Grandma Princess - Chapter 6

Episode 6 - Are you even eating properly, you rascal?

Imperial palace events took place twice a month. They were social banquets for nobles hosted by the Imperial Family—the official title was grand, but in reality, they were gatherings where nobles would exchange wary glances, gossip behind each other's backs, and sound out marriage proposals. Martha had watched these events from behind Serena for decades. From behind, always from behind.

That was the position of the Princess's head lady-in-waiting. Standing two steps behind the Princess, anticipating and preparing her needs, quietly cleaning up any mistakes, and signaling when to leave—a position that had to exist but remain unseen. In that seat, Martha saw many things. She remembered. Leon Ashford.

Martha first heard that name when Serena was sixteen. She remembered the Duke smiling brightly for the first time when the news of the arranged engagement reached the mansion. An engagement to the son of the House of Ashford, the Empire's most powerful military aristocracy, was the perfect position for the Valois family. Serena liked it at first, too. Martha knew it. She knew how Serena's ears would turn red whenever she heard Leon's name in the early days of the engagement, and how she would nervously fidget with the hem of her dress whenever she spotted Leon in the distance at Imperial Palace events.

But Leon was different. Martha saw Leon right there. Always standing behind Serena, Leon seemed to be waiting for something whenever he looked at her. He wanted her to speak to him, or for her to approach him. However, the more nervous Serena became, the more she veered off in strange directions. She would either push too hard or sulk and turn away. Those misunderstandings piled up until, eventually, the engagement was broken off. Martha had stood by the side and witnessed the entire process. From behind, always from behind—but this time, she didn't have to stand behind. Thinking this, Martha stepped into the imperial palace banquet hall.

The banquet hall was spacious. Chandeliers filled the ceiling. There must have been hundreds of candles. Long tables ran along both walls, and food was laid out on them. As Martha entered, her gaze naturally fell toward the food tables. Many things looked delicious. Lucy spoke cautiously from the side.

"My Lady, there will be many eyes watching today."

"I know."

“Are you still okay?”

“Either it or not.”

Martha looked at Lucy. She understood what Lucy meant. Princess Serena of the Valois family was entering this place with everything known: a social outcast, a broken engagement, and the family's debt. The nobles would watch. They would whisper. They would look away. Martha wondered if that was frightening. No, it wasn't. She had lived for eighty years. She had seen things scarier than this. There was no reason to be afraid of a few nobles whispering. Martha walked toward the food table. It was just as she had expected.

As Martha entered, the surrounding gazes shifted. Some stared openly, while others covered their faces with fans and whispered to the person next to them. Others looked in Martha's direction before turning their heads away. Feeling those eyes, Martha stood before the food table. She looked at what was laid out on the table. There was a wide variety. Pies, roasted meat, cheese, fruit, small tarts, fish dishes, pickled vegetables—items made with ingredients from all over the empire. Since they were prepared by the Imperial Palace chefs, they were bound to be of high quality.

Martha took a bite of the pie. It was a savory dough rich in butter. The filling consisted of mushrooms and herbs. They had used a rather unique herb, and Martha tried to figure out what it was. Was it thyme, or was it mixed with sage? She took another bite. Chewing thoroughly, she thought, 'It is thyme. But it could have been baked a little shorter. The dough is slightly overcooked.'

"Excuse me, Princess."

Lucy whispered softly beside her.

"Why?"

“People are watching.”

"I know."

"If you eat like that..."

“It’s delicious, but what?”

This time, Martha picked up a small tart. It was a fruit tart. It was topped with seasonal berries. She took a bite. The cream was good. It’s not too sweet; the berries are fresh, and a low sound was heard nearby.

"Look at that, Princess Valois..."

"There is no greater disgrace than that. Just look at the state of that family."

"After getting dumped, it looks like she has lost all sense of dignity."

Martha heard it. She heard everything. Although the voice was lowered, it was within earshot distance. As she finished her tart and wiped her mouth with a napkin, Martha thought to herself. Dignity. Was it undignified for Princess Serena of Valois to pick up and eat food at a banquet? Martha couldn't understand it. If there is food, one must eat it; it wasn't that she was hungry. It would be stranger to just walk past things that were so well-made. After all, the Imperial Palace chef had put so much effort into preparing them.

And above all, whenever she followed Serena to banquets, there were more than a few times when she looked at the dazzling food and wanted to take a bite, figure out what it tasted like, and try to recreate it at the Duke's mansion. Perhaps that is why Martha felt that today she should try at least a bite of every single dish, from one side to the other.

'Tsk tsk. I wonder why nobles these days hold banquets when they don't even eat. It wasn't the first time I'd felt the urge to pack up the leftovers and take them to the Duke's mansion.' Martha clicked her tongue inwardly. 'Those vanities. They come dressed in tight dresses, just acting all elegant, only to call in maids late at night to stuff this and that into their food when they get home. Go ahead, you. I'm going my own way.'

