𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝
It took several minutes to finally arrive at a modest building. While the structure prioritized durability over extravagance, it looked somewhat plain compared to the royal castle we had seen earlier.
We were escorted down from the carriage and entered through a back door that was quite grand for a rear entrance.
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“Normally, you would enter through the main entrance, but this is the one you’ll likely use most often, so I thought I’d show you this one first.”
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Ah, I see, the back door leads to the kitchen.
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“Please use this back door primarily and refrain from entering areas other than the kitchen.”
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The dining area and kitchen were spacious, with high ceilings. Although the kitchen wasn’t fully visible from the tables, its layout allowed a clear view if one wished to look.
The lighting cast a warm glow, and the well-polished, amber-colored floor gleamed. There were three large rectangular tables, each with five chairs. Each piece was intricately carved and looked expensive.
The spacious kitchen was equipped with the latest appliances, and even the dish cabinet looked exceptionally stylish at first glance.
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“Wow. . .!”
“These are state-of-the-art machines. One machine can prep vegetables, meat, fish—anything, really. The one next to it will wash dishes and pots for you. And the one beside that can cook any recipe registered in it, just by pressing a button.”
“Amazing. . .!”
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All of these are items I had been curious about but had given up on buying due to their exorbitant cost.
Among the wealthy commoners, it’s a status symbol for nobles to hire chefs. After all, meals prepared by professional chefs are both tastier and costlier than machine-made food.
Therefore, I couldn’t discuss this with my friends, as it would be considered odd for a noble to invest in these machines.
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“You’re welcome to utilize all of these, but I’d prefer if you refrained from using this particular machine too much.”
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The machine Baldwin gracefully pointed to was the “Convenient Cooker,” a dream appliance that could prepare anything.
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“May I ask why?”
“Are you aware, Miss Norchev, of why the knight order doesn’t employ chefs?”
“No.”
“Even though there are no ongoing wars, we’re still a knight order. We may have to lead troops into battle at any moment. What we eat then will be simple fare. Not eating because the food tastes bad, and thus not performing well, is unacceptable.”
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I see.
I nodded deeply. Eating only delicious full-course meals would indeed make it hard to subsist on plain boiled potatoes during wartime, leading to poor performance.
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“This ‘Convenient Cooker’ can prepare delicious food. So, I’d prefer if you didn’t use it too often. I’d like you to make food that’s just above average for commoner standards.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll specify the ingredients and the amount for each meal. Based on that, Miss Norchev, please plan and prepare the menu. Feel free to use up all the ingredients. Please document the menu, cooking methods, and leftovers daily. I’ll leave a sample form for you.”
“Understood.”
“If you find the ingredients insufficient or are asked to make additional items, please comply. Feel free to experiment as well.”
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Baldwin handed me a stack of papers.
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“Everything is written here. Once you’ve read and agree with it, please sign.”
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The last place I was shown was the live-in house.
It was more impressive than my family home.
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When I got home, my whole family, who had been anxiously waiting, carefully read the documents. Thor was still uncomfortable with the idea of being separated from me, but everyone agreed that the terms were more than fair for employment.
Apparently, they were in quite a pinch because there were no suitable young ladies available and they asked for a prompt reply. After signing the contract, we had a small feast that night to say our goodbyes to the family.
Thor mistakenly drank some alcohol and became tearfully drunk, which was difficult to handle. The next morning, after spending the last night sharing a bed with Thor, I entrusted the signed documents to my dad.
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・・・
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“How did it go with the young lady this time? I think the conditions were rather difficult to meet.”
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Baldwin looked up from the documents and saw his master. Even while sitting, an aura of grace emanated from his master, who wore a gentle smile.
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“I believe there were no issues. She showed no reaction upon seeing my face, and she also declined a tour of the knight’s order. She is a young lady with strong convictions who does not speak idly.”
“It’s rare for Baldwin to say that much. In that case, it seems like she’ll be fine.”
“She is a young lady from the Norchev family, who have worked in the castle for generations. There should be no issues. They’ve never shown interest in advancing their status and are devoted to their work. It’s said that if you leave the difficult tasks to Norchev, there won’t be any problems.”
“I’m not expecting much from her culinary skills, but we can use cooking appliances if needed, so it should be alright.”
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Baldwin affirmed through his silence. Normally, he would check cooking skills before employment, but this time they had skipped that step as Alice was the only young lady who met the requirements.
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Alice Norchev, 18 years old.
She was asleep, unaware that she would become a subject of public attention in the future.
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