Chapter 59

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 59

Chapter Title: A Tense Dinner

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Lucia sat down at the table, guided by the waiter, her entire body tense with nerves.

Today must really be cursed. Of all the restaurants, the one Bern had chosen was this place.

This was also the restaurant where she had shared a meal with Herwin right before her final confession to him.

Herwin seemed just as uncomfortable as Lucia, clearing his throat needlessly and fidgeting in his seat.

‘It’s certainly delicious... but...!’

She felt a twinge of resentment toward Bern for suggesting this spot.

"I’ve always wanted to come here, but it’s always so crowded. I’m glad we got lucky today."

"Exactly. It’s so hard to get in without a reservation that even I was half-doubting we’d make it."

Bern replied kindly to Arista’s words. The mood between the two of them wasn’t bad at all, but the same couldn’t be said for Herwin and Lucia.

The waiter brought the menus, and they each began browsing. Meanwhile, Lucia’s attention was entirely fixed on Herwin across from her, making the words on the page blur together unreadably.

As Bern studied the menu for a while, he noticed Lucia looking dazed.

"Is something wrong?"

"Pardon? Oh, no, nothing."

"Good, then. Have you decided on your order?"

"Well..."

Lucia hurriedly scanned the menu belatedly. But with so many options, she couldn’t decide what to get.

Last time she’d come, they’d ordered the most popular dish via reservation, so she didn’t know what else was on offer.

Seeing Lucia hesitate, Bern leaned toward her side of the table.

"If you’re having trouble, may I recommend something?"

"Ah... yes, please do."

Lucia nodded shyly. Bern promptly suggested a few items, as if he’d been waiting.

"Personally, I think this one is the best. The truffle flavor pairs perfectly with the steak."

Bern’s top recommendation happened to be a dish with mushrooms, which Lucia couldn’t eat.

Lucia hesitated, flustered for a moment. Not noticing her expression, Bern asked,

"Shall we go with this one, then?"

"...Yes, that’s fine."

Unable to reject Bern’s kindness outright, Lucia nodded. The waiter soon arrived to take their orders.

Arista and Herwin across from her ordered first, followed by Bern.

Lucia clenched her fists on her lap, breaking out in a cold sweat.

‘It’ll be okay, right?’

She could probably pick out the mushrooms without anyone noticing. Hadn’t she resolved to just eat it when she came with Herwin before?

Lucia comforted herself that it would be fine and stared determinedly at the waiter as he confirmed the order again.

"...So that’s five dishes, correct?"

"Yes, that’s ri..."

"Hold on."

Herwin cut in midway through Bern’s confirmation. Everyone’s eyes turned to him.

Herwin glanced at the menu again and frowned upon realizing what Bern had ordered.

"Doesn’t the Marquis know his fiancée can’t eat certain foods?"

"Pardon?"

"Lucia can’t eat mushrooms. She’d be sick for two days if she did."

Bern jumped in surprise at Herwin’s remark, while Lucia’s face paled.

Arista belatedly clapped her hands together.

"Right, that’s true!"

"Lucia, is what he says correct?"

Lucia glanced back and forth between Bern and Herwin before nodding reluctantly, like a criminal caught red-handed.

Bern sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"That could’ve been disastrous. Why didn’t you say something?"

"I couldn’t bring myself to refuse..."

Bern let out a regretful breath at Lucia’s meek voice.

A cool hand settled over her tightly clenched small fist. Looking up, she met Bern’s gentle gaze.

"Please tell me next time. That way, I can be careful."

"...Okay."

"I’m not upset. I was just really surprised."

Bern patted Lucia’s hand and revised the order. The waiter reconfirmed the changes before leaving.

Bern said to Herwin with relief,

"That was close. Thank you for letting me know, Young Lord."

Herwin, who had been glaring coldly at Bern holding Lucia’s hand affectionately, narrowed his eyes and replied peevishly,

"As her fiancé, shouldn’t you at least know the basics—like what Lucia can’t eat or what she dislikes?"

His tone was provocative enough for anyone to hear. Lucia looked at him in bewilderment, while Arista watched with a meaningful glint in her eye.

Though it could have offended him, Bern’s expression didn’t change; he simply stiffened his face.

"Yes, you’re right. It’s my fault."

Bern readily admitted his mistake. Herwin wrinkled his nose, unsatisfied with the response.

"At least you know now. Be more careful next time. Even in a political marriage, you should know the basics about each other, don’t you think?"

Herwin pressed the point again, clearly pinpointing that Lucia and Bern’s relationship wasn’t born of love.

As Bern’s face darkened, Lucia frowned and gripped Bern’s hand on hers tightly.

"Why say it like that? I’m the one who didn’t speak up."

Herwin was momentarily shocked that Lucia was scolding him, but he quickly hardened his expression. Lucia was no different.

"We’ve only known each other for two months. We haven’t even had the engagement ceremony yet. Of course there are things we don’t know."

"........."

