~Chapter 15~
“……”
The person responsible for the party was Lady Solia, the baron’s daughter. The new maid knew this but could not open her mouth.
She was new and unfamiliar with the mansion’s inner workings, but she also knew: the young lady rarely took initiative or stepped forward.
‘If I say something wrong, the young lady will be blamed…’
But there was no good solution, so the maid trembled in fear. Cheryl’s eyebrows arched.
“I asked who prepared this kind of garbage and tried to pass it off as tea.”
“Those precious Danga flower tea leaves… How do you manage things around here?”
Countess Philon, glancing at Cheryl, quickly joined in.
The senior maid who had burned all the tea leaves for the banquet had pinned the blame on the new maid and left the room.
The Danga flower tea leaves, only imported from the Duchy of Doshiz in the western continent, were gone. Even if some burned leaves remained, they were useless for making tea.
In their place, a different tea was served—cheap leaves hurriedly steeped, the kind you’d only find in the market.
No one helped her, so the new maid had to handle everything alone. The head chef looked too busy, and the new maid, suddenly in charge of tea, trembled and nearly cried.
Just then, Edel, Solia’s maid, approached the ladies with a trolley.
“This is a new drink prepared in place of tea,” Edel said politely, setting out the refreshments before the guests.
Instead of antique teacups, tall glass tumblers were placed on the table. The drink’s light coffee color made Cheryl’s expression freeze.
‘I’ve suffered insomnia for ages, thanks to all the business I have to think about.’
But now, coffee?
“Are you kidding me? Didn’t I say I can’t drink coffee?”
Edel quickly added,
“The young lady specially prepared this drink for Countess Malone. It’s not coffee.”
“I’ll remember today. I’ll also remember who’s responsible for ruining my party.”
Annoyed but thirsty, Cheryl grabbed the glass.
The dinner on this hot summer day was tasty, but all the dishes were hot, spicy, and heavy. Even the water served was lukewarm, and Cheryl was displeased.
She had paid a fortune to rent the Baron Rotten’s freesia garden, said to be beautiful, but the party preparations were a disappointment.
‘If only my villa in the capital hadn’t caught fire…!’
She had paid for the venue, but it wasn’t worth the price. The failure of the party was a blow to Cheryl Malone’s reputation as a hostess.
Countess Philon, who recommended the garden as a venue, also felt miserable and embarrassed.
Baron Rotten’s backing was Duke Benzo. In exchange for introducing Baron Rotten to Cheryl, Countess Philon hoped to be introduced to the duke.
‘That fool of a baron ruined everything!’
Because of the poor party preparations, she missed her chance to meet Duke Benzo. She was now afraid she’d be ousted from Cheryl’s Five Star Ladies’ Club.
“The tea is a bit lacking. The dessert tasted good but was oily.”
“Right, that’s too bad. The food was heavy, so I wanted something clean to drink.”
The other two ladies smiled elegantly at Cheryl. Though they didn’t say it outright, Cheryl could hear the criticism in their voices.
“I’ll host another party once my villa is restored.”
Cheryl ground her teeth, but forced a smile.
She’d started her clothing business to support herself because her incompetent husband couldn’t make a living. She was as angry as when her husband ran off with the business funds, but she had to control herself here.
‘It was stupid to try to get in with the duke. My connection with Baron Rotten… I’ll consider the venue fee as a loss and move on.’
Normally, she’d never drink an unexplained beverage. But today, Cheryl was parched.
‘And lately, my café and tea shop in Gallery Sforza have gotten bad reviews—sales are down, too.’
She had taken time off for this garden party, and now it was turning into a disaster.
She couldn’t show anger with two acquaintances present—people who always waited for the “perfect Cheryl Malone” to make a mistake.
At the left corner, Baroness Tamel ate in silence, and Audrey, who ran a tea house, hid a subtle smirk.
“What a nice drink. I suppose it’s exactly your level, Countess Malone.”
“Ha… And I suppose you, who got divorced, think you’re above us because you still show your face in society?”
“Oh my! Is it my fault I’m popular with the ladies? Isn’t your husband acting like a king at the Leona port these days?”
“Audrey!”
