Episode 28
Lapis was annoyed by everything. I'm angry that he was separated from his other half, Rajri, but these ignorant things dragged him to dinner.
He ate his meal in silence at the table prepared for the knights.
“I'm a hostess and I don't admit anything. They say they can't stand not taking me to the battlefield…….”
Lapis was also dissatisfied with the new hostess. A guy who makes a fuss if you invite him to a wedding, and he's so dissatisfied that he didn't invite. Corinne really thought that puberty was a tiring thing.
“By the way, this war seems to be getting longer.”
Corinne's expression was the same. Corinne didn't like nobles very much. The reason he went to prison in the first place was because he was framed by the aristocratic owner. That's why I agreed with Lapis' opinion that Elisha didn't like it for no reason.
“Is it because of the war? The rice, which was usually tasteless, is even worse today.”
Lapis' request to improve his diet was recently rejected for the 24th time.
“Corin. Don't complain about rice. Not even a child.”
Nora pointed out quietly.
“No, I'd rather go to the battlefield and eat something like this to feel better. Why don't you call us?”
Corinne grumbled.
“As long as you send me a telegram, I will go to the front line anytime. That's a bit disappointing.”
Nora rarely expressed her feelings.
She was really weird. Normally, everyone should have been recruited and had fun slaughtering enemies on the battlefield.
“Do you have anything to keep in this mansion?”
“…….”
“…….”
Everyone was silent. The only recent change in the mansion was that the general had a new wife.
At that time, Lapis's eyes widened.
“Is that person here alone?”
Their gazes simultaneously turned to the most prestigious seat. The action of the soldiers, who were sitting at an outdoor table and eating ravenously, stopped. Among them, Elisha sat alone in the prepared seat.
No one talked to her about her. She ate with minimal food in a quiet manner. Ordinary aristocratic women would cry and freak out if they ate alone among soldiers. But she didn't look too uncomfortable.
“Having courage is great.”
Corinne said with a sense of exasperation. Then Elisha got up and she slowly came towards them.
'Now……. You're coming this way, right?'
Everyone exchanged glances with each other. It was a perplexing gaze. First of all, my feelings for Elisha were not close due to various things.
Besides, she really didn't know how to deal with it. Their owner has never properly introduced Elisha.
“Hello.”
Elisha came over to them and greeted them formally. Then, she stared at Lapis with her doll-like face, then threw out a word.
“But why is Lapis here?”
“What do you mean?”
Lapis raised his head in irritation. Elisha spoke calmly and softly.
“According to Lapis' employment contract number 73, you have the right not to be summoned anywhere on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Today is the fourth Tuesday of the week. So Lapis has no obligation to come out here. Go to your room and enjoy your meal. Have a servant send you a meal. Wizards need time alone, because magic is a realm of creation, just like art.”
Arguably, it was the first time they had all heard Elisha speak at such length. Lapis doubted his ears. Still, he slowly rose from his seat.
“Are you serious? Will you tell the general later?”
“That's an employment contract, so why not keep it?”
The corners of Lapis' mouth began to twitch.
'Hey, you're quite thoughtful, aren't you?'
Lapis headed to Lululala's room. Corinne was squeezing her mouth.
'What is this woman? Where does she listen to please her?'
It seemed that he was trying to please the reputation of Bona Mana and the Black Lion Knights seeds. Elisha's gaze returned to Corinne this time.
“She said it was Corinne.”
“Hmm, what. It is.”
“Take your food from my table. It's too much for me to eat alone. I will tell you to take care of the diet.”
What was placed in front of Corinne was black bread, macaroni, and roasted pork leg.
“The food combination is terrible. I will talk to the chef again about the menu selection. We plan to improve the meal, so please let us know what you have to say. Really, it's a rude menu.”
Elisha spoke softly in her tone, but her pronunciation was clear.
'Do you know what this menu means?'
Upon hearing that, Corinne couldn't believe her ears.
Grain porridge soaked in bits of roasted dried pork on barley black bread and macaroni. It was a diet that came out 7 times out of 10 in prison. Even so, there were days when only bread and water were served.
