Chapter 111 The Octopus Sukkai and the Summit
Chapter 111 The Octopus Sukkai and the Summit
Vettel took us to the restaurant.
All the envoys gathered at the table after a long time.
As soon as Cecilia entered her restaurant, everyone stood up to greet her.
“Meet Her Majesty Empress Cecilia, Mother of the Empire.”
“Hmm. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you face to face.”
Cecilia accepted their greeting in a soft tone.
Cecilia and Vettel sat at the top of the table, and only then did the rest of the staff take their seats.
For reference, I was seated right next to Flora. The person sitting across from me was Mulia.
“It looks like everyone is ready.”
Vettel looked around at the table and gently waved the silver bell.
Then, the royal servants who pushed the cart in and started putting the plates on the table one by one. Just like last time, leaving an empty space in the middle.
“Looks like the precious food you mentioned is about to come up in that empty seat?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. You can look forward to it.”
Vettel, who answered Cecilia’s question, put a smile on her lips.
I’m really looking forward to it myself.
After a while, another cart pulled into the restaurant. As expected, on top of the cart was freshly boiled raw octopus.
Employees served octopus sukhoe in the empty space in the middle.
“Huh, Kraken?”
Flora reacts horribly.
It was as if he had seen a ghost.
“… ….”
Mulia didn’t make any sound at all. But the gaping look of her lower jaw gave an idea of how shocked she was.
And the long-awaited Cecilia,
“King. That…… “Can I eat it?”
Her wide-open eyes were pointing to her plate, and her fingers were trembling.
“Of course. “Simmered octopus is one of the best delicacies in our kingdom.”
Vettel had a happy expression on his face.
At this point, she seems to be enjoying the shocked reaction itself…….
“It’s a food that not even decent nobles can easily taste.”
Even after listening to Bethel’s explanation, Cecilia’s eyebrows showed no signs of straightening.
I shared his explanation with Flora and Mulia.
As expected, the two maids could not escape their shock.
On the other hand, the envoy members were staring at the octopus soup with bright eyes. Of course, once you taste it, your reaction will change completely.
“Okay then, shall we start lunch?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The members responded in the Kingdom language. Then he grabbed his fork and rushed to the boiled octopus.
“… ….”
Cecilia and her two maids stared at the scene with blank eyes.
“I will teach you how to eat.”
I said that to Cecilia and her maids and demonstrated it myself.
I took a piece of boiled octopus cut into bite-sized pieces with a fork, then dipped it in the yellow sauce and put it into my mouth.
“You can eat it like this.”
After swallowing the boiled octopus, I looked towards Cecilia, Flora, and Mulia.
“… ….”
Still showing hesitation.
I told him that even though it looks like this, it tastes pretty good. At the same time, I didn’t forget to eat another piece of boiled octopus.
“Joe, okay. Since Mr. Luke ate deliciously, I also…….”
Flora was the first to challenge.
With her fork in hand, she scanned the octopus sashimi with her careful eyes. Eventually, her fork headed for the smallest piece of flesh.
“Choose the red sauce or the yellow sauce over there that suits your taste… ….”
“I’ll try it with yellow sauce.”
Flora smeared sauce all over her flesh. If you eat like that, you’ll be sick…….
But she has already crossed an irreversible river.
“Hey, Mr. Luke.”
Just before putting it in her mouth, Flora turned her head this way.
“It’s not like it was corrupt or bad, right?”
“Trust me, it’s really delicious.”
“Well, then…” ….”
Flora slowly put her octopus sashimi into her mouth, her eyes tightly closed.
“Hmph.”
Flora closed her mouth and pulled out her fork!
Cecilia and Mulia were also watching Flora’s every move.
Mumbling.
Flora did a few movements of her masticatory movements before she opened her eyes wide in surprise. She told me as soon as she swallowed her tidbit.
“It’s delicious, Mr. Luke!”
“Right?”
“Yes!”
Flora answered in a cheerful voice and smiled broadly. She then, like her envoys, began militantly attacking the octopus.
When this happened, it was Cecilia and Mulia who became embarrassed.
“Well, then I too…” ….”
“I guess I should try it too.”
The eyes of the two women flashed with determination.
They simultaneously took a piece of octopus stew with a fork in their hand. Then, as Flora had done, they drenched themselves in yellow sauce and shoveled them into each other’s mouths.
“… ….”
“… ….”
However, unlike Flora, the expressions of the two were not very good.
It’s like a reaction like chewing a wad of paper that has no taste at all.
“Are you not comfortable with your mouth?”
I looked at Cecilia and Mulia alternately.
After a while, Cecilia was found forcibly swallowing what she was chewing.
“It’s a bit too chewy…” ….”
Afterward, Mulia also frowned and spat out in a cautious tone.
“It’s hard to eat…” …. The texture is also strange…….”
Vettel quickly recognized the reaction of the two women.
“Oops, it looks like the two of you didn’t like it.”
“I am really grateful for serving precious food. However, it doesn’t suit my taste a little…….”
Cecilia said in a truly sorry tone. Vettel said it was okay and smiled kindly.
‘Actually, it would have been necessary to hold back and eat a little at this time…….’
