Episode 8.
April mimicked Reike’s words, then glanced at Gordon.
It was an unspoken question, but the butler only shook his head from side to side, seemingly unaware of what Reike was talking about.
“It must be something of great importance to you to come here, even though you know it’s a prize.”
“Indeed it is.”
reike nodded coldly, unfazed by the impatient jab.
April gave a small nod, the corners of her mouth tugging upward.
“Very well.”
A duke, and a Matriarch, he must be quite powerful within the Empire.
She didn’t know what her relationship with him would be in the future, but a favor now might come in handy later.
“Of course, I’d be happy to cooperate with my husband’s old friend.”
“That means…….”
“I’m sure my late husband would be pleased to have a friend come to visit. A most cordial welcome to the Earldom of Falcon, Duke Fitzren.”
“I am deeply grateful for the kindness you have shown me under difficult circumstances, my lady.”
“The butler will find a room for the Duke to make himself comfortable.”
Gordon seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he answered.
“Yes, my lady.”
April looked back at reike and smiled brightly.
“I’ll be up first, then, and if you’re free, perhaps we could have dinner together?”
“I would be delighted to accept your invitation.”
“Then, Duke. I’ll see you at dinner.”
April gracefully straightened the sides of her dress and bowed slightly to Reike.
Then she left the room without the slightest hint of regret.
Reike watched her go, intrigued, as she left the room.
***]
After parting ways with Reike, April walked straight back to the dining room.
Aside from the wine and a few canapes last night, she couldn’t remember eating anything substantial.
As soon as she was seated, April opened the dome cover herself and couldn’t help but cringe at the sight of the food.
“Oh my God. What is this?”
The food had already lost its flavor.
The soup had cooled down and formed a film on the top, and the sausage was covered in white grease.
I don’t know if this was the way it was supposed to be, or if it had cooled while I was meeting reike.
“Still. No new sausages.”
At the muttering to himself, the servant in the dining room with him flinched.
He had come to serve the meal in Gordon’s stead.
“It’s because…… is out of firewood.”
The servant grunted in annoyance.
April glanced out the window.
The rain still hadn’t stopped. Even if they were to fetch new wood, it would be difficult to light a new fire in the already soggy conditions.
“Oh, well.”
She let out a long sigh.
She was very hungry, but she couldn’t bring herself to eat.
Feeling like she was going to die right now if she didn’t eat something, April glanced at the table again.
The only things she could eat without objection were the scrambled eggs, jam, and figs that had probably been served for dessert.
She sighed again and reached for the fig.
Ding. There was a knock on the door.
“Who is it?”
She motioned for the servant to open the door, and there stood the smiling face of reike, whom she had just seen in the parlor.
“Excuse me, sir.”
“Duke Fitzren, what brings you here?”
“I was informed by the butler that your room was ready, and as I followed him, I overheard your wife.”
As he spoke, his eyes fell on the food in front of April.
“Ah…… this. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“You’re welcome, and I apologize for my repeated intrusion.”
reike flashed a gentle smile, then spoke.
“It sounds like you’re in a bind, and perhaps I can be of some assistance.”
April cocked her head.
“What kind of help do you mean?”
“Like this, for example.”
Stepping closer to the table, reike reached over the cooled food.
Then, as if rubbing over it, he made a light circular motion in the air, and a reddish aura shot out from his palm and spread over the food.
“Oh, my God.”
April’s eyes widened like rabbits.
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
White steam had begun to rise from the food where Laike’s red energy had touched it.
After a few moments, Reike smiled his polite smile and withdrew his hand.
With his left arm behind him, he gestured to the table with his right, offering April some food.
“Now listen.”
She took the spoon with some trepidation.
The creamy texture spread as she scooped the softly floating soup into her mouth.
The warm fumes traveled down my esophagus and warmed my entire body.
April’s expression relaxed.
She took another spoonful of soup with a big smile on her face.
It seemed to taste even better now that she’d been starving for so long.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
Laike, who had been laughing silently at her, spoke up.
“I hope you enjoy your meal. Now, I’m going to go up to my room and do some unpacking.”
reike flashed her a breezy smile and turned around.
“……ah!”
April stopped eating.
“Excuse me, Duke, please.”
It was a rather urgent call, but Reike obeyed and stopped walking.
“What is it?”
“If you don’t mind…….”
April rolled her eyes and smiled apologetically.
reike had already taken another step toward her, thinking she was asking him to join her for a meal.
But the words he expected didn’t come out of her mouth.
April jabbed her right index finger at the table, not far from him, and smiled, her eyes narrowing.
“Can I ask you to do me one more favor, please, make this cool. I don’t mind if you put ice cubes in it.”
Ah.
reike blinked.
Then he realized he’d been mistaken and let out a soft chuckle. After clearing his throat with a couple of coughs, he asked in a laughing voice.
“Do you drink your coffee cold?”
“I only drink cold coffee.”
“You’re unusual.”
April’s mouth twitched into an embarrassed smile.
She felt like she’d blurted it out.
She was about to say goodbye and send it back when she realized it would be annoying if she had to talk or ask more questions.
But strangely, as if reading April’s mind, Reike shut up and reached for her teacup again.
This time, blue smoke flowed from his hand.
It swirled around the teacup a few times as if surrounding it.
Spiraling from the bottom to the top, the magical power plunged into the coffee as if diving, and at the same time, the contents of the cup began to freeze into a fine ice cube.
“Wow……!”
April exclaimed under her breath, clasping her hands together and covering her mouth slightly.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
How do I even begin to describe this overwhelming feeling?
To put it mildly, April was on the verge of tears.
For a moment, she was overjoyed that there was coffee in this world. But only for a moment.
The moment she looked into the mug that came with her breakfast, she went from disappointment to anger.
Lukewarm coffee!
It was a sin.
Her untouchable attitude changed as quickly as the flip of a palm with the help of Reike.
April reached forward, her hand trembling with the sweetness of a caffeine addict.
Then she took a cautious sip.
“Delicious……!”
Coffee so cold that it made her head throb and ring!
She glanced at reike and thought.
“I need magic.
She wanted this man in front of her.
Not in a rational way, just as a servant.
‘But I can’t have a man who’s a duke of an empire and a magus…… as my butler, can I?
I’d rather be possessed by a tyrant, or an empress.
But here I am, a wicked widow with no power. I cringed at the thought of my situation again.
“Drink sparingly.
April took another sip of her cold coffee and set it down carefully.
It occurred to her that she should see reike as often as possible during his stay at Count Falconer’s.
“Is it good?”
“Yes. You should try it sometime, Duke, if you ever get a chance. Once you get the taste of iced coffee, you’ll never drink hot coffee or tea again.”
“Then I’ll have to drink it very carefully.”
Seeing April’s expression visibly brighten, reike stifled a chuckle.
“Then take your time with your meal, and I’ll be off to my room.”
“Thank you for the favor.”
April rose from her seat and bowed slightly toward him in gratitude.
reike pulled the corners of his mouth up into a smile, then turned away.
As she turned to sit back down, April paused and blinked her eyelids a few times.
She felt her eyes glaze over.
“Hmm?”
She narrowed her eyes and looked back at reike’s back. But there was nothing unusual.
“Am I getting presbyopia already…….”
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, then sat back down to eat.
It was a satisfying breakfast.
***]
“Ah, I think I’m going to live.”
April drained the iced coffee reike had made for her in one swift gulp and leaned back in her chair with a satisfied expression on her face.
The servants stared at her with a bit of surprise, as her demeanor was rather ungraceful by their standards.
How long had she been sitting like that?
The butler and the maid entered the dining room at the same time, their faces stern.
