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Chapter : 30
I headed to the kitchen after finishing my meal.
Normally, the kitchen was a place where servants bustled about, so it was unusual for a noble household’s mistress to go there at all—but I paid it no mind and walked straight in.
“Madam??”
“Where is the head chef?”
“You called for me, madam.”
I looked at the elderly head chef with the kindly face and asked him,
“Is there a dish Luciano likes? I don’t think he’s eaten, so I want to make something for him myself.”
At my words, the chef smiled fondly, like a grandfather watching his grandchild fall in love.
“If it is His Grace’s favorite, that would be tangerine tart.”
“Tangerine tart? Luciano likes something like that?”
“He has always enjoyed it since he was young. There was even a time when he would eat tart instead of meals.”
Trusting the words of the chef who had been with Luciano since childhood, I decided to make a tangerine tart.
“Then could you help me?”
“Of course, madam.”
I had a strong feeling that if I tried alone, I would certainly fail.
“Madam, you must do it like this.”
Perhaps because I had never cooked before—not in this life or the last—the chef had a hard time helping me.
When the tart was finally finished, a sweet and tangy scent spread faintly through the air.
“This turned out well thanks to you.”
After praising the chef’s efforts, I carried the tangerine tart and headed to Luciano’s office.
“Luciano, it’s me.”
“You may enter, my lady.”
When I opened the door, I saw Luciano working—just as he had been the previous night.
“Have you eaten?”
“I’ve been busy with affairs of state, so I haven’t.”
“I thought so.”
I set the plate holding the tart on his desk.
“And this is…?”
“I thought you hadn’t eaten. The chef said you liked tangerine tarts since you were little, so I tried making one.”
Luciano stared at me in surprise.
“You made this yourself?”
His direct question made my face burn, and I stammered,
“Yes… well, I did, but it was my first time, so the chef helped me a lot…”
Luciano smiled.
“But even if he helped, it is true that you made a tart to give to me, is it not?”
“Well… yes.”
“Then that is enough.”
Luciano picked up a fork, cut off a piece, and put it in his mouth.
I swallowed nervously, wondering what I would do if he didn’t like it.
“It is delicious, my lady.”
“Really??”
Relief washed over me.
“Oh, thank goodness. I worried what would happen if it tasted bad.”
“How could it possibly be bad? You made it.”
Luciano ate the entire tart right in front of me.
“Thank you, my lady. Thanks to you, the hunger is gone.”
“Even if you’re busy, you must make time to eat, Luciano.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
I left his office so he could focus on his work.
The next day was the final banquet of the festival, and Luciano and I were obligated to attend.
“How do you feel, madam?”
“Yes, thank you.”
I dressed in a pale sky-blue gown with diamond jewelry and went downstairs.
“Let us depart, my lady.”
Perhaps because it was the last day, the banquet hall was even more splendid and grand.
“Once this festival ends, the year’s major events will all be over.”
Luciano nodded at my remark.
After wandering the hall with champagne in hand, Ferrisian entered, followed by Khalid and Liciantheus.
“As this is the final banquet of the festival, I hope you all enjoy yourselves. The High Priest as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the festivities reached their height, I felt I needed to touch up my makeup and headed to the lounge.
“No one is here—you may speak freely, Father.”
Someone spoke in a low voice after confirming the room was empty.
They must have assumed no one would enter while the banquet was in full swing.
“……Everything is prepared?”
‘Huh? What is this?’
I quietly followed the voices.
‘Ferrisian’s consort and Marquis Dotenna?’
“Yes, Father. Everything is ready.”
“Good. Then it will all begin soon.”
I had no idea what they meant.
What was prepared? What was about to begin?
‘Just what are they plotting…?’
Their conversation ended—and I accidentally brushed against a potted plant.
“Who’s there!!”
As Ferrisian’s consort and the marquis rushed toward me, I slipped quickly into the lounge.
Slamming the door shut, I took a deep breath; my racing heart slowly calmed.
