IVPCB 21

Chapter 21

“Typically, in noble society, tea parties are events that showcase the hostess’s elegance. So the head maid and the head cook gather to put their heads together and draw up a list of refreshments for the tea party, and the hostess chooses the menu from among them and gives final approval.”

Anais, the extravagant villainess, put tremendous effort into the image she presented to others. Because of that, she badgered the head cook over the menu for tea parties, and she herself had many opinions about the menu.

“I know that the hostess decides the menu for events like tea parties.”

At that moment, Juran chimed in.

“So what Anis is saying is that she has basic knowledge about cooking.”

“That’s right. Especially in my case, since my mother passed away when I was young, I worked hard on my own.”

“Oh dear……”

Nar let out a small sigh of sympathy, apparently moved by my unfortunate circumstances.

“With this much, I’m more than qualified to help you out, aren’t I, Nar?”

At my question, Deon just twitched his shoulders and couldn’t answer. I took that as silent permission and posed a question to Nar.

“Hmm, it looks like you’re making scones right now—would it be alright if I helped a little?”

“Hoho, how would you help?”

Nar’s eyes went wide with interest at my words.

Instead of answering, I picked up one of the items on the counter and held it out in front of Nar.

“Isn’t that a lemon?”

Nar narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Yes. If you thinly peel the lemon zest and add it to the scone dough, you get scones with a subtle lemon fragrance.”

“Ah!”

Nar’s eyes went wide as he let out a small exclamation of admiration.

“I’ve heard of putting lemon zest in pastries before, but I hadn’t thought of it.”

“The Count Posha estate isn’t famous for its tea parties for nothing. It’s these small points of differentiation that build a reputation.”

I replied with a proud smile.

After that, Nar asked for more cooking advice, and I faithfully answered to the best of my knowledge.

I suggested that raspberry jam would go well with rose petals, and that a herb called thyme would pair nicely with steak sauce.

Thyme wasn’t available in the kitchen right now, so I offered to procure some for Nar next time.

“Mmm!”

After the raspberry jam was finished, Nar tasted a little with a long tasting spoon and looked extremely satisfied.

“Thank you, Anis. Thanks to you, I can serve a splendid breakfast to the high-ranking folks.”

The quest had succeeded, needless to say, and now my Gardener Performance had reached 7.

As I was leaving the kitchen after helping with breakfast preparations, Nar told me to drop by again if I had time.

“Someone with your talents should have come to the kitchen. What a pity.”

“Indeed. My master really ought to recognize how versatile I am.”

“Hehe. If Sir Cassis gives you too hard a time, feel free to escape to the kitchen.”

“Maybe I will?”

Unlike when I first entered the kitchen that morning, we exchanged jokes in a fairly warm atmosphere.

Nar, who had been gazing at me with a pleased smile, suddenly handed me something.

“Hm? This looks like the flower basket I gave you earlier……”

“Ahem, I’m not the type to just receive without giving back. It’s nothing special.”

Nar made a fist and cleared his throat lightly. He seemed a little shy—his pointed wolf ears twitched.

When I peeked inside the basket, it was filled with freshly baked scones, rose petal jam in a glass jar, and chunks of cheese and ham.

“Oh my, all of this.”

“Is it, by any chance, not to your liking?”

“Of course not! I’m just so grateful.”

“Hehe, you’re polite yet cheeky. The more I see you, the more you grow on me.”

And so, after a warm farewell with Nar, I walked along the red path side by side with Juran.

When we had left the hut, the surroundings were still dim, but in the meantime the bright spring sunlight had risen, dazzling and vibrant.

Seeing the sun that had leaped up, a belated sense of unease crept over me. It was because of whatever promise Aegir had made with me on his own.

What’s done is done. I’d just have to beg pitifully until tears streamed down my face.

‘Should I ask Juran to walk a little faster?’

I considered it for a moment, but when I glanced at Juran’s expression, he seemed deep in thought about something, so I didn’t want to interrupt.

Juran finally spoke when we reached the fork in the path.

“……I’m going that way.”

