Chapter 6 – Part 3

“Erica!”

Archie greeted me cheerfully. A good number of people had already come down to the dining room and taken their seats, and Archie was among them.

I sat down next to him and started my meal.

As I enjoyed another delicious brunch, I looked up to see Chef Kelsey watching my eating show with a satisfied expression.

“You always eat so well.”

Maybe it’s because I come from a place where eating shows are a popular trend.

Chef Kelsey fished out a generous piece of meat from the stew and placed it in my bowl.

“Here, have some more. You need to eat a lot to grow taller.”

“Thank you, Chef!”

She laughed again, saying I had a bold and lively way of responding.

Though I knew that eating wouldn’t make me any taller at this point, the meat was delicious.

But even by the time I had cleaned my plate, the head maid hadn’t come down to the dining room.

Maybe we just missed each other. Was I too late for the meal?

I asked the chef, “Excuse me, but is the head maid not coming down to eat? I had something to ask her.”

“Barbara probably won’t come. She said she was busy today, so I sent up some snacks earlier. She might come to the dining room for dinner, though. Is it something urgent?”

“No, it’s not that urgent.”

I answered but then reconsidered, recalling the tea storage situation.

“Well, I do want to bring in some herbal tea supplies for His Highness, but I’m not sure how to go about it. We’re running low on chamomile, so it’s a bit pressing.”

Thinking about how much chamomile was left made me think of the Crown Prince again.

‘Since His Highness likes chamomile tea…’

I let out a sigh.

Perhaps interpreting it differently, Chef Kelsey patted my shoulder and explained.

“In situations like this, you can either send someone to buy the supplies or bring the merchant into the palace. Just have them bill it to the Crown Prince’s residence. That’s what we do in the kitchen, so it should be similar for your tea storage.”

She also mentioned that, as the person in charge of the tea storage, I didn’t need anyone else’s permission. It seemed the rules were a bit lax in this area since poison wouldn’t affect the royal family at all.

Although I hadn’t had much chance to realize it, being holed up in the tea storage after my hasty promotion, Chef Kelsey pointed out that senior maids had significant authority.

I could even stop any passing servants and put them to work!

‘I didn’t realize I had that kind of power.’

So I decided to exercise my newfound authority immediately.

I turned to Archie, who was eating dessert beside me, and said, “Archie, how about running an errand to buy some herbs? There’s a shop just three blocks south of the fountain square nearby.”

Chef Kelsey wrinkled her nose and chimed in.

“I know that shop. It’s called ‘Wynora’s Tea Leaves,’ right? Their dried fruits and herbs are top-notch. Erica, you’ve got a good eye for quality.”

“Do you know that shop too, Chef? They really are the best when it comes to tea leaves. Last fall, when I was in the capital, I think I visited them almost every other day.”

“And the young man working there is so polite and charming. He always gives the warmest welcome—it’s adorable.”

But he’s not a young man; he’s an adult.

I’d noticed before that Chef Kelsey seemed to consider anyone under thirty to be a child.

I agreed with her and then turned back to Archie with my request.

“Archie, I’ll draw you a map, so could you pick up some chamomile and linden flowers? It’s fine if the linden flowers have a few leaves mixed in.”

“Uh, but I’m supposed to help chop vegetables here today…”

Why is the Crown Prince’s attendant chopping vegetables in the kitchen?

Tilting my head at this odd assignment, Chef Kelsey waved it off.

“He’s got a knack for cooking. His hands are quick and precise.”

“But still, he has his duties…”

“I’ll lend him to you for today, Erica. And I’ll throw in a slice of honey pecan pie.”

“Could it be two slices?”

“Of course.”

We shook hands to seal the deal.

The chef got up to fetch the promised pie, and I turned to Archie, who was now mine for the day.

“Archie, while you’re out, check on the lavender and cinnamon too. Choose the highest quality and buy plenty. Lavender’s not in season yet, but if it’s that shop, they might have some from this year’s harvest.”

