~12~ Time To Bake For the First Time

"Alright Milady. You're truly are something these days"

"Expect more from it, Melly"

Then the two of them head towards the kitchen. Melly and Victoria was carrying the flour --- "The Limited Edition" that Victoria had said earlier. However, when they went outside of the Lady's room, the family's butler saw them and one of his eyebrows while he immediately went towards them

"Milady! You shouldn't carry such a thing! It should be carried by the other servant, right Melly!"

Then as if Melly unconsciously gulped, she immediately however, gently took the bag of flour from both of their hands and carried it alone.

"Good, now Milady, do you need any more assistance?"

The butler that was old as the household ask Victoria who was surprised by the sudden actions of her personal maid. Her mouth was unconsciously opened while she looked back and forth with the butler and Melly. However, she suddenly shook her hand and smiled sweetly at Celium.

"Celium, it's alright. I was the one who insisted to carry the flour besides, it's not that much of a heavy thing to carry, right Melly?"

"…"

However, before responding, Melly immediately looked at the butler who immediately averted his gaze from the lady to Melly only to raised his eyebrows again. It made Melly gulped then averted her gaze from the lady yet said the exact opposite that Victoria wanted to hear from her

"A-Actually Milady, i-it's quite h-heavy so I-I'll be c-carrying this from now on"

'What is she suddenly thinking? She had approved earlier that we carry the flour due to my insistence however, right now after the Celium talked to us she's acting weird, she kept stuttering from her words. It's true that the lady of the household will always be free from any labor works inside the household. She should not do anything that will tire her immediately. Yet, that's the predicament that I wanted to break free from. Melly understood that immediately that's why we did carry the flour but this butler seemed still in the fantasies of what a lady should be, huh? From the original novel that I've read about, the family's old butler wasn't always mentioned yet Celium was mentioned in one event. That was when the lady's 18th birthday a servant had suddenly spilled a wine over some nobles, the servant was greatly scolded by him and apologize towards the nobles. He's that kind of man --- he wanted to earn the noble's smiles and trust. How could he ever lived up to himself if that's the way of him living now'

Victoria upon thinking such deep thoughts realized something that made her looked seriously at Celium. Then she immediately went nearer towards him and hold his hands. She deeply felt how the butler's hands were hard and full of hard works. Celium, on the other hand, was surprise. He was suddenly surprised about the lady holding his hands. Yet, he can't do anything to remove his from hers because she's a noble and he's a servant

"Celium, you're truly working hard, right?"

"Y-Yes Milady. I'm grateful that you've noticed s-such servant like m-me"

"No, Celium. If you're still looking for the old Lady, I apologize but she's no longer here"

"Milady! Please don't say such a word!"

"No Celium, you must be informed that I've lost my memories right? Then you must also know that I've changed. I'm not the old Lady that is doing such things on each servants now. I deeply apologize for the past mistakes that I've committed and right now, I'll change and do things my own way, alright?"

"B-But M-Mila----"

Celium wasn't able to continue what he was saying when Victoria cut her off

"I see, Celium don't you know what your hands were portraying you? It says you're working hard and you praised me earlier for noticing it, right?"

"Y-Yes M-Milady"

"Then you should also know that it's not only you that's working hard but also the others as well"

After saying those words, Victoria looked at Melly whose eyes were widened as her mouth were widely opened with the shock that she was looking at the lady.

'Is there something wrong with the Lady? Sure what she said earlier was right as I've noticed it days ago. She's truly hanged however, she mustn't do anything that will tire her. That's the number one rule of a lady'

"I-I know of the Milady"

"Then I guess there's no sense at explaining it all. However, Celium I'll let you know what I've wanted from now on --- it's to live comfortably without seeing anyone hurting, alright?"

After saying those words, Melly immediately let go of his hand and went towards Melly to help her. She took Melly's surprised face to carry the other side of the flour bag

Then she guided Melly towards the kitchen with her genuine smiles. Yet, Celium couldn't even move an inch after knowing what the lady just said and acted in front of him. He didn't know it yet however he felt some tiny pinch inside his old heart.

