An Unforgettable Dinner with the Director

13

A mire of bleakness, a desolate bog.

Clammy, thick green swamp lurked, poised to devour any creature foolish enough to venture within.

One misstep would mean being swallowed by the inescapable mire, yet a man with a long, heavy spear slung over his shoulder strode across the bog as if it were solid ground.

He arrived at the entrance to a cave as dank and foul as the swamp itself.

The man exhaled a long sigh, grumbling as he stepped inside.

“Hey, I know you’re in there. Why don’t you come out?”

Silence answered him. Annoyed, the man slammed the butt of his spear against the ground.

The ground vibrated violently, as if an earthquake had struck. A moment later,

the cave wall split open, revealing an elderly, disheveled old man.

“What are you doing?! If you hurt my precious test subjects, will you take responsibility? If you want to show off your strength, do it somewhere else, you dolt!”

The man retorted without giving way, his voice as strident as the old man’s.

“Then come out when I call! Or file your reports on time! Do at least one of those things, you conscienceless geezer!”

“You dare…!”

The old man trembled, battered by the harsh words, but offered no retort.

It wasn’t for lack of something to say. The man before him was simply far stronger.

“Haa. Enough. So, anything found, any clue at all for this ‘key’?”

“…Nothing.”

“What? Then what have you been doing in the Empire?”

“Enough! How am I supposed to find something when I don’t even know where it is or what it looks like… *cough*?!”

The old man’s words were cut short.

A palpable killing intent emanated from the man with the spear, threatening to crush him.

“Listen closely. I’ll say this only once. The organization funds and staffs your repulsive research because they believe your… talents might lead to the key.”

In other words, should he be deemed unhelpful, funding would cease, and he would pay for what he’d already wasted.

“That price being your life, needless to say, yes? You’re an intelligent man, even if you don’t look it. Aren’t you?”

“I, I understand! Please…!”

The moment the man withdrew his killing intent, the old man collapsed onto the floor, retching violently.

The man looked down at him as if he were foul waste, then turned and said,

“A final message from Mother. Be careful of the Minister. Especially regarding experiments; don’t draw his eye with loud displays like last time.”

There were many individuals called Minister in this world, but among themselves, there was only one to whom that title specifically referred.

Erwin Barmut, Minister of Imperial Akherus Intelligence.

For them, he was the worst and most heavily guarded target.

“Haa, haa… I, understand…”

“Good. Then I’m off. Work hard. You don’t have much time left, you know.”

Having spoken his piece, the man seemed to leap away with a light step, vanishing from the cave.

Left alone, the old man clenched his teeth until blood trickled, glaring in the direction the man had disappeared.

‘Just you wait. The result will show who laughs last!’

Rising to his feet, the old man staggered back into the depths of the cave.

The split in the cave wall closed.

As if nothing had happened.

—

Celine struggled to suppress the corners of her lips, which kept wanting to curl upwards, but it was no use.

“Oh my, what a lovely bride and a handsome husband! Newlyweds? How wonderful!”

“Here, this is on the house! Giving it because the bride is so pretty!”

“He even does the grocery shopping with you, such a thoughtful husband! I’m so envious!”

That was the phrase Celine had been hearing incessantly since she’d used the excuse of buying ingredients for lunchboxes to come to the market with the Minister.

Well, not exactly incessantly.

They were pleasant words she wouldn’t mind hearing over and over, and after all, that was practically the reason she’d come grocery shopping with him in the first place.

‘So, is that really how the Minister and I look to others?’

To hide the flush she could feel rising on her cheeks, Celine lowered her head slightly as she walked, stealing glances at the Minister who was silently carrying the groceries beside her.

The Minister didn’t exactly deny it when the market vendors mistook him for her husband.

Of course, Celine knew the Minister’s personality well, or rather, thought she did, and figured he simply found it too bothersome to correct everyone.

Even so, it made her happy.

“Ahem, M-Minister. Is there anything you’d like to eat specifically?”

“Meat.”

“You said meat before. Won’t you have any vegetables or fruit?”

“Not particularly necessary.”

“It’s not that it’s not necessary, it’s essential nutrition, you know?”

Even amidst this kind of casual chatter, Celine’s spirits soared even higher.

Because this felt like a conversation brimming with everyday life, unlike their usual exchanges, and the content felt as if it belonged to a newlywed couple.

‘I’m so happy…!’

Indeed. Celine was undoubtedly feeling happiness.

But humans are creatures of boundless desires.

It is our nature that even when we obtain something we have yearned for, we immediately begin to desire something else.

Currently, Celine was consumed by the desire to “further advance the relationship.”

She would usually be extraordinarily cautious, but lately she had been feeling like things were going so well that she somehow felt like it might actually be possible.

As a result, Celine found herself speaking those words.

