A fortune-telling princess - Chapter 8

Camilla looked at the two smiling people… no, the two ghosts for a moment in silence.

[What’s up?]

[Do you have anything to say to us?]

At that gaze, the chef’s ghost, Ferrol, and the butler’s ghost, Derrin, tilted their heads. What did they do wrong?

“Now tell me.”

[Speak?]

[What do you mean?]

“What do you want from me?”

There is something I realized while living with ghosts for over 20 years.

There are no ghosts who wander the sky and help people without reason.

‘And then some.’

Why would they be any different?

“I will need your help in the future.”

It would be too greedy to hope that her past image would change just by decorating a flower and cooking a meal.

“So tell me. What do you want?”

I was thinking of listening to anything. These are the ones who helped me avoid death, what is there I can’t do.

[…….]

[…….]

At Camilla’s words, Ferrol and Darrin looked at each other. And at the same time, he burst into laughter.

[There is only one thing I want.]

“What is it?”

[Cooking.]

“…Cooking?”

Camilla put on a puzzled expression. Cooking? Are you asking me to make food and hold an ancestral rite?

‘I’m not particularly good at making food?’

She was not the one who cooked in the kitchen a moment ago. Ferrol’s two hands had possessed her own two hands and made the food instead.

[It was my wish to be able to make food again. There is nothing happier than having someone enjoy the food I made.]

Ferrol answered unexpectedly.

“Your wish is to cook food?”

You don’t want me to do the cooking, but to do it yourself?

At Camilla’s question, Ferrol smiled again.

[Thank you.]

“…….”

[For allowing me to cook again.]

I thought I would never touch a cooker again. I thought I would never be able to serve that dish again.

It still feels like a dream. To be able to stand in front of the fire again.

Even though it was Camilla’s hand, I was so happy to hold the knife again and hold the pot.

“…I see.”

Camilla nodded her head with a shy expression. It would be foolish to keep asking when there appeared to be no other wishes.

However, she had no experience of receiving help from someone without a price, so she felt uncomfortable.

[Same for me.]

The ghost of the butler, Derin, who caught his gaze, also smiled faintly.

[I was happy to bring the gypsophila back to the housekeeper’s office.]

… What? That’s what happiness is to you?

[It is a great happiness to be able to help the people of the duchy with the information I know.]

[Thank you.]

Rather, Camilla was a little embarrassed as she watched the two ghosts giving thanks to her.

‘These people…….’

So, they were lingering around Gucheon because of a lingering attachment to pleasing others? I have lived many lives, and here I’m seeing the funniest pushovers ever.

‘Well, as it favors me.’

Anyhow, guess that means you both don’t want anything in particular?

Camilla put her hands together politely. Then she bowed her head very politely. Towards Ferrol and Derek.

“I wish you well in the future.”

Come what may in the future, but she had just received some help unconditionally. A little courtesy and modesty were well in order.

[…….]

[…….]

Ferrol and Darrin’s eyes lit up in amazement at her unexpected greeting.

But soon, a soft smile spread across their lips again.

* * *

“C-, can you make this too?”

Chef Gelard’s eyes widened as he looked at Camila’s finished dish.

That red sorbet. That wine-based dessert was also a dessert that the late Master had made well.

Applying the finishing touches, Camilla turned her head to look at Gelard sideways.

“…….”

“…….”

Squeak.

After exchanging glances for a moment, Gelard gently bent his stretched knee. It was only after his gaze was lowered that Camilla opened her mouth.

“You don’t even know this recipe?”

“Ye-, yes I do, ma’am.”

The only problem is that the ones he made didn’t come out in such nice colors.

I’ve been watching for over 10 days already, but Camilla has prepared her food with amazing skill every time. And it was exclusively the food that her teacher, Ferrol, enjoyed making.

‘No way…….’

As a result, he naturally became suspicious.

‘Maybe there is a recipe book left by Master?’

Did Miss Camilla find it?

‘No no!’

But right away he brushed the thought off. This is not a problem that can be solved with a recipe. That skill was not something that could be demonstrated with a recipe book.

‘Besides, what is that sight!’

The way she quickly finds tools and ingredients lying around the kitchen makes her look like someone who has worked here for decades.

“Excuse me…the leftovers here…….”

“Eat it if you want.”

