The first thing that caught my eye was a long, reddish-brown rectangular table, with silver armchairs spaced about 2 meters apart on either side, but none were occupied.
There were no seats on the side near the door, its intention clearly to allow the person sitting opposite to observe the movements by the door without obstruction.
A man with a neatly trimmed beard, dressed in expensive dark red silk clothing, seemingly enjoying his breakfast, stared intently at me.
Behind him, four women stood rigidly, their faces tense, looking like maids but not dressed in maid uniforms. This composition made it easy to realize that the only person dining at the table before me was the head of the Anglus Family.
Is that person my father in this other world? To be honest, I couldn't feel a trace of paternal affection in his eyes; instead, there was a cold, chilling sensation.
It's completely unlike my Father from my past life.
"Good… morning, Father… sir."
I clumsily greeted him in a tender, childish tone.
However, no one responded to me, but no one criticized me for any impropriety either, so I was temporarily relieved. After all, I didn't understand noble etiquette at all, and perhaps because I was still young, not too much was demanded of me.
Since the novel didn't provide detailed descriptions of Anglus family, I had no idea about this villainous character's family structure or relationships until now. And judging by the atmosphere of the entire scene, a harmonious and loving family was probably out of the question.
"Please be seated."
Volth lifted me onto a child's chair and quickly set my breakfast before me.
"Please eat."
The breakfast consisted of soft pastries, rich milk, and finely cut small fruits, clearly simple foods easy for a child to chew and digest. For a guy, who liked cooking, I was familiar with these dishes like back of my hand.
But to be honest, I had no idea how to handle such a situation. Since Butler Volth said I could eat, it was probably best to enjoy breakfast first and then consider other matters.
"Excuse… me."
I picked up the small fork and knife, cut a small piece of soft pastry, and carefully put it into my mouth.
My young body couldn't get used to it right away; I couldn't move as freely as I wished. But more than that, I was bothered by the oppressive atmosphere here. I really wanted to finish eating quickly and slip away.
By the way, shouldn't a child as young as me have a servant specifically feeding me?
Robert's personality in the novel was so twisted, I thought he must have lived a pampered noble life from a young age. Is that not the case?
The food tasted… average. The noble food here, to me as a modern person, was all commonplace.
It seems I can't expect too much from exotic world delicacies. Should I use my intelligence to start a culinary revolution? Haha, just kidding!
As I was eating breakfast while thinking about all sorts of random things, I inadvertently looked up and suddenly noticed a change in the atmosphere.
For some reason, everyone in the living room was staring at me motionlessly, including the Marquis, who had stopped eating and were observing me.
I'm doomed!
Although I didn't know what I messed up, I definitely did something eye-catching. Did my thoughts show on my face? Or can people here read minds? Besides that, I had no clue. Wasn't I just eating normally?
The Marquis moved his neatly trimmed beard, seemingly not angry at my actions.
"Robert, have you already learned to use a knife and fork? Yesterday, you could only hold it."
It was only after hearing his words that I suddenly understood. Oh, right, for a child as young as me, it's normal not to use a knife and fork like an adult. I merely used them naturally out of habit, neatly cutting a small piece of pastry and putting it into my mouth, completely overlooking this point.
By the way, I just transmigrated, how could I know what my state was yesterday?
What should I do? How do I explain? I'm going to be suspected. If I'm thought to be not like a child… what will happen to me?
My body stiffened, cold sweat streamed down, and I lowered my head, not daring to meet anyone's gaze.
Ultimately, I was just an ordinary person, with no acting experience. It was unrealistic to completely play the role of a child.
In the transmigration light novels I've read, the protagonists generally don't have this problem. Damn it, there's nowhere to reference.
"That's because I taught him thoroughly yesterday."
At this moment, one of the women standing behind the Marquis spoke.
I looked up at her. Although I didn't recognize the woman, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. Could she be…
"I don't recall allowing you to speak. I am speaking to Jeno."
"…I am very sorry."
Who is this person? Is it not even allowed to speak without permission here, except for him? What kind of family is this?
However, the woman's words gave me a way out, and there was no reason not to use it.
"Mom… taught… me."
I cautiously observed the Marquis's reaction.
"…Is that so? Well done. Lucius and Aisha couldn't do that at such a young age. It seems your learning ability is quite good. I look forward to your growth in the future."
Although it sounded like praise for a child, neither his expression nor his tone showed genuine anticipation. Is Marquis Anglus someone who is not good at expressing emotions? I speculated.
But most importantly, the atmosphere here is so heavy! I can barely breathe!
If I were a real child, I might not feel this, but my inner self is an adult, and I am very sensitive to the atmosphere at the dining table. I dare say this is the first time in my life I've eaten in such a heavy atmosphere; eating alone would be hundreds of times better.
Is this the normal state of noble life? The thought of having to eat in this atmosphere from now on made even the best ingredients taste bland.
And the culprit behind this atmosphere was, without a doubt, the head of the Anglus family, who sat in the most prominent position at the long table, and also my biological father in this world.
Noble life might not be as wonderful as I imagined.
At this moment, I had this thought for the first time.