Clink. Clink.
The sound of silverware lightly striking porcelain echoed through the dining hall before fading away.
On pristine white plates sat colorful dishes Lucillea had never seen before, arranged so beautifully they resembled flowers blooming in a garden.
Without realizing it, she swallowed.
Unlike her, however, the two people seated nearby—Elvadin at her left and Serdian across from her—continued eating with completely expressionless faces.
Is every meal in the Grand Duke's household this suffocating?
Watching them cautiously, Lucillea sighed inwardly.
Still, this meal might give her a chance to see what kind of relationship the two shared.
If they're closer than they seem, maybe Elvadin can act as a shield for Serdian...
Then again—
Who knows? First things first: eat.
Lucillea immediately attacked the food in front of her with her knife and fork.
At that moment, Cookie spoke up.
[Lucy! Eat the grilled shrimp on top of the steak too!]
Cookie was eating alongside her.
May had thoughtfully prepared a place for him with fruit and nuts.
But after stuffing himself with fruit back in the room, he seemed too full to care much about his own meal.
Instead, he was far more interested in Lucillea's.
When she moved her fork toward the salad, Cookie immediately squawked.
[No! Forget the grass! Eat the meat!]
[Did you forget?! You're so skinny because you spent your whole life eating stuff like that!]
I'm not that skinny!
[Yes, you are! That rotten adoptive father ate all the meat by himself while getting fatter and fatter!]
Cookie continued grumbling.
[Honestly, how did his stomach never burst?]
Trying not to laugh, Lucillea hid her smile.
Fine. I'll eat more meat.
She obediently put another piece of steak into her mouth.
[Good! Eleven o'clock! The maid said that's veal tenderloin!]
[Meat! Meat! Protein! Protein!]
The desperation in Cookie's voice was almost touching.
Even though he wasn't the one eating.
[Two o'clock! Sweet potato with cheese! Carbohydrates! Let's make our Lucy nice and chubby!]
Pffft—!
A laugh nearly escaped her.
She somehow managed to maintain a straight face while moving her fork.
Where does he even learn these words?
Had she accidentally used terms like protein and carbohydrates around him?
[Don't leave anything behind! What if that scary Grand Duke beats you like Shred did? Or starves you? Stuff everything into your stomach!]
Okay!
Following Cookie's enthusiastic guidance, Lucillea continued eating.
Before long, she was pleasantly full.
Just then, May approached from where she'd been standing against the wall and gently wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of Lucillea's mouth.
"Lady Lucillea, slow down. You're going to upset your stomach."
"Thank you, May."
As she chewed, Lucillea carefully glanced toward Elvadin.
I got so focused on eating that I almost forgot the important part.
Finishing her food mattered.
But this dinner was also an opportunity to observe Elvadin and Serdian.
Tap. Tap.
Using her fork to poke at the garnish vegetables, Lucillea shifted her gaze toward Serdian.
Beside her, Cookie's dark eyes followed suit.
This atmosphere is so cold.
[Seriously. I feel like I'm getting indigestion just sitting here.]
Cookie nodded in agreement.
Elvadin and Serdian looked almost identical.
They wore the same blank expressions.
Cut their meat at the same pace.
Chewed with the same composed movements.
There was something strange about it.
Lucillea was Elvadin's biological daughter.
Yet somehow Serdian looked more like his son than she did.
And it's not just because of the black hair and red eyes.
Even their aura felt similar.
That sharpness.
That coldness.
Still, did he really have to inherit the icy personality too?
For the first time, Lucillea thought she might understand why the original Lucillea had been jealous of Serdian.
Because he looked more like Elvadin's child than she did.
Perhaps she had believed Serdian stole her place.
The longing for her parents.
The inferiority she felt about her own identity.
The father she had finally found.
And beside him stood an heir who resembled him far more than she ever could.
Maybe she had believed Serdian had stolen not only her inheritance but also her father's love.
All those negative emotions must have eventually formed a massive knot of jealousy.
Lucillea looked at Serdian from beneath lowered lashes.
But I'm different, Serdian.
I don't need a father.
And I definitely don't need the position of heir.
Besides, I already know how the story ends.
I have no intention of bullying you.
And I'm not obsessed with my biological father.
She only wanted one thing.
To quietly stay here.
Save money.
Grow stronger.
And leave.
I'll go somewhere that has nothing to do with the original story.
Somewhere without my father.
Somewhere without the male lead.
Somewhere I can finally live freely.
So—
You can have him.
The father is all yours.
Just then—
Clink.
Elvadin set down his fork and looked at her.
"You eat as if you've been starving for days."
"Huh? M-Me?"
His expression clearly said:
Who else at this table looks like they've been starving?
Lucillea awkwardly coughed and quickly set her fork down.
Straightening her back, she answered properly.
"I haven't been starving. The food is just really delicious."
She smiled brightly.
"And leaving food behind is a bad habit."
Then she added proudly,
"Besides, I heard children my age look cutest when they eat well."
Elvadin tilted his head slightly.
"From whom?"
At the question, Lucillea's smile widened.
"My grandmother."
"......"
"......"
Suddenly, the dining room fell silent.
Even Serdian, who had been quietly eating the entire time, paused.
Ah...
That slipped out.
Mentioning the dead had a way of changing the mood.
I shouldn't have brought up Grandma...!
Clearing her throat, Lucillea hurriedly continued.
"Anyway!"
She smiled.
"I know all of this is because Your Highness took care of me. If I ever had the chance to see you again, I wanted to say thank you."
The words hung in the air.
Then Elvadin leaned back in his chair.
"Thank the ability inside you."
"......"
"I brought your ability here. Not you."
Lucillea's eyebrow twitched.
What...?
Technically, he wasn't wrong.
The Grand Duke's household searched for children with abilities.
That was the entire purpose.
And yet—
Why does that make me so annoyed?!
Did he really have to say it like that?
Cookie immediately exploded.
[Exactly! He's basically saying you're just an empty shell without your ability!]
Cookie... that's not exactly what he said.
Though...
The meaning wasn't entirely different.
Maybe fate simply didn't want her to get along with fathers.
She hadn't gotten along with her father in her previous life either.
Perhaps she was cursed.
Still, she couldn't exactly tell the Grand Duke his attitude sucked.
So Lucillea smiled brightly and replied,
"Then I'll take that as encouragement to develop my ability properly."
"That has nothing to do with me."
Elvadin's answer was immediate.
"Whether you develop it and find a future for yourself..."
His crimson eyes remained indifferent.
"...or fail and get thrown out."
"......"
And once again, Lucillea arrived at the same conclusion.
Yeah.
We definitely don't get along.