There’s probably no way Cecilia didn’t know this.
It would be reasonable to say that boiled octopus was not to my taste.
“Secretary. “Can you please tell me I’m sorry too?”
I informed Bethel as requested by Mulia.
“I guess I’ll have to prepare a different meal next time.”
“Hmm. “Please.”
Cecilia responded in a low voice.
“I just think it’s delicious. “How are you, Luke?”
Flora seemed to really like boiled octopus.
“I also really like boiled octopus.”
“Oh my. “Do we have the same taste?”
“I will. You have the same taste in food as me.”
Immediately after hearing my answer, Flora smiled brightly.
It’s as if I’m very happy to have found a common denominator with myself.
When I saw that, I also smiled for no reason.
* * *
After finishing lunch, Cecilia informed Vettel.
“King Bethel. “As you suggested, we will hold the meeting three days later.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. “I hope that we can come to a good conclusion through the talks.”
“It will definitely happen.”
The agreement has been reached.
Now we have three days left.
Cecilia looked at me and her maids in turn.
“Everyone follow me to my room.”
“Your Majesty. Do you have any instructions for the envoy members?”
Before going to the room, I asked Cecilia a question. She thought for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“Please submit a report to me if you each find out anything during the tour.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The envoy members responded with loud voices.
Only then did Cecilia take her steps, and the maids and I followed behind her.
It wasn’t long before I was able to enter her room. I put a lock on the door just in case.
“Sit down.”
That’s how we were able to sit around the round table.
Cecilia cast her eyes once at a time at me, Flora, and Mulia, and then began.
“First of all, the kingdom wants to firmly conclude the issue of past history. “We confirmed our respective positions in preliminary discussions.”
“We decided to execute the criminal’s family members, right?”
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Cecilia answered yes to Mulia’s question.
“And the kingdom said it would pay compensation for the outbreak of war. Of course, the amount hasn’t been said yet.”
“It means we have to show sincerity to each other.”
“It is as you say, Flora.”
Flora also had a serious expression, perhaps because it was a place to decide the agenda of the meeting.
“Flora, Mulia. In that sense, if you have a good idea, please suggest it to me.”
As soon as Cecilia finished speaking, Flora and Mulia twitched their eyebrows.
“Didn’t you guys tell me the other day? “I want to help me and Luke.”
I didn’t expect you to mention me here again…….
But if you think about it, it is not wrong.
In addition to studying the language of the Kingdom of Sergel, I am involved in all aspects of work, such as exchanging letters and dispatching envoys.
‘I feel like I got more involved than I expected… ….’
Flora let out her excited voice while lightly pressing her temples with her index fingers.
Mulia looked worried with her eyes closed.
As the two women were seriously contemplating, there was naturally silence around the round table.
Given the atmosphere, I guess I should think about ideas too.
“… ….”
Then Mulia quietly raised her right hand.
“Let me tell you.”
“How about paying separate compensation to the victims’ families?”
“Good idea.”
Cecilia expressed her satisfaction.
Even when I thought about it, it seemed like a good plan.
“Luke. “Once all the agenda items are decided, record them separately.”
“Yes. “I will.”
Cecilia, who gave me instructions, let out her soft divine voice.
“I think it would be nice to have one more in the future… ….”
“Your Majesty! “I also have an idea.”
This time Flora spoke up.
Then a look of anticipation appeared on Cecilia’s face.
“What is your idea?”
“What I think… ….”
Flora stated her ideas without hesitation and with a serious face the whole time.
As soon as I heard this, Mulia and I both opened our mouths and were shocked.
“I think that went a bit too far… ….”
To be honest, Flora’s idea was, to put it mildly, so absurd.
Mulia nodded her head several times, probably thinking the same thing as me.
“Hmm… ….”
Cecilia also looked like she was in deep distress.
That’s because Flora’s agenda was unconventional.
Flora told us her own reasons.
“I guess that’s what you thought.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The three of us focused our attention on Cecilia.
‘Honestly, I don’t think we will pursue this.’
“Flora.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I will adopt your idea.”
Cecilia gave an answer that was contrary to my expectations.
Thanks to you, I was truly shocked.
That…… Are you really doing this?
“Your Majesty. Are you really doing this?”
Mulia didn’t seem to be easily convinced either.
Cecilia glanced at me and Mulia once in a while and then raised the corner of her mouth.
“I know very well what you are worried about. But in order to gain, you have to give something away.”
I recognized the light in her ruby eyes.
She really means it.
If this happens, it will be impossible to stop it.
Well, if everything goes well after that, it might not be a bad thing.
After returning to the room, I wrote down everything we discussed separately on paper and showed it to Cecilia in advance the day before the meeting.
“You organized it well.”
“Thanks to a lot of paperwork, this arrangement is nothing.”
“hehehe.”
Cecilia smiled with satisfaction.
The day we were supposed to have a meeting with Bethel arrived. The meeting location was Bettel’s office.
“It is truly an honor to have such a serious meeting with Her Majesty Empress Cecilia.”
“I also consider it an honor to be with King Bethel.”
After the formal greetings were exchanged,
“Then, let’s proceed with the meeting.”
Cecilia announced that the meeting would be held.