~Chapter 42~
“L-Lady Delphina!”
Calyx rushed to Delphina in a panic.
“You should’ve let me handle this! You’ll hurt your wrist, Lady Delphina!”
He was clearly overreacting, fawning dramatically. Ahin saw it happen.
A moment ago, Calyx had looked stern and noble. But as soon as he saw Delphina’s food, his face softened instantly.
Ahin was surprised.
‘Wait… even nobles can lose their dignity like this?’
When it was just him and Elcayan, Calyx seemed serious—intimidating, even.
But now, seeing his expression melt over food, he looked more like the stray puppy Ahin fed near the alley—named Coco.
If he had a tail, it would’ve been wagging.
Ahin didn’t want to believe what he was seeing.
‘Maybe this isn’t the Calyx Arkné… I must be confused.’
After all, Calyx was every common boy’s hero. He couldn’t be acting like this.
That thought made Ahin feel better.
Delphina brought the food to him first—a warm rice dish wrapped in egg.
“When someone’s hungry, rice is the best. Since this region sometimes eats Eastern-style food, I thought you might like it.”
“Th-thank you.”
“It’s called ‘omurice’.”
In the Empire, commoners usually ate hard bread called lu.
Rice was considered a luxury.
And since this town was close to the North, food shortages were common.
The omurice looked so good that Ahin couldn’t bring himself to eat it. He nervously looked to the side.
Elcayan was already taking big spoonfuls of it.
He ate with a blank face but seemed to enjoy it.
One spoon, two spoons—he was eating a lot.
Calyx was even more intense.
His omurice was nearly four times bigger than Ahin’s, and he was devouring it with incredible speed.
Meanwhile, Ahin hadn’t touched his yet.
‘I came here with bad intentions. I don’t deserve to eat this…’
He just stared at the dish. But Calyx and Elcayan had already finished theirs in no time.
“Wahaha! It tastes amazing as always, Lady Delphina! But why aren’t you eating?”
“I’m waiting to eat together.”
Calyx’s eyes fell on Ahin’s untouched plate.
“Hmm… Looks like he’s not eating. Hey, kid.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You gonna eat that?”
“…”
“If you’re not, I’ll eat it with Lady Delphina. Feel free to leave it. My stomach has no limits.”
Calyx’s gaze sharpened. Even after eating that huge plate, he was eyeing Ahin’s food like a hungry wolf.
His throat moved as he swallowed hard.
Gulp.
He wasn’t joking—he really wanted that omurice.
Feeling that his food might be taken, Ahin instinctively took a bite.
It wasn’t planned—it was pure survival instinct.
If he didn’t eat it now, the knight beside him would snatch it.
The moment the spoon touched his lips, Ahin froze.
The rice was warm. It tasted… amazing.
The soft egg melted in his mouth. The rice was sweet and comforting.
It was his first time eating real rice.
Ahin began eating faster and faster.
‘I… I don’t deserve this.’
Tears suddenly fell from his eyes.
It tasted too good.
‘Do I even deserve to eat something like this?’
His body trembled. Though it was delicious, he felt deeply sad.
‘I wish Sestia could eat this too…’
But the thought felt selfish. He couldn’t lift his head. He couldn’t even finish the whole dish.
Eventually, he stopped halfway.
Delphina, who had been watching with a smile, tilted her head.
“Is it not good?”
“Ah—no! It is!”
“Then why stop…?”
Ahin lowered his head and muttered,
“I was thinking… my little sister would want to try it too.”
“You can eat it all. There’s plenty. I can make more for your sister too.”
His face brightened… but quickly dimmed again.
“I… I don’t deserve to eat this…”
“There’s no such thing as someone who doesn’t deserve to eat.”
Delphina gently placed the spoon back in his hand.
You don’t need permission to fill your belly.
‘Besides… I made that omurice for Ahin in the first place.’
She looked at the plate again.
<Omurice Blessed by the God of Frad>
If eaten by a beloved follower of Frad, it enhances their natural talents.
For non-believers, it’s just a delicious omurice.
Delphina watched Ahin eat again.
There were grains of rice stuck to his lips. The words she’d told him—she had once needed to hear them herself.
“Delphina, you’re not even worth feeding. Why are you eating when you don’t do anything?”
“You’re a disgrace to the Rikeion family.”
When she lived in the Rikeion household, she often starved. The maids didn’t bother to feed her.
That’s why she understood:
‘Hunger can drive someone to lose their mind…’
Even now, when she looked at the system message, she couldn’t fully smile.
<Frad watches his follower eat with pride.>
<He says the more weight he gains, the more greatness he’ll achieve.>
But Delphina wasn’t ready to relax just yet.
‘This isn’t over, is it? There’s still one more person.’
<Frad nods enthusiastically. He urges you to go get Sestia.>
‘Wait a second. If I suddenly ask Ahin to bring me to his sister, he might get suspicious.’
<Frad makes a pouty face and agrees to wait patiently.>
Delphina turned her gaze to Ahin. If she wanted to find Sestia, she needed his trust.
Luckily, Ahin seemed much calmer than when they first met.
She asked gently,
“So… why did you try to steal?”
His face darkened.
“I knew there had to be a reason.”
Ahin bowed deeply to her.
“I’m sorry. I really did try to pickpocket you.”
“I won’t say you didn’t do anything wrong. It wasn’t right—even if you failed.”
His head lowered even more.
“Yes… I’m truly sorry.”
Blushing, Ahin nervously opened up.
“Please, just forgive me once. If you do… I’ll repay the favor for the rest of my life.”
“…”
“I did it… because my sister was hungry.”
Slowly, Ahin explained.
“She and I are twins. When we turned fifteen, we had to leave the orphanage. A noble became obsessed with her.”
Calyx’s expression darkened instantly.
“His name is Baron Orman. He’s thirty years older than her. He told her if she didn’t marry him, she wouldn’t be allowed to work.”
“And he made it real—no one will hire us. We’ve been kicked out of everywhere.”
Delphina muttered, horrified,
“So you couldn’t earn money… and barely ate.”
Elcayan and Calyx looked furious.
“That bastard…”
Calyx cursed before realizing it and went stiff.
Elcayan’s hand had moved toward his sword.
If Orman had been there, he would’ve drawn it without hesitation.
“My sister and I are out of options. We’re about to be thrown out of the inn tomorrow, and we have no money left…”
