IGCHPM 55

CHAPTER 55…………………..

“…….”

“…….”

And so the grand banquet proceeded in an extremely awkward and quiet manner.

It was a situation perfect for someone to get sick from indigestion.

But not me.

I had successfully defended the first strike and had already prepared a strategy for the Empress.

“Besides, food is fuel! Revenge takes energy!”

These days, I was diligently eating well.

The memory of struggling during the early days of my regression was still vivid.

“Throw away all thoughts of dieting!”

During the wedding preparations, I had eaten less than the birds, and my stamina had completely drained.

Thanks to that, I thought I would die after riding horses for three days straight.

And all of this was because of the gaslighting by Evangeline and Ludwig.

“Surely you don’t plan to embarrass me by becoming a fat bride?”

“Oh my. Sister-in-law, are you really going to eat that much? Won’t the dress burst?”

The thought made me determined to eat more fiercely.

“Stamina is national strength!”

Once I took care of the urgent matters, I would exercise to build my strength even further.

With that resolve, I ate heartily.

“And it’s delicious! Truly a palace chef. Such skill!”

Thanks to that, I could completely clean my plate.

Then, the Empress, slowly recovering from the shock of not being able to take Arpad’s hand from me and being ignored even by the Emperor, decided to pick a fight.

“Delphina’s family seems very free-spirited. She eats so heartily.”

Hmm, the mental translator for subtle palace sarcasm quickly kicked in.

“She must not have received proper upbringing, that’s why she eats like a pig?”

Something like that.

I swallowed the last piece of sautéed sole in my mouth and replied with a bright smile.

“Thank you. My late father was always concerned about the health of my mother and me. He always said we should take our meals properly.”

The Empress’s brows twitched.

Of course, that was the gist of my reply.

“Unlike your family, my parents had a harmonious relationship. That’s why my father always prioritized our health first.”

And naturally, there was no one at this banquet who wouldn’t understand the subtle duel between the Empress and me.

The Emperor quietly finished his plate without changing expression.

Arpad…

Suppressing a smile that threatened to burst, handed me the garnish of truffle, shallots, and asparagus.

“My wife is right. I always worry that our little squirrel is too light and thin. Eat more, please.”

I flinched.

Unconsciously, my shoulders trembled.

“Of all places… here he calls me a little squirrel?”

Even the Emperor seemed bewildered, glancing between Arpad and me.

Naturally, the Empress… looked like she wanted to devour us with her eyes.

“Hearing ‘little squirrel’ makes me more furious than if Arpad were pretending to give me vegetables he hates!”

Indeed.

Since they were married, I knew quite a lot about Arpad.

Including the fact that he was an extreme picky eater.

“Are you leaving all the vegetables?”

“The dragon bloodline doesn’t particularly favor greens.”

Of course, nonsense.

Even the Emperor, who is of the same dragon bloodline, eats vegetables without trouble.

And if you asked him, he’d probably say the previous Empress ate them well too.

But in front of the Empress, I couldn’t say, “You’re just passing off food you don’t like, you picky eater!”

It would be inappropriate in front of the Emperor.

Not eating was impossible… especially since Arpad brought a large zucchini right to my mouth with his fork.

In the end, I had no choice but to open my mouth with an “Ah~.”

“It’s so delicious, it makes me even more annoyed!”

Why does the palace chef make everything taste this good…!

“You truly are a palace chef. It’s really delicious.”

“Oh my, I feel a twinge of jealousy.”

Jealous of what?

I almost put on a sour expression but held it back.

It was irritating that he fed me vegetables he didn’t want to eat, but the couple’s act had its use.

“Won’t you say it tastes better because I’m feeding you, my little squirrel?”

Thankfully, this time my shoulders didn’t tremble at the “little squirrel” remark. I was starting to get used to it, which was slightly scary.

I won’t lose!

“Well, that’s only natural…”

Blushing, I looked at the Emperor and Empress.

“It’s embarrassing with both of you watching.”

Actually, when Arpad called me a “little squirrel,” I had made a resolution.

“I’ll repay him in kind!”

I would create a nickname that he would absolutely hate and call him by it in front of others.