It was purely coincidental that the chef chose this menu, but……. It was natural that the average person would not know the hidden meaning of this menu. Corinne looked at Elisha. He asked in a more polite tone.
“Have you ever been there?”
“Are you coming and going?”
“That, a place like bread……. Well, by the way.”
Elisha smiled as if she couldn't see it when she heard that. Her smile was so faint that she couldn't see it.
“I just heard a lot of miscellaneous things. You suffered in prison for unfair things, but you have to be considerate of even trivial things like this.”
Corinne enlisted as a prisoner. Because he once served some prisoners serving their sentences by enlisting in the army. After meeting Lucerne, he appealed with his help, and was found guilty at trial.
“Fortunately, there are many kinds of food prepared for me. I'll have a servant take it over to the table over here.”
A simple Corinne's mouth parted.
“Aren't you afraid of me, lady?”
Even if Corinne is innocent, noble ladies would be frightened if they had been to prison. Elisha looked like she had heard a strange question.
“Should I be afraid of my husband's knights?”
“Well, it's not…….”
“Eat in peace. Nora. If you need anything, come anytime. She was always nice to me, but I never got to say thank you.”
“Yes. Ma'am.”
Elisha added a few more friendly words to Nora. The conversation was quickly over, as she barely answered Nora. But Nora could see that she liked Elisha.
Elisha lightly turned her back.
* * *
'Have you been to bread?'
Elisha couldn't help but laugh at that question. The last memory of her previous life. At that time, Elisha was in danger of being hanged due to Jacob's drug trafficking at a store created in her name. She was then detained in a detention center for several days under the pretext of an investigation.
'That bastard's macaroni and black bread.'
The menu came out day and night to the point where I really vomited. She suffered from an inner illness, though she hardly ate.
And Elisha ran away just before the trial and she was caught by Jacob and killed. That's her last memory of her previous life, so she only knew her regular prison menu that Corindo knew.
That evening, Elisha ran into Lapis while walking down the hallway. For some reason, Lapis made eye contact. Lapis was heading somewhere with books in his arms.
'I'm not all grown up when I'm 14.'
Still, she goes to the battlefield. She didn't seem to have anyone who looked after her. At that moment, Elisha somehow felt sorry for Lapis.
“Can you send someone to help, Lapis?”
“Clause 12.”
“A wizard's data cannot be tampered with by others. He makes exceptions if he obtains prior permission from the person himself, or if he has received permission from his brother Rajri to act on behalf of him. I see.”
“…….”
Lapis dropped the book. Suddenly, the book crumbled in his hand.
“Article 33 of the employment contract. Do you know that too?”
“Notify two days before the owner's congratulations or condolences. Oh right. Sorry. I couldn't get a wedding notice. As you can see, I was in a hurry to get married.”
“Buy…… Apologize. Are you apologizing to me for that?”
“Rather than an apology, it's a request for consideration. I wasn't in a position to invite anyone to that wedding, and I didn't know Lapis at the time.”
Lapis' hands trembled at the words that fell from Elisha's mouth.
“I'm rational, I'm rational, I'm a civilized person.”
That was the kindest treatment Lapis received after coming to this house.
Elisha didn't know why Lapis was so thrilled. She tilted her head.
“Did you read my employment contract?”
“No.”
Lapis frowned. Then it is. I must have read all of it…….
“I memorized everything. I tend to memorize what I read.”
“…….”
“It was mostly reasonable. Since there is fairness with other knights, I will protect what I can, if not all. By the way, Lapis?”
Elisha thought that Lapis's complexion was not good.
“Are you okay? Is there anything I can help you with?”
Elisha said without thinking. It was his wife's role to take care of the general's soldiers.
Lapis quietly replied.
“Not now.”
“Then let me know if there is anything I can help with.”
“You mean like your sister?”
“Sister…… Yo. This?”
Elisha's expression became strange. Is there a difference between just helping and helping like an older sister?
“If you want, you can.”
Lapis recalled his earlier determination. The determination to boycott the self who thought that the marriage in Lucerne had disrespected the Black Lion Knights.
Lapis forgot about the past and replied brightly.
“Yes. Sister!”
It was the moment when Elisha made Lapis, the most demanding of the famous Black Lion Knights, on her side.