[TIDK] 152 – A Warm Meal

Viktor slowly chewed the food before swallowing. He then stared at Scarlett in silence, and while she felt the same piercing coldness, Scarlett felt as if it was different to how he was gazing at her just earlier.  

Soon after, Scarlett chose a piece with a considerable amount of pepper and tried placing it on his plate. However, Viktor took her hand once again, and she fed him once more. 

“...Is it different?” 

Scarlett asked, attempting to look composed, although she sat down, flustered. 

“I’m not sure.” 

After that, because she felt that he would grab her hand regardless, she continued feeding him. Only then did he chuckle before eating the food. 

“You don’t need to feed me anymore.” 

“Okay.” 

Scarlett nodded and brought a sole drenched in grape sauce over. She cut the sole before placing a piece on his plate and remarked. 

“This is a different fish. It has a different texture and taste. And… Ah, this is delicious.” 

She also brought over baked panko-covered sea bream. It was a grand feast with three different fish dishes on one table. 

Viktor, for once, surprisingly ate all of the food Scarlett offered without fuss. Although this prolonged their dining time, the two people didn’t even notice the time passing. 

After nearly finishing his dinner, Viktor opened his mouth.

“Are you trying this hard, so I won’t say I’m going to Vestina?” 

“I won’t say no to that. But, there are so many delicious things here, and the fact that you can’t taste it all makes me feel it is such a pity.” 

“It doesn’t affect my life in any way, though.” 

“What do you mean? Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life, you know.” 

As if she was teaching words to an illiterate, Scarlett gave him lessons on taste. It must have been frustrating for her as she grabbed Viktor’s arm and made him stand up. She dragged him to the buffet table where the food taken off the main table was placed. 

Scarlett must have been unsatisfied with the dishes, so she headed to the kitchens. 

Viktor felt incredibly uneasy with her shifting about while dining. 

He wondered what would have happened if she had moved away from the dining table during formal banquets when she was a child. 

Even though he thought that he was able to trail after Scarlett as she so naturally took the lead. 

Scarlett looked over all the dishes being cooked in the kitchen. 

Viktor couldn’t imagine stepping inside the kitchen, so he stood in front of the doorway while Scarlett took that chance to enter. 

The kitchen she had never entered before in her life was a place solely meant for a chef. 

The chef yelled at Scarlett. 

“Milady! I told you you’re not supposed to enter the kitchen on a whim! It’s dangerous!” 

“I understand.” 

“Why enter a place filled with knives and flames!” 

Scarlett paid no heed even with the chef nagging and continued to the table where chocolate puffs were cooling down. She secretly grabbed a few and placed them in the small basket nearby. 

Polly, the kitchen maid, spoke as she was in the midst. 

“How can you eat dessert before finishing dinner?” 

“I’m going to eat the other dishes too.” 

 Scarlett whispered as if telling a secret and carried her basket outside the kitchen’s threshold. Once she ran far enough that the chef couldn’t see, Scarlett presented the basket to Viktor. 

“Here. I stole this.” 

“It’s for us in any case, so I’m not sure why you stole it.” 

“She’ll only nag me for a bit.” 

She took out a chocolate puff before tossing it in her mouth. Since it was cold, the outside hardened quickly, but the inside was still warm melted chocolate. 

“It’s delicious,” Scarlett announced. 

“...” 

“Is that all for yourself?” 

Scarlett offered the basket to Viktor once more. He reached inside, taking out a chocolate puff for himself. He ate half of it before smiling. 

“It’s tasty.” 

“Right?” 

Viktor could not exactly taste the cloyingly sweet dessert as usual, but mentally, he tasted the flavour of freedom. 

They both returned to the table, and after finding out they had stolen the chocolate puffs, the chef came and scolded them. 

“There are still many courses left for the meal, so how can you already be eating dessert!? That’s not allowed. Do you understand?” 

Scarlett nodded, giggling. After seeing her laugh, Viktor must have found it ridiculous; he turned his head slightly before breaking out in howling laughter. He didn’t find this dinner unpleasant despite it being entirely off script.  

After dinner, Scarlett slipped on her coat before leaving the Dumfelt estate. 

Viktor escorted her to the carriage before guessing. “You don’t want me to go?”

Scarlett paused with one foot on the step to the carriage at his words. She turned to look at him and replied. “That’s right.” 

“Will I at least be rewarded?”Though Viktor asked teasingly, Scarlett mused for a second before answering.

“Sure, if there’s anything you want.” 

“Got it.”

Viktor tipped his head over while smiling. “I’ll keep that in mind then.”