To my surprise, the food arrived incredibly quickly.
Less than three minutes after ordering, my beer, edamame, sashimi, and fried chicken were already on the table.
Looking at the sashimi, I decided it would be the cause of my "food poisoning."
But first...
I wanted a drink to lift my spirits.
It had been a long time since I'd had alcohol. Every time Karen heard the word "alcohol," he'd make a face of complete disgust, so I'd never dared order any.
I took a big gulp of the beer.
I had only one thought.
"...This tastes awful."
"Well, we're used to drinking fine wine."
Grace was right.
Our palates had been spoiled by expensive liquor.
Beer—the drink of ordinary commoners—was surprisingly difficult for us to enjoy.
...Though when exactly was Grace planning to let go of my hand?
Since she was still holding it, I had no choice but to use my left hand, which wasn't my dominant hand. It was rather inconvenient.
More importantly...
Why did she keep smiling at me?
"What is it?"
"You've grown a mustache. It's so cute."
"C-cute?!"
What was Grace talking about?!
Me?
Cute?!
Then I finally realized what had changed about her.
She'd become far too honest.
...Could she please go back to the way she used to be?
If she kept saying exactly what was on her mind like this, I was pretty sure my heart wouldn't survive.
Grace then took out the camera she'd received after entering the dungeon with Karen—a magical device capable of instantly capturing whatever was in front of it.
*Click.*
After taking my picture, she smiled happily, put the camera away, pulled out a handkerchief, and said,
"That isn't a mustache. It's just beer foam. Let me wipe it off."
"T-Thank you..."
She gently wiped the foam from above my upper lip with her handkerchief.
The warmth I felt in that moment was enough to melt away the entire winter.
I was so embarrassed.
"You're welcome."
Grace didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest.
That only made me feel like the timid one.
...But our relationship had changed.
I needed to get used to things like this.
(Starting now... I can't keep getting flustered over every little thing she does!)
I silently steeled myself.
Then I looked at Grace.
"Grace, I think it's about time. Could you let go of my hand now?"
As we'd been talking, several more minutes had passed.
The agreed ten minutes were almost up.
Grace reluctantly nodded.
"...Okay."
The moment she released my hand, I quickly started eating the appetizers. It would be a waste not to.
At the same time, I pointed at the sashimi, silently letting Grace know that it was supposed to be the source of my food poisoning.
After eating a few slices...
"Grace... my stomach... it hurts..."
"Mr. Jacob?! What's wrong?! Did you eat something bad?!"
"I-It's... the sashimi... wasn't fresh... ugh..."
After saying that, I clutched my stomach and collapsed onto the table.
At the same time, I secretly pinched my own flesh, using the pain to make my performance look more convincing.
<>
The moment Jacob collapsed onto the table, trembling as if he were in agony, Grace exploded.
"Waiter! The sashimi at your tavern wasn't safe! My friend has food poisoning!"
"I'll get the chef!"
The waiter sprinted toward the kitchen.
While he was gone, Grace stayed beside Jacob, trying to comfort him.
Meanwhile, the surrounding customers all gathered to watch.
"What's going on?"
"That guy apparently got food poisoning from the sashimi."
"Good thing I didn't order any."
A few moments later, an angry middle-aged man stormed out of the kitchen and bellowed,
"Who's got food poisoning?!"
The moment Grace saw him, she shouted back furiously,
"How did you prepare your fish?! You didn't clean it properly at all!"
The man glared at her.
Seeing that she was just a young woman much younger than himself only made him angrier.
"I'm older than you, so show some respect! I've been making sashimi for ten years, and not once has anyone gotten food poisoning! I think you're trying to eat without paying! Let me examine him and see if he's really sick!"
The man reached toward Jacob.
Grace immediately slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch him!"
She knew that if anyone discovered Jacob was only pretending, there would be no way to explain themselves.
No one could be allowed near him.
The man refused to give up and reached out again.
Grace slapped his hand away a second time.
"I said don't touch him!"
That only convinced the man they were lying.
"If you won't let me examine him, then you've obviously got something to hide! If you don't pay today, neither of you is leaving this tavern!"
At his words, several kitchen workers rushed out and surrounded Jacob and Grace.
Grace stood protectively in front of Jacob.
Taking advantage of the distraction, one rough-looking worker stepped forward and kicked Jacob to the floor.
"Quit faking it!"
"Urgh...!"
Jacob crashed onto the floor with a painful cry.
That single kick completely shattered Grace's self-control.
"How dare you laid a hand on Mr. Jacob!"
She clenched her fist and drove it straight into the thug's face.
Grace was a well-trained knight.
Her punches were far stronger than those of an ordinary person.
One blow was all it took to knock him unconscious.
Grace would never allow anyone to hurt Jacob.
She would stop at nothing to protect him.
That was the Grace who had changed after her relationship with Jacob had changed.