“Maybe soon the count will bring a woman from Leona port as his mistress… You should be prepared.”
“I won’t divorce, not like you! Don’t you know how shabby you look, sneaking into high society with no title….”
“Well, I can’t help looking shabby without a title. People might mock me openly, but Cheryl, you don’t even know you’re mocked behind your back. Are you going to keep rationalizing just because you have a noble title?”
Audrey refused to back down. In her mind, it was foolish for Cheryl to hold onto her “Countess” title, and even more foolish to stay married to a cheating husband.
“Will you be responsible for the count’s child, if his mistress has one? You should have cut ties, like I did.”
“You’re a commoner now, Audrey! Do you know that? Stop pretending to be a lady—”
“Should I wear a sign that says ‘I’m a commoner’ on my forehead?”
Audrey snorted. Cheryl clenched her teeth.
Today was Cheryl’s loss. But she thought, in the end, it would be Audrey who would kneel.
Audrey, who ran a tea house, was just waiting to pounce. The drink Cheryl served today was terrible, and Audrey was eager to mock her.
“That’s why I told you not to bother with tea, Countess. If I’d prepared the tea for the club like last year, this never would have happened. Isn’t that right, Baroness Tamel?”
Baroness Tamel only nodded slightly, as if to say that today’s tea was indeed the worst.
Cheryl trembled with rage.
‘That woman…! Go ahead and laugh all you want. But in the end, Audrey, you’ll be the one buried in a coffin.’
Still, Cheryl was burning with frustration. Her past rivalry with Audrey over an opera singer made things worse.
‘How could this party be such a mess? I’m furious!’
She lifted the glass and drank deeply, forgetting her noble dignity.
“……!”
At that moment, Cheryl’s eyes widened.
She stared at the glass in a daze for three seconds.
‘What is this? The base is familiar, but the taste is new.’
The rich, savory grains, natural honey, and cold ice blended in perfect harmony.
Her tongue, tormented by all the hot and spicy food, found peace.
‘This is crazy! How could it taste like this…!’
The flavors—nutty, sweet, cool—danced together like a string trio in her mouth.
“…What is this drink?”
“I’m not sure. The young lady just said it was a ‘grain-based drink’….”
Edel replied. After a while, Cheryl set down the glass, dabbed her lips with a handkerchief, and asked,
“By ‘young lady’, do you mean the baron’s daughter?”
“Yes. Lady Solia, Baron Rotten’s only child.”
Edel didn’t elaborate further. Since Solia, the mastermind, wasn’t present, there was no need.
‘Just as the young lady expected. Cheryl took an interest.’
To be honest, Edel was surprised. She tried to keep her expression neutral, worried she might ruin things.
Cheryl tapped the table thoughtfully.
“It’s a shame about the wasted tea leaves I brought, but… the new drink isn’t bad.”
‘She’s got some skill. Maybe she could solve my problems at Gallery Sforza.’
She’d never bothered to remember the baron’s daughter before, since she wasn’t from a powerful family.
“I’d like to meet Lady Solia. Could you pass on a message for me?”
Cheryl hid her true intentions behind a gentle smile.
“…Actually, about that…”
Edel trailed off, secretly impressed by Solia’s strategy.
Four days earlier, before dawn, Solia sought out the head chef, Jeffrey.
Since there were always too many eyes in the kitchen, they agreed to meet in the freesia garden.
After lunch, the staff would be busy preparing for the party, but at dawn, the garden was quiet. That meant Solia could speak with Jeffrey alone, without interruption.
Edel, her maid, waited nearby as Solia began persuading Jeffrey.
She wanted to change the party menu—from the usual bland dishes to spicy seafood stew and hot crayfish.
Jeffrey hesitated, fiddling with his hands.
“…Are you sure? Baron Rotten will be angry.”
“You’re the one who said boring, safe menus are no fun. Let’s try something new this time.”
Jeffrey’s eyes sparkled.
Baron Rotten always ordered the same menu for parties. For five years, Jeffrey had cooked the same dishes with the same ingredients. It made him feel like nothing more than a machine part.
Solia’s request made him happy, but excitement quickly turned to worry. Baron Rotten still held real power in the mansion. If Jeffrey listened to the young lady instead…
