Chapter 63: A Sizzling Reaction
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: A Sizzling Reaction
Waking up late, Mr. Barnes reached for the copy of Northern News resting on his bedside table.
He had bought it on his way home from work the previous evening, but seeing how crumpled the pages were, it seemed his wife had already beaten him to it.
Mr. Barnes turned to a page that had been folded back particularly sharply.
‘Cecil’s Recipe 6: Beef Stew’
"I suppose it’s beef stew for lunch today."
The day after he bought Northern News, a dish from "Cecil’s Recipe" invariably found its way onto their dining table.
As the savory, mouth-watering aroma began to waft up from downstairs, Mr. Barnes began flipping through the magazine.
As he turned the pages, one article in particular caught his eye. It was about the "Couples' Night Package" being launched this week at Marie’s Inn.
「...Upon arrival at the inn, parents and children will share a brief, happy parting.
While the couple enjoys a romantic night, the children will be under the special care of the inn, enjoying playtime with friends.
The following day, after enjoying a private breakfast delivered straight to their room, the couple reunites with their children and returns home comfortably in a farewell carriage provided by the inn.
...(Omitted)...
The reaction from the four families who experienced the package ahead of its official launch was explosive.
In particular, Mrs. Benet, who visited the inn with her husband and two sons, expressed her happiness, saying she felt the thrill of being a newlywed again for the first time in years and that she definitely wanted to visit again.」
That inn certainly comes up with some peculiar ideas, Mr. Barnes thought.
As he read the article, it suddenly occurred to him that his wife’s birthday was just around the corner.
Should I try making a reservation?
His wife had surely read the article by now. If he casually mentioned during a meal that he’d booked the package, her eyes would probably pop out of her head.
Suddenly filled with motivation, Mr. Barnes hurriedly got ready and slipped out of the house while his wife was busy cooking on the first floor.
Imagining his wife’s delighted face, he arrived at the inn in high spirits, only to stare in disbelief at the notice posted on the door.
「Reservations for the ‘Couples' Night Package’ are fully booked for next month. Customers visiting the restaurant, please come inside and take a waiting number.」
He was re-reading the notice in a daze when someone spoke up.
"You’re the tenth one already."
One of the customers waiting to enter the restaurant spoke to him with a look of pity.
"Ten people have already walked away from that sign with that exact same expression."
"Wait, did everyone see the Northern News? It’s only just come out; how can there be such a crowd already?"
"It’s already been a day. You clearly don’t know how fast people are these days. The entire month’s worth of reservations filled up within hours of the magazine’s release."
In the end, Mr. Barnes had no choice but to trudge back home empty-handed.
*
The "Couples' Night Package" was a massive success—even I was surprised.
"I couldn't believe my eyes either!" Cecilia said, shaking her head in amazement.
Cecilia, who had visited the inn with the latest issue of Northern News to show off the article, said she barely managed to exchange a few words with Lady Marie before having to leave because of the long line of customers waiting to make reservations.
I suppose people in the North are secret romantics, I thought.
Of course, it helped that Marie’s Inn was already famous for various reasons.
From the moment I first explained the package, Lady Marie had been incredibly enthusiastic. She seemed to love the concept of treating guests to a bundle of benefits rather than just providing simple meals and lodging.
— "I should clear out a room and turn it into a playroom for the children."
— "What if we offer wine and let them choose from a variety of desserts?"
Unlike when we did "Today’s Menu," she was proactive in offering her own ideas.
— "It’s your inn, after all. Of course, the owner should do as she pleases."
However, I was the one who set the price floor for the package.
— "But the cost of preparing the wine or the carriage won't be that high... and we can look after the children ourselves. Won't the customers find it burdensome if we raise the price too much?"
— "The costs might be low, but it’s a lot of labor. If reservations flood in, you might need to hire more staff. Most importantly, this isn't something you're just doing for a few days. You have to charge a proper price so that you can continue to treat your guests well."
I told her to pay even closer attention to the guests instead, but seeing the reaction now, I feel like I could have charged double.
