Chapter 21
‘Is it already night?’
How long did I sleep?
An entire day flew by in an instant.
Surprised, I lowered my legs from the bed and asked Eloy,
“How long did I sleep?”
“I don’t know. I took a nap too and woke up way past lunchtime.”
“……”
“If you’re awake, hurry up and come out to eat. It’s just about ready.”
With those words, Eloy breezed out.
I supported my heavy forehead with my hand and looked around.
I looked for my coat, but it was already on me.
Did I just lie down on the bed without taking off my clothes?
I was definitely taking care of the candlestick and vase, so how did I end up taking a nap?
Still with a hazy mind, I went outside and down the stairs, where I saw my mother-in-law sitting on the sofa in the drawing room.
Even though it was almost evening, her perfect beauty was undiminished, and she sat with her legs crossed elegantly.
The moment I found her, my mother-in-law also raised her eyes to look at me. It was clear at a glance that her gaze was not kind.
“……Did a ghost who died because they couldn’t sleep possess you? You’re just waking up now?”
“I know, I don’t know what happened……”
I just gave an awkward expression and mumbled.
My mother-in-law frowned as if I were even more of an eyesore.
“Because you’re dawdling, the stern head of our Brent Ducal House is preparing the meal in the kitchen.”
“Pardon?”
Alex is preparing dinner?
When my sister-in-law said the meal was ready, I wondered what she meant, but Alex made it?
Leaving my mother-in-law behind, I hurried to the kitchen.
My heart was pounding strangely.
The closer I got to the kitchen, the more savory the soup smelled.
The smell of corn and potatoes boiled thoroughly and the sour yet sweet scent of tomatoes stimulated my sense of smell, and suddenly my appetite began to stir.
Without realizing it, I swallowed hard.
Eloy was placing dishes on the table, which seemed to be almost completely set.
I wondered why she was helping with meal preparation for once and turned around.
Did Alex’s declaration of war this morning have any effect?
Well, since I said I wouldn’t cook anymore, she must be making a show of helping out.
“……Ah.”
I couldn’t move any further as I took a few steps to find Alex.
I ran into Alex, who had just entered the dining room.
He was holding a silver tray, and inside was a sauce that seemed to be simmering tomatoes and long noodles…… Is it spaghetti?
I stared blankly at the silver tray and then looked up at him.
Looking at his incredibly handsome face, it felt like all the remaining sleepiness was gone.
“……You’ve finally woken up. Are you feeling any better?”
\ \ \
Alex carefully examined Luise.
He had been waiting for her to wake up.
After he recruited Gideon as a Familiar Spirit, he nullified his acting.
But the family didn’t wake up right away.
Wondering what was going on, he asked Gideon, who replied that they just wanted to keep sleeping.
Gideon’s acting only made them fall asleep, and it wasn’t addictive like carbon monoxide.
Fortunately, his mother and Eloy woke up around the afternoon, but for some reason, Luise didn’t wake up until the sun had completely set.
Was something wrong?
Alex, who had gone to wake Luise, couldn’t get any closer, stopping a few steps away from the bed.
Snore.
Luise was fast asleep, her abundant and densely wavy silver hair spread out on the bed.
The sight was like a sacred painting, and he couldn’t get close as if his feet were tied.
It felt like he had entered a scene from a classic movie that was now a legend.
Was it because he came to another world and felt this sense of alienation?
That was part of it, but Luise looked so comfortable that he couldn’t bear to disturb her rest.
‘Well, she must have had a lot of tiring things to do recently.’
She had been sleeping in the hard beds of the inn, and she must have been under a lot of stress because the family was falling apart.
Alex quietly left the room.
Fortunately, the other family members didn’t seem to know anything about what had happened while they were asleep.
As usual, they stretched and got up, saying, ‘I took too much of a nap,’ and then lay back down on the sofa.
Of course, he couldn’t tell his family that he had caught a ghost.
Would Luise be okay?
Alex asked her again, holding a silver tray with spaghetti.
“……You were asleep for so long, I was wondering if you were all right.”
“Oh, yes. I’m fine.”
Only then did Luise answer as if startled.
