"She even told the officers she was preparing it herself. If she's humiliated, she won't try to show off and interfere again."
After the tutor Hayden left his advice, the servants stared at the tomato sauce, troubled.
"But to ruin the dish completely…"
"The princess said she'd take responsibility, didn't she? If she tries to gain recognition by using us, she should be prepared to take responsibility too."
One of the servants picked up the salt shaker and sprinkled it generously into the finished sauce.
Too much would make it obvious they were deliberately trying to ruin it, so just messing up the seasoning would be enough.
Later, Cynthia entered the kitchen just as the dish was supposed to be finished.
"Can I have a taste?"
The servants, who hadn't expected her to actually come and check, were momentarily flustered, but they silently sneered, imagining her mortified face.
'Let's see how you like it.'
The chef, Zad, who had no idea what the servants had done, presented a plate of Ratatouyou with a confident expression.
"Please, try it. I believe I make the best Ratatouyou in the world."
Cynthia took a bite and made a strange expression.
Just as the servants who had sabotaged the dish were anticipating her reaction, she smiled brightly.
"Wow, so this is what the original tastes like. The vegetables are cooked perfectly, and the clean sweetness creates a harmony of flavors that produces a savory taste."
'Delicious? And not salty, but sweet?'
At her effusive praise, the servants looked at each other in confusion.
The chef, who had also tasted it, was equally bewildered.
"It didn't taste like this before? But, it might be better now that the acidity of the tomatoes has been balanced…"
"Did you add more salt? Adding salt to sweet ingredients enhances the sweetness, you know. I can taste that unique, clean sweetness."
The servants all looked at the salt shaker at the same time.
Those who hadn't properly learned to cook had no idea that salt could enhance sweetness. Furthermore, they didn't know how much to add to ruin the sauce, so they had inadvertently created an even better result.
At that moment, Cynthia looked at the servants who had helped with the cooking and put on a serious face.
"I came to check because I thought you seemed unhappy earlier and might try to ruin the dish. I didn't realize you were all so dedicated to your cooking, regardless of your feelings… I'm ashamed of myself for being prejudiced. I'm really sorry. You're all excellent chefs."
At her apology, the face of the servant who had added the salt turned bright red.
Cynthia smiled innocently.
"The food in the residence has always been delicious. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to get to know everyone and thank you all for your hard work behind the scenes. Well, I'm counting on you until the end."
While everyone stared at Cynthia with blank faces, she turned around and waved to Zad as she left.
"I'm sorry for calling you Medea earlier! I was being too harsh!"
After Cynthia disappeared, a servant who didn't want to admit that she was a good person said,
"She's so fake. Just you wait, that woman will try to take credit for making the dish herself."
She had to be a bad person. Otherwise, they would be the bad ones.
* * *
Masera, who had been out for a while, returned to find officers coming out of the residence.
The colonel and lieutenant colonel, who hadn't noticed Masera, began to gossip.
"Ha, giving these guys cookies? What a joke. I was sweating bullets trying to pretend to be happy."
"Captain Cherta's wife engraved expensive watches and handed them out, what a comparison. The captain has a wonderful wife, so his promotion is as good as guaranteed."
Now that the war was over, it was difficult to get promoted based on combat performance, so political maneuvering within the military was rampant.
As a result, the role of the wife was very important.
She had to be a good supporter and strategist, and most of them took the lead in expanding their networks for their husbands' promotions.
"How can a country bumpkin princess who has been hiding in the countryside all her life be a proper wife?"
"The Brigadier General thinks highly of the Queen of Medea, so I don't understand why he wants to marry a fallen royal."
"Maybe he's planning to use her and then divorce her. He pretends not to, but it's obvious he dislikes her."
The colonel threw the macaron box on the road and sneered.
Masera, who had been watching them walk away, took out his notebook and wrote something down.
Then he returned to the residence and handed it to his aide, Diego.
"Exclude these two people from all invitation lists."
"Did something happen?"
Diego asked, eyeing the macaron box in his hand.
He received it from Cynthia earlier and brought it again, did he extort it from a lower-ranking officer?
Masera, who was staring intently at the macaron box in his hand, said only one word.
"Rude."
It wasn't just a matter of not sending invitations.
Masera was a war hero.
Not being invited by him would spread the story that they had caused trouble and been marked. In short, their promotions were as good as gone.
* * *
In the evening, the officers gathered in the banquet hall.
Captain Declan, who was hostile to Cynthia, was also present.
Most of the officers were not interested in the banquet prepared by Cynthia. They had come to discuss the wasteland development project.
Captain Declan scoffed when he saw Ratatouyou being served for the banquet.
'Bringing out a commoner's dish from Francia to show off her egalitarian ideals. How predictable and cliché.'
It was a method that some officers' wives had already used.
At first, it was praised, but because everyone followed suit, it had long since lost its meaning, and it could even be an act of ignoring officers from commoner backgrounds.
