Chapter 34: Milk

Arielle just smiled then grabbed the fork and knife in front of her. She cut the sandwich into smaller pieces. She stabbed the small piece, and Arielle thrust the sandwich that had been cut in front of Ronan's mouth, who was still dumbfounded.

"Your Majesty?" called Arielle.

Her voice made Ronan blink a few times. Ronan just realized that he had been in a daze so he didn't realize Arielle had been waiting for him to open his mouth. Ronan accepted the bite-sized sandwich and chewed it.

Sandwich was a very simple dish, and he had eaten them several times. However, this time it tasted different. The ham that chef Michael used to serve him before was different.

This time it somehow tasted better. The combination of spices typical of the South was very rich and delectable in the tongue.

Ronan had to admit silently that southern food was always delicious. The Northerners preferred food that simply made the body warm and rarely considered the combination of spices.

Apart from that, spices were very expensive in the north. The frozen northern lands could not be made for growing herbs that needed sunlight all the time.

The people here had to buy them from other kingdoms and the prices were quite high for most people. So, they just got used to plain foods.

Ronan was born into a royal family who had access to buy spices from the South. However, because he previously felt that food with spices was no different from food without spices, Ronan thus reduced the supply of spices that entered the royal palace.

It turned out that after he tasted the breakfast that Arielle made, Ronan realized something. This was not a matter of spices that didn't give a new taste, but rather how the person who cooked them could process the spices and bring out the best flavors.

Arielle lifted the second bite, and Ronan accepted it enthusiastically. The girl was really curious about Ronan's comments about her cooking. She wanted to ask but didn't want to disturb the man who was eating.

She was afraid that what happened in her past would happen again. Back when Arielle was little, she was invited to have a long meal with her extended family to celebrate her seventh birthday.

Little Arielle, who still hadn't realized that her siblings didn't like her, was excited to celebrate her birthday back then. At that time, Arielle was given the honor to sit beside the king because it was her birthday.

This gesture made her little heart burst. Arielle was beaming in happiness and she was so enthusiastic that throughout the meal, she kept raving about her good days.

But then little Arielle asked her father.

"How was your day, father? Was it fun too?"

The King of Nieverdel replied very coldly. "Shut up. I'm eating here. And call me Your Majesty The King."

Little Arielle was very heartbroken that night. She looked around the dining table and realized that all her siblings were eating in silence.

Since then, every time there was an invitation to a family dinner, Arielle would sit at the end of the table, far from the king. Even if it was a dinner to celebrate her birthday.

"Don't you want to know what I think about this sandwich?" asked Ronan after he swallowed the food in his mouth. It was normal to pay compliments to a chef, which he didn't usually do, but now he wanted to do for her.

"Oh, apologies, Your Majesty. I just don't want to bother you while you are enjoying your meal," said Arielle, who then fed him another piece.

"Hmm?" Ronan watched the girl intently and tried to read into what Arielle was thinking. "You don't bother me at all."

"I don't?"

"No, look, we're talking while I'm eating now."

Arielle forgot that in front of her was the King of Northednell. Not her father who was cold and distant. Arielle became relieved and smiled when the man in front of her took her food as she fed him again.

"So how was breakfast this morning, Your Majesty?" asked Arielle gently, trying to erase the bitterness in her heart when she remembered her father.

"Very tasty."

"Is that the truth? I can make more food."

Ronan grabbed Arielle's hand and held it tightly. "But that's enough for today. You don't have to bother yourself anymore. It's not your job to prepare breakfast for me."

"But…."

Ronan patted the girl's head gently.

"We will immediately start our study after this," said Ronan. He reached for his glass of milk and then the man looked at the white liquid doubtfully. Ugh... he hated it. Blah...

However, because Arielle was staring at him with her beautiful puppy eyes, Ronan started to drink the sweet liquid.

He winced at the strange taste, but he still drank the milk to the last drop.