I quickly approached the two of them.
Eugene, upon spotting me, panicked and tried to escape, but I swiftly grabbed his hand.
Then, I approached the officer with silver-white hair.
He was a handsome man with striking features, and judging by his hair color, he was definitely an Esatain.
'The Esatain were a people who lost their country and were massacred.'
Those who barely survived had all fled elsewhere.
I solemnly bowed to the Major.
"Major, I apologize for his rudeness on his behalf. I'm sorry."
I knew he was a Major from his rank insignia.
It must have been the result of risking his life to reclaim the rights of his lost homeland and people.
Even as a member of another country.
At my apology, the young Major smiled pleasantly.
"It's alright. He's just a child who doesn't know any better."
"I appreciate your consideration. However, I don't think we should just let it go because he's a child."
The Major's blue eyes widened slightly, then softened again with a generous curve.
"I don't want to hit him or scold him. I really don't mind."
"No. If we do that, nothing will change. Eugene will remember someone with white hair as a monster, and you, Major, will remember Eugene as a spoiled child. I'll talk to Eugene about why he thinks that way, so could you wait a moment?"
He stared at me for a moment, then nodded with a smile on his lips.
"Alright. I don't have any other plans, so I'll wait patiently."
I took Eugene to a slightly more secluded spot. Then, I held the child's hands and met his eyes.
Eugene avoided my gaze and struggled, trying to escape.
"Let go! It hurts!"
I tried to meet Eugene's eyes and said in a firm tone.
"You're the one hurting yourself. I'll let go when you're ready to talk to me without running away."
Seeing people's attention gathering, Eugene's face turned bright red, and then he teared up and lost his strength.
I released his hands and asked in a gentle voice.
"What's this about a white-haired monster? Can you tell me where you heard it?"
Eugene was also a victim of the war, and he must have had trauma from it.
Perhaps he had a bad memory with someone who looked similar.
Eugene, trying to hold back his tears, sniffled and lowered his head.
"There's a white monster in a book that eats children. The bad monster ate the main character's friends."
"Can you tell me the title, perhaps?"
Eugene, finally shedding tears, rubbed his wet eyes with his sleeve.
"Snow Queen."
"It was that cruel…"
I made a puzzled expression and wiped away Eugene's tears.
"So that's why you were scared. But that's just a story in a fairy tale, and neither I nor the Major eat children. White hair is just a natural trait, just like you. But wouldn't it hurt to be called a monster?"
I explained in a calm voice.
Eugene didn't answer, looking sullen.
"Adults also feel pain and sadness when they're hurt."
At my addition, Eugene's lips twitched as if he had something to say.
He seemed hesitant, so I waited patiently, but the child ultimately said nothing.
"The Major saved many children in the war. Isn't that cool? Shall we go listen to the story of how he bravely saved children together?"
"…"
This time, he followed me willingly.
I approached the Major and explained why Eugene had said those things.
The Major, who had been listening attentively, put on the officer's cap he had taken off and said.
"I understand. It's an unusual hair color, so it must be unfamiliar to him. I suppose I approached him too hastily. Eugene, I'm sorry."
The Major turned his head and smiled at Eugene.
Eugene was looking down at his toes with a complicated expression. But he didn't apologize.
"I, wanna go. I need to go to the bathroom."
This situation seemed very difficult for him, so I let Eugene go.
Watching Eugene's retreating figure, I smiled awkwardly at the Major.
"It's difficult to make a child understand an adult's thoughts. Forcing him to apologize won't change anything, so please wait a little longer. He's a good kid, so he'll soon realize his mistake and come to apologize."
What needed to change wasn't the language or actions that were visible on the outside, but the thoughts inside.
If prejudice is left unchecked, it will solidify and become a lifelong value. Then it will be really hard to change.
So, I decided to try even if it took time for him to realize it on his own.
"It always takes time to understand each other."
He shook my hand, offering it to me.
"I'm Major Isaac Rodriguez, affiliated with the Federal Army Headquarters. Are you perhaps an Esatain? I don't know the people in the residence very well."
I took his outstretched hand and shook it vigorously.
"I'm Cynthia Queensguard. I'm not an Esatain, I was just born with a lack of color."
I didn't bother talking about my genetic disease.
Instead, I handed him the macarons I had bought earlier and added.
"It's a small gift. There's a dinner banquet tonight, so please be sure to eat them and go."
He stared silently at the macaron box, then gave his unique, kind smile.
