An Extra Who Wants To Escape The Obsessive Male Lead - Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Mistake…?
I blinked my eyes.
Was he saying it was so bad that it qualifies as a mistake even though I haven’t tasted it? That couldn’t be right, could it…?
“Shall I cook for you myself?”
Diello suggested with a soft smile.
I was convinced, due to those words, that there was something definitely wrong with the food.
“Okay.”
I replied, nodding my head in agreement. When I did, my gaze caught the subtle exchange of glances among the maids who stood behind Diello, each carrying the meal trays.
Did he also notice it?
As he gently held my hand and led me, his eyes, resembling a tranquil lake, shimmering beneath his long, delicate lashes.
“I will personally serve you, my beloved wife.”
He uttered, his unwavering gaze fixed solely upon me. With every step we took, I couldn’t help but notice the maids deliberately averting their eyes, their actions speaking volumes.
…This must be what Diello was aiming for.
“Okay.”
I responded, rising from my seat and following him, my mind still filled by the image of the bloodstain I glimpsed when he casually wiped his mouth with a napkin.
* * *
Diello and I entered the kitchen, dismissing all the chefs so that only the two of us remained in the spacious room, even clearing the areas with flames.
Curiously, I turned to him and asked.
“Do you know how to cook?”
Diello tilted his head slightly, indicating his uncertainty.
“I’m not sure if I can satisfy a gourmet like you.”
He replied, suggesting that he lacked cooking skills. I chuckled softly in response.
“Well, I’m not too picky when it comes to food.”
When I answered, his eyes widened.
“Really?”
He asked, seemingly surprised. His expression seemed to say that he found it unexpected. It reminded me of the original story, where Krua was such a gourmet that she had to replace the palace chef multiple times before personally selecting one.
“…If it’s something you cooked, then yes.”
I quickly remedied and tried to cover up my embarrassing words, which were unnecessary, considering there were no people below the third floor who needed to witness a sweet couple act. I instinctively fanned myself.
“Since you’re so understanding, I should try even harder.”
Diello said, smiling lightly.
Fortunately, what he wanted to cook wasn’t a complicated dish. Grilled mushrooms, which Krua liked, and pasta made with those mushrooms. I watched him cook and asked, pretending not to notice that he was deliberately not revealing what happened earlier.
“It’s poisonous, isn’t it?”
I was referring to the reason he had withdrawn from the table earlier and why he was deliberately cooking the food. His movements, holding the pan, paused for a moment.
“You’re too much for me.”
“Pardon?”
I could barely hear his voice.
It was a voice that made my heart flutter as if whispering something in secret. No, there was no need to deny the excitement. If I wanted to deceive people, I had to deceive myself first.
“It seems like the ingredients were poisonous.”
I spoke up.
Fwoosh!
A white flame with magical power erupted from his fingertips and passed through the food. Ah, that was the ability mentioned in the original story.
“It’s the Flame of Purification.”
Diello said briefly, shaking the white flame in his hand.
“It’s used to neutralize poisons. The reason why the Argenta family has had fewer cases of poisoning compared to other families… is because of this.”
He narrowed his eyes as he went on.
“Fortunately, it seems that they didn’t know about this information.”
Thud.
The next moment, a plate was placed in front of me. The food, with a crispy texture and a tempting aroma, looked delicious. Based on his plating skills, it didn’t seem like he had only practiced cooking once or twice.
“Do you cook often?”
I asked.
“Even if I can neutralize poisons.”
Diello smiled with a pained expression.
“Well, but I couldn’t always do it blatantly.”
Of course, he couldn’t be seen inspecting the food with a flame in front of everyone. It would have changed the atmosphere in Argenta, and the rumor would have turned Diello into suspicious instead of gentle.
“Is it overcooked?”
When he tapped the plate of pasta as though asking if I liked it or not, I rolled the pasta with my fork and lifted it up as if to say, ‘It’s perfect.’ Overcooked pasta wouldn’t taste good, but his dish wasn’t like that. Even though I may not be as much of a gourmet as the original Krua, I still pay attention to these things.
“That’s a relief.”
Diello placed the plate of pasta in front of me, and now, we could finally have a proper meal. Nonetheless, I wondered if it was really safe even though there was poison in the food before. Even if he used the flames of purification, I couldn’t be so sure…
As if he could notice my concerns, Diello tasted the pasta first.
“There’s no problem, Krua.”
“Are you sure?”
However, the problem wasn’t just this pasta. It was clear that the stain Diello wiped off with the napkin earlier was blood.
“You ate the poison.”
At my words, he smiled faintly.
“You’re a kind wife.”
It was at that moment that I thought his voice sounded so melancholic.
“Argenta, who can release the flames of purification, wouldn’t have a big reaction to a small poison.”
That was true, but then, why was there blood? Without realizing it, I stared closely at his face.
Diello blinked his eyes and then smiled.
“I’m really fine. If anything feels strange, I’ll let you know.”
And then he slightly tilted his face towards me.
“Since I’ve started the contract with Krua, my body is no longer solely mine.”
“That’s… true.”
It was a valid point. Whether he knew or not that he had the ability to make ordinary words sound strangely alluring, Diello showed me the fork.
He was telling me to eat quickly.
…This really felt like a honeymoon.
As I watched his figure, I scratched my cheek.
* * *
On that night, some of Argenta’s servants were slaughtered. Not only the head chef and kitchen assistants but also the ones who procured the ingredients.
Thud.
In the dimly lit dining room, Rick, the head of the intelligence department, walked out with a bright smile. He wiped the blood splattered on his face with a white napkin and set it on fire.
* * *
“The intelligence department is tracking who’s behind this.”
The next morning, Diello said so. The reason behind the food mishap was because enemies infiltrated among the ones who procured the ingredients.
“You should be careful, Krua.”
Although they identified some enemies, the mastermind was still unclear. It could be either Alors or Cartiel.
“I suggest you stay with the knights on the fourth floor at all times, or with me.”
At least the mastermind was caught.
Diello had a worried expression on his face.
In the early morning, with the sun rising, the bright light seeped through the thick curtains, causing his face to shimmer. As he reclined on the bed, delicately running his fingers through my hair, his eyes trembled.
“Even if you feel suffocated, that’s for the best.”
He opened his mouth while twisting my hair with his fingertips before he covered me with the blanket all the way up to my shoulders.
“….”
I’ve never attached much meaning to sharing the same blanket. No, I promised not to attach any meaning to it. Still, the fact that his warmth was transmitted to me felt strangely comforting, and I just silently watched him.
“Krua?”
It was only after he called my name again that I snapped out of my thoughts.
“…I understand.”
There was no reason to feel suffocated. After all, I was always either with someone from the fourth floor or with Diello.
And his worries became a reality this time.
Later that day, while I was dressing to go out…
“This is the dress you will wear for this occasion.”
The dress was undoubtedly brought by the maids from the fourth floor. But when I opened the box and smelled it, a peculiar scent filled the air. More precisely, there was a peculiar magic cast on it.
“….”
I could feel it instinctively.
“Should I turn around, or…”
Diello glanced at me sideways. It was surprising and yet refreshing to see a slightly mischievous expression on his face.
“Shall I personally help you with it?”
…Diello helping me with my dress?
Step, step.
At once, I could hear the maids around us quickly retreating.
No, there was no need for them to retreat so blatantly!
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