After our bath, it was time for the eagerly anticipated dinner.
As it turns out, while we were playing in the sea, the sailors collaborated to bring us a bounty of seafood, as Claudia-san informed me.
Not only for Charlotte, the daughter of the Blaffer family, but also to entertain us, the guests. Truly a gracious gesture.
The seafood, caught by the seamen, was skillfully prepared by the Blaffer household maids. Now, an array of exquisite dishes adorned our table.
「Amazing!」
「Absolutely!」
「It’s hard to decide where to start!」
「I’ve never tasted dishes like these before.」
「As a dragon, I usually just swallow my food whole, so this is a delightful experience!」
The dungeon farm has a big underground lake so we fish and get fish there which Martina will then cook for us so it’s not like we never had the chance of eating fish at all.
However, the ocean fish is something else entirely.
And this time, we have an assortment of shellfish, squid, and other marine delicacies.
We can enjoy the taste of the sea which we never had before.
「Fufufu. This is the pride of the Blaffer family’s seafood cuisine!」
「Indeed. And our maids continue to impress with their culinary skills.」
「They truly are exceptional!」
「After all, we can only eat this once a year.」
「Right! Now, speaking of which…」
「Yes? What is it, Charlotte?」
「Why is oniisama here!?」
Finally, Charlotte noticed Lawrence-san’s presence. Well, perhaps she had known all along, but her instincts resisted acknowledging it.
「Surely not… You didn’t skip the knight order’s expedition, did you?」
「Not at all. I obtained proper permission. I said ‘An urgent matter arose that requires immediate resolution, so I must return home at onc—」
「You’re being overly dramatic!」
Indeed, his choice of words could easily lead to misunderstandings.
And come to think of it, why was he waiting in the bath completely naked? Was there any reason for that?
…But I digress.
「Really… I was looking forward to enjoying today with my new friends…」
「Don’t say that. It’s a joy as your brother to see you making friends. However, do you remember those who approached you because they wanted the Blaffer family name?」
「…….」
Charlotte fell silent.
Seeing Claudia-san subtly elbow Lawrence-san in the back of his head, it was clear that this was a topic she didn’t want to discuss.
But somehow, I can imagine what it’s about.
Lawrence-san’s overprotectiveness might be the cause.
Kiara, who attends the same academy, touched upon this delicate subject.
「At least none of us are interested in the Blaffer family name. —though we might want to hang out with you or something.」
「Kiara…」
Her words were typical of Kiara—awkward but heartfelt.
Yet her sentiments echoed what all of us felt.
Myself, Martina, Hanon, Simone—we all shared the same feelings.
「……Now, let’s eat while it’s still warm!」
Charlotte, her emotions a mix of embarrassment and joy, turned away from us to avoid eye contact and began to enjoy the meal.
「Shall we join her?」
Leading the way, I spoke, and everyone followed suit.
For now, let’s savor this time of simple enjoyment to our hearts’ content.
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