JustPeachyNovels

The Role of the Lady (1)

The first place head maid Sylvia guided her was the main kitchen of the mansion.

“This is where the castle’s food supplies are managed, and where meals are prepared for the Duke, the Duchess, and the main staff of the castle. It’s also where the most servants are employed.”

As Duha listened to her explanation, she carefully inspected the kitchen.

The shelves were stocked with fresh vegetables, dozens of spices, and various cuts of well-prepared meat hanging in the pantry.

Leila, who was following Duha, was startled to see the hanging meat.

“Won’t this fresh meat spoil if it’s left like this? Especially in this warm weather.”

Sylvia straightened her back proudly at Leila’s muttering.

“Normally it would, but we have magical tools made by the White Tower. Thanks to them, we can keep the meat very fresh.”

“Magical tools?”

When Duha tilted her head, Sylvia pointed to the large iron hooks where the meat was hanging.

“Those hooks are magical tools personally designed by Serion, the master of the White Tower. If you look closely, you’ll see a magic circle inscribed on them. When you hang fresh meat there, it freezes instantly.”

Sylvia gave a light tap to the hanging meat.

“Even in warm weather like this, the meat is frozen solid, so it doesn’t spoil, and there’s no waste.”

“Impressive.”

As Duha watched Leila tapping the meat in wonder, she fell into thought.

‘Magic.’

She had heard of magic in Bashar as well.

A strange power used by humans other than the Bashar people.

It was similar to the ‘natural power’ they used, but unlike their power, which required no cost, magic always came with a price.

The greater the price, the stronger the power, a significant difference from the ‘natural power’ they used.

“Besides freezing meat, we also have magical tools that can light a fire without firewood…”

As Sylvia was proudly lecturing on the practicality of magical tools, a commotion arose in the kitchen.

“How are we supposed to process this?”

“We can’t just discard what the knights brought us…”

“What a dilemma.”

The servants in the kitchen were gathered, murmuring amongst themselves.

Sylvia frowned at the unexpected noise.

“What’s going on?”

“Ah, head maid.”

An elderly servant stepped forward and bowed as she approached.

“The knights brought in game from their hunt, but we’re having trouble processing it…”

Sylvia looked puzzled at the servant’s explanation.

“Can’t you call a butcher? There should be one stationed in the castle.”

“He’s away right now. His mother fell gravely ill, so he went home for a few days.”

The servant scratched his head, looking distressed.

“It’s a rare mountain goat. The hide and horns are the most valuable parts, but we’re worried we might ruin it with our lack of skill.”

“Hmmm.”

Sylvia swallowed as she eyed the large mountain goat on the floor.

Its elegantly curled horns and glossy fur were quite impressive.

Indeed, it would be a shame to damage the hide by handling it improperly.

“Is there no butcher available right now?”

“Unfortunately, no…”

Sylvia crossed her arms and frowned deeply, contemplating the situation.

Just as she was about to instruct the servants, Duha spoke up.

“That’s a fine mountain goat. Who caught it?”

“My Lady! Please don’t touch it! You shouldn’t lay your hands on the carcass of a beast!”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a large and fine mountain goat.”

“My Lady-! Please don’t touch it-!”

Sylvia was horrified to see Duha stroking the goat’s fur.

“It really is remarkable! This fur will be very useful. I’m tempted.”

Unlike the flustered head maid, Leila’s eyes sparkled as she followed her mistress’s lead.

Meanwhile, the servants were wide-eyed at the head maid’s shrill cries.

“The Duchess? The Duchess is here?”

“So, she’s the one who came from Bashar…”

“They say the Bashar people are barbarians. She doesn’t look as fierce as I expected…”

The news that the new Duchess had come from Bashar had already spread among the servants.

However, it was their first time seeing her in person, and the kitchen was abuzz with excitement.

“Quiet down! How dare you speak so carelessly?”

Sylvia scolded the servants, but Duha turned to her.

“Sylvia, why aren’t you processing this?”

“Well, My Lady, it’s difficult to process it right now, so we were thinking of freezing it whole…”

“Freezing it whole? That will ruin the hide.”

“But there’s no one available to process it at the moment, so there’s no other choice.”

At her words, Duha called for Leila.

“Leila, hand me a knife.”

“Um, Duchess. Why are you asking for a knife all of a sudden…?”

Leila intervened with a perplexed expression, matching the head maid’s confusion.

