Chapter 6: Cooking
As I looked at the stale and down right disgusting food that had been brought to me, I wondered who and why?
"The servant who delivers meals from kitchen handed us this, this morning." Kaylee began to explain. "When I asked why he would do such a thing he said the chefs' were ordered to send it to you."
"Instructed to send me this?" I repeated confused."Was it the Lord who sent the order?"
"No, it wasn't the Lord, we would have known if he sent out such an order." Kaylee went on. "He also couldn't have done it because he left the estate the day before yesterday, he's gone to the palace to see the Emperor, he'll return in the following days. And yesterday and the day before you were served normal meals."
"Mmmm..." I said to myself as I thought about it for a moment. It couldn't be the chefs, though I was currently in punishment I was still a wife of the Lord, I could have him punished for insulting me. I had the authority to punish servants on this estate. So it had to be someone who isn't the Lord that can order the chefs around. Someone with that authority as well as be able to confidently insult and challenge me. It could only be one of the other wives.
I already had my suspiciouns on who it could be in that case. With that in mind I realized I was at a disadvantage if it was one of the other wives. As I was currently the least favored wife amongst the others I held the least power. So technically my orders to the chefs, if I asked him to make me another meal, could be overridden by the other wives.
Whoever it was they were being smart about it too. They waited until the Lord had left to do this so they had time to cover up in case I complained to him when he returned. The wife in question could for example lie to the General that I was making it all up and as he favored her more than me he would be more likely to believe her.
Almost all the servants on the estate hated me so they could even lie on her behalf to support her. So I wouldn't have any witnesses to help me out aside from Kaylee and Yema. It's not like I could keep the food to use as evidence when I complained. In other words I would have no evidence so I really couldn't complain.
The real Ayan would probably have gotten hysterical in this situation and would have been yelling making a scene right now. The culprit was probably waiting for me to get angry so I would look bad. I saw from Ayans memories she often made a big issue over little things and the General would often reprimand her for being unreasonable. So in the end whenever Ayan complained the general and everyone else on the estate assumed it was a small issue. The General would also take little to no interest to investigate. Now that I thought of it, even if I complained to the General would he care?
The plan of the culprit was perfect for them to make Ayan fall further out of the Generals favor. But I'm not the real Ayan, so I won't fall into their trap so easily.
"... My Lady." I then heard Kaylee call for me.
I looked at her remembering my two servants were in the room with me. Right I had zoned out again.
"What should we do?" She asked me.
"I need you to find out who sent out the order." I said.
"Yes, ma'am she immediately responded."
"But before that... what crops do we have in the garden? I asked the two.
" Huh?"
" Sorry?" Yema and Kaylee asked both confused.
" Well I still need to eat so I guess it's time to resort to something else." The little garden of my punishment home had a few vegetables that I'd noticed growing.
" What do you mean? Aren't you going to complain?"
"There's no point in complaining there's not much it's going to do."
"My lady how can you be so calm and cheerful in this situation! You should be furious!"
I am furious! I thought. One of things I was most excited about since coming to this world was getting to eat delicious food made by chef's. However, there's no point in doing something that's not going to benefit me. But still as I looked Kaylee who had looked so angry on my behalf it warmed my heart.
I placed hand on her shoulder "Thank you for getting upset for me." I told her with a sweet smile. She looked at me with her big expressive eyes.
I then turned away heading towards the door to be the house. "But as I was saying what crops are in the garden?"
"What do you plan on doing?" Kaylee asked as she and Yema followed close behind me.
" I'm going to make my own breakfast." I said as I went outside and walked into the garden.
" You're really going to cook for yourself! ?" Kaylee asked like she going to faint in a moment.
"My lady you know how to cook?" Yema asked.
'I' knew how to cook not Ayan. In my previous life though I couldn't always afford it when could I would buy some fresh ingredients and cook for myself. I initially started learning how to cook to impress my mother really, she was only ever drinking and I thought maybe if I could cook she'd like it. I was wrong she never touched the food, I cooked just drank away.
In the end cooking just became something I liked doing because it meant I could take a break from the convenience food I ate almost every day.
I entered the small garden where various plants were growing some were herbs some were vegetables. The other wives house garden's had well kempt grass and Flora to decorate their homes and no crops at all. There were designated farming fields just outside the estate where various crops were grown for the estate kitchens. As no one had lived in this house for quite some time I assumed the caretaker/Gardner of this section of the estate decided to make use of the gardens to grow some things for whatever reason. I'd seen him come a few times for garden maintenance.
In any case I was grateful to him. I found some tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and garlic. It wasn't much but I could make a decent meal out these ingredients. Going through the herbs, I found some thyme and roeemary.
"My lady you're going to get dirty or worse what if you hurt yourself?" Kaylee asked concerned.
" I saw a some pots and knives in the house can you get them for me?" I said ignoring her.
"Yes, my Lady." Yema responded as she turned to go.
"What ?! Don't just do it are we going to let our lady do this?"
"I only do as the lady instructs." Yema simply responded as she continued.
After washing the ingredients I sliced and diced everything and prepared to cook. I then realized I'd assumed there was an electric stove to cook on. Here I would have to cook using... firewood!
I turned to Yema and Kaylee. "Do any of you know how to start a fire?"
"I do my lady." Yema responded as she quickly left to get some wood from the estate. She came with the wood and started the fire.
Puting the pot on the fire I immediately began to cook. I made a simple vegetable stew. Yema and Kaylee and watched me in awe as I cooked.
As I took several bowls and began to the food into them. Making myself comfortable I sat down to eat. It tasted alright.
"You two can have some to taste as well."
"We already ate breakfast in the servants dining room but I'm curious to taste the lady's food." Tema said to me as she dans forward to take a bowl.
Kaylee also following suite
"My lady, but how do you know how to cook?" She asked me.
Noble ladies weren't supposed to know how to do things like cooking, that was a servants job. So of course the two would be shocked that I knew.
"When I was younger I asked the chefs at my family's home to teach me to cook without my parents knowledge of course."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone