ASDEF 30

Chapter 30

So that’s why Daniel had specifically mentioned the kitchen. Because what the late Duchess used to manage was now being handled by Alisa.

Of course, it was doubtful whether Alisa, still young, could see through the head chef’s seasoned tricks.

Still, the fact that Isabel had thought this far just from hearing that I wanted to go to the storage room…

Isabel was truly a maidservant with considerable perceptiveness.

Seeing my face heavy with disappointment, Isabel carefully spoke again.

“That’s how it usually is, but when there are other matters, His Grace or the Young Master have also occasionally gone down there themselves when unavoidable.”

“Other matters?”

“Yes. When they change the menu themselves, or prepare a banquet for special guests…”

Just then, before Isabel could finish her sentence, Lucy came in carrying some refreshments.

“Milady, I brought you some warm soup.”

“Soup?”

“You looked quite tense during your lesson earlier, so I was worried. What if you fell ill?”

“I’m touched. Thank you.”

At my compliment, Lucy beamed and placed the soup before me.

As Lucy said, I took a spoonful of the steaming warm soup, and my stiff throat immediately softened.

While savoring the soup, I suddenly thought of Daniel.

*Come to think of it, he said he’d treat me well, but he hasn’t actually done anything for me yet… He probably hasn’t been eating properly during that long battle either.*

As I merely thought about it and wet my lips, a curious idea flashed through my mind.

A way to naturally enter the kitchen. That was the very trick.

I urgently lifted my head.

“This soup…!”

At my words, both Lucy and Isabel focused on me.

I smiled at them as nonchalantly as possible. Then I clasped my hands together earnestly.

“I’d like to make some for the Young Master too.”

Lucy, looking into my eyes, immediately answered.

“Should I tell the head chef separately, then?”

“No, I want to make it myself.”

“Pardon? You mean you’ll cook?”

Seeing Lucy’s flustered expression, I gave her a resolute look.

“The head chef’s cooking is what he always eats. Taking care of my husband’s health is a wife’s duty, so I thought it’d be nice to make him something warm. Won’t he appreciate it more if it’s my cooking?”

“Oh my, what a lovely sentiment!”

Moved by the solid affection between the young master and his lady, Lucy clapped her hands in admiration.

Good, Lucy. While you’re at it, make sure to spread word of our wonderful marital harmony to the Duke of Benson.

It may not be common culture here for a noble lady to cook directly in the kitchen, but we’re a newlywed couple dripping with love.

Especially since my husband has just returned from fighting in a brutal battle—surely that much is understandable.

Thanks to that, I now had a natural excuse to enter the kitchen.

I smiled even more brightly and spoke boldly.

“I should finish this quickly and get ready. Isabel, could you guide me to the kitchen?”

—

* * *

A morning with bright sunlight falling.

The warm breeze and morning scenery blended magnificently with the grandeur of the palace.

The prince’s residence, which had been quiet, became busy from the morning with the news that the First Prince, Alfred, had arrived.

The first son of William Quant, the 16th King of Pleitium, born to the late first queen.

In name, he was the first in line to succeed the current king, but Prince Lecaf, born between the current queen and the king, had been steadily tightening the noose around his neck.

Alighting from his carriage, Alfred headed straight for his office.

Without even a moment to recover from his travel fatigue, Alfred had to receive reports from his aide that had piled up during his absence.

“Your Highness, His Majesty the King has approved the new territorial assignments. This is the notice granting Your Highness authority over the four islands under the kingdom’s rule.”

Taking the notice, Alfred confirmed its contents and nodded with satisfaction.

Watching this, his aide spoke carefully.

“Entrusting you with governing authority—that is a degree of trust no one has ever received before. You must show results without fail.”

Granting a prince a position no one else had ever held meant it was the first gateway to being evaluated as worthy of the next throne.

It was also the only way to counterbalance Prince Lecaf, the king’s second son and second in succession.

On the other hand, it was also a position that could turn the arrows of nobles who had suffered severe property damage from the Dimension Gate toward him.

—

*’You must prove yourself to be fit to lead the royal family.’*

—

Recalling the words of King William that still lingered clearly in his ears, Alfred sharpened his vigilance.

“I will prove it. Even if it costs me this position.”

Just then, a maidservant opened the door and approached.

“Your Highness, the Duke of Benson’s heir requests an audience with you.”

Hearing that Daniel had come, Alfred tilted one corner of his mouth crookedly.

*He’s come to check where I’ve been. Just like Daniel.*

“Escort him to the audience chamber. Tell him I will go after first paying my respects to His Majesty the King.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I’ll hear the rest of your report tomorrow. I don’t wish to relieve my travel fatigue with dull subjects.”

Saying that, Alfred rose from his seat, his red eyes gleaming.

As he fastened the buttons of his coat, he added one more remark to his aide.

“Ah, and I heard the Duke of Benson’s heir recently got married? Look into the new Duchess of Benson. The Fields family is unfamiliar, and a sudden marriage at that. I’ve grown curious about Daniel’s schemes.”

It was welcome that his rival had unexpectedly married some random lady, but Alfred couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

“As you command.”

Nodding at his aide’s reply, Alfred immediately headed for the carriage waiting outside.

Confirming the departing carriage, the aide promptly made his way to the waiting room where Daniel was.

—

* * *

As the aide entered, Daniel, who had been looking outside, turned his head.

“So His Highness went to see His Majesty the King first.”

“Yes, that’s correct. His Highness has ordered me to escort you to the audience chamber. Please follow me.”

“Very well.”

Walking toward the prince’s audience chamber with the aide, Daniel turned his head to gaze at the palace scenery.

Thanks to the powerful barrier set up by the Royal Order, the palace—unlike other dangerous regions—was nothing but peaceful.

So peaceful, in fact, that its tranquility kept grating on Daniel’s eyes.

*With the royal court in this state, no wonder Alfred, who’s seized governing authority, is leisurely traveling around without a care for the state of the nation…*

On his way back from restoring the devastated villages, Daniel had received one piece of news from the palace.

It was that the king had granted the prince governing authority over the four islands under the kingdom’s rule.

This meant that Alfred’s succession to the throne was highly likely.

Compared to the still young and frail Prince Lecaf, Alfred—who had demonstrated his abilities in many areas—succeeding the throne was a natural course of events.

But Daniel could not lower his guard against Alfred, who showed active interest in technological advancement.

Because technological advancement meant the decline of mages.

Just then, realizing that the aide walking ahead had his gaze fixed on him, Daniel turned his head back to the front.

“I heard you fought a great battle this time. Are you injured anywhere?”

“No, thanks to you.”

“Every time there’s a battle, you participate personally, so I worry that your vitality might be greatly depleted. For a mage, vitality is as precious as life itself.”

At the aide’s words, a faint smile spread across Daniel’s lips.

“I appreciate the concern, but there’s no danger of me being in peril.”

“…That’s a relief then. With so many troubling reports coming in one after another, His Highness, who had been abroad, was also quite worried.”

“Abroad…?”

Daniel’s brow twitched.

As Daniel’s steps halted, the aide’s steps halted as well.

“I heard His Highness mentioned it to Lady Hele, so I assumed you knew as well… My apologies, my lord.”

At the sudden chill in Daniel’s gaze, the aide bowed his head.

“If abroad, then he must have visited Brochurch.”

Daniel muttered, chewing over the words.

Alfred had always shown immense interest in Brochurch’s sudden technological advancements.

Moreover, if he had gone without even his close confidant knowing, the possibility that he had met with various associations of technicians in Brochurch could not be ruled out.