'That's because of the way you usually do things.'
She went around causing trouble, bringing the ducal family name into disrepute. So the Duke of Sorpel, who already closed his heart to his step-daughter, did not believe her.
Well, first…
She must first win over Duke Sorpel's heart. And make sure that whatever Ravi does doesn't splash on her.
'But how?'
He must've already gotten tired of her arrogance.
[Hey.]
'She's not even his biological daughter.'
Even if it were his biological daughter, she would be slapped, but it was bad enough that it was the step-daughter, who doesn't share a drop of blood with the Duke, that was bringing shame to the family name…
[You can hear my voice, right?]
'I wouldn't like it either.'
Why did she have to fight with the other noble ladies and pull them by the hair?
[I'm telling you to look at me.]
'Especially at a party with so many people.'
[Hey, can you hear me? Are you listening?]
'Is there any way to make things right?'
Should she go and beg on her knees?
[You definitely made eye contact with me the other day. You can see me, right?]
"Oh my god! So what? What are you going to do if I can see you?"
It was driving her crazy!
Camilla finally reacted to the old man who had been visiting and talking to her for some time.
'I was planning on ignoring you the whole time!'
There was so much to think about but it was hard to ignore him when he's chirping away so loudly.
[Ah… I knew it!]
Ferrol, an elderly man dressed as a chef, shuddered as if he had been shocked.
"I'm not going to carry out any favors."
Camilla immediately drew the line as she looked at Ferrol, who looked thrilled.
There is nothing good that can come from listening to them.
"Asking me to say something in your stead, or solve something for you… I won't resolve any of your regrets. I won't. I can't."
'It's not like I'll be stoned for this.'
It's mentally and physically exhausting to fulfill the ghosts' wishes without being called a crazy bitch in some way.
It's best to just ignore it for the most part.
[Can… Can you really see me?]
"I don't. I can't."
[I can't believe it! How wonderful! I can't believe you can see me! You can hear me, too, right?]
He wasn't listening.
Camilla shook her head gently as she watched the old man rant and rave with excitement, not even pretending to heed her words.
'She shouldn't be doing this right now.'
Camilla immediately cut him off. Sooner or later, she's going to find herself roaming the netherworld like a ghost.
She must somehow win over the heart of the Duke of Sorpel…
"Argh! How would I know what the Duke likes and dislikes?! What am I supposed to do when I don't know anything?!"
Camilla and the Duke had very little interaction. The only time they would interact was face to face, when she was getting scolded for getting into trouble.
Of course she had no idea what he liked or disliked.
[What the Duke likes?]
Then, Ferrol's voice was heard again. He approached Camilla with a warm smile.
[I know very well what the Duke likes.]
"…!"
[I've been working here since he was a baby.]
Camilla, who had been sitting down helplessly, scrambled to her feet.
"Very well, sir!"
Chapter. Let's Live For Now
"Hmmm."
Early in the morning, the Duke of Sorpel went on a walk for the first time in a while.
Recently, he had little free time because he's been busy with public affairs, so he decided to enjoy the leisure time he had been given.
'It's been a while since I've been here.'
The place he was headed to was a garden filled with gypsophila. The white flowers that were spread out like water mist are spectacular.
'Hm?'
His eyes widened slightly as he walked slowly, admiring the gypsophila moistened from the morning dew.
'Camilla?'
He saw a familiar figure in the distance.
Duke Sorpel's brows furrowed as he spotted Camilla standing in the middle of the gypsophila field, doing something.
'She can't possibly be—!'
Something like that had happened before. Camilla had dug up a perfectly good rose garden and made a mess of it.
As always, Camilla kept her mouth shut and didn't make any excuses. She must have done it for no good reason.
At that time, he was able to let it go. It was a rose garden. There's always time to replant them again.
But not this here. This gypsophila garden had a different meaning.
"Camilla!"
The Duke of Sorpel called out to her a little harshly as he quickly approached her. Then he grabbed her shoulders as she bent and straightened repeatedly.
Patter.
"…!"
The thing that Camilla was holding had fallen due to the Duke's actions. It was gypsophila.
"Wha…"
Camilla looked at the Duke of Sorpel in mild surprise, then at the fallen gypsophila in dismay.
She soon bent down and began to carefully pick up the fallen flowers one by one.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was plucking the flowers."
"The flowers?"
When she finished, Camilla stood up.
A faint smile appeared on the girl's face as she faced the Duke of Sorpel, who looked puzzled.
"I was going to decorate father's room."
"My room?"
"Yes."
