Chapter 68

It's a pleasure to be evaluated by Mr. Gilbert, but accepting Lady Kate's request carries a risk.

Until now, I have managed to remain impartial and not favor any of the four princess candidates.

I like Lady Natalie and want to get along with her.

However, our tea party also serves to resolve the aftermath of the chiffon cake plagiarism incident.

Additionally, since Lady Natalie is almost out of the running for the next princess, it's safe to get closer to her.

In contrast, Lady Kate is a completely different story.

I have had no personal interactions with her, and at this point, she is the closest candidate to becoming the next princess.

It was difficult to lend her my chef and, by extension, my own abilities so easily.

"... Lady Kate, I understand that it's unfortunate that your chef ran away, but I have my own circumstances to consider."

"... I understand. I am making an unreasonable request..."

Lady Kate murmured with eyes filled with anxiety.

She seems to understand that it's difficult for me to assist her.

Considering her personality and feelings towards people, it must have been quite a struggle for her to bow to me.

Despite this, Lady Kate came to me, clinging to a thin thread of hope.

The passion behind her need for a chef probably stems from the fact that...

"On Manila Day, if I fail to satisfy Father, I will be removed from the list of princess candidates, right?"

"... Yes, that's right. In my place, Sienna will be chosen as a princess candidate."

Lady Kate's fist tightened on her lap.

"I am aware that my emotional nature, which is not a commendable trait for a noble or royal, is something I need to work on. I am trying, but it's difficult, and Sienna and the others don't miss a chance to exploit my weaknesses. They frequently argue that I am not qualified to be a princess candidate, and Father's opinion seems to be wavering. If I can't serve a decent meal on Manila Day, it will be seen as my inability to manage the palace, and I will definitely be removed from the list of candidates."

"... I see."

Based on Lady Kate's confession, I quickly think through the situation.

In this country, there have been a few instances where a princess candidate was replaced mid-way.

Of course, it's not a welcome action, but it's a plausible scenario.

In Lady Sienna's case, she was an excellent candidate for the princess in terms of age and lineage.

This is why the internal conflict with Lady Kate has been intense.

If Lady Kate's father were to support Lady Sienna, Lady Kate would likely be taken back to her territory with an excuse of illness.

While there might be some confusion and weakening due to the replacement, considering the power dynamics and various factors of the candidates' families, it's entirely possible that Lady Sienna could become the next queen.

"... I don't welcome Lady Sienna becoming the next queen, but are there no other options besides relying on me? Even if it's expensive, could you hire a temporary chef from somewhere?"

"I tried, but it didn't work. I have few acquaintances in this capital, and the few connections I had were already approached by Sienna. Even if I tried to ask others, they refused to get involved in my conflict with Sienna..."

... Hmm, it seems it wasn't that easy.

There wasn't enough time to gather a new team of chefs, so she had no choice but to rely on me.

Thinking back, when I was invited to Lady Kate's palace last time, the overly salty dishes were probably because the main chefs had been taken by Lady Sienna.

"Like the chef behind you, are there still a few chefs left in Lady Kate's palace?"

"There are seven, but the chef responsible for the new meat dish has run away, and it's impossible to produce the same quality dish now. Besides, on the day, about ten people, including Father, are expected, so the kitchen and serving staff are already stretched thin. It's also difficult to compensate with the number of dishes..."

I see.

With the main chef gone, the quality is uncertain, and it's not feasible to compensate with quantity.

On Manila Day, it's a tradition for ordinary families to prepare more luxurious salt dishes than usual.

However, for a duchy, they expect added value like new dishes using salt and an overwhelming number of dishes.

"..."

Lady Kate looks at me with earnest eyes.

It would be easy to refuse, but what should I do?

Exposing the chiffon cake plagiarism at the birthday festival was almost a forced involvement.

This time, I am an outsider with several options.

There are some possible solutions, but that's why I am hesitant.

To maintain neutrality, I could refuse Lady Kate's request.

It's the easiest option, but it's not good if Lady Sienna becomes a princess candidate.

While I have personal preferences, the real issue is the factions supporting Lady Sienna.

The background of the intense conflict between Lady Kate and Lady Sienna is that Lady Kate has supporters who are friendly towards humans, while Lady Sienna has supporters who are harsh towards humans.

... Lady Kate, while her attitude towards me, a human, was stiff, she is still considered friendly towards humans overall.

Lady Sienna, while seemingly gentle towards me, showed her true colors at times, and many of her supporters look down on humans.

If she becomes a princess candidate and eventually the next queen, it would be detrimental to my homeland's relationship with this country.

Of course, there is a possibility that the king will not approve of changing the princess candidate from Lady Kate to Lady Sienna.

However, it might be more feasible to acknowledge the change and create a favor with Sienna and her family.

In that case, the king could gain an upper hand with Sienna and control her and her family, but relying solely on that is risky.

... Hmm, but getting too involved with Lady Kate is also not ideal.

As I think, I look up and meet Lady Kate's eyes, and an idea comes to mind.

"Lady Kate, may I ask you one question?"

"... What is it?"

"Originally, why do you desire the position of princess candidate so much?"