Chapter 199: Lilith
I spent my time until the promised night making shelves and side tables, and when the time came, I headed over to Ash’s house. It was more accurate to say I was invited for dinner to meet Lilith.
But it had been a while since I had a meal prepared by anyone other than Shiva, so I was looking forward to it. The butler always brewed tea or coffee for me, though.
I had already brought bread in the morning, so I decided to go with something safe: wine, cheese, and honey.
Ash preferred to drizzle honey over a soft blue cheese reminiscent of Gorgonzola. The cheese had a gentle tang, a hint of sweetness, and a fragrant aroma, with a creamy texture and a mild saltiness.
On the other hand, the butler favored a stronger blue cheese with a sharp bite and saltiness, aged to reduce moisture, resulting in a richer and more savory flavor. In my opinion, it had a bit of a strong taste that made it harder to eat.
I had bought both types of cheese, but when I found myself in a bind during a card game, I ended up using them in a dish that became the butler’s favorite: a gratin made with blue cheese, oysters, and spinach.
So here I was, bringing these two types of blue cheese, honey, and a slightly heavier red wine. I didn’t know Lilith’s preferences, so I skipped that part, but when I first met her and asked where she usually had lunch, she replied that she only knew taverns, so I figured having some alcohol would suffice.
“Welcome. Please head upstairs.”
“Ah.”
I followed the butler, who was holding a candelabrum, up to the second floor.
I had remodeled the place, so I knew it well, but it had been a while since the two of them came over to my house.
The walls were lined with candelabras at regular intervals, and perhaps it was the flickering flames or the furniture and carpets, but it felt much more imposing than my own home.
The silver chain of the pocket watch hanging from the butler’s vest glimmered softly in the candlelight, occasionally reflecting a hard glint.
That pocket watch must be expensive. It looked cool, so I bought one myself.
In my original world, the concept of time divided into sixty units was developed by the Sumerians around 2000 BC. The ancient Egyptians divided a day into two sets of twelve hours. It’s amazing that sundials, water clocks, and hourglasses led to the invention of the spring-driven pocket watch in the sixteenth century. Personally, I was shocked that pocket watches came before pendulum clocks.
I didn’t know how clocks evolved in this world, but given the relaxed pace of life here, I thought it wasn’t necessary to be too bound by time. Still, having one is undeniably convenient.
“Lord Jean has arrived.”
The butler announced with a formal tone. This different way of introducing me made me feel a bit tense!
“Jean, thank you for coming. This is…”
“Hey, I was wondering what kind of guy would show up—ah, we met at Tame’s shop, right? Back then, you were with the Divaland family, but soon you’ll be Adelheid Lilith.”
Before Ash could finish the introduction, Lilith spoke up. It was a relief that she wasn’t too formal.
With her red hair, military-style high-collared uniform, and long boots, she looked striking yet elegant—a beautiful woman with a great figure. The gold embroidery and cuffs adorned her outfit, giving it a festive flair that suited her well. Plus, her fitted jacket accentuated her curves in a rather striking way.
“I’m Jean. Nice to meet you again.”
I shook hands with Lilith and took a seat.
Ash’s real name is Adelheid Le Leora. The “Le” is only for direct descendants, so it won’t be attached to Lilith when she marries. Good, good, I remembered the name explanation.
The wedding was scheduled for six months later, partly due to Ash’s father being poisoned and his health. Although it was Lilith’s first marriage, she planned to keep it low-key since she would be the second wife of a duke.
Ash’s father was already up and moving around, but at night, he would collapse as if his spring had run out. It seemed Lilith had come to check on Ash’s current situation on his behalf.
The meal prepared by the butler was served in a course-like manner, with each dish coming out after everyone finished the previous one. I noted that the butler didn’t join us, and I savored the food.
First was a slightly tangy cheese and ham, followed by soup. During the meal, we engaged in harmless conversation.
“The captain has always been my idol, and I took the chance to push him down. I realized that if I created a fait accompli by taking him in, it would be accepted.”
That’s a lie; it was far too revealing. She was talking about pushing down Ash’s father when he was weakened by poison. I couldn’t help but glance at Ash several times during her story.
He was calmly cutting his meat.
“Sorry, I don’t know what kind of face I should make.”
“Rejoice, if I bear a child, Leora will be free. And I will definitely give birth to an heir of the Adelheid family.”
Lilith smirked, her crimson lips curling into a grin.
“Ash—while I’m happy that the options for Leora are increasing, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to come home forever, right?”
“Ash is fine.”
Ash corrected me when I referred to him by his full name.
“Of course, you can come back whenever you like. I’m your mother-in-law and friend. You can even bring your child along.”
“Uh-huh.”
Guh! I choked. Ash! No, that’s not what I meant!
“Are you okay?”
Ash looked worried as I coughed. No, this is bad.