Royal Knights Academy – Servants’ Quarters Main Kitchen

It was early in the morning. The sun hadn’t peeked over the academy walls, but the birds were already chirping. Classes wouldn’t start for a few hours, but even so, I had no doubt both Lady Carine and Sir Feyt had begun their morning routine, as per Lady Reyna’s instructions and teachings.

This was the perfect time for me to fulfill my role for the morning.

I stood alone in the servants’ quarters’ main kitchen, a rather spacious facility complete with almost everything one could need to cook whatever their masters wished. But even on the rowdiest of days, this kitchen would rarely see any use, even on the weekends.

Most students had opted to eat in the cafeteria. With its vast choices, ability to request dishes, the social nature of the space, and the fact that it was free on all days but holidays and weekends, the cafeteria had become the definitive choice for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.

At most, the kitchen was used by servants brewing tea or coffee, either for their masters or themselves. Or to cook simple food for themselves.

Lately, however, I had begun using it more frequently.

Eggs sizzled softly in the pan before me.

I was preparing a well-balanced meal, one designed to sustain focus and energy throughout the day.

As I flipped the eggs with practiced precision, the kitchen doors opened behind me. Two attendants entered, engaging in a conversation amongst themselves.

Their voices faltered the moment they noticed me.

“Ack, it’s Lady Carine’s maid.”

They lowered their heads and moved quickly toward the drink area, preparing their coffee in silence. 

As they waited for the water to reach its boiling point, an awkward silence enveloped the room. Disrupted only by my occasional flipping of eggs.

After a brief hesitation, one of them, a freckled young maid, approached.

“H-Hey there, Leila. What are you cooking? Breakfast?”

“Lunch.”

“Ah…” Her gaze flicked to the pan and the plates surrounding the table beside me, then back to me. “That… seems like a lot for just Lady Carine.”

“It isn’t.”

She hesitated. “Then…?”

“This is for two.”

“Oh.”

The young maid retreated without much word, returning to tend to her coffee.

“See?” one of them murmured. “You can’t talk to her.”

“Yeah… The only time she ever spoke to me was to point out dust on the ceiling.”

“She acts as if she outranks us. What is she, a noble?”

“She’s Lady Carine’s personal attendant; she might as well be.”

Their voices faded as they left, cups in hand.

I kept my attention on the pan.

When the eggs reached the proper color, I removed them from the heat and transferred them to another plate. After that, I began meticulously arranging the lunchboxes for both Lady Carine and Sir Feyt.

The meal I prepared had enough nutrition, protein, and calories to sustain both of them during their day ahead. And of course, both of their lunchboxes were the same in content. I had no intention of differentiating their diet. 

For the first time in a while, I was relieved.

Back at the mansion, whenever I found myself away from Lady Carine, there was always work. If I wasn’t instructing the staff, then I was overseeing their work, inspecting the kitchen, managing the laundry, or checking on the gardens.

Here, however, I had no such jurisdiction.

I was not permitted to “assist” other servants. I could not reorganize schedules. I could not correct inefficiencies. I could not even offer instruction without it being taken as an insult.

Lady Carine was either in class or in her dorm for most of the day.

It was to the point that the only work I could assign myself on most days was cleaning my own room. Once i deemed it spotless, I would move to the servants’ quarters hallways. If that wasn’t enough, I would begin to try and mentor the attendants living here. 

But the constant glares of disdain I would get whenever I criticize their work made me wonder if they were serious about being attendants at all.

It was rather inefficient of me. Whenever I sat alone in my room, I often wonder what it was that I could do. I would wonder if everything at the mansion was doing well. I had left most of my duties to the various servants I trusted at the mansion, with Eliza acting as the temporary head maid until my return. But even so, I could not rest well.

So when Lady Carine had assigned me the task of preparing meals for both her and Sir Feyt, I had accepted without hesitation. 

I briefly considered beginning much earlier in the morning, allowing myself the time to prepare the meals with greater care, more precise arrangement, finer balance, and perhaps procuring much finer ingredients. However, the possibility that the food might cool before reaching their hands dismissed the idea at once.

Warm meals were non-negotiable.

I adjusted the placement of the lids one final time, ensuring both lunchboxes were sealed perfectly. 

Satisfied, I allowed myself a single, quiet nod.

After securing both of the boxes into different bags, I began my journey to their dorms.

…

When i reached Lady Carine’s dorm room, the sun had began to reach over the walls. I gave three firm knocks on the fine door, announcing my presence.

Lady Carine opened the door after a brief moment. 

“Good morning, Lady Carine.”

“Good morning as well. Leila.”

I inclined my head and extended one of the lunchboxes. “Your meal for the day. I hope you find it to your liking.”

She accepted it with a nod, her expression calm as always. “Your cooking has never disappointed me, Leila. I’m sure you know that.”

“You flatter me, Lady Carine.”

She eyed the other lunchbox I held in my hand. “I assume the other is for Feyt?”

“Yes. I will deliver it shortly.”

She paused, then spoke again. “Before you go, would you mind remaining out of sight when delivering it to him?”

I gave a single nod. “Of course. As always.”

“Yes. As always. Thank you, Leila.”

With that, our exchange ended.

I turned and descended the stairs of Lady Carine’s dormitory as the sun finally broke over the horizon, bathing the academy in pale morning light.

I was admittedly worried about Lady Carine and Sir Feyt ever since we attended this academy. Outside of their single training session together last week, I hadn’t seen them be together or even talk with one another.

A small part of me began to worry that they might be distancing themselves. Could they perhaps have had some kind of dispute? Were they bored with each other’s presence? Or had they found someone else during their time at the academy? 

Compared with my worry about the estate, this worry began to gnaw away at my chest far more. A worry I couldn’t quite explain with words.

But after receiving Lady Carine’s request to cook both her and Sir Feyt’s meals, that worry was proven unfounded.

They still cared for one another, even if circumstances made that care even less visible than it had been back at the estate.

I would have preferred to see them spend more time together, as they once did. Yet Lady Carine had always been shy about such matters. That shyness now extended to instructing me to remain out of sight whenever I was to be near Sir Feyt.

It was an inconvenience, I understood. One that was better left unquestioned.

As for the remainder of the day, I still had no clear use for my time. At the very least, I believe my findings today would be enough to compose a report for Lord Kyrat. Perhaps his theory might hold some weight after all.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep