Chapter : 08
Camilla silently stared at the two people smiling warmly at her…
No, not people.
The two ghosts.
[What is it?]
[Is there something you wish to tell us?]
Under her unwavering gaze, the ghost chef, Perol, and the ghost butler, Derin, tilted their heads in confusion.
Did we do something wrong?
“Go on,” Camilla said.
[Go on?]
[Go on about what?]
“What is it that you want from me?”
After living alongside ghosts for over twenty years, she had learned one thing.
There wasn’t a single ghost wandering the mortal world who helped the living for no reason.
Especially when it came to helping complete strangers.
Why would these two be any different?
“I’m going to need your help from now on as well.”
Just because she’d brought flowers into the duke’s office once and prepared a single meal didn’t mean everyone’s opinion of her would suddenly change. Expecting that would be far too optimistic.
“So tell me. What is it that you want?”
She intended to grant almost any reasonable request.
After all, these two were helping her avoid her own death. What couldn’t she do in return?
[…]
[…]
Perol and Derin exchanged glances.
Then, at the exact same moment, they burst into hearty laughter.
[There’s only one thing I want.]
“What is it?”
[To cook.]
“…Cook?”
Camilla looked baffled.
Cook?
Does he want me to prepare memorial offerings with food I’ve made? Do ghosts even have that sort of custom?
Besides… I’m not exactly talented at cooking.
The meal she’d made earlier in the kitchen hadn’t truly been made by her.
Perol had possessed her hands and cooked through her.
[My greatest wish was to cook again. Nothing made me happier than watching someone enjoy the food I’d prepared.]
His answer was completely unexpected.
“You mean… your wish is simply to cook?”
So he just wants to cook again through me?
What kind of wish is that?
Seeing the confusion written all over her face, Perol chuckled softly.
[Thank you.]
“…”
[For allowing me to cook again.]
He had believed he would never touch cooking utensils again.
Never again present a dish he had made with his own hands.
Even now, it all felt like a dream.
Standing before a stove once more…
Holding a knife again…
Grasping a pot once more…
Even if they were Camilla’s hands, the happiness he felt was indescribable.
“I see…”
Camilla nodded awkwardly.
If he insisted that was all he wanted, there was no point pressing the matter and creating unnecessary trouble.
Still…
She had never once experienced receiving someone’s help without paying a price.
Leaving things like this made her deeply uncomfortable.
[I feel the same way.]
When Camilla turned toward him, the ghost butler, Derin, smiled faintly.
[Being able to place baby’s breath flowers in the Lord’s office once again made me truly happy.]
…What?
That’s what makes you happy?
[And being able to use what I know to help the members of the ducal household brings me immense joy. Thank you.]
Instead of asking for compensation, the two ghosts were thanking her.
Camilla found herself genuinely taken aback.
These people…
In other words…
The reason they still wandered this world was because they couldn’t let go of the happiness of helping others.
I’ve really met all kinds of fools in my life.
Well… works for me.
So neither of them wanted anything in return?
Camilla politely folded her hands.
Then she gave Perol and Derin a deep, respectful bow.
“I’ll be relying on both of you from now on.”
She didn’t know what the future held.
But for now, she was receiving their help without giving anything in exchange.
Showing them proper courtesy and respect was the least she could do.
[…]
[…]
The unexpected greeting filled both Perol’s and Derin’s eyes with surprise.
A moment later…
Gentle smiles slowly spread across both their faces once more.
* * *
“W-You can make this too?”
Head Chef Jelard’s eyes widened as he stared at the finished dessert before him.
That crimson sherbet…
The wine-based dessert…
It had been one of his late master’s specialties.
After adding the finishing touches, Camilla slowly turned to look at him.
“…”
“…”
Rustle.
After holding her gaze for a moment, Jelard instinctively bent his knees a little more.
Only after he lowered himself did Camilla finally speak.
“You don’t know this recipe either?”
“I-I do.”
It was just…
The version he made never turned out with such a beautiful color.
He had been watching her for over ten days now.
Every single day, Camilla produced astonishing dishes.
And every single one of them had been dishes that his late master, Perol, had loved to prepare.
Could it be…
A suspicion naturally formed in his mind.
Did Master leave behind a recipe book somewhere?
Did Miss Camilla discover it?
No… no!
He immediately shook the thought away.
That wasn’t enough to explain it.
Simply possessing the recipes couldn’t possibly produce cooking skills like hers.
And what about that?
She could effortlessly find every utensil and ingredient scattered throughout the kitchen.
She moved about as though she’d worked there for decades.
