Chapter 35

※Today and tomorrow, we will have a special chapter.

※Tomorrow's update will be a bit late. Probably around 10 PM.

Jill had invited Matthew and the other three to a tea party, but in fact, there were others she wanted to invite as well.

Laurent, the owner of the restaurant 'Rocinante.'

And his daughter, Tina.

Furthermore, if she were to invite Laurent and Tina, she would also want to invite the rest of the family—Tina's brother and mother.

However, there was a limit to the number of people Jill could entertain on her own.

Therefore, Jill thought she would invite the entire 'Rocinante' family on another day.

Or so she thought.

"Hmm... What should I do..."

"Just invite them."

"Well, I'm... scared."

"Scared?"

Jill sat on a chair in the kitchen, confiding her worries to Maureen.

Whether she could make something good enough to please professionals.

"Because they make dishes for customers every day. If I serve something bad, I'll disappoint them."

"With your skills, I don't think you need to worry. Besides, they can enjoy macarons and iced tea. I think they'll be satisfied with that."

"But it feels kind of disappointing to repeat the same thing."

"That artistic temperament of yours is going to give you a hard time."

Maureen chuckled.

"Besides, I don't think what they expect from me is tea and desserts."

"I don't think so... But I remember Tina liked sweet things."

"Yes, that's true, but—"

Jill had stayed at Laurent's restaurant for about three weeks. When the deadline for the horse armor was shortened, and she couldn't afford to commute between the mansion and the town, she stayed on the second floor of Laurent's restaurant and went to Garda's workshop.

Those days were busy and dizzying, but now, looking back, Jill felt they were nostalgic and enjoyable.

"Tina has an amazing palate... She can pinpoint the ingredients and hidden flavors."

"Wow, that's impressive."

"Laurent also has Tina taste new dishes to decide on the menu. Since I've already served her a pudding, I think she'll recognize it if I serve the same thing again."

"That might be true... But just because she has a great palate doesn't mean she's a judge or a professional gourmet. You can just entertain them normally. It's not like it's a certification exam."

"Would they be satisfied with that...?"

"Would you be disappointed if you were in their position?"

"Well, I don't think so..."

Maureen couldn't help but laugh at Jill's honest words.

"See? So why are you worrying?"

"…It's not just about Laurent, but all the chefs in this town are very aware of Uncle."

"Conrad, right?"

Maureen's murmur made Jill nod.

"He seems to have had a lot of fun in this town. Opening a restaurant and all."

"Everyone says there's no one as amazing as him on this island."

"So, as his niece, I think people in the culinary world are aware of me...?"

"They probably are. Wondering if you inherited his skills or not."

"That's why I'm scared... But at the same time, I don't want to just serve desserts and seem like I'm running away...!"

Maureen shrugged, not hiding her exasperation at her boss's overthinking.

"Besides, I want to properly thank them for their respect for Uncle. It's important to me personally that I was taken care of by Laurent. I want to entertain them properly, as a dinner party, regardless of whether I can do it or not."

"Ah, I see... So that's why you're worrying."

Maureen nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you know Uncle, Maureen?"

"Sorry, I only went there once with my brother, so I don't know much. I only greeted him... I think Laurent knows him better. They used to talk a lot."

"I should have asked when I was staying there..."

"At that time, you couldn't reveal your background, so it's understandable. Besides, I think Laurent and the others were also holding back their curiosity. You can ask them when you invite them to dinner."

"You're right."

"Then don't hesitate to send the invitation."

"...Okay!"

Encouraged by Maureen, Jill slapped her cheeks and stood in front of the kitchen table, moving her wrists and elbows.

"But... I don't want to disappoint them... It's a matter of Uncle's honor..."

"Just do your best! Make up your mind!"

"Okay..."

Jill, rarely scolded by Maureen, started moving her hands.

But they stopped abruptly.

Just as Maureen was about to speak with concern, Jill muttered something.

"...Ah. I have an idea. Sorry, Maureen. Can you call Matthew for me?"

"Matthew? Sure, but... do you need something?"

"Yes. I want to get some fresh fish. It's okay if it costs a bit more."

◆

Laurent's wife, Chelsea, is a worrier.

She had been worrying for days before the dinner party, and even on the morning of the event, she was still fretting.

"Hey, dear. Is this okay for Mars and Tina? We won't be rude, will we?"

"Mom... Let's go already."

"You're right, Mom."

The children were also tired of Chelsea's worrying.

Moreover, they were about to be late.

"Calm down, Chelsea."

"But... but..."

"You spent days under the same roof with Jill. She's not going to eat you. Matthew and the others were also invited to the tea party. Just enjoy it normally."

Chelsea is more introverted than Tina. She can handle customers without any issues when helping at the restaurant, but she becomes hesitant in personal relationships.

"But I didn't know she was such an amazing person!"

"Well, that's true..."

Laurent scratched his head, looking exasperated.

"Listen, Chelsea. You don't need to overthink being invited by a noble. Just think of it as greeting Tina's friend, okay?"

"Oh... That's right, Tina went into the mansion on her own!"

"She apologized properly! It's fine!"

One of the reasons Jill stayed at their place was to apologize for Tina's rudeness. When Matthew introduced Jill, Laurent had bowed deeply to apologize. Jill didn't mind at all and even felt bad for yelling at someone else's child, so it was all water under the bridge. Laurent held back a sigh and gently patted his wife's shoulder.

"Let's go. We'll be even more rude if we're late."

"You're right..."

The Laurent family, dressed in their best clothes, got into the carriage waiting outside the store.

"Are you okay, Chelsea?"

Matthew, who was guiding them, asked.

The horse and carriage were borrowed from a merchant friend of Matthew's.

"I'll be fine. I'm brave in a pinch... probably."

"Be confident. ...Are Mars and Tina okay?"

Matthew looked at the children.

"Sorry, Mom."

"Yeah, we're fine!"

Mars bowed his head apologetically, and Tina responded cheerfully.

Matthew decided not to comment on how the children were more composed.

"Let's go, then."

The carriage clattered down the streets of Shelland.

Starlings perched and hopped on the roof of the carriage playfully.

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