NOVEL NEXT chapter 15
15 – 15. Having a meal with Stella (2)
15.
‘Expensive food isn’t too bad.’
As Allen cut and put the tender steak into his mouth, he thought about this.
But even so, 1 gold for a meal is quite too much.
It’s not like the cow was fed with gold dust sprinkled grass, nor is it like a pig fed with green tea.
I don’t understand why it should be this expensive.
Anyway, once it goes in the mouth, it’s all the same meat.
‘The meat sure is tender.’
That’s roughly the only difference Allen could feel.
Chop chop, he grumbled to himself as he cut the meat atop his plate.
‘It’s overly extravagant, too much so. Even if one lives lavishly, this is a bit too much.’
A copper is worth 2000 won.
A silver is worth 200,000 won.
A gold is worth 4,000,000 won.
‘Does a 4,000,000 won meal make sense?’
The offspring of business tycoons might easily spend millions on a meal, but to Allen, who was but a moderately successful novelist and not one raking in million per month, this was an extreme waste.
‘With one silver, I could buy way more than 20 chickens. Or, perhaps not.’
Even before Allen was hit by the reincarnation truck, the price of a chicken was quite high, with the standard being over 30,000 won.
Thinking about it still makes my teeth chatter.
‘Did they put gold on that chicken, those crazy people.’
His hands trembled, perhaps due to anger over the common fare from his previous life.
‘What useless thoughts.’
Without a word, Allen cut his meat again.
***
Stella truly understood what it felt like to be suffocated.
An oppressively silent dining table where not even a word of conversation was exchanged.
The atmosphere was oppressively austere, triggering Stella’s unpleasant memories.
“It feels just like being at home….”
The Evans household prided itself on its rigid and suffocating family traditions. Having no sons, but a single daughter, the patriarch of the Evans family had raised Stella with a severe hand.
She had been made to wield a sword before she’d even learned the proper decorum of a lady. Rigorously raised, Stella had grown to truly detest such an environment.
Rigid and suffocating, a reminder of home.
The clinking of dishes and the metallic ringing as silverware struck them seemed to draw forth Stella’s unpleasant memories.
“So, I’m curious about what you wanted to say. Stella von Evans.”
Had he already finished his portion?
Alan, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief offered by Meia, turned his eyes towards Stella.
At his words, a confused sound escaped her.
The tempo of the clinking utensils and dishes, which had been harmoniously orchestrated, was suddenly disrupted by a discordant clatter.
Stella had been so startled that she dropped her fork.
“Me, what?!”
“Who else would it be but you?” Alan retorted, as if it were the most obvious thing.
“So, what did you want to say?”
“Uh, umm…”
Watching Stella struggle to find her words and falling into panic, Felicia sighed softly.
She had arranged this meeting knowing Stella was overly conscious of Alan and the Duke of Mueller after their last encounter, but at this rate…
As Felicia wondered whether she should find another approach, Alan, meticulously cutting his newly served steak, said,
“Do you think maybe you’re acting this way because you’re concerned that what you said to me last time was rude?”
“Uh, how… how did you…?”
“I can’t think of any other topic we need to discuss. So I figured that must be it.”
Alan put down his knife for a moment.
Stella stuttered.
“That’s… I…”
“Seriously? You’ve been bothered by that?”
Alan clicked his tongue.
“You’re worrying about something pointless. If I found your behavior rude, would I have just let it be?”
Stella shook her head.
Alan sighed, putting a piece of meat into his mouth.
“Think about it. Do you think it would look nice for the youngest son of a duke to abuse his power whenever he’s slightly annoyed?”
“My, it was a long time since Duke Mueller was present in the Imperial Palace. Alan.”
“Honestly, I didn’t know he was coming.”
I did send a letter to the family, but I never anticipated that Duke Mueller would really turn up and flip the academy upside down.
Of course, he left right away because he was busy, so Alan couldn’t meet him as he left the Imperial Palace immediately.
“Well, being a child of a duke is a tiresome position. Even there are people who overinterpret my harmless actions.”
Alan grumbled and slowly chewed his meat– he hadn’t given his actions much thought.
“Anyway, I’m not planning to put you at a disadvantage. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Eh? Huh…”
Stella was perhaps surprised by Alan’s relaxed conversation; her response was delayed.
Alan spoke again.
“Of course, the case of Professor McKillan is somewhat different. The right answer for those who attack so openly in front of your eyes is to discipline them.”
“…If Alan hadn’t done it, I would have.”
“You shouldn’t say those things, Your Highness. Just receiving your attention feels like I could die.”
