Belle Poupée
5. The One Who Is Not Honest
On the table, there was a steaming dish.
An omelet.
It was perfectly neat, arranged in a half-moon shape without the slightest hint of disarray. There was no sign of any burnt spots, just a beautiful golden hue, with bright red ketchup adorning it. Perfect. Its shape was so beautiful it could almost be admired as a work of art. But the enticing aroma that rose from it begged the stomach to say, "Eat me!"
Had he gone to the kitchen just to request this from the chef? That’s unfair. I want to eat too. As Leticia lifted her gaze, she looked at Gilbert.
And then, her eyes widened.
In his hands, he held another plate with an omelet.
Could it be...?
"Wait, is that one prepared for Belle-sama?"
"Ch-... no! It's not for anyone in particular! I just made it for... no reason."
Gilbert stepped in between Ari-chan and Leticia, placing the second omelet on the table. It was almost cruel to tease them with something so delicious, only to leave them waiting.
Leticia stared at the omelet. It looked so delicious. She regretted not having eaten at the party. But now, it was too late.
If it was for no one in particular, would it be alright to beg for it? But asking for a meal without ruining Belle-Poupée’s image was tricky. She couldn’t think of a way to ask for the omelet without feeling awkward.
She kept her gaze fixed on the omelet.
"Are you that hungry?" Gilbert asked, his tone almost indifferent.
"...Y-Yes."
"Mm, I see."
Silently, Gilbert placed the omelet in front of Leticia, and added a spoon as well. Was this a sign that it was okay to eat it?
She glanced at his expression, trying to gauge whether this was really for her.
"You were so focused on observing me, you didn’t eat anything over there, did you? That’s why you’re small and thin. You need to eat properly."
"Thank you very much."
Gilbert spoke in a flat tone without even looking at her.
「Is he some kind of caring monster?」
His tone made it clear. He had said that the omelet wasn’t for anyone in particular, but it was obvious he had made it for her.
Grateful for his kindness, Leticia eagerly reached for the omelet. Just as she was about to pick up the plate, Laura grabbed it.
"I'll feed you, Belle-sama!" (Laura)
"Don't pamper her. She can eat by herself, right?" (Gilbert)
"But it's my job..." (Laura)
A faint, imaginary tail drooped in the air. Leticia felt a little guilty for causing Laura to act like a puppy, but she didn’t want to be pampered during a meal. "Laura-sama, please relax," Leticia said with a smile before taking the plate and starting to eat.
「Wh-what a delicious omelet...!?」
The fluffy eggs slid across her tongue, and the sweetness of the meat spread in her mouth. The tangy ketchup was a perfect accent, and it was so good that she could eat it forever.
It was just as good as the Orlesian house’s chef—or perhaps, considering her own tastes, this omelet might even be better.
They had hired a good chef.
Leticia continued eating, absorbed in the meal, though careful not to let Belle-Poupée’s acting falter.
"Just as expected from the Doll Princess. Such refined manners."
Gilbert murmured softly, just loud enough for Leticia to hear. He wasn’t being honest. That trait of his made him even more charming.
「But really, this omelet is so delicious. I’d like to thank the chef.」
"Isn’t it delicious, Gilbert-sama’s cooking?" (Laura)
"—Ugh, nn!"
Just as Leticia was about to swallow, the food nearly went down the wrong pipe, and she hurriedly coughed.
What did Laura just say? Gilbert’s cooking? She stared at Gilbert’s side profile, astonished.
"Well, it was necessary. If you don’t like it, you can leave it."
"No. It’s very delicious."
"I-I see. ...Then that’s good."
Gilbert continued eating, trying to act nonchalant, but his ears had turned red. How adorable. Cute men were her weakness. She accidentally applied too much pressure to her spoon, causing it to bend in an L-shape. She casually straightened it back to normal, pretending it was nothing. Then, she remembered something.
The attempted poisoning of the Second Prince—Gilbert's attempted poisoning incident.
No one knows who orchestrated it. But with all the evidence left behind and Gilbert managing to escape, the imperial investigation system is clearly full of holes. The conclusion is clear.
Whoever was responsible must have had the power to cover it up.
As expected, it was likely someone from within his own family.
Someone from the royal family with the name "Rosman," worried about the future of the country, took matters into their own hands.
「Were those red eyes really so terrifying?」
She had heard that after that day, Gilbert couldn’t eat anything made by anyone else, according to his father. Looking back, she realized she hadn’t seen him drink from a glass at the party. She had been so distracted by the engagement that she missed it.
The meaning behind "necessary" was far heavier than she had imagined.
The distance between Gilbert and Leticia.
She moved slightly closer to him, trying not to cross any boundaries. Gilbert, surprised, twitched his shoulder, but he continued eating without showing any particular concern.
He truly was a man who stirred her protective instincts, a man she couldn’t take her eyes off of. As she thought about this, Leticia placed her empty plate on the table.
"By the way, Belle-sama, you’re from the Orlesian family, aren’t you?"
Leticia nodded.
"Do you know about the Ice Dragon Emperor?"
"The Ice...?"
—The Ice Dragon Emperor.
She knew. Among the SS-ranked mercenary knights, there was a man who was known by that title.
With silver hair that gleamed under the moonlight, sapphire-blue eyes that could freeze the soul. His beautiful appearance, admired by both men and women, was only the surface. As the nickname suggested, he could control a dragon made of ice, and his strength was worthy of the SS rank.
He had appeared suddenly like a comet, and while his real name and affiliation remained a mystery, he was a man full of enigma.
「Well, that would be me.」
Leticia tilted her head, pretending she knew nothing, and smiled brightly.
Eun: 7 more chapters before the main story ends
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