The Cooking Princess - Chapter 33

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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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The Princess Who Cooks

 

Episode 33

 

At Chloe’s summons, Shuell came that very evening.

 

“Your Highness! You came quickly.”

 

Having sent the invitation in the afternoon, Chloe was a bit flustered as she had expected him to come the next day at the earliest.

 

“I wanted to eat the Princess’s food as soon as possible.”

 

Shuell smiled sheepishly, saying that since eating Chloe’s food, other dishes didn’t satisfy him.

 

“I was also curious about what favor the Princess might ask of me.”

 

The food was an excuse (though he was sincere about it too), but since Chloe said she had a favor to ask, he seemed to have rushed over as quickly as possible.

 

‘That’s a bit touching.’

 

Chloe felt her heart, which had been worn down by false rumors, warming up as she guided Shuell to the banquet hall.

 

“Since you enjoyed the pizza last time, I prepared a noodle dish made with a similar sauce this time.”

 

She made sauce with tomatoes and olive oil obtained from the Eastern Continent, and created pasta noodles by mixing flour with lizard eggs.

 

Finally, Shuell gladly picked up his fork before the pasta sprinkled with a small amount of basil and cheese powder.

 

“To think it’s this blood-red color. If it weren’t for the pizza the Princess let me taste last time, even I would have hesitated a bit.”

 

Shuell lightly joked that the pizza sauce had been covered with cheese so he hadn’t known it was this red.

 

‘Red food is unfamiliar to people here.’

 

Chloe filed away this useful information in her mind.

 

‘If even tomato sauce looks like blood to them, everyone would faint if I made gochujang dishes later.’

 

Since she was determined to make spicy food someday, she would need to think about how to feed red food to the people here without resistance.

 

Of course, this was something to think about slowly, and there was something else to do first right now.

 

“I couldn’t guess what it would taste like because of the color, but this food was also really delicious.”

 

“I’m glad.”

 

“Now, since I’ve been treated to food, it’s time for me to hear your favor.”

 

At Shuell’s question about what she wanted, Chloe swallowed nervously and answered.

 

“You know that bad rumors about me have been spreading lately, right?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Shuell nodded with a troubled expression, trailing off his words.

 

He seemed to feel guilty thinking that the Imperial Court was causing harm to Chloe.

 

‘There’s no need for that.’

 

She was planning to solve the problem by making good use of Shuell’s help as a member of the royal family.

 

“I’m thinking of using a counter-fire strategy.”

 

“Counter-fire?”

 

“Yes. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, rumors for rumors.”

 

Interest sparked in Shuell’s eyes.

 

“What kind of rumor are you thinking of spreading?”

 

“Since rumors spread that I’m secluding myself because I look down on others, I’m going to prove instead that I’m absolutely not someone who looks down on others.”

 

Chloe explained her plan step by step.

 

“The temple periodically recruits volunteer service groups, but in reality, not many nobles participate.”

 

“That’s right. There’s a lot of hard work that’s difficult for nobles to do.”

 

“Most just donate money or goods.”

 

Then what kind of people would be the nobles who participate in such volunteer service?

 

At Chloe’s question, Shuell made a puzzled expression.

 

“People with deep faith and a lot of altruism?”

 

“At least they wouldn’t appear to be people who look down on or despise others.”

 

“Ah!”

 

Shuell’s eyes sparkled as he realized the answer.

 

“You’re thinking of going to the temple to do volunteer work?”

 

“That’s right. And not just pretending, but working so earnestly that no one who sees me could doubt my sincerity.”

 

At Chloe’s voice filled with determination, Shuell made a worried expression.

 

“Won’t it be too hard, Princess? Of course, if you gain recognition from the volunteer service, your reputation will improve, but there’s a reason why other nobles don’t do it much.”

 

At Shuell’s concern that there would be many physically and mentally demanding tasks, Chloe just shrugged her shoulders.

 

“It can’t be helped. And I can do work I’m confident in there too.”

 

“You’re going to cook?”

 

Shuell got the right answer immediately.

 

“That’s right. The temple’s volunteer service often runs free soup kitchens for orphans and people with disabilities.”

