Her Sweet Smile Makes Her Look Happy

Chapter 107

The course meal went on at a smooth, flawless pace.

The second dish, seared scallops, was excellent too.

Sophia was also enjoying the meal far more comfortably than I'd expected.

That bastard Lucius had made such a fuss about how frail his little sister was that I'd wondered if she might collapse after swallowing a few grains of rice.

Luckily, it seemed to suit her taste.

Clink.

Then the server in charge approached and placed the third dish at the center of our table.

"This is lobster ravioli with a rich bisque foam. On top, we’ve lightly garnished it with citrus caviar and micro cilantro leaves for a refreshing touch."

The server's smooth explanation ended as the plate was set down.

It was plated like a work of art, the kind you'd only see at a Michelin three-star restaurant.

Beneath the translucent foam, plump ravioli were visible, and tiny, adorable green leaves were prettily scattered on top.

"Please enjoy."

After the staff member stepped away, I picked up my fork.

"Their sauce here is really good. Go ahead and try it."

"Yes. The aroma is quite distinctive, which I think is part of what makes it nice."

Sophia replied softly, taking up her knife and fork.

But then.

Freeze.

Sophia's fingertips, which had been happily carrying on with the meal just moments ago, suddenly stiffened slightly before reaching the plate.

'Hm?'

I stopped halfway through cutting the lobster ravioli in two and lifted my gaze slightly.

Sophia's blue eyes were wandering aimlessly over the plate.

Her thin lips moved faintly, an obvious sign of fluster.

'Does she have a lobster allergy?'

No. She had clearly said earlier that she had no seafood allergy.

Then did she dislike the fishy smell unique to shellfish?

That didn't seem to be it either. Her smile just now didn't look fake.

My eyes quickly scanned the plate where her gaze had come to rest.

Not the main ingredient, the ravioli, nor the bisque foam.

What her gaze was anxiously avoiding was.

'Ah.'

It was the micro cilantro leaves delicately sprinkled atop the ravioli.

'The ultimate love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, that stuff.'

From the chef's perspective, it was probably the perfect touch to bring out the flavor.

But for people genetically unable to stand cilantro's soapy scent, that tiny leaf could turn the whole dish into a minefield they wouldn't even want to put in their mouth.

And for a noble lady, picking out each tiny leaf one by one with a fork and pushing them to the side of the plate would look terribly unbecoming.

I loosened my grip on the knife.

'I have to earn my keep properly.'

The manners I'd promised Lucius weren't about making greasy, nauseating remarks like the empire's many buttered-up pretty boys.

They meant exactly this.

"Excuse me for a moment, Lady Rohanna."

I quietly set my fork down on the rim of the plate and spoke.

"Y-Yes? What is it?"

She looked up, startled.

"To be honest, I didn't really get to eat this morning because I was busy getting ready."

This morning, while taking care of Lily's breakfast, I'd also made myself a proper half-portion of omurice and eaten it, but that wasn't important.

"I arrived a little late, so I'm rather hungry. I'd like to ask your understanding."

"Ah… it's okay. Please, eat comfortably."

"No, that's not it."

I crossed my legs beneath the table.

"The gaps between courses feel a little long to me. If it's all right with you, milady, may I ask for the next course right away?"

"Ah…"

At my suggestion, Sophia blinked twice, and then.

"…Of course. Certainly."

She offered a clear smile.

"Please do as you like, Young Lord Farne."

"Thank you."

I grinned faintly, then lightly raised a hand toward the server who was circulating through the lobby.

Swoosh.

At that single gesture, the tuxedoed server who had been keeping a close eye on our table rushed over in an instant.

"Did you call for me?"

"Yes. Could you perhaps prepare the next course right away?"

"Of course."

The server showed not the slightest doubt, even though neither my plate nor Sophia's had been touched at all.

There was no unnecessary interference like asking why we weren't eating or whether the food didn't suit us.

'This place is pretty good.'

Although we'd moved up to the second-floor dining hall, it was clear the restaurant's manager and staff were treating me like a fourth-floor VVIP.

The service was on another level. Definitely worth the money.

"I'll have the main dish, the sea bass steak, set up right away. Please wait just a moment."

The server smoothly took away the lobster ravioli plates in front of us.

The table was clean again.

"…Thank you."

Once the staff member was completely out of earshot, Sophia held her water glass and whispered softly.

"Hm? For what?"

"Hehe."

Sophia let out a light laugh at my shamelessness.

Her shoulders, which had been faintly tense ever since she picked up the menu, now looked visibly relaxed.

"I know. That you were very hungry, Young Lord."

"That's right. So when the next dish comes out, I might end up cutting into it without any decorum. Don't judge me then."

"I won't judge you. Rather…"

Sophia tilted her head slightly and looked at me.

A few neatly arranged strands of hair slipped down over her slender cheek.

"You seem much kinder and more delicate than I'd imagined, so I'm a little surprised. I understand why Lucius praised you so much, Young Lord Farne."

"Hm. Whatever Lucius told you, don't believe it too much. That's a hundred percent a scam. I'm actually pretty indifferent and blunt by nature."

"Lies. You don't seem that way at all."

Her beaming smile somehow made her look happy.

* * *

After finishing a satisfying meal,

we left Grand Asteria Restaurant through its heavy glass doors, ready to head straight for the dessert café.

Whoosh.

The spring breeze along the river brushed softly past my cheeks, and my gaze naturally went to the area in front of the restaurant entrance.

