It was fortunate that the two of them did not openly express their surprise.

Rachel, of course, changed the subject.

“I’m glad Lady Arwen is having a good time at dinner. Actually, I was worried about the lack of hospitality.

“Pardon? Isn’t there enough? “What do you mean…?”

Lydia was perplexed and muffled. Surprisingly, Sihon was the same.

Rachel jokingly teased her son, then added an explanation.

“He served dinner far too quickly.” As a result, we couldn’t tell if you had any food preferences or allergies.”

“I didn’t even notice that part.”

Sihon readily admitted his blunder. Again, Lydia waved her hand in surprise.

“No. It is not enough; rather, it is more than enough. And since I eat just about anything…”

To avoid it, she blurted out her words, but Sihon eventually confirmed it.

“Aside from personal preferences, is there anything you should avoid eating?”

‘Should I say anything?’

Lydia shook her head hurriedly for a moment.

She was actually allergic to peaches. Lydia, not the ‘real’ Arwen.

I was cautious because I was concerned that the two might be interested in the information that contradicted Arwen. They don’t appear to be aware of Arwen’s ‘true’ appetite.

However, if she didn’t tell them ahead of time and had an allergic reaction to the duke’s food, it would be more of a bother to them.

In the end, Lydia confessed after hesitating.

“Um, except for a little rash, there’s nothing wrong with eating peaches.”

“Oh my. Our chef’s peach compote is a work of art, and it’s a shame you can’t taste it. Instead, I’ll instruct them to make a canelé with wheat flour and cherry sorbet for Lady Arwen.”

Although it would have been frustrating to respond after such a long period of time, Rachel was equally kind and considerate. It’s as if you’re only seeing good things and experiencing kindness.

While Lydia gazed longingly at Rachel, Rachel summoned the servant and gave notice.

The servant listened to the hostess’ message, bowed, and walked away. Before leaving the dining room, he cast one last uncomfortable glance at Lydia.

When Sihon accidentally witnessed it, his brows wrinkled for a moment.

He studied Lydia and her mother’s expressions, but neither woman seemed to notice, so there was no reaction. Just concentrate on talking to each other.

“It is not impolite to express your allergy to certain ingredients. It is not a problem that can be solved through effort. You are not required to feel burdened.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“Oh, there’s no need to thank you. Understanding the tastes of the guests is basic etiquette for the host family. Rather, if we serve food without knowing it and then harm Lady Arwen, that is a bigger problem. Well, I’m glad we found out before serving peach-flavoured food.”

“Well, I’m pleased to inform you.”

“Of course,” she says. My son and I, by the way, were extremely careless. “I should have known that if Marchioness Maeve Amaranth was allergic to peaches, her child might be as well.”

Lydia’s face hardened with embarrassment for a moment. Her face whitened, and her fever rose and reddened repeatedly.

She couldn’t think of anything to say. Lydia moistened her throat by tilting her glass of wine with trembling hands.

Sihon carefully observed the unfolding events.

He, too, was taken aback.

Sihon had one piece of information as the Joker from his memories before returning.

Arwen, the young marquess of Amaranth, died at the age of 12, and in order to keep the Duke of Blair’s marriage, the Marquis of Amaranth is actually hiding his illegitimate child, Lydia.

He would not have understood Lydia’s embarrassment if he had not known this. No, he could see Lydia’s reaction. And equally astounded and perplexed.

‘What in the world happened?’

He had a sudden headache.

If it’s nothing, it might not be such a big deal. Although there are only a few people who are allergic to certain foods, the number is in the three or four digits across the continent.

Even if they are not blood relatives, the Marquis of Amaranth and Lydia may have the same allergy by chance. A possibility that is not impossible, even if it is slim.

Sihon softly sighed. There seemed to be more to look into.

When the main course was served, the dining room’s atmosphere was revived, as if it had been poured with cold water.

Paprika puree served with grilled duck breast topped with sliced pears.

Completely cooked sirloin steak served with mashed potatoes and crumbles and asparagus.

Grilled mackerel on a plate with a crescent moon-shaped sprinkle of sweet basil sauce

Creamy pasta with an egg yolk in the centre, for example.

