Chapter 398
So Dazzling It Might Fade
I received the letter and turned it over, it was from Uncle Davit.
“A message from Lord Davit. It says you’re to read this letter only when you’re alone, then destroy it immediately.”
“I don’t feel like reading it anymore.”
I put the letter into the magic bag I was carrying, but my grumbling still slipped out.
“Did he come to the royal capital just to hand me this letter? And how did he even know I was in the capital?”
“Because we learned that the three Westland brothers were staying in the New Sandoria Duchy, so I hurried to the royal capital.”
“Are you still staying in Northrad, Brigitte?”
“Yes. Business has been keeping me busy. Someone just had to propose a new wool business, after all.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Floria is helping the Westlands too, isn’t she? It’s the same.”
You can’t win against Brigitte in a war of words. Even if you throw sarcasm at her, she immediately throws it right back.
When I sighed, perhaps thinking I had given up, Brigitte changed the subject for me.
“Reinhardt, if you brought your magic bag here, does that mean you might have a new creation?”
“Brigitte, I do. But it’s made using specialty products from Brother Chris’s new territory.”
“Oh my, I brought new sweets as well, but now they might be completely overshadowed.”
“Dianne, you made new sweets?”
“Hehe, that’s right. They’re sweets made with a new tea that Hubert created.”
“Brother Hubert? Even though he’s attending the academy?”
“Yes. He’s been trying all sorts of things on his days off.”
Whether because it was her own confident creation or because it used a new tea made by Brother Hubert, Dianne was wearing a radiant smile.
“Then shall we start by enjoying Dianne’s new sweets?”
Raphael signaled to the maid.
The sweets the maid served from Dianne’s selection were ice cream, pound cake, cookies, and something similar to a matcha latte, but everything was a uniform brown color.
I started with the ice cream.
“Ah, it’s roasted tea.”
“Reinhardt, is this tea called roasted tea?”
At my words, Dianne looked disappointed.
Since I knew it, she must have thought it wasn’t a new tea, but one that already existed.
“You know I have the blessing: Library. It tasted exactly like something described in a book I read before.”
I hurriedly made an excuse.
Dianne looked like she wasn’t sure whether to accept that explanation or not, but she didn’t press the issue further.
“Dianne, matcha sweets alone would be fine, but having the option to choose between them and these tea sweets is wonderful. Are you thinking of opening a shop soon?”
Floria smoothly changed the subject.
Floria, thank you, you really saved me.
“Yes. There’s the Crown Prince’s wedding in autumn, isn’t there? So before that, we’re rushing the interior work to open a shop in the royal capital.”
“So that’s why you were in the capital.”
“Exactly. It’s a chance to restore the Garuda name.”
Dianne has really become reliable.
She’s completely different from when we first met.
Maybe Brigitte’s influence played a part.
Either way, it’s a good thing.
This time, I put edamame, kinako ohagi, kinako rice cakes, rice crackers, rice cake pizza, and pizza made with bread dough out on the table.
“If Raphael isn’t surprised, does that mean he’s already eaten them?”
Brigitte is as sharp as ever.
“Sorry, that’s right. I had them as lunch.”
Brigitte and Dianne ate, asking Floria one by one how to eat each dish.
“They’re all delicious, but edamame and rice crackers being eaten directly by hand is the drawback, isn’t it?”
Even as she said that, Brigitte was eating rice crackers.
“The pizza is delicious too, but rather than a knife and fork, it seems like a dish better eaten directly with your hands as well. It’s so good, but…”
Even while complaining that it was hard to eat, Brigitte kept repeating how delicious it was, so she must have liked the taste.
As proper etiquette for noble ladies, eating pizza directly with one’s hands is difficult.
Today, I was eating the pizza with a knife and fork as well.
“I’ve never felt a texture like this before, the way the rice cake stretches is surprising. It’s delicious, but if we were to eat it, people might say it’s unseemly.”
For nobles, it would probably be better to serve rice cakes in bite-sized pieces.
I’ll let Brother Chris know.
Though really, rice cakes are best when they stretch…
“Ohagi and rice cakes go well with red bean paste too.”
“Floria, did you eat them with red bean paste?”
“Yes, Dianne. I brought a large amount as souvenirs for Brother Chris. But they were all used up on ohagi.”
Since Raphael, Brigitte, and Dianne all knew the taste of red bean paste, they made me promise that I would definitely serve it next time, and with that, we left the Duke of Clondale’s residence.