“Ms. Aira, I made a fruit cake based off the recipe you gave me the other day,” Eugenie said. “Would you like to taste it?”
“Gladly, Miss Eugenie.”
“W-Well? How’s it taste?”
“Ah…! I was quite surprised, it’s very delicious. Your deviations add so much, it’s so much better than it was originally.”
“No, that’s because your recipe was such a great foundation!”
It is Sunday. Every time there is a tea party, I send an invitation to Eugenie and she always attends. She seems to have started enthusiastically talking with my maid, Aira, about their shared hobby of cooking. Today, they are swapping recipes.
(Oh, what a delightful scene…)
However, since I have opted out of traditional ladies’ education (including housework), I can’t participate. It didn’t matter if I cooked in my previous life, it was just too different in this world.
For starters, there are no ingredients that have been cut and weighed in advance, seasonings that add flavor by simply mixing them properly, and ramen that only needs you to pour hot water in.
Additionally, there are no gas stoves or induction heaters, and an open flame is hard to use. I don’t want to bother cooking in such a state.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, someone like Eugenie who enjoys cooking in an environment like is amazing at it.
“The scones from Madame Lorimar’s house the other day were so delicious,” Eugenie said. “It was an apple scone, but it had a very nice fragrance and a delicate sweetness that went well with tea. I could tell the apples were chopped, but perhaps they added some more that were grated.”
“Perhaps it was honey instead,” Aira said.
“Ah! Perhaps!” Eugenie cried.
I’m not the only one enjoying this scene, as the other ladies are also watching with smiles on their faces. Ever since the incident with Madam Lorimar and her cat, Eugenie has been welcomed into the circles of the upper class.
Well, I suppose she’s the presonal guest of the Marquis’ daughter, so they can’t be rude. Madame Lorimar also argued for her inclusion, quite the act of boldness. As to expected of a woman who runs her farming territory all by herself, in spite of feudal society being so male-dominated.
Speaking of male-dominated, it appears I’m still the only female squire, and the only woman who has undergone combat training and regularly uses her weapons beside. Partly because of that, I’ve grown to admire Madam Lorimar; perhaps our ways are different, but she lives proudly on her own terms all the same.
“Lady Rosalind?” Eugenie asked.
“Ah, yes, what is it Eugenie?” I asked.
“Um, if you would like some, please enjoy, my Lady…!” Eugenie said offering me some fruit cake.
“Is it really alright for me to take some? Well then… um?!”
“Lady Rosalind!?” Eugenie asked. “Is it not to your taste?”
“… No, it’s the other way around,” I said. “It’s superb! I’m at a loss for words…”
“Really? I’m so happy no hear that!”
A smile of relief spreads over Eugenie’s face. Oh, she’s so cute. She looks like a frightened little animal, but she in the end she smiles no matter what. And when she laughs, the sound alone fills my heart with happiness. You can easily see why the capture targets would drop their defenses and surrender their hearts to her.
“Ahh, I’m so happy…” I said after I returned to my room that night, laying in bed to enjoy my good mood.
Even though it seemed like only gray days since the start of this year, every day since I met Eugenie has been so much more bright and sunny. I already liked this world, but after I started spending so much time with her, I like it even more. I was ready to protect it for Eugenie’s sake.
“And for that reason, I have to set her on Randolph’s route…”
There are six routes in the Otome game “Rose of the Battlefield”. Three branches toward the Amelia Kingdom and three branches toward the Valhalla Kingdom. If you do not branch to any route, you would encounter the bad end: Eugenie dying during an invasion of the Valhalla army.
It was a terrible fate; the game was tough on the villainess, but if I made a mistake, the heroine would have it even worse.
“At first, I just wanted to prevent my Bad End…” I muttered.
I have so many things I wish to protect now. Eugenie, my territory, my people, Randolph. I want everyone to be happy. Of course, I also want to be happy… but for that to happen, Eugenie will have to enter Randolph’s route.
“Haah…”
“Excuse me, my Lady,” Aira said. “I’ve brought tea.”