Rachel once again advised on how to eat more deliciously and suggested eating more. Lydia followed her recommendations with her emerald-colored eyes shining.

The hostess who was looking after the guests and the guests who were eating looked very warm.

In that regard, it was fortunate that Rachel, the sociable duchess, attended the dinner.

Sihon and Lydia would have had an upset stomach if they had eaten alone because they were uncomfortable with each other.

So the dinner appeared to go on for a long time. Until Lydia came to a halt while slicing the steak.

“What happened?”

“It’s nothing.”

Lydia smiled softly and shook her head when Rachel inquired. With a smile, she attempted to change the subject.

She prefers duck meat that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Lydia, on the other hand, had significantly reduced the amount she ate after that. She chewed some food, as if she didn’t want to show it, but it seemed unnatural.

They couldn’t have noticed because they’d been socialising for a long time. Sihon and Rachel exchanged silent glances.

Lydia’s presence until the end ensured that the dinner ended cheerfully.

Sihon looked at Lydia, who thanked him without saying anything and greeted her in the same manner.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow, so be ready.”

“yes.”

Lydia left this location with the help of the servants. Rachel and Sihon were the only two people who remained in the dining room.

The two looked at Lydia’s seat plate as if they had made a promise.

The rule in the original course dinner was to remove the previously served food when the next food was ready.

However, because Lydia left so much food, her main course remained unfinished even after dessert was served.

He’s not sure if this is a good thing.

He caught something sparkling between the steaks as they were being sliced while rummaging through the rest of the plates in a strange feeling.

A small piece of glass was embedded in it.

Sihon chuckled exasperatedly.

“Are you sure you’re not telling me this?”

What in the world are you?

Sihon clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he faced the unfavourable reality.

Rachel, who was looking at other foods, was taken aback by her son’s unusual reaction. And she continued speaking with a more composed expression.

“This is clearly our error, Sihon.” I couldn’t say anything if the young marquess Amaranth was seriously injured by swallowing it without realising it.”

But she, too, was perplexed.

Rachel sat helplessly in her chair, shaking her head.

“Perhaps Lady Arwen would have been unhappy even if she had married into our family.”

“It shouldn’t be any longer.”

Sihon spoke coldly and assertively, as if to reinforce his decision.

“First, we need to figure out who did this.”

As he pulled out a piece of glass embedded in the sirloin steak, his purple eyes gleamed coldly.

***

Lydia couldn’t sleep that night.

She will leave the Marquis of Amaranth and take the hand of the Duke of Sihon Blair tomorrow.

Sihon said a few words to Lydia the other day.

I’ll put together a new mansion for you. While you’re there, consider how you want to live in the future. All necessary goods and people will be provided at no cost.

Lydia knew from previous experiences that those words were not a lie.

There have been numerous opportunities for Sihon to cause me harm. He, however, did not.

Rather, he did her a favour by treating her wounds in the marquis and providing meals.

Above all, Lydia had the impression that Sihon was not the type of person who would undoubtedly conceal something.

Of course, he was skilled at deception.

But how should she respond? They are overbearing and outspoken because they hold high positions. There was no reason to coax Lydia, who was clearly much weaker than him, or to appear attractive to her.

In fact, he showed unusual kindness while expressing his displeasure with her.

Then what happened to the fact that there was a piece of glass embedded in the steak at the dinner?

The more I pondered it, the more perplexed I became.

Obviously, the plan was to include a weapon in each person’s food. He was only out to hurt me. Of course, it would have been motivated by deep-seated hatred.

The opponent, on the other hand, did not appear to want Lydia to die.

He knew I was cutting a steak with a knife, so he placed a piece of glass nearby.

If he truly intended to murder her, he would have been far more meticulous.

He despises Marquess Arwen Amaranth, but he does not murder her.

What is the nature of the sign? He wouldn’t have done it in the first place if he was simply afraid of retaliation.

Is it possible that if the young marquess daughter was seriously harmed at the Duke of Blair’s house to the point of endangering her real life, the Duke of Blair’s position would be jeopardised?

If that’s the case, then maybe what the opponent intended was a show-like threat.

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