I buried my eyes deep into my fists. Because even I thought I was asking for too much.
'I know it's hard to meet someone like that, but the thing is, right now, Marie is the only one who's friendly to me.'
Right. Even if Marie were to pledge her loyalty to me, I lacked the basic capital to earn money to entrust everything to her in the first place.
Even putting money aside, although I had grown closer to Marie because of the Serira incident, the head maid was still in power.
Besides, since Marie had become my personal lady-in-waiting, it was obvious that if she made a move, all eyes would be drawn to me.
'Because of the hunting festival accident, the bet with Thierry was practically canceled, so I couldn't even contact my family...'
Besides, even if I did contact them, he would be thoroughly monitoring me, so I wouldn't be able to pull any stunts. Even if I asked for money, he would just pester me, asking why I needed it when I was only going to stay at the Imperial Palace.
'Ah. Think about someone who holds a decent position and will be on my side. There's bound to be someone out there.'
My upper body was gradually on the verge of lying down on the table.
"...Yeah, Maud!"
I lifted my head sharply and opened my eyes. My vision flashed, and my mouth dropped open.
If it is Maud, or perhaps if the Maud I know is exactly as it is, wouldn't it be okay to reveal my current self?
Given Maud's unbiased and straightforward personality, just as she extended a hand to me in the past, she might believe in and welcome even the preposterous thing of soul transference. I didn't know why, but such a vague belief welled up inside me.
'I have to meet Maud.'
My friend who impressively rose to the position of sous chef! The person I was thinking of just moments ago, who has great potential to become a unicorn!
For now, I wanted to run to Maud right then and there and pour out everything.
But the last remaining shred of reason held me back.
First, let's take a look at how Maud has been and grown up. And if it looks okay, I'm going to reveal my true identity.
I took a deep breath and nodded resolutely.
'Okay, for now, I'll just watch from a distance.'
I am not going to go near it today, under any circumstances!
***
Never have I felt more fortunate than today that my residence has been moved to the main palace. At least I will be able to access the kitchen on the first floor.
I strolled leisurely down the corridor, using the excuse that I wanted to look around the main palace.
"Is there anywhere you would like to go?"
Then, standing in front of the stairs, Oscar held out his hand as if telling me to take it. As I was about to grab the handrail, he asked with a look of wonder.
It seemed he was puzzled that I was moving to another place, as I hadn't shown much interest in the Imperial Palace until now, and the only place I went was the library.
As I glanced back, Marie, who had been quietly following behind, was also looking at me, perhaps out of curiosity.
"No. I'm just wandering around. I wanted to see something a little different from the walking path I take every day..."
I trailed off and smiled slightly. I figured that if I answered vaguely with this much room for interpretation rather than giving a clear-cut answer, they would think I was just really bored.
"Aha? In that case, there is a room with artwork on this floor. Would you like to go there?"
I was focused on holding Oscar's hand and going down the stairs, so I was only able to lift my head and answer after we had finished.
"Hmm... I'd like to go to the first floor rather than the second."
The main palace had a U-shaped wing structure, with only the central building containing the bedrooms having three stories, and the buildings on both wings each having only two stories.
Since the central building was said to be frequented by nobles because it contained bedrooms and meeting rooms, I thought I would probably have to go toward the wing building to get to the kitchen where Maud works.
While I was making that guess, I thought the first floor was the more likely place for the servants to frequent, so I said that I would look around there first.
"Aside from the passageway, the first floor is mostly occupied by workers. Would you be alright with that?"
But what do you know? I was delighted by Oscar's question. Thinking I had captured this perfectly, I answered with a deliberately excited expression.
"Yes! It's because I want to go somewhere I don't usually go."
"Oh!"
But why am I so happy? No. The indifference I showed just moments ago is completely gone, and to top it all off, I'm going a step further.
I even made my eyes light up with my expression.
"Then how about the training ground? That would be the freshest place!"
...You don't want to go?
I wondered why rumors were circulating that he was a man obsessed with swords. Anyway, he was someone who was desperate to spar at the training grounds whenever he had a spare moment.
"I'll go to the training grounds later. Today, I'll stay only at the main palace!"
"The training ground will be more fun than here."
You're funny.
Oscar's attitude was absurd; he had completely wiped the smile from his face and was speaking seriously. It wasn't as if he had put on a thick skin, but I couldn't understand how he could be so brazen. I covered my mouth with the back of my hand to hide the laugh of disbelief escaping my lips.
