Making Bento

“Mr. Cooke, is there anything I can help you with?”

Flora turned around and greeted him politely – this was the proper etiquette for a maid in hallways and other public areas.

Cooke frowned slightly, but his enthusiasm remained undiminished, and he said:

“Flora, would you be willing to officially work in the kitchen? I can recommend you to be a sous chef.”

This was the best solution that Cooke had come up with, knowing the blonde girl’s situation and valuing her talent.

Firstly, it could reduce the work pressure in the kitchen;

secondly, it could allow the blonde girl to avoid the gossip and the Crown Prince’s attention;

and thirdly, the sous chef’s salary was considerable, and it also came with the status of a mid-level staff member.

A win-win-win situation.

“I know this may not be the right time to say this, but you don’t have to worry about that kid Cohen.

He’ll understand your culinary talent is genuine sooner or later…”

Afraid that the blonde girl was concerned about what had just happened, Cooke quickly said,

“He’s just temporarily unable to accept the reality that I’ve been surpassed.

He’s usually a very eager-to-learn and hardworking kid.

Please don’t hold it against him and guide him more in the future.”

As he spoke, Cooke lowered his head to show his apology for his poor management.

“Mr. Cooke, there’s no need to do that. I didn’t take his words to heart,” Flora quickly waved her hand. “I’m not angry either.”

Cooke was overjoyed. “That’s great. Let’s work hard together from now on. Oh right, this matter has to be reported to Mr. Charlton—”

“Please wait!”

The blonde girl loudly interrupted Cooke, who wanted to finalize the matter. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cooke, but I don’t want to be a sous chef.”

“Why?”

Cooke was a little anxious. “Do you think the treatment isn’t good enough? The salary can be negotiated with Mr. Charlton.

Not to brag, but our treatment here is very good, no less than the imperial chefs in the palace…

Or are you saying that you think my cooking skills are not enough for you to reach the next level? You don’t have to worry about that. The sous chef position is only temporary.

After you establish enough prestige in a while, I’ll give you the head chef position, and you’ll represent us in the national culinary competition!”

“That’s not it, Mr. Cooke. I just want to be a maid and serve His Highness well.”

Flora shook her head and said firmly.

“This… it’s such a waste of your talent. Please reconsider. With your abilities, there are many ways to make money.”

In this situation, Cooke immediately understood her words as wanting to be a mistress, and his whole demeanor wilted.

After all, the blonde girl’s appearance was indeed very outstanding, and although the identity of a mistress was not very presentable and had no corresponding status,

If carefully managed, not to mention controlling real power in the mansion, the illegitimate children born could still be granted low-level titles, and the status of their own family behind them might also rise…

Compared to a small chef, a mistress was indeed much stronger.

Flora did not deny it.

After all, from the surface, she was neither an assassin nor a spy, and she didn’t seem to care much about money…

So, excluding those, her goal was only to be a mistress.

In fact, she was constantly approaching the Crown Prince, doing things to please him… Although most of the time it had the opposite effect.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Cooke. I’ve disappointed you.”

“Sigh, please reconsider. There’s no need to rush to make a final decision… You’ll understand sooner or later that working in the kitchen is the best.”

Seeing that the blonde girl did not respond, only silently lowering her head, Cooke could only sigh heavily and return to the kitchen.

(I’m sorry.)

Flora sighed with guilt in her heart.

Even without the goal of seducing the Crown Prince, she could not possibly agree to be a chef.

The effects of the potion would only last for a year, and after she turned back… There were still many important things waiting for her.

(I must speed up the progress.)

Flora began to realize that the longer it dragged on, the more people her presence would hurt.

Like the apprentice Cohen who was eavesdropping in the dark just now.

When he first heard what Cooke said, his anger had already begun to dissipate.

But as Flora refused, his anger surged out again, quickly reaching its peak.

This was not difficult to understand.

Something that he had always regarded as a lifelong goal, Flora could easily obtain, and completely disregarded…

Flora was well aware that apprentice Cohen was indeed a little narrow-minded.

But if she had never come to the kitchen, this would not have happened.

It was her lies, her disguise, that had hurt others.

Afterwards, after finishing the afternoon’s work, Flora returned to the restaurant and began preparing dinner according to the original plan.

Apprentice Cohen had already returned.

Although he did not apologize, he did not do anything out of line again.

But Flora was well aware that the other party would occasionally peek at her in the dark with a hateful, snake-like gaze.

But what made her feel most sorry was the attitude of the head chef Cooke.

It hadn’t changed at all because she had refused the invitation.

He was still enthusiastically guiding her.

She didn’t know if it was in the hope that she would change her mind, or simply because he loved talent.

After successfully making dinner and receiving unanimous praise and compliments from the mid-level staff, Flora quietly found the head chef.

“Mr. Cooke, I have a question I would like to ask you.”

“Feel free to ask,” the head chef said with enthusiasm, probably thinking that she wanted to ask about cooking.

“Why don’t we make convenient and portable lunches for His Highness in advance?”

Cooke was slightly stunned.

He originally wanted to answer with outside engagements to get her off his back, but thinking of the blonde girl’s goal and the fact that she was valued by the old butler, he nodded and said,

“You can try making it tomorrow, but don’t have too high hopes.”

“I will work hard!”

Flora said with energy.

The reason why the Crown Prince didn’t like to eat lunch outside was simply because he was afraid of being poisoned.

Therefore, the practice of carrying homemade meals out should have been thought of long ago.

But no matter which maid working in the restaurant, the old butler would explain that the Crown Prince had no time to eat lunch, so he should eat more for breakfast.

But the fact that Flora observed in the kitchen was that breakfast was actually made more than the Crown Prince ate.

In other words, the Crown Prince had been secretly doing this, bringing lunch out to eat.

The reason why it wasn’t done openly was probably due to the Crown Prince’s suspicious nature – wanting to let the inner ghost who wanted to poison him actively propose this suggestion, and then walk right into the trap.

Or simply wait for the inner ghost to put something in the breakfast, and then be caught red-handed by the hidden guards lurking in the kitchen.

Flora naturally had no bad intentions.

But she could use this channel to make her presence known and capture the Crown Prince’s heart.

The head chef had also seen through Flora’s intentions, which was why he approved it… Even if his heart still didn’t want Flora to be a mistress.

(I’m sorry, I have to leave as soon as possible.)

Sensing a certain apprentice glaring at her in the dark, Flora became even more determined.

The next day came as scheduled.

After breakfast, the old butler presented a tin box full of food to the black-haired boy who was about to leave the restaurant.

The black-haired boy didn’t even glance at it, walking straight out the door.

“Throw it away.”