 

Even if the volunteer service wasn’t running a free soup kitchen but doing other volunteer work on the day Chloe visited, it didn’t matter.

 

“They’ll always need someone to prepare meals for the volunteers too.”

 

Chloe continued confidently.

 

“Of course, mass cooking will be much harder than preparing food for one or two people like I usually do, but I’m confident I can do better than others at least.”

 

“Yes. Even though I can’t say I’m not worried at all, I know the Princess will definitely do well.”

 

Shuell let out a small sigh.

 

“Then, what the Princess wants from me is to write a recommendation letter so you can join the volunteer service, right?”

 

Once again, Shuell got the right answer immediately. Chloe nodded vigorously.

 

“Yes. You need a recommendation from an existing volunteer service member or a patron who has donated a lot to the temple to join.”

 

The volunteer service was always short on members, yet they were selective about new members. This was due to a certain elitist consciousness and exclusive culture.

 

There were no volunteer service members around Chloe, and while the Garnet family regularly donated to the temple, it wasn’t enough to directly join the volunteer service.

 

However, the Imperial Court was one of the places that donated the most to maintain good relations with the temple. So a recommendation letter from Shuell, a member of the royal family, would also be valid.

 

“Alright, I can do that much easily.”

 

Shuell wrote a volunteer service recommendation letter for Chloe right there on the spot.

 

“Besides the recommendation letter, I’ll take you to the temple on your first day visiting the volunteer service.”

 

“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll make sure to solve this matter well so your help won’t be in vain.”

 

“Don’t worry about me, just do what the Princess wants to do.”

 

With Shuell’s warm encouragement, Chloe’s plan proceeded step by step.

 

***

 

The day of reckoning.

 

Chloe headed to the temple wearing the most modest clothes possible, escorted by Prince Shuell.

 

In front of the temple, he deliberately spoke to Chloe in a worried tone as if for others to hear.

 

“If anyone bothers you, make sure to tell me, Princess.”

 

Shuell’s attitude was very desirable. It allowed her to show off her friendship with the Prince in front of other nobles.

 

‘Unless they’re someone like Claude or the Empress, they probably won’t bother to antagonize me.’

 

Thinking this, Chloe made a slightly dejected expression and responded to Shuell’s consideration.

 

“Thank you so much, Your Highness. To think you’d bring me all the way here saying my health isn’t good.”

 

“Not at all. I’ll say it again, if there’s anyone bothering the Princess, make sure to tell me. I’ll be going back now.”

 

After that, Shuell repeatedly urged Chloe to take care of herself before getting into the Imperial carriage and disappearing.

 

Chloe waved her hand earnestly from behind the Imperial carriage until Shuell disappeared, then approached near the volunteer service.

 

Having safely entered the volunteer service thanks to the power of the recommendation letter Shuell wrote, Chloe managed her expression while checking her outfit.

 

The temple required wearing pure white clothes without any decorations to show modesty and integrity, and Chloe accordingly wore a plain white dress.

 

‘I can’t tell if this dress code is meant for working or not working.’

 

Chloe looked disapprovingly at the hem of her skirt swaying around her shins.

 

At least Chloe’s skirt was a bit shorter because she was young, but the dresses of other ladies participating in the volunteer service had lengths that covered from neck to toe, looking uncomfortable.

 

After putting on a headscarf and gloves to cover her hair and hands.

 

“Today, under the blessing of God Enril, a new sister has come to join our volunteer service.”

 

“Hello. I’m Chloe Garnet.”

 

“How did you come to join this volunteer service?”

 

“I seem to be misunderstood by people who don’t know me well, so I came before God with a sad heart. I feel like God will see me completely, and I thought that by serving neighbors in need, my pain would also become smaller.”

 

At the priest’s introduction, Chloe came forward and bowed politely to the volunteer service people.

 

Most were elderly aristocratic ladies, with occasional men and children.

 

The noble ladies seemed to have heard all the rumors about Chloe, murmuring in confusion but still accepting her greeting.

 

‘As expected, I knew these people wouldn’t ignore me from the start.’

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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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