My Lady Chef

Ely's POV:

"Hmm, I wonder...." I sighed as I fluffed my skirts, wondering if I picked the right clothes for an afternoon tea with the princess.

"Milady. Are you thinking that perhaps..." Linda looked concerned at my ceaseless sighing.

"I am pretty sure the princess knows."

"Then the reason why she invited you was that she wants to find out the truth?"

"Maybe. But who knows. I can only find out if we get there."

"She may be able to help quell those false rumors, milady. They are getting out of control." Linda huffed indignantly that her tail started showing, the bushy white thing thumping furiously on the seat cushions. "Linda. Your tail is showing." I smirked when the maid made it vanish but after looking flustered. "The rumors are just rumors. I am sure they will die down soon enough. Let us just hope my present to her highness pleases her."

She looked at the pretty cake box sitting on my lap.

Most of the noble ladies bring pieces of jewelry, priceless artifacts, or limited edition hats or scarves to a royal princess when they are invited to take tea with them.

My present was a little different.

"I am sure she won't be able to eat them. They are too pretty."

The Princess Palace inside the Royal Grounds of Ilios was like a cotton candy edifice due to the light pink color of the rosette quartz stone used to make the building. Sprawling crystal fountains, green lawns, and silver fir trees and hedges were added to bolster its angelic image

It was an eye-catching structure indeed

Once I set foot on the entrance. I saw a footman guide us to the garden gazebo where the Princess was waiting for us.

I was quite surprised the Princess Anneal would call on me. My image nowadays was not particularly stellar or pristine.

My husband has been rather busy, so I never told him about the rumors because he has been coming home tired, but I feel guilty not to confide in him.

But I never did think such baseless rumors would get out of hand either.

I snapped out of my musing and greeted Princess Anneal, seated amidst a beautifully prepared tea party table. Her periwinkle eyes glimmered as we both curtsied before her.

"Greeting to the fifth flower of the kingdom. " I murmured smoothly.

"Hello, Your Grace. Please sit."

I took my seat and soon she had her maid serve tea and even some cakes.

Looking over the modest desserts spread over the table; the tableware and flowers more than made up for the assortment of sweets.

In fact, small amounts of sweets for tea suit me just fine.

"These are just some leftover mini cheesecakes and baked goods I managed to save after the Mysterious Cake Maker's best cakes arrive at the Princess Palace. As the youngest princess; I was only given this much." Anneal smiled brightly.

But somehow I felt a twinge of embarrassment and sadness from her voice.

As we took tea, I noticed right away that she has good taste in picking fruit-infused tea for the desserts on the table were primarily made of cream cheese and fruit.

She was a good conversationalist since she immediately asked about my day and even asked my opinion on the latest fashion trends as I thanked the maid for pouring me more tea.

It was a relaxing sort of talk and I realized that she makes me feel at ease.

But it was too soon to think that she may have just invited me over for tea just for small talk...

"...I have concluded my impression of you after talking with you more." Princess Anneal put her cup down. "Those rumors being spread about you are false."

Anneal's POV:

All the rumors about her are not true.

From the moment the duchess introduced herself, I do not sense an aura that I feel from other noble ladies with agendas.

Not many know about this but I possess a certain sensitivity that I can feel whether the person in front of me was honest or not.

And like the first time I met her, the duchess is someone that can be trusted.

"And how did you come to this conclusion, Your highness?" The duchess asked me bluntly.

Straight as an arrow. Just like her husband. I don't dislike that.

"Your presence has not been rattled by the nasty rumors. That gives me the impression that you do not believe the lies about you. And the way you behave around my maid proves that you care about those under your wing. Not many ladies thank or even acknowledge their servants but you have been thanking my maid more than once when she gives you sweets or pours you tea and that shows me how you would never be as insensitive as to offer garbage food to the Guthrie people as the " rumors" say."

My observation often makes people gape like countless idiots because I was nothing but a girl in their eyes but the duchess only gave me a radiant and amused smile.

I was momentarily dumbstruck for she looked even more beautiful than before, the air around her shimmered as if she was glowing...

"Very well played. You are a very intelligent and observant young woman. As a sign of my respect, I would like to present an exclusive dessert tray that I have perfected just for you to sample, Princess Anneal." Somehow her words made me blush. As the youngest princess; no one has ever given anything exclusive or rare. My heart fluttered at the duchess' surprise as my eyes followed the box greedily her maid laid before us on the table.

The box was dome-shaped and decorated with golden flowery edges that looks cute. The duchess pulled down three of the larger flowers and the upper lid came off.

What I saw took my breath away.

This...is food? It can't be.

Five small dome-shaped cakes formed a circle around a slightly bigger dome cake.

The smaller cakes were pastel colors of blue, green, yellow, pink, and purple. Each had different intricate patterns on them and dust with some sort of powder glitter and pretty crystal rose decorations on top. While the bigger white dome cake was simpler with dotted patterns but it had a gold crown on top while the bottom was wrapped with a pale pink ribbon brushed with the same powder glitter. Such magnificent-looking cakes!

The presentation was so beautiful and elegant that I could just stare at the prettiness of it all.

Until I remember that these were supposed to be cakes.

"These are...very pretty, Lady Alaina. What are they called?" I tried to mask my excitement.

"They are called "Princess Cakes." They are made with a layered mix of airy cake sponge, rich custard, fruit jam, and lots of whipped cream. To make it more interesting, Each cake has a unique flavor. Shall we try them together?" The duchess asked me.

I was curious about the "flavor" she was talking about so I curbed my reluctance not to cut such works of art.

"Yes. Very well. Let us try them all." I asked June to start with slicing the bigger princess cake with excitement.☐☐☐☐☐☐