Archie asked with a puzzled expression.

“How can you tell if it’s good quality?”

“Well, if you’re not sure, you can just choose something reasonable. As long as it’s from that store, the quality should be fine.”

After hearing my words, Archie thought for a moment and cautiously asked,

“Then, does it mean it doesn’t matter what I buy?”

No, it did matter.

I started to feel uneasy.

The chef, who had quickly returned with a pecan pie, said,

“…Wouldn’t it be better if someone who knows how to pick ingredients goes?”

* * *

In the end, I had to go out myself.

When I told Archie to go back to his original task of prepping vegetables since the errand was canceled, his face lit up.

“Well, as long as you’re happy with it.”

Archie even received another slice of pecan pie when he asked the chef if the head maid knew he was hanging around here.

After that, I smoothly handled the Crown Prince’s lunch and afternoon tea, finishing slightly earlier than usual with Chef Kelsey’s enthusiastic cooperation.

I had some time to spare since I only needed to return before the evening tea time. I left Archie as my substitute.

‘It should be fine since there’s no audience schedule today.’

With that, I prepared thoroughly and left the Crown Prince’s palace.

“Good to see you again, Lady Marnel!”

The coachwoman called out energetically as she lowered the footstep with a sharp motion.

It was the red-haired woman who had driven me to the glass greenhouse last week.

The brown carriage was smaller and simpler than the one I rode in then, but the seat cushions were just as excellent. The coachwoman was dressed in an ordinary coachwoman’s frock coat.

It was just right.

‘This way, I won’t stand out too much outside the palace.’

The carriage had barely started when we left the palace grounds. I could tell without looking out the window from the way the sound of the wheels on the stone road changed.

After a while, we arrived at a tea shop on the south side of the fountain square, and the door opened.

When I took the coachwoman’s outstretched hand and stepped out of the carriage, I heard a suspicious sound. It was the heavy clinking of metal.

I subtly turned my head to look and saw that the coachwoman was carrying a longsword inside her frock coat.

It was only for a moment, but I definitely saw it. A pommel with a winged lion emblem gleamed brightly.

‘Isn’t that a sword bestowed by the royal family?’

It was not something an ordinary coachwoman would carry.

I glanced sideways at the suspicious woman’s outfit.

Her top was ordinary, but her bottom half was in the royal knight’s uniform. Seeing the overly shiny boots confirmed it.

‘How did I just now notice this?’

As I hesitated, the so-called coachwoman spoke.

“Is my escort making you uncomfortable? I’ll make adjustments.”

Even her tone wasn’t that of a coachwoman! Does she even intend to keep her identity a secret?

I could no longer hold back and asked,

“…Knight?”

The self-proclaimed coachwoman laughed heartily.

“Ahaha, yes, I am actually a knight. Was my attempt at impersonating a coachwoman that awkward?”

“A bit.”

“Let me introduce myself again. I’m Ramona, the deputy commander of the 2nd Imperial Guard.”

Dame Ramona gave me a slight bow, tilting her head, and subtly opened her collar to show her knight’s badge.

Her white teeth gleamed between her smiling lips.

She was a bit peculiar, but seeing her knight’s badge reassured me of her identity. I felt relieved.

“Yes, Dame Ramona. I’m Erica, as you know, the second daughter of Count Marnel. Feel free to speak informally.”

“Should I? Then, can I call you Erica?”

“Of course.”

Dame Ramona quickly adjusted to the informal tone.

“Erica, how did you know I wasn’t a coachwoman?”

“I just saw it.”

I clearly saw Dame Ramona’s knight uniform pants and sword.

“I heard you haven’t been working at the palace for long, but you have a sharp eye.”

Dame Ramona rubbed her chin for a moment and then gave me a word of caution.

“By the way, let’s keep this a secret from His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Pretending to be a coachwoman and slacking off?”