This time, she shifted her gaze toward the fish dish. It was white fish grilled with herbs. Thinly sliced ​​lemon lay beside it. Martha picked up the tongs and placed a small portion onto her plate. She examined the fish as she ate. 'It's fresh. It's grilled just right, and while there are a bit too many herbs, the fish itself tastes good.'

"Hey."

A sound came from another direction. Martha turned around. A middle-aged noblewoman was standing there. Her dress was elaborate. She appeared to be in her mid-forties.

"You are the Princess of Valois, right?"

"Yes."

"Eating like that in a place like this... isn't that a bit inappropriate? A noble lady should have some dignity."

Martha looked at the lady. Anyone who said such things was one of two types: either genuinely valuing their reputation, or simply wanting to humiliate Serena. This lady was the latter. There was anticipation in her eyes. Whether Serena would flare up or shrink back. It was a look waiting for that reaction.

Martha ate another piece of fish and wiped her mouth. Then she spoke.

"Do you know how much effort the imperial palace chefs put into making this?"

The lady blinked.

"Just look at how much butter went into that pie dough. And that fish is fresh, delivered this morning. Isn't it more rude to just stand around without eating? To the people who made it."

The lady was speechless. Martha turned her gaze to the table. This time, she looked at the cheese. There were three types. They were aged to different degrees.

'What does this taste like?' Marta picked up a little cheese. Behind her, she heard the sound of a woman making a tsk sound and footsteps moving away. Lucy, who had been holding her breath beside Martha, let out a small sigh.

“Princess...”

"Lucy, you try some too. Every time I come here, I always have a thought: why do the maids have to stand at the back, unable to even eat?"

"It's food for the nobility, not for us. Besides, I don't think that's important right now."

"Delicious."

Martha hands Lucy some cheese. Lucy hesitated for a moment, then picked up a little bit of cheese and ate it. She chewed it, and her eyes widened.

"Oh, it's really delicious."

"Yes?"

"What kind of cheese is this?"

"It's been aged for a long time. The smell is a bit strong, but the taste is nutty."

Lucy picked it up one more time. Martha felt pleased watching Lucy eat. Eat a lot, my precious child, like a grandchild.

It was then. She felt a presence behind her. Martha knew the atmosphere around her had changed even before she sensed the presence. One side of the banquet hall seemed to be falling silent. In that air where people's eyes seemed to be focused, Martha did not turn around. Instead, she picked up another piece of cheese. The presence drew closer. And then, a voice was heard.

"Have you decided to go all out now, Princess?"

It was a low, dry voice. It was an emotionless voice. No, to be precise, it was a voice stripped of emotion. A voice deliberately kept dry.

Martha heard that voice. And as she chewed on some cheese, she thought, 'He's here.' Martha remembered. This voice, at every Imperial Palace event. From way back, Martha heard this voice. It was short and dry, like when Leon Ashford spoke to Serena. It was the voice of someone who wanted to approach but didn't know how. Martha knew it. Because she had watched him from behind for a long time. Serena didn't know that. She would get nervous and react strangely whenever she heard that voice. And so, they missed each other.

Martha slowly turned around. Leon Ashford was standing there. He was just as she remembered. He was tall. He had black hair. He had gray eyes. He was wearing a military-style suit. He had broad shoulders. His posture was upright. He had no expression. It was blank. This was his natural look. A person who did not show his emotions outwardly—Martha knew it. Right now, that very expression was looking at her. It was a cold, dry, and feigned indifference look.

I saw it.

You're so skinny.

That was her first thought.

It wasn't as noticeable because he was well-dressed, but his face was gaunt. His face looked sharp. The undersides of his eyes were slightly dark. His wrists were thin. Having lived as a head maid for sixty years, Martha had developed an eye for judging a person's physical condition. Whether they were eating poorly, sleeping poorly, or both, Leon said again.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

Martha looked at Leon. Then, her gaze naturally drifted downward. From his face to his neck, from his neck to his shoulder, from his shoulder to his forearm. Leon's forearm was inside the sleeve. It was a suit sleeve. But the sleeve didn't fit his forearm perfectly; there was a bit of room. Martha noticed that. How little food has this man eaten? The moment that thought crossed her mind, her body moved first. Martha reached out. She grabbed Leon's forearm. She wrapped her fingers around the sleeve. She squeezed tightly, as if to confirm. Leon froze. She could feel the banquet hall falling silent. Still holding Leon's forearm, Martha spoke.

"Why are you so skinny?"

Leon was frozen. Martha squeezed his forearm with her fingers once more and then let go.

"Are you making sure to eat properly?"

The banquet hall was silent.

Just a brief moment.

That brief moment felt long.

Martha looked at Leon.

Leon looked down at Martha, frozen in place. Something flashed through those gray eyes. Panic. That was it. It was the first time Martha had seen this man look flustered. She had seen him from behind dozens of times, but that expression was completely new to her. He was flustered, yet he didn't know how to react. She could feel Lucy holding her breath beside her. The surrounding nobles were watching the situation unfold. Feeling all of this, Martha looked at Leon.

Prince Leon Ashford.

