Chapter 66
Is etiquette just another word for a poker face?
Marguerite kept a neutral expression in the face of the tempting sweets, but her eyes flickered slightly, and her neck trembled ever so slightly.
Her saliva was moving—though silently.
Once. Then twice.
“Good.”
“Would you like to try? I made these myself for you, madam.”
I slid the three-tier tray toward Marguerite, introducing the desserts, aiming to enchant her eyes, tongue, and heart.
“This is meringue.”
“Meringue,” she repeated.
Oh, a promising sign. She likes it, doesn’t she?
Lucio’s expression when he took a bite and was ecstatic was vivid in my mind. Of course, I was currently preparing everything for the Demon Realm Commemoration Subjugation Battle, but…
“Please, try some.”
“This is my first time having a dessert like this. It looks like buttons, or maybe little skeins. But the colors are so beautiful.”
“That’s a macaron. I made various kinds to entice Theo’s taste buds a bit.”
My mischievous heart smiled, urging her to eat and spread the word—but she didn’t.
Why? Why not?
Should I offer one more time?
“This purple meringue is made with blended blueberries, the pink one with strawberries, and the white is made solely from pure egg whites. Sweetness helps when you’re tired, need psychological comfort, or are thinking hard.”
I handed her long confectionery tweezers, suggesting she take some onto her plate.
“Madam Duchess, in such cases, the host must eat first for the guests to feel comfortable eating.”
“Oh, really?”
So in these settings, the host eats first. A small etiquette lesson learned. Books and Gerald had their limits in teaching etiquette.
I quickly used the tweezers to put a light purple meringue onto my plate and popped it into my mouth. The blueberry sweetness melted and spread throughout my mouth.
Marguerite, after some hesitation, picked up a pale pink strawberry meringue.
Her eyes curved in delight—it seemed she liked it.
“This is cream caramel pudding.”
The maid served the pudding in a triangular, flat-shaped dish, giving me one and placing one on her plate as well.
When sugar is heated to about 340–380 degrees, all moisture evaporates, and caramelization progresses. The sugar breaks down into various particles, deepening its flavor and doubling the sweetness.
I took a bite, and Marguerite Countess also took a small spoonful.
She tilted her head back slightly, looking delighted.
“Oh my, how did you make this?”
Marguerite’s voice rose an octave.
Hehe, etiquette is powerless in the face of sweets.
“With care and attention.”
“You can’t do it with care alone. Please tell me your secret later.”
“Of course.”
Yes, yes. I must tell her. I smiled triumphantly.
But it won’t be easy. Baking at the right temperature for the right time is no small feat. Thankfully, Gerald had created a magical oven, making it possible here.
“What is this?”
Marguerite asked first.
“Star candy cookies.”
Recalling the childhood memory of picking sugar pieces off ramen crackers, I embedded star candies into the cookies.
She patiently waited for me to try one, then elegantly transferred some to her plate and enjoyed the taste.
Her happy expression seemed to fill the air around her with fragrance.
Humans are obsessed with sweetness. About two million years ago, when humans started eating meat, their intestines became smaller. The extra calories and reduced digestive effort made the brain larger, but energy expenditure increased.
Thus, humans evolved to seek energy-dense foods, and sugar was the perfect ingredient—addictive, too.
Soon, Marguerite would be addicted to Schlesien Castle.
She’d hang herself on these sweets if she kept eating like this.
I sipped a lemon-flavored soda, waiting for her to enjoy this brilliant drink.
Marguerite, who kept bringing star candy cookies to her mouth, finally took a sip of the soda when I drank it.
Then she puckered her lips, narrowed her eyes, and her shoulders shivered.
The fizzy taste must feel like a new world, madam.
“My goodness, what is this drink called?”
“Lemon Tokssa.”
“Lemon Tokssa?”
“Wow… how can such flavors exist?”
“It’s a humble hobby. I love delicious things.”
“This isn’t just a hobby! You could start a business with this.”
“Indeed. The Duke keeps suggesting it, so I wonder what to do.”
I shyly waved my hands, but Marguerite focused her eyes and clenched her fists.
“Do it. Such talent must serve the Empire.”
“Is that alright?”
“Of course. I’ll be a regular customer.”
“It’s an honor to be praised by the Empire’s greatest intellect.”
Making friends with her would be like walking the red carpet into high society—even if my sister and Empress, Kenes, tried to interfere.
I discreetly offered a glass of purified water.
“If the sweets are too sweet, cleanse your palate with this.”
“…?”
“It’s water.”
I drank it nonchalantly. Marguerite was surprised.
