HRNGDS 99

~Chapter 99~

Fiaje sneered.

He imagined House Rohaim wasting money until they ruined themselves.

“What’s the name of that restaurant?”

“They say it’s called ‘Northern Chicken.’ There’s the sign.”

“Northern Chicken, huh…”

He didn’t like the name. The moment he heard it, it reminded him of the North.

“So when does the restaurant open?”

The aide whispered secretly into Fiaje’s ear.

“Just in time—it’s tomorrow. Some people even said they’ll line up early in the morning.”

“……”

“Since the competition will be fierce, we should come early as well. Didn’t Your Highness say you enjoyed it too? You must try it again!”

Fiaje looked around.

Then his eyes went wide. Someone who shouldn’t be here was loitering nearby.

“No way… Kassen?”

“Y-Your Highness? Why are you here?”

“That’s what I want to ask. Weren’t you busy fighting for the Duke of Fuat’s succession? Why are you here?”

“T-the thing is… all the other nobles lined up, so I had no choice but to come.”

Fiaje fell silent, uneasy.

‘Now that I think about it…’

The faces around him were all familiar. They were the same people who had eaten Delphina’s food at the succession ceremony.

Fiaje shut his mouth. He had thought food alone couldn’t achieve much.

‘At most, it’s just tasty. Even if they run a restaurant, how much can they really earn?’

But if others felt the same strange craving for that food as he did? If Delphina named the restaurant “Northern Chicken” on purpose to lure them in?

“Let’s go back for now. We’ll come tomorrow.”

The next day, Fiaje secretly went to the shop.

‘It’s only because their actions seemed suspicious. That’s the only reason.’

He tried to justify himself.

When he arrived with his aide, Fiaje was speechless at the crowd lined up in front of the restaurant. Not only nobles from the succession ceremony but also many others were there.

“What in the world…”

The aide spoke beside him.

“Ah, they say many people adore His Grace the Grand Duke. It must be true. The nobles of the capital fell for him after seeing him at the banquet. And this banner helped a lot. Even if they don’t know chicken, they want to eat the same food the Grand Duke ate. That’s why they came. Like me.”

It was ridiculous.

“Liking someone just for his face…?”

“That’s not the only reason. The story that he jumped from the tower without hesitation to protect his fiancée touched people’s hearts.”

“Ha… I really can’t understand.”

“Why not? With that face and such a heroic act, of course everyone is charmed.”

“……”

“It’s an incredibly effective advertisement. Whoever did this knew His Grace’s existence itself brings money. When he smiles, people just want to spend.”

Fiaje’s voice grew sharp with annoyance.

“Whose aide are you? You’d better stop talking about the Grand Duke.”

The aide closed his mouth with a sulky face. Fiaje let out a dry laugh and got in line. Since he couldn’t reveal his identity, he had no choice but to wait like everyone else.

A man with a nametag reading “Issian” was managing the line.

“To let more people try, chicken is limited to one per person. Please understand. But you can order as much tteokbokki as you want.”

After a long wait, Fiaje finally entered the shop. And the moment he stepped inside, he was surprised again.

‘The interior is really refined.’

The staff were all sturdy northerners.

They wore uniforms labeled “Northern Chicken” with nametags on their chests.

One of them came to take his order.

“Two chickens and three servings of tteokbokki. And what’s this?”

“That’s fried kraken. It’s a kind of sea monster caught on the western coast, and it tastes amazing. If you order it with chicken, there’s a discount.”

Fiaje frowned. Fried food wasn’t common in the Empire. Cooking with high heat was only possible since new magic tools had appeared not long ago.

‘Frying sea monsters…’

But even so, he found himself ordering it. To be honest, a projection on the wall showed Elcayan eating fried kraken, and somehow he wanted to try it too.

Before long, the food was served.

‘At the succession ceremony, Delphina was the one who cooked. Will it taste the same?’

Without realizing it, Fiaje put tteokbokki and chicken into his mouth.

The spicy kick of tteokbokki, balanced by the savory grease of chicken—the addictive flavor that had haunted him since the first time.

‘This is it!’

His eyes widened.

He ate frantically until his aide spoke up.

“Your Highness, are you finished?”

Fiaje suddenly came back to his senses. The plate before him was completely empty.

Without realizing, he had eaten it all. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

‘Don’t tell me… the others too?’

Nervously, he turned his head. As expected, everyone else had emptied their plates as well, smiling with satisfaction.

Winter arrived in the North, and monsters attacked without end.

All Delphina could do was cook for the knights protecting the North. But even that alone improved their faces and strength.

The knights always told her,

“Thanks to you, Lady Delphina, we can endure this winter.”

“After eating your food, strangely, we feel stronger and can bear the cold better.”

Elcayan also spoke to her.

“This winter, I believe we can finally clear the Monster Forest. It’s all thanks to you, Delphina.”

Compared to her long years at House Rikeion, she received far more gratitude in just a few months at the Grand Duke’s castle.

At last, the northern knights formed an expedition to head into the heart of the Monster Forest.

Clearing the forest was the greatest wish of the North. Elcayan was about to accomplish what no Grand Duke before him could.

A maid muttered with a worried face.

“I’m so anxious… my close friend went with the expedition.”

“I hope they all come back safely. Without anyone dying. Monsters grow strangely strong in winter. If the expedition were wiped out…”

Sana scolded them.

“Don’t speak such nonsense in front of Lady Delphina!”

Delphina gently placed her hand on Sana’s arm.

“It’s alright, Sana.”

She understood their worries.

Everyone in the Grand Duke’s household was trembling with fear, praying for their loved ones’ safe return.

Delphina clasped her hands tightly in prayer.

‘God Frad, please protect everyone on this expedition.’

Before they left, she had fed them as much as possible. But now there was nothing else she could do.

‘All I can do now is pray for them… and wait for Issian’s news.’

After finishing her prayer, Delphina gazed tensely out the window.

Days had passed since the restaurant officially opened. But the North was cut off from the outside, and no news could reach them.

Issian was running the restaurant as its manager in the capital.

He was flying on Hoochu to personally bring her news of the restaurant.

Just then, Sana’s voice came from outside the door.

“Lady Delphina, Sir Issian has arrived!”