Ch.13 I Fit In More and More

Now that, while a little belatedly, I discovered that head maid Dahlia and head chef Carthame, and head maid, Mimosa and head gardener Bellis are each a married couple, my awareness towards them (T/N: Carthame and Bellis), being hard to deal with, had suddenly diminished.

Yeah, I’d say I’ve grown accustomed to it.

After consulting about today’s menu with Carthame in the kitchen, I watch the situation in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, besides Carthame there are some other chefs.

I heard they are all people who came from local areas for the sake of training under Carthame.

Cooking is like war.

“Where’s the meat?!”

“Yes, it is being prepared over here!”

“Not over there, you should prepare it over here!”

The usual  fickle attitude went somewhere, and with his now seemingly strict master face, Carthame’s angry voice echoes. (T/N: in the kitchen)

Using his skill the piece of meat is splendidly handled and cut up.

Three times a day it is Carthame’s precious time to be serious. And the apprentice cooks go around the kitchen in this way and that without a break. During this, those in charge take turns at making dinner for all the servants alone.

Dinner preparations are particularly difficult.

Carthame carefully makes the detached building’s dinner.

While this takes up his focus, so as not to be a hindrance, I watch the chefs in charge of the supplies work.

“What are today’s supplies?”

It is one of my pleasures!

“Yes, mistress. Today’s supplies are organised local cuisine from the nearby Roussillon”

A young (although he is older than me) cook cheerfully answers.

“Well, Roussillon? Are you from Roussillon?

“Yes I am”.

“It’s very far from Rosia, right?”

“Yes, it takes an hour by coach”.

“That is far away! I have never been before and I have also never eaten the local cuisine so I’m  looking forward to it.”

“Yes, I will try my best so please look forward to it.”

Because it is his own home town’s cuisine, he answers with his ego overflowing.

“Which reminds me, I wonder, are all the apprentice’s hometown different?”

I speak the question that I suddenly  think of.

“That is correct. Carthame is from Rosia but there are also those from Reine, Waal and Lovens,”

he answers while moving his arms. That is each and every direction, south and north, they are all provincial cities far away from this kingdom’s capital, Rosia. The territory of the kingdom of Fleur is vast, so it seems that while being in the same country, in those regions, the climate and natural features and character is different. I only learnt by studying the country so I do not know whether it is true or not.

“Pretty much everyone comes from scattered places~! Surely each region’s local cuisine is probably a different cuisine.”

Local cuisine is simple but has that warm mother’s charm. In that sense, the taste of my Earl family is also a fine regional cuisine. Oops, it was not.

“That’s right. Because the raw materials used are different, unique seasonings are merged.”

What kind of dishes are they?! I never seen any, so I cannot even have wild ideas.

But there are people who with great effort came from local regions, so shouldn’t we use those skills!

“Hey. Will the supplies used from now on be from differing local cuisines?”

“You say, meaning?”

The cook looks blank for a moment.

“Talented people have gathered at great pains from various regions, so look, you can taste feelings of traveling, everyday, sort of?”

I say and maids who heard our conversation while helping a errand boy nearby say,

“That sounds fun!”

“I have never been to any other regions, so I am interested in what kind cuisine there is.”

Several gave there agreement. The cook also, joined the excitement.

“That’s right. Even we learn from it.”

When Carthame is free we talk and he divided the workers and gave his approval.

With this starting tomorrow we go around local cuisines while at home! I’m looking forward to it.

“Devil king Bellis, devil king Bellis!” (T/N: she says this in a way that means the name Bellis and devil king are the same word)

“……mistress. Please hold a different meaning for my name”

“About what~?”

I look the other way.

Even to Bellis, who I was continuously scared of, I am able to lightheartedly talk to him! Even if his appearance and attitude are scary, he is really a kind person, I feel it watching Mimosa attentively!

Oops, things to do, things to do.

“Have the flower seeds I requested arrived?

“Yes. They have already been planted”

“Waa! thanks!”

“From now on the garden’s flowers are changing little by little so please tell me the things you notice and if there are to be additions.”

“Understood!”

It is the garden from the previous generation so the flower choices and arrangement seem~ sober. There are camellias where roses would be nice? No no, having calmness is good but I think I want a bit more gorgeousness, so I discussed it with Bellis.

Bellis also tending the layout according to the previous madam’s liking, so if he knows my liking, he is willing and gives ready consent to change it. He has started work on remodelling the garden little by little.

The flowers growing in the splendid greenhouse facility are also chosen and grown in order to suitably decorate the mansion.

Probably because, just like this, I go around the household, now everyone has stopped promoting “Will you embroider?” or “How about lace work?”! ……everyone has given up on me doing mistress-like things?

But, the servants have also been able to considerably throw off their reserve!

Furthermore, as I think I am fitting in with the duke households servants~, just like that 2 months passed quickly.

Authors note:

Thank you for today as well（*＾－＾*）

Viola once again customized the duke household. (haha)

As everyone is saying “the husband is fine and absence is good”!!

T/N: All the towns and regions mentioned in this chapter are real places around Europe.