ㅤChapter 24
ㅤA variety of dishes, the likes of which Theodore had never seen before, were lined up in front of him.
ㅤThe main dish was made of finely chopped potatoes, formed into a flat, round shape, and baked to a beautiful golden brown. A colorful soup simmered with various vegetables in tomato juice. Fresh greens were simply seasoned with salt and served as a salad. And there was even dessert to be served after the meal.
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ㅤ”Since Your Majesty has graced us with your presence, I tried making some Belheim cuisine. I hope it suits your taste.”
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ㅤTheodore gulped, his throat making a noticeable sound.
ㅤTheodore was originally fond of food, but due to the need to raise funds for the betrothal gift, he had been eating simple meals for almost a year. Presented with such a feast, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions, but he maintained a calm facade and slowly picked up his cutlery.
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ㅤ”Let’s eat.”
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ㅤWithout much conversation, he brought the food to his mouth. It was the baked potato dish.
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ㅤ（……Delicious. It must be Hoffen potatoes, but the outside is crispy and crunchy, while the inside is fluffy. The sweetness is rich, and the flavor seems to be concentrated.）
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ㅤ”That is called a galette. It’s baked using only the starch of the potatoes, without any binding agents.”
ㅤ”Galette, is it? It’s a dish not found in our country.”
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ㅤTheodore finished the galette in an instant and reached for the tomato soup. The vegetable broth was rich and flavorful, seemingly seeping into his tired body.
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ㅤ（……Ah, this feeling. I felt the same way when I ate the porridge, a feeling of purification from the depths of my heart.）
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ㅤTo use a cheap analogy, it felt like he was drinking a healing potion with each bite. His body naturally felt lighter, and his five senses were heightened. He could even approach the problems that troubled him with a more positive outlook, thinking, “Well, it will work out somehow.”
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ㅤThis effect always appeared when he ate Ruby’s cooking.
ㅤThis was the third time he had eaten her food. It could no longer be considered a coincidence.
ㅤHaving completely finished his meal, Theodore moved on to the main reason he came here today.
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ㅤ”I appreciate the wonderful meal. Now, although it’s sudden, I have a few questions for you, Princess.”
ㅤ”What would that be?”
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ㅤRuby, who had brought the after-dinner tea, placed a mug in front of Theodore and herself and took a seat.
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ㅤ”First, about the field. In our country, due to the influence of miasma, only potatoes can be grown. Other vegetables can be harvested, but only in very small quantities, and we have no choice but to rely on imports for most of them. However, so many vegetables are growing in your field. Why is that?”
ㅤ”Ah! If that’s the case, the answer is simple. The soil and air around here were contaminated, but once I resolved that, it returned to normal soil. After that, it’s just a matter of sowing seeds and growing them as usual.”
ㅤ”……Resolved the contamination?”
ㅤ”Yes. I don’t know the details myself, but I tried using my Poison User ability, and it seems to be a poison derived from miasma. By dispelling the miasma, the poison also disappeared……”
ㅤ”Dispel the miasma, you say!?”
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ㅤTheodore involuntarily raised his voice at the outrageous words.
ㅤHe had thought that only Saintesses with the power of purification could dispel miasma. Could it be that this Princess Ruby also had that ability?
ㅤRuby panicked at the sight of Theodore’s astonishment.
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ㅤ”I’m sorry! Um, I really don’t understand it well myself. Please just think of it as something that happened as a result. It’s really not a big deal.”
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ㅤ（No…… if that’s true, it’s a national crisis……）
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ㅤHis heart pounding, Theodore involuntarily pressed his hand against his chest.
ㅤHe had taken a significant blow from the first question, but he still had more he wanted to ask. He couldn’t back down now.
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ㅤ”Let me ask the next question for now. It’s about the Dark Dragon outside. It seems to be attached to you, but how did you meet it?”
ㅤ”Dark Dragon? Who are you talking about?”
ㅤ”The one living in the shed outside. You brought it to the castle when you were injured.”
