CH 9

Lily had fresh feelings before embarrassment.

She would have barley imagined the master and her employees arguing about what was going on before she died.

Oh, she saw a servant whose hair was cut off by the owner just by putting down one less fork.

Eating etiquette in the capital was deformed. There was a strange competition between families, and at one time, the more forks and knives they had, the more docile their families were.

She once saw more than ten pairs of forks and knives.

Compared to that, this place was interesting…..

She was a survivor in the social world of the silent battlefield.

Secretly, she knew exactly where Blake stood here.

He was everyone’s superior.

If this man gave a serious order, the people of the dukedom were in an atmosphere of silence and obedience.

They wouldn’t complain one word even if it was a dangerous order.

Lord Blake was a good man. He was willing to tolerate a certain amount of rudeness if it’s from someone he was in charge of.

The servants knew this, too. They were just trying to be mean while protecting the good. So Lily gave up, she just smiled and murmured.

“They’re all adorable.”

Blake’s ears were very good. He could hear Lily’s faint sounds clearly.

He had been dueling with the servants with a good deal of sincerity.

But he was dismayed to see Lily smiling like an angel instead of defending him.

The maids huddled next to Lily. 

She looked like a chick surrounded by chickens because of their size difference.

“Miss Lily, try some of the dried fruit. It’s a precious food, and you may not find many dried and old ones are good, but up in the mountains it’s precious too.”

“Oh my, I guess you put your heart into it instead of losing moisture.

I can see the sweetness in this one.”

“Hahahaha! How can you speak so beautifully?”

Blake kept his chin propped up.

His sharp eyes opened in disapproval and he tapped his fork with his other hand.

The fork was just the right size for the others, but in his hand it was as small as a toddler’s.

In his mind, he thought, “What a mess. Even the thought, “What a mess.” It was even funny now.

‘Ha! Let’s see how far everyone goes.’

A wry smile appeared on his lips.

“Miss Lily, we’ve put a lot of effort into this meal. The nobles of the capital eat in a very complicated order and etiquette, don’t they? I’ve prepared breakfast for you as a welcome.”

“Thank you so much for all your hard work.”

“I understand there is also a custom of always drinking alcohol before meals? It’s hot!”

Lily thought that was a funny thing to say.

How can they call a pre-dinner palate cleanser hot?

Lily dipped her lips in her share of champagne. Then she was startled by a strong whiff.

“…!”

Who would bring a high alcohol content to whet the appetite?

It was originally a mild cocktail or a wine mixed with juice.

The maid whispered in her ear.

“A hastily uncorked wine, but I’ve added brandy at 70 degrees. Haha! What do you think?”

“Really. It’s good. ……”

Lily had to be patient not to show any sign of it.

The servants were shaking their shoulders too proudly.

They were very excited. Lily didn’t want to ruin their mood.

It was then.

Over the long table, Blake noticed Lily’s strange appearance.

‘What’s wrong with her face?’

His expression also changed strangely when he followed Lily and drank the alcohol.

Blake was also an aristocrat after all.

He sometimes forced himself to go to parties in the capital. He was a man who had learned all the manners of an aristocrat.

It didn’t hurt to use that kind of grooming in real life, though.

‘The smell of brandy at seventy degrees is outrageous. I’m sure it looks like a plaything for a woman as awesome as Lily Hedwick.’

His intense eyes began to watch Lily. He could see her striving to match the rhythm of the maids.

Somehow, the deepest part of his chest was itchy.

“Come on, bring some entrees or something. Grandpa Chef! Hurry up and come out!”

Blake added a sarcastic word.

“I did think the word entrees existed in the Winter Castle.”

Of course, they ignored him again.

The chef called by the maids was an old man like a chubby dwarf.

Every time he walked, his white chef hat shook.

“Hmmm, hmmm.”

Chief cook Alex was very nervous.

He heard a Young Lady, a pureblood Empire moved in last night… What should he cook?

He was worried that if he didn’t do good, the noblewoman whose face he didn’t even know would throw a plate at his head.

‘The servants……………….. How dare they ask this old man such an impossible favor! They suddenly request a refreshing course meal! It’s a ridiculous request to make.’

Fine cuisine required fine ingredients.

However, the only ingredients in the castle this winter were mostly suitable for preservation.