"I don’t know much about Bern either, and he doesn’t know everything about me. We’re still getting to know each other. We’ll handle it ourselves."

"Oh, really?"

Herwin let out a hollow laugh, his lips twisting upward.

"Just be more careful next time."

Normally, Lucia would have been anxious seeing Herwin upset, but now she was angry enough herself to treat him coldly.

In the disastrously tense atmosphere, Bern and Arista exchanged glances, gauging the mood.

Bern murmured softly to Lucia,

"I’m fine. The Young Lord isn’t wrong, after all."

Lucia’s expression remained sullen.

"So, please cheer up. Okay?"

Only after Bern’s earnest plea did Lucia slightly purse her pouty lips.

She then apologized to him in a small voice. Of course, Bern told her not to apologize.

To ease the awkwardness, Arista and Bern took the lead in conversation.

With her anger subsided somewhat, Lucia naturally joined in, but Herwin continued to gaze at her steadily with dissatisfied eyes.

Soon, the food arrived, and they each began eating quietly.

Lucia took a bite of the dish Bern had reordered and widened her eyes.

"This is really delicious."

"Is it? I’m glad it suits your taste. I’ll have to remember this one."

Even though she’d said it was fine, Lucia could tell Bern was bothered by Herwin’s words. She fiddled with her fork before speaking up.

"Actually, when I was little, I got really sick from eating mushrooms, so ever since, even a little bit makes me ill. It’s not even an allergy, but I was embarrassed to admit I can’t eat them over something so trivial, so I didn’t say anything."

Part of it was getting swept up in the moment, but this reason played a big part too.

It wasn’t something to boast about, being a picky eater at her age.

Bern paused in surprise at Lucia revealing her flaw with a flushed face, then smiled softly.

"I see. I think I understand how you feel."

Bern glanced at his plate and speared a carrot used as garnish in the corner with his fork.

He took a big bite and grimaced fiercely.

Seeing Bern’s face crumple for the first time, Lucia’s eyes went wide.

After chewing the carrot thoroughly as if it were something inedible and finally swallowing, Bern relaxed his twisted expression.

"Whew, this is tough."

"What in the world..."

"I can’t eat carrots."

He said with a slightly paled face.

"It’s not like I got sick as a child or anything dramatic, but no matter how old I get, I just can’t stomach them."

After rinsing his mouth with water, Bern smiled brightly with his improved expression.

"So we each have our foods we can’t eat. Makes us not so different, right?"

Realizing Bern had deliberately done this to lighten her burden, Lucia smiled faintly and nodded.

Herwin stared openly at the two whispering intimately like they were sharing a secret, chatting amiably.

He’d never experienced indigestion in his life, but now his stomach felt queasy, and the food wouldn’t go down.

Herwin, who had only been drinking water, eventually set down his fork and knife.

Arista, noticing the change beside him, quietly asked,

"Not eating more?"

"...Not really hungry."

"Oh?"

Arista, who had never seen Herwin leave food behind, was about to say something when she realized all his attention was fixed on Lucia.

The situation felt utterly unfamiliar to Arista.

‘It’s like they’ve switched places.’

Usually, Lucia would gaze at Herwin like a baby bird chasing its mother, but now it was the complete opposite.

Though he wasn’t aware of it, Herwin was hoping Lucia would notice his change quickly.

She always picked up on even the smallest shifts in him before anyone else.

However, even as time passed, through finishing her talk with Bern and chatting with Arista, she never once addressed him or questioned why he wasn’t eating.

"Young Lord, are you feeling unwell? You’ve barely touched your food."

Instead, Bern noticed Herwin’s odd behavior before Lucia did.

Only then did Lucia turn her gaze toward Herwin.

Herwin, waiting for words from her lips, spoke bitterly when her small mouth remained shut.

"...I’m just not hungry. Don’t worry about me."

"Are you sure? If you’re ill, please say so. I can call a doctor."

"Yeah, Herwin. Maybe see a doctor?"

Arista agreed with Bern, but Herwin shook his head.

"It’s not that bad."

Even as Herwin lifted his downcast eyes to look at Lucia, she didn’t say a word to him.

This was the first time they’d been so distant since their fight at the academy.

Herwin felt anxious thinking Lucia was truly angry at him, but he tried not to show it.

Once the main courses were finished, their individual desserts arrived last.

As Lucia ate her slice of cake and nodded along to Arista’s words, she glanced sideways.

Herwin hadn’t touched his cake.

‘He still hasn’t eaten.’

In truth, she’d known since before Bern spoke up that Herwin hadn’t touched his meal much.

But because he’d been so rude to Bern, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything while Bern was right there.

Moreover, after their big argument just minutes ago, casually talking to him was impossible.

‘Is he sick somewhere? Or did he get indigestion? I’m worried.’

Despite that, Lucia’s mind was filled with concern for Herwin.

She pondered how to approach him naturally without awkwardness, but in the end, she couldn’t say a single word to him.

With each lost in their own thoughts, the full moon gradually rose into the night sky.