CH 32

Words : 850 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

I Thanked the Head Cook for Making Dinner I talked with Ms. Claire and Tilura amidst a harmonious atmosphere, when the doors to the dining hall opened and the food was carried in on a wagon. Tonight’s dinner was a sauté meat with sauce, a salad with a much thicker dressing than the one served at breakfast, and a white soup…or was it a potage? They had said that since yesterday was a welcome dinner for me and Leo, they had served extra food and put a lot of effort into the presentation. I think that this was probably closer to how they usually dined. There was a plate of sausages in front of Leo now, but there were fewer sausages than yesterday. But she had a salad to make up for it. And on the floor, right where Leo sat, there was a large bowl that was filled with milk. “Lady Claire, Lady Tilura, Mr. Takumi. Please eat.” Said a woman, who looked like the cook, as she wore a chef’s hat. And so we began to eat. First, was the salad…unlike the refreshing dressing from this morning, this one was rich and tasty. One had to eat a lot of vegetables to stay healthy! Next was the main dish, the meat. The texture and flavor was similar to beef, and it was quite juicy, and delicious when combined with the sauce. …All of the food in this world was incredibly delicious. While there were differences in culture, as they did not have rice or miso here, I had no complaints regarding the food, which greatly helped in easing my anxiety about the future. “Mmm. This really is delicious.” “Wou!” “Thank you.” When Leo and I complemented the food, the woman in the chef’s hat thanked us. “You really seem to enjoy the food, Mr. Takumi.” “More than I can express. Everything I’ve eaten since coming here has been amazing.” “Hehehe. You must be very pleased, Helena.” “Yes, Lady Claire. As cooks, hearing that our food is delicious is our greatest joy.” “Mr. Takumi, this is Helena. The head cook of this house.” She thanked me back, and the atmosphere became a little awkward. Well, one was thankful for the food, and the other thankful for the compliments. I suppose it was a good thing…I think. Also, she looked rather young…perhaps in her twenties. It must be rather difficult, being the head cook at that age. Most of the head cooks I had seen at restaurants were middle-aged men. Well, maybe it was just me. Regardless, it was pretty impressive that she had that position. And since everything I had eaten was delicious, it was clear that she was very capable. “Helena! Your food is delicious as always!” “Thank you, Lady Tilura.” Tilura had the biggest smile on her face as she ate her dinner. As she had taken a nap, she was full of energy and in a good mood. …Leo might have to stay up quite late tonight. After dinner, there was tea time. The tea that Ms. Lyra made was always great. Leo was full after eating sausages, and she was now curled up on the floor. Tilura was pressed up against Leo’s stomach, and seemed to be very happy as she was enveloped in the soft, silvery fur. I had thought that she’d want to play, but she was surprisingly quiet. It must be because Leo’s fur was that comfortable to be wrapped in. Sebastian, Lyra, and Gelda were standing in the back. And they would quickly pour us more tea when a cup was empty. …Thank you. They are delicious. Thoroughly satisfied at the sight of us smacking our lips at her work, Ms. Helena had taken the dish and left the dining hall. Since this was such a laid back atmosphere, I could perhaps ask some questions without hesitating. I really knew almost nothing about Ms. Claire. “Ms. Claire.” “What is it, Mr. Takumi?” Had I said something wrong? While Ms. Claire looked taken aback for a moment, she then blushed and began to mutter to herself. And since she was on the other side of the table, I was not able to hear her. “…Uh, well. I met you in the forest yesterday, but I was wondering about how you came to live in this mansion. Also, it’s not just the servants, but even the townspeople seemed to have a great respect for you. And I was wondering why that…is…” “…I see… Very well. It would not be fair for me to have asked about you, and not say anything about myself… Really, I almost took that a different way…” Huh? What…what did she just say…? “Ms. Claire?” “…No, it’s nothing. Um, yes, about why I am living in this mansion, yes?” “Yes.” “To put it simply, Tilura and I are here in order to be away from our father.” Away from their father. That sounded a little ominous… Had their father done something?

CH 32

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