"…"
"The last time I saw it, your office looked so stark."
The Duke of Sorpel looked at Camilla with a very complicated look in his eyes. She was plucking flowers to decorate his room?
What is she thinking all of a sudden? She was never the sort of child to behave like this.
"Can't I?"
The Duke of Sorpel was silent for a moment as he watched Camilla, clutching the gypsophila in her arms, watch him warily.
And eventually…
"Do as you please."
He uttered a short word of approval.
"Thank you so much!"
Camilla's face instantly lit up. The Duke of Sorpel's expression became even more strange as he watched.
"I'll put them in a vase and bring it to you soon."
And with that, Camilla had left. Her smile deepened as she left the flower garden.
"Are you sure the Duke likes gypsophila?"
Camilla muttered in a low voice, which was answered by someone.
[That's right, Miss Camilla.]
It was Derrin, a butler ghost with a body that looked too agile to belong to an old man.
Shortly after his conversation with Ferrol, the chef ghost, he came to visit Camilla.
Having heard everything from Ferrol, Derrin offered to help. He decided to give her information that could be of use.
There's no reason why he can't help Camilla, who has always been an outsider within the duchy, when she's trying hard to please her father.
The first information Derrin had given her was about the gypsophila.
[The late Mistress was very fond of gypsophila, and that flower garden was also tended by her.]
By Mistress, he meant the mother of the current Duke of Sorpel, who had long since passed away.
[That's why the Duke regards the gypsophila as something very special.]
Camilla nodded gently as she listened to Derrin's words. It seemed like what he said wasn't a lie.
The Duke of Sorpel, who had just looked at her in mild surprise, was different from usual.
The fact that it caused a small ripple in his usually impassive eyes when he looked at Camilla was very important.
'I've got the ball rolling.'
Shall we move on to the next step?
* * *
"No, you can't."
Camilla clicked her tongue at the sight of Jellard blocking her path as she entered the kitchen.
It's a reminder of how Camilla was treated before.
Still, she's a lady. She's the daughter of the Duke, though not by blood.
'Shouldn't you at least pretend to think about it?'
Chef Gerard shook his head immediately without a second's hesitation when Camilla said she would be using the kitchen.
His eyes blazed, and it was clear that he held a grudge against her for criticizing his food and kicking him out of her room the other day.
"Why?"
"Because it's dangerous."
"What?"
"There are a lot of dangerous things in the kitchen. If oil splashes on you, you will get burned. It's not a place for a young lady like you."
She knew it was dangerous but his look read: "How dare you come in here?".
He didn't want someone who doesn't know what good food is come into the kitchen he considers a sanctuary.
So, it's like this.
"I need to use the kitchen."
"It's dangerous."
He was just repeating himself with no creativity whatsoever.
"There's something I really want to make. Get out of the way."
"If you tell me what it is, I'll make it."
"It's something you don't know how to make."
"What?"
Jellard's face instantly reddened. His mouth dropped open in disbelief for a moment before he spoke again.
"Are you saying you can make something I can't?"
"Yes."
"Ha…"
Jellard sneered outright. There was no meal in the world he couldn't make.
No, and even if there was, there was no way she could make it.
'No.'
She can't make the crappy meal that the common people eat. Is she trying to make the same meal she ate when she lived in the countryside?
"I see."
After finishing his thoughts about the meal she wanted to make, Jellard quietly stepped away from the kitchen doorway.
He didn't know what kind of meal Camilla would make, but he's sure he'd have a good laugh.
"Then try it."
As he led her to a pile of cutting boards and knives, Jellard warned those around him with a glare, an unspoken pressure not to offer any help.
Would she be able to find the right ingredients in the spacious kitchen without any help?
Well, even if he didn't give them a warning, no one would help Camilla.
"..."
Camilla, who was carefully examining the knife lying next to the cutting board, took it in her hand. She liked the way the knife stood well.
Swoosh.
"This one's good."
"Good, then— why are you coming this way?"
Jellard winced at the sight of Camilla stalking toward him with the knife in hand.
Was she going to threaten him with that knife? Stab him?
Given her usual behavior, it was plausible-
Bang!
"...!"
Contrary to Jellard's expectations, Camilla slammed the knife she was holding into a nearby board of wood.
Then, she turned to Jellard, who had stiffened in surprise at the loud sound, and opened her mouth.
"Make a bet with me."
"A- A bet?"
"Yes, on the topic of whether or not I could make something you'd want to learn."
"Are you talking about you, Miss?"
After a moment of panic, a sneer crossed the man's face. Did she really mean what she said?