“Um, M-Minister. If, if I were to say that I wanted to come to your house and, and cook dinner for you, how would you react?”

“I would decline, saying you don’t need to go to such lengths.”

A clean and concise answer, without the slightest hesitation.

More stunned than disheartened, Celine quickly reproached herself.

‘Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! I’m such an idiot! I rushed things too much!’

Worried that she was about to ruin the cool image she had painstakingly cultivated, Celine fidgeted nervously, while the Minister surveyed the bags he was carrying, before turning to her and asking.

“Are we done with the shopping now?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. I believe I’ve seen it all.”

“Splendid. Then we shall leave these at your home and go to dinner together.”

“…Pardon?”

Celine’s face transformed like a pigeon struck by a slingshot.

—

I am, before I am Minister, a noble – the eldest son of a Duke’s house, at that.

Therefore, though it is somewhat uncouth to say myself, I am familiar with a few establishments of a certain… refinement.

Furthermore, as one who knows his manners, I understand that one must not only receive without giving.

Celine claimed that procuring the groceries was sufficient, but to let it pass at that would make the name of Barmut weep.

“Is there perhaps another matter you must attend to?”

“No, no, no, no, no! There isn’t! I am completely free!”

At my question, Celine turned her head with such force I feared she might snap her neck.

This one enjoys a free meal more than she lets on, it seems.

“Then we can simply drop off the parcels and leave right away.”

“I-is it so soon?! A-at least give me time to prepare…!”

“What preparation is needed simply to dine?”

Besides, I was growing rather hungry, and my desire to eat with haste was considerable. Thus, I moved the groceries into Celine’s house and promptly made for the restaurant I had reserved.

The restaurant’s name was ＜The Golden Gryphon＞. A rather luxurious place within the capital.

The prices are reasonable enough; a dinner here would allow me to eat packed lunches for months without feeling pangs of guilt.

And should it be insufficient, I can simply return.

“U-um, Minister…? This is The Golden Gryphon, isn’t it…? The one even members of the Imperial Family occasionally frequent…?”

“You know it well.”

David is quite fond of their duck confit, after all. As for Ellis, she is more enchanted by the desserts than the main courses.

“M-Minister? I-I am sorry, but my salary simply cannot afford…”

Hm?

What foolishness is this?

“I believe you are mistaken; I am paying.”

“A-ah, but this place is too… even in these clothes…”

I was unsure of the reason, but I felt if I left her be, she would continue to fidget without end. So I summoned a waiter and, at my leisure, ordered two servings of a suitable tasting menu.

“Hiek?!”

“What is it now.”

I wondered if she was angry because I’d ordered whatever I wanted, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Um, the price of the course meal that the Minister just ordered…”

“What about the price?”

“…It seems off.”

“It’s not off.”

Personally, considering the taste, I actually thought it was pretty cost-effective.

Speaking of which, aren’t there a lack of people?

At this hour, any restaurant would be at peak time, and it should be no different here, but it was strangely quiet.

Celine must have felt the same thing, as she was constantly looking around.

“…Minister, don’t tell me you booked the whole place…?”

Just as I was about to ask Celine what she was muttering, the waiter who took our order cautiously approached us with a bottle of wine.

“This is a small gift from the main branch to celebrate your special day.”

Winosus, aged 25 years, is it? A decent vintage.

But what did he just say?

A special day?

“Minister…?”

“No, wait. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

However, my words were drowned out as a curtain was drawn back at the far end of the restaurant, and a flamboyant orchestra appeared.

Wait a minute.

Hold on.

Seriously, hold on in so many ways.

“We’ve also prepared an orchestra to lighten the mood, however modestly, so please enjoy the music along with your meal.”

“Modestly? Those guys are ‘Armstrong’s Men’!”

Celine’s voice, a mix of surprise and delight, seemed to signal the start of the orchestra’s performance.

This is a disaster. At this rate, I’ll become that creepy boss who, without consent, prepared all sorts of things to seduce his subordinate secretary.

And waiter, you little brat, don’t give me that meaningful wink as if you know everything!

I wanted to explain this situation as quickly as possible, but the timing was off because the food came out shortly after the performance started, so I missed the chance to say anything.

“Minister! This, this is incredibly delicious!”

“……Fortunate, then.”

*Hum.*

Well, that’s that.

Celine wasn’t the type to misunderstand something like this, and besides, the girl who usually only ever did her work with such impassivity was looking so delighted. Didn’t seem right to ruin it with some pointless excuse.

After that, I happily enjoyed the drinks, the meal, and the music with Celine, now completely at ease.

Sometimes, something like this isn’t so bad.

Then, on a whim, I wondered how she would react if she saw this.

Would she be jealous and angry? Or would she offer a wry smile, say she understood, and then sulk afterwards?

Mulling over an answer I’d never know, I finished my meal, safely escorted Celine home, and then quietly returned to my own place.