“Aira,” I said. “Yes, it’s about that time already.”
I have a habit of drinking tea before going to sleep. While I got up from bed and sat at the table, Aira served it quickly.
“Hey, Aira. Let’s enjoy tea together tonight.”
“But…”
“No one will complain if you’re held up for a while, right?”
“Understood,”
I prepared a chair across the table and enjoyed a cup of tea with Aira. I wanted to be with someone tonight.
I watched Air drinking her tea. Dark brown hair and agate green eyes, similar to Eugenie. When she arrived at the mansion, I already liked her from just a glance. It was a daunting task for her to be my personal maid.
“You’ve been with me for three years now, Aira,” I said.
“Yes,” Aira said. “I have lasted for so long thanks to my Lady’s kindness.”
“It’s quite the story, isn’t it?”
Aira was a daughter who was born into an old family of knights. However, her father fell into gambling and alcohol abuse, eventually causing a scandal that led to him being stripped of his rank. It seems that Aira had a difficult childhood as a result, and the children were sent to work for other nobles at an early age.
Despite that, she has never complained. She’s learned all manner of skills and faithfully served my family beside.
“That Eugenie is an incredible woman,” Aira said.
“Oh, do you think so too?” I asked.
“Yes,” Aira said. “Until a little while ago, she didn’t seem to fit in at all, but after getting acquainted with my Lady, it’s like she was never an outsider at all.”
“But what about you?” I ask.
As my maid, Aira puts my needs first. I’m grateful to her, but it also bothered me. I wish I could plan beyond my own future, she was one of the people I wanted to be happy, too.
“You’re pretty skilled in combat, aren’t you, Aira?” I asked.
“Huh? Well, yes, I was from a knight’s family even if it has already fallen. I received basic battle training to protect myself shortly after to protect myself after we were stripped of our titles and lands.”
“I’ve heard you’ve even fought beasts and monsters,” I said.
“I have,” Aira said.
“I want to hunt overnight in the forest nearby,” I said. “There’s a small villa in the back of the forest, but it’s in disrepair from lack of use over the years. I want you to clean and repair it. Of course, I don’t expect you to do it all at once; please feel free to take several trips.”
“Understood, my Lady,” Aira said.
At the end of the night, she cleaned up the tea set and left my room.
Around this time, Samuel, son of Chancellor of the Kingdom of Valhalla, should be near that villa in the forest. Encountering him then was essential to activate the Valhalla Kingdom routes.
In the game proper, Samuel had a fight with his father, left home, and came to the Kingdom of Amelia in disguise. Then there were twists and turns, and after an unfortunate night with unsavoury folks, he lost his memory and Eugenie found him lying in the forest by my family’s castle.
If Eugenie chooses to get closer to Samuel, she proceeds into the Valhalla routes—but as the daughter of House Stanley, I must absolutely avoid the route where Valhalla becomes the victorious country!
At first glance, Samuel is just the son of a major antagonist, but his route reveals him to be a real gap moe character. Depending on the route, he will be able to persuade his father, the prime minister, to play a part in concluding a peace treaty—I’m not sure because I haven’t played the Valhalla Kingdom route.
I always wondered if can make use of him without him meeting Eugenie. And tonight, I found the answer.
I’ll have Aira meet Samuel, as she has a similar aura and personality to Eugenie. If love blossoms between them, then that should be it for that route.
Until now Aira has been loyally serving my family without regard for herself. If I left her alone, she would just continue her service as usual. I’m not saying it’s a bad way to live, but I want Aira to think more about her happiness.
Aira is quite similar to Eugenie, but even then the compatibility between Samuel’s cool exterior and gentle interior and Aira’s steadfastness should be quite good. Both of them are quite attarctive, too, they’ll make such a lovely couple.
Aira can find happiness for herself, can help achieve peace after the war breaks out, and she can also prevent Eugenie and Samuel from raising any flags with each other!
Far from two birds with one stone, it’s three birds with one stone!
… So, that was why I decided to make up a believable excuse to send Aira to that villa in the forest.
ruff Translations 
thanks for the update
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