“……!”
Lionel’s face flushed a deep crimson in an instant. His golden eyes widened to the size of saucers, and tears began to well up and roll down his cheeks.
“Cough, hack! Ugh… Gah!”
After just one spoonful of gukbap, he was doubled over, his back heaving as he coughed violently. He slammed the spoon down with a gesture that looked more like an act of pure despair than irritation.
“Gasp… What… what did you put in this?! Hack, cough!”
“Uh… a special seasoning?”
“You… you’re trying to assassinate me!”
The dignity he’d carried was nowhere to be found as he choked for air. The prickly Crown Prince from the novel had vanished, in his place was a pitiful soul drowning in the spice.
“Wheeze, hack!”
Curled over and gasping for breath, he looked less like royalty and more like a stray kitten hissing at a vacuum cleaner.
“I’m so sorry. Is it that spicy?”
At my words, Lionel glared up at me, his eyes sharp. Yikes, terrifying. He was slightly shorter than me, giving him the vibe of a feisty lynx, but Imperial blood clearly ran thick, his expression was that of a young tiger. Or maybe a dragon hatchling? Feeling genuinely bad, I hurriedly held out a cup of water.
“Quick, drink this.”
Lionel snatched the cup, chugging it down before sticking his tongue out to cool it. He then reached into his robe and pulled something out. Inside a glittering silver wrapper was what looked like a pill-shaped candy. The moment he unwrapped it, a sharp scent of mint hit my nose. Wait… mint? Oh no.
“You shouldn't eat that right now!”
But before I could stop him, it was already in his mouth. And then...
“Hic!”
Lionel’s shoulders shuddered violently, and this time, tears actually began to stream down his face. The cooling sensation of the mint had collided head-on with the capsaicin still lingering on his tongue. When hot and cold signals hit at the same time, the brain glitches, and the pain doubles. Clutching the table, he asked between sobs.
“Why… is it getting… even hotter…?!”
“Probably… because the brain is getting signals for both extreme heat and cold at once and is getting confused…?”
“Nonsense… huff… stop talking… pant. How dare a low-born like you… try to, huff, lecture me… gulp!”
The insufferable royal, he couldn't even swallow his own spit properly, yet he still managed to be condescending. I sighed and wiped the corners of his mouth with my sleeve.
Lionel, who was currently a mess of saliva and melted candy, ended up grabbing my sleeve and wiping his face on it. It seemed he was experiencing the "spice of life" for the very first time.
Honestly, this is what happens when you raise a kid in a glass house. I’d heard Imperial palaces were hubs for poisonings and assassinations, but I guess I hadn't heard much about him having siblings to toughen him up.
…Well, calling him a "glass house" kid just because he can't eat spicy food is a bit much, but still.
Anyway, I hope I don’t get executed for this. As I watched him with concern, Lionel suddenly slapped my wrist away and stood up abruptly.
“Uh, where are you going?”
His cold, golden eyes pierced through me.
“Is there any reason I should pay for such… atrocious food?”
“What……?!”
Wait, is he trying to pull a "dine and dash"?
I was indignant. My heart sank and anger flared. But technically, he wasn't wrong. He’d only managed one spoonful before nearly dying, he hadn't actually eaten a meal. Plus, it was my fault for pre-mixing the seasoning. I should have served it on the side.
Still, the bitterness remained.
“With hair that gold, you should be throwing gold coins around… is the shiny head just for show?”
I muttered a quiet, “Cheval…” (Sht) under my breath. While it’s rude to curse at someone’s face, it’s a privilege of being a possessor, people in this world don’t understand Korean slang. But the moment the words left my mouth, Lionel’s eyes glinted sharply.
“You… did you know I was the Crown Prince of Chevalier?”
“Huh?!”
What is he talking about?! Did he just mistake my curse for his Empire’s name? Good grief, what a Chevalier situation! While I scrambled for an excuse, Lionel nodded, convinced.
“I see. That’s why you served me this food, to assassinate me.”
“No, that’s not it! And can't you see everyone else eating it happily?”
He turned his gaze toward the other customers. They were all sweating, their lips stained red, blissfully inhaling their spicy gukbap.
“…Then, what was that word you just said?”
I blinked, feigning calm. “It was just… a metaphor.”
