Newlywed Life Begins with a Mistake - Chapter 34

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 34

 

“What’s the matter? I know that meetings between contestants and the Head Chef should be avoided before the competition.”

 

I frowned at the Head Chef who had barged in without warning.

 

She also had a very cautious expression on her face.

 

“I’m aware. I came because there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

 

“What do you want to ask?”

 

“…Who knows about the recipe you sent?”

 

After hesitating slightly, she suddenly hardened her expression and asked.

 

“Myself and the Head Maid. And my close maids know about it.”

 

“I see…”

 

The Head Chef’s face turned serious at my answer.

 

“…Baroness Muet and Madam have the exact same menu.”

 

After moving her lips hesitantly, she finally made a shocking statement.

 

I also stiffened at her words.

 

“The same menu means…”

 

“Both of you chose bruschetta.”

 

“Are you certain? The menu might be the same, but couldn’t the recipes be different?”

 

“The cooking method that Daisy delivered matched the recipe my mother created.”

 

I questioned her, thinking she might be accusing an innocent person, but there was strong conviction in the Head Chef’s tone.

 

Which meant.

 

“It was leaked?”

 

“Yes, Madam.”

 

It meant the recipe had been stolen.

 

As both of us fell silent, heavy silence descended upon the room.

 

No wonder when I returned to my room after going out, the interior was messy and there was a small pearl on the floor, which seemed strange.

 

‘They stole the recipe while I was in Pican.’

 

I was so dumbfounded that a hollow laugh almost escaped.

 

“I understand. You may leave now.”

 

“Will you be alright? There isn’t much time left.”

 

Uncharacteristically, urgency crept into her voice.

 

Having gotten an indirect hint, I asked a question to confirm the facts.

 

“If the same menu is presented, who do you think would have the advantage?”

 

“…Though it’s presumptuous to say, it would be Baroness Muet. The version Madam prepared is also varied and delicious, but the retainers are likely to choose the more traditional one.”

 

This banquet competition was scheduled to have various people participate as judges, in addition to Casian and the retainers of House of Count Heteus.

 

Since the key was to satisfy not only the Count but various people’s tastes, the winner would be decided by majority vote.

 

If they presented the same menu and competed, it was obvious who would have the advantage.

 

If an outsider and a local competed with the same menu, anyone would side with the local.

 

“Thank you for the honest answer. I’ll send Mary later.”

 

“Please note that menu changes are possible until the day before.”

 

With those words, the Head Chef withdrew from her position.

 

“…This is insane.”

 

I, who had been maintaining composure until then, suddenly stood up from my seat as heat surged through me.

 

No matter how I thought about it, this couldn’t be left alone.

 

Unable to contain my anger, I immediately left the room.

 

As if she was just coming here, Mary looked at me with wide eyes.

 

“Huh? Madam, where are you going? Madam!”

 

Mary called out to me urgently, but I headed toward the end of the annex with a hardened expression.

 

* * *

 

I arrived directly in front of Daisy’s room.

 

When I stood at the door and knocked, Daisy opened the door and came out.

 

“Baroness Muet, do you have a moment?”

 

“I need to go out right now. Do you have business with me?”

 

Daisy glanced at her watch and gestured for me to speak quickly.

 

Ha, so that’s how she’s going to play it?

 

“Have you ever been to my room?”

 

“Of course not. Why would I go to someone else’s room?”

 

I spoke directly without beating around the bush and observed her.

 

She was smiling, but her lips were trembling slightly.

 

“Right? But I heard a strange rumor.”

 

“What kind of nonsense did you hear?”

 

Having caught her agitation, I continued speaking without hesitation.

 

“I heard that my menu and Baroness Muet’s menu overlap. I thought Daisy was preparing a different menu, not bruschetta. Isn’t that right?”

 

When I finished speaking, Daisy widened her eyes and blinked her eyelashes.

 

“Oh my, is that so? What a coincidence! Bruschetta is a common menu at banquets, so that could happen.”

 

“That’s right. But depending on the person, the cooking methods usually differ in specific parts like bread or toppings, so it doesn’t make sense for the recipes to be almost identical.”

 

Don’t you think it’s strange too?

 

Do you think that’s possible unless it was deliberately copied?