The perfect opportunity arrived.

I picked up a bright green pod of beans that I knew Arpad especially disliked and held it to his lips with my fork.

“Here, Rifa. You say ‘Ah’ too.”

“Rifa” was my carefully crafted nickname.

Arpad’s nickname.

A cute nickname he would never have for himself. After much thought, I had decided on it.

As expected…

The Empress almost spat out her drink, and I even heard the Emperor murmur softly,

“Ri… Rifa…?”

It was the first time I saw Arpad’s crimson eyes tremble as if an earthquake had struck since I first went to the catacombs to arrange the forced marriage.

I whispered softly.

“If you don’t eat now, rumors will spread that our relationship isn’t good.”

I didn’t forget to add a little provocation.

“And surely, as the crown prince, you’re not refusing because vegetables taste bad, are you?”

“…….”

Arpad didn’t hesitate for long.

He pressed his lips tightly together, then lowered his head and accepted the green bean I offered, swallowing it.

I pretended not to notice his fork biting a little harshly on purpose.

“You must chew thoroughly, Rifa. Just in case it upsets your stomach.”

Arpad’s brows twitched slightly as he smiled. He chewed slowly, almost grinding the bean.

“…Don’t worry, my little squirrel. I won’t let anything trouble you.”

Finally, the Empress couldn’t hold back a comment.

“It’s fortunate that you two get along, but… isn’t it a bit excessive? As if you’re trying to show off?”

Then Arpad escalated even further.

“If a married couple gets along, there’s no need to hide it. Just as your father did.”

Even amidst the cutesy act, Arpad didn’t forget to jab at the Empress.

No one in this room could miss the unspoken “unlike you and your father”.

“Wow… that must hurt to the bone.”

Arpad ground his teeth like an enemy and reluctantly swallowed the pod, while I finished the garnish he had passed to me. It was tasty anyway.

In any case, Arpad and I cleaned our plates completely, and the Emperor finished most of his.

The only one who barely touched the food was the Empress.

Apparently, the sheer display of affection from Arpad and me killed her appetite.

“Thanks to that, she got a taste of what my daughter did to me, returned to her.”

I smiled brightly and said,

“Your Majesty, you hardly ate. Was it not to your taste? I worry it might affect your health.”

Then I added meaningfully,

“The palace chef must have served Your Majesty for a long time… shall I give my opinion?”

“…!”

The Empress’s brows twitched.

Naturally, what I implied was:

“It seems hard for you to manage the palace kitchen. Would you like some help?”

The Empress laughed so much her brows twitched and shook her head.

“No. I just have a habit of eating little. Don’t trouble the poor chef.”

“Good to hear, Your Majesty.”

Since she wasn’t going to approve, I backed off appropriately.

Just as the plates were cleared and dessert came out…

“Blancmange with almond cream and cherries.”

The pink pudding was topped with deep pink syrup, honey, gold dust, and cherry petals. It looked extremely cute.

As I eagerly reached for it with a silver spoon, Arpad snatched it away.

He scooped it himself and fed it to me.

“I want to personally feed you this dessert, the color of which matches you so well.”

“Oh my, Rifa. You’re so kind.”

I called the powerful magical nickname, Rifa, again to tease him.

I was surprised by Arpad’s completely calm reaction.

The soft, sweet dessert went directly into my mouth.

It melted on my tongue, and the sweetness was intoxicating.

“Ah… it’s delicious…”

I unconsciously thought, amazed.

Arpad didn’t seem embarrassed or affected at all.

Rather…

“Is he enjoying this?”

Even though I called him Rifa?

Then, using the same spoon that had fed me, he tasted the dessert and whispered,

“My cherry-colored canary’s nickname, sung by you, is sweeter than this dessert.”

“…….”

I had to admit it.

“I lost.”

No nickname could embarrass him.

And then I realized.

“Wait, then the frown earlier… was really just because of the vegetables?”

As I glared in disbelief, he scooped dessert into my mouth again.

Nom nom.

The dessert was innocent, so I couldn’t refuse.

It took me a long time to realize that Arpad and I had shared a single spoon throughout dessert time.