Chapter 13
Even thought it was still early, Zester urged Paul to call her down so Cassia assumed he must be quite hungry. However, she soon realized her guess was wrong.
Her husband likely wanted to treat them to a luxurious meal so he interrupted their reunion.
“My goodness.”
As she looked over the long wooden dining table overflowing with food, Cassia gave a thankful nod to Lucas, the head chef of the Greze Castle, who stood beside Zester.
Lucas was a skilled cook. Knowing that Cassia had grown up accustomed to rich meat-based meals, he made countless efforts to help her adjust to Greze’s vegetable-heavy cuisine, where potatoes were a staple.
He mixed various spices and seasonings to liven up otherwise bland dishes and even secretly conspired with Butler Paul to ensure a meat dish made it to the table at least once a month, even if it meant pushing beyond the budget. It was all thanks to him that Cassia was able to quickly adapt to the drastically different diet from Ruberno.
Lucas, who had been waiting in the dining room under Paul’s orders, beamed with pride at Cassia’s impressed expression and began to explain.
“Today’s main dish is roast chicken stuffed with potanium (a traditional Greze dish, made with mashed potatoes and cheese and flavored with basil). I have also paid extra care to the side dishes, so please enjoy them at your leisure. Oh, and Madam, I have some honey and sugar today as well, per Paul’s request. I heard you used to stir them into your milk back in Ruberno.”
Cassia’s heart swelled as Lucas winked. She honestly hadn’t expected this much thought. Given Greze’s poor circumstances, even asking them to prepare a special meal for her visiting friend had seemed like too much. Yet without her saying a word, they had put together a feast.
Lucas added, looking pleased,
“Both Paul and the master instructed me to do my utmost in preparing for the Viscount of Havelyn’s visit, so I gave it my all.”
Cassia turned to Zester in surprise. He flushed out of nervousness and gave an awkward cough at her grateful look.
Cassia looked back at the sumptuous table again. Roast chicken filled with potanium, sandwiches with roasted chicken breasts, scones with marmalade, fish tarts and puddings, even a barley cake…
Next to a half-filled glass of milk was a small but precious pile of sugar, meant for mixing in.
Sugar was very expensive and the Greze Castle couldn’t afford to buy it.
In her ten years as baroness, Cassia could count on one hand the times she’d seen sugar.
Milk and cheese were just as rare, with so few farms raising dairy cows. This was undoubtedly a lavish table.
“Truly, thank you. This is so—”
“Is there a meal that’s not to your taste, Viscount?”
Mid-speech, Cassia heard Zester’s voice and looked up. Zester’s expression was somewhat tense, and he was looking at Drian, who was sitting across from them.
Drian looked at the dishes on the table one by one and opened his mouth stiffly.
“Is this…the meal made with care that the Baroness is surprised by?”
Cassia froze. Of course, this meal couldn’t possibly meet Drian’s standards. Ruberno and Havelyn were wealthy territories, with meat-heavy diets so prevalent that even the commoners there were accustomed to rich meals. Potatoes weren’t even considered staple food there.
Even the ‘main dish’ that was the roast chicken fell short. Chicken was the cheapest and most common type of meat. For someone like Drian who was used to salted pork or roast beef daily, Cassia’s awe must have seemed absurd.
“I-Ian, wait…”
“Baron, is this what you’ve been feeding the Baroness since she came here? I doubt she’s even tasted these foods before.”
It was true that in her past life, Cassia had struggled to adjust to this diet. But waking up this time after ten years of adaptation, there hadn’t been a problem.
Food was the last thing she would complain about.
“The Lady is the type who dislikes being difficult with the servants, so she has likely said nothing about difficulty adjusting to the meal. But you should know better, Baron. I’m sure you are aware what kind of place Ruberno is.”
Zester was taken aback, and he opened and closed his mouth in embarrassment.
Of course, he had been worried. He had asked Paul several times whether Greze’s food suited her taste. After hearing that she ate very well, he had been relieved but now, after hearing Drian’s words, it occurred to him that maybe she had just forced herself to adapt.
Zester’s face turned grim.
“I understand the Baron is used to the ordinary meals here. However, the Baroness did not come here as another subject of your territory. Shouldn’t she be treated with dignity here in the castle, at least? Just because the subjects of Greze eat this way doesn’t mean the Baroness, the lady of the castle, should have to as well.”
Lucas hurriedly intervened, seeing Zester’s expression as if embarrassed by Drian’s sharp remark.
“My apologies. Master has been in no way negligent. I am responsible for Madam’s meals, and this is all my fault. I should have considered the points you’ve made, Lord Viscount and—.”
“That’s enough.”
Cassia, who was watching Lucas bow deeply with his eyes shut, cut in with a dry voice.
“Viscount Havelyn.”
Her voice trembled slightly with anger, and Drian flinched. But he had no intention of taking his words back. He cared for Cassia and from his perspective, he was right.
Cassia knew this about him. Still, she didn’t want Zester and Lucas, who had clearly tried hard, to be humiliated. She spoke with firm sharpness.
“Viscount, you of all people should understand the situation in Greze. The land is small and barren. Most of the people here can’t even imagine rich meals. Sure, the lord and lady of the castle could eat well, but how can a leader indulge in luxurious meals every day while knowing clearly that their subjects are struggling? If the Baron had been eating like that, I would’ve been disappointed. And even if he tried to treat me specially, I would’ve refused.”
