Bittersweet Liquor

Chef Denir’s evening routine at the Eckhart Grand Ducal family’s annex residence was determined by the family members staying there.

At five thirty in the evening, he began preparing dinner for the youngest member of the Grand Ducal family, following a menu planned down to the tiniest detail by an undisputed expert on children.

It was usually another hour or two before the designer of that menu showed up in person to tell him what her master wanted for dinner that day.

But today, she came to the kitchen before they’d even begun preparing Lady Maria’s dinner—a most unusual occurrence.

Denir, who’d been spending the afternoon chatting leisurely with his assistant chefs, jumped in surprise and hurried to greet her.

“Oh! Miss Yuria! What brings you here at this hour?”

The young master’s personal maid looked a little flushed for some reason.

“I’m sorry, Chef. I think we’ll need to prepare the young master’s dinner a little earlier today.”

“Of course. No problem. I’ll get right on it. Now, what would the young master like to eat?”

“It’s not quite a meal, but could you prepare some charcuterie?”...