Chapter 06
Beef and Mushrooms
“Surely it isn’t Ivin, is it?”
Ivin was the only person from the Duchy of Kihees in the mansion and had been receiving a salary from the Marquis all this time.
In other words, she was the most likely to be secretly colluding with the Marquis.
It was strange enough that she was suddenly working in the kitchen. There was more than one suspicious detail.
When Vivian saw her from the carriage, there had been no hint of this, but of course, the culprit wouldn’t go around saying, I am the culprit.
Today, Vivian decided to focus particularly on the maid Ivin.
Just as she shifted her gaze toward Ivin, the head maid spoke.
“Since the young lady has arrived, we will begin the cooking observation immediately.”
“Cooking observation?” Why make it sound so grandiose?
Vivian let out a small laugh at Mrs. Mayfield’s dramatic introduction.
Merian, the head chef standing at the front of the line, glanced at her.
From her pursed lips came a stubborn energy. Looking closely, the chef’s expression was much the same as her first impression.
Perhaps Vivian’s laugh had annoyed her.
Vivian quickly tried to compose her expression, but Mrs. Mayfield had already noticed it.
“I’m glad the young lady seems pleased, but I worry that His Highness may become angry.”
“It’s just watching cooking. Why would that make him angry?”
“This is by no means a trivial matter, young lady.”
Mrs. Mayfield’s face stiffened.
With other noblewomen, perhaps it would be acceptable, but Vivian’s case was different.
Some housewives deeply involved in household management existed, but it was doubtful that it applied to Vivian, who was not yet formally the Grand Duchess.
Also, carrying out such matters without the Grand Duke’s permission weighed heavily on her conscience.
All affairs in the mansion required the Duke’s awareness, and nothing should occur against his wishes.
With both the Duke and Sigmund absent, all responsibility fell on the head maid. Yet, she couldn’t simply let Vivian starve.
If Vivian’s health suffered before the wedding, it would be extremely troublesome for the head maid.
Above all, the Duke was not someone who truly wished Vivian would starve.
For these reasons, Mrs. Mayfield had no choice but to grant Vivian’s request, though unease lingered.
Once the brief greetings were over, everyone in the main hall headed toward the kitchen.
While worry was visible on everyone’s faces, satisfaction radiated from Vivian.
She forced back the corners of her mouth that kept curling upward into a smile.
Why hadn’t I thought of this sooner?
The thought of finally eating a proper meal after days made her smile unconsciously.
Upon entering the kitchen, everyone moved to their designated stations.
Ivin and one maid went to the sink along the wall, three maids took positions at the prep counter behind them, and head chef Merian stood at the solitary counter at the back.
Vivian and Mrs. Mayfield positioned themselves near the entrance, where they could see everything.
Merian laid out the neatly arranged tools and addressed the group.
“Today’s menu consists of mushroom soup, stewed minced beef, and appetizer bread. Everyone, please do your best at your stations.”
“Yes, Chef.”
After the slightly stiff reply, everyone busied themselves.
Vivian had been watching Ivin closely from the start.
She scrutinized every action, looking for any suspicious behavior.
Yet, on closer inspection, something seemed off.
Ivin’s clothes were excessively dirty, and her forearms and hands were flushed red in places.
Why is she working in the kitchen? Didn’t she serve me on the first day she came to the mansion?
As Vivian stared, a maid washing vegetables beside Ivin nudged her with her elbow.
Ivin flinched dramatically.
Her reaction seemed far too exaggerated.
After receiving some whispered instruction from her colleague, she quietly lowered her head and continued washing her assigned vegetables.
What are they saying? They’re whispering so much.
Vivian stepped slightly closer.
“I didn’t know the young lady was so interested in cooking.”
Suddenly, head chef Merian spoke, her tone tinged with hostility.
She clearly found the naïve noble girl, suspicious and overbearing, intolerable.
Vivian watched the crooked corner of Merian’s mouth and smiled gently.
