Chapter 72

Sighs of satisfaction escaped from the guests.

Perhaps it was thanks to the changes I made to the salt pot-roast ingredients to suit everyone's preferences.

The two-pronged approach of a surprising appearance and a delicious taste seemed to have been well received.

The dinner party proceeded in a pleasant atmosphere, but there were those who were not pleased.

Lady Sienna, who could not hide her displeasure, was one of them.

"…Big Sister, may I ask you something?"

"What is it? I made sure to serve you your favorite river fish salt pot-roast. Wasn't it delicious?"

"W-well, it was delicious, but…"

I was a bit surprised.

I had expected her to say something like, "It looks new, but the taste was mediocre."

Lady Sienna, it seems, is unexpectedly honest… or perhaps she is the type who can't think on her feet.

She can come up with some pretty devious schemes, but she is weak at improvisation.

As the younger sister of Lady Kate, who tends to let her emotions get the better of her, Lady Sienna seemed to have quite a few weaknesses.

"…But that's not the issue now. The problem is the creator of this dish. Steaming the ingredients with salt alone is a cooking method we don't have in our homeland. I can't believe Big Sister came up with it."

"Yes, that's true. The original creator of this dish is not me, but Lady Letizia."

My name being mentioned, the dining room buzzed slightly.

Lady Sienna, looking as if she had been waiting for this, spoke up.

"Isn't it embarrassing to rely on someone else for the glory of Manila Day?"

"It's not relying, but working together. This cooking method is possible thanks to the abundant salt in our territory, isn't it? Everyone has their limits to what they can do alone. I'm sure you understand that. You yourself said that this cooking method is something neither you nor I would have thought of."

Lord Gallon, Kate's father, nodded in agreement with Kate's words.

I had heard from Kate that "Father is a strict person, but he accepts things if they are fair," and he seemed to be just that.

Seeing Lord Gallon acknowledge Kate, Lady Sienna's frustration seemed to intensify.

"Working together is just a pretty way of saying you're relying on Lady Letizia, isn't it? You're the host of Manila Day, yet you're completely dependent on her."

"Really? Do you have any evidence for that?"

"The chandelier."

Lady Sienna said this with a smug look.

I was quietly certain that she had fallen into my trap.

The guests' gazes turned upward at Lady Sienna's words.

The chandelier, made of a translucent material with a slight white tinge, reflected the candlelight and shone brilliantly.

It was a luxurious and intricately designed chandelier that matched the opulent interior.

"Is there a problem with this chandelier?"

"Isn't it the host's role to decorate the dining room beautifully?"

"If so, this chandelier is doing its job well, isn't it?"

"Yes, this chandelier is the star of the room's decor, but… wasn't it prepared by Lady Letizia, not Big Sister?"

Lady Sienna's gaze turned to me.

"About five days ago, I heard that this palace was a bit chaotic. The next day, Lady Letizia and a glassmaker visited this palace. I was curious about it, but now the mystery is solved. Big Sister, you asked Lady Letizia to prepare the chandelier, didn't you?"

"Indeed, I did visit Kate's palace… but why did you come to that conclusion? Could you explain?"

Lady Sienna's words were within the range I had anticipated.

The best outcome would be for the salt pot-roast to be enjoyed and for the dinner to end on a pleasant note, but I had also considered the possibility that Lady Sienna would try to interfere.

In such a case, I had set up a counterattack, a trap, so as not to be at a disadvantage.

"Please stop pretending. I have been coming in and out of this palace longer than Lady Letizia. I can tell that this chandelier is different from the one that used to hang here. It looks similar, but my eyes can't be fooled. Five days ago, the palace was in an uproar because someone accidentally broke this chandelier, didn't they?"

Lady Sienna declared this with confidence.

"The rest is easy to figure out. The chandelier in this room was a custom-made glass piece. There is no other like it, and if you tried to have a similar one made in a short time, it would cost a fortune. Big Sister doesn't have that kind of financial leeway, so the answer is clear. Lady Letizia, at Big Sister's request, used her wealth to bring in a glassmaker and had him work day and night to create a replica of the chandelier."

The guests listened quietly to Lady Sienna's theory.

Lady Iriena seemed amused, and Lady Natalie looked worried.

The other guests were looking at me and Kate with critical eyes, and Lady Sienna smiled.

"I think it's wonderful that Lady Letizia managed to prepare a replica of the chandelier in just four days. However, isn't it too much to rely on Lady Letizia's wealth? It was unfortunate that the chandelier was broken, but…"

Lady Sienna spoke with a tone of pity, but her hidden delight was evident.

I could see Kate's eyes narrow in anger.

I understood her feelings, but I signaled her to hold back.

The chandelier breaking five days ago was, of course, neither a coincidence nor an unfortunate accident.

It was the work of a servant under Lady Sienna's influence.

Lady Sienna, the mastermind, continued to speak with a feigned innocent expression.

"If the chandelier was broken, there were other options, such as using another room that, while less luxurious, would still be beautiful. Yet, to make the venue look more grand, Big Sister relied on someone else's wealth. Neither Big Sister nor the chandelier, which symbolizes her shallowness, seems fitting for celebrating Manila Day."

Lady Sienna, with a look of pity and barely concealed delight, was about to deliver the final blow.

I decided to draw out one last statement from her.

"…Lady Sienna, you are certain that this chandelier is different from the one that was here five days ago, aren't you?"

"Yes, it's different. The shape is different if you look closely."

"…I see. Then, one last question. You said this chandelier is not suitable for Manila Day. Do you still stand by those words?"

"I won't retract my statement, but… what are you trying to say?"

Lady Sienna seemed to become wary of my persistent questioning, but it was too late.

She had fallen into the trap, and now it was time for me to deliver the final blow.

"Lady Sienna, you are lying."

"…What did you say?"

"The proof is clear if you look closely at this chandelier."