After parting with Chase, Noel had spent the entire day racking his brain, but other than learning about the boy’s unfortunate past, he had failed to uncover a single clue related to the quest.

He still had no clear answer. No matter how hard he thought, he could not make sense of the bizarre standards the System used to judge his actions.

Immediately before he succeeded at the quest yesterday, Noel had done two significant things. He had hurled harsh words at Chase and offered him a small, sweet macaron.

He could at least understand the possibility that hurting Chase with those insults had satisfied the negative conditions. But why had the macaron been judged a “meager meal”? Was it considered meager simply because it was small?

That can’t be it. The insults must have mattered more.

But was that really true?

"God, I don’t know. Should I test it?"

Noel shuddered even as he muttered to himself. Even so, he did not want to cough up blood again. Completing the quest was his priority, but he had no desire to charge ahead blindly and subject himself to that horrifying pain.

Besides, his father and Adrian would return before long. Once those two arrived, Noel would inevitably have to watch himself whenever he wandered around the castle and bothered Chase.

He felt as though he needed to accomplish something before then to put his mind at ease.

That was why he had casually asked the butler about the location of Chase’s new room that morning and begun a full-scale surveillance operation—no, an observation.

"He really does that all day."

Noel had positioned himself in the part of the garden with the clearest view of the room and had been watching for quite some time, yet he had gained nothing new.

As though staring out the window truly was the entirety of his daily routine, Chase merely pulled the curtain aside a little and poked his pale face out.

"Phew."

Watching so intently for any change in his behavior had made Noel hungry. He ordered a passing attendant to bring him some refreshments, but for some reason, the butler himself came walking into the garden carrying the tray.

"What brings you here, Butler? I doubt you came because you missed me."

"It is a hot day, and you have been outside for quite some time. I came because I was concerned."

Concerned, my ass. He probably came to make sure I wasn’t causing trouble again.

Still, his timing was convenient. Noel straightened from where he had been sprawled across his chair and looked at him.

"Butler, let me ask you something."

"Yes. What is it, Lord Noel?"

"What does Chase usually eat?"

"Master Chase, you mean? Why are you asking about Master Chase...?"

The butler cautiously returned the unexpected question, looking puzzled.

He had already been nervous that Noel might try to harm Chase, considering how intently Noel had been staring at the boy’s window. Hearing such a question under those circumstances only made the butler more apprehensive.

Had Noel not personally lashed out at the one subject most likely to touch a raw nerve—magic? The butler felt his mouth go dry as he carefully studied Noel’s expression.

"No reason. I’m curious. My father isn’t even here, and his guest is shut away in a room all by himself, isn’t he? I hear he has exceptional magical talent, so as his host, I can’t help being concerned. What about his meals?"

Noel was plainly being sarcastic, yet the butler was puzzled by this unfamiliar sight of him displaying relatively mild concern.

Ordinarily, Noel would have stormed into the room and turned it upside down. Was this some new form of torment?

Nevertheless, the butler dutifully answered.

"He has not eaten yet."

"Not yet? The sun is already high in the sky."

It had only been a speculative question. Even after Noel had finished a satisfying meal and awakened from a leisurely nap, Chase had remained by that window the entire time.

It was already long past mealtime. The butler hesitated briefly, still seemingly puzzled by Noel’s question, before answering cautiously.

"I cannot say for certain, as he has not explained. Perhaps he has no appetite, but he has not left his room...."

His voice trailed off as he lowered his gaze. In other words, he did not know the reason.

Noel frowned without thinking. Was Chase simply refusing to eat, or was he unable to? How was that scrawny body supposed to hold out without food?

Wait. Why am I worrying about that brat?

Noel slowly shook his head and cast the thought aside.

Chase was nothing more than the mastermind character in a novel. Whether he starved or not was none of Noel’s concern. Besides, he had an important role on the level of the most powerful being in this world, so he would surely find some way to survive.

Noel’s own life was what mattered above all else. This was no time to indulge in pointless sentimentality.

"How do you usually serve his meals if he refuses to eat them? You aren’t mistreating him, are you? How bold of you, considering my father brought him here."

Noel deliberately asked the butler in a sarcastic tone. He even glanced surreptitiously at the empty air in case the System window decided to make a fuss over his concern.

