Episode 14

“On these days...”

His finger traced a languid line across the calendar. His selection amounted to about ten days.

I recalled the kitchen’s annual schedule I had scrutinized on my first day.

“It’s the Madam’s birthday week.”

“There’s bound to be a birthday festivity. The first one since the wedding, so it shall be dealt with importance."

Ute beamed, emphasizing the significance of the event.

I stared at the few weeks remaining.

‘Indeed, a birthday is a prime excuse, a time when anything could happen...’

Even if not coinciding with a romantic occasion, a birthday was still a significant day for the person involved.

‘But why do I have this nagging feeling?’

One thing was certain—if a banquet were to take place, something was bound to happen.

‘At the very least, he might fall for her her dressed-up appearance.'

The more people gather, the more the probability of a natural disaster.

“It’s a crucial time.”

“Hmm.”

“Because it’s her first birthday. If we mess this up, it’ll take months to recover, and that'll waste our precious time... Absolutely unacceptable.”

We need to wrap up this novel quickly. Ute added decisively.

"How should the banquet work out?"

“There is no set framework. As long as the heroine realizes her feelings for the hero or vice versa, that’s enough to make it passable.”

“...”

“But our goal doesn’t end there.”

“Then what?”

“Until they confirm each other’s feelings... We must continue?"

“Like adding basil to pasta?”

I thought of the Countess I had recently seen.

The Madam often called me to accompany her on walks in the garden, but never once did she mention the Count.

‘She talked more about her hometown.’

Perhaps she didn’t want to share her personal love affairs with a mere maid, but...

‘For someone like that, she often chatters on about trivial matters.’

How could one understand the minds of those above them?

“Romance is usually a series of coincidences.”

Her silver eyelashes fluttered slowly.

Her cheeks, bathed in the noon sunlight, were a pure white.

“If a beautiful person exists within a beautiful setting, one can’t help but be moved, right?”

“...”

“We must create that beautiful setting.”

“It won't be easy... Wait a minute.”

I searched for today’s date on the calendar Ute was pointing towards.

“...To prepare for the banquet, we must begin several days prior.”

It took time to organize the dishes and order the ingredients in the required quantities.

“Are you sure the birthday banquet will be held?”

If preparations had already begun, I would have known before Ute informed me.

Ute Velvet crossed his arms and sighed.

“If Miss Sonnet knows, wouldn’t the rest be aware as well?"

“There hasn’t been any formal instruction. Usually, the hostess is in charge of such banquets.”

A word from above is needed to proceed accordingly.

‘Since there was no mention of the banquet, everyone must have forgotten.’

Tap, tap. Ute slowly tapped his right leg and then brightened up.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it.”

“How?”

“The Madam has been here for less than a year, and for the hostess’s first birthday banquet, it’s often passed on to the master. I’ll push the Count.”

Her red lips curved confidently.

“What matters now is what kind of gift the male lead will bestow the female lead.”

“That’s the Count’s problem to handle.”

“That’s true, but... We need a gift that’s important enough to be a key point for the later part of the story.”

What are you talking about?

However, Ute Velvet continued without further explanation.

“Anyway, Miss Sonnet, your job is to find out what our female lead truly wants.”

“I’ll ask her when I see her—”

"Never ask her. The male lead must prepare something she never let anyone in on before."

“Don't you realize how strange that sounds?”

Is he expecting me to practice mind-reading?

‘I swear, I’ll stop liking him and give up this crush by the end of this month.’

Going along with whatever he said was leading to more absurdities.

“At least make it more reasonable—”

“Please. Okay?”

My heart fluttered at the warmth covering the back of my hand.

Ute Velvet clasped my hands tightly and launched his beauty attack.

“If this event goes well, I’ll give you a bonus.”

What did he say? I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of my heartbeat.

“How about twice the amount from last time?”

“Ah...”

I had been pretending not to care until now.

I hoped I wasn’t being too obvious.

That would be troublesome.

“I know it’s a difficult task. If you could endure a bit more—”

Phwip!

I hurriedly pulled my hand away and spoke urgently.

“Write up a contract. And stamp it.”

---

“Youngest!”

“Newbie!”

“Hey, purple head!”

The kitchen was in a state of emergency.

“Yes!”

“Present!”

“I’m coming!”

I ran around, carrying out all sorts of errands as I was called.

Less than two days after Ute Velvet confidently claimed he would handle the matter, the kitchen received orders to prepare for the banquet.

‘How did he pull it off?’

Well, that wasn’t my immediate concern.

It was so hectic that even if the Madam called, I would have been unable to obey her request.

‘I used to go during my break time, but ...’

I leaned against a sack of potatoes and blinked absent-mindedly.

Although staff were bestowed scheduled breaks, it was hard to leave the kitchen like before.

‘I’m tired.’

It seemed all the all-nighters I went through were making me hallucinate an angel approaching me.

“Miss Sonnet.”

“Angel...”

“Miss Sonnet!”

What, it's real?

I quickly set the fallen sack of potatoes upright and ran to the door.

His fine silver hair gleamed sacredly.

“Are you busy?”

“Sir Ute? What brings you here?”

He leaned against the wall and handed me a thin book.

“This. It was stuck between the novels.”

“Thank you. Did you come all the way here just for this?”

“It seemed important.”

“You there! Purple head!”

Oh dear, keep well.

A sharp voice echoed.

I quickly waved bye to Ute and turned around.

The head chef, who had been standing in front of the fire for hours, was red up to his neck.

“Does it look like we have time for you to be chatting with your boyfriend alone, rookie? Huh!?”

“...”

“If you have the energy to fool around like that, you could at least chop some scallions—!”

“It’s a gift!”

I held out the book Ute had given me and pulled my lips into a smile.

“...What? A gift?”

“It’s a gift for you, Chef. I bought it during my break but forgot to hand it to you. Hehe.”

“'Royal Cuisine of the Mysterious Kingdom of Ronda'... What’s this?”

The intense anger paused momentarily.

I quickly added more explanation.

“It’s a cookbook from the madam’s homeland.”

“...Oh?”

“Since the madam isn’t eating anything, I thought she might savor the dishes if they are her hometown cuisine.”

I didn’t desire another staff turnover.

‘Though the Madam oddly favors me.’

Still, if the count decided to replace all the kitchen staff, that would be the end of the discussion.

I wanted to minimize the risk as much as possible.

‘So please!’

The chef’s nose twitched as he stared at the cookbook.

“So what?”

“Pardon?”

“A Selcing person should consume Selcing cuisine! Besides, my recipes are specially adapted even for foreigners to enjoy!”

“...”

“Got it? My cooking experience spans forty, no, fifty years! It can’t be compared to some backwater cuisine!”

Flap, flap, flap!

The thin paper fluttered between the chef’s hand.

The chef proudly declared, “No foreign cuisine.”

‘What if we all get fired...’

Did he understand the ordeal of finding a job without any letter of recommendation?

I considered arguing, but a tired voice took over from beside me.

“But we need to take breaks and live...”

It was the sous-chef.

“I want to have at least two days off in a row.”

“There's nothing to lose, right? The madam's not eating anything now anyhow. Let’s give it a try, hm?”

The senior cooks sighed deeply in an attempt to persuade the chef.

“We’re already short-staffed because they’re not hiring more. Didn’t you say you wanted to travel too?”

“Well...”

“People come first, then cooking, or was it the opposite? Let us... live like humans as well."

The chefs, worn out from repeated all-nighters, seemed ready to dunk their heads in boiling water if necessary.

The chef’s firm gaze wavered.

---

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