Chapter 13: Chapter 11: Comfort Soup.
Chapter 11: Comfort Soup.
Elizabeth's POV
"Tweet! Tweet!"
…
Agh… is it morning already? I hear chirping.
"Rise and shine, your highness. It's already morning and you need to get dressed."
Victoria's voice rang through my ears as I slightly groaned in displeasure at her cheerful tone so early in the morning.
Shhhk!
I could hear the curtains being pushed to the side, the sunlight peaks in through to say good morning but I wasn't feeling like getting up.
"Nngh…"
I yawned covering my mouth as I stretched my arms up into the air, glancing around my room.
My room was nothing special, almost everything was themed after white. The country believes white is pure, so surely my room must be pure as well.
"..." My head is still fuzzy but I took the effort and tried getting up from the soft bed.
Victoria must've laid me here after all that talking last night. She never did tell me what her life was back then in her hometown or what food she ate.
I want to know more about her.
I walked down towards the door of my bathroom surprised when Victoria came out unexpectedly holding my bathrobe offering it to me to wear it.
"Your highness, I talked with the court about your request," she tells me and I take the bathrobe placing it over my arm.
"Some agreed and disagreed but the head has decided to let me add swordsmanship to your studies when it's time for your public coronation to be crowned as the crown princess."
Coronation?
"May I know when this public coronation is supposed to be held?" I asked her as I walked into the bathroom to get ready.
"Yes, it is to be held at your coming of age at thirteen." (Victoria) answers and I didn't feel it was right to coronate someone by just- being freshly turned into a teenager.
I'm only seven so that's still a few years away.
…
"The whole kingdom, its people, and perhaps other royal families from other kingdoms will attend in your presence. It's a short time to prepare your highness. You will turn thirteen in a few more years so worry not." (Victoria) said reassuring me.
"Thank you for the work you've provided, Victoria."
Victoria gave a slow salute like the other guards that were guarding me and I noticed her hands shifting back slowly to her sides.
She becomes embarrassed suddenly saluting in front of me while in a maid uniform. "R-Right. I have forgotten my real duties. I'm no longer a General, forgive me for the sudden salute."
"You were a General?" I leaned in more curiously wanting to know the story of that.
"Yes, I was originally the empress' guard but I have been tasked with giving care and your protection. Apologies if this happens again." (Victoria) bites her lip knowing that such an action might not be acceptable with the maid of her knowing caliber but-
We're all humans, we make silly little mistakes.
I nodded in understanding. "I suppose old habits die hard. I don't mind it, Victoria but you have to tell me one of these times how you became a general in the first place. What were you like with my mom?."
Her face no longer had the embarrassed expression from before and gave me a look of gratitude bowing her head. "Thank you, your highness. When we have time I will tell you stories of your mother and me." (Victoria)
She calls me your highness again. I've heard that same title over and over again for the years she's served me but considering we're sort of close- not once has she called me by just my name.
I know it's unwise to have a maid calling me by my name but- I want Victoria to be an exception to these rules.
"I have a favor to ask of you."
"Of course, your highness. I hope I'll be able to assist you with anything you need." (Victoria) tells me and I point at her figure.
"Well, you."
I saw Victoria blink in confusion and look over my pointed finger.
"Y-Yes? But what about me?" (Victoria) asks and I nod.
"I want you to stop calling me 'your highness'. I… I trust you enough to let you call me by my name." I said, trying not to turn away from her look of disbelief.
I just hate being called your highness all the time!
I am honestly beginning to get sick of it.
"But... I am your maid so addressing her highness with her first name... this is highly inappropriate for me to do-"
"It's just going to be between the two of us." I walked over with my bathrobe in hand, I pulled over her skirt and looked up doing my best puppy eyes to convince Victoria of my favor. "P-Please?"
I saw her quickly grab a tissue out of nowhere and covered her face with it.
"Y-Yes I would like that… Princess Elizabeth. I need more tissues..." She muttered the last part but I heard it all.
Is she a tissue bank? She seems to have a limited supply of tissues.
After a while I went into the bathroom to take a bath, wearing a proper dress to meet the council Victoria led me back to the royal dining hall.