"Is that so? That's a shame. Then, would you mind going instead, Sir Oscar? I'm only going to be touring the main palace today, so I don't think I'll need to go to the training grounds."
"I would like to, but I can't."
Oscar's slightly drooping eyes dropped even lower, tinged with regret. However, since he was a handsome man who naturally looked like he had a bad personality, he didn't look particularly pitiful.
Still, if I leave things as they are, I feel like we'll keep arguing about whether or not to go to the training ground. I nodded to indicate that I understood.
"Then please show me around the training ground next time. I'll definitely go."
"How about tomorrow?"
I briefly wavered between the question of whether I should just not go, given the annoying speed of their reaction, determined to get a definite answer.
Looking at those gleaming jade eyes that seemed like they wouldn't give up until I gave them the answer they wanted, I thought it would be better not to do anything pointless.
"...Ahaha. Yeah. Well."
Smiling with a look of enlightenment, I moved my feet, which had paused for a moment. I had to find the corridor mainly used by attendants, rather than the large corridor where the ministers came and went.
I checked Oscar, who was quietly following behind as if satisfied with my answer, and gestured for Marie to come over.
"Do you happen to know where the kitchen is?"
"Yes, the kitchen is this way. I did hear that the kitchen is divided into three sections, but they are connected, so you can just take your time following the path and looking around."
Marie politely pointed in the direction we had to go and continued speaking.
"Then, may I guide you from the side?"
Whispering softly, keeping an eye on the situation.
'Marie is the best...'
What on earth is wrong with Serira's judgment of character? To think she mistreated and treated someone like this so cruelly. Serira truly deserves to be punished twice for the sins she committed.
Come to think of it, even though Serira is in prison, I heard that definite punishment can only be meted out once the results of the investigation into that suspicious medicine bottle come out. I wonder when that will be revealed? I'm really looking forward to it!
"We're almost there. We just need to go a little further."
Lost in thought, it seemed we had reached deep inside the main palace before I knew it. I nodded to Marie and scanned the surroundings.
Since it was before mealtime, the hallway leading to the kitchen was quiet. There were passageways and doors here and there that looked like storage rooms, and anyone could tell that those were the perfect spots to have a private conversation.
"Ah. This is so annoying."
And sure enough, an interesting sound caught my ear.
"Why? Did you get scolded by the sous chef again?"
Sous Chef? Surely it’s not Maud, right? Sous Chef can’t be the only one.
Unlike my denial in my head, I felt quite uneasy inside, so my body eventually stopped.
I cautiously walked toward the door from which the voice was coming, wanting to hear more clearly.
"Nooo... I was only a minute late, but she's screaming and making a huge fuss like I committed some massive crime and is going to devour me."
"Ugh, I can tell without even looking. Are you okay?"
"I don't know, honestly. Isn't it funny? She didn't get that position based on her own merit, so I don't know why she acts so noble. Is it because she feels guilty? She tears people apart like rats for even the slightest mistake."
"I know, it’s not just packed with people; it’s like a pine tree. She’s constantly running into the Head Chef, too. Even the Head Chef is someone His Majesty personally appointed to the kitchen, and that man who usually looks down on women can’t say a word and is trembling... Hmm. That serves her right."
...His Majesty put her in charge? Thierry?
The moment I heard those words, my entire intuition pointed to Maud. After all, considering he went out of his way to call and introduce Sous Chef to me during the cucumber incident, it was safe to assume he was someone the Emperor held in high regard.
"Hey, whose side are you in right now?"
"Oh, come on, of course I'm on your side. I'm just saying."
But Maud got that angry?
The Maud in my memory was always so easygoing and got along well with people, so the maids' words were a huge surprise.
"Who would want to marry someone with such a nasty personality? She'll surely grow old and die alone."
"Come to think of it, didn't you say she didn't have a family?"
This isn't right. My face immediately hardened. Even if you can speak behind someone's back out of frustration, there is a line that must not be crossed.
I grabbed the cold handle.
"Huh! It's famous that the noble lords risked their lives to petition His Majesty, asking what on earth an orphan commoner is doing as a sous chef, ugh!"
As I opened the door without hesitation, two maids stared at me in astonishment. They looked at me once with flustered expressions, then seemed to realize the situation upon spotting Oscar standing behind them.
"I, I am honored to meet a distinguished person."
The maids barely managed to lower their heads, trembling all over with shaking voices. I gazed down at their heads and asked in a low voice.
"...Did I perhaps startle you?"
Marie opened her eyes wide at the sudden sound of a voice.
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