Chapter 29

The responsibility of being a baroness that I had turned away from, my life as a maid being smooth sailing, or my father despairing of his family and doing something unwanted (for some reason) and reconnecting me with my stepmother, brother, and my family, or being misunderstood by rich old men, or becoming the woman of the hour for a moment on my debut in the social scene.

This was, well, really a moment. A moment. Just during that party. Finally, once word got out that the dress was prepared by the Queen Dowager and that the fabric was something that would be sold in the future in Count Ceres’s territory, there were no more young ladies to question. Well, people who saw me in my make-up on that day and saw me in a maid’s dress said, “Oh, she’s the one…? It was very interesting to see her acting a little suspiciously. Make-up is amazing.

And, well. As predicted by the head of the Rizil Chamber of Commerce, Kaneko became profitable after the head of the Jenda Chamber of Commerce sent us the details about the debt in the question again. I looked at the document several times to find out how it happened, but for some reason, it includes an alimony fee…….do I need to ask for more details on this? I want to hear it and not at the same time. His Highness the Prime Minister had no problem with me asking that, but he only gave me an appropriate reply that I should ask if I was interested. I shouldn’t have given him such a great cookie. Well, I’m not going to be a cheapskate, though! And cookies!

This time I just made a checkerboard and swirl pattern for these cookies, along with the cocoa flavor of the so-called icebox cookies. They’re the size of the palm of my hand and come out of ice, so that’s handy! Well, if you show it to our head chef, who specializes in the Princess Palace, he’ll be able to make something more sophisticated next time… but that’s okay. If you teach him about a squeezing mold, he’ll make not only a decorated cake but also squeezed cookies before you know it. The head chef’s name is Mettabon, but he is a very slender person.

“I’m sure I received a package from the Rizil Trading Company in the kitchen, Julia-sama.”

“Thanks Mettabon. I’m going to serve the cookies I baked earlier today as a tea treat, so I wonder which tea is better… although all the tea leaves from Takayama have a nice aroma.”

“That’s right, I recommend this Macheti tea, which is the highest grade among all the high mountain tea leaves from Shelvanda. The tea from the highest altitude of the high mountain is very rare, but its fragrance is very clear and refreshing.

“Oh, you’re so knowledgeable! But yes, Macheti tea might be a good idea… and I think you can make a milk tea too.”

“As expected, Julia-sama knew about it too? Not much is on the market, so I thought you might not know…”

“No, I just read about it in the materials too. Even though it’s a royal castle, it doesn’t always have high-quality products available…I thought it was just tea for special occasions. These days, the production of tea seems to be stable. So if it pleases Primera-sama, I think it’s okay to purchase tea leaves on a regular basis.”

“Is that right?… By the way, Julia-sama, is it okay if I continue to serve as the head chef here?”

“E? What are you talking about? There aren’t many cooks who can live up to the expectations of Primera-sama and me. We can always count on you, Mettabon.”

I don’t care how many times I call that name, I think it’s funny!

I was lucky enough to have met this man – when Primera-sama was younger, she was a bit picky eater and the person assigned to prepare food for her was me, but I’m not a chef by any means. I can cook at home, but it’s difficult to teach someone how to cook. When I think back to the Primera-sama of the time when I didn’t want to cook as the original chef did, the Primera-sama of today is really an angel, but back then I was extremely desperate… even if I asked for a new chef, I couldn’t find anyone who was good enough to be hired. I don’t know why!

I met Mettabon’s resume after several interviews, which was interesting.

His family was a merchant family and he became an adventurer after a falling out, and although he was respected as an adventurer in the guild (this was backed up by the adventurer’s guild), he turned to the culinary arts, and after training at a remote restaurant, he returned to Royal Capital to save up money to open a restaurant while working as an adventurer…what a dramatic life!

I couldn’t help but ask him about many things, like his adventuring days and stories about the frontier. He looks a bit rugged and tough, but inside he’s a very kind old man. He looks a bit like the old man at the diner who took care of me when I was an office worker in a past life. He was kind too. He used to offer me shredded cabbage as a freebie… I honestly liked the meat more, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask for chicken.

Anyway, that’s beside the point.

What is he saying all of a sudden? There’s currently no cook who can satisfy Primera-sama’s palate more than him, but the fact that our chef is a former adventurer and regular complaints about trustworthiness because of that fact has put a dent in his reputation. He is quite sensitive, despite his appearance.

“Because I…”

“Mettabon, I have witnessed your culinary skills and the trust you have built up over the years. Primera-sama even told me that your food doesn’t need to be checked because she has faith in you. You know more about poisons and cooking than anyone else, and you behave with all sincerity, so I don’t see any reason to dismiss you.”

Yes, Mettabon is a former adventurer and he knows a lot about poisons and stuff!

So isn’t it great that they can notice if the material was poisoned? It’s ridiculous to call them “commoners” or “former adventurers” or “barbarians”. He worked diligently in the Adventurer’s Guild and has the seal of approval of being a good person who took care of his juniors.

Oh, the Adventurer’s Guild in this country isn’t state-run, but it’s as close to state-run as you can get, and it’s private!

Originally there were some who thought that state management was a good idea, but it’s privately run because it’s not a good idea to fit free-spirited adventurers into a mold, but it’s not a good idea to leave them in possession of power, so they are privately run, but they are subsidized by the government so that they can take the lead in case of national emergencies – this is what they do.

Even some of the nobles and knights are registered with the Adventurer’s Guild. My impression of the place is a bit vague because I can’t fight.

But it’s reassuring to have a skilled adventurer by your side!

That’s why we can’t have you quit! Even Primera-sama was surprised by the strong face at first, but now she’s fidgety about the Mettabon stew. She’s also an excellent cook.

“…Thank you, Julia-sama. You know that I’m Talbot’s son, and yet you’re saying that to me… I’m blessed to have you in my life!”

“…Yes?”

“Oh, you jest. I’ve heard that you’ve met with the heads of both the Rizil and Jenda merchants, they couldn’t have known my origins, and if something had happened to Talbot, there was a chance they would have thought I was black, even if I was white…”

“Mettabon?”

Let’s wait a minute.

Come on, I’m starting to understand what the great men are thinking these days!

Don’t those people usually think they’re too profoundly reckless, and so are all the people who work at the palace!

It’s not.

I had no idea he was related to the Talbot Trading Company or anything like that!

While I was stunned, Mettabon started to prepare the tea and roughly wiped his tear-stained face as he pushed the tray against me.

But Mettabon, then, is Mettabon Talbot the real name?…

What is it, Mettabon Talbot…no, it’s nothing.

Then! We’ll have to go to Primera-sama’s!

We need to cherish our days of peace!