Chapter 76
76
*
Scarlett wanted to return immediately, but Viktor delayed his answer, making it difficult for her to go home. He opened the door to Scarlett's dressing room and said,
"Get changed. We're having a formal dinner."
"Why should I..."
"Aren't you waiting for an answer?"
At Viktor's question, Scarlett pouted but reluctantly nodded. Viktor gestured with his chin.
"Get changed, have a formal dinner, and then I'll answer. I think it's a problem worth that much consideration, don't you?"
"...Alright."
Scarlett replied reluctantly and entered the dressing room.
The dress Viktor had prepared was a rose-colored dress more extravagant than she could have imagined. It took four maids to simultaneously hold and put on the dress, and tightening the ribbons on the back took a long time.
After putting on a dress she would usually wear to a grand ball like the Founding Festival and slipping on her shoes, the hair ornaments were finally brought out.
Scarlett said, as if she couldn't understand.
"Why do I have to dress up so much for a meal at home..."
"It's because the master doesn't want to send you home, Miss."
Candice said, braiding her hair and decorating it elaborately. Candice then brought the Tiara that Scarlett had intended to donate to a charity event.
"The master told me to make sure to put this on you, Miss."
"Hmm..."
Scarlett said, looking at her dress.
"I feel like just wearing this is enough effort."
"Well... I suppose so?"
Candice agreed.
In the meantime, the formal dinner was prepared. When Scarlett went to the formal dining table, she found fine dishes and cutlery, and fresh flowers brought from the greenhouse. It was a formal dinner that made her feel like the clothes she was wearing weren't excessive.
Viktor was also sitting there, perfectly dressed for the formal dinner. Scarlett stood by the door, thinking that the most important centerpiece in this perfect scene was that man.
As Scarlett walked in with a calm expression, a servant came and pulled out her chair. She sat down.
While she was still feeling bewildered, the meal began. Scarlett started eating with the perfect table manners that her tutor had rigorously taught her, and asked Viktor,
"Why are we suddenly having a meal? And the dress?"
"You don't like it that much?"
"Yeah."
When Scarlett said firmly, Viktor stretched his lips into a smile and said,
"I think people in 7th Avenue would be delighted if you went back in that outfit."
"I'm not a spectacle."
"It seems like an interesting story, though."
"The people in the neighborhood are just nosy."
Scarlett retorted and then scooped up the trout dish with a variety of vegetables that wouldn't normally be on ordinary people's tables in winter and put it in her mouth. They used very good pepper, which went perfectly with the taste of the trout.
"...This pepper is delicious."
Then Viktor asked,
"The pepper is delicious?"
"Yeah, it's delicious. I think it would be delicious sprinkled on anything."
"I see."
Viktor replied, but he didn't seem to agree with her.
Scarlett knew that he couldn't taste things well, but she didn't know exactly to what extent. She knew how difficult it was to be blind by watching Isaac, but it was difficult to know exactly what it was like not to be able to taste.
In the past, she couldn't ask because she was afraid of hurting his feelings, but now she decided to just ask.
"Can you taste the pepper?"
"Yes."
"To what extent?"
"To the extent that if you told me it was there, I'd say it was."
After Viktor answered, he put the trout in his mouth.
Scarlett stared at him for a moment, then, feeling like it was rude, she started eating again and said,
"Has it been like that since you were a child?"
"I don't know exactly."
"..."
Feeling that he didn't want to talk about it anymore, Scarlett didn't ask any further. As the conversation died down, Viktor opened his mouth, perhaps thinking that Scarlett was disappointed that he hadn't told her exactly.
"I don't think it was like this until I was about five years old."
"Really?"
"One day, I felt that Mother's home education was too much and suffocating, so I secretly went out to play and came back very hungry. So, I was eating hastily at the table, and Mother was very surprised."
Viktor paused for a moment to think about that day's memory and smiled.
"It could be psychological."
He didn't tell the rest of the story, but Scarlett's face was dark. She didn't ask any more questions and just nodded.
"I see."
Then, as she continued to eat, Scarlett got up.
She took her plate and came next to him, scooped up some vegetables, put them in her mouth, and said,
"Bitter."
"..."
