Chapter 114
Slurp. If you’re wondering what that sound was, it was Aslan drooling at the sight of the table setting.
Only five people were sitting at the long banquet table, yet golden-brown and green foods were packed all the way to the far end.
Because the greasy smell of well-cooked meat dishes was driving Aslan’s nose and stomach crazy, Aslan had to fight with her inner self.
One minute of not eating with meat in front of her was like one year.
And after one minute passed, her patience hit rock bottom.
If she just sneakily took one bite, it wouldn’t be noticed, right? Just when her teeth were itching, fortunately the door opened wide and the owner of this food appeared.
“Oh my. You were already here, my Imperial Princess Minerva.”
At Yupiteria’s appearance, the four family members who’d been seated stood up.
“I am honored by such an invitation, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“No need to think so grandly. It’s just a mother and daughter having dinner together.”
Yupiteria smiled amiably and began chatting about this and that with Lloyd this time.
‘How long do I have to wait?’
Food tastes bad when it gets cold!
As Aslan gradually began to glare, Ayla was startled and grabbed Aslan’s hand, shaking her head slightly.
‘Aslan, for our plan to work well, you need to make a good impression on Her Majesty!’
‘Gasp.’
Barely coming to her senses at Ayla’s intense gaze, Aslan hurriedly regained her reason.
Right, to eat all that food without worrying about others’ opinions, she first had to make a good impression on the food’s owner.
And for the plan Ayla mentioned too!
Patiently letting the adults’ boring conversation flow by, soon Yupiteria’s gaze reached the children.
As if showing Aslan an example, Ayla stepped forward first and bent her knees.
“Have you been well, Your Majesty?”
“Thank you for the invitation.”
Aslan bent her knees imitating Ayla, but her posture was still awkward.
Her honorifics had improved, but etiquette was still far off.
Yupiteria also felt this and looked somewhat disappointed, but soon remembering they were still only five years old, she kindly offered the children seats.
“Yes, Minerva’s daughters. There’s not much prepared, but eat to your heart’s content.”
Finally, the words she’d wanted to hear came out.
Aslan’s eyes sparkled as if she’d been waiting for just those words, gripping utensils—weapons by another name—in both hands.
Before the real battle, Aslan asked.
“If it’s to my heart’s content, how much can I eat?”
“Hm?”
“Can I eat it all?”
“What?”
No one had ever dared ask the Emperor such trivial questions.
Because Yupiteria forgot to breathe and blinked, Minerva hurriedly came to her senses and defended Aslan.
“My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty. Aslan……”
“Haha, it’s fine. Being bold, she takes after you completely, Minerva.”
Extreme daughter-fool Yupiteria generously overlooked Aslan’s rudeness, who looked exactly like Minerva’s childhood.
She even accepted that rudeness.
“Yes, if you can eat it all, of course you can eat it all.”
“Wow! I’ll eat well!”
Finally dinner began, and Yupiteria chatted with the Minerva couple intermittently.
She didn’t forget to glance at the children either.
Watching, she realized one surprising fact—that Ayla’s table manners were excellent enough to rival Minerva’s.
“Was it Ayla? You’ve been very well educated.”
“I am honored, Your Majesty.”
Ayla quietly swallowed the food in her mouth and gave Yupiteria a slight bow.
Even that small movement was better than most adults. Yupiteria admired inwardly again.
‘Excellent, excellent. Just like Minerva’s childhood.’
Both her earlier greeting and her etiquette seemed learned at quite a high level.
It was regrettable she was an adopted daughter.
Yupiteria’s gaze moved to Aslan across from her.
Honestly, Aslan’s table manners fell far short of Ayla’s.
Like a fish that met water, Aslan began demolishing the nearby meat in order. Not only putting too much in her mouth at once, she didn’t wipe the sauce on her mouth promptly either.
She ate so fast that the maid couldn’t return to her position and had to stick by her side serving food.
If Minerva had a daughter, she’d thought the child would resemble her and be outstanding in all aspects, but reality was the opposite. In all aspects, she felt more lacking than Minerva at that age.
When Mars was like that as a child, she’d felt frustrated to the point of disappointment and eventually anger, so she should feel the same emotion toward Aslan. That would be natural.
But strangely……
“The child eats quite heartily.”
Why was it? That such a sight didn’t bother her.
Yupiteria was surprised at her own words.
It didn’t make sense that she was feeling pleased watching a child so lacking in etiquette.
Not only Minerva, who’d known her long, but Lloyd was equally surprised, silently shocked as if seeing a ghost.
However, only Aslan wasn’t surprised and smiled brightly at Yupiteria.
“It’s really delicious, Grandma.”
“Gasp.”
“Hup.”
Maids who should have kept silent gasped here and there.
It was absolutely not a title that could be used for a nation’s Emperor.
Even Minerva was firmly calling Yupiteria “Your Imperial Majesty”!
Minerva and Lloyd thought Aslan’s bad habit of calling people “mister” or “lady” randomly had popped out again, and while keeping a close eye on Aslan, anxiously waited for Yupiteria’s reaction.
“Grandma……”
After silence, Yupiteria exhaled and muttered.
Aslan looked at Yupiteria equipped with the deadly cat-style sparkling eyes that had once made humans nearly die.
Caught in those innocent and clear eyes, Yupiteria blankly mulled over the word “grandma.”
No matter how much she thought about it, it was the first time she’d been called that.
Yet she didn’t feel it was rude at all.
Rather, she couldn’t control the corners of her mouth.
Coming to her senses, Yupiteria was laughing heartily and doting on Aslan with words.
“Haha! Being called that, it really feels like I have more grandchildren. Yes, is it that delicious?”
This title that made everyone except the children’ hearts pound was actually Aslan’s calculated strategy.
Aslan knew she was quite cute, and knew she could utilize being cute and young. The older the human, the more they liked young humans acting cute.
And the better impression she made on this human, the better it was for Mom and Aslan got to eat delicious things—killing two birds with one stone.
“It’s more delicious than what we ate at Dad’s house. Does Grandma always eat such delicious things?”
Aslan went one step further and made an envious face. Yupiteria thought “look at this one” inwardly, yet the corners of her mouth were rising.
“If you want, shall I give you my chef?”
“Your Majesty, you don’t need to do that.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. What’s important is that my grandchildren eat well. Isn’t that right?”
Minerva tried to interject slightly just in case, but she couldn’t read any sign of displeasure anywhere on Yupiteria.
After that too, Aslan boldly continued her conquest of Yupiteria.
“Grandma, I can’t reach that.”
“Yes, yes, Grandma will serve you.”
Though serving meant having the maid do it, in any case, the Emperor served food to her grandchild.
Aslan, whose eyes sparkled even more, took another big bite of the food Yupiteria offered and waved both arms while stomping her feet.
Yupiteria, whose gaze was captivated by the body swaying excitedly and the chubby cheeks moving busily, felt like she could watch Aslan eat all day without getting tired.
Was it because of her face that resembled Minerva?
No, that didn’t seem to be it either.
Resembling Minerva meant resembling Mars too, but Mars’s childhood wasn’t this cute.
To the point where even her lack of etiquette looked cute, Yupiteria completely took to Aslan, whose personality was rarely seen in the Imperial Palace.
