Chapter 249
As soon as I returned to the mansion, the butler greeted me. How did he know I was coming back? I hadn’t even told him!
“The staff have been taking turns waiting for you, Master. It just happened to be my turn when you arrived.”
“There’s really no need for all that.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at his straightforwardness. If you don’t know when someone’s coming back, just wait until they do. It was such an obvious solution I had completely forgotten about it.
As I patted the butler’s shoulder and headed toward my room, he followed behind and delivered a brief report.
“I’ve guided the guests to the rooms they used before.”
“Good job. A familiar place is always better.”
“And I’ve introduced the facilities of the mansion to Lady Margherita.”
At those words, I glanced back at the butler. Simply introducing her to the mansion’s facilities meant he considered her not just a guest but a part of the household.
“Isn’t that a bit too soon?”
“Actually, it’s a bit late. If Lady Margherita delays marriage for a few years after graduation, it would be acceptable.”
With the butler’s firm statement, I nodded in agreement.
That would be too much. Telling Margherita, who was already struggling with her desire to drop out, “You’ll be getting married in a few years” might make her faint. Plus, the wrath of the iron-blooded Duke would be close behind.
“I was going to introduce her to the others as well, but since I couldn’t determine the order, I held off.”
His follow-up report made sense. Margherita is clearly the first wife, but the order between Louise and Irina is uncertain.
Back when we were caught in that insanity of a joint marriage, that might have been one thing. Now, though, we definitely need to follow the order of marriage, the order of wives. So naturally, the butler would want to introduce them accordingly.
“There’s no second in that group.”
But the butler is mistaken. Louise and Irina aren’t the second and third.
“Oh, is that so? That’s unfortunate. I wanted to greet them in advance.”
“We met last time. It’s Duke Marcilio.”
The butler, who had been trailing behind, suddenly paused.
“…Right. I’d forgotten for a moment.”
He resumed walking as if nothing had happened.
“Ha ha, it was a chaotic day.”
“It was a day we can’t forget.”
Anyone who saw Duke Marcilio that day would never forget it.
Sitting there shoe-less, crying wordlessly, with all those rips and falls covered in wounds. I was startled by how devastating he looked.
It’s something that must never happen again. If it happens again, rumors of domestic violence could start spreading.
“Oh, is Lady Louise in her room?”
As I was lost in thoughts of that horrific future, I turned my gaze back to the butler. (Half) the Ring 2 had been successfully handed over, so it was now time for the third deployment.
Plus, judging by the butler’s reaction, it seemed like Louise was being treated like a mistress, which would only eat away at her feelings. Being treated as a mistress by the staff might feel good, but every time she remembers that she hadn’t heard an answer from me, it would be sad.
“She’s in the kitchen. The staff wanted to make some snacks for her.”
The butler’s expression was mildly serene. It seemed that the heavenly lady was willingly making something for the servants.
“Even if it doesn’t suit her taste, she has to eat it all.”
“If there’s anything left for me, then I will.”
At that remark, both the butler and I burst into laughter.
While the maker is alone, many mouths will be waiting. Especially with snack killers like Yuris or Sophia around, the butler’s supplies would be minimal.
*
As I arrived at my dear brother’s mansion, I couldn’t hide my exhilaration.
Thanks to Lady Margherita, I enjoyed the tour of Duke Wulken’s territory, but I had to restrain myself a bit since the unexpected trip to Wulken was for my brother and the lady’s engagement.
No matter how much I love to explore, it’s not right to be rebellious while the lady’s fate hangs in the balance.
So, having unknowingly taken a period of self-discipline, going to my brother’s mansion felt surprisingly comfortable.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking to serve the future ladies.”
Moreover, the butler’s words filled me with joy along with that comfort.
Of course, it’s natural to regard the lady as the hostess. Their relationship has been unofficially known, even though it hasn’t been officially announced. There’s already a ring on the lady’s finger.
Compared to that, I hadn’t even gotten a ring or an answer from my brother. In that situation, hearing the servants call me “lady” was nothing short of delightful.
…And if my brother’s servants treat me like a lady, doesn’t that mean he could have already hinted at something to me?
‘That’s a possibility.’
Right, there must be something they know to treat me like a lady. There’s no way they would call someone a lady without confirming their master’s intentions.
Once I thought about that, my slightest unease rapidly dissipated. The fact that not just the lady, but both Irina and I were invited to my brother’s mansion was a positive sign.
The servants had put my mind at ease. I wanted to repay them somehow for giving me this calm.
“Excuse me, butler.”
“Yes, please speak comfortably.”
I cautiously asked the smiling butler.
“May I use the kitchen?”
It was a rather paltry way to repay them. I’m still just a common noble lady without a title or territory, so I’ve got nothing to offer.
Still, isn’t it better to offer something, even if it’s small, rather than offering nothing at all?
Fortunately, I was granted permission to use the kitchen. No, I was told I could use it freely, so it’s hardly a permission thing.
Anyway, the kitchen was spacious. I’d seen it a few times last summer, but it was still impressively vast. How did my brother manage to acquire such a mansion?
“If you need any tools or ingredients, please feel free to let me know.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Please lower your speech. It feels strange being honored by such a noble person.”
I awkwardly smiled at the jovial head chef.
