Chapter 74

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 74

Chapter Title: The Five Knights and Roxiana Franche (8)

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Floyd sat at the head of the long, wide table, with Kirshan and the knight captains seated on either side, chattering noisily. The table was laden with all sorts of dishes, and the servants bustled about, swiftly clearing empty bottles and bringing fresh ones as the alcohol disappeared.

Hexston burst into loud laughter upon hearing how they had demanded compensation from the Kingdom of Enilta.

"Arsen's words must have made Jorge III's face a sight to behold."

"It was like he'd seen a demon. But with our lord's flames flickering ominously, what could he say? The Eniltan knights had seen those flames up close and were frozen in terror."

Adrian picked up where Kain left off.

"Even that wasn't enough, if you ask me. We showed a lot of mercy on our end. Thirty-one injured, twelve of them seriously. Some won't recover for over half a year. If that bastard Jorge had just been honest about the damage, we wouldn't have so many casualties. Ah, should have just killed him."

Adrian smacked his lips regretfully. Hexston spoke up.

"Still, it was fortunate the Black Bear knights came along. Rushing back for the princess's sake turned out to be a blessing in disguise."

After learning that the Franche royal family's remains had been thrown into a well, an enraged Floyd had brought the Black Bear Knight Order to wrap things up quickly and return. Thanks to them, the expedition ended without any deaths. Without the extra forces, it could have been far more perilous.

Adrian nodded.

"You're right. That's one more reason to treat the princess well. Alright, then. My knight's oath..."

"I don't need your silly oath."

As Adrian and Kain bickered as usual, a servant announced Roxiana's arrival. When the dining room doors opened, everyone except Floyd rose naturally. Even Arsen.

Roxiana, dressed in a deep blue gown, looked serene and elegant. The silk dress, flowing without a single lace, had a deep neckline that fully revealed the slave brand etched on her collarbone.

Yet no one could think of her as a 'slave.' Her elegance overwhelmed the knight captains, leaving them unable to even consider it.

Roxiana grasped her skirt and gave a slight bow in response to the knight captains' courtesy. Adrian immediately shot his hand up.

"Sit here!"

The seat he pointed to was right beside him, between him and Floyd at the head. Adrian stood himself and pulled out the chair. Roxiana gave him a faint smile before sitting.

Only then did the other knight captains sit as well.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner."

Floyd gave a slight nod and raised his right hand. The door to the kitchen swung open, and a servant wheeled in a trolley cart.

The cart held several large soup bowls, all covered with domed lids that hid their contents. One was placed before each person.

Roxiana absentmindedly lifted the lid and let out a small scream.

"Eek!"

Inside was a creature that looked for all the world like a magical beast. She hurriedly tried to close the lid, but her hand went limp, dropping it and fully exposing the thing.

She knew she had to maintain her composure at this crucial meeting that would decide her future, but the bizarre creature in the bowl left her startled heart racing. Floyd and the knight captains smiled faintly at her horrified expression.

"This is..."

She whipped her head around to ask, but caught the smile tugging at Floyd's lips and snapped back to her senses. She'd acted too casually without realizing it. She knew nobles shouldn't show surprise, no matter what.

'Are they teasing me with something inedible like a magical beast? Or testing me? To see if I have the boldness to help eat it?'

As all sorts of thoughts raced through her mind, Hexston explained.

"It's a lobster, Your Highness. They're plentiful this season. It's in season."

She'd heard the name lobster before, but never seen one.

The creature Hexston called a lobster had sturdy-looking claws, numerous small legs, and a reddish shell that resembled an insect's. It was said to taste divine, but this looked utterly uneatable.

"You... eat this?"

Adrian lifted the lid on his own bowl and replied.

"Of course. It's delicious. Well, lobsters don't make it inland much, so no wonder you're surprised. But haven't you seen crayfish in rivers? Smaller ones that look just like this."

Roxiana glanced at Adrian's bowl, confirming a lobster inside, and shook her head.

"I didn't play in rivers much."

"Ah, right. Being a princess, it's hard to venture outside the palace."

Wondering if it was mockery, she studied Adrian's profile quietly, but he seemed busy disassembling his lobster.

'They really eat this.'

The other knights were snapping off claws and breaking them apart. Roxiana reached out a hand but kept pulling back, unable to bring herself to touch the strange thing.

How long did she hesitate?

Floyd swapped the bowl in front of him with hers. His lobster had already been fully disassembled, leaving only the pale, tender meat inside.

Roxiana's eyes widened as she turned to him. Serving food like this was for servants, and she worried the knight captains might take offense to their lord doing it himself.

She glanced around subtly, but they were still focused on shelling their own lobsters, brows furrowed in concentration.

"No poison, so relax."

Floyd said softly. Refusing food he'd prepared himself would be rude, so Roxiana took a deep breath and speared a piece with her fork.

She planned to swallow without chewing or breathing, but the melting texture on her tongue surprised her into exhaling. Tender meat, nutty and salty flavors, with a slightly creamy texture.

"It's delicious."

Roxiana murmured without thinking. Floyd grinned and continued disassembling the rest, handing over every carefully extracted piece as if it were nothing.

As she took another bite, Kain shouted.

"Done!"

He shoved a plate piled high with lobster meat toward her.

"Have this too, Your Highness."

Adrian snatched the plate that slid across the table.

"You think I'd let her eat something shelled by your filthy hands? I'll eat this. Your Highness, have mine instead."

Adrian's lobster meat was so neatly extracted it retained its original shape. Impressively precise and clean work.

"Hey, then give me yours!"

"No way. This is mine."

As Kain and Adrian squabbled over the plate, Roxiana wondered if it was okay to eat Adrian's too. Watching her, Floyd spoke.

"Hate to admit it, but Adrian does the best job shelling. Probably from experience peeling human flesh."

It sounded horrifying, so Roxiana pretended not to hear the latter part.

The dining room stayed lively throughout the meal. Kain and Adrian argued constantly, Hexston guffawed, Kirshan spoke calmly and deliberately, Arsen silently worked his fork. Floyd laughed at his subordinates' tales, agreed with their frustrations, and kept the boisterous evening going.

The dinner began with lobster bisque and scallop salad, ending with cheese-laden stir-fried meat and sweet sorbet. After the meal, as they rinsed their mouths with fruit wine, Floyd got to the point.

"Kirshan says he's found a way to remove your brand, Your Highness."

Roxiana turned to him, and Kirshan said cautiously.

"There are two methods. One removes the brand but leaves a scar. The other erases it completely. The first isn't painful, but the second requires deep excision... it'll be gruesome."

"I'll take the second."

Roxiana declared firmly before he finished.

"It will hurt terribly. Even with anesthesia, we can't block all the pain, and it'll ache fiercely for days after scraping out the flesh."

"I can endure it. Please use the second method, Sir Lepe."

Pain from slicing and scraping flesh was nothing. She endured worse daily, confident she wouldn't scream even if they tore it out.

No matter the cost, she wanted to stand before them whole. She refused to show them the broken, trampled wreck they desired.

'Lucas. Elise. What faces will you make seeing me unmarred? What will you think seeing me smile just like in Kanta?'

Roxiana's lips curved slightly.

'For that, I can do anything.'