Mumuzawa knew her mother's ways: once seated, they ate, leaving serious matters until after the meal.
In other words, do the right thing at the right time, rather than mixing things together.
So, after thanking her, she decisively pulled Dio into a seat and picked up her fork to eat.
Although she had already eaten cookies in the study, for some reason, she had been getting hungry easily these past few days, as though everything she ate was digested as soon as she swallowed it.
The moment Dio sat down, he felt several needle-sharp gazes on his back.
He glanced back slightly and saw several people dressed in black, looking like bodyguards, staring fixedly at him.
Although he knew they were only doing their jobs, Dio was not quite used to being watched while eating, so he gave it some thought.
A moment later, a voice rang out in the quiet room. "Would you like some, too?"
Dio asked them with feigned curiosity, his voice carrying clearly through the quiet room and immediately drawing everyone's attention.
The Prince Malayan gave him a bewildered look, then lowered his head again, unable to understand.
Mumuzawa, meanwhile, never raised her head, eating the food on her plate at a leisurely pace.
A flicker of displeasure crossed the Seventh Queen's eyes. She took some exception to Dio's behavior, but could hardly say anything, so she calmly swept her gaze over the soldiers under her command. They immediately stiffened, not daring to make any further little movements.
Seeing this, Dio nodded in satisfaction, picked up the wineglass beside him, and brought it to his lips. In the end, it'll all come down to a fight anyway. There's no need to keep up appearances-
Suddenly, Dio frowned. The dormant Ripple within his body abruptly stirred!
*An