“That was close…”
If I had been caught, I would probably have been killed by the consort and the marquis before I could get divorced.
“But what on earth are they planning?”
I hadn’t heard enough to know specifics, which only made it worse.
“I should tell Luciano, right?”
From the first day, it seemed Luciano and Khalid had been wary of the consort and marquis, so I decided it would be best to tell him anything I had.
Without touching my makeup, I hurried back to Luciano.
“My lady, where have you been?”
“I went to the lounge.”
I stepped closer and spoke softly.
“My feet hurt from these new shoes. Could we go home early?”
Luciano looked at me in concern.
“Are you all right, my lady?”
“Yes, yes. I’m fine.”
After quickly saying that, I escorted him over to bid farewell to Khalid and Liciantheus, and we left the hall.
Once we boarded the carriage, I finally relaxed enough to speak.
“I actually wanted to leave because I have something to tell you.”
“What is it that you cannot say in front of others?”
“Earlier, I overheard Ferrisian’s consort and Marquis Dotenna talking.”
Luciano’s expression darkened.
“Did they insult you?”
He clenched his fists, ready to storm back and strike them at any moment.
“No! They did no such thing.”
At my denial, he slowly unfolded his hands and focused on my words.
“I heard part of their conversation. I didn’t catch everything, so I don’t know exactly what they’re planning, but they said something was ready—and that it would begin soon.”
“It will begin…”
“Does anything come to mind?”
Luciano shook his head.
“No. Until now, neither the consort nor the marquis has acted so directly, so I cannot guess.”
“If they were talking quietly where no one could hear, they’re definitely plotting something.”
“If it is the consort and the marquis, it may threaten Her Majesty the Empress…”
Luciano said he would tell Khalid to strengthen Liciantheus’s security and keep a closer watch.
“It is fortunate you were not discovered. Who knows what would have happened.”
“I know.”
Luciano fell silent, staring out the window, clearly troubled by my report.
In the novel, Ferrisian’s consort and Marquis Dotenna fought viciously until just before their mysterious deaths—so it was no surprise he took it seriously.
‘I wish I could do more to help.’
When we arrived home, Luciano wished me good night, then hurried off with Ed to the reception room.
“My lady, did you enjoy yourself?”
“Yes. Please prepare my bath quickly—I want to wash.”
“Yes, madam.”
With the maids’ help, I removed my gown and settled into the tub, while they gently washed my body.
“At last, the festival is over, my lady.”
“Yes. All of you worked hard this year.”
After my bath, I changed into my nightgown, lay in bed, and sleep came easily.
yawn
“Goodnight, madam.”
“Yes, you sleep well too.”
After extinguishing the scented candles, the maids withdrew, and I immediately fell asleep.
The next morning, the moment I awoke and looked outside, the white daisies that had filled the streets for the past three days were gone.
‘The imperial family must have moved quickly to keep the divine influence from spreading further.’
White daisies were symbols of holiness—and of the temple—so it was only natural the imperial family would not want them displayed throughout the empire for long.
They must have worked overnight to remove them as soon as the banquet ended.
“The flowers are gone, madam.”
The young maid who brought my washbasin noticed as well.
“The imperial household must have cleared them away.”
She looked disappointed to lose the beautiful blossoms.
“Do you like flowers?”
“Yes! Very much!”
They were lovely, but rare blooms were expensive and out of reach for commoners.
Especially white daisies—the sacred flower of the temple—which could be seen only once a year during the festival.
‘I can’t get white daisies for her… they belong to the temple.’
Seeing her disappointment made me consider finding another kind for her.
“I’ll be stepping out, madam!”
“All right. Have a pleasant day.”
After she left, I savored the relief of the festival finally being over.
‘The best part is I don’t have to diet anymore.’
I remembered all the meals I forced myself to skip to look good at the banquet.
‘Just this one day… I deserve to be lazy.’
I sprawled across my bed and drifted through the day in leisure.