“Princess, I mean, Duchess. This isn’t Bashar. It’s not proper for you to butcher an animal. That’s the work of the lowest servants.”

“Leila.”

Duha whispered quietly to her maid.

“Have I ever asked for anything unreasonable without a reason?”

“Leila, the knife.”

“…Alright.”

Leila finally took out a knife hidden in her skirt.

The people in the kitchen gaped at the sight of a sharp dagger emerging from the hem of a seemingly demure woman’s skirt.

As Duha took the knife, Sylvia finally came to her senses and protested.

“What are you doing? A noble lady skinning a goat? That’s unheard of! Such tasks are for lowly butchers…”

“Hunting and processing prey is the predator’s duty. Humans hunted it, so it’s only right that humans process it, regardless of status.”

Duha brushed aside the head maid’s restraining hand and looked around.

Everyone was staring at her in shock.

Just as she wanted.

“Leila, bring a bucket. There will be a lot of blood.”

“Yes, Duchess!”

At Duha’s command, Leila quickly fetched a bucket from the corner of the kitchen.

Sylvia watched in stunned silence, then cried out desperately.

“My Lady-! At least put on an apron-!”

*** *** *** *** ***

The servants of Esbaden Castle’s kitchen were transfixed, watching something in awe.

The Duchess, Duha, was deftly handling the knife, leaving everyone spellbound.

With each stroke of the gleaming blade, bones and skin were smoothly separated.

Even the castle’s top butcher would be impressed by the precision and speed of her movements.

Moreover, dismantling a goat as large as a grown man so perfectly in such a short time was astonishing.

The sight of the Duchess, with her luxurious silver hair tied up and wearing a blue silk dress, holding a bloodstained knife was almost surreal.

Despite this, the people in the kitchen couldn’t take their eyes off the scene.

“It’s done!”

Meanwhile, Duha, oblivious to the stares, proudly displayed the hide.

The clean hide, free of bloodstains, gleamed with a unique pattern and sheen. It was too valuable to discard.

Just then, Sylvia handed her a silver tray with clean water and a towel.

“My Lady, please wash your hands.”

The head maid scolded her quietly and quickly as Duha washed her hands.

“In the empire, butchering animals is a task for the lowest servants. It’s inappropriate for the Duchess of Esbaden, a Bashar princess, to do such things. Not only will everyone gossip, but if the Duke sees…”

“The Duke mustn’t see this. It’s supposed to be a surprise gift for him.”

“…What?”

“Leila, did you prepare everything?”

“Yes, Duchess!”

Leila held the carefully prepared fur and two horns.

“It’s a tradition in Bashar for the bride to gift her groom with a garment she made herself. The wedding was too rushed for me to prepare beforehand, so this is perfect.”

Duha smiled innocently.

“I’m excited to make clothes for the Duke with this high-quality fur.”

“That, that…”

“I’m also thinking of making drinking cups from the two horns to commemorate the alliance between Bashar and the Empire, as well as our marriage. What do you think, Sylvia?”

The head maid was speechless, her fingers twitching.

It was undoubtedly wrong to do such a thing in front of the servants.

But she couldn’t scold her for making a gift for the Duke.

“The Duke will be pleased, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I think so too. That’s a relief.”

Meanwhile, Leila whispered to her mistress in a voice only she could hear.

“You told me to be careful because of prying eyes, yet you did this? Why?”

“What?”

“In the empire, it’s unthinkable for a noblewoman to butcher an animal. Why did you do this in front of so many people?”

“I told you. To make a gift for my husband.”

“Don’t lie to me. I’ve served you for years.”

“Really, Leila.”

Duha smiled gently at her maid.

“My husband gave me a lavish wedding gift. I should repay him appropriately, shouldn’t I?”

“You received a wedding gift from the Duke? This is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“You saw it too. Thanks to it, I skipped meals today and was stuck at my desk.”

Leila looked at Duha with a dawning realization.

“So, the gift was…”

“Can you imagine that cold-hearted man trying to explain his wife’s eccentric behavior to others?”

Though she had not known him long, she had already figured out his character.

Seemingly cold and indifferent, but highly concerned with appearances and meticulous.

She was curious to see how much effort such a man would put into maintaining the ‘dignity of the Duchess’ he didn’t care for.

“I just hope he gets as much of a headache as I did.”

Leila shook her head, reminded once again that her mistress never lost, no matter who she faced, where, or when.

Episode 5 – Episode 7