ㅤ”Ah! You mean Blackie. Your Majesty, Blackie is not a Dark Dragon. It’s a bird. Just a bird.”
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ㅤ（She thinks that’s a bird…… a disaster-class monster……）
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ㅤTheodore was stunned by the unexpected answer.
ㅤRuby began to happily recount her first encounter with Blackie.
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ㅤ”It was when I first came for a walk in this forest. I happened to help Blackie who was injured. Oh, by the way, I detoxified the pond in front of us at that time. It was pitch black with harmful substances, so I couldn’t see him when he fell in. I took him back to the detached palace and treated him, and he said he wanted to be my creature under my care, so we’ve been friends ever since.”
ㅤ”Can you make any creature your creature under your care? There’s a profession called Tamer in our country, but no one can tame monsters or Dark Dragons.”
ㅤ”It seems to be limited to poisonous creatures. That’s why I have a lot of monsters. And Blackie is a bird.”
ㅤ”I see…… You mentioned detoxifying the spring earlier, was it the same as with the soil and air? Can I understand that you can remove the poison from objects?”
ㅤ”It feels more like I’m coating it with something rather than removing it. I’m sorry, I don’t understand that part very well myself. But it’s true that the poison disappears as a result.”
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ㅤWhat came out of Ruby’s mouth was far more outrageous than Theodore had expected. He realized that she wasn’t a Saintess, but effectively had the same abilities.
ㅤHowever, Theodore wasn’t optimistic enough to swallow everything whole. He couldn’t dismiss the possibility that “Ruby was lying” until he saw it with his own eyes.
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ㅤ”Princess. Can you show me that ability in action? I only believe what I see with my own eyes.”
ㅤ”That’s a natural thought for His Majesty. Of course, I can show you. What should we test it on?”
ㅤ”Let’s see…… Then, let’s try it on a Hell Spider.”
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ㅤTheodore and Ruby left the log house and entered the Demon Forest.
ㅤAfter searching the area, Theodore found a large spider clinging to a tree trunk, peeled it off, and returned.
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ㅤ”You can tell the strength of a Hell Spider’s poison by the color of its body. The redder it is, the stronger the poison, and conversely, the whiter it is, the weaker the poison. Like a newborn hatchling.”
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ㅤThe Hell Spider Theodore was holding in his grasp had a body as red as an apple. In other words, if Ruby could detoxify it, this individual should turn completely white.
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ㅤ”That’s dangerous, Your Majesty. That one is quite strong.”
ㅤ”It’s fine. I’ve been exposed to various poisons on the battlefield, so I won’t be defeated by a mere Hell Spider.”
ㅤ”I-Is that so? But I’m worried, so let’s do it right away.”
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ㅤThe spider, which had been struggling in Theodore’s grip, became as docile as a lie when Ruby gently stroked it.
ㅤThen, as usual, Ruby clasped her hands and offered a prayer towards the Hell Spider.
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ㅤ（Mr. Spider, please listen to my voice. This is a chance for me to gain His Majesty’s trust. Please give me your poison.）
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ㅤWhen she concentrated hard, the usual incantation clearly appeared in her mind. All she had to do was put it into words.
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ㅤ”By the name of Ruby・Rose・Delphire, I command: Oh noble spider, I shall take your blood with my deadly poison.”
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ㅤA black mist began to drift from Ruby’s hands, enveloping the bright red spider.
ㅤEventually, the mist was sucked back into Ruby’s hands, and a snow-white spider appeared.
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ㅤ”……It’s done!”
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ㅤRuby looked up at Theodore with a smile that bloomed like a flower.
ㅤHowever, Theodore had an icy cold expression. His brow was deeply furrowed, and his sharp gaze pierced the spider.
ㅤRuby’s expression also stiffened in an instant.
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ㅤ”Um, Your Majesty……?”
ㅤ”……Thank you. Excuse me, but I’ll be going back now.”
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ㅤEverything the Princess had said was true. He had to go back and share this with Arnold immediately.
ㅤLeaving Ruby dumbfounded, Theodore jumped on his horse and galloped back to the Imperial Palace.