No wonder—water in this region contains lime, which makes it taste chalky and can cause stomachaches. Nobles of all ages drank wine instead.
But now, at Schlesien Castle, purified water was used in cooking. Marguerite must have decided to try it despite suspicion.
After a sip, her eyes widened.
“Oh my, it’s so refreshing. How can it be this fresh?”
“I filtered out the lime.”
“The Empress Bodrina and Your Grace said the Duchess is clever—it wasn’t an exaggeration.”
Marguerite drank her fill and placed the empty glass on the table.
“May I have another glass?”
“Of course.”
The maid promptly refilled her glass. Marguerite smiled and tilted her head in disbelief, watching the clear water in the crystal glass.
“You’re usually so reserved, but when the Duke talks about the Duchess, you come alive.”
I tilted my head. She had been with me trying to lift a curse and skipping Academy work, yet she went around talking about me during a brief outing?
Hehe, she’s far too captivated by me.
“With talent like yours, you should use it for the Empire. Empress Stephanie, the Dowager, managed female personnel systematically.”
“I see.”
Does that mean the Dowager Bodrina and my sister, Empress Kenes, didn’t? Politically loaded words—or just objective analysis?
A bit puzzling. But in the book, she was disciplined, selfless, and wise when fighting demons—advising the heroine Cordelia.
So it likely wasn’t a politically motivated remark. Gerald agreed without hesitation when I nominated her as my etiquette teacher, so probably unbiased.
“This will also boost the knights’ morale for the Demon Realm Commemoration Subjugation Battle.”
Oh my, such drive. Very good.
I was ready to work with the Emperor.
Her sudden proposal pleased me—it felt like I’d gained a small stake in Empire affairs.
“By the way, this is your first time joining the Demon Realm Commemoration Subjugation Battle, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“It seems the Marquis didn’t want to show off such talent to others. Actually, we only found out about Owen’s second daughter at Your Grace’s wedding.”
“Yes.”
“Since you focused on academics more than etiquette, the Marquis must have worried a lot.”
“Pardon?”
“I heard the same at home—I’d study rather than marry.”
“Thanks to that, you even earned a countess title despite being a woman.”
“Well, I attended the Academy. It’s a shame we didn’t attend together—we’d have been good friends.”
Wow, that’s high praise.
“I’ll pack some snacks for you to take.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Marguerite, the elegant goddess, clapped like a seal. Sweetness is the ultimate truth.
Clang!
Clang!
Crash!
The sounds came from plates I dropped while walking upright, folding my shoulder blades.
Also, the irritation in my heart resented Michael.
Damn it. Isn’t walking a basic skill? Why wasn’t this taught?
Why didn’t Sinclair think to learn it? Well, sporadic memories were filled with abuse and dreams of death—no wonder there was lethargy.
Sigh.
I’d have to practice separately.
“Countess Marguerite.”
“Yes?”
“I think I should learn this physically now. It’s tiring, isn’t it?”
“Not at all.”
Not at all? Sweat beaded on her forehead.
“Would you like some Lemon Tokssa?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Sso-nya, tell Sophia to bring what she prepared along with Lemon Tokssa to the rose garden, please.”
“Yes.”
Sophia nodded silently and left.
“It’s an honor. I’ve heard Schlesien Castle’s rose garden is magnificent—I finally get to see it.”
Marguerite wiped her forehead with a handkerchief.
“The Demon Realm Commemoration Subjugation Battle is soon. Let’s quickly learn three things intensively.”
“Yes, please instruct me.”
“First, I’d like to learn embroidery on scarves.”
In the Beatrice Empire, nobles or commoners would embroider long scarves for men heading to battle—wives, daughters, or lovers wishing them safe return. Scarves were also used as bandages if injured.
Some cast healing magic on them to ease injuries. Though such magic was no longer permitted in the Empire, I had to use it.
If the Emperor targeted Theodore, Gerald would surely be targeted as well. Especially thinking of Gerald heading to the Demon Realm, I had to enchant the scarves for healing.
Since this event didn’t exist in the original story, caution was warranted.
“Can this be done in two weeks?”
“What pattern will you embroider?”
“On each end, the Schlesien Castle golden eagle emblem. Theo’s scarf will have ruby-red eyes, and the Duke’s will have emerald-green eyes.”
“Two hours should be enough.”
“Two hours? But… I… have no talent for sewing…”
I dragged my words, lacking confidence.
“Skill isn’t as important as heart.”
Heh.
Even if my cursed hands made holes as I stitched and unstitched, the two men might value these scarves above their own lives.
