Chapter 74

“I’m glad Iris gave up her seat. Honestly, I was worried about how to bring it up since I could only book a table for two.”

Estelle spoke with a bright smile from across the table.

Of course, that was a complete lie.

From the start, the reservation was for a four-person table, and bringing one more person wouldn’t have been an issue.

But Estelle had deliberately chosen not to invite Iris and made sure to emphasize that she had only been able to book a table for two.

This way, even if Theo found the food delicious, the possibility of him suggesting they invite Iris was completely shut down.

“If it tastes good, we should come again next time with Iris.”

Of course, Theo, completely unaware of Estelle’s intentions, casually suggested bringing Iris along next time.

“More than that, I’m really looking forward to this. Back when I briefly lived as an adventurer, I ate all kinds of monster meat, but to be honest, it was never actually good.”

Having run away from home as a child and joined Duncan’s party, Estelle had personally handled and cooked quite a variety of monster meats.

There were some that were at least edible, but nothing she could genuinely call delicious. In truth, she was even more eager to try Priuni’s cooking than Theo was.

“You were an adventurer?”

Rather than focusing on the monster meat, Theo focused on the fact that Estelle had once been an adventurer.

“Oh, yes. When I was really young. That’s actually how I know Duncan.”

As Estelle fondly recounted how Duncan and his party had taken her in when no one else would, her expression became incredibly warm and full of life.

“Do you still keep in touch with them?”

“Yes, we still keep in touch from time to time. And since I can use teleportation magic, I occasionally visit them in person.”

Indeed, Estelle was one of the few people who could use teleportation magic without distance restrictions, so meeting her old comrades wasn’t particularly difficult.

“But ever since I was officially declared a Saintess, I’ve been trying to move more cautiously.”

“You didn’t seem cautious at all when Duncan called you this time.”

“Well, I owe Duncan enough that I don’t mind making an exception for him. It was the first request he ever made of me, so I just thought I had to do it no matter what.”

Duncan was never one to ask favors from someone much younger than him.

Since he had always grumbled that it was because he didn’t fully trust her, the fact that he had entrusted Theo to her this time had actually made Estelle quite happy.

“Anyway, enough of that gloomy talk. Since it’s just the two of us today, why don’t we set the mood a little?”

“The mood?”

Theo tilted his head in confusion, but Estelle continued as if it didn’t matter.

“Tonight, I’m your girlfriend, and you’re my boyfriend. Usually, when two people come to a place like this alone, that’s what it means, right?”

Estelle’s sudden declaration completely caught Theo off guard, leaving him visibly flustered.

“Uh… is that so? But I think friends come to places like this together all the time too.”

“Oh, come on, just this once! It’s been my dream to go on a date like this with my boyfriend.”

Hearing that it had been a dream of hers, Theo realized that it probably didn’t matter who the boyfriend was. He accepted that and gave a small nod.

“Hehe…”

Of course, Estelle wanted to date Theo. He was someone no one else could ever replace.

She had asked him to play along just this once, but deep down, she was thinking:

If I use this opportunity to properly show him how I feel, Sir Theo’s attitude toward me will definitely change. Then, I’ll be able to find out exactly how he feels about me.

She had already noticed Theo looking flustered from the start, but she convinced herself that it was only because she had brought it up so suddenly.

“But I’ve never dated anyone before or done anything like this. Wouldn’t it be better to do this with someone else instead of me?”

“Absolutely not!”

At Theo’s awkward remark, Estelle was so startled that she instinctively shouted.

“Uh… what?”

“N-No, I mean… It’s just that… I don’t have any other guy friends besides you, so…!”

“Oh, I see.”

“Y-Yeah…! That’s all it is…!”

Realizing she had raised her voice without meaning to, Estelle hurriedly tried to smooth over the situation and let out a sigh of relief.

“Hmm, since we’re supposed to be a couple…”

Suddenly, Theo stood up.

“Huh? Sir Theo…?”

Thump—

Theo, who had been sitting across from her, got up and moved to sit beside her.

“Normally, couples sit next to each other and even feed each other, right? Or… am I just showing how much my idea of romance comes from media?”

He spoke with a playful smile, but Estelle’s heart was already pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. Just from the fact that he was now sitting next to her.

“S-So… does that mean… y-you’ll feed me, too?”

“Of course. Practicing things like this is important.”

Though Estelle felt a little disappointed that Theo called it “practice”, she decided to be satisfied with this much for now. She nodded her head and flashed a bright smile.

It was the brightest smile she had ever shown.

“I will now serve the appetizer.”

As the two unknowingly indulged in their playful banter, the food finally began to arrive.

“The appetizer is thinly sliced raw slad meat. It is paired with a blueberry sauce, which complements the meat’s flavor perfectly.”

It was common knowledge that slad meat could be eaten raw as sashimi or tartare.

However, since it had an overwhelmingly fishy taste, it was usually only eaten raw by adventurers who were in a hurry.

“Oh, slad sashimi? Isn’t this something busy adventurers eat?”

Having a good grasp of that fact, Theo commented in surprise.

“Yeah, exactly. I tried it once when I was an adventurer, and it was ugh. To think they’re serving this as the first dish…”

Unlike Theo, who found it intriguing and was full of curiosity, Estelle had already tasted slad meat before and wore a clearly uneasy expression.

“Then how about I try it first and let you know how it is? What do you think?”

Seeing Estelle’s hesitation, Theo offered to be the taste tester.

“O-Oh, thank you.”

If it had been anything else, she might have been fine, but Estelle had a hard time eating anything too fishy. In the end, she had no choice but to rely on Theo.

This is ridiculous! I was supposed to be the one confidently guiding him and creating a sweet, romantic mood! Why does the first dish have to be this of all things?!

While Estelle sighed inwardly, Theo casually picked up a slice of slad meat, dipped it into the sauce decorating the plate, and popped it into his mouth.

“Hmm…!”

“How is it, Sir Theo?”

“This… is actually delicious!”

“It’s… not fishy?”

“Yes! Not fishy at all! In fact, it’s even tastier than beef tartare! The tangy blueberry sauce pairs with it perfectly. Wow, this is seriously a delicacy!”

Theo wasn’t the type to lie or tease someone for not being able to eat something.

Estelle knew that very well, so after swallowing nervously, she picked up a piece of slad meat and put it straight into her mouth.

“Huh…? Oh? It’s actually… good?”

And the moment she tasted it, she couldn’t help but be surprised.

The last time she had tried to mask the fishy taste by dousing the meat in salt and pepper, it had only ended up tasting even fishier, as if rejecting the seasoning altogether.

How did they manage to eliminate the fishiness? If no one told her, she wouldn’t have even guessed this was slad meat.

“Right? It’s incredible! I’m already excited, and this is just the first dish!”

“I’m so relieved that you like it, Sir Theo.”

“I’m just glad that you can enjoy it too, Estelle.”

Once Theo was given a role, he carried it out with complete dedication.

“After all, no boyfriend in the world would want his girlfriend to struggle with her food, right?”

Maybe that was why.

Hearing Theo speak in a tone far sweeter than usual, Estelle felt as if her heart might melt.

Theo was naturally kind to both Estelle and Iris.

However, ever since they started dating, his voice had become even gentler.

This… it really felt like a side of Theo that only she knew.

Iris had probably never even imagined a situation like this, so there was no way she would know.

And Theo himself had said he had never been in a relationship before.

Then… wasn’t this really a side of Theo that only she knew? Crazy. Crazy. This was absolutely crazy.

The Theo that only Estelle knew.

To her, that was as precious as a treasure.