.-.-.-.-.
The same guards saw my blue dress and complimented me for it before saying good morning.
They escorted me into the royal dining hall and I got to hear a few more stories about their lives or some further details on agriculture.
When I got to the long table Victoria pulled a chair for me to sit on and I accepted it gratefully sitting down as she smiled looking over at me.
"Your highness, what would you like to eat? Should I go ask the chefs to make them for you?" (Victoria)
My ears perked up at the thought of food.
"Something sweet, please." I pleaded my eyes like a cat eyeing for fish being tempted to jump at it.
"No dessert yet. It shall be served after breakfast." (Victoria) smiles, going into the kitchen, possibly ordering what kind of food I should be served to the chefs.
"Hmph…"
I couldn't help but pout at her motherly attitude, she… was nothing like… mom.
Is this what it feels like to have a mother figure who cares about you?
"Fine... anything for breakfast." I continued to pout placing a hand on my cheek.
I could hear Victoria chuckling in the distance.
I wonder what kind of food she'll be asking the chef to make. Now that I have taken command of the kitchen pointing out their unhygienic preparations things have gotten better over the days.
Delicacies were being produced, no greasy kitchen wares and they all listened to my ideas seriously about keeping the kitchen pest clean.
In my past life, I have only rarely eaten delicacies since all the food in our fridge was merely takeouts my mother brought me home or instant noodles from our nearest convenience store that I had to boil water over.
My body has grown accustomed to it and I theorize that this is why I have a hard time going over my palate taste.
I am not used to the taste of organic things because they taste bitter to me.
I thought about running from my seat and locking myself in a room. I know it seems like a childish thing for me to do- but with the life I've lived it was understandable as to why I acted that way.
"But you have a dessert to eat, Elizabeth. Tolerate it for dessert. You've changed the whole kitchen and taught them the food of earth... Don't you miss it?"
Not now smartass me! I hate it when consciousness is more right than you!
I groaned but listened to the voice inside my head. I sat quietly on my chair resting my head on the table out of boredom I know it's out of manners but I couldn't help myself.
"Your highness. Please don't rest your chin on your hand because your food has arrived. Don't forget proper posture while eating." (Victoria) tells me while keeping an eye on our surroundings.
She was telling me to not act carelessly because we weren't alone.
I straightened my back and took a look at the food she placed in front of me. "Your main dish Venician broth full of vegetables that will help you grow healthy."
She took the metal lid off and soon, a bowl of soup full of vegetables like carrots and potatoes was served. The smell of the broth was appetizing, making my appetite grow.
"And of course, your dessert. The recipe you give to the chef to make this kind of sweet is amazing by the way princess- I mean your highness."
I didn't even have the strength to correct her because I'm glad the chefs of this palace finally listened to my yapping about shaving ice and putting in milk cream.
Perhaps giving them the whole instruction to make ice cream is worth it. "Though we have ice treats, this is the best we've ever tasted. If you don't mind me asking, your highness, how did you know that it could be turned into such a tasty treat?"
"Reading can get you anywhere that is all I would have to say." I was about to grab the dessert when Victoria switched it for that Venician broth dish.
"I'm sorry princess Elizabeth... Remember breakfast first before dessert. After your meal, we will start our daily studies. "
I only groaned and nodded, taking my spoon and dipping it into the dish, taking a sip and a mouthful of vegetables- well!
"Mm…"
I might say it wasn't all that bad… I finished the Venician broth by emptying the bowl.
I might ask for seconds next time.
"My, did you like it that much?" (Victoria) leans over looking at the empty bowl. "You've consumed it all."
My face flushed red, and I… it was a big bowl. I wasn't expecting to finish it all but… it tasted warm and light to my stomach. I couldn't help but want more of it with each mouthful.
"It's- well it's good. I… don't mind having another bowl next time."
"I'm glad that you did, your highness. I made that one myself." (Victoria) takes the empty bowl in her hands and I was surprised to hear it wasn't the chef this time that made such a lovely dish- I knew Victoria could cook but this… made me feel comfortable.
We headed out to the library first and got some light reading before taking on my etiquette studies.
I guess I'm back into balancing books once again.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone