"I am truly sorry that my son put on such a poor display, young Lord Kaiser."
With a smile that could bring any man to his knees, Duchess Dyana Donoghan, who had witnessed Kris's outburst of madness, came in person to apologize.
"Duchess, I understand that Kris is your son, but you are not responsible for his behavior," Kaiser replied politely, while fixing his gaze on her. "... Besides, he has already apologized."
"Thank you for your consideration," Dyana resumed, letting out a small sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if I haven't been too lenient with him."
'Lenient!? I think it's rather the duke who is too lenient with you, dear Dyana... with an ass like that, having only two children... I fear he is indeed too indulgent.'
Kaiser couldn't help having some very dark thoughts, whether about the daughter or the mother. He wasn't responsible for it; after all, how could he stay focused in front of such a piece?
If Isabella was cute, then her mother would truly be her perfect ripe version. She wore a garnet red dress, perfectly matching her amber eyes and black hair, reminiscent of her husband Duke Donoghan's suit. Her dress embraced every curve of her body, highlighting her huge ass, even more accentuated because of her slim waist. Unlike Isabella, the two mounds of her chest were well defined... the milk from her must be of superior quality...
"Duchess," said Kaiser, in a calm but serious voice. "Why be so hard on yourself? From what I've seen, you have perfectly fulfilled your role, as one would expect from a duchess."
She was one of the targets Kaiser had to reach during the ceremony. It was lucky that that asshole Kris had lost it; it made things much easier.
Kaiser took advantage of the moment; he continued the conversation, giving compliments where needed without seeming strange. The duchess, like her daughter, seemed to have a great appreciation for him. After all, the Paragons were a powerful economic ally.
He used this advantage to steer the discussion where he wanted.
"... Your cuisine is exquisite, if I may say so. I still remember the pastries you offered for my fifteenth birthday..."
Dyana, beyond being a ninth-class mage with epic talent and metal affinity, loved cooking very much. A striking contrast, but one that had led Kaiser to choose it for his business idea.
Moreover, she was really delighted to learn that Kaiser appreciated her little cakes; she had even offered to send him some. Without realizing it, she had really invested in the discussion, criticizing the empire's chefs' cuisine with the young noble.
She was a bit surprised to see that Kaiser knew about it, and apparently quite a bit. A common point had just appeared between them, strengthening the bond.
They settled near a table. A soft atmosphere enveloping them, as if the conversation was naturally finding its rhythm. Dyana clasped her hands, attentive.
"... By the way, Duchess, I would very much like to talk toूल you about a rather special project. Our two families could derive considerable profit from it, while delighting the taste buds of our dear elf friends," said Kaiser calmly, with a confident smile as he fixed his gaze on the woman before him.
"The elves? A project?" Dyana's curiosity was at its peak; the time spent with this boy made her appreciate him more and more.
Who said he had no talent? His mind was sharper than most young people his age. He had this ability; he managed to captivate her, whether with the topics discussed or his general knowledge...
'I heard rumors about the cancellation of his engagement... should I arrange for Isabella to date him? No, she is already engaged. Too bad; he might be better than those princes who focus on politics.'
Lost in her thoughts, the duchess was starting to consider things, many things. After all, she didn't want her daughter to be as unhappy in her marriage as she was... but she was far from suspecting that Kaiser was quite a greedy type. Why would he settle for the daughter when he could go straight to the source by having the mother?
"Yes, I am currently working on creating vegetarian dishes for the elves," he said. "Their diet is strict, contenting themselves only with fruits and vegetables. Moreover, even there, they don't use the ingredients to their full potential.
"I understand and respect their beliefs; that's why I thought of offering them plant-based dishes, but with my method, they could reproduce a taste quite similar to meat."
Kaiser drew inspiration from the food of his former world; he planned to use mushrooms, legumes, and other chemical substances to achieve his goals. If it had been done for vegetarians, it was all the more possible for elves.
If the duchess agreed to give her support, things could advance much faster. The Donoghans' authority was an important element in his plan.
The duchess tilted her head, suddenly very interested in what she was hearing.
"Plants... tasting like meat... that sounds incredible. I've been cooking for a long time, and I've never heard of that."
"It's understandable, but what I say is quite feasible," Kaiser replied. "I've already gathered what I need; some ingredients mainly come from the South and require specific preparation."
For a culinary art enthusiast, witnessing such a great miracle was the height of happiness.
"That's very interesting what you're proposing, Lord Kaiser. And you really want to create complete menus? Will they be intended only for the elves?"
"Yes. I think the elves would be delighted to have dishes respecting their traditions while bringing something new. But I don't plan to stop at the elves; there will be other menus prepared with the greatest care for the nobles and even for the commoners... you understand... Duchess, you who love cooking," he added with a slight smile.
Kaiser was going to officially introduce the nobles to junk food, a most vicious trap. Once in, impossible to get out, but he didn't care; only the money he was going to make interested him.
The duchess straightened up, her interest piqued to the fullest; she wanted only one thing: to see with her own eyes, or rather taste, the famous dishes Kaiser was talking about.
"I do love cooking, that's true. But it's not often that someone notices it. Most people prefer to ignore that detail, as if it were too... modest for a duchess."
Kaiser replied without hesitation.
"I think it's a quality. You do what you love. There's nothing more respectable."
Dyana let out a soft little laugh that lightened the heavy atmosphere of mourning.
"You are really a well-mannered boy, Kaiser. I see you haven't lost your delicate way of speaking."
"I'm only telling the truth, Duchess."
She fixed her gaze on him, amused, but straightforward.
"You have certainly matured a lot. One can feel that responsibilities have shaped you. And yet you haven't lost your natural calm."
Kaiser replied with a discreet smile.
"I'm simply trying to stay myself."