NOVEL NEXT 10: No Rift was Formed
“Last time, I was making a large batch of paralysis poison medicine.”
“Is that the unfamiliar scent from then?”
“It seems that paralysis poison isn’t used much in Bistonia.”
“Most of the time, we manage with sheer willpower.”
It had been about a month since Prince Silva moved into the room next door.
To my surprise, he turned out to be an easy person to talk to.
Apparently, he had misunderstood and thought I was afraid of beastmen, so he kept his distance to avoid scaring me.
Even though we had met several times before our marriage, he said he got that impression because I seemed scared on the day I arrived.
I also had a major misunderstanding. All the beastmen present in the king’s chamber that day had nothing to do with me specifically. They always gathered like that for important decisions.
Of course, there was some initial hostility, but they quickly realized that I was just a single human woman and let their guard down. When he explained that, it made sense.
The Head Maid had misunderstood, thinking I looked down on beastmen, and the Head Cook had been so stressed he was nearly giving himself an ulcer.
Soon after Prince Silva moved to the next room, I reconciled with both of them.
It took a lot of explaining for them to understand that I wasn’t hurt at all and that I never hated beastmen. Also, the food prepared here was far better than what I had in the Kingdom of Giranga.
Explaining my eating habits back home was the biggest challenge.
But in the end, they both stood there with their mouths agape in disbelief.
Since then, I’ve gotten along well with the other servants, and Prince Silva spends most of his time in my room.
Even though he moved next door, he only uses his room for changing clothes, bathing, and sleeping. If he finishes work early, he rushes straight to my room.
I was really surprised when he entered through the window, but I decided to see it as an update to my knowledge about beastmen.
“Lady Rana, would you like another cup of tea?”
“Yes, please. These tea leaves are different from the ones this morning, right? Is this southern tea? It’s delicious.”
“I chose it to complement the Gonyan fruit cake we received the other day.”
“How was it?”
“It was delicious. Although, I could only eat half of it.”
The Head Maid’s demeanor noticeably dropped.
She had been forced to give it up to the Head Cook as compensation for her role in the harassment.
I was worried that there might be a rift forming among the servants due to the cold treatment I received, but it seems that’s not an issue. I took a sip of the tea the Head Maid brewed personally and felt a sense of relief.
“By the way, why did Bistonia want a Saintess as a wife?”
“Because the Giranga royal family and the Saintess were the closest to us. Honestly, they just wanted to make it look good when they demanded a hostage. We don’t expect you to use your sacred power for anything, so don’t worry about that. But it would be helpful if you could give us your opinions when you notice something.”
“Like if there might be a monster attack, right? Understood.”
“And also about food that we might not know about. We knew about the Gonyan fruit, but I had never heard of using it in desserts. We Bistonians are always looking for new foods. That’s why we lease out some areas.”
“Oh, so that’s what it was about.”
With a sharp expression, he said, “I want to eat it again.” The Head Maid nodded vigorously, and the servants waiting near the door looked on with envy.
However, all the Gonyan fruit we had was used up, and none was left even for medicinal purposes.
The merchant had already left, and some of the cooking staff had gone to that country to purchase more, but whether any would still be available…
I could make more if the ingredients were available, but I couldn’t make promises without knowing if they could be obtained.
I felt sorry for those who couldn’t eat it, but making a promise I couldn’t keep would be cruel.
However, I could share information about other delicious foods I knew.
“What stood out to me at the market was the lamb sandwich. The wheat used in the bread was quite unique.”
I described how delicious the sandwich was and the characteristics of the wheat. The prince listened intently. His twitching ears had become a familiar sight.
“I’ve eaten that wheat before. So, it’s best made into flatbread?”
“It seems it’s good to cook it one piece at a time in a frying pan.”
“I’d like to try it. If it’s good, we could produce it in our country…”
“Unfortunately, it’s difficult. There’s not enough rainfall, and the temperature is a bit high, which would change the flavor.”
“I see. That’s unacceptable. I’ll arrange it right away.”
Prince Silva signaled to a waiting servant. Just like with the Gonyan fruit, someone would be sent to buy it.
By the way, the reason royal palace servants go out directly is because their taste is trusted.
Even food rumored to be delicious won’t reach the royal family’s table without passing their checks. Prince Silva and the Bistonian royal family have very discerning palates, and even food that passes the servants’ checks might still be judged as not good enough.
Once it passes the strict scrutiny, it reaches the stage where a trusted merchant is commissioned to purchase it. Continuously appearing on the royal table is quite an honor for the citizens.
They are strict about food but also have a strong curiosity for new flavors.
Due to the Gonyan fruit incident, the royal family became interested in me. Since I wasn’t afraid of beastmen, they visited my room freely, whether Prince Silva was there or not.
This morning, a princess of the cat beastmen came and asked me to name all the sweets I knew.
She said it was fine to continue my herb grinding while doing so, so I did the work without hesitation and listed them one by one.