“…does it not suit your taste?”
Chloe asked, when I was only staring at the splendid table in front of me and not eating.
“Ah, no. I’m a little surprised.”
Surely the most famous merchant group in the Empire is different. The food on the splendid table was so different from the nursery that I couldn’t even decide what to touch first.
Steamy soup, fresh-looking salad, meat dishes made only with soft cuts, etc. It must have looked weird to be absent-minded while looking at various foods.
‘You’d better eat only enough so that it doesn’t strain your body.’
I’ve never eaten properly until now, so I shouldn’t suddenly eat more by feeling pressured. I felt solemn at the end of my thoughts.
‘Okay, let’s start with the soup first.’
I gulped, looking at the food and slowly spooned the soup and took it to my mouth.
Gulp
The hot, soft soup slowly went down from my mouth.
Ah, it’s delicious.
It’s so delicious. As soon as I put it in, the flavor of the soup filled my mouth.
My hands got faster without realizing, because I was eating this delicious food for the first time in my life.
I was eating the soup in a hurry, and suddenly it became quiet on the table.
“…?”
Did I eat too fast?
Everyone looked surprised with their stiff looks. Did I look ugly when I was eating? I had that thought for awhile.
“Daphne, are you crying?”
When Ricarda asked, I put down the spoon I was holding and touched my cheek. As he said, tears were flowing from my eyes. When I blinked, more tears fell down as if it had waited.
“…did I cry?”
Even I was embarrassed and stammered, and Ricarda asked again.
“I thought you were eating well. Was it bad? Do you want another dish? The lasagna in front is also delicious.”
When he tried to bring another food to me in a hurry with a fidgety voice, I shook my head in embarrassment.
How can you say this food is not delicious?
“I’ve never had such delicious food before. So… did I cry?”
When I spoke to him, Ricarda’s hand, which quickly dropped another dish in front of me, hardened.
Somehow this situation, where silence keeps falling because of me, was so burdensome. I shriveled up as if a heavy load had fallen on my shoulder, but then, Ricarda’s hand moved again.
“I see. Then, would you like to dip this bread in the soup? The bread tastes good when moistened with soup.”
“Ah. Yes.”
Ricarda cut the bread in front and put it on my plate, and as he said, I tried dipping the bread in the soup.
“…it’s delicious.”
My voice rose a little.
I blushed, embarrassed of the voice that rose without my knowledge, and Ricarda smiled brightly.
“Right? Because I made it. It’s nice to see you eat it deliciously!”
With a proud voice, he served a variety of food on a plate little by little.
Lennox, sitting next to me, carefully wiped away the tears from my eyes and cheeks with a handkerchief.
“You shouldn’t have any traces of tears left.”
“Thank you.”
Somehow, I think I’m being treated like a child?
I don’t know why they’re doing this to me, but it wasn’t contempt nor malice, so I decided to put down my heavy heart for a while and enjoy the pleasure in my mouth.
* * *
“It was really delicious.”
I was embarrassed to keep eating even after everyone’s meals were over because I ate too slowly, but it was so delicious that I could not easily put down the fork.
Fortunately, everyone told me to eat slowly and said they would wait for me, so I could enjoy the delicious food a little more and, I felt happy.
‘If there was a happiness gauge, I think it’s already 10% full.’
Until now, I was just in a hurry to fill my stomach, so I couldn’t afford to enjoy the taste. But, after eating this leisurely, I thought that food is so delicious and eating is fun.
‘Because there is a saying that people live to eat.’
Unlike usual, I looked at my full stomach and also ate the dessert in front of me.
‘What if they think I’m a pig? What if they kick me out for eating too much?’ I was worried about this for a moment.
‘It’s a rich merchant’s group. Wouldn’t this be okay? And it’s bad to leave food behind.’
I was a little worried, but I succeeded in rationalizing it.
I cleared the pudding in front of me and stroked my stomach satisfactorily. Then I heard a small laugh from the side.
“Ah, I’m sorry. Did you enjoy your meal?”
Lennox, pretending not to laugh, looked at me and smiled softly.
“I’ve never had such delicious food before.”
On that remark, Ricarda raised his head with pride.
“I am responsible for the food in this house. Tell me everything you want to eat! This brother will take responsibility for everything!”
‘Why does he keep emphasizing the word ‘brother’?’
The unfamiliar title bothered me a little, but I nodded.
“I wish it was the same as today.”
Because, everything was perfect!
Since the person who gives something bad is a bad person, so let’s assume that the person who gives something delicious is a good person.