Hanging deer meat.

Cabbage in salt.

Dried turnips, frozen sugar carrots…

Chef Alex sighed.

The old man had to be the best cook since he was born out of a wobbly wagon.

In any case, he was capable.

‘The result of squeezing to the strength of his mother’s milk when he was a baby was what he had now.

The most expensive plaiting barbecue.

The chef creaked and walked like a carved wooden doll and stood beside Lily.

Let’s see.

In the capital the chefs have to introduce dishes for a long time, right?

“……. First, I used lamb for the meat. The asparagus served with it was topped with an egg yolk sauce, yes. What was the official name of this sauce?”

Nervousness turned a person’s brain white.

Even if it didn’t, he was old and in a daze about yesterday.

Chef Alex’s crinkled eyes touched the cheat sheet in his palm.

In the meantime, Lily gave the correct answer instead.

“Is it hollandaise sauce?”

“Oh, yes. Hollandaise sauce! Wait a minute. Did I bother you, Miss?”

The old man’s face scrunched up.

“Please tell me that if you throw a plate at me, its endpoint is not my forehead! It’s a crushed face!”

Chef Alex was also known for his rich imagination and outspoken beak.

He squeezed his eyes shut, thinking of a terrible future.

“What do you mean by ‘throw’?”

Alex looked carefully ahead in bewilderment at Lily’s question.

For the first time, the chef took a good look at Lily.

The stark white woman was smiling prettily at him.

She reminded him of his granddaughter, whom he could feel no pain in his eyes. She was a good child.

“That’s enough of an explanation! Thanks to you, I can eat while examining them. Thank you.” (Lily)

Finally, chef Alex chuckled. He was serious this time.

He raised his mustache, which was brown when he was younger.

“What, as much as you want. I hope you marry my Master later! I’ll give you a tremendous feast!”

Again, but it was an honest mouth.

Blake stared at chef Alex. He (Blake) looked just as rough as he was, but his heart was racing.

“Chef, your mouth!”

Blake glanced at Lily. She seemed to think that Alex was just a funny old man. 

‘It’s annoying.’

What was more annoying was that he didn’t even know why he was angry.

The time was ripe for a half-hearted course meal.

Before they knew it, it was time for dessert.

The maids were still acting dourly towards Blake, but when Lily said, “That’s enough,” they finally stopped.

“If Miss Lily says so. I’ll bet on the wolf’s heart and take your order!”

“Everyone doesn’t seem to be interested in my feelings. Can I make it clear that I plan to bring in new employees? For those who don’t put the wolf’s heart on the outsider lady.” (Blake)

The man then noticed that Lily was looking at him.

And that she was deliberately trying to stifle laughter with her small lips.

“What are you looking at, young lady? Is there a problem?” (Blake)

It was as if the heartache that he had become the target of the maids’ frank had not yet to be relieved. His tone was rough.

“No, there isn’t.”

“Hmm.”

Blake tried to be patient, but after a moment of silence, the man also gave a small smile.

The muscles in his dark cheeks moved beautifully.

A look of mixed pleasure was exchanged between them.

“It was a wonderful meal. Thank you.”

“It must have been an interesting meal for you. I know, so don’t worry about the insincere compliments.” 

The maids believed that they had treated them to a perfect course meal, but he had hit them on the back of the head.

“Did something go wrong?” (Lily)

“Let me give you an example. The fact that you guys acted funny all day. That’s why I can’t join the noble family’s meal? Do you want to hear more?” (Blake)

Lily interrupted him.

“What are you talking about! No, it was really good.”

Social etiquette was strict.

You could not put a knife in your mouth. It was a place where if you put your elbows on the table during a meal, you would be shunned for not being polite.

After scooping soup, the spoon must be placed at eight o’clock.

There were hundreds of such items!

Lily had also been hit by the courtesy teacher many times when she was a child.

Compared to that, eating now was like playing house, but it was better.

This winter castle was a stark contrast to her previous nightmare.

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I can’t believe I’m experiencing such warm hospitality.”

Lily hugged Gianna, then they hugged chef Alex.

The other maids joined in, and a giant human herd was born. 

“Lord Blake, come on! The Master needs to get in here!”

Lily waved her hand asking Blake to come too.

The man’s face turned serious.