Chapter 93: Count Brant Khalodian
The amount of money that Joonb.u.m was demanding was impossible to get from the Donians under regular circ.u.mstances. The Donian Merchant Group had strong ties with various n.o.ble families of the Toria Kingdom. If the person requesting such compensation was a nameless n.o.ble from another country, it was obvious that they would simply ignore it. However, if Count Khalodian was asking, it would be completely different.
‘So he’s telling us to get the money if we want it.’
Hernan frowned at the thought.
“Sure. I will ask the count.”
Joonb.u.m nodded then clapped.
“Bring the food!”
Maids came to clean the table of any leftover snacks and fruit and began preparing dishes on the table. The table was soon filled with various cooked dishes.
“I prepared this according to our family tradition. Please feel free to enjoy it. This here is…”
Joonb.u.m began introducing the different dishes that were served. Hernan and Billis began eating and brightened up each time they chewed.
“This is a red wine that we made at home. It will pair well with the food.”
Joonb.u.m grinned slightly.
‘It’s always the food.’
Hernan and Billis did not look so stern as they kept eating. They seemed to be really enjoying the food.
“The main dish is called T-bone steak. It’s the meat from a cow, a Duran-like animal we have in the empire. It looks pink but it’s fully cooked so you can enjoy it as is. You can use salt or the sauce next to you. I enjoy eating it without anything on it so I can taste the meat.”
Joonb.u.m put a slice of steak into his mouth and the two of them followed. They looked happy.
“This is delicious.”
“It is amazing. The meat just melts away.”
“It doesn’t smell either.”
“That is true! And what is that?”
They were even more surprised at the rice cake served after the food.
*
Count Brant Khalodian was just about as surprised as his subordinates.
“I am sorry, but can you take off your shoes?” the countess asked as she blushed and Brant stopped in the middle of entering the RV. He hesitated as he looked at the strange-looking shoes in front of him, but soon changed into them.
‘They are dirty…’ he thought as he looked at the shoes he took off, which were dirty from all the dirt and feces from the road.
“Please, come this way.”
‘Where is this?’
Brant’s eyes were filled with shock as he entered. The room was very clean. There was not a speck of dirt or dust. He understood why he had to change his shoes.
‘What are all these?’
The room was filled with things that Brant had never seen before in his life. Even the table or sofa was not something he was used to seeing. It was all spotlessly clean and lavish.
‘I can see outside!’
He remembered he could not see the inside when he was standing outside, but from here he was able to see what was outside through the window.
“Please, take a seat.”
“Thank you.”
“Serve us some tea.”
The countess ordered her maids and they brought out scented tea.
‘Scented…?’
Brant realized that there were more scents than the one that came from the tea. The entire room was filled with the fragrance, unlike his moldy castle.
“This is very refres.h.i.+ng! I like this.”
“It’s called green tea.”
They fell silent as they drank the tea, but Brant could not take his eyes off Sunsook.
“I heard you were shocked by what happened. I feel very sorry for what has happened on my property. I will personally see to it that they get hanged when…”
“Please, don’t do that.”
“Have their head on… yes?”
Brant was puzzled.
“No one was hurt, so please spare them from being hanged. I do not forgive them for what they have done, but I would like it if you can spare their lives.”
“But those men are fiends who tried to attack a n.o.ble. We cannot show mercy to those fiends on this land.”
Brant looked troubled at the request.
“Then, I will request this on my own behalf. Please, I will not sleep well at night if they die by hanging. I want to have beautiful memories of this place,” Sunsook asked with a sad but apologetic expression on her face. Brant hesitated, but soon nodded.
“Okay, I will consider it.”
They began talking to each other on various subjects. The count could not take his eyes off of Sunsook as she led the entire discussion.
“We will be preparing dinner.”
Salin came to clean up the table and began setting up the dinner table. All of the food that had been prepared ahead of time was heated up with the microwave before they were served.
“This is amazing!”
Brant praised every dish he ate. When they were done with the appetizers, Sunsook stood up from her seat and put on a white ap.r.o.n. Brant’s eyes opened wide with shock as Sunsook skillfully took out a beef steak and began das.h.i.+ng pepper and salt on it.
“I am a countess, but I love cooking when I can. I feel most happy when I can serve my cooked dishes to my guests.”
Sunsook put the steak on the pan and began frying it. The sounds and the smell of frying filled the RV with a thick, meaty smell. The count felt his belly rumble from the smell. He was never this hungry before.
Brant had never seen a woman, especially a n.o.ble, who loved cooking. The countess in front of him was so special. The back of the woman, in her ap.r.o.n cooking for him, looked so beautiful.
‘A countess cooking a dish by herself for me… I am so honored!’
He eagerly antic.i.p.ated what kind of food it would be. Pretty soon, the cooking was done and it was served on a white plate in front of him.
“This is called sirloin steak and these are b.u.t.ter-baked potatoes. I have already sliced them into bite-sized pieces, so please enjoy it.”
“Thank you.”
The amount of food that was served on his plate was plenty, unlike the small amount that Sunsook took for herself. It wasn’t anything like he had seen before. The meat was still red, so Brant felt that it was still uncooked.
“The inside is not fully cooked on purpose. You might feel uncomfortable eating it that way, but you will see why once you taste it. Please, try it.”
“Oh, no! I am sorry, I will happily try it.”
Sunsook took a bite first as Brant followed. As he chewed on a piece of the meat, he began to move his hands quickly.
‘This… this is…!’
The meat melted away in his mouth. He was mesmerized by the taste he never experienced before. The meat vanished from his plate in no time. Even the potatoes were amazing.
“Please, try this wine. It will remove the greasiness from your mouth.”
Brant felt the wine removing the grease from his mouth as she had explained. When he came back to his senses, he was already done with his food and the countess was preparing tea by herself.
‘Countess… by herself…’
Preparing food or tea was a job for the maids. But this countess was doing it herself!
“I love cooking and brewing tea. It’s my hobby.”
He was served a red-colored tea and a yellow fruit he was unfamiliar with. The thick scent arose from the tea.
“This is called red tea with mint. It will feel refres.h.i.+ng.”
“It is. It really is refres.h.i.+ng.”
The fruit and the tea went along well. Brant was pleased with the hospitality.
*
“Milord.”
Brant shook his head as Hernan called to him. He seemed like he was shaking something off his mind.
“Hernan! Give them what they want.”
“Yes?”
“Give them what they want! Whatever that is.”
“Milord?”
Hernan looked like he was confused but the Count seemed to be in a daydream.
“I have found my destiny.”
“Beg your pardon?”
“Ugh, just do what they want, okay? Now go. Leave me alone.”
Brant waved him off as Hernan backed away with a confused look. But his eyes were soon filled with shock.
‘Is… is he really? He must be crazy!’
Hernan looked at Brant. People around him urged him to find a wife but he never budged until now. But here he was, a man who had fallen in love.
‘Well, I guess I understand why…’
Hernan thought about the beautiful countess they met. Her beauty was unrivaled by anyone he had seen.
‘It won’t hurt us to do what they want anyway… We can let the son trade under our name. The only problem is…’