Fate: My Wife is Morgan Le Fay (Patreon)

Chapter 9: Dinner

"Soon, we'll be able to have dinner."

Lot sat at the dining table, looking at Morgan, who was seated to his left with a face full of anticipation.

In this era, nobles often held banquets, so long dining tables were the norm.

However, at this table, only Lot and Morgan were dining.

And that was already an improvement.

[At least from now on, there will be two people at the table. I won’t have to eat alone anymore.]

Morgan, seated quietly, suddenly heard Lot's inner thoughts.

She glanced at him, surprised.

This scoundrel… he actually feels lonely?

She turned to look at the table.

Well, that makes sense.

He used to eat here all by himself.

Feeling lonely was inevitable, I suppose.

But don’t worry. From now on, I’ll be here to eat with you.

In the days ahead, we will rule all of Britain together, and glory and victory will always be with us.

And we will have many children. You will never be lonely again.

Morgan glanced at Lot’s face, and for a moment, a thought crossed her mind—our future children will definitely be incredibly handsome and beautiful.

Her face suddenly turned a little red.

Lot noticed her expression and frowned.

Hey, why are you looking at me with that sympathetic expression?

What’s there to feel sorry for?

Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Shouldn’t I be the one looking at you with sympathy after the food is served, watching you react like someone who has never seen real cuisine before?

Are we doing things in reverse here?

And why did your face suddenly turn red?

Anyone who sees this might think I drugged you or something.

Lot was utterly confused.

But at that moment, the maids began serving dinner, and all of Lot’s frustration disappeared instantly.

"Morgan, come, try these dishes."

He gestured toward her warmly.

On the table were several classic Chinese dishes:

Peking Duck, Four Happiness Meatballs, Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs…

Back in his past life, Lot had been a shut-in, but he disliked takeout, so he had learned to cook for himself.

After coming to this era and enduring several days of British food, he finally snapped.

"Forget it, I’ll just cook myself!"

Later, he even managed to fish out a Chinese cookbook from the river of time.

It was a thick, massive volume—even the table of contents alone was longer than the entirety of British cuisine!

And in this era, there was no need to worry about chefs running away.

So, Lot had personally taught the castle’s cooks all he knew.

Now, thanks to his training, the chefs in Lot’s castle were truly skilled.

They could at least make proper Chinese food.

And today, knowing that Morgan was here, they had put in extra effort.

<+>

Morgan looked at the dishes, all of which were unlike anything she had ever seen before.

She reached for the chopsticks.

Hmm, unfamiliar dishes, and even unfamiliar utensils.

Are these the customs of Lot’s homeland?

But I’ve never heard of Orkney being famous for its cuisine…

Hmm… whatever.

At least these dishes look quite good.

They should taste decent too.

With that thought, Morgan picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork rib and cautiously placed it in her mouth.

The moment it touched her tongue, the perfect blend of sweet and sour flavors exploded in her mouth.

It was delicious.

She wanted to show her delight—

But then, she suddenly heard Lot’s inner voice again.

[Yes, she ate it! She took a bite!]

[Now, let’s see that face full of uncontrollable joy.]

[Heh heh, watching Morgan, the proud princess, show that kind of expression—I'm really looking forward to it!]

...

This scoundrel…

What the hell are you expecting?

Are you just waiting to see me make some undignified expression?

Hmph, no way.

If you think you can make me react the way you want, you’re dreaming.

“It’s… alright.”

Morgan spoke with a completely neutral expression.

Then, with the utmost elegance, she took small, delicate bites. After finishing one, she picked up another dish—a vegetarian one this time—and placed it in her mouth.

She was determined to act as if these dishes were just average.

There’s nothing special about them at all.

They’re just food.

Though, in truth, Lot’s cooking was incredible.

Morgan tried to shift her focus, redirecting her willpower.

Alright, so the meat dish was quite good… but if I switch to vegetables, surely it won’t be that impressive, right?

Yes, that should work. I’m very clever.

However—

The moment she took a bite of the stir-fried greens, she felt a crisp, refreshing texture crunch lightly between her teeth.

Crunch, crunch.

This kind of cooking technique didn’t exist—not just in Britain, but even in China during this time period.

The taste burst onto her tongue.

Morgan’s expression almost slipped.

But then she remembered Lot’s inner thoughts.

No. I must not give in.

Damn it…

On one hand, the food was delightful.

On the other, she had to resist.

Morgan felt like she was being tortured.

Lot, seeing her oddly restrained expression, frowned in confusion.

“What’s wrong? Is the food not good?”

“No, it’s quite good.”

Morgan remained expressionless.

“Then why do you look like that?”

“It’s… irrelevant.”

Morgan responded calmly.

And so, with unwavering composure, she meticulously sampled every dish—only a small bite from each.

When she was finished, she stood up, her face still perfectly neutral.

“I’m done. Lot, after all this traveling, I’m rather tired. I’d like to rest now.”

Morgan addressed Lot smoothly.

“Oh… Alright then. I’ll have a maid take you to your room.”

Lot still felt something was off about her reaction.

But since he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, he let it go and allowed Morgan to rest.

Morgan followed the maid toward her chamber.

Yet, as she walked, her heart was bleeding.

That food… That was my first time eating anything like that… And I DIDN’T GET ENOUGH.

But if she had truly indulged herself, that damn scoundrel Lot would mock her.

I refuse!

I’ll endure for today. There’s plenty of time ahead.

Soon, I’ll be the lady of this castle, and then I can eat that food whenever I want.

When that time comes, I’ll feast properly.

Morgan reassured herself as she walked.

Meanwhile, back in the dining hall, Lot watched her leave, still perplexed.

Picking up his chopsticks, he took a bite himself.

“…It tastes exactly the same as before?”

He muttered in confusion.