IPSC 08

Chapter 08

The steak was as exquisite as it had been described in the game. It must have been made with the finest cut of meat—the juices overflowed with every bite, and it melted in my mouth, tasting utterly heavenly.

True to its reputation as the hottest restaurant in the empire, not only the main course but even the dessert was exceptional. The artisan-made tart was beautiful to look at as well as delicious, making it a delight for both the eyes and the palate.

But what was even more entertaining than that was Jerome’s face.

I quietly watched him as he elegantly cut his steak.

His calm demeanor, perfectly arranged features, pale skin, and refined jawline. Clear, ocean-blue eyes and neatly slicked-back black hair.

His appearance looked exactly like the in-game illustration brought to life—on par with any Hollywood actor.

We hadn’t even talked much. Was simply looking at someone’s face enough to be this enjoyable?

Seeing a scene I’d only encountered in a game play out in reality felt fresh and thrilling.

If I could see a handsome man like this, maybe life in the game world wouldn’t be so bad after all…

In that instant, I smacked my forehead with my palm.

What am I thinking? Get a grip! I need to go back to reality!

Still, compared to the dry, suffocating real world, I couldn’t help thinking that life in the game might actually be happier.

After all, this world was full of handsome men—and I even had a private room larger than a studio apartment.

“Is something wrong?”

Jerome’s voice snapped me back to my senses, and I lifted my head.

His clear, sea-blue eyes were studying me intently.

“You suddenly hit your forehead.”

“Ah….”

Only then did I realize what I’d done.

“I-It’s just that the steak was so good! You know, like a physical expression of admiration?”

“An expression?”

“Yes! When something’s really enjoyable, you scream, right? I was enjoying the moment so much that I expressed it with my body without realizing!”

“……”

I checked Jerome’s expression.

‘That’s definitely the look of someone watching nonsense being delivered with great sincerity.’

Honestly, even I thought it sounded ridiculous.

“Miss Aisha, you—”

“Wow, this is amazing! I should eat more!”

Overcome with embarrassment, I cut him off.

Avoiding his gaze, I lowered my head as if burying my face in the plate and stuffed the steak into my mouth.

Because of that, I failed to notice Jerome quietly pressing his palm to his own forehead.

After finishing our meal, Jerome and I took a walk toward the imperial palace.

Walking side by side made it clear just how tall he was. I had to tilt my head up to talk to him, and his broad shoulders made the difference in our builds unmistakable.

Without much conversation, we soon arrived in front of the Moon Mage Tower.

Facing Jerome, I offered my farewell.

“Thank you for seeing me home.”

“It was nothing.”

Just as I was about to head back into the tower, something occurred to me.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I need a tour of the capital after all.”

“…?”

Judging by his wavering pupils, Jerome seemed genuinely flustered. It looked like he had truly intended to show me around.

But the truth was, I’d only mentioned sightseeing out of competitiveness—I hadn’t been serious.

A northerner coming all the way to the capital just to give someone a tour? That was like asking someone from Busan to show you around Seoul. Completely inefficient.

That said, I wasn’t speaking without a plan.

“Instead, would you show me around the North?”

It would be better for me to go there!

You don’t casually tell someone from the provinces to come up to the capital. Proper etiquette dictated that the one receiving the favor should be the one to travel.

Besides, I was the one who stood to gain.

At my request, Jerome’s eyes widened slightly. After a moment of silent consideration, he answered,

“As you wish, Miss Aisha.”

Good. Our next date will be in the North.

With a lighter heart, I parted ways with Jerome.

‘Until the next date, I should avoid meeting Jerome as much as possible.’

If his affection level rose any higher, there was no telling how Vivian would react.

I wanted to reduce variables as much as I could.

In any case, the date with Jerome had ended successfully, and the momentum was good. At this rate, it felt like returning to reality wasn’t far off.

Humming lightly, I opened the door to the mage tower—and screamed.

“Kyaaak!”

Lowell was standing right in front of the door.

‘W-What? Why is he standing here?’

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest at the sudden presence.

Clutching my pounding heart, I asked,

“M-Master? Why are you standing here?”

“I was just about to head out.”

Lowell looked at me with his usual gentle smile.

His face appeared calm, yet something about it sent chills down my spine.

“You seem to be in a good mood. Did you go somewhere fun?”

“Oh, um… I received a tea party invitation from a young lady named Vivian Angus.”

“A tea party?”

Lowell tilted his head slightly.

I could’ve told him honestly that I’d met Jerome, but for some reason, I didn’t want to be straightforward.

“I’ve been feeling a little lonely since I don’t have anyone my age around. Getting invited to a tea party really lifted my spirits. I guess it showed on my face enough for you to notice.”

“If it’s Lady Angus, she must be the only daughter of Count Angus. I wonder how someone who rarely visits the imperial palace managed to deliver an invitation to a lady.”

For some reason, it felt like I was being interrogated.

Not wanting to go into unnecessary detail, I gave a brief explanation.

“It wasn’t an invitation, exactly. I just happened to run into her while taking a walk in the city earlier.”

“Ah, I see.”

Judging by his reaction, it seemed he let the matter go.

Still, I was troubled about how to deal with Vivian. Simply not drinking poisoned tea wouldn’t be enough.

Then, an idea flashed through my mind.

“Master, when His Majesty the Emperor eats, there must be a procedure to check whether the food is poisoned, right?”

At my sudden question, Lowell stopped mid-step.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Is that so?”

Regardless of the era, there were always factions trying to harm those in power, and poisoning was one of the methods.

In the Joseon Dynasty, court maids would taste the king’s food first, and silver utensils were used to detect poison.

If this was the Belcadia Empire, there had to be some way to prevent the emperor from being poisoned.

And Lowell, as someone close to the emperor, would surely know the details.

“How do they check for poison?”

“His Majesty uses tableware managed by the temple. The dishes are imbued with divine power, and they react immediately if poison is present.”

It sounded similar in principle to using silverware in Joseon times. But that alone wasn’t enough.

Vivian wouldn’t pour tea into temple-issued cups, and it wouldn’t be easy for me to obtain divine tableware myself.

Even if I did, bringing temple utensils to a social gathering would only label me a difficult guest.

I pressed on for more information.

“Is there any other way to tell if something is poisoned, besides using divine tableware?”

“Well… there is one method.”

“What is it?”

“That would be…”

As Lowell explained, my eyes lit up.

With this method, I could send Vivian straight to her doom.