Chapter 37 - You’re F*cked
37. You’re F*cked
Meanwhile, the food began to come out one by one.
Soup in a small plate with amuse-bouche was placed in front of me. (T/N: Amuse-bouche are French appetizers that are bite-sized.)
Maybe it was because of the soup, but it looked like it was the same as Estebans and Oscars. Of course, the amount was smaller.
I was deeply moved by the fact that the foods I was eating were getting closer to regular meals. Did I take a step closer to becoming a human today?
‘…delicious!’
The taste was even more touching. After enjoying the savory taste, I could see an empty plate.
“Ha.”
It was delicious.
‘What’s the next dish?’
As I was waiting with a fluttering heart, I suddenly turned my head because I felt stares.
“…?”
Esteban and Oscar were looking at me with hot stares.
For some reason, they hadn’t touched the food.
My gaze briefly went to their soup. They pushed the plate forward at the same time as if they had waited.
“Eat this too, Mabel.”
“Eat more.”
“…ung?”
The eyes of the rich men clashed in the air with me in between. But the atmosphere wasn’t serious.
‘A fight…?’
A war of nerves began between two men whose relationship wasn’t good or bad.
When Esteban aimed at Oscar, Oscar responded with a sharp look without losing,
Glare-.
I got into a rough situation because I was caught in the middle of a fiery match.
‘Why, why are you fighting to feed me?’
I was fl.u.s.tered and pulled the plates that the two of them put out.
“Thw.a.n.k you for de food!” (Thank you for the food.)
‘I don’t know. Let’s eat first.’
It’s a problem that can be solved by eating both. As expected, eating both the bowls of soup eased Esteban’s and Oscar’s expression.
“Eat slowly.”
“Mabel. Is it good?”
The eyes of the two men were only on me eating soup. When I nodded, Esteban and Oscar smiled.
‘You two both have smiles like you’re looking at someone poor.’
Meanwhile, the next dish came out. I don’t know what kind of fish it is, but it was a grilled white fish with b.u.t.ter. This time, my portion of the dish was cut into small pieces to make it easier to eat.
I was eating the fish dish with the leftover soup that was pushed to me. Again, I could feel hot eyes from the front and the side.
“…wha?” (…why?)
As soon as I spoke, both Esteban and Oscar compet.i.tively pushed their plates in front of me.
“Eat mine too!”
“Eat more, Mabel!”
“Uung?”
Three bowls of soup and three plates of fish were placed in front of me.
On the other hand, there were only gla.s.ses of water in front of Esteban and Oscar.
“…”
Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable and thought about leaving the meal, but as soon as I put the steamed potato in my mouth, that thought disappeared.
“Ahh…so good.’
The chef’s cooking skill was so good that it made me forget about the ridiculous situation.
As if I realized something, I opened my eyes wide and took a plate that hadn’t been touched yet.
‘Give and take…?’
Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn’t give and take. It wasn’t stealing. The stand-in-Emperor skillfully placed the fish on my plate.
“My Mabel. Dad is thrilled to see you enjoy the meal.”
Munch munch. I didn’t answer and only ate diligently.
‘I’m going to ignore him and eat quickly.’
It’s none of my business whether that brother and father, who didn’t answer, starve or not!
By the time I finished my portion of the fish, the mouth-watering dish, sherbet, came out before the main menu. I took a small spoonful of the sherbet from my small bowl and put it in my mouth.
“Mmm!”
It’s refreshing and cool. I felt better when I had sweet things, so my feet swing back and forth.
And this time, as always-.
“Here, Mabel. Eat this too.”
“There’s more here. Eat a lot.”
“…”
Thus, in front of me were three bowls of soup, three plates of fish, and three bowls of sherbet. A feast for one.
‘Sigh. Let’s see how far it goes.’
The servant who brought the next main fish looked at the table in surprise.
“The m-main dish is steak.”
A plate was placed in front of each of us. I scooped a very small piece of meat with a spoon.
My eyes widened as soon as I took one bite.
‘This…!’
It’s the heavenly taste of the heavens! This was not just meat. It was beyond the art of cooking!
I couldn’t hide my excitement and took another bite of the food.
Nyam.
“Heub!”
It’s so delicious; this world really was unreasonable.
‘I should’ve been given a stomach to eat as much as I want.’
It was sad and lamentable that I was already full. I wanted to eat 10 or 20 more dishes.