"I'll enjoy them. However, I have a prior engagement today, so I don't think I can attend, but if you invite me next time, I'll definitely go."
After that, I handed out macarons to the other officers and non-commissioned officers and invited them to the dinner banquet.
Unlike Masera's soldiers, who were reluctant, the officers above the rank of Major were happy and thanked me. Of course, it was obvious that it was fake.
'Well, promotion depends on it…'
That's how social life is, you have to look good even to people you don't like.
* * *
Major Isaac Rodriguez watched Cynthia walking away with a parasol.
He was affiliated with the Federal Army, and this was his third visit to the Republic of Rutemia.
Therefore, he did not know that Cynthia was Masera's fiancée. He just thought she was one of the daughters of the nobles who interacted with the residence.
However, it was certain that she was a thoughtful and warm person.
If she had prejudice against the Esatain, she would have questioned me about what I had done to the child.
He had also experienced countless discriminations in the past due to prejudice, so he was going to dismiss this incident as one of the situations he always experienced.
"If we do that, nothing will change."
But she didn't just stop at stopping the child's words and actions, but first tried to talk to him and understand what intentions Eugene had.
'Rather, I was the one who was prejudiced. I thought everyone would think negatively of an Esatain… The child wouldn't know anything.'
"The scary villain in the fairy tale Eugene is reading has white hair. Eugene doesn't really like me either. It's just that, because of the book, white hair like ours is scary."
In her bright expression, I could feel the consideration not to hurt anyone.
Her red eyes, sparkling even under the shade of the parasol, her lively face, and her flawless smile had the power to make the other person feel comfortable.
Originally, he was planning to leave for the autonomous region where the Esatain gathered, but his mind changed and he decided to stay in the Republic for the time being.
He became curious about the person named Cynthia.
"…I want to know more."
He took out a lemon-colored macaron and took a bite.
He usually didn't eat sweets, but the sweetness that melted softly in his mouth felt pleasantly different from before.
* * *
I headed to the kitchen to prepare the officers' dinner banquet.
The kitchen maids and the chef were eyeing the ingredients I had bought with displeasure.
"Princess, what on earth is Ratatouille? How can we make something we don't even know?"
"Uh…"
I couldn't exactly explain that Ratatouille was a home-style dish from southern France, made famous by a movie about a rat controlling a human to cook.
They even had sardine pie, so I thought they'd have it here too… Or maybe it's not famous here yet?
"It's a chance to learn a new recipe! It's cheap, easy to make, and delicious. I'll make it once."
The chef frowned as he watched me tie on an apron.
"Someone who's only ever cut steak wants to cook? I understand you're trying to be commoner-friendly, but the reality is that it only makes things difficult for us."
"I learned it as a hobby."
I said, holding my head high. Strictly speaking, it was my livelihood, though.
Then the head kitchen maid chimed in.
"Are you saying we should serve cheap food to the officers?"
"The ingredients I bought are top-notch. I just mean it can be made cheaply."
It seemed like they just didn't want to do what I told them to do.
"I've already said that I'm in charge of the dinner banquet. You don't have to worry about getting blamed."
"Of course, you would."
The chef sneered, making his displeasure very obvious.
Rose had been selling me out and causing trouble behind my back, so their image of me probably wasn't good.
Understanding their feelings, I nodded and sliced a zucchini.
"Slice the eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes this thinly."
Those who were assigned to assist me started following my example right away. They were two young apprentice servants who had been bullied by Rose.
Meanwhile, the chef was preparing the ingredients for the main dish with the kitchen maids.
'With them being so uncooperative…'
But getting angry in the annex, where I didn't have a single ally, would only hurt me.
Just you wait, I'll win them over one by one and make them all my allies.
If they don't want to be stuck awkwardly with Masera in an empty annex while we're all enjoying a pleasant picnic in the future, they better do a good job.
"Princess, i-is this okay?"
The newbies asked with nervous faces.
At some point, even the servants started calling me Princess. It's so cheesy and awkward.
I smiled kindly as I looked at the children's clumsy knife skills.
"You'll get hurt if you hold the knife like that. Let's hold it again."
I took the trainees' stiff hands and showed them how to hold it properly.
Kitchen work usually starts with chores, so this was probably their first time preparing ingredients.
Maybe they were planning to make me order the beginners to make the dish I suggested.
Still, I'm glad it's an easy dish that anyone can make.
The Ratatouille recipe was so simple that I was able to finish preparing the ingredients quickly.
"Normally, you have to cook it at a low temperature for a long time, but since this is practice, let's just bake it in the oven for 10 minutes. Aren't you curious about the dish we're making?"
