I Favor the Villainess Chapter 26

"…. Um…"
"What's the matter, Lene?"

On a hectic afternoon, Claire-sama, Misha, and I - the three of us first-year girls who joined the Order of the Academy, as well as Lene, gathered in the kitchen of the women's dormitory to prepare for the festival.
As for what exactly we're doing, we're thinking about recipes for light meals to be served at the gender-reversal café.
As for why men aren't present, it's not particularly due to male chauvinism, but because the princes would be worthless, having never cooked.
No, I still think they should at least show up.

"… This flavor, I remember tasting it somewhere"
"Is that so? Well, I suppose commoner can make delicious food"

Considering things that are easy to make, I started off with sandwiches, so I can easily make different variations.
First of all, I served orthodox egg sandwiches, Lene's statement at the beginning was the reaction to it.

"Have I ever cooked for Lene?"
"No, that shouldn't be the case. But this sandwich's thick sauce is so impressive I recalled eating it somewhere"

Ah, crap.

"Ah, this is certainly that mayonnaise thing"
"Do you know it, Claire-sama?"

Misha asked Claire-sama who made a triumphant face.

"It is the latest sauce recently unveiled at Blume. It is a wonderful sauce characterized by its mellow richness and moderate acidity"
"Why can Rei-chan make such a thing?"

Lene sent me a curious look.
That was careless.
I used it in making the egg sandwiches without thinking thanks to my previous life habits.

"Ah, uhh. I must have created something similar by chance"
"Is that so?"
"Yes yes"

I frantically deceived them.

If you're perceptive I think you've noticed a long time ago, but it was me who provided Blume with chocolate or mayonnaise recipes.
Although the plan to make a fortune with hair conditioner ended in a failure, I still transmigrated into a world similar to Medieval Europe.
It's the standard to sell the knowledge from Earth.

My wage as Claire-sama's maid is by no means low.
However, the payments for selling recipes to a high-class restaurant, where a full course meal costs half a year of a commoner's salary, are much higher.

Speaking of the reason I'm saving money, it's to prepare for the future.
If it follows the game's course, Claire-sama will fall to ruin and capital punishment is likely to await her.
I absolutely want to prevent that.
For that reason money is necessary.
Moreover, there's a reason why my purpose of obtaining money mustn't come to light.
Therefore, my relationship with Blume is a secret.

"For the next variation, I made something slightly heavier"

To gloss over that story, next I made roast beef sandwich.
I garnished it with thinly sliced vegetables and basil sauce.
I also used a tiny bit of mustard to bring out the flavor.

"This is also delicious. The egg sandwich was simple yet good, but this is a little luxurious"
"You are doing well for a commoner"
"Thank you"

It received favorable impressions from Misha and Claire-sama.
I also suggested ham sandwich and vegetable sandwich, which the both of them also rated positively.
However, Lene frowned again.

"What's wrong, Lene?"
"Rei-chan, come for a moment"

It seems to be some kind of a secret talk, together we left the kitchen for a while.

"Blume's recent new products, they are Rei-chan's work, aren't they?"

Ah, that's bad.

"There's no way. I said it a while ago. If it's about mayonnaise, it's a coincidence"
"That's not all. The overall feel of your cooking resembles Blume very much"

Lene reiterated.
Unlike me, Lene has been treated to a meal at Blume by Claire-sama.

"You're imagining it"
"You used the spicy ingredient to bring out the flavor, right? It was mustard used in the eastern country, wasn't it? Claire-sama told me about it before"
"I've also heard about it from Claire-sama"

I intend to stubbornly deceive her.
However, Lene persistently continued.

"It's the same with the egg sandwiches and the vegetable sandwiches. The way the eggs were diligently and carefully crushed, and vegetables splendidly cut"
"What's strange about that?"
"The part where it takes time and effort and the part with simple finishing touches is the same as Blume recipes"

I'm shocked.
She told me various things regarding the existing recipes. /hm/
But, you wouldn't notice such minute details, normally.
What, what.
Is she Kaibara ○zan1?

"Well, what about the way the beef was roasted? Until now it was a common sense that meat needs to be thoroughly cooked, yet that roast beef was rare, wasn't it?"

Ah, that's wrong.

"It's not rare. It's called medium. When cooked it's light pink, however with time hemoglobin in meat changes its color――"
"See, as expected. An ordinary person wouldn't have such knowledge"
"Ah"

I was totally carried away with my talk and got caught.
That Lene, she's done it.

"Why do you need to hide it? I think it's amazing to supply Blume with recipes"

Despite her fairly persistent pursuit, unexpectedly it doesn't seem like she'll force it out of me, so I'm relieved.
I wonder if it's fine to talk about it with Lene.
About the matter of the future.

"I admit. Certainly, it's me who provides Blume with recipes"
"After all it's like that"
"But, I wish to keep it a secret from everyone"
"Why?"

Lene sweetly tilted her head out of pure curiosity.

"I can't say the details, but it's for Claire-sama's sake"
"Claire-sama's?"
"Yup. Please, could you keep silent about it?"
"That's fine, but"

She's making an expression like she can't make sense of keeping silent.

"I also have a secret. Just like Lene has a secret"
"!? Wha, what might that be about?"
"What indeed?"

I dodged Lene's question while keeping her in check.
Lene was on-guard with a slightly serious face, was it conveyed that I had absolutely no intention to divulge it,

"It can't be helped. I will keep silent"

and, she relaxed her expression.

"Thank you"
"Instead, please teach me some recipe as well. I'd like to make it for Claire-sama"
"Okay. Is anything fine, or do you have any requests?"
"Um. It would be good if it was a confectionery that goes with tea"

A confectionery that goes with tea, I wonder if she's curious in her own way.

"Got it. Then, come to the kitchen again at night. I will tell you the recipe"
"Thank you. I'll obtain the permission to enter"

Lene, being Claire-sama's maid rather than a student, can't enter the academy's dormitory after the curfew without either accompanying Claire-sama or getting the permission.

"Fufu, I'm looking forward to tonight"
"Hey you two. What are you talking about neglecting your master"

I wonder if she grew impatient or became worried, Claire-sama came out of the kitchen.

"It's a secret story. Right, Rei?"
"That's how it is"
"… Somehow, it feels unpleasant"

Claire-sama can't possibly be honest and say she wishes to be included.

"Then, Lene. Tonight"
"Yup"

1) Oishinbo reference, I believe ↵

Chapter end