"Your Highness, how on earth do you come up with these ideas?" Cecilia asked, blinking in admiration. "If you had gone into business, you would have been richer than any merchant guild master."
"Is that so? I guess I won't starve to death no matter where I go."
"Oh, Your Highness!"
When I made the lighthearted remark, Cecilia narrowed her eyes.
"Even if the sky were to split in two, the Grand Duchess of Blenheim would never go hungry, so don't you worry."
"Well, who’s to say I’ll be the Grand Duchess forever? You never know what might happen in life."
It was a casual remark, but both Cecilia and Reta froze instantly. They looked at me as if I had just announced the end of the world.
"...Why would you say such a thing? As if you’re planning to leave the Grand Duke's Castle..."
"If I quit being the Grand Duchess, maybe I’ll start an inn business in Rondoris?"
I said it as a joke to tease Cecilia, but as I pictured it in my head, it didn't seem like a bad idea. Perhaps my second life after this possession could be as a businesswoman...
Seeing the maid’s tearful face, I let out a soft laugh.
"I’m just saying."
"Don't say such things, even as a joke," Cecilia said, her brow furrowed deeply. "Who could possibly dare to take Your Highness's place?"
Beside her, Reta nodded vigorously.
"Alright, thank you for the kind words."
"I mean it!"
Cecilia grumbled for a good while longer, only falling silent once she accepted the refreshments Reta brought over.
*
Perel was humming a rare tune as he descended the stairs of the Main Castle.
It was all thanks to an early clock-out.
Since the Grand Duchess arrived, Perel’s working hours had become unpredictable. On days when it seemed he’d be working late, his superior would suddenly drop everything to go for a night stroll, allowing Perel to finish early. On other days when he thought he’d get off early, his superior would dump everything on him because of a dinner engagement, leaving him buried in unexpected overtime.
Of course, it’s much better than the old days when I left work under the moonlight every single night...
Today, the Grand Ducal couple was having dinner together, so Perel had been dismissed early.
A happy smile was about to spread across his face at the thought of his rare free time. But as he headed for the Main Castle entrance, a shadow standing ominously in the stairwell called out to him.
"L-Lady Cecilia?"
As he drew closer, he saw the Grand Duchess’s lady-in-waiting standing there with a chilling expression.
"Why... why are you standing here like this?"
"I was waiting for you, Sir Perel."
"...For me?"
Cecilia lowered her voice.
"Let’s have a word."
And so, Perel was practically dragged to a corner of the garden, hidden away by vines.
"What is this about?" Perel asked, his hands instinctively clasped politely in front of him.
Cecilia let out a sharp huff of breath. "Sir Perel, you like Her Highness, don't you?"
"I do."
Ignoring his answer, Cecilia continued. "That’s why I want Her Highness to live happily in the Grand Duke's Castle for a long, long time."
"O-Of course, I feel the same way."
"I don't even want to imagine what would happen if Her Highness were to leave."
"What do you mean by that?" Perel’s eyes shook violently. "Did Her Highness say she was leaving?"
"It wouldn't be strange if she said she was leaving at any moment."
Cecilia suddenly thrust a bouquet of flowers in front of his face. The flowers had lost their color and were already withered and dried.
"Do you know what this is?"
"Isn't it a dried bouquet?"
"It’s a gift the orphanage children made for Her Highness by the lakeside."
"I... see," Perel replied hesitantly.
What did that have to do with Her Highness leaving?
"Her Highness kept them in her room for a long time. And do you know what she said when she asked me to dry them for her?"
"What did she say?"
"She said it was the first bouquet she’d ever received, so she wanted to keep it for a long time."
Perel’s eyes darted around.
"Do you understand what I’m saying?" Cecilia asked, her eyes narrowing. "I’m saying that a new bride has never once received a single flower from her husband."
Perel pursed his lips.
The Lady expects too much from the Grand Duke.
The only things that didn't look awkward in that man's hands were a sword or the head of a monster.
"And I happened to overhear the maids talking..."
Cecilia suddenly lowered her voice to a whisper, prompting Perel to lean in close.
"Is it true... that the two of them haven't even spent their wedding night together?"