Bon Appetit (Manhwa)

Chapter 24

'I don't know what this feeling is....'

It might have been easier for him to guess his emotions if there were no entanglements. However, there were many things intertwined between the two, and the biggest part was cooking. That's why he couldn't know about his feelings. So for a while, he felt like he had to watch Luana more. After all, she had nowhere else to go. The duke will have plenty of time to observe.

The duke thought so and turned over the papers.

***

In the meantime, time passed, and the day to enter the palace came. The duke was also officially the leader of the Leviathan Knights. It was only natural to go to the palace and work.

It was a matter of course.

Somehow, he didn't feel like it. When he leaves the mansion, Luana remains here alone. Of course, a knight was attached, but he was not reassured because she was running around so much. Even so, he was reluctant to take her to the palace because he knew what the emperor was aiming for.

The Emperor has had everything he ever wanted. Even if it's a princess from another kingdom, he became interested in Luana. Their story could be over. He would not take her openly because it was an award given to his subjects, but he would not know if Luana's changed her mind. The emperor will take her with any excuse.

For that reason, the duke wanted to enter the palace alone. Because he needed Luana desperately now, he didn't want to return to his terrible old life.

"From tomorrow, I will enter the palace. So, stay calm at the mansion."

"I've always been calm, though?"

Luana, who brought the meal, answered calmly.

"You are?"

He asked back as if he was amazed, but she only answered with a smile. It was no use pretending not to be, as he was being reported daily what happened in the mansion.

Recently, Luana was curious about the fruit at the top of the garden tree and almost fell while picking it. It was embarrassing, but luckily there was a knight who was passed by and helped her. Or she could have been in big trouble.

Then Luana suddenly changes the topic.

"Can I go to the market instead? I heard there's a big market every five days on the street."

"The servant can get you all the ingredients, aren't they?"

"There might be some ingredients that I don't know!"

"I'll tell them to buy every ingredients."

"It's another fun thing to go to the market and choose ithe ingredients by myself, right?"

Luana continued to insist with her stubborn look.

"I'll go with Way."

And he didn't like the way she said Way's name and presented it as a trump card. It's not safe to go with the chef at all. At least, he thought he would be relieved in many ways if she went with a knight-level person.

"Okay."

Luana's expression bloomed at the duke's words. But he tilted his head to the following words.

"If you really want to go, I'll go with you on my day off."

"Aren't you busy?"

"I can spare about a day."

'No matter how hard it is, the duke doesn't have to follow me to the market, though?' Luana questioned but did not point it out. It was a chance to go to the market and look around at the ingredients! It doesn't matter to go with who! Luana was satisfied just by going out.

"Alright!"

The Duke also agreed. A sense of satisfaction in him came up from the depths of his chest.

***

And the next day has come.

The duke entered the imperial palace. He returned to the Imperial Palace after a long time, but nothing had changed. So was the work routine. He organized documents related to the Knights and trained the Knights. Time passed quickly when he was training together with them.

It was lunchtime. Unlike other knighthoods, the Leviathan Knights' chef was among the most skilled in the Empire. It was because the Duke brought the chef himself and assigned them here. Because of that, the food was especially delicious, so other knights were even jealous.

If there was one problem, the delicious dish was still tasteless to the duke. It tasted like medicine, and sometimes it tasted like trash. It was the same today.

For his lunch, the chef served delicious steak, potato salad, and lunch with some fruits.

"Is it delicious?"

"The Leviathan Knights are the best in terms of food and strength!"

The knights happily continued their meal, but the duke didn't. He just frowned at the meal in front of him.

It was more difficult to eat food because he only ate delicious food lately. He tried some of the steaks, but it felt like chewing a bark with no taste. So was the potato salad.

"I have to eat.'

Even though Legion knows he has to eat, he refuses inside. Eating was difficult even though he knew it was hard to do proper training if he was starving. In the end, the duke left most of the food served to him.

When he bit the food, the rich juice filled his mouth. The savory taste of meat, the slightly bitter and sweet taste of vegetables, and the sauce combined with it brought out the taste of the food to the fullest. It was hard to hold a fork anymore when he thought of it.

'I shouldn't get too used to the witch's food either.'

Knowing that his body refused to eat other people's food after a long time. The witch was harmful. The witch's food bound him. But knowing that, the duke had no choice but to fall into it.

**

Wipe wipe-

Luana, cleaning her precious jar, suddenly looked up at the sky. The sun was up, and it was around noon. 'Is the duke eating properly?' The sudden thought made me worried.

He was barely gaining weight, but if he didn't eat lunch, he would have started losing weight again.

'That's not good! We've came so far!'

She cooked and fed the duke breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even at midnight. Luana couldn't let her hard work go in vain.

'Is there any way?'

A lunch box popped up in her head.

'Should I make a lunch box and send it to him every lunch? Sandwich or easy-to-eat foods. It will take a bit more work to prepare in the morning, but I don't think it's a bad idea.'

"That's it!"

Luana will have to ask the butler for the lunch box. She finished wiping the remaining jar and headed to the kitchen at the annex. She felt like she had to come up with a nutritious lunch box.