Please Kill Me - Chapter 95
Vasily appeared to shudder slightly, which wasn’t surprising given his consistent disdain for Offenbach. However, this time it seemed different somehow.
“That is quite specific.”
As if Vasily had experienced Offenbach’s methods firsthand.
Vasily didn’t elaborate further, but Yekaterina could guess the cause. Yekaterina too had heard some things, after all.
It seemed that during his time at the imperial hunting grounds, Vasily had faced Sergei and Dmitry. These encounters likely gave him a clearer understanding of Offenbach’s methods.
In addition, it allowed him to reflect on his own.
But Vasily wasn’t done yet.
“Although I cannot condone the ways of Offenbach, I understand that the logic of the powerless is meaningless. I would like to ask for your guidance.”
“Guidance?”
“Please spar with me.”
This seemed to be the main point.
At first, Yekaterina refused. She didn’t want to risk killing him after she had gone to such lengths to save him in the forest.But Vasily was persistent. No matter where Yekaterina was or where she went, he would follow.
“Please spar with me.”
There doesn’t seem to be the possibility that he might change his mind, so Yekaterina thought.
‘Is this how Leonid felt?’
Memories of her pestering Leonid to let her do things her way flashed through her mind.
If Leonid knew her thoughts, he would likely feel so satisfied that he could skip meals for days, claiming he could die happy. However, no such thing happened.
Only his stubborn knight continued to pester her, pouring his entire being into it.
Now, she didn’t even bother to respond negatively; she would simply avoid him whenever she saw him. Yet, the knight remained unwavering.
Other changes were happening as well.
For instance, within a few days, Yekaterina had befriended the head chef, Igor. This led to the habit of gathering for snacks during every tea time.
It all started simply enough. Yekaterina, enticed by the delicious smells wafting through the air all day, decided to sneak a peek into the kitchen, only to be caught red-handed.
She was promptly offered a large slice of freshly baked Charlotte cake.
It was an Ethiel-style Charlotte cake, made by pressing buttered bread into a cake mold and filling it generously with apples and custard cream. Yekaterina took a bite of the sweet-smelling cake, savoring its flavors, while the chef stood by, nervously awaiting her reaction.
“Well, how is it?”
“It’s not overly sweet, and the finish is refreshing. The apple pieces within the soft cream add a nice texture, preventing it from becoming cloying. The butter and cream flavors linger pleasantly on the palate… it’s very delicious.”
That day, the head chef, Igor, was moved to tears and pledged his loyalty to Yekaterina.
“The people in this household have such small appetites and hardly ever say anything tastes good. It’s been so disheartening, but now, a guest who genuinely enjoys food has arrived!”
The master of the house, Leonid, had a small appetite, was picky about his food, and rarely gave compliments about the taste.
While drawing out a compliment from someone like that would bring joy to a chef, one cannot help but desire someone who simply enjoys the food. It’s human nature to want someone who appreciates your cooking and to hear that it’s delicious.
Igor had almost given up hope that such praise would ever come from Rostislav’s household. But then, Yekaterina appeared like a comet.
She ate whatever was prepared for her with great enthusiasm and didn’t hesitate to express how delicious it was, a precious guest indeed!
Hearing her indifferent voice might make one doubt if the food was truly delicious, but seeing her empty plates and the faint traces of happiness on Yekaterina’s face while she savored the dishes reassured everyone of her sincerity.
For a chef, such a person is a priceless treasure.
How could they not like her? The chefs at Rostislav cherished Yekaterina dearly.
Igor, the head chef, often took it upon himself to feed her, much like a mother cat bringing food to her kittens.
Whenever Vasily came looking for a sparring session, Yekaterina, who could disappear without a trace in an instant, would always be readily found by Igor and willingly indulged in his culinary creations.
As a result, Yekaterina’s complexion improved day by day, and rumors spread throughout the mansion that Igor, known for his cranky disposition rivaling that of Josip, was ‘fattening up’ Yekaterina.
Soon, other servants in the mansion began to peek into these snack sessions, with Josip being the first.
“I heard you’re stuffing the young lady, or whatever it’s called. If you have any ill intentions towards her, cut it out! I won’t stand for it, understand!”