272 - Basilia's Advice
"Hmm, custard is the best."
Basilia's cake is overall cream colored. This is because when asked about my cream preference, I answered that I like custard. Basilia chose custard whipped cream on a white sponge cake. It seems she remembered the pudding she served in Lagarette. This cake looks pudding-like. It may look simpler for that reason, but there is no doubt the flavor hits right in the center of my preferences. The custard whipped cream, a mix of custard and cream, has crushed candies and nuts sandwiched between layers. Sugar is sprinkled on top, and just when I wondered what she was doing, she used a hot iron to caramelize the surface. Then, using cookies and cream, Basilia drew two girls wearing matching ribbons and a starry night sky.
...Even I can tell those two girls are supposed to be me and little Basilia.
If we had cut the knife between the two girls when eating, Basilia would have made a fuss. Anticipating that, Hermine sent us out for a walk, and by the time we returned, she had neatly sliced the cake. Having one girl-shaped cookie placed on each plate, that is impressive.
"Tina-sama's preferences are a bit subdued, are they not. You do not use fruits or jam either."
"I do prefer the bittersweet flavor of caramel..."
It is true, it might not be flashy. If you remove the cookie decorations, from a distance it might look like pudding. I had requested the simple route, not too many chunky fillings, but for a child's cake, it might indeed be a bit lacking.
...And Basilia-chan also seemed to find the simple route not very satisfying to decorate.
Upon hearing my simple preferences, Basilia focused her efforts on drawing. Instead of stuffing the cake with lots of fruit between the layers, she decorated around it with sugar-crafted flowers, making both the cake and the plate itself beautiful. For someone like me who prefers plain things, she still managed to create a dish with such elegant beauty. The teacher providing Basilia's ladyship education must be excellent too.
...And Basilia-chan's own sense is probably good as well.
Our first meeting did not leave a good impression, but when you keep your own pace and spend time together, there is a lot you notice. She is sometimes pushy, and she can be a handful when she sulks, but basically she is just a tsundere girl who cannot be honest. As long as Dietfried does not get involved, I feel like we could build a good friendship.
"...Still, you really thought of something interesting. Making our own cake ourselves."
"Well, fashionable sweets are not anything unusual for Basilia-sama, so I thought it might be more fun to turn it into a game instead."
"Yes, it truly was fun. I have never made a cake myself like this before."
...Though we only assembled pre-made ingredients.
We were amateurs at baking, and children too weak for the work. It feels like you can only call it baking when you start from measuring ingredients, but that was a bit difficult for us right now. So we decided on simple and enjoyable tasks, just combining cake and cream and decorating.
"It might be a little different from a normal tea party, but if it is a tea party just for me and Basilia-sama, a little theme like this should be fine, do you not think?"
"...I suppose so."
Basilia turned her face away with a tsun. I think that is to hide her embarrassment. There was a brief silence, so maybe the part about 'just me and her' struck a chord with Basilia.
...An easy-to-read tsundere is so cute.
I do not let my inner adoration of Basilia's tsundere show on my face. I keep a lady's smile pasted on as I drink my tea. I entertained her with the cake-making theme, but a tea party is a tea party. The main event is information gathering.
"Lately, there is a strange rumor going around that the daughter of a Merit Peerage family was granted a detached palace by the King. Also that Prince Alfred brought a new fiancee, or that the Silver-White Knight Leonardo has finally found love."
...Yeah, those are basically all rumors about me.
Well, it makes sense people find it strange that I am staying in a detached palace meant for royalty, and it is because Bertrand made a scene that some people have gone astray. About Alfred it is a complete misunderstanding, but as for Leonardo's 'spring,' that is just as dubious. I am always clinging to Leonardo, but I have never seen or heard of any woman in his life.
...Ah, the rumor about Leonardo too. Is the real story actually me?
Apparently Basilia gathered rumors about me to share. Listening to her, I learned she had also interacted with Sofiya through Mikaela. Really, what is it with nobles and their information-gathering abilities? I do not think I could ever imitate it.