The heir to the strongest ducal family in the Empire.

This man was speechless in front of Martha. As she turned around, Martha picked up a plate from the table. She put two pies, a piece of fish, and a little cheese on it, and held it out to Leon.

"Eat."

Leon looked down at the plate. He looked at Martha again. She was expressionless. No, she was trying to be expressionless, but something was peeking out. It was a face on the borderline.

“...What is this?”

“It’s food; you can eat it.”

“Why me?”

"Because you're skinny."

Leon's eyebrows twitched slightly. Martha held the plate a little closer toward Leon. Leon looked at the plate, then at Martha, then back at the plate. The surrounding nobles were watching. Holding their breath, they watched as Leon Ashford held out a plate to the Princess of Valois. Leon spoke in a low voice.

“What is this to me now?”

"Young Master."

Martha interrupted. Leon looked at Martha. Martha looked up at Leon and spoke very calmly.

"The pie is delicious. It has thyme in it, and it pairs well with the butter dough. The cheese is savory too. You should try it."

Leon said nothing. Martha placed the plate on the edge of the table.

"I'll be there, so eat if you want."

Then she turned around and walked. Lucy hurriedly followed. Martha walked to one side of the banquet hall without looking back. She could hear the nobles whispering behind her.

"What is that right now..."

"Princess Valois to Prince Leon..."

"Young Master isn't saying anything?"

Martha walked while listening to the sound. Lucy walked right beside Martha and spoke in a low voice.

“Princess.”

"Why?"

"You just grabbed Young Master Leon's forearm."

"Yes."

"Young Master's forearm."

“You saw it.”

"That person is Valois's ex-partner."

"I know."

Lucy paused for a moment, then spoke again.

“Why did you grab him?”

Martha said as she walked.

“Because he's so skinny."

Lucy remained silent for a while, unable to process the answer. Martha took a seat by a window on one side of the banquet hall. The imperial palace garden was visible outside the window. It was a night garden. Lanterns were scattered here and there. Martha thought as she looked at the garden.

Leon Ashford... this man isn't eating well. That bothered Martha. She didn't know why. She just was. Martha was the type to worry whenever she saw someone unable to eat. That was all. Lucy spoke as she stood by the window.

“Princess.”

"Why?"

"The Young Master picked up a plate."

Martha looked out the window and turned around. Leon was standing at the table in the distance. He was holding a plate. He was looking at the pie.

"Yeah, yeah, you're doing great!"

Martha looked at it, then turned her gaze back to the window. Lucy spoke softly.

“He's eating it.”

"It's okay."

Martha looked at the garden outside the window. 'I should eat,' she thought to herself.

That was it.

It was the way back to the carriage after the banquet. Inside the carriage, Lucy looked at Martha with a face that seemed to be holding back something. Martha looked out the window and spoke.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

Lucy burst out.

"Young Lady, you grabbed Young Master Leon's arm today."

“I did.”

"He is the scariest person in the Empire. Even my legs tremble when I go near him. But the Princess grabbed his arm and asked if he had eaten."

"Because it seemed like he hadn't eaten."

"That's not the important thing!"

Martha looked at Lucy. Lucy spoke, her eyes shining.

"Young Master was speechless. He was speechless.

“Did he?”

"He is someone who usually makes everyone nearby shrink back just by making eye contact. But he was accepting a plate in front of the Princess. While eating a pie."

Martha looked out the window.

"You can't skip meals."

Lucy glanced at Martha for a moment, then took out a notebook. She began to take notes. Martha didn't look at what Lucy was writing. The Imperial Palace was receding into the distance outside the window. Leon Ashford—Martha rolled the name around in her head. He must be hurt from having had his engagement broken off. No, to be precise, she was the one who had broken off the engagement. The victim was Leon. The victim who had been dumped by Serena. Yet, he still attends Imperial Palace events. And he walks over to where Serena is and strikes up a conversation. A strange person. Yes.

Martha thought to herself. Who would be the first to approach an enemy? And just to say a cold word. Martha didn't know what that one word was meant to do. Well, it didn't matter. As long as he ate well, that was enough. 

Martha looked out the window. The night streets brushed past the carriage window.

[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 6]

There was a banquet at the Imperial Palace today.

Shock No. 1: While people were whispering, the Princess was at the food table, with pies and fish.

She ate the cheese. As she tasted it, she also thought about how the chef made it.

Shock No. 2: When the noblewoman said she had lost face, she replied, 'It is disrespectful to the person who made it.' The lady was speechless.

Shock No. 3: Young Master Leon Ashford arrived. The Young Master spoke to the Princess.

Shock No. 4: The Princess grabbed the Young Master's forearm. With her own hand.

Shock No. 5: 'Why are you so skinny?' she said.

Shock No. 6: The young master was speechless. Young Master Leon Ashford.

Shock No. 7: The Princess held out a plate of food to the young master. The young master took it. He ate.

I think I witnessed a historic scene today.

However, the Princess only said, 'You can't skip a meal.' 

Princess.

Do you know who that person is?

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