I shook my head, thinking about what I had eaten over the years.
Since I had already erased it neatly from my head, I didn’t want to think about it anymore.
“Hmm hmm. I’m glad you enjoyed your meal.”
“Thanks for the meal.”
At my greeting, my mother smiled and nodded. Somehow she seems a little proud too, is it my mistake?
“First of all, I’ll let you know what you have to do from now on.”
As soon as the meal is over, she’s getting to the main point?
‘As expected, the head of the merchant’s group didn’t do it for free. You’ve given me the room to sleep and enough food to eat, so now you’re asking me to pay for it.’
That’s why she got to the main point in order to avoid wasting time.
I thought she was amazing as expected, and relaxed my posture correctly and nodded.
“What should I do?”
I’m already prepared to make a commitment to do whatever she asks me.
‘Because I can do anything except to die.’
My mother also clenched her hands, raised her chin, and spoke seriously, as if she had seen my firm determination.
“There are only two things without any difficulty. Can you do it?”
Instead of telling me what it is, you’re going to make me promise first.
I swallowed and nodded.
“Of course.”
“Okay. For the first one.”
My mother sharp eyes descended from my head to the toe.
With the surging tension, my back filled with pressure, and finally she opened her mouth.
“You will return that weak body which flickers like paper to normal.”
“… What?”
Contrary to the expectation that a great deal would come, when the story about my health came out, I suddenly felt relieved.
Even though I blinked in embarrassment, my mother continued to talk without taking a glance.
“You have to take all your meals and medicines so that your injured legs can recover as soon as possible.”
As if that wasn’t the only thing, her mouth didn’t stop.
“All the wounds on the legs and other minor injuries should be treated by Ricarda.”
“I think it’s hard to call a doctor or a priest seeing your circumstances. But basically, I know how to use healing magic. Just trust me!”
After my mother’s words, Ricarda’s bold words continued, but since I was surprised by the absurd conditions, I was not able to hear them properly.
“You can’t skip meals, try not to take medicine, or refuse the treatment.”
“…..”
“Shouldn’t you answer?”
“Ah yes!”
When my answer came, she spoke immediately about the second condition.
“Second, think more than five things about what you want to do or your wishes, and tell me.”
I haven’t ever thought about the second condition, so I couldn’t give any answer.
I wondered if she was trying to make fun of me, so I bit my lips and answered, facing her.
“Is there a relationship between these two conditions and my successor status? I thought you were going to get me to work.”
My mother laughed at my answer, saying that she knew I would answer like that.
“Before becoming a successor, you have to live your life as a person, so the most important thing is your health. Because only if you are healthy, you can continue living.”
“……”
“You have to be a healthy successor, so the first condition is valid.”
She was right.
If the person who will succeed is weak, it will be easy to be ignored by the people around them.
“I’ll tell you about the second condition. If you are a successor of the merchant’s group, you need to know how to live without lacking anything.”
Lennox and Ricarda beside me nodded in affirmation to the words.
“Above all, the existence of a business depends on how big a merchant’s desires and the wants are. You have to be able to pull it out.”
“…Is that so?”
“Of course not only pulling out, but also hide it, but… I think it would be better for you to learn from pulling it out.”
After listening to all the explanations, it seemed like all conditions were necessary to become a successor.
‘As expected, you certainly consider even a child as a partner in the contract.’
Thinking that she wasn’t leading this big merchant’s group for no reason, I nodded vigorously, admiring my mother’s intentions.
“Don’t be too upset about these conditions.”
“Of course.”
It wasn’t just the sympathy that was given, but the goal was created, which gave me more power.
“Then, I’ll be healthy. I’m going to eat regularly, take medicine, and get treatment to stay healthy.”
“That’s right.”
“And I’ll think about what I want to do. When do I have to say it?”
“There’s no deadline, so think about it leisurely. Those who have the time and those who don’t have the time are noticeably different. Outwardly and inwardly.”
The glance that seemed to pierce me was like advice telling me to give up or hide my urgent mind.
It’s only been two days since we met, but I thought it was a bit of mother-like advice and made up my mind.
“Yes!”
And the answer was energetic.
On the table where the stillness flowed, a warm atmosphere suddenly filled up.
My mother’s, Ricarda’s and Lennox’s expression looked satisfied.
I was also very satisfied with this situation, so I wished every day would be just like today.
“In that sense. I forgot to give you this.”
“What?”
My mother lifted the object that she had put under the table.
“Oh, that’s…!”