🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter : 18
The savory yet slightly salty sweetness of the shrimp spread throughout her mouth, and the springy flesh along with the perfectly cooked noodles were exquisite.
After moving only her mouth for a while, Astella set down her fork and this time picked up a spoon, scooped up a generous helping of pilaf, and took a bite.
“…Mmm!”
It, too, was full of fresh seafood, and the flavors of squid and mussels were fantastic. The rice was fluffy and separate, dancing in her mouth as she chewed.
After taking a bite each of the pasta and the pilaf, Astella didn’t stop. She kept eating with her fork and spoon, letting out exclamations of admiration.
Where did the suspicious person go?
Watching her devour the food, Freya chuckled softly to herself. She knew it would suit her taste, but she hadn’t expected her to eat so well.
Anyone would think she’d been starving since yesterday. Following Astella, Freya also began her meal slowly.
After a quiet meal, Astella, who had completely cleared her plates, even finished her drink and said,
“Ah, I’m full.”
“Did you enjoy it? You looked like you were eating deliciously—did it suit your taste?”
“Ahem. Y-yes, well… it was okay.”
Perhaps embarrassed that she’d been so absorbed in eating, she cleared her throat and avoided Freya’s gaze. Freya smiled and finished the remaining lemonade.
Knock, knock—
“Come in.”
At her permission, the manager entered. Holding two smaller menus than before, he handed them to the two of them and asked,
“How was your meal?”
“It was delicious. As expected, the food here is wonderful.”
“Thank you. It’s an honor that you were satisfied. What would you like for dessert?”
“We’ll order. What do you want, Astella?”
Freya took the menu and asked. As if she’d naturally been planning to order dessert, Astella had already opened her menu and was looking it over.
“Hmm… just a moment, I can’t decide….”
“What do you want to eat?”
“I want a parfait, and I also want chocolate cake….”
“Then have both.”
What’s there to agonize over? Honestly.
Whenever it came to snacks, didn’t she always eat at least two? Is she pretending to be modest just because it’s her first time here?
“That’s too much… Would you eat with me, Freya? Couldn’t we share?”
“No. I’ll just eat mine.”
So that was it. Saying two were too many was nonsense in Astella’s dictionary.
“Really, you won’t? I want to eat with you, sis….”
“Eat what you want. One is enough for me, and I don’t want a parfait or chocolate cake.”
“…All right. Then I’ll just have the parfait.”
Unable to do anything against Freya’s firm refusal, Astella nodded.
“We’ll order one parfait and one rare cheesecake.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
The manager left the room with the order, and a brief silence fell between them.
“……”
When Freya glanced at Astella, she saw her brows knit together and her lips sticking out.
She’s dissatisfied again.
It was obviously because Freya had said she wouldn’t share dessert. Freya could tell just from that expression. She brushed it off and quietly drank her beverage.
Looking at her, Astella frowned and asked,
“Today, you’re kind of strange, sis.”
“Why?”
“You’re stiff, not as kind as usual… and you keep saying you don’t like everything I suggest.”
“I just stated my opinion just now. And earlier, at the Ristoe restaurant, it couldn’t be helped. Is that wrong?”
“That’s not it, but….”
She bit her lip hard and lowered her gaze, as if displeased.
She’s flustered because my answers aren’t like usual. Why are you already making that face over something this small?
This is just the beginning.
Freya set down her glass and looked at Astella as she spoke.
“Don’t force things to go your way. There’s no reason I have to agree to everything.”
“What? Freya, when did I ever force you? I just wanted to eat together with you….”
“Did you consider what I wanted? Did you ever think properly from my point of view? Up until now, you’ve just assumed that whatever you eat or do, I have to do with you.”
“No! I’ve never done that!”
Astella shouted in denial.
Never done that.
Freya tilted her lips in a crooked smile and lowered her voice.
“Just two days ago, when I said I had work to do, you insisted for thirty minutes that we had to go to the tailor together. In the end, we went together.”
“That’s because you pick my dresses so well….”
“Even if I pick them, in the end you choose what you like anyway, so what’s the point?”
“……”
Astella stiffened and closed her mouth. Being told the truth left her with nothing to say.
Freya narrowed her eyes and continued.
“And when we went to that café after shopping and ate desserts, you ordered everything you wanted to eat, like today, but you couldn’t finish them. In the end, I had to eat what was left.”
“B-but you ate them happily too! If you wanted something else, you could’ve ordered it separately—why are you saying it’s my fault?”
“When I said I’d order something different, you did what you’re doing today. You said it’d be nice to eat together, that it’d be too much if I ordered my own, that what you ordered would taste better so we should eat that. In that situation, do you think I could have ordered something else?”
“Th-that’s….”
Confusion showed on Astella’s face as her eyes darted around. Being confronted one by one, she finally seemed to realize how unreasonable her behavior had been.
No—she probably already knew. She just didn’t want to acknowledge it, looked away, and kept doing it. Out of purely selfish thoughts for herself.
There were countless instances of Astella’s high-handed behavior, but Freya stopped there. There was something more important she had to confirm.
Just in case, Freya pushed her lemonade glass farther away, then looked at Astella, who had slightly bowed her head, and said,
“And that’s not all. Astella, why did you lie to me?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Why did you lie to me and say you became the Duke of Bethelheim’s lover?”
“…!”
Astella’s shoulders visibly twitched. Meeting Freya’s sharp gaze, she stiffened and replied,
“W-what are you talking about? A lie? I never did such a thing.”
“I heard it clearly. Are you going to deny it?”
“You must have heard wrong! I didn’t lie!”
“Then are you really the duke’s lover?”
“Yes! That’s right. The Duke of Bethelheim and I are in love! He even proposed to me! We’re going to get married soon!”
Just as expected, Astella didn’t seem willing to admit it.
…I knew it would be like this.
Seeing her confident attitude—one that would leave even a stranger without any doubt—left Freya speechless.
Unfazed by what she had anticipated, Freya calmly asked,
“The Duke of Bethelheim said you’re not his lover. So how could you have received a proposal?”
“T-that can’t be! The duke would never say that. You’re the one lying, sis!”
“What would I gain from telling such a lie? If you doubt me, you can check. Shall we go to the Duke of Bethelheim’s estate together right now?”
“What?”
“If we go together and ask the duke again, it’ll be settled. We can even have Lady Savanna confirm it.”
“Ah, that’s….”
Her green eyes wandered restlessly, as if they’d lost their way. When Astella met Freya’s eyes, she flinched and raised her voice.
“Why should I do that?! It’s obvious that the Duke of Bethelheim loves me!”
“He himself said he doesn’t, Astella. Just because you insist doesn’t turn a lie into the truth.”
“No. It’s absolutely not a lie. You’re the one lying right now, Freya. Why are you doing this? Don’t tell me… you also have feelings for the duke?”
Suspicion filled her green eyes as they stabbed toward Freya.
She’s jumping to conclusions without any basis. Who’s been the biggest supporter of her relationship with Raiden all this time? If I wanted the male lead, do you think I’d have acted like this until now?