‘Head… Chef?’
I had seen him before, but every time I do, it feels new. A chef with such a bulky build? It’s hard to believe he’s just a chef.
With bulging muscles, sun-tanned skin, a height of nearly 2 meters, and an extreme pursuit of cleanliness that led him to shave off his hair and beard. No matter how I look at it, he seems more like a mercenary from a novel than a chef.
‘Wow…’
And whenever the chef moved, his arm muscles rippled as if alive.
What exactly is a chef in this mansion? Is a chef someone who hunts their own ingredients for meat dishes? My brother has very high standards.
“I can look a bit frightening, right?”
“Oh, no. Not at all.”
I hurriedly shook my head at the smiling chef.
That’s not a lie. He’s not just a little frightening; he’s really quite intimidating.
“Ha ha, thank you for your compliment. But I know how I look. When young kids see me for the first time, they often end up crying.”
Two particular faces immediately came to mind. The two brown-haired maid twins that are practically glued to each other.
I could see that the mansion’s staff found those kids adorable. They seem earnest and approachable.
Even those kids must have cried in front of the chef… I see…
“Thanks to that, I had a tough time coaxing them with cake.”
The chef spoke cheerfully, but I flinched at those words. I suddenly envisioned the image of a scary giant trying to coax wailing girls with cake.
No, no! Don’t think like that! He may look intimidating, but he’s just an ordinary man inside. It’s rude to have such a prejudice.
“…The butler said he’d call the guards if he saw that.”
“Ah ha ha…”
I just smiled at the kind of sad-looking chef. It seems that others felt the same way as I did.
Still, the recent conversation eased my tension towards the chef a little. Now I know he’s not just strange on the outside.
“I’m rambling. Anyway, I have a lot of things I’ve made, and the staff of this mansion is used to dessert. There’s no one who dislikes sweets, so feel free to make what you want.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Ha ha, you don’t have to thank us. We should be the ones thanking you since you’re giving us something.”
As the chef turned back to his work—
“Oh, I completely forgot to mention…”
He stepped back toward me and whispered softly.
“While the Master eats anything well, he doesn’t touch cookies.”
“…What?”
I blankly stared at the chef at his incomprehensible statement.
What does that mean? My brother used to eat cookies and everything else well…?
*
Upon arriving in the kitchen, I immediately spotted the usual giant. Unlike that bad baldy from wherever, this one was very kind-hearted.
No, the chef voluntarily shaved his head, so it’s a fashion statement. No one cares about the second manager in the kitchen.
“Chef.”
Anyway, when I called the chef, he immediately responded from afar.
“Oh, Master!”
I waved casually as the chef strode over, smiling widely to the point where I could see all his teeth. He then bent at the waist with an exaggerated bow.
‘…Has he gotten bigger?’
Seeing the chef bow like that caused an odd feeling of discomfort. It seemed like he got bigger since last time. Is he still in a growth period?
What a remarkable talent. I can’t help but think he’s someone outstanding outside the kitchen. Still, he chose to work as a chef, so…
“Have you been well!”
“Ah, yes! You seem to be doing well too!”
“I’ve been living without any lack, thanks to your blessings!”
Hearing the deep voice of the giant right in front of me caused my ears to ring a little.
But what can I say? That loud cheer is characteristic of the chef.
“By the way, where’s Louise—”
“Oh, she’s right over there!”
Passing by the eye-catching chef, I looked to the corner and saw Louise’s back. She seemed to be focusing intently on something.
“However, Master, I think I made a mistake with that person.”
That was an unexpected remark, causing my gaze to return to the chef.
“A mistake?”
“Yes, Master.”
Seeing the chef nod his head in a slightly deflated manner made me tilt my head in confusion.
Though the chef is wild on the outside, he’s warm-hearted and thoughtful beneath that exterior. To think some people say that Eden’s spirit was mistakenly placed in a beast’s body.
Plus, Louise usually laughs off minor things. Even if the chef had really made a mistake, I doubt she’d be bothered by it.
“Tell me. I’ll listen and decide if it was a mistake or not.”
“Well—”
And then the chef rambled on. While I kept one ear open and the other closed, an important phrase popped out.
“—So I told the Master that he doesn’t eat cookies. He worked hard making them, but if he doesn’t eat them, it’ll be sad, won’t it?”
A bitter laugh escaped at those words.
Now that I think about it, I hadn’t said a word to Louise. Not just her, I hadn’t explained anything in detail to anyone besides Margherita.
“I… I really messed up…”
Upon seeing my reaction, the chef’s face turned pale.
“No, it’s not a mistake. To be honest, my taste has changed since I went to the academy. I’ve eaten cookies well.”
As I patted the chef’s shoulder, his expression finally relaxed. He realized it wasn’t a breach of etiquette but a simple mix-up in understanding.
In any case, he’s too delicate for someone with such a physique. That’s probably why he remains in the kitchen.
“It’s nothing major, so don’t dwell on it. If you apologize, it’ll just make things more awkward.”
“Yes, understood.”
Seeing the chef repeatedly nodding, I sent him back to his original spot and approached Louise’s back.
Right, today was the day I was supposed to give her my answer to the confession.
It seemed the answer would be a bit lengthy, but it’s a necessary process.
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