Sidi turns a dignified expression toward the Elf King. He does not change his expression, but you can sense that he has a strange feeling ...... about what is going on.
"...... something wrong with us?"
Ortó comes forward looking panicked. Sidi slowly shifts her gaze to him and speaks in a calm voice.
"It's a big mistake.
"What is the matter with you? Shall I give you the details?"
She held a plate in front of her and held it out to Ortó.
"...... anything?"
Ortó looks at Sidhi with a curious expression on his face. But she lifted her chin with a quick snap, her eyes blazing.
Please eat this. Then you will understand.
"What?"
It was as if time had stopped, and everyone in the room froze. I looked at the dishes being served in front of me, but there was nothing suspicious about them. There is a sweet aroma in the air. Is there poison in this dish?
I scoop up some of the sauce with my little finger and bring it to my mouth. I have a poison resistance, so not a lot of poisons will work on me. A little lick is not a problem. If this much kills me, I rather praise the elf. I mean, if you don't swallow it, it's not a problem, right?
My knowledge is that the poisons in this world take effect the moment they are swallowed. I can say this from my experience of eating plants that grow wild in the forests of Lunois with Eril, and also from what I learned from May. In fact, when she examines something potentially poisonous, she sometimes puts it in her mouth. I was surprised when I saw it for the first time, but according to May, it is very important. I have eaten quite a few poisons myself, partly because of Eryl's recklessness, but none of them caused me to have a seizure or reaction the moment I put them in my mouth. The moment I chewed and swallowed, I always felt chills and had a reaction in my body, and Eryl always looked at me with a curious expression as I was struggling.
"Wow, it's poisonous. It smells so good. ....... Then, Linos, try this one too."
"Fugot? Ugh ...... gogogeggeggeggeggeh~"
"...... this one looks like it's poisonous too."
...... That was totally abusive. Yeah, I can't find any other words to describe it.
I lick the sauce off my fingers while thinking about that.
......Tastes good. It's so rich. Very sweet, but not too strong. I wonder what they use for this. It doesn't seem to be sugar ....... Is it some kind of sweet fruit that is boiled down to make a sauce?
I want to swallow it as it is, but let's not do that. I take out a handkerchief from my pocket and wipe my mouth. ...... Okay, so far there is nothing wrong. It seems to be all right. Then, how about the pulp? Curious, I reach for the fork that's been placed beside me.
"I won't eat any more! Hands on your knees!"
Sadie's voice rang out, the most dusky voice I had ever heard. I shuddered and involuntarily put my hands on my knees and stiffened.
Siddee exhales and holds out the plate she is offering to Ortó.
"Please eat."
"Yes, sir. But I cannot take the food I gave you. Please wait a moment. I'm on my way to ......."
Ortó is bewildered, his eyes black and white. But Siddee stares at him and doesn't move an inch.
"......What happened?"
The Elf King stands up and speaks to Sidi. She turns her face to Ortó and tries to answer the king, moving only her eyes.
"You will know if there is anything in it when you eat it, Master Ortó.
"U......"
"Come on, eat. Don't be shy. Or is there something you can't eat?
No, sir. But we elves do not have the custom of eating food from plates given to others. Needless to say, it would be disrespectful to that person. You say it is fine, but we do not. Elves and Men...... are you a dwarf? But your customs and habits are no different from those of men. The two races have different ways of thinking and different customs. I don't mean to be rude, but this is the home of the elves. In our village, we expect you to follow our customs and habits. I know that you are a very intelligent person and that you do not understand my words, but please forgive me for saying this. I know that you may have many thoughts about this, but I hope that you will understand my feelings as well.
How eloquent! I can't help but be impressed. It was as if an announcer was reading from a script.
Siddee stares at Ortó, and then returns the plate to its original position. Then he let out a cute little smile.
"As I thought, you are just as I thought you would be, Mr. Ortó. Thank you very much."
"Ha, ha ha."
He bowed his head in confusion, as if he did not understand the meaning of Sadie's words. She looked at him with satisfaction, then turned her eyes to me and Meek, gave a small nod, and turned her attention back to Ortó again.
Then she looked at me and Meek, nodded a little, and looked at Ortó again. But I don't think you will be able to eat it, if that's all right.
"...... I don't understand your words. I do not mean to be rude, but we are absolutely confident in the food we serve. Unlike humans, we do not eat often, but even so, with our long history, we elves have a vast store of culinary knowledge. You probably think our food tastes bad because of the time that has passed since we served it, but our food is ......"
Suddenly, Ortó looks surprised. His eyes darted from side to side, and he began to look puzzled. What is going on?
I looked at Sadie next to me and saw that she was smiling thinly. She was smiling coldly, as if she had seen through everything. A shiver ran down my spine.
"What is it, Mr. Ortó?"
She spoke to him in a gentle voice, as if she was trying to help him. But he was lying still, his hands clenched into fists, as if he had not heard her voice. With a cold smile on her face, Sadie picks up a fork from the table beside her and with a masterful gesture, she brings the food in front of her into her mouth.
"......Pep. Tasteless."
Wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, Sidhi stares at the food he has just spit out. Then he looks at me and Meek again. He seems to be telling us to try it.
"Don't swallow it, please."
Meek and I both looked puzzled, but eventually he picked up a fork and fearfully put the food in his mouth.
...... bitter. An indescribable bitterness spread in my mouth among the sweetness. This is not good.
......The sweet taste at first, but the bitterness that comes later is indescribable.
Meek, too, is shaking his head and spitting out his food. Sidi looks on with satisfaction. Ortó, on the other hand, is twitching his eyes and staring at us with a look of hatred on his face.
"This is what I call a schemer's trick! Now it all makes sense. ......It was you who killed Leila, wasn't it, Mr. Ortó?"
Ortó's mood in front of me changed quickly: .......