“U-Um… Miss Camilla… may I… have what’s left?”
“Go ahead.”
“Yes!”
Jelard carefully pointed toward the leftover wine sherbet still in the bowl.
The moment she gave permission, he hurriedly scooped some into his mouth.
Just as I thought!
His eyes shook violently.
Why…?
What is it…?
We used the exact same recipe…
So why can’t I recreate this flavor?
“Is it good?”
“I-It’s… not bad.”
Despite everything, he still clung to the last scraps of his pride and deliberately understated it.
Watching him, Camilla casually patted the back of her neck.
Tap. Tap.
Jelard’s gaze, which had unconsciously lifted, immediately lowered again.
“Miss.”
At that moment, Butler Rube entered the kitchen.
As always, Jelard was standing before Camilla with his knees slightly bent.
Seeing the sight, Rube quietly swallowed the laugh threatening to escape.
“Are you finished?”
“Mm.”
Camilla pointed toward the wine sherbet arranged on one side.
Each small glass held a perfectly rounded scoop of crimson sherbet, decorated with a tiny mint leaf.
“Please take these today as well.”
“Certainly, Miss.”
With a respectful bow, Butler Rube gathered the glasses onto several trays.
How unexpected.
As he lifted one of the trays, he glanced toward Camilla.
Why has she suddenly changed so much?
He had never hated her.
But neither had he ever liked her.
He knew perfectly well how isolated she had become within the ducal household.
Still…
He had never felt compelled to help.
Offering assistance to someone who refused to help themselves was something he disliked most.
So he had simply watched from the sidelines.
But…
Recently…
Camilla had changed.
The incident where the meal tampered with by the kitchen maids had ended up on the Duke’s table…
Had that truly been an accident?
He didn’t know what had happened.
But lately…
He found her incredibly interesting.
Even now.
Who would have imagined she’d tame someone as foul-tempered and self-centered as Jelard?
Watching Jelard sneak spoonful after spoonful of sherbet while constantly checking Camilla’s expression was almost unbelievable.
“By the way, they’re still having a meeting at this hour? It’ll be midnight soon. Aren’t they sleepy?”
At that moment, Camilla’s voice reached Rube’s ears.
“Or did something happen?”
Today’s delivery wasn’t the usual two servings.
There were several trays filled with glasses.
All of the family’s retainers had gathered in the conference room for a meeting that had been called unexpectedly.
“I couldn’t say.”
Rube smiled gently.
The one who had insisted on postponing the meeting from daytime to this late hour—specifically to coincide with the time Camilla brought refreshments—
Was none other than Duke Sorpel.
The reason was probably…
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
Giving another respectful bow, Rube quietly left the kitchen.
Several maids followed behind him carrying the trays of sherbet.
“Um… how do you make it come out that color?”
“You want to know?”
“Yes!”
“Then try acting cute.”
“L-Like this?”
“…Take your hand off your cheek. And stop talking in that baby voice.”
Hearing their conversation behind him, Rube hurriedly held back another laugh.
* * *
“H-Holding a meeting at this hour… this is certainly unusual.”
“I-I agree, haha…”
“My sleep has been getting shorter lately anyway, so perhaps this works out.”
The retainers gathered in the conference room exchanged awkward smiles as they chatted.
Why this hour?
Didn’t His Grace say he was too busy during the day?
But I heard he didn’t actually have anything particularly urgent today…
No one understood why Duke Sorpel had deliberately postponed the meeting that had originally been scheduled for daytime until now—
Nearly midnight.
There weren’t even any urgent matters requiring discussion.
They could have easily met tomorrow afternoon.
So why?
Naturally…
No one dared voice their confusion or dissatisfaction directly to the Duke.
Still…
Why does His Grace keep looking at the clock?
Throughout the meeting, everyone noticed Duke Sorpel repeatedly glancing at the large clock mounted on the wall.
Does he have another appointment tonight?
Knock. Knock.
Just then, the conference room door opened.
Butler Rube entered alongside several maids.
Each carried a long serving tray.
“Your Grace, Miss Camilla has sent refreshments again today.”
“Hmm. Bring them here.”
Duke Sorpel nodded calmly.
Then, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear—as though making an important announcement—he asked,
“Did Camilla make these herself again today?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Miss Camilla personally prepared today’s dessert. She also made enough for all of our guests.”
The retainers’ eyes went wide.
Camilla… made these?
“Good heavens…”
“She can make something like this?”
Having heard that Camilla herself had prepared the dessert, they cautiously took their first spoonful of sherbet.
The suspicion on their faces quickly disappeared.
