Chapter 43

In the morning, after getting up early and having breakfast, I woke up Maina, my roommate, and then went to see Lady Primera.

When I offered to fix her hair, she said she wanted it styled up more than usual, so I tried braiding it. It seemed that she would be riding Shaina again today. While she used to take care of Shaina quite a bit when she was in the Princess Palace, she rarely got to ride her because everyone was worried about her safety. I can understand their concern, as it’s often said that riding a dragon is more challenging than riding a horse. But Shaina loves Lady Primera, and Lady Primera dotes on Shaina, so not being able to ride must have been frustrating for her.

Training with the dragon riders is generally better suited for the male guards, and we, the female guards and maids of the Princess Palace, are told that we can spend our time freely during those hours by the Crown Prince.

It seems that the Crown Prince also accompanies them for practice, and he might be thinking of going on a ride with his sister once she improves.

Well, whether that will actually happen due to security concerns is another matter...

After the morning duties were over, I was told to take a break again, so I went to greet the Marquis and made a request.

I wanted to make rose jam today, so I asked if he could introduce me to a farmer who grows roses without pesticides, as I was buying them for consumption. I could have asked the florist directly, but I would have been treated like a weirdo if I suddenly said I was buying them to eat.

I can imagine that much, you know!

The Marquis blinked a little when he heard this, then wrote me a letter of introduction. He also offered to have the gardener prepare some roses from the Marquis's estate, which are grown without pesticides, so I decided to take him up on his offer.

After all, it’s just a trial batch!

I consulted with the gardener about the number of petals I would need.

When I explained what I was going to use them for, he was surprised at first, but then he laughed heartily. However, he took it well. Apparently, he had proposed to his wife with these roses, so he was very serious about selecting the best ones for the rose jam, thinking that his wife would be delighted with the scent of the jam!

With Metabon's help, I made the rose jam!

In my previous life, I used pectin and other convenient items, but I realized that it’s possible to make it without them. To make the color more vibrant, I rubbed the petals with lemon juice beforehand, and I think it turned out beautifully.

I spread a little of the jam on the scones that the head chef of the Marquis's estate had baked, and we tasted them, giving each other feedback and noting the points that needed improvement... Hmm? I wonder if I could have skipped this part... This kind of specialized work is usually done by the chefs... No, no, I initiated this, so I should see it through.

In any case, the rose jam was generally well-received, though there are some areas for improvement!

The head chef will do some more test batches and present them to the Marquis at today’s tea time.

I decided to make scones with rose jam and rose honey, and for this time, I spread cream on a pound cake and scattered some dried edible flowers I received the other day.

If I bake the cake in advance, I can just decorate it during tea time.

I have been instructed to return to serving at tea time, so I have decided to focus on fulfilling my duties as a maid.

However, now that I know I can make rose jam, I don’t need to buy such a large quantity, so it shouldn’t be too much of a burden on the Marquis. If we were to commercialize it, we would need a dedicated farm, but growing roses without pesticides would be quite challenging...

Well, thinking about these things is part of the process of commercialization, and that’s not my area of expertise, so I can’t say much about it.

"Metabon, please take care of the honey. Dan, if you find any good cutlery, please check the workshop. If there are any issues with the cost, don’t rush; let’s bring it back and discuss it first."

"Got it, understood."

"Yes, yes!!"

Here at the Marquis's estate, we are, after all, guests of Lady Primera, so while we might be asked to help with some light cleaning, it would be disrespectful to the staff to do too much. Additionally, it would be awkward for the staff to rely on us. In fact, Maina and I don’t have much work to do here.

However, I think the staff at the Marquis's estate are all highly skilled.

The Nashanda Marquis family, while the current Marquis is somewhat reclusive and dislikes social events, is a prestigious family. They are also related to the royal family through the Marquis’s consort’s father. Many of the staff here have served the family for generations, and it’s common to see parents and children working together.

Indeed, skills are passed down through close relationships.

Here, the relationships between the staff are probably longer and more familial than what I see at the palace. There’s a friendly, almost familial atmosphere, but they are also professional. It’s like an old factory in a working-class neighborhood? I can’t quite express it well, but...

In any case, the way the older staff members mentor the younger ones is warm and inviting, and I thought I might try to do the same. I want to be like a dorm mother to the girls who have left home to live in the palace. That’s what I think.

"Ah, um! Lady Yuria!"

"What is it, Maina?"

"Um... Is it okay to buy souvenirs for everyone at the Princess Palace?!"

"Of course, it’s fine. When we toured the city the other day, I thought rose tea might be a good souvenir. It will keep well... You can come with me next time. I’ll ask the guards to accompany us. I’ve already picked out a few potential souvenirs, but I’d like to hear your thoughts too."

"Yes, yes!!"

"You don’t need to shout so loudly; I can hear you."

Maina is lovely because she’s so energetic, but her enthusiasm can be a bit much.

If I scold her, she might wilt, so I can’t be too harsh. It’s not that bad, but we are on a trip, so we can’t act as we do at the Princess Palace. I’m still inexperienced, and I find it challenging to know how to interact with younger girls...

I know I can’t handle the older, more experienced staff, so I just do my best to be sincere. But I need to be a role model for Maina and guide her properly. How did I handle such situations in my past life?

Ah, right.

"Maina, I’ll be right here with you. Don’t rush; if you have any questions or concerns, think about them first, and if you still can’t figure them out, feel free to come to me. You are doing a great job, so have confidence. You are a fine maid at the Princess Palace."

"...Lady Yuria."

"Come on, let’s go back to Lady Primera. We need to confirm the lunch menu and arrangements with the head chef and the head maid."

"Understood."

Maina straightened her back and walked with graceful movements.

Yes, yes, the praise and encouragement strategy seems to be working!

Well, I need to go back to Lady Primera and prepare the tea.

She should be returning soon after her time with Shaina!