Chapter Twenty Seven
"Finally!"
I spent the last two hours in the kitchen with my sleeves rolled up, making breakfast.
Why?
Because if I wanted a workforce that did not collapse from malnutrition and slack off, I had to ensure the fuel was top tier.
I looked over the dining table I had finished arranging, the silverware aligned to the millimeter and the aroma of a perfectly seared roast hanging in the air like a delicious cloud.
Kekeke... They're going to work so well. My little workers. Keke.
[Ping!]
[Please control your facial expressions, Host.]
Yeah. Yeah.
I wiped my hands on my coat, satisfied as I walked to the door of the dining room and shoved them open to head back to my study and look over past records.
"KYAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Ugh... Why is everyone screaming so early is morning?
A high pitched scream sliced through the silence of castle yet again as Elena who was probably clearly been reaching for the handle just as I pushed it open, felt the sudden vacuum of space and probably got scared.
Hah... I'm going to make them work so much that they won't have the energy to scream from tomorrow. Keke.
My reflexes, supercharged by the high tension mana circuit, snapped into action and before her head could hit the floor, my hands wrapped firmly around her waist, hauling her into my chest to keep her upright.
Elena's soft rounds pressed against my chest for the second time, and the scent of expensive perfume collided with the smell of my gravy, making me sigh.
What a headache...
"Are you still drunk or something, Lady Elena?" I asked, my voice flat.
[Ping!]
[Get your hands off her.]
You can still yap? I thought you were mad, love.
[Ping!]
[Host is a bastard.]
Are you saying you forgive me?
...
I'll let her go if you don't stay mad at me.
...
Come on.
A sigh passed my lips as no response came from the system.
"Y-Your Grace... I... Sister in law told me... I'm sorry!" I withdrew my hands from her waist and immediately wiped them on my coat as if I had just touched something remarkably sticky.
"It is okay," I said, my voice regaining its frost. "I did not know you were Hans's sister. I apologize for the inconveniences yesterday. I believe my lack of hospitality was quite... extensive."
"Ah! That-"
"Your Grace! How did you do that!?" Kaelen's voice pierced the air between Lady Elena and me. She took several small steps back, her cheeks flushed a deep pink while her eyes remained glued to the floor for some inexplicable reason.
Perhaps, she's never seen a duke live in a house that has such broken floors? Whatever. Rich people.
I looked up as my gaze was greeted by a small gallery of confused faces. Hans, his wife, Kaelen, and Vizen were all standing there like they had just witnessed a miracle or a very confusing play.
Vizen stepped forward, looking genuinely distressed. "I am sorry, Your Grace. I did not know you would be up so early. I will go and prepare breakfast immediately. Please forgive my negligence."
"There is no need for that, Vizen," I said, gesturing toward the dining room where the steam was still rising from the platters. "I cooked breakfast for all of you. So, hurry up and eat. We have lots of things to accomplish today and I do not want anyone fainting from hunger while working."
The silence that followed was heavy enough to sink a ship.
"Your Grace can... cook?" Mrs. Hans asked, her voice trembling with a shock.
Ugh... Why do these people ask so many questions?
"A little, Mrs. Hans. Critisism is greatly appreciated."
Kaelen rushed in the dining room towards the table, his nose twitching like a bloodhound. "If it tastes half as good as it smells. You don't even have to give me my overdue pay anymore, Master."
"Do not say things like that," I replied while adjusting my chair to take a seat. "Consider this a down payment for the mountain of work you are about to do today. Everyone, please have a seat."
The group hovered around the table with expressions ranging from confusion to suspicion. Hans leaned over one of the plates, poking at the flat, golden brown rounds I had stacked neatly. "Your Grace? What is this exactly?"
"It is called a chappathi," I explained. "You crush the winter rye into a fine powder and add a little salt. Then you knead that powder into a dough ball while gradually adding water before cooking it on a hot surface."
"And this?" Mrs. Hans asked, pointing toward the steaming bowl beside it.
"It is a lettuce and potato stir fry. Try it wrapped inside the chappathi. It is a fulfilling meal designed to keep your body warm while working in the snow."
"I see," Hans muttered, though he looked like he was bracing for food poisoning.
Just try it. I wouldn't poison my workers.
They all took their first bites with heavy skepticism, their movements slow and cautious. However, as the flavors hit their tongues, the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The skepticism in the air vanished, replaced by wide eyes and frantic chewing.
Munch. Munch.
"This is amazing, Your Grace!" Mrs. Hans exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy. "I've never tasted something so simple yet delicious!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Hans."
Kaelen shoved a massive roll into his mouth, looking like he might weep. "Your Grace, you can never fire me. Okay? I will work for food."
"Haha. I do not plan to fire you yet. Just eat," I said before turning my attention to oldie. "Vizen?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
"I looked at the pantry earlier," I said, leaning back and crossing my arms. "How do we have vegetables that absolutely cannot grow in the North? I don't think merchants are going to bring them from the east considering it's a hassle since people here can't afford it anyway and the crops might even go bad."
Vizen tilted his head. "You mean the ones that usually cannot grow because of the extreme cold weather?"
"Precisely."
"Oh! It is because of the greenhouse constructed by the First Duke of Halcrest," Vizen explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"A greenhouse?" I blinked.
"Yes. It seems like you do not remember about it either," Vizen noted with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Do not remember?" Hans looked up from his plate, his fork mid air.
"You have not told Lord Hans yet, Your Grace?" Vizen asked.
I let out a soft huff of air. "It seems I forgot. Hans, I have been suffering from a bit of amnesia ever since I woke up."
"Is that something to talk about so casually, Your Grace?" Hans stood up abruptly, his chair screeching against the floor. "You should go to the capital for treatment immediately! Memory loss is no small matter!"
"It is fine, Hans. Sit down," I said with a dismissive wave. "If I thought it was important, I would have dealt with it already. Right now, the most important thing is fixing the mess this Duchy has become. You will keep my secret, right, Hans?"
[Ping!]
[Hans's Loyalty: 21]
[1000 Trade Points Awarded!]
Ah! I completely forgot about the trade shop in the middle of all this chaos. I should check it out soon.
"I will guard it with my life, Your Grace," Hans said, his voice thick with newfound devotion, making goosebumps appear on my skin.
Yeah... I prefer the old practical Hans better.
"No need to go that far, Hans. Relax. It is just a brain glitch, not a state secret. Vizen?"
"Yes, Your Grace?"
"I want to see that greenhouse immediately after breakfast."
"As you wish, My Liege."