The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 162

Chapter 162: Privilege and the Thawing of the Oldrand Family

Peering into the pot, which had become thick and heavy, the young head chef smiled broadly and said, “It’s just right.”

“When it’s nicely colored, we pour it into this mold. It hardens quickly when it cools, so we have to be quick from here on out!”

Alexis poured the contents of the pot into the prepared shallow metal mold, and William scraped off the stuff sticking to the inside with a wooden spatula. Ed shook the mold, spreading the brown liquid that was spreading smoothly inside the mold into a uniform thickness, and sighed with satisfaction.

“If we leave it like this for a while, it will harden, so cut it into bite-sized pieces with a knife and it’s done.”

“It doesn’t need to be frozen, just cooled?”

“Yes, it seems that it hardens even at room temperature in winter, but in this season, you just need to put it in the refrigerator for a while.”

Hearing that, Alexis held his palm over the mold. It was only a few seconds. He removed his hand when the heat reaction from the object he was focusing on diminished.

“…It should be cool now.”

Ed looked surprised, but touched the mold to confirm that it was indeed cold and sighed deeply.

“Magic is amazing, isn’t it? It gets cold so easily.”

“It’s really amazing. I can’t use magic properly yet.”

William, who was barely tall enough to peek over the workbench even with the stepladder, looked up with his bluish-gray eyes sparkling.

Magic was something that Alexis had no use for and didn’t particularly value, but it seemed to shine brightly in the eyes of the young boys.

“You have enough magical power too. You’ll naturally be able to use it when you get bigger.”

He said that, and was surprised to see William smile so happily and show such a bright expression in such a short time.

He could now deeply understand what Melfina meant when she said that they needed time together.

He bitterly realized that he hadn’t even been able to spare that much time for him until now.

“If you use a fork to peel the edge like this, the whole thing comes off easily, so we’ll cut it into bite-sized pieces with a knife. Oh, Lord William, please try this edge piece.”

“Is it okay? This is the Duchess’s, snack? Isn’t it?”

“Eating the edges is the cook’s privilege. The shape isn’t pretty, but strangely, the edges are really delicious.”

He was told to go ahead and try it as well, and after naturally exchanging glances with William, he picked up the edge with his fingers.

The pure white liquid that had initially been smooth had turned thick and brown, and was now smooth and hard like a polished stone.

When he put it in his mouth, it wasn’t as hard as it looked, and his teeth sank into it as he bit down, and an intense sweetness spread throughout his mouth.

“Sweet! It tastes completely different from milk!”

“…Indeed, it’s an eye-opening sweetness.”

As William said, it was hard to believe that it was originally milk, it was slightly bittersweet, and had a deep sweetness.

When he took a deep breath while holding it in his mouth, the flavor of butter lingered in his nose, and it gently lingered.

“However, there’s quite a bit left in the pot.”

“We used a lot of sugar, and it seems like a shame to waste it when it’s so delicious.”

William had scraped quite a bit, but the viscous liquid couldn’t be completely removed and was sticking to the copper pot quite a bit.

As the duke and his successor, they had not been educated to think that leftovers were a waste, but after making it with their own hands and tasting that sweetness, such feelings naturally arose.

“It’s okay. Rather, this is where the cook’s privilege comes in.”

When Ed said that, he added milk to the pot and turned on the heat. As he warmed the milk and carefully mixed it with a wooden spatula, the milk took on a slightly brownish color.

He poured the well-warmed milk into a cup and offered it to them.

“It’s caramel milk. Lady Melfina said that it’s great to drink on cold nights, and it’s also delicious chilled in the summer.”

“I see…”

As he was urged, he took a sip and the intense sweetness that seemed to pierce his brain from before was gone, and a gentle sweetness and warmth spread in his mouth.

The aroma rose from the warm steam of the milk, and it had a gentle taste that made him feel relaxed. It was a fresh surprise that the residue stuck to the pot could become like this.

“…Indeed, this is certainly a ‘privilege’.”

“Yes! I’ll go serve some to Lady Melfina and Theodore too. Please enjoy the rest of the pot, you two.”

“Ah, wait. The Duchess said that it’s delicious cold too, right?”

“Yes, especially in the summer.”

Hearing that, he held his hand over the two cups of milk on the tray.

Enough to chill them, but not freeze them.

“…This should be good. Take them.”

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

Ed smiled brightly and left the kitchen.

“It seems that the only way to taste this privilege is to make it with your own hands.”

He told William, who was drinking the little milk left in the cup with great care, in a quiet voice, thinking that it was unlike him.

After inheriting the dukedom, he thought he understood why his father always looked so displeased.

But, he didn’t want his little nephew, after he grew up, to only remember him as being strict and never showing any sweetness.

“It’ll be difficult to do often, but shall we try making it again like this, William?”

“…R-Really, Uncle?”

“Yes. Rufus and the housekeeper won’t be too happy about us using the kitchen, but once you know about these ‘privileges’, you can’t go back to not knowing them.”

“Yes!”

He naturally stroked the head of his brightly speaking nephew.

William had a blank expression for a moment, then his face crumpled up and he suddenly overflowed with large tears from his blue-gray eyes.

“I, I’m sorry, I’ll stop it right away! I’m sorry, Uncle.”

“…It’s okay, it’s just us here.”

Not showing emotions, always judging things calmly.

If they were nobles, they would inevitably have to behave that way when they grew up.

“You’re still a child. You don’t have to endure crying or laughing.”

“…Yes, Uncle.”

Seeing William’s crumpled face mixed with tears and smiles, he felt something warm filling his chest, which usually didn’t move much.