 

It was an attack with that meaning.

 

“Are you making an issue out of a few overlapping toppings? Surely you don’t think Lady Bell has exclusive rights to such common cooking methods?”

 

But Daisy calmly questioned back.

 

“That’s not it.”

 

“Menu changes during preparation are commonplace. And bruschetta isn’t something Lady Bell created.”

 

Where’s the copyright on food?

 

That’s what she was saying.

 

“You must not have much banquet experience for your age? Coming at me over something like this.”

 

She deliberately called me by my nickname to irritate me, then pressed down on my shoulder firmly with her hand.

 

“This would be a good opportunity to watch how the other ladies and I do things. It’ll be a good lesson. Well then, I’ll be going.”

 

She looked down at me condescendingly, sneered, then left.

 

I stared blankly at Daisy’s retreating figure and bit my lips hard.

 

“Ha.”

 

A sneer escaped me.

 

How dare a mere count’s daughter openly mock a duke’s wife.

 

‘How can she be so shameless.’

 

I had expected it, but she moved exactly as predicted.

 

Unable to control my trembling lips, I hung my head.

 

Mary, who had followed behind and seemed to pity me, opened her mouth hesitantly.

 

“My lady…”

 

I should have said not to worry about it, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

 

Unable to control my trembling, I suppressed my true feelings and put my mind to work.

 

‘What should I do? I spent almost all the money on bruschetta, so there’s not much left.’

 

But I had to change the menu.

 

After a brief internal conflict, I made my decision and turned to devise a new menu.

 

“Bring me a list of ingredients currently available for procurement.”

 

* * *

 

The day of the banquet competition.

 

“…Are you really sure it’s alright to present it like this.”

 

Sizzle, a gloomy voice echoed through the heated butter in the frying pan.

 

The Head Chef had faced countless crises in the kitchen that resembled a battlefield every morning, but this was the first time she encountered such a perplexing crisis.

 

“Though time is short, if you’re willing to reconsider, I’ll provide you with a recipe I have.”

 

It was a workaround, but the current situation was too urgent.

 

Her original menu was excellent, but the newly changed menu was disastrous.

 

This wasn’t some dish for a regular household, but an appetizer to be presented at the Heteus Banquet.

 

When even putting in more effort than anyone else wouldn’t be enough, the appetizer Evelyn presented was far too simple compared to other participants.

 

Worried that a major incident might occur, the Head Chef repeatedly suggested other menus to dissuade her, but Evelyn wouldn’t budge an inch.

 

“It’s fine. Let’s go with this.”

 

Faced with Evelyn’s firm attitude, the Head Chef sent the Senior Chef to Casian to secretly ask for help.

 

However, the answer that came back was to leave the Princess alone.

 

‘In the end, perhaps the Princess doesn’t measure up to bait for His Excellency…’

 

The Head Chef, who had hoped that perhaps the two had developed into a sincere relationship, put aside her disappointment and shared the recipe Evelyn had given to the other chefs.

 

Watching this scene, Evelyn smiled meaningfully and made a significant remark to the Head Chef.

 

“Don’t worry too much. Even if Baroness Muet wins, the situation is bound to be overturned.”

 

Leaving behind her encouragement, she eventually returned to her room and put on a veil.

 

Normally she would have complained about why she had to cover her face, but today she had to match the concept.

 

Evelyn, dressed modestly but formally, slowly headed to the courtyard.

 

“Welcome to the Hetis Duchy.”

 

Upon reaching the courtyard entrance, Sebastian and Sophia were greeting guests with polite voices.

 

The nobles who came with invitations entered the courtyard with aloof expressions.

 

Evelyn nodded slightly to the two and naturally joined their procession, matching their pace.

 

“Heteus summers are always beautiful.”

 

Exclamations burst out from all directions.

 

Upon entering inside, a garden bathed in bright sunlight came into view.

 

Despite the peak of summer having passed, the garden shrouded in green foliage was fresh.

 

“Welcome, Lady Bell.”

 

“You were here first.”

 

Finding her designated seat among the colorful flowers, Evelyn slightly lifted her veil and greeted Natalie and Reina.

 

The moment Evelyn naturally took her seat and turned her head.

 

“Huh?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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