“I must have been too tired. I was sleeping at the inn, and now that there’s a fluffy bed, I think I’m falling asleep.”
“I see. You must be hungry, please sit down quickly.”
Alex gestured to the table.
Judging from Luise’s reaction, she seemed to be the same as usual, like the other family members.
Luise looked back and forth between the almost completely set table and him before answering.
“Yes. I will.”
\ \ \
I turned around and headed to the table with an unbelievable feeling.
As I carefully sat down, I saw many plates on the table.
A salad with vegetables and tomatoes cut and arranged side by side, boiled eggs with the shells peeled one by one, roasted lamb left over from breakfast cut into bite-sized pieces, soup made with corn and potatoes boiled together, etc. It was a simple but plentiful table.
Soon, Alex placed the plate he was holding in front of me.
Warm steam was rising from the noodle dish mixed with tomato sauce.
I looked back and forth between Alex and Eloy with disbelieving eyes.
“Who made all this?”
No sooner had my question fallen than Eloy said,
“I boiled the eggs and cut the tomatoes! My brother did everything else?”
“……Huh? Alex made the spaghetti?”
“Yeah.”
Surprised, I looked at him.
“Everyone must have worked really hard. But Alex, how did you do this……”
He sat down and answered my question.
“I’ve seen it made before, so I just tried to imitate it. I don’t know if it will taste good.”
Where had he seen it before? Did he see it when he visited the duke’s kitchen?
Anyway, I quickly answered.
“It looks so delicious. I’ll really enjoy it. Thank you, Alex.”
Alex looked at me for a moment and then nodded once and awkwardly lowered his gaze.
I gave a short greeting to Eloy as well.
“Eloy, you worked hard too.”
For Eloy, the proud duke’s daughter, to boil eggs and cut tomatoes with her own hands, it was something to see.
“So you have to make me delicious things in the future.”
“Yes, good job.”
I looked at Eloy with eyes that weren’t too hateful.
Anyway, there was no way Eloy would help with this kind of thing for no reason.
My mother-in-law, who came in just then, shook her head and picked up her fork.
She didn’t like that the duke had cooked, but she had no choice but to eat it.
As everyone picked up their utensils, I also looked down at the appetizing noodle dish.
How did this man even think of making this?
I didn’t know what it tasted like yet, but it looked so plausible and I felt so much sincerity that I was very touched.
I was burdened because I thought I would have to prepare every meal, but I woke up from a nap to such a plentiful table.
I picked up my utensils as if trying to swallow the rising emotions.
The delicious smell was rising so much that I wanted to eat it while it was still warm.
There were no special dishes that were difficult to make, but it was the first dinner my husband had ever made for me.
I never dreamed that I would receive such sincerity in my marriage with him…….
And even my sister-in-law, what’s going on?
I twirled the noodles on my fork and put them in my mouth with a lump in my throat.
What would it taste like?
Even if it didn’t taste good, I was confident that I would eat it more deliciously than anything else.
Finally, when I took a bite, a sweet, sour, and savory taste spread.
The well-seasoned tomato sauce and the perfectly cooked noodles went together so well.
I swallowed and couldn’t help but admire it.
“Oh my gosh, it’s really delicious.”
Starting with my praise, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law continued to admire it.
“Awesome.”
“Alex, you had this talent?”
“……”
Alex was a little embarrassed by our reaction, but then he opened his mouth.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I’ll really enjoy it.”
I didn’t know my husband was so good at cooking.
He just didn’t have the opportunity to cook, so maybe he had a talent for cooking?
I started to empty my plate diligently, and Eloy just ate silently.
Even my mother-in-law, who was unhappy with his cooking, raised her eyebrows as if it was pretty good and emptied her plate.
I couldn’t help but be impressed by him again.
It was so delicious that my taste buds were alive, and I felt like my Affection level for him was also springing up.
\ \ *
Ding.
Meanwhile, Alex, who was eating, almost dropped his utensils.
He was relieved that his family was enjoying the food so much, but with the notification sound, the Status Window letters appeared.
[Congratulations!]
[Affection level has increased by 1.]
