“Do you have a favorite food, Sophian?”
As Martina asked this question on their way to the dining hall, Sophian rested her slender fingers on her chin and pondered for a moment before replying hesitantly.
“Well… I like salads. Particularly those with fruit in them. Something refreshing, with juicy fruits mixed with cheese and plenty of vegetables, simply dressed with salt and oil—wait, Martina, do you not like salads?”
Sophian noticed Martina’s subtle expression mid-sentence and asked with a wry smile. Martina, flustered, quickly waved her hands.
“N-no! That’s not it… It’s just that, well, I prefer meat or fish.”
“Hehe, that makes sense. You’re still young, Martina.”
“Young? But you’re still quite young too, Sophian.”
Sophian smiled warmly at Martina’s genuine words.
“Thank you. But I’m about ten years older than you, so I can’t really call myself young anymore. Lately, I’ve found salads more enjoyable than heavier meals.”
“Is that so? Then it must be nice when the vegetables are in season.”
“Yes, and also the fruits. By the way, Martina, what kind of dishes do you like?”
Sophian returned the question, and Martina, remembering a similar conversation she’d had with Roland and Sylvan, gave the same answer.
“I like stews. Especially ones with meat so tender it falls apart, in a rich, flavorful sauce. They’re perfect with bread—I can’t stop eating them.”
“Stews, huh? I can see why. They’re filling but not heavy, so you can eat a lot of them.”
“Exactly. I always end up overeating.”
“I’m sure chefs would be happy to hear that. Stews take a lot of effort to prepare, after all.”
As their conversation reached this point, they arrived at the dining hall. Entering through the open doors, they headed to the counter displaying various dishes.
Their presence drew curious glances from officials and knights in the hall, but Martina, focused on the food, didn’t notice.
“Sophian, doesn’t one of today’s salads resemble the one you mentioned earlier?”
“You’re right. How lucky. Would you like to try my recommended salad, Martina?”
“U-uh… I’ll try it.”
“Then let me pick the nicest one for you.”
Sophian carefully selected a salad from the many displayed and placed it on Martina’s tray.
“Thank you. Now, for the main course.”
With Martina’s cheerful comment, they moved to the section with the day’s main dishes: herb-crusted fish, chicken steak, and beef stew.
“I’ll go for the stew…!”
“I thought you might. I’ll have the fish. I love herb-crusted dishes.”
“They’re so aromatic and delicious, aren’t they?”
After selecting their meals, soups, and drinks, they found seats at the end of a long table. Only then did Martina notice the stares directed at them.
“…Sophian, aren’t people looking at us?”
“Are they? Don’t worry about it.”
“If you say so…”
Martina decided to focus on the delicious-looking meal in front of her.
Starting with the salad, she speared some cheese and vegetables with her fork and took a bite.
“…Mmm, it’s delicious!”
“I’m glad. Don’t you think the cheese adds richness, making the salad less bland?”
“Yes. I wonder why I didn’t try this before… Fruits really do go well in salads.”
“They do. You should include salads more often from now on.”
“I will.”
Finishing the salad, Martina moved on to the stew, scooping up a large piece of meat with her spoon. The juicy meat and rich sauce brought a blissful smile to her face.
“This is amazing…!”
“Hehe, you eat so delightfully, Martina. Just watching you makes me happy.”
“…T-that’s a bit embarrassing to hear.”
Blushing, Martina cupped her reddened cheeks with her hands. Seeing this, Sophian speared a piece of his herb-crusted fish with his fork and held it out to her.
“Would you like to try this? It’s very good.”
“Is that okay?”
“Of course. Sharing delicious food makes it even better.”
Martina leaned slightly forward and took a bite directly from the fork Sophian held out.
Sophian was momentarily surprised but softened as he watched Martina enjoy the fish.
“It’s delicious!”
“I’m glad. The chefs here are very skilled.”
“I’ve always thought so. Even the meals at the officials’ dormitory are excellent—it’s what you’d expect from the royal palace. Speaking of which, do you live in the dormitory, Sophian? I don’t think I’ve seen you there…”
Before Martina could finish her thought, someone grabbed her arm from behind and pulled her to her feet.
“…!”
Startled, Martina turned to see Roland standing there.
“Martina, what are you doing?”
“…Huh?”
Martina tilted her head, unable to understand Roland’s urgency.
“Sharing cutlery with the Second Prince…!”
At Roland’s words, Martina froze in place, utterly stunned.
Author’s Note
The first volume of this story will be released on April 10! The cover has been revealed and can be viewed in the recent update on my author page:
https://kakuyomu.jp/users/aoi_misa/news/16818093074118910343
Thank you for your support!
—Misa Aoi
