My Lady Chef

Linda's POV:

It has only been mere days since my master's return with the duke but just their presence has livened things up in the Aisenburg mansion.

Letters and Invitations from noble houses wanting to host the triumphant duke, who led the subjugation of Guthrie found their way to our receiving boxes by the dozens.

But oddly no invitations for the duchess came, which struck the whole household as odd because we were aware of the huge contribution she did to the kingdom. Through her act of serving meals to the devastated citizens of Guthrie; she managed to earn their trust and even taught the tavern masters, innkeepers, and all those who wish to learn from her how to prepare local dishes that utilize ingredients around them.

And she also kept the duke's morale high by taking the role of the lady of the castle who kept the castle neat and their meals delicious through her supervision. All of the knights who came back gave us glowing reports of her deeds and how the duke seems attached to her even till the new governor was appointed.

But only the duke kept getting invited to soirees and parties.

There was no praise for the duchess who helped out the army greatly.

Since my master is busy doing some seasonal food trials and experimenting on Exotic Lands Cuisine in the culinary house; I decided to investigate since I can leave it to Kain to guard my mistress. So I went to the culinary house's kitchen and asked for permission.

"Hmm? You want to gather information?" Alaina looked at me before she smiled and went back to kneading dough. flour caking her apron and hands. "Very well. You may go. Have fun."

I smiled and bowed before giving a curt nod to Kain, who stood near the duchess. He returned it and I left swiftly through the servant's gate and began my investigation.

I went to the Terra Cafe, where most of the servants from noble houses go for great food and exchange gossips about the family they serve.

In short, Information.

Keeping my cloak down, I pulled out a small orb and swallowed it. I had to use my "fox ears" so I transformed it but made sure my hood was concealing my face to avoid any problems.

I felt my senses heighten. the multitude of voices was jarring to anyone who is not Beastkin but I controlled it and sat down at a secluded spot even as sweat trickled down my jaw. I wiped it away with a napkin and started filtering people talking all at once.

What I found out was not so surprising as I order a cafe latte as a pretense and sipped it tentatively when it arriving after I transformed my fox ears back to my human ones.

It seems like a nasty rumor about the duchess has surfaced and that caused the nobles to hesitate to invite her.

It was about how 3 knights died because the duchess wandered carelessly into the sleeping grounds of were oars and as a result of that, they were trampled on and killed due to her mistake. Another rumor was how she used expensive ingredients to feed the senior officers and knights while giving inedible slop to the lower knights and the citizens of Guthrie.

There were also rumors of how she suddenly came to take credit for her protege's work all because the girl suddenly vanished and the duchess immediately took over the running of the kitchen.

In short, these rumors were the opposite of what the duchess did. Someone was slandering her and twisting the tales of her accomplishments into poisonous tales that might affect her standing in society.

The rumors were further escalated when the fact that the duchess was a daughter of a mere border baron, a powerless man with no influence in the city.

Further shade was thrown at my lady's upbringing like her preference for the outdoors than a proper party or even how lacking she was as a partner to Duke Ezran.

"This could get worse if we do not move to quell them. I must report back to my master after checking out 4 more places." I sipped the rest of my cafe latte and smiled. "Still as good as coffee shall ever get." As I made my way out after paying. One person stopped and saw me. My heart flipped when I saw Neo, the cafe's head chef. He giving me a small smile before he went back into the kitchen.

It took some time to get out of the busy cafe and visited a few more restaurants, cafes, and coffee houses where servants and noblewomen gossip and talk.

So far, the rumors against the duchess are getting worse with each retelling.

Just like any rumor.

Meanwhile.....

Anneal's POV:

Hello everyone.

I believe you all forgot who I was.

I am the Anneal. The 5th princess of Illios and I am just turned 16 years old.

Something interesting is transpiring in the capital as I took my afternoon tea in the Princess Palace's outdoor garden, an adjacent mansion connected to the Royal Palace made from rosette quartz stones It was where the older princesses live while the smaller ones live in their parent's suites. Usually in separate rooms connecting to the main apartment.

As I was saying. A delicious rumor has been circulating lately.

And it concerns the mysterious Lady Alaina. The Duchess of Aisenburg.

Everyone was shocked when the strongest warrior in the Holdy Kingdom, Duke Aisenburg suddenly announced in the papers that he was married after he was just returning from another successful war campaign last year.

Many thought he wed a country girl or a common border baron's daughter just to spite my Father because he has been insistent on establishing a union between the duke and one of my older sisters. When the duchess made her first official appearance at the crown prince's birthday ball.

Everyone was shocked.

For the duke's bride turned out to be an ethereal beauty with a calm yet elegant air of confidence.

But now...it seems like the gossip about her was all about how careless and uncaring she was and how she does not do her duties properly while she was with her husband's war campaign.

Everyone seems to believe the rumors but somehow...I don't.

The woman I met at Brother Belmont's ball did not look the type to do those things.

Time to get to the bottom of this.

"June," I called out to my maid, who immediately bowed to me. "Get me my stationery. I think that tea invitation with the duchess is long overdue."

Time to launch my own investigation.