#5. The Law of First Impressions (3)

The Béarn family’s dining table had always been known for its lavish spread. Eleonore had honestly wondered how it could possibly get any more extravagant, but after the margrave and his wife arrived, she had to reconsider.

It wasn’t simply a matter of there being more food. Whatever they’d added to the spices, the very same tenderloin steak had a far richer flavor. And yet the new aroma seemed oddly familiar.

From what she’d heard her mother and the head chef discussing, her mother had brought along spices they often ate in the West. Eleonore suspected they might have been the very spices she’d liked in her former life.

And today, with the man her parents had in mind as a prospective son-in-law at their table, the margrave and his wife managed to surpass Eleonore’s expectations once again.

At the endless procession of dishes across the table, their vibrant colors, and the powerful scent of spices, not only the invited guests, Dmitri and Daphne, but even Eleonore herself was left bewildered.

What if they’ve made this much and we can’t finish it all…?

But as soon as she took a bite of the beef-topped canapé served as an appetizer, those worries melted away like snow in spring.

Hehehe. It’s so delicious, I’m sure we’ll figure something out!

Unlike the carefree person beside him, Dmitri gazed at the food before him with a tense expression and cautiously broached the subject.

“The West certainly seems prosperous. This is a spread the Grand Ducal household couldn’t even dream of.”...