A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 48.1
That day, after seeing the cockroach buried in the fish flesh, I vomited on the spot and fainted.
Because of that, what was effectively our first and last family dinner ended in complete disaster.
Overwhelmed by the memory, I squeezed my eyes shut.
― Kyaaaaaaaah!
Amidst the clinking of silverware and the Duke and Ethan’s conversation, a blood-curdling scream mixed in chaotically.
Beeeeeeep.
And with it, a ringing sound pierced my ears.
I couldn’t pull myself together.
“…I was thinking of stopping by the Duchy before joining the subjugation campaign.”
“At Akarna?”
“Yes. There have been several reports of Incursives appearing even without miasma, so I wanted to verify it myself…”
“…And the anniversary preparations?”
“……”
“…Edith?”
Gasp.
I sucked in a harsh breath like someone who had been pulled to the surface after nearly drowning.
“…Y-Yes?”
Snapping back to my senses belatedly, I found the Duke and Ethan looking at me with puzzled expressions.
“Is something wrong with the food? Why are you just staring at it without even lifting a finger?”
“Ah…”
“Wasn’t it a dish you liked?”
Following the Duke, Ethan also chimed in.
Of all things, Edith had to like fish.
I felt a little like crying.
I wanted to at least pretend to take a bite, but I couldn’t even move my hand.
I felt like I’d vomit if I did…
“I-I can’t eat it.”
“……”
“My stomach’s a bit upset…”
Barely able to mutter that like a shrill cry, I hurriedly tried to rise from my seat in a panic.
“I’m sorry. Would it be alright if I excused myself first?”
That’s when it happened.
The Duke suddenly rang the call bell with a stern expression and summoned the head chef.
Clang, clang!
The bell rang noisily across the quiet dining table.
“Y-You called, Your Grace!”
It wasn’t long before the pale-faced head chef rushed out.
I expected the Duke to scold me harshly for my lack of manners in front of everyone.
― What the hell are you doing? That’s disgusting!
― Hey! Get the manager in here, now! Is this how you handle hygiene?!
― Stop exaggerating and get up already! Yoo Sol!
That’s how my biological father had been.
Even as I kept retching and couldn’t gather myself, he shouted and lashed out at me over and over.
As if the whole situation had been my fault.
But.
“Get this cleared away immediately and bring out something light that’s easier to digest! And don’t forget the digestive medicine!”
“W-Was there some kind of problem with the food…?”
“What kind of cooking ends up making the girl like this?!”
To my surprise, the Duke didn’t scold me at all. Instead, he unloaded all the blame on the head chef without a second thought.
Startled, I tried to stop him.
“F-Father! I’m really fine!”
“Fine? You call this fine?! Just look at your face, it’s gone white as a sheet!”
“I-It’s just a bit of indigestion! I was really nervous earlier, so…”
“Hmph. After being alone with that bastard for over an hour, I suppose indigestion is to be expected.”
Thankfully, my excuse worked.
Taking advantage of the Duke’s softened demeanor, I subtly gestured to the sullen head chef standing beside my untouched plate.
“Just take mine.”
“What do you mean ‘just take yours’? Clear everything and bring out the stew she had this morning!”
“Really, I’m fine. You were enjoying the meal… Don’t go through the trouble on my account, Father.”
“What’s the point of having a rare meal together as a family if we all leave with sour faces? Especially when one of us hardly ever shows up at the table…”
With that said, I had nothing left to argue.
As I stood there awkwardly, the table was swiftly cleared.
The funny thing was, once the fishy smell had dissipated, I actually felt a bit better.
In place of the lavishly plated dinner dishes, a simpler spread of stew, bread, and fruit was laid out.
Somewhat dazed by the sudden change in atmosphere, I stared at the table with a blank expression.
“Go on, eat. You seemed fine after breakfast, but if you want something else, just say so.”
“It’s not that…”
“You have to eat at least a few bites before taking medicine. Taking it on an empty stomach will only make things worse, you hear?”
At the Duke’s stern tone, I reluctantly picked up my spoon and took a bite of the stew.
It was the same tomato stew I’d eaten that morning.
But strangely, it was so good it almost brought me to tears.
As I forced down my churning emotions and glanced around to gauge the mood, I saw that Ethan was already elegantly tearing into his bread.
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