Seeing my expression, the stand-in-Emperor asked, “What’s wrong, Mabel? Does the food not suit your taste?”
I could feel a gaze from far away, so I turned my head. The chef was looking at me with a nervous face, and as soon as out eyes met, he suddenly disappeared.
“Ith yummy.” (It’s yummy.)
“But why do you look so gloomy?”
“Becauthe ith so yummy… I want two eat a wot but ma bewwy ith too small.” (Because it’s so yummy… I want to eat a lot but my belly is too small.)
It made me sad without realizing it. I was upset. Then Oscar, who was watching silently, shouted with a sad face and pushed his plate to me.
“Eat more. Mabel, eat more!”
“…?”
I don’t think that’s what I meant? When I looked at him confused, the stand-in-Emperor took a sip.
“Yes, eat as much as you want! Eat this too. Eat it all!”
“A-ah won’t eat.” (I-I won’t eat.)
Now I couldn’t eat anymore because I was full. I was still young, just how much can I eat.
But excited by the situation, the stand-in-Emperor raised his hand and ordered the servants.
“Hey, bring in the next dish!”
“Yes, yes!”
The kitchen became very noisy again.
“Sigh…”
I sighed deeply.
‘I was going to see how far it goes and it’s going really far.’
It was no longer possible to see other people suffering because of the stand-in-Emperor.
I put down my spoon and declared.
“Fwom now on, I won eat with bu-hang and Othcar.” (From now on, I won’t eat with Bu-Hw.a.n.g and Oscar.)
“What…?”
“How come, Mabel…!”
Oscar and Esteban looked shocked. Even though those faces weakened my heart, I held it in.
‘Yeah, this is good. Let’s make spiteful remarks.’
The thought of it as a stepping stone for the abdication set my heart.
I looked up at the stand-in-Emperor with a hateful expression.
“I dwon’ nweed it.” (I don’t need it.)
“…!”
“Ith againth table mannews.” (It’s against table manners.)
I said spitefully, but it wasn’t wrong.
I had never been taught manners, but I knew that they weren’t giving away their share of food.
Then the white-faced Esteban spoke with trembling lips, “…I won’t do it again.”
Oscar also bowed his head with a solemn face.
“I did it because I wanted Mabel to eat a lot… No, I won’t make excuses. I’m sorry, Mabel. I was wrong.”
The atmosphere suddenly subsided.
Seeing the two men who hit each other reflect on themselves as if they were sinners, I couldn’t erase the feeling of being trash.
On top of that, they’re both pretty and handsome…!
‘Ugh. I can’t be weak here.’
Oscar glanced at me with a poor face, perhaps because he saw through my psychology.
“Mabel…”
“Nwo Mabel. Dwon’t call me!” (No Mabel. Don’t call me!)
When I gathered my thought again and shouted wickedly, I saw the stand-in-Emperor glance at the kitchen to send a signal.
‘What are you doing now? You think I’m going to let you do what you want?’
I snorted, thinking it was a lame trick-.
“It’s cheese cake and strawberry juice.”
“Cwake…!” (Cake…!)
I fell for it…
When I came to my senses, my hand was already holding a fork. I could feel Oscar and the stand-in-Emperor’s gaze on me as if I were cute.
‘I lost.’
Since it had already looked ridiculous, it was useless to regain the mood and get angry again.
I ate cheesecake while huffing. There’s a separate stomach for dessert.
“Say if you want to eat more.”
“Mabel. Eat my cake, no, I’ll eat it…”
When I glared at Oscar who tried hard to push his plate to me, he quickly stopped and began to eat his share.
It’s finally a peaceful meal time. I enjoyed the peace and slowly enjoyed the small cheesecake I was given.
“Bu-Hw.a.n.g. I’ll be back at the Duchy in about two days.”
“Yes, be careful, Oscar.”
The rich men turned off their interest in me and talked about other topics.
It was when I finished the cake and emptied the gla.s.s of juice.
“Euung?”
My body suddenly heated up as if I had entered into a blazing stove. Because of the Imperial Palace’s fortress kept the temperature stable with magic, there was no sudden change in temperature.
As I looked around confused, the stand-in-Emperor and Oscar turned their attention to me.
“Mabel. What’s wrong?”
“No-.”
It was then when I was talking.
Cough-. Something hot flowed down from my mouth with a cough.