The height of Viktor sitting in the chair and Scarlett standing wasn't that different. So, as she looked at him with her head tilted, Scarlett cut a piece of trout and held it out to Viktor.
"Eat it."
Viktor looked at her for a moment, then grasped her hand holding the spoon and pulled it towards him, taking the food.
It was something Viktor would never do, so Scarlett and the servants serving nearby were embarrassed and turned their heads.
Viktor slowly chewed and swallowed the food. And in the gaze that was silently looking at Scarlett, there was still a sharp coldness, but Scarlett felt like he was looking at her with a different gaze than just before.
Scarlett then tried to pick out the part with a lot of pepper and put it on his plate. However, she was grabbed by Viktor, and this time, she ended up putting it in his mouth again.
"...Is it different?"
Scarlett asked, trying to calm her flustered heart and pretending to be calm. Then Viktor raised one corner of his mouth and said,
"I'm not sure."
From then on, she figured she would be grabbed by him anyway, so she just scooped up the food and put it in his mouth, and only then did he smile and finish eating it, saying,
"You don't have to feed me anymore."
"Okay."
Scarlett nodded, and this time she reached out and brought the flounder with plenty of grape sauce. Then she cut it and put it on his plate, saying,
"Different fish. The texture is different, and the taste is different. And... ah, this is delicious."
Then she brought the sea bream baked with breadcrumbs. It was a grand formal dinner with three kinds of fish dishes on one dining table.
For some reason, Viktor didn't refuse any of the food that Scarlett gave him. The mealtime was extended, but neither of them noticed the time passing.
Viktor opened his mouth after he had almost finished eating.
"Is this how hard you're trying because you want to hear me say I won't go to Bestina?"
"That's part of it. And it bothers me that you can't taste so many delicious things."
"It doesn't interfere with my life."
"Why doesn't it? How great is the joy of eating?"
Scarlett said, and then, as if teaching a illiterate person to read, she taught him about taste. Then, as if frustrated, she grabbed Viktor's arm and pulled him up. And she dragged him to the sideboard where the food that had been taken off the table was.
After checking the food there, Scarlett seemed unsatisfied and headed to the kitchen.
Viktor felt considerable discomfort at her moving around during the meal.
What would have happened if he had left the dining area during a formal dinner like this when he was a child?
He thought, but he could follow her because Scarlett was so naturally leading the way.
Scarlett checked the food that was being made in the kitchen.
Viktor couldn't imagine entering the kitchen, so he stood in front of the door, and in the meantime, Scarlett went inside the kitchen.
The kitchen, which he had never entered in his life, was entirely the chef's space.
The chef shouted at Scarlett.
"Miss Scarlett! I told you not to just come into the kitchen, it's dangerous!"
"I know."
"Why are you coming into a place with knives and fire!"
Ignoring the chef's nagging, Scarlett walked over and secretly picked up the Chocolate Puffs that were cooling on the table and put them in a small basket next to her.
Then Polly, the kitchen maid, said,
"What are you doing eating dessert first?"
"I'm going to have other meals too."
Scarlett whispered as if it were a secret, then took the basket and went out the kitchen door. And after running away far enough that the chef couldn't see her, she held out the basket to Viktor.
"I stole it."
"I don't know why you're stealing something that was prepared for us anyway."
"I'll just get a little nagging."
She said, then took out a Chocolate Puff herself and took a bite. The chocolate on the outside hardened quickly because it was cold, but the chocolate inside was still warm and melted.
Scarlett said.
"Delicious."
"..."
"Am I the only one eating?"
When Scarlett held out the basket again, Viktor took out a Chocolate Puff from it. And he put half of it in his mouth first. Then he smiled and said,
"It's good."
"Right?"
Viktor still couldn't taste this very sweet dessert accurately, but psychologically, he felt the taste of freedom.
The two returned to the table, and the chef, who found out that the Chocolate Puffs had been stolen, appeared and scolded them.
"You can't eat dessert first when there's still a long way to go with the meal! Do you understand?"
Then Scarlett smiled and nodded. Viktor saw her smiling and, as if he was dumbfounded, turned his head slightly and chuckled. He thought this formal dinner, which was far from his plan, wasn't so bad.