa.”

Luana exclaimed a little, placed her hands on her cheeks, and said in a satisfied tone.

“It’s delicious!”

‘Delicious?’

Legion looked down at the kimchi. Maybe he felt it wrong? He stared at the kimchi for a moment and picked it up with a fork again. He was going to try it again. However, the taste did not change even after eating it for the second time. It was still spicy and burning.

“What do you think? Does it taste okay?”

Luana asked with a face full of expectation.

“It tasted o- okay.”

Cough cough

Legion covered his mouth with his hands and coughed. He couldn’t stand how spicy the food was.

“W- water!”

“Legion?”

Confused, Luana quickly brought him a glass of water. However, even after drinking it, the spiciness didn’t go away. Legion could raise his head properly after coughing for a while longer.

“Was it spicy?”

“It was slightly spicy.”

‘I don’t think it’s only slightly.’

Still, was this spiciness too intense for someone who didn’t know kimchi? Luana had a sad expression on her face. She just wanted to share with the Legion what she liked. However, it was a wrong decision.

‘I should eat kimchi by myself.’

She was so excited that she made a jar full of kimchi, but now Luana was sad.

“I’m sorry.”

Luana apologized in a sullen mood, and Legion shook his head.

“It’s alright.”

Luana reached out and wiped the tears at the corners of Legion’s eyes. Only then did Legion realize that he had even shed tears and felt embarrassed.

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“No, it really wasn’t that bad. It was a bit spicy, but it was the first time I tasted it.”

Luana was heartbroken to see Legion say that. Why can’t the curse be lifted? Her heart sank. Legion reached out to Luana as if he had recognized what she thought. He tucked her hair behind her ear.

“As I always say, I’m really fine. I met you because of the curse. Don’t be upset.”

The curse, which was once just full of hate, now feels a little different. Maybe that’s why he was able to meet Luana. He tried not to think too deeply.

“Let’s finish eating first. Starting today, there are a lot of people I can introduce to you.”

“What?”

“I have to prepare a lot of things.”

Luana was the princess of the fallen kingdom. He said that her past status was fine, but now she was no different from a commoner. If the marriage proceeds this way, there will be many objections because the positions of the duke and the emperor are different.

So what should he do? Legion, who was agonizing, decided to give Luana her original position. The kingdom was destroyed, but it was not completely lost. She lived under the empire’s rule, with only her royal status taken away. That’s why the kingdom’s death squad was born.

Legion intended to bring the kingdom back, then all the things that stand in his way will be resolved. The question was whether Luana wanted it or not, so he needed to talk with her.

After finishing their meal, Legion had a short talk with Luana.

“You want to bring the kingdom back to life?”

“Yes, you will be the princess of the kingdom again.”

“Hmm…”

To be honest, Luana wasn’t very disposed since she never had any sense of duty as a royal. Because of that, she had done nothing for the kingdom and didn’t want to return. She was the complete opposite of Ingrid. But Legion was telling her to have back all of those things.

“Is there any other way?”

“It’s not there is nothing, but,”

Legion answered meekly.

“There is also a way by becoming an adopted daughter of a noble family. In this case, there’s a good chance of you entering Sir Albert’s family. I have succeeded the blood of the imperial family, and you have to accept the offer because you’re in an awkward situation in many ways.”

Luana didn’t like that idea much, either. But she only had two choices. Luana agonized.

Would it be better to revive the kingdom? Or is it better to enter as Sir Albert’s adopted daughter? She thought about becoming an adopted daughter, but she thought about Ingrid, who was running hard to revive the kingdom. Luana wanted to be of any help.

The culprit who killed the emperor is still unknown, so if she kept her mouth shut, she didn’t know if it would be possible for Ingrid to take over the throne. But there was also a drawback to that.

“If you choose to revive the kingdom, one of our children will become the king of the kingdom later.”

Legion helped her think by her side. Things Ingrid would be not very happy with could happen.

“That way, the reason for bringing the princess of a small kingdom into the empress will be established.”

It was a difficult decision.

Luana let out a small sigh. She almost wanted to shout, ‘Just let us love each other!’ This world wasn’t particularly bad, but it got a little difficult because of status differences.

“Can I think about it a little more?”

“You can take your time. I can wait for you.”

“Thank you.”

Legion smiled softly at Luana. His stomach is full, and the weather is good. The two held hands together and sat leaning against the window. It was a relaxing afternoon.

***

Humans cannot be trusted. How come Elanya and her child don’t recognize the obvious? Gerald was disappointed.

Luana seemed to think everything would be fine, but it wasn’t. The catastrophe was already approaching little by little. From the moment Legion was chosen to become emperor, numerous hyenas clung to him. Many people wanted to introduce their daughters to become empress with conditions.

Even though they knew they were in front of the Battlefield Slayer, those blinded by power acted without back and forth. And Gerald decided to use it. Luana will also realize when things come to her.

Love doesn’t last forever, and despair lasts forever.

Human relationships are more complicated to be maintained with a weak emotion of faith. He wanted to let her know that. When Luana sat down in despair, he would tell her again to abandon everything and leave with him.

“W- Who are you?”

The handsome middle-aged man looked at Gerald, puzzled because a stranger had entered the tightly guarded mansion.

“I am someone who can help you.”

A pig-like human full of greed.

He was a human being who wanted more power just because he had the blood of the imperial family. He pretended to be kind on the outside, but his heart was full of ill-intent.

He was more human than any human he had ever seen.

“Help me? What nonsense! I’ll call a someone!”

And as soon as he was about to scream, Gerald sprinkled some powder on him. It was a drug that clouded his mind and simplified his thinking process. Initially, it was a bad drug, so he only made a small amount. He has a business he has to do.

The human who inhaled the powder quickly became quiet.