“Yes, I enjoy cooking. It’s fascinating to see how ordinary ingredients can become delicious dishes.”
Even the same ingredients, depending on combination and technique, could yield completely different dishes.
Vivian loved taking the flavors she imagined in her head and making them real.
Every time she created food suited to her taste and saw it disappear cleanly from the plate, she felt fulfilled.
She had endured from the ground up and was still persevering.
Though she had once been blinded by the hope of sudden wealth, her passion for cooking was genuine.
Merian’s lips, previously pursed, dropped slightly after hearing Vivian’s words.
“Watching and doing are different. Cooking is not something you can do for mere fun.”
“Anything involving effort is like that. Especially laborious work.”
“You speak as if you’ve done it before.”
Of course. She had.
Vivian knew how hard kitchen work could be. She had even carried a resignation letter in her bag at one point.
Initially indifferent, she now found Merian’s provocations irritating.
There was one thing she could not tolerate: criticism about cooking.
“Yes. I’ve done it. I know how to cook.”
Merian, just about to take out the meat grinder, paused and looked up.
Impossible. I’ve never heard of a noble lady who cooks.
Vivian’s confident answer made Merian snicker.
Vivian returned a relaxed smile.
“The menu today is mushroom soup and stewed minced beef, right? I’d rather combine the two into one dish.”
Merian’s eyes sharpened.
For someone speaking without knowledge, that idea was surprisingly accurate.
As the tension in the room thickened, Mrs. Mayfield spoke.
“Miss, Merian is a skilled chef who worked in the royal palace. You can trust her expertise.”
Vivian held Mrs. Mayfield’s eyes and then, loud enough for Merian to hear, spoke boldly:
“It’s better to cook the beef with the mushrooms to bring out a deeper flavor than to grind the beef and stew it separately.”
“…Excuse me?”
Merian and Mrs. Mayfield looked at each other in shock.
It wasn’t the kind of thing someone ignorant would say.
Vivian, previously thought to be bluffing, spoke convincingly. Merian, testing her, asked various questions, and Vivian answered smoothly.
“Beef and mushrooms pair naturally. Fiber-rich mushrooms aid digestion of meat. In addition to the king oyster mushrooms already prepared, we could add more mushrooms for variety. Ingredients that go well together don’t need to be cooked separately. We aren’t trying to increase the number of dishes, are we?”
Merian looked at Vivian, lifting her chin arrogantly, and laughed as if stunned.
Though she smiled, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Vivian felt a thrill of satisfaction—finally voicing her well-formed ideas.
“That’s a good idea. Then how about you prepare today’s dishes yourself, young lady?”
At that, Mrs. Mayfield turned sharply.
“Merian? What are you saying?”
“You heard, Mrs. Mayfield. The young lady had a reason for being dissatisfied with our food. Her deep knowledge of cooking makes sense of her reaction.”
“Merian, do not be rude to the young lady any further. Focus on the cooking immediately.”
Mrs. Mayfield scolded sharply, but Merian remained unfazed.
Vivian exchanged glances with them and spoke confidently:
“How about a little competition? Let’s see whose dish tastes better—mine or the chef’s. Should we have the evaluation done by someone impartial?”
Deal?
Vivian smiled brightly at them.
Because of Vivian’s suggestion, an impromptu cooking contest began.
A tense atmosphere now filled the kitchen.
The maids, previously pushed aside, stood in a line where Vivian had been.
Though trying not to show it, everyone watched the contest with interest.
The only one displeased by the situation was Mrs. Mayfield.
Standing between the counters opposite Merian, she stomped her foot, trying to persuade the chef.
“It’s best to stop now, Merian. This will not end quietly.”
“I am simply fulfilling the wishes of the future lady of the house.”
“Merian…”
Lowering her voice so only Mrs. Mayfield could hear, Merian replied:
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Mayfield. After today, the young lady won’t take further interest in the kitchen.”
Confidence aside, well…
Vivian’s face twisted into a sly smile as she organized the ingredients.
