Chapter 23
Since it’s difficult to pinpoint Amoide’s disease, various factors had to be considered, which was why, as harmless as they seemed, small creatures could pose a danger to Amoide as well.
My goodness.
“Th-that’s right. Even the smallest dangers could be detrimental to my husband’s health. I’m very well aware,” I said, laughing so that my tone would seem casual, but I ended up laughing too loudly.
“When I see that cat again, I’ll be sure not to let it go. It already stole one too many expensive fish.”
…So, that’s why the cat smelled fishy at times. Apart from the meat I often gave Noir, I could smell a fishy scent from him sometimes, I usually wondered where he could have possibly gotten some. My goodness!
“What will you do when you catch it?” I asked Jean.
“I’m not sure yet. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
An ominous image suddenly passed through my mind, and I shuddered at the very thought.
‘Bu-butterfly soup?!’
[ TL/N: It’s called ‘Butterfly soup,’ though it’s actually a kind of soup that’s made from extracting concentrate from cats. It supposedly heals arthritis, etc., but it’s more of a folk remedy rather than a common dish. Anyway, this isn’t scientifically proven pls don’t boil ur cats ㅠㅠ ]
“No, Jean! I forbid you from doing that!”
“From what?” Jean asked, looking at me once more like I had grown another head on my shoulders.
“E-even if that cat looks fat and lazy, it’s quick on its feet… It’ll be hard to catch, and you might get scratched. One wrong move and you might hurt your hand…”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry, Milady. I catch wild boars with my bare hands,” he replied as he gazed at his knife laying innocently by itself on the chopping board.
“…”
“You don’t believe me?” As his expression became increasingly grave, Jean appeared as though he would up and go catch wild boars this very minute.
“No, no. I believe you.” I took a glance at his arms, and sure enough, those were meant to catch bears, not just wild boars. Of course, I believed him.
“But, Milady, have you seen that cat before?”
“No,” I answered immediately. I couldn’t say that I’d been imagining that very cat’s belly just a few moments ago.
‘Still, Amoide never said anything about the cat! He also didn’t cough or anything!’ —was what I would’ve wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I urgently tried to control my expression in front of Jean.
“Really, I believe in you, Jean. Of course, I do.” I reassured the large man again. It was quite disconcerting to see such a serious expression on his face. “I also look forward to the healthy dishes you’ll make.”
“There’s no room for error. I shall prepare only the best.”
“…May I know in advance what you’ll be cooking?” Worried, I asked this only to make sure there’s no cat soup on the menu.
“Oh, first I will…”
But instead of letting him continue, I couldn’t contain myself and immediately yelled, “Butterfly soup! Butterfly soup is absolutely forbidden! The health benefits are a hoax!”
“Butter— what?”
“That…that… the cat…” I stammered, but couldn’t continue saying it, so I just silently swallowed my words. Making sure he wasn’t getting any ideas, I made sure to warn Jean again.
That boiling pot gave me the creeps.
“Anyway, you can’t do that! You don’t know what kind of side effects you’d get out of it even if you think it’s a special ingredient!” After all, it’s just a myth that eating a flexible cat’s body was good for the joints! “So that butterfly soup, just don’t…”
“Butterfly soup?” Jean, still perplexed, frowned at the name of an unknown exotic dish. However, then, after thinking about it once more, his eyes widened as he spoke, “Butterfly…? Ahh. No way, you mean a cat?”
Jean guffawed, the vibrations of which shook the entire room. In between his wild laughter, he continued, “Who would boil a cat and serve it to their master?”
“Ri-right…?”
“I’m only going to scold the cat a little to make sure it never comes back again,” he explained, still laughing his head off in that underground kitchen. Taken aback by the volume, Rona and I held each other in a tight embrace.
When Jean finally settled down, I requested a few more things.
“Make two servings of the Duke’s meals from now on. Bring me the extra serving.”
Jean took out a notepad and diligently took down my instructions.
“What my husband eats is exactly what I will eat. Bring meals made from the exact same ingredients and recipe, and…Ah.” A bulb lit up above my head. “Of course, I’ll be eating my meals together with Amoide in his room.”
“Together… you say?” Jean’s mouth was wide open.
“It’s only natural for a couple to eat together, right? And we’ve been very close lately.”
If it was possible, Jean looked more surprised than before as I emphasized the word ‘we.’ Without thinking, he murmured, “It must be true if that’s what the maids keep whispering these days…”
As his voice faded, he covered his mouth with one hand as though he just realized what he said. I merely smiled surreptitiously at him. It’s amazing how the rumor had already reached this far, but I knew Rona’s loose lips had a big role in how fast it must have spread.
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