The food speaks for itself; the presentation alone is enough to make one's appetite surge.
Under Iris's slightly expectant gaze, Roa picked up a knife and fork and first tasted the beef.
The beef tasted excellent. Although he didn't know where it came from, the tenderness on his tongue surprised Roa.
Roa usually likes to eat meat when he eats, so he wasn't too polite with the dishes in front of him.
He wielded his knife and fork, his movements still elegant, but his eating speed clearly increased.
Seeing Roa's interest in the food, Iris asked with some pride, "How is it? Does the palace food suit Brother's taste?"
Roa nodded and continued eating.
Iris's lips curled up, her smile even brighter.
The following time was for the two of them to eat.
They didn't talk much; talking too much while eating isn't a good thing.
Iris chewed her food in small bites, her eyes constantly wandering between the dishes in front of her and the boy.
Then something puzzling happened to her.
Even though Roa was also eating one bite at a time, without any sign of wolfing down his food, the food on Roa's plate was disappearing at an exaggerated rate.
Iris's small mouth opened slightly. She looked at the food on her plate and then at the plate that was already half empty, and the girl fell into a long-lost contemplation.
How did Roa manage to eliminate the food so elegantly and quickly?
The girl's contemplation didn't affect Roa, who continued to quickly finish the food in front of him with a straight face.
Roa had a big appetite. Eating now wasn't just about filling his stomach; it was purely an enjoyment and a habit.
It was like how he didn't need to sleep, but he would still choose to lie quietly in bed at night, even if he couldn't sleep, he would close his eyes and pretend for a while. It wasn't a necessity, but it was a habit that made Roa feel like a person.
The deliciousness from his taste buds made Roa feel happy.
Ten minutes passed. Except for the food around Iris, which hadn't been touched, Roa had devoured most of the food. The boy let out a satisfied burp and leaned back in his chair in a proper manner.
Iris's mind was no longer on the food on her plate. Seeing Roa's behavior, she couldn't help but chuckle and say, "Big Brother Roa is really informal."
Roa shrugged and pointed to the remaining food in Iris's bowl, saying, "Don't just look at me; eat your food quickly."
Iris's gaze stopped on the chicken leg on her plate. She wasn't polite either. Although Iris was a girl, she still consumed a lot of food every day.
Roa waited for five minutes, somewhat lost in thought. Iris finally finished eating. The girl wiped the stains from her mouth with a napkin in a reserved manner, and both of them were free for the time being.
Before Roa could say anything, Iris spoke first, asking, "Um, Brother, if, I mean if, I wanted to go out and become an adventurer, would you support me?"
The girl looked at the boy with expectant eyes. The white light shone on Iris's delicate face, and her clear eyes rarely looked away, not meeting the boy's gaze.
Although the conversation in the morning made Iris think that Roa was a rare person who wouldn't object to her willful requests, for some reason, the girl still had a guilty feeling.
Roa took out a napkin and wiped his mouth. The boy raised his eyes and looked at the small figure sitting in the chair.
Roa thought for a while and nodded, saying, "Yes, no matter what Iris wants to do, Brother will support you."
A look of surprise flashed across Iris's face, and the anxiety in her heart disappeared at this moment. Iris quickly looked around, and there was no one else besides Roa.
The maid who had been standing here was standing at the door, unaware of the conversation between the two inside.
Iris came to Roa, reached out and hugged Roa directly, her arms around Roa's shoulders, her body leaning forward, and a faint fragrance came.
The girl's sudden action caught Roa off guard. Roa felt the somewhat petite body in his arms and, for some reason, thought of Aisha.
That guy also liked to run over and reach out her hands like Iris, asking him to hug her.
Iris let go and simply sat on Roa's lap, her two slender legs swaying slightly. Iris lay in Roa's arms, looked up at Roa, and said in a somewhat coquettish tone, "Then, Big Brother Roa, please take care of me from now on."
Roa nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on the scenery outside the window.
The sky was dark, but beneath the sky was a sea of twinkling lights. The dim candlelight stretched endlessly, turning the entire city into a twilight scene.
Roa found a comfortable position and leaned back in the chair. The girl in his arms leaned on the boy very skillfully. It seemed that this wasn't the first time this guy had done this.
Roa reached out and stroked the girl's head. Her beautiful hair was scattered around her waist, and strands of hair fell to Roa's nose, making Roa feel a little itchy.
Iris looked up at Roa's expression. Roa's expression didn't show any displeasure, and he didn't even care about Iris's somewhat rash behavior.
The boy always had that indifferent look, with a gentle smile on his lips, exuding an aura that made people feel at ease.
Even though it was only their first meeting, and they hadn't spent much time together.
But the other person always gave the feeling that you could open your heart and talk.
Roa didn't know what the girl was thinking. Iris's actions might seem a little abrupt to others.
But Roa was also a brother who had taken care of many younger sisters.
Although this kind of thing was a bit unexpected for Roa, he could accept it quickly.
Roa had faced such scenes before, like Aisha suddenly getting angry and clamoring about something, saying that Roa was biased.
As a result, after asking, he found out that he had been with Mitsuri Kanroji all the time and rarely talked to Aisha, ignoring Aisha's feelings. However, that day, Aisha had been actively trying to show herself, but unfortunately, his eyes were fixed on Mitsuri the whole time.
This incident also made Roa feel dumbfounded.
After that, Roa's mind became more delicate, especially towards little girls.
After all, he could never guess what was going on in a little girl's head. All he needed to do was follow her wishes.
"Big Brother Roa, I want to hear a story, your story."
Iris lay in Roa's arms, enjoying it a little. Roa's head-stroking skills were superb, making Iris feel very comfortable. Iris felt a long-lost sense of drowsiness. Roa had a very pleasant smell.