The fact that some commoner officers were making uncomfortable expressions proved it.
Captain Declan did not miss this opportunity.
"A commoner's dish, I see. Princess, is there a reason why you presented Ratatouyou for the banquet?"
At best, she would talk about the commoners of Francia who suffered from the tyranny of the royal family. Officers who had been to several banquets could recite it by heart.
She was also from an incompetent royal family, was she going to be self-deprecating?
"But what is the standard for commoner food? Everyone says the same thing. To me, it's just delicious food."
Cynthia asked a question that was completely different from what he expected.
Seeing that Captain Declan couldn't answer right away, Cynthia said,
"If I were to answer first, it's because it's a dish that appears in a story I like. A rat with excellent cooking skills manipulates a human to make food…"
"Excuse me? A rat? Are you trying to spread a plague or something?"
Another officer made a slightly disgusted expression.
'Come to think of it, it might sound strange.'
She coughed and told the general plot of the movie.
The officers listened intently to Cynthia's story. There was something about her story that made people immerse themselves in it.
"So, does that rat become a great chef?"
An officer who was so immersed in the story that he even started to root for the main character rat asked.
"Of course. The theme of this story is 'Anyone can cook.' Before listening to the story, it's just a disgusting rat, but as you listen, you feel like it's a cute and wonderful chef, right?"
"That's certainly true. This food also looks special."
Captain Declan, unhappy with the unwanted atmosphere, gripped his fork tightly.
"I understand the story and meaning of the food. Regardless of the type, delicious food is great food."
It meant that it was all useless if the taste was bad.
Taste is subjective, so the evaluation is bound to be subjective as well. He deliberately put the Ratatouyou in his mouth.
"This, the taste is…"
To be honest, it was delicious. He couldn't find anything to criticize, so he trailed off and made a serious expression.
"It's delicious."
At that moment, Masera, who had been sitting quietly as if he didn't exist, said.
The officers, who had been watching, agreed and praised her.
"Thank you for your hard work in preparing this, Princess."
Masera gave Cynthia his unique social smile.
'Did he just say… Princess?'
Cynthia's shoulders slumped at the word 'Princess'.
A faint smile appeared on Masera's lips as he saw her face on the verge of humiliation.
'Observation results: she suffers every time she hears the title of Princess.'
It was a feeling of satisfaction at having found a way to torment Cynthia.
'Well, she's going to be his wife, so he has no choice but to take her side.'
Captain Declan grumbled inwardly, watching Masera speak kindly to Cynthia.
Openly embarrassing one's future wife was akin to spitting in one's own face.
For soldiers, wives were helpmates on the outside and the highest-ranking superiors on the inside. This phenomenon was created because most officers married above their station.
The Captain rolled his eyes and surveyed the officers' reactions.
One officer quietly tasted the Ratatouyou, then looked at Cynthia with a serious expression.
He was Major General Ewan Isaac, higher in rank than the Brigadier General, and Masera's superior.
"This Ratatouyou has a different taste than usual."
Major General Ewan Isaac was known as a meticulous, strict, and sarcastic man.
Those who invited him to banquets in an attempt to climb the ladder of success had presented him with all sorts of delicacies, but he had never given a single compliment.
'The meaning of food is useless to the Major General, who has no sentimentality. He'll surely criticize her for serving a dish that doesn't suit a banquet.'
Captain Declan put down his fork, anticipating the harsh criticism that would follow.
The Major General spoke with his characteristic sharp expression.
"It tastes just like my father used to make. He was from Francia."
Major General Isaac closed his eyes, still holding his fork. He took a long sigh as if savoring the aftertaste, then opened his eyes again.
"It brings back old memories. Did the Princess make this herself? I would be grateful if you could share the recipe."
It was an enormous compliment from a man who had only ever given criticism.
The servant standing by to assist frowned slightly and looked at Cynthia.
He expected her to say that she had made the dish herself, but Cynthia shook her head firmly.
"The cook at the residence made it. As expected of someone from Francia, his cooking skills are excellent. I'll get the recipe for you later."
Everyone knew that the cook made the banquet, but most wives would usually say that they had taken the lead in everything.
Hearing the unexpected answer, the Major General wiped his mouth with a napkin and said,
"No, it would be better to eat what the cook from Francia made himself. Would you invite me to dinner sometime?"
It was the first time the Major General, who tended to reject numerous invitations, had asked to be invited.
"Of course. You can live here. I'll take you on a world tour with food."
At Cynthia's unexpected answer, the Major General's lips, which seemed incapable of smiling, twitched slightly.
Captain Declan felt a sense of crisis.
'Did she even investigate that the Major General's father was from Francia? She's no pushover. It was my mistake to underestimate her because of her naive face.'
In reality, it was a coincidence. As if the heavens were on Cynthia's side, coincidences were strangely in her favor.
