Chapter 8

A salad filled only with green leaves.

Elina picked up the fork and ate the vegetables she usually wouldn’t look at. There weren’t many cherry tomatoes left after digging through the round salad bowl.

Still, she was proud of herself for struggling to survive.

Just endure for now.

In a few days, when Madame Rasiche sends her outside the mansion on an errand, she plans to meet the doctor and think about what to do with the child in her womb…

Her head hurt so much that she couldn’t even think straight. She just mechanically found food she could eat and put it in her mouth.

Whatever she was chewing in her mouth, as long as food was going inside, she felt a bit more energetic.

It seemed to lift her spirits too.

With the distinctive bitter taste of vegetables lingering on her tongue, Elina shifted her gaze to other foods nearby.

Foods filled with salt, sugar, and various sweeteners.

They were right in front of her, but they were like a pie in the sky.

Things she wanted to eat but couldn’t.

People say that when you’re pregnant, the foods you can and cannot eat change, but the child in her womb was particularly picky.

As if wanting to announce its presence.

Elina glanced at the sharp part of the fork before stabbing a piece of cabbage in the salad she was eating.

It was a part with little dressing.

Familiar eyes followed Elina’s abnormal meal. Without looking, she knew who it was.

Madame Rasiche. She had been watching Elina for a long time.

“I invited you to breakfast, and you’re not eating.”

It was a seemingly affectionate tone, but Elina knew it wasn’t.

What had she noticed?

Elina lifted her gaze from the salad bowl.

“I’ve been dieting lately. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Fortunately, Elina wasn’t too bad at telling sly lies.

Thinking of things girls, or rather women, her age might do, she responded slyly.

Madame Rasiche, as if dealing with a beloved child, squinted at Elina, who wasn’t eating breakfast properly.

It was strange that they were exchanging smiles and conversations.

How long and to what extent should this relationship be maintained?

“Where do you have any weight to lose?”

Surely, what’s in those eyes is suspicion. Madame Rasiche silently chewed and swallowed a juicy steak.

As if to show that she could swallow her too if needed.

Even though all Elina had eaten was green leaves, she felt a heaviness in her stomach.

Losing weight… It was a slightly unnatural excuse even to herself, but she had nothing else to say.

Elina’s lips moved inexplicably as she couldn’t meet Madame Rasiche’s gaze and only stared at the table.

Elina looked at the half-cut steak under Madame Rasiche’s touch.

Good quality beef. Prepared by the head chef of the Valois family.

It looked delicious.

She wanted to eat that steak so much. The grill marks made it look even more appetizing. In fact, that steak was placed right in front of Elina too.

A completely untouched beef steak.

The steak, with luxurious garnishes beautifully placed on one corner of the plate, had an alluring aspect.

Thoughts of ‘Should I just take one bite?’ lingered in her mind, but she regretted the current situation where she couldn’t.

Elina pressed the blue chicory in the salad bowl with her right hand. Eating that delicious-looking steak seemed like it would immediately make her gag.

The mixed smells of greasy foods filling the dining room were already tormenting her.

Even now, she was trying her best to act like nothing was wrong, but if she ate that food…

Elina quickly chewed and swallowed the hard chicory, barely tasting it, and gulped down the cold water next to her.

Should I try the spinach this time? It seemed just seasoned and blanched. Or would it taste too bad…

Elina discreetly took a deep breath, hoping this meal would end soon.

She was very hungry, but it seemed better to return to her room and eat the snacks she had hidden.

“Elina. Where did you go yesterday while cleaning?”

She repeated that resolution several times.

Madame Rasiche, who was enjoying the most elegant breakfast, spoke to Elina.

“Pardon? Ah, yes.”

“Reynard said you ran out without doing what you were told.”

Upon hearing that, Elina’s gaze shifted to Reynard across the table.

Who made me run out…

Elina looked coldly at Reynard, who was enjoying breakfast with perfect etiquette that even lower nobles couldn’t imagine.

He, who was leisurely dining, seemed to feel Elina’s gaze, lifted his head, and even smiled brightly.

Whose fault is this? Really, what a bad person.

If I ever reclaim Valois, I’ll deal with you first. 

