Berlin: The Writer Lives the Life of a Time Limited Villain - Chapter 4

“What orders do you have for her? If you tell me, I will deliver it for you.”

‘Have you even been looked down on by maids like this?’

It is understandable that Brelin’s short life was miserable, and that’s why she became increasingly vicious.

I sighed a little, but smiled again and looked at the maid.

“I’ll give you money, so go and ask for a decent meal.It doesn’t matter how much it costs. If that’s difficult, have my own servant prepare the meal from outside. I can eat anything, but I can’t eat garbage like this that even servants won’t touch.”

Perhaps if I had said it nervously, the maid would have thought I was just bluffing .

However, she could feel the sincerity in my calm tone of speaking with a firm determination.

It doesn’t matter if you’re going out to eat, but it might be difficult to have the meal prepared from outside. How bad the duke’s food situation must have been to ask him to bring in food from outside in that way

Then it was clear that Mrs Ballon would also be in trouble.

The maid hesitated for a moment, then bowed her head and ran to Madame Ballon.

While Brelin was rummaging through the soup and playing with food, Mrs Ballon came running. She looked at her sharply, stubbornly raising her chin, with thick eyebrows and pale face.

“Even if you were so intimidating to get all what you wanted , that would be all you get for now.”

I smiled softly.

“I am not sure what you are talking about, Mrs. Ballon. I’m just hungry. I am really willing to pay for it.”

“It’s like the young lady who came all the way here with a position she bought with money.”

There’s nothing wrong with being sarcastic like this. It is true that Brelin came from a family whose status was bought with money, so it is considered vulgar, but this was a setting I wrote for fun. Would it make me angry whether I was criticized or praised?

“Haha, isn’t a  relief that I have a lot of money though?”

It suddenly seemed naive and childish for Madame Ballon to make such a fuss about that kind face, that suddenly seemed incapable of anger.

She glanced at the gold coins that I had placed on the table. The moment she saw my smiling face, looking at her as if I was going to see how it would turn out, she  was speechless.

No matter how much it was, she couldn’t take the money. It was a place where Brelin was despised because of the status she bought with money.

Mrs. Ballon, feeling somewhat trapped, withdrew with a bowl of soup that had cooled down.

***

‘Damit! Okay I’ll prepare a proper meal for you.’

The kitchen servants flinched when they saw Mrs. Ballon set down the cold soup bowl in the kitchen like throwing it away.

“Prepare a proper meal.”

The servants looked at each other. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Mrs Ballon so upset. Among them, the servant with the longest experience opened his mouth as if it was strange.

“But you said you’d show her place, right?”

“What are you going to do if she can pay so much money but  can’t eat a decent meal? That vulgar woman doesn’t seem to be able to solve anything other than with money.”

“… money?”

The servants exchanged glances with each other.

Of course, it is said that she was born and raised in a  family of merchants who are well-known for collecting money, but in common sense, does the hostess give money to subordinates to cook for her?

she thought that brelin might grab her hair and slap her, but I never thought it would come out that way. Maybe it was a clever tactic.

“What kind of food would you like me to cook? There’s not much I can prepare suddenly… .”

At the thought Madame Ballon’s lips curled up.

she decided to yield once, but she has no intention of giving up anything for the taste of the hostess. from a noble family who couldn’t have mastered manners.

There were several ways to mess up with brelin.

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes. She asked for it herself, so I guess she’ll have to wait. Prepare as many courses as possible. Even appetizers and dessert.”

The kitchen servants quickly ran to their positions.

Because Redross likes it, the onion soup, which was always left in stock, was prepared first. Fry onions until sweet, topped with croutons and cheese, then put them in a thick container.

***

I sat down at the table and waited patiently for them without much pressure.

There wasn’t much to be bored of.

It was a surprising and interesting experience to see how the spaces between the lines that I did not describe in the novel were filled. The appearance of the table, the appearance of the kitchen, the appearance of the servants coming and going, all of them were interesting.

Besides, I laughed when I saw the tableware, knives, and forks lined up in front of me, wondering what kind of food they were going to serve.

It looks like it’s meant to pressure me.

I tied my pink hair neatly together and placed a napkin on my lap.

Unexpectedly, it wasn’t long before Madame Ballon returned. She set down the soup bowl she had brought me to eat.

My appetite was aroused by the pleasant sweetness just by smelling the  heated up soup. In a bowl the size of a palm, there was white cheese and brown soup in a lumpy shape.

I scooped it up with the right spoon on the table and put it in my mouth.

It was so delicious that my eyes grew round. It was really delicious. It was a difference compared to the mushroom soaked soup.

“You can get something like this right away, but you gave me the food from before, so I guess the Duchy must be in a very bad financial situation.”

Mrs Ballon didn’t know what to say when I said those thorny words with a smile on my face. She smiled politely.

“I am glad that it seems to suit your taste.”

“What is the next menu? I think it would be good to accompany alcohol with the meal.”

“How about a beer?”

Beer isn’t a bad drink. However, it was easy to see that Mrs. Ballon’s recommendation for a beer now was just a slap on the face.

“No, I like wine.”

“Alright.”

I knew that I would be evaluated by the attendants and maids that were passing through, but I didn’t have much time for it.

Without hesitation, I smiled and emptied the soup neatly.

There was nothing difficult about meal etiquette. The dining etiquette in this novel was originally derived from French dining etiquette, and I knew it better than anyone else because I had researched and changed  it to fit my needs.

In turn, Mrs. Ballon served the appetizer bread and the main dish, a steak sprinkled with black pepper.

The mischievous hostess, who suddenly appeared in the house, unexpectedly, seemed accustomed to distinguishing between a glass of water and a glass of wine.

The hands holding the knife or fork can’t be uneducated, and I showed the most neat and beautiful table manners they’d ever seen without crossing my legs or touching my head.

Mrs Ballon was so incredible that she deliberately served the food and pretended to have made a mistake by dropping the knife.

However, I just looked down at it with a gentle smile on the face of a cultured hostess.

“Mrs Ballon’s carelessness requires a new knife. In the future, you may need to hire someone else who knows better table-serving manners. But I’m generous, so I don’t reprimand for one or two mistakes.”

‘reprimand? Did she say reprimand, now?’

If I had bowed down and picked up the knife, it would have been a foolish act like someone who doesn’t  know table manners and be made fun of for a year. But now it was Madame Ballon herself who became funny.

While her face was blushing, the attendant standing next to her quickly picked up the knife and brought me a new knife.

After finishing the dessert in perfect manners, I put the knife out on the right side of the plate.

“It doesn’t really matter if you take care of  each meal like this, but I hope that the number of courses will be reduced from next time.It’s good to eat before it cools down, but I think it takes too much effort.”

Mrs. Ballon had to nod her head, unable to find a single blemish.

“Ah! And today, I don’t need  tea after the meal. I spent too much time eating, and the day is short.”

“… Is something wrong?”

“Oh my, life is short, so I have to be busy.””

I smiled ,pushed the chair and stood up.