Meanwhile, Masera, who had been pleased to find a way to torment Cynthia, was staring blankly at his plate with a stiff face.
"Oh, only the Brigadier General's plating is different. It's in the shape of a heart."
One tactless officer said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Only the vegetables on Masera's plate were piled up in the shape of a heart.
Masera shook his head firmly.
"It's just a coincidence and a low probability that it ended up that way as I was eating."
"What do you mean?"
Masera's gaze, which had avoided the embarrassed officer, landed on Cynthia.
"Oh, you're such a shy guy. I made the Brigadier General's plate in the shape of a heart especially!"
Cynthia, who had met his eyes, sent him a finger heart with a bright face, and Masera turned his head away.
'Was she planning this from the start?'
She was like strong ultraviolet rays, not sunlight.
Masera, unable to shake off the feeling that he had been had, gulped down water.
"Ahaha, it already feels like a honeymoon atmosphere. It's good to see."
"I'm envious that you're marrying such a bright and lovely person. You'll be laughing every day."
The officers, who thought the two were on good terms, began to shower them with well wishes.
They simply thought that Masera had turned his head away because he was shy.
'All according to plan.'
Cynthia, seeing Masera's tormented face, smiled darkly.
In any case, she had shown that the two were on good terms, gained the favor of Masera's superior, and the food was delicious, so it was a successful dinner.
In addition, she had completed her revenge on Masera, who deliberately called her 'Princess'.
'Eventually, like the rat who was recognized as a chef, the day will come when hatred and prejudice disappear.'
She had once been despised and called a 'cursed white rat' because of her appearance.
But now, wasn't it being used as proof that she was a descendant of the 'Great Snow Queen'?
Cynthia smiled as she watched the soft snow falling outside the window.
* * *
After the meal, only the officers involved in the business remained in their seats.
The officers, who had enjoyed a satisfying meal, were in a very good mood.
This was also the reason why dinner parties were arranged when important matters were to be discussed.
Brigadier General Steve looked at Cynthia and asked,
"We're about to start talking about business, would you be alright with that? It would be boring for a woman who doesn't know this side of things."
It was a subtly dismissive tone, implying that she wasn't qualified to be at this kind of gathering.
"I'm fine. Shouldn't I know what's going on too?"
At Cynthia's words, Captain Declan made a noticeably uncomfortable expression.
"She's not even the lady of the house yet, is it okay for her to hear information that should be kept confidential for business purposes? I'm concerned as an investor."
It was a valid point, as they were not yet married.
"Haha, well, even if you've set a wedding date, you never know what might happen until you walk down the aisle."
Brigadier General Steve made a joke that would leave a lingering bad taste in one's mouth if one thought about it.
'It would be ridiculous to say 'We're getting married no matter what'. Let's retreat for now, as a courtesy to Masera.'
Just as Cynthia was about to leave her seat, Masera said,
"Unless one of us dies, we'll get married, so you don't have to worry."
Did he have to say it so brutally?
Cynthia's eyes widened. In reality, it was no different from her 'We're getting married no matter what' comment.
"To put it coldly, aren't you someone who has no authority?"
At Captain Declan's sharp words, Masera slowly shook his head.
"You're mistaken. The 'Princess' also has authority in this business."
'Thanks for taking my side, but please stop with that title.'
Cynthia, whose shoulders twitched at the strangely emphasized title, glared at him with a sharp gaze.
Regardless, Masera continued,
"So, I'm thinking of starting with the mountain range exploration, according to the Princess's opinion."
Brigadier General Steve asked in an unpleasant tone.
"What does that mean? If the Princess interferes in that way without qualification, I will withdraw my investment and pull out. Unless the Princess shows me some faith."
His greedy eyes clearly showed that he wanted a material show of sincerity.
At his statement, the officers in Brigadier General Steve's line looked at each other and threatened to withdraw their investments.
But Masera didn't even blink.
"She has enough qualifications. Recently, the Nox area has been changed to the joint ownership of 'Princess' Cynthia and myself. Right now, we can't even start unless the Princess gives her permission."
At the words that Cynthia held the reins of the business, everyone's gaze turned to Cynthia.
There had been some unsavory incidents recently, so it seemed that Count Queensguard had transferred the ownership before the marriage.
'But Masera turned Nox into joint ownership? Why?'
Cynthia blinked in surprise.
Somehow, she felt like she was being put to the test.
A test of the luck she possessed, and a test of whether she was really on his side.
It seemed to mean that he would show trust first to confirm the other person's trust.
"I accept your intentions to withdraw your investments so far."
Masera's lowered voice was heard.
"What does it matter whether it's the Princess's property or not? I won't withdraw. It has unprecedented potential."
It was Major General Isaac, the highest-ranking person in this place, who spoke.
The officers, who had opposed it but hadn't really thought about withdrawing from this business, were quite embarrassed.