As I raised my head puzzled, I could see two people looked at me with shock-stained faces.
Let’s take off the hand covering my mouth.
“…blood?”
Blood was in my hands. The stand-in-Emperor jumped up belatedly.
“Mabel! Hey, call the doctor!”
“M-Mabel!”
The surrounding area began to get noisy. I stared at my red palms with a serious face.
There was still a sense of sanity.
‘Did I eat poison?’
However, the strange thing was that my body was too hot to have eaten poison and not painful enough to pa.s.s out.
But unlike me, who was fine, the stand-in-Emperor and Oscar looked around me, gasping for breath.
The voice of the stand-in-Emperor holding me in his arms was mournful.
“Mabel, wait a little bit. The doctor is coming soon…”
“What to do, Mabel. Doctor! Why are you so late?!”
Seeing the rich man making a fuss made me feel guilty. For no reason, I couldn’t make eye contact.
I wouldn’t be this shy if I were really sick.
So I.
‘Aish, I don’t know.’
I pretended to faint.
It was natural that the two men sobbed my name.
***
There were nervous footsteps moving back and forth. I saw the stand-in-Emperor wandering around the bedroom.
He questioned the doctor who finished his examination.
“Why did Mabel faint all of a sudden? Is it poison?”
“It is not poison.”
The imperial court doctor who examined me this time was the man who had a hard time when I collapsed last time.
‘So he didn’t quit his job…’
I listened to their conversation waiting for the right timing to open my eyes.
“If it’s not poison, what is it? She collapsed and threw up blood!”
“That… I’m also not quite sure.”
“…you don’t know?”
Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the atmosphere getting cold. The doctor standing in front of me began to tremble.
“Ah’m okway. Ah’m not swick at all!” (I’m okay. I’m not sick at all!)
“Mabel…?”
“Ah’m heawthy.” (I’m healthy.)
I stretched out my short arms to prove my normalness. Then the stand-in-Emperor’s mouth, which had been closed tightly, slightly loosened.
Taking advantage of the gap, the doctor looked at my body again. The stand-in-Emperor questioned the doctor with a fierce face.
“How is she now?”
“Except for the decline in energy, she is very healthy. She will be fine if she eats well and rests well.”
“She has to eat well?”
“Yes. She needs to eat well.”
At that moment, the countless meals that I ate pa.s.sed through my head.
What do you mean I should eat well, I’m confident that I eat well.
I glanced sideways at the doctor with squinting eyes.
‘Quack.’
***
“Here, have one more bite.”
“Nwo…!”
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I never thought I’d get tired of food. I ran away to the garden to avoid the persistent stand-in-Emperor and his bowl.
“Hek, hek…”
After running for a long time, I looked back, and the stand-in-Emperor was no where to be seen. It was either I ran away well or he gave up.
“Leth’s rest…” (Let’s rest…)
Sitting on a nearby tree, I leaned back. I didn’t know how I felt.
‘My body is getting hot and I’m feeling weak. What’s happening?’
[Maybe it’s because the sacred force is too loose for the little Mabel.]
“Kitty.”
It was the kitty answered my innermost thoughts.
[It’s been like that since the property was absorbed. It’s because your bowl is still immature.]
“It doethn’t exactwy huwt.” (It doesn’t exactly hurt.)
[It’s the struggle of an immature vessel to adapt to divine power. It’ll get better as Mabel grows.]
“Hm.”
Does that mean I’ll vomit blood often until I grow up? That’s a bit…
It wasn’t difficult to predict who was behind the absorption by bringing the sacred object into my bedroom. There are several candidates, but the most likely one was the Holy Kingdom of Abelardo.
‘Because they wanted to take me.’
Maybe that’s why they tried to open up the sacred force and create a situation where I had no choice but to visit them. However, there was no evidence.
And a few days later, I was pa.s.sing by the stand-in-Emperor’s office.
Gustav’s voice was heard through the slightly open door.
“Oh my. Where’s the holy object you left here? We need to send it back to Abelardo.”
I was sure when I heard that. Abelardo was behind this shady incident.
‘What a c.r.a.ppy feeling.’
I had no thoughts about Abelardo, but this changed the story.
I added a new list to the ‘Throw Away’ list in my head.
The first one was Duke Javier. The second addition was the Kingdom of Abelardo.
“You’we f*cked. (You’re f*cked.)