"How widely has the story that I am Bertrand-sama's granddaughter spread?"
"It has probably reached the ears of nobles who have access to the royal castle."
Even saying 'royal castle' at a glance, this country's royal castle is not just the king's castle. It feels like a small town where the buildings central to the nation are gathered. The king's residence, the royal family's detached palaces, the knights' station and training grounds, and the government offices where civil officials and ministers work. I am allowed entry normally because I was invited, but a minor like Basilia cannot even send letters there ordinarily. It seems that even as an adult, one is not permitted entry to the royal castle without exceptional excellence as a civil official recognized by those around them. That means the nobles you see in the royal castle naturally satisfy these conditions. Except for children called in as playmates for minor royals, and the White Knights.
...Basilia-chan's invitation this time was permitted because I am the master of the detached palace.
My treatment, staying in a detached palace ordinarily given to royalty, seems to be valued as much as or more than the king's own children. Because Silver-White Knights are short, the regular White Knights handle the detached palace's security, but Aaron, a Silver-White Knight, is assigned as my guard for that reason too. Under normal circumstances, they would not let a Black Knight or even a Silver-White Knight's family stay in a detached palace, nor assign them guards.
"Maybe only Flower Peerage from the countryside with no interest in the capital, and Loyalty Peerage who cannot read the times. That is probably the extent of who does not know about this."
"So most nobles know, then."
"I hear Bertrand-sama made a scene. Sister Shestin told me."
...That 'made a scene' is a metaphor, right? It is not literally physical, is it?
With Bertrand, I feel like it could be literal. But still, wisdom comes with age. He is someone who has gained considerable years, so he probably would not physically rampage in the royal castle. If he did, he would be banned from entering.
"I hear there is someone who incited the White Knights."
"Huh?"
For a moment I wondered what she meant, then I remembered. Since there was no actual harm to me, it did not click, but she must mean the White Knight who took some pocket money and guided a suspicious person the other day.
"The person who incited them..."
"Though they have not finished investigating, it seems the perpetrators who had no prior connection committed the crime together through some link."
Basilia warned me not to leave Felicia's side. Even if a Silver-White Knight is assigned as my guard, there is only one of them. If I stay by Felicia's side, I can borrow her personal guards too.
...Huh? What? Am I in that dangerous a situation?
Something strange seems to be going on around me. After being warned almost persistently, the tea party comes to an end.
"Basilia-sama, please take this."
Valerier neatly packed the cake I made into a box. When I showed the box to Basilia to confirm the contents, I saw an unfamiliar bag of tea leaves inside.
...What is that?
Maybe the question showed on my face. Valerier, meeting my eyes, explained in a way directed at both Basilia and me. She had prepared tea leaves that would go well with the cake.
...She really is an excellent maid. I had not even thought about the tea.
Maybe next time, mixing tea leaves could be interesting. For a moment I thought about it, then immediately dismissed the idea. Tea leaves are not something you can just assemble like a cake. At most, you could play around with the origins of the sugar or milk to match the tea. It probably would not be as lively as the cake-making this time.
I watch Basilia's carriage leave, and once it is completely out of sight, I turn to Hermine. When I ask her to evaluate how today's tea party went, Hermine makes a slightly troubled face.
"As a lady's tea party, it is a bit debatable, but in terms of entertaining Basilia-sama as an individual, I believe she was very pleased."
It deviated from the typical tea party format, but since Basilia seemed pleased, I will take it as a pass. I receive a tentative passing grade and heave a sigh of relief. Proper ladylike hospitality is still a difficult challenge for me.
"Gathering information about the other person really is important."
I think this theme worked out because we are children who have come to know each other's hearts. It probably would not work with Sofiya or Mikaela.
...Though I feel like Alfred-sama and Felicia-sama would happily go along with it.
Maybe because I was thinking about that, while having a reflection meeting with Hermine, Felicia's maid arrived.
Time's up. I will continue again tomorrow.
Will fix typos and errors at a later date.