Juran stopped and nodded toward a path in the opposite direction from the garden.

I paused for a moment at his words, which hinted at farewell.

‘It hasn’t been long since we met, but I’m a little sad to part ways.’

No, “sad” wasn’t quite enough. I felt a lingering, unsatisfying aftertaste in my mouth.

Still, it seemed right to say goodbye, so I forced a smile and waved.

“Really? You’re leaving now? Goodbye.”

But even though I said goodbye, Juran didn’t move.

“Goodbye doesn’t seem right.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I narrowed my eyes and asked back.

“It means we still have something to do. We need to investigate—where the food baskets meant for Sir Cassis have been disappearing to all this time.”

Ah, I had completely forgotten about that part.

Since the future food supply issue had been resolved, I hadn’t kept the question of the food baskets’ whereabouts in mind.

It made sense that Juran, as the successor, would investigate incidents and accidents occurring within Heliweka Castle.

It also showed the budding qualities of a good leader, paying attention to even minor questions without letting them slip.

But one question remained.

“But why are you investigating it yourself? Couldn’t you just leave it to your subordinates?”

At my words, Juran stared at me silently for a moment.

“Nir, was it? Do you want that beastman boy to die?”

‘What……?’

Caught off guard by the sudden leap, I was momentarily flustered.

Juran continued.

“If I inform my subordinates—the knights—things would be easier. I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble myself either. But it would reach my father’s ears. And my father doesn’t care about the life of a commoner. To him, for something like this troublesome matter, cutting off the head of the one who made the mistake would be the end of it.”

I barely swallowed the words “What kind of nonsense is that?” that almost escaped my lips.

I had nearly forgotten that the Bergen Empire was a class-based society.

In ordinary noble households, it was common practice to execute servants who committed embezzlement or theft. Unless the noble was exceptionally lenient, that was the general norm.

From the nobles’ perspective, a lower-class person coveting their property was a serious crime.

“I understand what you’re saying.”

“Good. Then I’ll contact you separately about that matter in a week. And……”

Juran lowered his head slightly and trailed off. He seemed a bit embarrassed.

“I think I left the ‘Upper Volume of the History of the Bergen Empire’ in front of the hut yesterday.”

The tips of his ears, visible through his hair, were bright red.

Only then did I realize what he was embarrassed about.

He must have recalled how he’d chewed up a wad of paper like a goat and even vomited it back up in front of me yesterday.

Come to think of it, both Juran and I had been out of sorts yesterday, and neither of us had paid any attention to where the book went.

Hmm, thinking back carefully, I think he was holding the book in his hand until I grabbed his arm firmly to wake him up. After that, I don’t think the book was in his hand anymore.

What was certain was that when Juran gave a small bow and hurried back to the castle, the book was not in his hands.

The reason I remembered that was because his shy demeanor when bidding farewell had left an impression on me.

‘With one hand rubbing the back of his neck, and the other fidgeting restlessly with the hem of his shirt—that was kind of cute.’

It really is a game where the male leads’ visuals were flawlessly crafted. A shy pretty boy.

“Hehe……”

I let out a small laugh without realizing it.

“Anis, what’s wrong with you?”

Only when Juran asked with a puzzled look did I finally snap back to my senses.

‘What if I look like some weirdo?’

Fortunately, Juran didn’t seem to think much of it. Though with his generally expressionless face, I might just not be able to tell—but anyway!

“By the way, Juran, how will we meet in three days?”

To brush off the rising embarrassment, I subtly changed the subject.

At my question, Juran pondered for a moment.

“Hmm, the day after tomorrow, the flowers at the ducal residence will need to be changed. They get replaced with new ones every three days. Usually a maid comes to the garden, but there’d be nothing strange about you coming yourself. I’ll come to pick them up—could you hand me the book then?”

“Alright. Sure.”

I readily agreed. Going to the ducal residence was a bit nerve-wracking and troublesome. But since he’d asked me so politely, I thought it was only right to return a lost item to its owner.

Little did I know what kind of trouble that would bring.