“Yes ma’am!”

After carefully pointing at the remaining wine sorbet in the glass, Gelard hurriedly took the sorbet to his mouth with Camilla’s permission.

‘That’s it!’

After eating the wine sorbet, Gelard’s eyes were constantly shaking.

Why? What was it? Why doesn’t it taste this way even if I make it with the same recipe?

“Taste good?”

“N-, not bad.”

Even in his sorry state he still had some pride left, and would still twist his words.

Looking at this Gelard, Camilla tapped the back of her own neck with her hand.

Squeak.

Gelad’s gaze, which had risen for a moment, went down again.

“Miss.”

At that time, Butler Rube entered the kitchen entrance.

Seeing Gelard facing Camilla with his knees slightly bent as always, Rube swallowed his laughter as it tried to escape.

“Are you done, ma’am?”

“Uh-huh.”

Camilla pointed to the wine sorbet lying to her side. Tiny mint leaves were decorated in a dainty way on top of the round red sorbet in a small glass.

“Take them away.”

“Yes, my lady.”

The butler, Rube, lowered his head lightly, and took the glasses filled with sorbet.

‘I’m really surprised.’

Rube glanced at Camilla one last time.

‘Why did she suddenly change like this?’

Rube never hated her. He never liked her either. He was well aware of her situation, increasingly isolated within the ducal family, but felt no need to help.

It was the act he hated the most, to offer a helping hand to someone first. He just preferred to watch from afar.

‘But then…….’

Not too long ago, Camilla had changed. Was it really a coincidence that the kitchen ladies-in-waiting pranked the food into the Duke’s mouth?

For some unknown reason, Rube found her very fun these days.

‘It still is.’

To make such a dirty, self-centered Gelard look like that.

It was a curious sight to see, Gelard eating the sherbet while carefully watching Camilla’s eyes.

“You would still have meetings at this time?”

Camilla’s voice came back.

“Did something happen?”

The sherbet were not two as per usual.

There are several trays with glasses on top. It was because all the vassals of the family were gathered in the meeting room. It was an unexpected meeting being held today.

“Well.”

Butler Rube smiled again at Camilla’s question.

It was the Duke of Sorpel who had chosen to postpone the meeting, usually scheduled during the day, to this time, when Camilla brought her snacks.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Rube bowed her head and quietly went outside. A few maids followed him, holding trays with sorbet on top.

“How can such a color come out…….”

“You want to know?”

“Yes!”

“Then do something cute.”

“Li-, like this?”

“…Take your hands off your cheeks. Don’t even make a sound.”

Listening to the conversation between the two, Rube hurriedly suppressed his laughter.

* * *

“M-, meeting at this time, how very new.”

“Y-, Yes, to say the least. Haha.”

“I’ve been having a hard time sleeping lately, so it’s just as well.”

The people gathered in the conference room let out awkward smiles and let out their words. But deep inside, they were confused.

‘Why at this hour?’

‘Didn’t he say he’s busy during the day?’

‘I heard that he wasn’t actually busy today… … .’

No one could understand Duke Sorpel’s intention of holding a meeting, originally scheduled during the day, at this time nearing midnight – just because he was busy.

There was no particular urgent agenda, so it didn’t matter if he had set up another daytime meeting tomorrow. Of course, no one openly expressed their doubts and dissatisfaction with Duke Sorpel.

‘But why…….’

‘Why does he keep looking at his watch?’

During the meeting, everyone could see Duke Sorpel staring at the clock standing on one wall.

You don’t have any other appointments at this time, do you?

Knock-knock!

Then, with a knock, the conference room door opened and the butler Rube and several maids entered. Each of them held a tray in their hands.

“Duke, Lady Camilla has sent us some snacks today too.”

“Hmm. Bring them here.”

Duke Sorpel nodded lightly. Then, as if to make sure everyone was listening, he spoke again to the butler.

“Did Camilla make it herself again today?”

“Yes, Duke. This is a dessert made by the lady herself. She even prepared plenty for the guests.”

The eyes of the retainers widened at the conversation between the two. Who made what?

“No, are you saying that the lady made this?”

“Hoho. Goodness…….”

“The lady even knows how to make something like this?”

The initial suspicion of the vassal upon hearing that Camila had made the sherbets, soon turned into genuine amazement.