Elina steadied herself, recalling the worst curse she had heard.

She couldn’t curse outwardly yet.

“Elina, answer.”

Seeing Elina exchanging glances with her son, Madame Rasiche called Elina.

Her tone was more irritable than before.

“Madame Rasiche. I’m not a maid or servant.”

Already cursing Reynard inwardly, Elina turned her head sharply.

“I know that well.”

Madame Rasiche, frowning, placed the utensils she was holding on the table and wiped her mouth with a white napkin.

“I am the only heir of Valois…”

“That too, I know well.”

Facing Madame Rasiche’s slowly spreading smile, Elina’s green eyes trembled slightly.

Elina was becoming emotional now.

Madame Rasiche easily noticed the trembling hands hidden under the table.

What could a newly adult child be afraid of? Madame Rasiche smirked at the sight of Elina, who still hadn’t shed her girlishness.

“Before that.”

“Madame.”

“You are under my protection. That means you must follow my instructions.”

Elina didn’t even bother to hide it now and bit her lips hard. Her body, which seemed a bit okay, started hurting again.

If someone nudged her, she felt she could vomit up all the greens she had just eaten.

“An adult. What can you do as an eighteen-year-old adult?”

Elina, seemingly angry at Madame Rasiche’s words, stood up. In reality, she was about to vomit and wanted to leave.

Seeing Elina acting as expected, Madame Rasiche relaxed the sneer that had filled her face.

She seemed pleased with having subdued Elina like this.

“Sit down.”

Before she could reach the dining room door, Madame Rasiche caught Elina’s ankle.

Anyway, the entrance to the dining room was lined with imposing maids.

She really felt like vomiting.

Elina swallowed her saliva and had to return to her seat. Naturally, she gently touched her lower abdomen hidden under the table.

Perhaps because she was angry inside, her stomach pulled more than before.

With one hand, she picked up the cold water glass and poured it into her mouth.

The taste felt unpleasant as she swallowed the water. 

Sorry. 

Thinking of an apology in her mind, Elina slightly bowed her upper body.

As her mind became increasingly hazy, she didn’t have the energy to worry about Madame Rasiche’s gaze.

Why was there so much from the morning? 

Even though most of the food on the table was untouched, new dishes came in as the dining room door opened.

Elina hoped Madame Rasiche would notice her pain but also hoped she wouldn’t.

She wanted to return to her room and lie down, but if it were her, she would call the doctor.

Meanwhile, the new dishes passed Madame Rasiche and Reynard and were placed in front of Elina too.

It was an additional menu that didn’t consider the long-cold beef steak portion for Elina.

Unaware of where Madame Rasiche’s gaze was fixed, Elina tightly gripped the cold water glass.

The greasy smell wafting from right in front of her made her feel like she would really retch.

The familiar appearance of the new dish was also nauseating.

Lobster with cheese…

Ha. Elina let out a short sigh inwardly.

She thought there weren’t many derogatory words about her today, but they were tormenting her, knowing full well she wasn’t feeling well.

Greasy cheese and lobster, which had a fishy taste even if handled well.

A dish Elina used to like, perfect for bringing to this table today.

Also, a great combination for making a sick person nauseous.

Madame Rasiche had been fixated on lobster with cheese since before, and she seemed thoroughly attached to this menu.

She could enjoy it, and Elina seemed to have a weakness for this dish.

Sadly, this lobster with cheese was indeed Elina’s weakness. Madame Rasiche even called the chef to remove the lobster meat, fearing Elina wouldn’t eat it.

At this point, Elina couldn’t help but suspect.

Did Madame Rasiche know about my pregnancy and was doing this on purpose?

The lobster meat on the fork was so resentful. Elina closed her eyes tightly and put it in her mouth.

From the moment she smelled the seafood’s unique scent, a battle was raging inside.

“Ha… Ugh, ugh!”

There was no way there wouldn’t be a reaction.

Some things couldn’t be endured, no matter how hard you tried.

She hurriedly covered her mouth but couldn’t hide the sour gastric juice seeping out. Tears welled up in Elina’s eyes.

“Call the doctor immediately!”

Seeing Elina vomiting into the empty salad bowl, Madame Rasiche shouted.