"I'm really curious."
Perhaps because my actual self was different from what they had thought, the apprentice servants, now relaxed, smiled brightly.
While chatting during the cooking, I learned that their names were Mary and Ginny, that they were refugees from Francia, and that they were fifteen years old. Their MBTI is probably introverted.
When I took out the finished Ratatouille, a delicious smell wafted out with the warm steam.
"Wow."
Mary was about to clap her hands, but she stopped, noticing the chef's expression.
She seemed happy, probably because it was the first dish she had ever made since starting kitchen work.
"Here, say 'ah'."
When I blew on the food and fed it to Ginny and Mary, their eyes widened and their cheeks turned red.
"Oh, this is…"
"It's a nostalgic taste."
"You know the taste?"
Mary hesitated for a moment, probably afraid of being scolded for pretending to know, and then said cautiously.
"Princess, this is the same as Ratatouyou."
Ah, so they call it Ratatouyou here.
"Really? Did you know?"
"I was afraid I'd get scolded for pretending to know, but it's a traditional Francian dish, and the chef probably knows it too. He's from the same region as us."
I turned my head and glared at the chef.
So, he knew what I was talking about but pretended not to know how to make it?
"Since you've taught the apprentices the recipe, Princess, you can leave now. You're too busy to spend time on hobbies."
The chef said curtly, meeting my eyes.
I looked at him and asked.
"Are you going to leave it entirely to the apprentices? Or are you going to have them learn the recipe I taught them?"
As it was in charge of meals for high-ranking officials, the kitchen was an authoritarian and strict place. Both were impossible.
"How can we entrust the officers' meals to apprentices?"
"So you never intended to listen to me from the start."
I crossed my arms and stared at him.
As my silence and gaze grew longer, the chef, who had been pretending to do his own thing, became increasingly uneasy and started to read my expression.
After a long time, the chef, who was as uncomfortable as if he were sitting on thorns, spoke first.
"That's commoner food. It's not a dish worthy of serving to officers."
"There's no such thing as high or low in food. If you use good ingredients and serve it in good dishes, that's hospitality. It's the same with people; they look noble if they wear good clothes."
The chef looked at me silently.
I shrugged, giving him the most irritating smirk I could muster.
"You don't know how to make it, or you're not confident, are you? Is being a Francian chef a lie too? Were you actually a Medean chef or something?"
"How dare you say such insulting things!"
The chef jumped up and became agitated.
He definitely couldn't stand being compared to Medea, which was famous for its bizarre food. Francians have a lot of pride in their cuisine.
"If you can make a Ratatouyou that satisfies people, I'll acknowledge your skills."
When I spoke like a demon king presenting a challenge, the chef huffed and took out a knife and cutting board.
"Fine. If the officers are satisfied, apologize for the problematic statement that all Francians will be outraged by."
"Okay, fine."
As I accepted the challenge and was about to leave, Ginny and Mary hurriedly followed me.
"Princess, Chef Zad is prickly, but he's not a bad person. He's been through a lot of unfortunate things… and he took us in when we had nowhere to go because of the war."
Zad was the chef's name.
The Francian royal family, which had collapsed due to the revolution, was incompetent. So the hatred must have spread to me as well.
"I understand. I believe that one day, I'll be recognized for who I am, without prejudice. Just like you did."
Just the fact that they believed I was someone who would listen to them showed that.
Ginny and Mary were startled and stammered.
"At first, we were scared because we thought you were a scary person, Princess. We're sorry. But after cooking with you, we realized… that you have a warm heart."
"I was happy to make my hometown food thanks to you, Princess."
Looking at the girls' affectionate eyes, it seemed like I had gained two allies.
Does this mean I'm two steps closer to the final boss, Masera?
"And Chef Zad is Francian."
I guess what I said earlier was a wide-area provocation.
* * *
The kitchen after Cynthia left.
The servants frowned and whispered.
"This commoner food can't be served at the banquet. The officers from commoner backgrounds will definitely be offended."
"If it's Chef Zad's hometown food, made with all his effort, no one will be offended."
"Isn't that what she's aiming for? To get recognition by pretending she made it herself. No wonder she bought the ingredients herself."
Hayden, the tutor who had come to get a snack, asked the servants the reason for their sour expressions.
After hearing the whole story, he gave a clear solution.
"Just ruin the dish."
He pointed to the tomato sauce boiling in a large pot. It was an important sauce for Ratatouyou.