Chapter 8
The steak was just as delicious as it had been described in the game.
It was made from top-quality meat, full of rich juices, and it practically melted in my mouth.
As expected from the hottest restaurant in the empire, not only the main dish but even the dessert was excellent. The artisan-made tart looked beautiful and tasted just as good.
But more interesting than the food was Jerome’s face.
I quietly watched him as he elegantly cut his steak.
His calm expression, perfectly arranged features, pale skin, sharp jawline, clear blue eyes, and neatly slicked-back black hair—
He looked exactly like the game illustration brought to life. No Hollywood actor could compare.
We weren’t even talking much, yet just looking at his face was entertaining.
Seeing a scene I had only viewed in a game now unfolding in real life felt thrilling.
If I can see a man this handsome, maybe living in a game world isn’t so bad…
Smack.
I slapped my own forehead.
What are you thinking? Get it together! You have to go back to reality!
But compared to my dry, exhausting real life, maybe this world was happier.
Here, I was surrounded by handsome men and had a room bigger than my old studio apartment.
“Is something wrong?”
Jerome’s voice snapped me back.
His blue eyes, clear like the sea, were watching me carefully.
“You suddenly hit your forehead.”
“Ah…”
I realized what I had done.
“The steak is just so delicious! It was like a physical exclamation of admiration!”
“An exclamation?”
“Yes! When something is too enjoyable, sometimes you scream, right? I was just expressing my joy physically.”
“….”
I glanced at Jerome.
He clearly had the expression of someone listening to nonsense.
Even I knew that sounded ridiculous.
“Miss Aisha…”
“Oh wow, this is so good! I need another bite!”
Embarrassed, I cut him off and buried my face in my plate, stuffing steak into my mouth.
Because of that, I didn’t notice Jerome quietly tapping his own forehead.
***
After finishing our meal, we took a walk back toward the palace.
Walking beside him, I realized just how tall Jerome was.
I had to tilt my head up to talk to him. His broad shoulders made our size difference obvious.
Without much conversation, we eventually arrived at the Moon Tower.
Facing him, I said goodbye.
“Thank you for escorting me.”
“It was nothing.”
I was about to head inside when something occurred to me.
“On second thought, I don’t think I need a tour of the capital.”
“…?”
Jerome’s eyes widened slightly.
It seemed he had actually been planning to take me sightseeing.
But I had only said that earlier because I didn’t want to lose to Vivian.
Why would someone from the north travel all the way to the city center just to give me a tour? That’s like asking someone from Busan to show you around Seoul. It’s inefficient.
But I wasn’t speaking without thinking.
“Instead, would you show me around the north?”
It’s better if I go there!
It’s rude to casually tell someone from far away to come to you.
And honestly, I was the one who wanted something.
Jerome’s eyes widened slightly again. He stared at me for a moment before replying.
“As you wish.”
Good. The next date will be in the north.
I parted from him feeling lighter.
‘Until then, I should avoid meeting Jerome as much as possible.’
If his affection rises too quickly, I can’t predict how Vivian will react.
It’s better to minimize variables.
Still, today’s date was successful. Things were going well. At this rate, returning to reality didn’t seem far off.
Humming to myself, I opened the door to the Moon Tower—
“Ahh!”
Lowell was standing right in front of it.
What is he doing here?!
My heart nearly stopped.
“M-Master? Why are you standing here?”
“I was just about to head out.”
He smiled gently, as usual.
His face looked calm, but something about him felt unsettling.
“You look happy. Did you go somewhere enjoyable?”
“Ah… I just received an invitation to a tea party from a young lady named Vivian Angus.”
“A tea party?”
Lowell tilted his head.
I could have said I had been with Jerome, but for some reason, I didn’t want to.
“I don’t really have friends my age, so I was feeling a bit lonely. When she invited me, I got excited. I guess it showed on my face.”
“Lady Angus… the Count’s only daughter. She rarely comes to the palace. I wonder how she managed to deliver the invitation to you.”
For some reason, it felt like I was being interrogated.
“I didn’t receive a formal invitation. We happened to run into each other while I was walking in the city.”
“Ah, I see.”
Fortunately, Lowell seemed to let it go.
Still, I needed to figure out how to deal with Vivian. Simply not drinking the poisoned tea wouldn’t be enough.
Then an idea came to me.
“Master, when His Majesty eats, there must be procedures to check whether the food is poisoned, right?”
Lowell, who had been about to leave, stopped.
“Yes, of course.”
Throughout history, there are always people who try to poison rulers.
“In that case, how do they check for poison?”
“His Majesty uses tableware managed by the temple. The dishes contain holy power. If poison is present, they react immediately.”
So it’s similar to using silverware in old times.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
Vivian wouldn’t serve tea in sacred temple cups, and I couldn’t just bring one with me without looking suspicious.
“Is there any other way to check for poison?”
“There is one method.”
“What is it?”
“Well…”
As Lowell explained, my eyes sparkled.
With this method, I could completely destroy Vivian.