“…….”
For a second, Lionel’s swollen lips twitched. His golden eyes wavered and his face flushed, despite coming in a hood to hide his identity, he had ended up outing himself. He opened his mouth to say something, but his throat wouldn't cooperate.
Ding~!
A clear, sharp bell rang through the shop, and the air inside the inn instantly went cold.
At the familiar silence, I reflexively looked up. Standing in the doorway was Theord Valen Hardt, my inn's first "h-," I mean, guest.
“…….”
The other customers lowered their heads and went silent.
Lionel’s expression stiffened, and he pulled his hood down deeper. Theord, walking toward his usual seat, spared a glance at Lionel. When he gave a slight nod, Lionel responded with a sharp jerk of his chin.
I scrambled into the kitchen to grab a pot. I added the toppings and hesitated for a moment before adding the seasoning.
What if he ends up like Lionel?
After some deliberation, I served the spicy paste in a separate small dish. Theord’s blue eyes locked onto mine, questioning the change.
“Ah, it’s a new handmade seasoning. It has an excellent spicy flavor, but it’s quite strong. Please be careful…!”
Before I could finish, Theord gave a quiet nod, and dumped the entire dish of seasoning into his soup.
“Gasp!”
I’d given him a large portion so he could adjust it to his taste!
The broth turned blood-red in an instant. My eyes went wide with shock, and beside me, even Lionel was staring at Theord with a stunned expression.
Theord’s blue eyes stared into the fiery red depths of the soup. Then, he slowly lifted his spoon.
I swallowed hard, following his every move in breathless silence. Finally, the hot broth touched his lips, and his Adam's apple moved slowly as he swallowed.
Then, his blue eyes flew open.
“……!”
Is it… is it too spicy?
I hurried over with a cup of water. But Theord didn't move. Without shedding a single drop of sweat, he continued to eat the gukbap spoon after spoon.
They called him the "Cold-blooded Knight," but was his blood literally made of ice? He didn't just drink the broth, he mixed in the rice, scraped the pot clean, and even crunched through the kkakdugi. Lionel watched the scene, gulping in disbelief. I stole a glance at the Prince and carefully slid a bowl of plain, milky gukbap toward him.
“This one isn't spicy. Please try this.”
Lionel’s golden eyes narrowed suspiciously, but he eventually took a spoonful.
“……!”
Seeing his eyes widen, I smirked. Behold, the power of MSG!
Lionel’s fingers trembled slightly as he whispered, “…There is a flavor in this world I have yet to encounter?”
Well, it’s an artificial flavor created by modern science. I couldn't say that, so I just gave a vague smile. Lionel’s lips were set in a thin line, but his spoon didn't stop. Half the pot vanished in no time. As Theord swallowed his final bite, I offered him water and asked cautiously.
“Was it to your liking?”
Theord took the water and looked at me. His blue eyes swirled with an unreadable depth. Then, he nodded slowly.
“…Yes.”
With that short reply, the corners of his mouth lifted, slowly, very slowly.
“…Gasp!”
“Ugh, it’s blinding.”
The voice from one of the customers wasn't an exaggeration.
Theord Valen Hardt. His smile was a weapon. It was a spear that pierced the heart, a hymn that shook the soul. For a moment, the world went white and I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Clink.
What landed on the table was a staggering 5 silver.
But his words were heavier than the silver.
“Thank you for the meal, again.”
As he slowly stood up to leave, my heart began to race. It thundered so loudly I had to clutch my chest to stay upright.
Ah, Theord. Is he even human? Is he an angel? Or a saint in a knight’s armor? It felt as though invisible wings were spreading from his back. An illusion of white feathers fluttering in the wind filled my vision.
I bit my lip, feeling a surge of emotion.
I couldn't deny it anymore. I had become a devoted follower.
“I found him… my love.”
The whisper escaped my throat. I barely held myself back from kneeling as he walked away, offering a silent prayer with my eyes.
Just then, someone else stood up, breaking my gaze.
It was Lionel. His golden hair shimmered as it escaped his hood. As he prepared to leave, the emotional tears I’d just felt vanished instantly. I cleared my throat and asked.
“Sir, the bill……?”
At that, Lionel scoffed, his golden eyes narrowing coldly.
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