My Lady Chef

Chapter 10: Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta

Ely's POV:

It seems my 25-minute creamy mushroom pasta was a hit with the bridal house staff today!

My supper meal was a tender lamb stew with rosemary better and creamy cauliflower mash and a

toasty brioche with butter. A most satisfactory evening meal but I also took a small plate of my pasta

with me after I had Charles delivered the staff meal tray to the kitchenette.

the dehydrate meat broth cubes were all done faster than I thought because of my fire mana's

continued heating and compressing process.

I used an ice tray cube to form them well and had my water mana harden the cubes slightly till it was a

good-sized cube. I managed to make a whole big jar of chicken and pork broth cubes in just a day, a

process that usually takes days if not for my mana manipulation.

As I ate the last strands of the creamy pasta from my tray. I congratulated myself on the idea of adding

more flavor to a cream-based pasta by melting broth cubes into the mix.

I remember doing it so many times when I was too hungry to cook anything elaborate.

Since the maids were busy eating, I decided to take my tray down to the kitchen myself since they must

be enjoying their meals. I coincidentally passed by the kitchenette room and I can hear lips smacking

loudly and a few soft moans of pleasure as the clinking of utensils made my heart warm.

They enjoyed it alright...

I cannot help but smile at their voices as I tiptoed into the kitchen to place my dishes in the sink.

But a shuffling sound suddenly made me turn around. A hulking shadow was silhouetted against the

kitchen's back door. Somehow I was curious as the door opened and a tall man wearing a scarlet fur-

lined cloak and had muddy boots and a wrinkled military uniform.

Another man also came in but he was shorter but compared to me, they were both like two bulls in a

china shop with their broad shoulders and muscled physiques straining against their uniforms.

The kitchen had its light dimmed so I could not make out their faces but my gaze somehow was drawn

to the taller one, his way of dressing seems nobler and he was more powerfully built. Tall as I am, the

top of my head was only in line with his ribcage.

It cannot be...

I turned on the lamps from my side and that lit up the kitchen to reveal the younger man with blonde

hair and brown eyes while my gaze lingered at the man with fair skin, his curling black raven hair tied

with a leather ribbon on his back; his ruby red eyes were staring at me as well.

I felt my breath catch inside my throat at my first glimpse of Ezran Aisenburg, the Duke of Tartarus also

known as the Crimson Swordsman and Blade of the Holy Kingdom.

A few days back, I had asked Linda what does the duke looked like and we took a trip to the main

house's conference room where portraits of the past and current dukes are placed. I saw a young

portrait of him and he looked so forbidding with his raven hair and devilish red eyes which is the

trademark trait of an Aisenburg child.

He looks much more imposing in real life and devastatingly more handsome too.

Will he recognize me perhaps?

"Pardon us Miss but His Grace came here after smelling delicious pasta. Did anyone cooked some by

any chance?" the young man was calm and gentle as he treated me with respect as the duke walked

towards the kitchen table and sat on the bench.

"Make me that pasta immediately. The meal I had at camp is all but gone now; Make a lot as I am

hungry," he commanded me, his deep baritone somehow felt pleasant against my skin and he looked

at me impatiently.

It seems like he does not recognize me since I have a maid's cap on which hid my hair and my eyes at

some angle so I asked them to take a seat and wait for a while as I pulled out some leftover pasta and

quickly chopped some garlic, minced brown mushrooms and sliced some bacon with practiced

movements and took out a few herbs from the herb shelf near the stove as well. I also took the jar

where my broth cubes are kept and pulled out one cube.

"What is that brown thing?" the duke demanded as my back was turned while opening the stove with a

mana stone Linda purchased for me a few hours ago.

"Chicken broth cubes, Your Grace," I answered back.

"Broth cubes? " he seems curious.

"You will know after tasting the dish," I said as I started cooking the mushroom, adding the herbs and

spices before taking a few pinches of a secret spice and added it too before adding the finely minced

garlic and then the cube before adding the pasta and pouring at least 1/8 cup of warm water to dissolve

the broth throughout the pasta.

I used half milk and half cream and lowered the heat with mana while stirring it now and then while

frying the bacon slice in a smaller skillet before setting it aside.

I added more cracked pepper and a few more of the secret spice with some parsley I dried a few days

ago before mixing the bacon into the pasta and quickly plating a big helping for two men along with

toast that I warmed in the small bread oven.

"The last touch is.." I shaved some parmesan cheese on top before giving it to them. " Bon appetit

gentleman."

I saw the aide look at his plate and he looked grateful, confirming my suspicion from the soft way he

was swallowing his saliva was a sign that he was also hungry.

"This certainly looks different from the usual cream pasta. Smells great." the duke said as he eyed the

way I presented the plate which was the usual mountain-shaped twirl but he took his fork and twisted a

small amount and put it in his mouth. He then froze as he slurped the long strand that did not make it to

his mouth.

a few seconds of silence ensued and I wondered if he did not like the special spice I placed in the

pasta.

Until he suddenly took a piece of toast and ate it before eating the pasta again, this time he looked very

concentrated on the food as he ate silently.

The aide saw that nothing seems wrong so he also started eating. Just like his master; his hand

suddenly moved faster as I went to the icebox where there was still some red-orange iced tea.

I poured a glass for them both and they stopped to drink a few gulps before their attention went to the

iced tea as well since they drained it all and I had to refill it.

It was a very silent yet interesting few minutes as I watched them eat in silence.

The duke seems to have slowed down after he was not starving anymore and savored every bite while

his companions moaned about how delicious everything was.

Somehow it made me happy that they seem to like my food.

Once they were done, both men looked full after eating and they wore a look of satisfaction as they

drank the last of their drink.

But then the duke's gaze suddenly sharpened as his eyes pulsed then he stood up abruptly. Before I

could take a step back; he was in front of me with his arm wrapped around my waist. His other hand

pulled the maid cap off my head, revealing my hair and eyes.

His eyes widened as the light-framed my shocked face before his full lips turned into a grin, showing

me his fangs.

"Hello wife." his voice sounded seductive, brimming with a warmth I never thought was possible from

him since he left me on our wedding night.

Oh..crap. He recognized me.

Somehow my heart starting beating fast as I realized that he was looking at me like he was seeing me

for the first time and from the passionate heat in his stare, he likes what he sees from the way his body

reacted to me.

I tried to pull away, not trusting my body the moment he smiled but before I could do that; he lifted me.

I gasped at the sudden change of position and grabbed for his neck to steady myself when the door

from the hallway opened and I blushed when I saw Linda and Beatrice looking at the duke with sudden

fear as they curtsied, murmuring greetings.

But he ignored their words and walked past them, his footsteps abnormally loud against the wooden

floor as his face suddenly leaned towards my ear and he whispered.

"Where is your room?"