* * *

As they waited for William’s tears to stop for a while, footsteps and voices approached. Peeking his head out from the door that had been left open was his close aide, whom he was tired of seeing.

“I thought I smelled something very sweet, it’s an unusual combination of people and place. Is it just the two of you?”

“Yes, the head chef has gone to Melfina’s place.”

“Everything that kid makes is delicious, but today’s smell is really intense.”

The astute aide turned his gaze to the brown “snack” on the workbench.

“William and I made it. It seems that it is called the Duchess’s ‘snack’.”

“Your Excellency and Lord William did? …That’s, well, Lady Melfina is bold, or rather, should I say it’s like Lady Melfina to do that.”

“That’s Melfina Aunt’s, but she said we can do whatever we want with the drink in the pot. Ah, but there might not be that much left.”

“Oh, I’ll go give the inspection report to Lady Melfina, so please give just enough to Lady Marie.”

“I’ll go report too.”

“There weren’t any big problems, so one person is enough to report. Lady Marie is always with Lady Melfina, so you can give her the additional report at that time. Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Lord August.”

Although he raised his voice as if rebuking August, who had forcefully left Marie behind, he didn’t try to chase after him.

“Marie, it seems like there’s just enough for three people left. Help me clean up.”

“…Understood. I’ll pour it for you.”

“No, sit down. I had a rare experience today, so it’s not bad to do it until the end.”

Marie looked confused, but sat down in one of the empty seats.

He poured the milk from the pot into three cups, handed one to William, who was standing next to him, and he carefully placed it in front of Marie. He slightly smiled wryly at William, who was waiting there for Marie’s reaction, and put the cup to his lips.

“…It’s delicious. Sweet and bittersweet.”

When Marie smiled softly, William’s expression brightened.

“I never thought that the day would come when I would taste something made by the Duke-sama and Lord William. It’s a strange thing, isn’t it?”

“I’m also, happy that I can have a meal together with Marie Au… Lady Marie.”

Marie gave a smile that was mixed with sadness and a little resignation to William, who had corrected himself.

“…Lord William. I’m sorry if you call me aunt in the Oldrand family, but you may call me that while you are in the Enkar region.”

“Eh?”

“I also got permission from Lady Melfina this morning. Originally, the lord’s residence is a place where social status is somewhat relaxed, and she said I’m free to do as I please.”

“But, um, is it okay?”

“It’s not that I disliked being called that in the first place.”

Marie spoke slowly, as if searching for the words. William was clenching his lips tightly, waiting for Marie’s next words.

“…I thought I shouldn’t tell you yet because you’re still young, but you know what kind of relationship I have with the Duke, right?”

“You’re siblings. Um, with different mothers.”

“Yes. And, my mother and your father were not in a formal marital relationship.”

Alexis was quietly surprised at those words.

This was the first time he had heard Marie call his father, the former Duke August, her father.

“But that’s, that’s the same with my father and mother too…!”

Marie gently put her hand over William’s tightly.

Marie smiled sadly at William, who was startled and jumped at the touch.

“You’re afraid of being touched by people, aren’t you? It’s as if you feel like you’ll taint anything you touch.”

“…Um, that’s.”

“I was like that too, when I was about Lord William’s age.”

He gasped at those words.

He had never felt even a hint of that from Marie, who always behaved so composed.

—No, they were both behaving so that no one would know, and I, just didn’t notice.

“When you’re in the Duke’s family, you naturally hear a lot of stories. They don’t openly say bad things about the members of the main family, but every time I heard stories about who was admirable and who was pitiable, there were days when I would naturally think about who the cause was.”

“Marie Aunt…”

“I thought that if you showed that you were fond of me in public, there would surely be rumors that would hurt you. All I could do in my position, where I couldn’t do anything openly, was to distance myself from you, so that your position wouldn’t be shaken even a little, but… I didn’t realize until recently that feelings won’t be conveyed unless they are put into words.”

Holding William’s trembling hand firmly, Marie turned her gaze to Alexis.

“I knew that my father and the Duke-sama were worried about me. I thought that if I accepted that, I would be hurt by trivial words again.”

Marie let out a small sigh and looked somewhat tired.

“Being able to come to the Enkar region with Lady Melfina and seeing her lead people in a good direction by my side, I finally realized that the things I had been particular about were not really important to me at all. I want to cherish Lord William as my nephew, at least within the lord’s residence.”

Marie paused, then, still holding William’s hand firmly, looked up and looked straight at Alexis.

“…It may be difficult, but would you allow me to call you–B-big brother, when it’s just us family sometimes?”

“…You can call me that anytime. I won’t let anyone complain.”

“That’s impossible. I’m not used to it, so I’m very nervous and embarrassed.”

Marie’s cheeks and ears were dyed bright red as she smiled with relief.

Seeing that, he realized that his own cheeks were also hot, and clenched his teeth.

Marie, feeling overwhelmed, hugged William, and Marie hugged him with love.

“Marie Aunt, I, I’m sorry, I always, thought that Marie Aunt might hate me, but I, wanted you to like me.”

“It’s me who should apologize for not being able to convey it… I’m sorry, William.”

His heart ached terribly at the sight of the sister he had thought he couldn’t call sister hugging his nephew and saying that sadly.

If he had been able to handle things better, wouldn’t they both have been able to avoid suppressing their feelings for so long?

He bitterly realized that he had been neglecting the feelings of others as he continued to suppress his own emotions and just calmly tried to be a cog that moved the north.

He had always thought that he didn’t need personal happiness.

That only tragedy awaited at the end of seeking it.

But, maybe he didn’t have to throw away affection in a place unrelated to himself.

His little nephew, his sister, and the still-young head chef.

And, more than anyone else, he was taught that by his wife, who was only that in name, on that day.