'It's the first time that I've seen such change from the lady --- no it's the first time I've seen such a noble who is willing to help a servant not because she was obliged too but she wanted. At first, when I saw Lady Victoria carrying a bag of flour with a servant I was so angry at Melly to let the lady carry the other side of the bag. Yet, what she said pierced my heart. How did I changed that much? I always put the noble's ahead of anything even myself but with her words I realized something important. I've realized that every servant was also doing their best working hard for the nobles just like me so I should be more giving importance for equality. It's a long time since I've realized such a thing'

The old man was contemplating what he had heard from the lady that made him suddenly realized big things in life. He's not alone in the world, he has those junior of him that were looking up to his works that's what she wanted to let him think. Upon realizing his situation, he looked at his hands and genuinely smiled

'These hands were the evident of hard work since I was still a child. How did I ever forget about the feelings of my junior servants as well. Now, I truly know that Lady Victoria wanted to learn new things from the world --- and what it has to offer than the old lady she is in the past. She's truly changed for the better'

***

"Greya, are you sure these are the right ingredients? I think I've made a mistake"

"Oh! It's not like that Milady! Oh goodness!"

Victoria is in the kitchen currently learning about baking, and her current teacher is one of their excellent chef in the household --- Greya. She was the one to assist her when she asked for help. Especially for the flour that she and Melly brought inside the kitchen

"Well, it seems like I truly made a mistake now"

"No, Milady. You almost did make a mistake though. However, I'm glad that you avoid immediately about putting the eggs inside. What should be put first is this"

Greya was instructing Victoria on baking and presenting to her the other kind of the flour before putting the eggs. She was immediately about to break the egg when Greya gently took her hands and stopped them.

"Oh so that's why I think that I've made a mistake, thank you Greya!"

"You're always welcome Milady"

'Sure, she's changed. I thought after looking at her earlier she wasn't the same old Lady Victoria that I've always observed from afar. She's now somewhat feeling the need to mingle with people unlike the old her that always shut herself in her room or the library and read books and bully someone if she's not feeling good about the mood. She's just like any other person that I've known is happy --- but of course she's different from them because she's a noble'

Then as if Greya saw something that enlightened her view, her lips immediately lifted upwards and as her eyes do the clapping while looking at Lady Victoria's expressions. Victoria's hands and face were full of flour but instead of complaining something to Greya she was only smiling and laughing at how she could imagine her face and appearance right now.

'At first after Milady went inside the kitchen, she'll complain about something. That she will get angry at us and speaking of something unnecessary again when I though wrong. I even thought of trouble when I saw her inside but when I look at what she's carrying with her personal maid --- Melly, that's the time I get confused. Then I thought while asking myself --- is she Lady Victoria? That's the time I know that she's changed. It was until we were left alone and I taught her because she pleaded me to'

"Alright, finish!"

"It looks great, Milady!"

"Truly?! Then I hope that they also taste good!"

"Let me try some, Milady"

"It's my pleasure to work with an excellent chef like you Greya"

"Well, it's more like my honor to be praised by you Milady"

"Well, if it wasn't for you then I wouldn't have made these wonderful muffins! Besides, I'll let Melly, Sir Howald and the others get a taste with it!"

"Alright, Milady"

Then Greya was now tasting the muffins that made her widened her eyes

'It's the first time I tasted something delicious than my baked goods! Milady truly has a talent for baking!'

"Milady!"

"What Greya, doesn't it taste good enough? I knew it"

However, instead of responding immediately Greya shook her head and genuinely smiled to her.

"Milady, this is one of the best muffins I've tasted so far! You've truly done a good job, Milady"

Then as if Victoria was happy, she immediately went and held both of Greya's hands, then laughed with her and smiled together

'This time, I'll change your image Victoria because right now --- I'm already you even though I hated you in the first time I read the novel'

"I just hope that Melly and Sir Howald immediately finish what they're doing. They've been busy since this early morning talking about some event on the coming weekends that's why even though I wanted to learn with Melly about baking --- she possibly can't right now"

"Don't worry Milady, I'll always be right at your service with Melly. Just don't hesitate to always come with me if you have any queries regarding baking or anything at all"

"I'm truly glad that you've made time on teaching me Greya"

"It's always my honor, Milady"

Then the two arranges the muffins

"Oh! Greya! I suddenly have an idea!"

Then Victoria's idea couldn't get any more excited than what she's truly feeling. Now, she's giggling and smiling towards Greya who's a bit confused but rather do the smiling instead to the lady