Fortunately, perhaps because his tone had passed inspection, the System remained silent.

"...Pardon? N-no! Master Chase does skip meals quite often, but we have never neglected his treatment."

Was that really true? Chase had said they had not even assigned him a single attendant. But whatever the truth was, it did not matter much to Noel.

Hmm. Then should I bring him something to eat and see how he reacts? I can find out what he actually does in that room while I’m there.

Watching the window from outside had its limits. What could Noel possibly learn by staring at a tiny head the size of a bean?

"Then what does he usually eat?"

"...H-he eats the same meals you do, Lord Noel."

After a long hesitation, the butler answered while carefully watching Noel’s reaction.

The same food as Noel? In that case, Chase had been dining quite lavishly.

Simply starving him or throwing a piece of stale bread onto the floor like some third-rate villain would weigh too heavily on Noel’s conscience, which remained steeped in modern morality.

Wouldn’t it be enough to give him something more meager than usual? The quest condition had clearly said to “provide a meager meal,” not to “starve him.”

Noel carefully recalled the meal he had eaten earlier. It had been an extravagant course that seemed to continue without end: bread and velvety soup to start, followed by an appetizing salad, a main course, and a sweet dessert.

Right. If his usual meals are that elaborate... then removing a few dishes would make the result seem sufficiently meager by comparison, wouldn’t it?

Soup alone would barely register in his stomach, so that was out. Bread... did that even count as a meal? Eating nothing but dessert was absurd. Once he eliminated everything else, only the meat remained.

Yes. One freshly grilled cut of the finest tenderloin steak, dripping with juices.

It would provide nutrition and let Chase enjoy some meat, so Noel certainly would not be starving him. But what if a single piece of meat sat all alone on a vast silver platter without so much as one side dish? Compared to an extravagant full-course meal, it would unmistakably look meager.

The logic was flawless. Noel rejoiced inwardly and gave the butler his instructions.

"Butler, prepare a steak."

"I will have it prepared in the dining room."

"No. Have it brought here. It isn’t for me. I’m taking it to Chase."

The butler’s eyes widened. Ordinarily, Noel would not have spared the slightest concern for Chase’s well-being.

For Noel to volunteer to look after him personally was bound to leave the butler bewildered.

"If that is the case, shall I have it taken to Master Chase’s room?"

"No. I’ll bring it to him myself, so just tell the kitchen."

"I cannot allow you to perform such a menial task, Lord Noel. I will go. There is no need for you to—"

"I don’t want to repeat myself."

As the conversation dragged on, Noel finally cut the butler off.

Unable to object any further under the circumstances, the butler swallowed his words and bowed his head to carry out Noel’s command.

Before long, Noel strode majestically toward Chase’s room with the prepared plate of steak in his hands.

Yet with every step he took, something inside him seemed to shrivel a little further.

"This isn’t a deviation from the original story route... is it?"

If it were, the System would already have made a fuss.

"Is this too cruel when he’s accustomed to something else...? No, one plate of steak is perfectly fine. It’s better than an empty stomach."

Noel’s unease refused to fade as he walked along, muttering endlessly to himself.

Even if he was only doing this for the quest, carrying a plate that looked conspicuously shabby compared to his own usual meals did not feel particularly pleasant.

Still, this is a quest. A quest. I’m not starving him. At least I’m giving him something to eat.

Changing his attitude as easily as flipping over his palm, Noel put more force into his stride.

When he finally reached Chase’s room, Noel made a token effort to knock on the door.

Knock, knock.

Only silence answered him. He knocked again, but the room remained as quiet as a grave. Even after waiting for a moment, he could not sense anyone moving inside.

Once again, Noel made no attempt to exercise patience.

"Ugh, why is it so dark in here?"

The instant he threw open the door and stepped inside, Noel’s brow furrowed deeply.

Even though it was the middle of the day, the room was pitch-black. Chase had drawn the curtains so tightly that the only illumination came from a thin sliver of light seeping through a gap by the window.

The sinister atmosphere made it seem as though a ghost might leap out from a corner at any moment. Noel swallowed dryly without realizing it.

Was horror secretly one of this story’s genres too?

Chapter 10

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