Chapter 46: Communication
“Which one should I choose?”
An stood on the shore, holding a different type of fish in each hand, looking quite distressed.
The fish in her left hand had fine scales, a dull gray color, and didn’t look very appealing, but it struggled vigorously.
Meanwhile, the fish in her right hand, though it looked somewhat foolish, shimmered with iridescent colors on its scales, stunningly beautiful.
“In the end, I have no idea what kind of fish the young master had eaten last year,” An sighed softly.
Speaking of the fish that even the young master would marvel at, it must have been from last year when the Duke’s family visited Lake Beipole for a scenic boat ride. The exquisite taste of that fish left even the well-traveled elders unable to stop praising it.
It’s only natural for the young master to remember it fondly this time, but that fish was caught by the boatman that day. Even turning it into a grand meal was all handled by the boatman alone, so An had no idea about the fish species.
“To make such a basic mistake… As the young master’s personal maid, I have truly faltered,” An resolved firmly.
Upon returning to the Duke’s mansion, she vowed to thoroughly investigate all the freshwater species in Lake Beipole.
“In the mansion, there should be all sorts of peculiar books in the secret library, which might have relevant information.”
“If we’re talking about eating, the fish in your left hand would be much more delicious,” a voice sounded behind An.
“The fish in your right hand, although beautiful to look at, would have a strong fishy taste.”
“I see.”
An casually returned the fish in her right hand to the lake, then turned around to look at the returning girl.
“Is everything okay with our companions?”
“They… have already gone back.”
“Then why don’t you leave?”
“I…,” Eluka forced a melancholic smile. “I have a companion who’s been seriously injured and needs healing. But I’ve run out of magic, and due to physical exhaustion, I’d only be a burden if I followed. So I might as well stay here and wait until my magic recovers a bit.
I’m sorry, but I can’t bring my companion to thank you together for now.”
“Don’t worry about it. I told you, I don’t need those things,” An replied. “Speaking of which, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about this type of fish?”
“Mm.”
Eluka nodded. “Actually, my village is just across the lake. Every autumn, my family used to come together to catch this kind of fish.
Although these fish only become plump and tasty in autumn, that’s precisely why they are highly prized by those noble gentlemen and always fetch a good price.”
“Is that so? It seems I haven’t caught the wrong one,” An muttered to herself, then suddenly remembering something, she looked at Eluka and asked earnestly, “May I ask you for the cooking method of this fish?”
“Uh, of course you can,” Eluka replied.
“Very well.”
After receiving a positive response, An casually stunned the fish and set it aside. Then she took out a small notebook she carried with her and asked, “Which cooking method is generally more delicious?”
“Well… it’s usually either charcoal grilling or steaming. After all, the characteristic of this fish is its delicious taste and firm texture, so it’s best to choose a cooking method that won’t detract from its original flavor,” Eluka replied.
“What seasoning is needed?”
“Just salt should be enough. After all, the idea is to taste the natural flavor.”
“Spices…”
“…?”
…
…
The two of them exchanged ideas for a long time, with An asking about cooking methods, seasoning, cooking time, and even the ideal temperature.
It wasn’t until she had filled two whole pages in her small notebook with meticulous notes that she finally closed it satisfactorily.
She then bowed to Eluka and thanked her, saying, “Thank you very much for your guidance. You’ve been a great help.”
“Oh, um, you’re welcome,” Eluka hastily dodged An’s deep bow, scratching her cheek awkwardly.
“I just did some trivial things; compared to being saved by you, it’s nothing at all,” Eluka said.
“No, to me, this is a huge help,” An replied.
A rare hint of warmth appeared on An’s usually composed and aloof face as she smiled softly. Seeing that smile, Eluka was momentarily lost in thought.
“Is Miss An doing all this… because of someone she likes?” Eluka asked hesitantly.
“Hmm?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, it’s sudden to bring this up. After all, it’s Miss An’s personal matter…”
“It’s okay. This isn’t something that needs to be hidden.”
An touched her slightly flushed cheeks with both hands, her lips curved into a blissful smile. “After all, I’m indeed doing all this to prepare a fish feast that my beloved enjoys.”
“So it’s true… That’s so wonderful,” Eluka said, a hint of envy in her voice. “To be able to offer your own heart to the one you love, your beloved must be very happy.”
“Yes, he’s very happy,” An said, narrowing her eyes. “Once he fully understands my profound love for him.”
“Huh?”
“It’s nothing, please don’t mind,” An withdrew her hands, habitually clasping them in front of her abdomen. Her graceful posture once again stirred envy in Eluka.
If only I had such elegance in my bearing, surely Rode would pay more attention to me.
“Um… Miss An.”
“Yes?”
“I have a problem… Can I talk to you about it?”
Eluka nervously asked, clutching her skirt’s hem.
“Of course,” An replied.
An replied, “As a token of gratitude for teaching me cooking, feel free to ask.”
“Well, actually… I have a friend, just a friend, a very good friend.”
“Okay, I understand, a friend, right? And then?”
“And then, she has liked someone for a very, very long time. But she doesn’t know if the person she likes likes her back because he’s particularly clueless and treats everyone with great kindness.”
“A fireplace type of guy? Radiating warmth and kindness to everyone.”
“Yeah…my friend, she was actually planning to confess and give it a try, but then this other girl appeared out of nowhere.”
“A love triangle?”
“Yeah…so recently my friend has been wavering, because she likes that person, but it’s obvious that he’s a bit nicer to the new girl who just showed up. So, she’s wondering, should she give up now?”
Eluka stared down at the lake, its surface undisturbed, unable to see her own reflection. Unconsciously, her fingers were clenched so tightly they turned white.
“After all, if they’re in love with each other, is it really right for her to interfere as a third party?”
“Oh, I see. I understand your dilemma now.”
An nodded and said, “Then I’ll just ask directly.”
“Huh? An, Miss An?”
Eluka exclaimed in surprise as An suddenly cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look into her eyes.
“May I ask, how much do you like that man?”
“Uh, well, he’s just a friend, just a friend…”
As Eluka’s words of evasion gradually lost their strength, she found herself unable to even muster the ability to lie as she looked into An’s eyes.
“I like him a lot, you know. I’ve liked him for several years now,” Eluka admitted truthfully.
“Would you sacrifice your life for him?” An asked.
“Of course,” Eluka replied without hesitation.
After all, she had already done such a thing before.
“Would you disregard morality for him?” An continued.
“I would.”
“Would you trample upon the law for him?”
“Yes.”
If she could sacrifice her life for him, what were morality and law in comparison?
Massive fucking red flags lol honestly the guy isn’t worth it but whatever
“Would you sacrifice your life for him?” An asked.
“Of course,” Eluka replied without hesitation.
After all, she had already done such a thing before.
“Would you disregard morality for him?” An continued.
“I would.”
“Would you trample upon the law for him?”
“Yes.”
If she could sacrifice her life for him, what were morality and law in comparison?