"You've been cooking less!" The girl at the vegetable store looks upon the golden-masked man whose arms are weighed down by bags and bags of groceries. Tall as he is, all that food couldn't have been for him alone. That was at least eight-person portions worth of food for a week!
In the hustle and bustle of the early morning wet market, a girl presides over her small vegetable store, handwritten signs proudly mark out today's produce with phrases like "“Sempre freschissimo!” , or "Have a good smile today :D". There is even a cute little flag stuck in a pumpkin, flying a bright red and green!
"Heh, you've caught me---" El Dramaturg heaves a basket of greens on his back, "Things have been pretty hectic at our theatre house lately. I haven't been had time to cook well, or much for myself at all!"
The vegetable girl opens her mouth, as if to say something, perhaps a word of encouragement to the golden-masked one--- but nothing comes out. Each week, he would arrive from the house on the lake of reeds to buy a week's of food, and disappear for a week after.
There was a quiet understanding that there must be others living with him. Some people say that late at night, a purple-haired girl will emerge from the house to sing near the lake. Other Bitsborough [28] residents would occasionally see a group of five or six girls happily having a meal on the mansion patio.
It can easily be understood that he was the one taking care of those girls.
She shifts her feet a little on spot behind her stall, what kind of girls were they? What kind of stories did they share? It seemed like a happy circle of friends lived there, trading memories and kindness with each other.
Perhaps one day, she can meet those girls too.
"You know, you can take better care of yourself," The girl shines an apple on her apron, "Here, take this one for free! You can take a break, sometimes, you know!"
Ah. There it was. Although the mask was an unchanging smile, she was sure the man smiled underneath it too. Unfortunately, his hands were too full at the moment, and he truly could not reach for small gift. Instead, a tiny pair of hands emerged from below the display rack, the tiny figure in purple cradling the apple in her small blossom. A small smile beams back from under her oversized Frxnch cap.
"Ah, thank you, Chibi. I'll take that reminder to heart, Aga-chan! But as you can see... There is no rest for me, there are girls to take care of, agendas to fill, theatre to plan! I shall be off now! Come along, Chibi, we can eat that at home!"
As the man goes off, his little companion tottering behind him, the girl comes upon a truth that was obvious to all:
That man, was overworked.
"You called for me, Miss Delulz?"
Eclair Baudz, dramaturg-of-publicity had been called to the drawing room by tiny scampering feet and a letter outside her door. Why Chibi seems to be terrified of her, she couldn't understand. Delivering a few thousand or so letters at once is to be expected of the house's mailgirl!
This is our Eclair Baudz.
Still haughty, still preppy, minus a knot in her heart.
While our house's vow now hangs prominently on her bedroom wall, Eclair remains the same person who walked through our house doors, albeit having given up on some unrealistic dreams!
What she has not given up on...
... is to be the dramaturg of this theatre house!
Once she is truly in charge, she can start making important changes for the girls of this house!
Eclair's eyes turn upwards behind he glasses at the positively scandalous view in front of her.
El Dramaturg is lying sideways on the long, red-cushioned fainting couch--- his head resting on a pair of pale thighs. If he was enjoying the view from beneath his mask, Eclair could not tell, for he lay still as a rock, not even moving to breathe!
Sitting upright on the couch is the house's stage-director, Miss Delulz.
She places both her hands before her at rest, while the golden-masked fool slept blissfully...
Eclair was about to explode with indignation for Miss Delulz, when the girl with the purple eyes puts a single finger to her cherry-red lips---
“Shh… the boy is tired.”
Tired? Then he can go recline elsewhere!
In Eclair's mind, the golden-masked on represented all that is wrong with how the house is run.
Slow!
Inefficient!
Lazy!
When has been the last time the guy did anything for the girls? Why, the most significant thing Eclair remembers is him organizing a send-off party for the Starfallow Troupe! [26]
Otherwise, what has he contributed to making the girls of the house great?
Even now, the golden-masked fool was forcing himself on Miss Delulz, Eclair was sure of it!
Miss Delulz blinks once, those violet-purple eyes of hers receiving Eclair's intentions.
Even though no words were exchanged, Miss Delulz laughed, like she heard a funny joke.
"Tell me, Eclair--- what do you think of the meals at our house?"
Eclair's eyes twinkle, as she launches into a babble of praise for the food!
Indeed, the variety and quality of the food here was the only thing Hakou-like [2] here, each meal felt like it was catered to the tastes of each individual girl at the house! There must be a whole team of chefs working tirelessly in the kitchen!
"... and that's why I would pay my compliments to the chefs." The haughty girl ends her praise, having misunderstood something important. "Come to think of it, where is the team that prepares our meals?"
Miss Delulz slowly raises her hand up to chest level...
... and points at the smiling golden mask!
"I... I take it all back!" Eclair stammers! What a shock! She had almost been tricked into praising the golden-masked fool! Surely the dramaturg of the house had better, more important things to do with his time than to play golden chef in the kitchen! Why, was there no separation of duties at this theatre house? How absurd! There should be!
That was one thing that Eclair could not stand!
Giving praise to the unworthy!
Even the imagined sight of that man coming close to her and taunting her with the smell of well-made côtes de porc [27] on a silver platter made her seethe!
"... that is why we should hire a professional chef in our kitchen! We can't let that guy cook!" The seething girl declares with great emergency to Miss Delulz!
For Eclair, this was a grave matter!
Who knows if one day that man would turn around and call her out for enjoying the food here!
“Well then, let’s see if the Conditorri can save us from burnt toast.”
Miss Delulz pulls out a handphone, and dials a single number.
"Hello, Sachiko, darling, are you still working at that cafe of yours---?"
Before the person on the other end can reply, Eclair butts in; nearly screaming into the phone,
"We need a chef! A really, really good one! My pride is at stake here!"
Glossary
[2] Hakou Emporium - The most elite of the elite of the elite of arts schools. If you go there, you won't flip burgers for the rest of your life!
[26] Starfallow Troupe - The original actresses that trained under Theatre House Delaroux, and came before AI girls who want to become real vtubers!
[27] côtes de porc - A roast pork dish using premium ribs