“Hmm, perhaps I should keep you in the palace and have you live as a machine copywriting.”
At Felicia’s words, which seemed regretful, Alan was terrified.
“…Please stop saying things like that, Your Highness. It’s scary, even if it’s joke.”
“It looked like a joke? It was serious.”
Felicia smiled mischievously.
“I don’t want to lose you to anyone, honestly.”
“I will refuse to be canned.”
“Tsk, I figured as much. If only you weren’t from the house of Duke Mueller…”
“Your Highness, stop saying scary things. Please.”
Alan made a sour face.
Why is this princess so obsessed with him? He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t have any grievances with the princess, in particular.
Seeing Stella’s dumbfounded expression, Alan speaks.
“Hmm, hm. Anyway, neither the Evans family nor you should worry about any harm from this. If I intended to harm, I would have done irreparable damage by now.”
“…Well, thank you.”
“So, is that all you wanted to talk about?”
“Huh? Uh…”
“That wasn’t so bad. It might even make for a good story.”
With that, Alan quickly scribbled something in a notepad he pulled out of his pocket using a portable fountain pen.
Felicia showed curiosity.
“Does conversations like this inspire you, Alan?”
“Well, experiencing various people and events enriches one’s writing. You could say there’s a correlation between the richness of the material and the detail of the writing.”
“hehehe, is that so?”
Felicia laughed.
Alan felt apprehensive.
“Princess…?”
“You’ll hear some news soon. Just wait.”
Alan felt a bad premonition creeping up his spine.
***
“I’m glad everything worked out, Stella. It could have gotten out of hand if misunderstandings piled up.”
“Well, it wasn’t that serious…”
“You couldn’t see your own face, Stella. Do you know what your expression was like when Alan was eating quietly earlier?”
Stella asked hesitantly in response to Felicia’s words.
“Did…did I look that upset, Princess…?”
“If Alan hadn’t spoken up, you might have looked as if you were about to wither on the spot.”
“No, no, it wasn’t that bad!”
“I’m not joking, Stella. It looked as if you were recalling back when you were at home.”
At her words, Stella shut her mouth.
Because it was true that she was recalling her time at the Evans family mansion.
Felicia spoke.
“Anyway, give it a try.”
“Pardon… pardon?”
“I mean, build a good relationship with Alan.”
“Oh, yes. I understand, Princess.”
“I really need to change her attitude of accepting my words as absolute commands.”
Felicia sighed inwardly and shook her head.
There was no doubt about Stella’s loyalty.
But sometimes, that loyalty was excessive to the point of being problematic, as evident from the way she tried to intervene with Alan during their conversation.
Even as the princess’s guard, if Alan had felt any resentment towards Stella at that time, it would have been as easy as flipping his hand to disadvantage both the Evans family and her.
“It’s a good thing she didn’t draw her sword then…”
What would have happened if she had brandished her sword, insisting on separating Alan?
Felicia shook her head dismissively at the unnecessary thought that crossed her mind.
The thought of how everything could have become terribly messed up sent shivers down her spine.
It was a relief that Alan wasn’t preventing her from escaping; rather, it looked as though Felicia was the one keeping him from running away.
“It’s a dilemma…”
Perhaps Stella, feeling her tension ease, started devouring what was left of the food due to hunger.
Being of the same gender meant no impropriety could arise, her swordsmanship was outstanding, and her loyalty unmatched.
There was much to praise about Stella.
If her sword skills had not been exceptional, there would have been no reason for the daughter of a minor noble house, who only held the title of a knight, to be chosen as Felicia’s guard.
“Stella.”
“Ye-yes?”
“Swallow what’s in your mouth before you answer.”
“O-oh, okay.”
Stella gulped down her food hastily and then took a quick swig of water, as if something had been stuck in her throat.
“What do you think of Alan’s work?”
“I’m not really versed in literature, so I can’t say…”
Stella scratched her cheek.
“But I think ‘The Chronicles of Shuren’ is a remarkable novel. It even inspires me a bit in terms of swordsmanship development.”
“Inspires you? How?”
“I’ve seen illustrations depicting the sword techniques demonstrated in ‘The Chronicles of Shuren’ being circulated…”
“There are such things circulating?”
Stella nodded affirmatively to Felicia’s questioning.
“Yes. Of course, there are no descriptions of how to manage mana, so it’s hard to learn that aspect…”
“It’s quite fascinating. The impact will be even more intense when the second volume is out.”
Felicia stands up from her seat.
“Shall we head over to the student council building now?”
A playful smile danced on Felicia’s lips.
“Wait, Allen. I’ll give you a wonderful experience.”