“…”
“And Lucas, you have done nothing wrong, so there is no reason to lower your head like that. I am touched you put so much care into preparing this meal for my friend. I still remember the meal from the second day I arrived. You served a fish tart, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yes. Yes, Madam!”
“I know fish here is imported at a high price, so it only makes it to the Baron’s table once a month. I hope you didn’t push yourself too much for my sake?”
“No, not at all…”
Lucas trailed off and his face turned red as he swallowed everything he wanted to say. That particular meal had been planned for several days and he spent hours wondering how to serve the new Mada. He hadn’t expected her to notice. He had only hoped she would enjoyed it.
“If not for you, I might have had a hard time adjusting to the food here. But your cooking is so good that your potato dishes, your barley cake, everything has suited my taste so well that I look forward to mealtimes every single day.”
“M-Madam…”
Lucas looked moved, his eyes turning red.
“So don’t think for a second that you’re lacking at all. I am always grateful.”
“I’m so honored, Madam! But, um…”
“Yes?”
“How do you know my name? Ah, no, I mean, I don’t know why I said that…”
Cassia was startled by Lucas, who was smacking his mouth in chagrin. Come to think of it, she had never been properly introduced to him.
“How can I not know the name of the one who takes such care of my meals? I asked around. Anyways, I’m always thankful. So don’t worry too much.”
“Yes, Madam!”
Lucas answered loudly, deeply touched.
Meanwhile, Zester, having been embarrassed earlier by Drian, now sat dumbstruck, completely entranced by Cassia’s calm and eloquent defense.
He stared at her angelic face in a daze until she glanced his way and only then did he look away in surprise.
“And I thank you too, Baron. I know you took time out of your day to prepare this. Viscount Havelyn spoke out of concern for me so please don’t take it to heart.”
“Ah… no, not at all. The Viscount had every right to be upset. I’ll be more mindful moving forward.”
“This is good enough. Thank you.”
There was no need to pick on him when his usually inconsiderate self had gone this far to be considerate of her.
After appeasing Zester, Cassia turned to Drian.
Apologize properly.
Seeing the silent words in her eyes, Drian swallowed and lowered his head slightly.
“It seems I have overstepped. Head chef, you must’ve worked hard, yet my words were too harsh.”
“Oh, no, no, it’s fine!”
“No. If anything, I’m grateful you have enlightened me on my insensitivity. It may not suit your tastes, Viscount, but I hope you enjoy the meal.”
“Yes, thank you.”
As Drian picked up his utensils with a darkened expression, Zester felt like he was about to fly. Somehow, it felt like Cassia was openly taking his side.
***
Why is she so beautiful?
Zester watched from his room window as Cassia and Drian strolled through the garden.
『How can a leader indulge in luxurious meals every day while knowing clearly that their subjects are struggling?』
When she complained about how annoying and awkward the duties of a lady of the castle were, she seemed like a spoiled seventeen-year-old noble lady but today, she seemed like a mature and seasoned noblewoman.
It was hard to imagine that she was a precious young miss who had never suffered since she was born.
And when she defended him by calling him a leader who cared about the people of his territory, it was really…
“Hah.”
Zester rubbed the complicated expression on his face. He should have been content with just having a kind and beautiful wife, but her words had made his heart race, and he was worried.
He was worried he might actually want to throw a tantrum, to beg for her to treat him better, to think of him.
‘Seriously, I’m losing my mind…’
His inner thoughts kept going in directions that were so unlike him that he felt flustered.
“That aside, her clothes…are they all that thin? Why is she dressed so light every time I see her?”
Zester grumbled, looking at Cassia’s thin leather coat with displeasure. Paul, who was standing beside him, looked down into the same garden, then stared at Zester’s profile.
“It’s because the winters in Ruberno and Greze are very different. Ruberno is warm so a coat like that would suffice. Considering winter in Greze are much colder, it is concerning.”
“Then get her a thick wool coat. Winter is still far from over so she won’t be able to endure if she keeps wearing that.”
“Yes, I’ll see to it.”
“Make sure to say you prepared a coat for her because you were worried about the cold.”
Paul narrowed his eyes when he heard that.
“I ought to say you ordered me to prepare a coat, Master. Why say otherwise?”
Zester blinked dumbly at Paul’s words.
“No, well…”
“Master, I know it might be presumptuous of me to say this, but perhaps you should consider expressing these things honestly without being embarrassed. It is a shame that only I who know how much you care about the Lady. You need to be more honest. Furthermore…”
Paul hesitated briefly, then nodded solemnly and added,
“Since that first night, you’ve neither dined nor slept in the same room with the Madam. I wouldn’t call that normal for a married couple. I know there is a misunderstanding due to Miss Vita but letting it fester will not help. You need to try to get close to the Madam again. Tonight, you need to make sure to sleep in the Madam’s room.”
“W-what?!”
Zester flinched, blushing hard.
“I, I still have much to learn so that won’t do. Cassis is only going to complain again. No way. Not yet.”
Zester swallowed hard, his throat trembling.
Paul frowned. His expression was like he was looking at an offending beast.
“I wasn’t saying you should have marital relations with the Madam…”
“…Then what?”
“Married couples usually sleep together on the same bed. That doesn’t mean they engage in intercourse every night. Put aside those strange thoughts and just lie down beside her and have a heart-to-heart talk.”
Zester’s heart pounded as he stared at Paul’s face.
‘Wait, how could I dare barge into Cassia’s room?’
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