Chapter 42

It's not like the dinner party is a dance party or anything like that.

It's simply a more lavish dinner than usual, a somewhat formal evening meal to welcome guests.

The attendees were the Marquis, the Crown Prince, Lady Primera, and the steward and his wife of the Nashanda Marquisate, a small group. The Marquis has no wife and has been single for a long time. Because of that, he has become quite uncomfortable with the social scene, fearing the aggressive women who aim for his wife's seat! Well, well... the energy of marriage-seeking women can be quite surprising at times.

Even though the Marquis is getting on in years, they still attack him without hesitation, probably for his status, honor, and money... Personally, I think a distinguished gentleman with silver hair is charming enough. His love for roses is a bit excessive, though.

I got a bit off-topic!

The steward and his wife are said to be childhood friends of the Marquis. The Crown Prince mentioned that they are very capable, so they might be famous. I'm not very knowledgeable about such things, though...

By the way, the food looked absolutely delicious. We will eat after the service is completed.

The table was decorated with pale pink roses.

The appetizer tomatoes were also carved into rose shapes. ...Wow, that's amazing!

I bet Messa Bon is trying to learn the carving techniques with that intense look on her face. I hope the chefs don't get scared.

Lady Primera and the Crown Prince seemed to be having a great time, chatting and laughing with each other, which was so cute!! The Marquis was smiling too, and although he mentioned that he couldn't serve such a lavish meal from tomorrow, he said he would take them on a ride and show them the nearby forest. Apparently, there's a place where wild roses grow in clusters... How wonderful.

It was a warm and pleasant dinner party.

Afterward, we would eat the staff meal, but since I was going to Lady Primera's room, I asked Meina to bring me a snack to my room.

I thought, "What a luxury to make a staff meal with leftover roast beef!" But it's time to prepare for bathing and sleeping. I must do my job properly! Especially since Lady Primera has a special request for me!

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Lately, I've been thinking that girls of a certain age grow so fast. I've grown taller than I expected.

I've grown a bit more since the last measurement for the summer dress... Maybe it's just my imagination.

And I might have tanned a little? Hmm, I need to take proper sun protection measures tomorrow, or I might get sunburned and that would be pitiful... I'm worried it might hurt.

When it was time to sleep, Lady Primera said, "I want to chat a little more," and dozed off. She's so cute. Being away from the princess's palace and on a trip must be different; she's a bit more clingy. But she's cute, so it's fine.

After confirming that she was asleep, I quietly left the room. I bowed to the guard knight and returned to my room, where Meina had prepared sandwiches and tea. She's a good girl, a capable one. Should I praise her more to help her grow? I shouldn't spoil her too much, but I should praise her for her hard work.

"Thank you, Meina. I know you always work hard, and I really appreciate it. You might not be able to relax with me in the room, but please take your time."

"No! I always make mistakes, and you cover for me... I'm happy to be of service!"

"Start with what you can do, okay? Now, go to bed. I need to do a bit of organizing, so I'll keep the lamp on for a while."

"Okay!"

I dimmed the lamp as much as possible so Meina, who was lying in bed, wouldn't have trouble sleeping, and sat at the desk.

It's not bright enough to do embroidery, but I need to make notes of things I noticed today and look them up.

Types of honey, quantities, and origins... cutlery... rose oil and rose water... flavored tea. Is that all? I also need to visit the florist. Since the Marquis promised to provide roses, I'll need to ask for them in the future, but I want to get some for jam trials tomorrow.

If the jam is successful, what should I do? I can't make too much since it's just a trial... I also want to make some desserts with dried edible flowers. Maybe some fruit jelly.

I'll aim to serve these at teatime tomorrow.

There's one more thing... I'm still worried about Father.

I think the reason I can work as a lady's maid now is that Father didn't stop me from leaving home and said it would be safe if I worked at the palace. At first, I was a lady-in-waiting, and they might have expected me to eventually become someone's lady-in-waiting... Maybe that's a bit cynical.

But no, nothing like that happened! Not at all. I'm not a woman with frivolous rumors. I enjoy my work... When noble young ladies ask if being a lady's maid is hard, I say it can be tough for some, but I like it. It's fulfilling, especially since I serve Lady Primera. I feel fulfilled every day. I'm living a fulfilling life!

My current goal is to save enough to live comfortably in my old age without needing to marry.

But in the short term, I want to ensure Lady Primera can marry with peace of mind. First, I need to avoid a bad ending, then avoid Dean Dain's masochistic tendencies, and finally, support her as she marries and becomes the Countess Baum.

I hope I can continue serving her even after that.

Yes, that's the direction I want to go!

My life plan is solid.

Dean Dain isn't a bad person to serve, but Lady Primera comes first.

I wonder how that honest, Shiba puppy-like boy will grow into a handsome young noble. I've seen the stills in the game, but to see him in real life... and he's not a masochist!

I think they'll make a wonderful couple. When they stand together, everyone will notice.

And if it's not just a political marriage but a love match, and they build a caring home... I'll feel deeply satisfied as a lady's maid.

That's a grand life goal!

To achieve it, I can't engage in behind-the-scenes machinations, so I must serve Lady Primera with all my heart and interact with Dean Dain sincerely. I'm a bit concerned that Prince Albert Dauwm is becoming more of a big brother type rather than the scheming prince from the game... but, hah, Lady Primera's number one is still me, not her brother! Of course, I won't say that out loud.