Chapter 23
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People can become impulsive at any time when their basic needs are not met.
He needed to be able to sleep properly.
To do that...
'I can't exactly chase after Ludville to his bedroom and offer to help him sleep.'
Then, a different approach was needed.
'Food, I need to make sure he eats properly.'
Sleep and food intake are closely linked.
Odelia recalled a conversation she had overheard a few days ago near the kitchen, between Ludville's personal servants, who looked very serious.
They said that recently, he hadn't been touching his food and only emptying his wine glass.
A man twice the size of others was barely eating, so he had no strength, and because he had no strength, he couldn't sleep properly.
As soon as Leona finished her morning preparations, Odelia got up without delay.
And headed straight to the kitchen.
* * *
As she entered the kitchen, the rich smell of meat broth mixed with spices wafted through the air.
Even though it was still early, the kitchen assistants were busily moving between the pots and cutting boards, their hands never stopping.
Odelia stood in a corner and waited for a moment, so as not to interfere with their work.
Then, the head chef, who was diligently preparing ingredients, noticed her and stopped in surprise.
"...Princess?"
He put down his knife, quickly straightened his apron, and bowed deeply.
"What brings you here so early in the morning? Is there any particular dish you would like to have...?"
He was outwardly respectful and subservient, but there was a hint of wariness in his eyes.
Even if she was Princess Cardel, she was still an outsider.
An outsider entering the kitchen was not something to be taken lightly.
If the Princess were to poison the food... he would be solely responsible.
"I'm sorry, but the kitchen is off-limits without permission. Please tell us if you need anything. We will prepare it."
The head chef's face was marked with tension and anxiety, fearing that the delicately raised Princess might act capriciously.
However, the words that came out of Odelia's mouth were far from what he expected.
"Ah, I see. My apologies."
Odelia readily admitted her mistake and took a step back.
Only after creating a distance, as if she had no intention of touching the kitchen food, did she finally get to the point.
"What's on the breakfast menu for His Grace today?"
The head chef couldn't hide his surprise.
The wariness that had filled his eyes had lessened by a degree.
He hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
"We are preparing a broth made by simmering veal tenderloin in meat stock, along with porridge. Since His Grace's appetite has decreased significantly, we have chosen a light menu to ease his stomach. We also plan to serve blanched vegetables as a side dish."
Odelia looked at the counter and pondered.
Oatmeal, lentils, mashed peas with a little honey and milk, commonly known as 'grain porridge'.
It might be great as a health food, but it didn't seem very helpful to Ludville right now.
'Stimulating his appetite comes first.'
Odelia searched through Ludville's memories.
His days as a slave.
When he recklessly threw himself onto the battlefield with only a sword in hand, to gain power.
Dying, dying again, and dying again.
After countless regressions, the day he returned 'alive' for the first time.
He hadn't returned with all his limbs intact.
His ribs were fractured, an arrow was lodged in his arm, and he couldn't even walk properly.
But he was alive.
He was breathing.
That day, the officer distributing rations had specially placed a few pieces of smoked meat on top of the warm Barley Porridge.
Something only the surviving soldiers could taste.
It was sticky but savory, salty but flavorful.
Only then did Ludville realize.
That he had escaped the endless chain of death.
'I'm alive.'
That taste, that memory, gave him the desire to live again.
In the corner of the barracks, he rubbed the ring with the Gem of Regression embedded in it, muttering to himself.
"…The squad leader is keeping an eye on me, my lady. Thanks to that, I might be able to endure a little longer in this life."
"I will survive the next battle as well. Until my lady safely passes thirty, I will not allow any death to come to me."
"Ah, you're not my lady yet in this life, are you? …No matter. Even if we don't go through the formalities, you are always my lady."
The next day, he threw himself into the jaws of death again.
Repeating death and regression endlessly.
Odelia closed her eyes, as if trying to push away Ludville's continuing memories.
'He might not remember it, but that taste might rekindle his appetite.'
And finally, she opened her mouth.
"It's good that you prepared something easy to digest. But right now, stimulating his appetite is more important than nutrition."
"That's... true. However, he doesn't even touch the things he used to enjoy these days..."
The head chef lowered his head, looking apologetic.
As the one responsible for the Grand Duke's meals, he seemed uneasy just uttering those words.
"It's not the head chef's fault."
Odelia firmly cut off his self-reproach.
"It would be good to prepare Barley Porridge."
At Odelia's words, the head chef blinked.
"...Barley Porridge?"
Barley Porridge was commonly regarded as food for poor farmers, so the head chef's face was filled with hesitation.
He didn't say anything, but it was obvious he was thinking, 'There's no way His Grace would like something like that, would he?'
But Odelia continued without concern.
"Slice smoked meat thinly and place it lightly on top of the porridge. The texture shouldn't be too heavy, soak it in water for a long time, and then simmer it over low heat. The surface should be mushy, but not too runny."
Odelia had memories of being Ludville's wife in her previous life.
Although it wasn't a life she had directly experienced.
In the days she had glimpsed through his memories, there were countless meals and table scenes they had shared together.
So she knew his tastes more accurately than anyone else.
She continued slowly.
"It would be nice to have some wild fruits, like raspberries or blackberries, as a side."
Judging from the food that the Odelia in his memories had prepared on the table, Ludville seemed to enjoy salty and subtly sweet dishes with pieces of meat soaked in gravy.
But perhaps because she had mentioned ingredients that felt so simple, even meager, the head chef's expression wasn't very good.
"Raspberries? Not just regular strawberries?"
"Yes. Wild fruits are relatively less sweet, so it might be good to add a little honey."
"...I don't think His Grace would eat something like that."
There was a cautious doubt in the head chef's voice.
Even though it was the Princess's word, he was clearly worried that serving such a dish to the Grand Duke might result in future reprimands.
"He's not eating anything anyway, is he?"
It meant there was nothing to lose.
She looked at the head chef with a gentle smile, as if to reassure him.
"Let's do this. When it's mealtime, serve the food that the head chef prepared as usual first. But if he doesn't touch it again and only tries to drink wine, then serve this porridge."
"……."
"If things go wrong, I'll take responsibility."