There stood our family's carriage and the Rohanna family's carriage, lined up side by side.

I stood there quietly, looking back and forth between the two carriages.

'Tsk.'

This was, honestly, rather awkward.

We were on a blind date right now.

Since we weren't lovers sneaking off for a secret tryst, it was of course absolutely against etiquette for the two of us to ride together, pressed close inside a cramped carriage on a bright midday street.

So by the rules, we should each get into our own carriage here and ride separately to Salon de Lumière, which my brother had reserved.

Is this really right?

'This feels, well... awkward.'

My gaze naturally turned to Sophia standing beside me.

The sight of her brushing back her brown hair with a slender hand as the spring breeze ruffled it.

'Damn, I thought she was Lucius with long hair.'

I flinched for a moment, but she was still the same person I'd been dining with.

Judging by how she'd acted as if her arm were cramping even when lifting the menu earlier, she probably couldn't open a door by herself either, right?

Then what about climbing into the carriage?

'Wouldn't her legs cramp up? Or would she strain herself and catch a chill or something.'

…Possible.

At that point, Lucius would probably grab my collar and shake me, yelling, "How dare you lay a hand on my little sister?!"

But more than that, I'd probably feel disgustingly uneasy for a long, long time.

In more ways than one, this was not easy.

When I stood there without getting into the carriage, she quietly looked up at me with elegant eyes.

Rather than asking first whether I wasn't getting in, she waited for me to speak. That modest demeanor.

'What Lucius said was true, after all.'

She's really meek and obedient.

She's nothing like that obnoxious guy.

As I felt her gaze on me, an excuse to get out of the carriage trap came to mind.

I casually looked around the riverside district nearby.

"Lady Rohanna."

"Yes, Young Lord Farne."

"If you wouldn't mind, may I ask something?"

I pointed with my chin toward the river surface sparkling in the sunlight.

"The river's glitter is beautiful, so even if it means going a little off the capital's trends, would it be all right if we just went to a quiet café nearby?"

"You mean…"

"Rather than riding somewhere else by carriage, I'd rather have tea here as well."

At my suggestion, Sophia's blue eyes widened slightly.

It wasn't as if she had some disease that made walking fatal, was it.

But then.

"All right."

Her thin lips curved into a pretty arc.

It was the kind of smile that made the word elegant come to mind at once.

"I felt the same way, Young Lord."

That's really amazing.

Same face, but the texture of the feeling it gave off was so different from Lucius.

When Lucius smiles, it feels like, "What scheme is that bastard up to now?" but when Sophia smiles, it just feels like a watercolor painting.

I gave a light nod, then.

I offered Sophia the arm I'd bent inward for escorting her.

I bent slightly at the waist to meet her gaze.

"Then I'll escort you to the café."

"…Gladly."

This was the expensive arm I'd refused to give even when Elisiana and Iveline had tried to make me escort them.

But to settle my meal debt, Sophia's hand carefully came to rest on that outstretched arm.

The back of her hand was pale, matching her complexion, and the fingers gripping my arm were so thin they were almost like a skeleton's—

'That's enough.'

We dismissed the carriages and walked side by side to the small café in the alley right next door.

The three-tier dessert tray at Salon de Lumière that my brother had gone to the trouble of reserving might as well have flown away, but whatever.

Short and easy is best.

A little later.

Ding-ding—

We entered the café to the clear ring of the doorbell.

"Welcome."

It wasn't a place with gleaming marble and the sound of harps like the three-star restaurant we'd just been in.

Instead, there was the nose-stinging smell of freshly baked butter and the rich aroma of coffee.

And there was the special coziness of an interior filled with neat, vintage wooden decor.

There were a few customers scattered here and there, but it wasn't the kind of hot spot crowded with people like the place before.

Thanks to that, a single seat at the innermost window, with a full view of the riverside, happened to be left.

"The window seat over there, please."

"Yes, I'll show you there."

As soon as we reached the table under the staff member's guidance.

Rrrk.

Oh, no.

Pulling it out smoothly is surprisingly difficult.

That's a good way to lose points, isn't it?

"Please, have a seat."

"You didn't have to do that… thank you."

When I pulled out the chair for her, she sat down, neatly smoothing the hem of her dress with a shy smile.

I sat across from her as well and opened the menu I was handed.

Here, the menu was made of light paper.

There was no need to worry about today's date turning into an accident.

"Since we're both more or less full already, let's choose slowly this time."

At that, she answered with a bright smile from across the table.

"Yes. Thank you."

What was there to thank me for now?

After carefully looking over the menu, once Sophia seemed to have made up her mind, I called the waiter over.

"Hmm, one warm milk tea, and one berry tart, please, and..."

"I'll have a warm milk tea too."

"Understood."

After the staff member left, the languid afternoon sunlight stretched long across the table.

I rested my chin on my hand and absentmindedly looked out at the river's glitter beyond the window, then.

I naturally lowered my arm again.

'Ah. Manners.'

If Lucius found out I had propped my chin on the table during a date, wouldn't he shout, "That voids your meal debt!"?

That's why making good posture a habit matters.

But then.

"……?"

A gaze from across the table.

I could tell without even turning my head.

That Sophia was quietly looking at me.

"What's the matter?"

I took my eyes off the window and tossed out the question while meeting her gaze.

"Ah."

Sophia shrank her shoulders slightly as if startled, but soon smiled, her eyes gently curving.

"I was just… curious."

"Pardon? About what?"

"What kind of person you are."

"……Huh?"

"……Why?"