Chapter 6

Calling the scenery of the duke’s residence overwhelming would still be an understatement.

Elaborately carved marble pillars and meticulously maintained gardens stretched as far as the eye could see.

The family had already been wealthy to begin with, but the rumor that the current duke had tripled the family’s fortune over the course of his reign did not seem exaggerated at all.

After leaving the carriage to Lucan, Cain took Luciella straight to the kitchen of the ducal residence.

The moment Luciella stepped inside, she was awestruck.

It was a magnificent space three or four times larger than the kitchen in the lord’s castle.

The countertops gleamed white and smooth without a single trace of grime, while neatly arranged silver utensils sparkled everywhere. Even though it wasn’t mealtime, dozens of chefs were busily preparing ingredients in perfect coordination.

Despite her nervousness, Luciella felt a tiny bit excited.

After only ever seeing Nigel’s filthy kitchen, which he was too lazy to clean properly, this place looked like a paradise for chefs.

As the two entered, dozens of pairs of eyes simultaneously turned toward them.

Ignoring the attention around him, Cain looked at Luciella and asked briefly,

“Can you start cooking right away? Something like the castella or potatoes you made last time…”

“Lord Cain.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man with wavy brown hair stepped in front of them.

He wore an expensive chef’s uniform adorned with silver buttons, and an elaborate badge on his chest identified him as the sous-chef.

“What brings you here?”

he asked.

“And who is this filthy little—”

He stopped himself.

“—I mean, who is this child?”

The sous-chef narrowed his eyes as he asked. Behind him, three or four chefs stood with their arms crossed, looking Luciella over suspiciously.

“I’ll borrow one of the workstations. There is no need to prepare anything special.”

Cain spoke briefly, but the sous-chef did not move.

“I apologize, but did you receive Lord Osburn’s permission to use the kitchen?”

“I did not.”

“Then I’m afraid that’s a problem. The kitchen of the ducal residence is reserved for proven chefs. A filthy child like this…”

“I’ve already tested her.”

“You did, Lord Cain?”

The sous-chef asked again, openly furrowing his brow.

“That is correct.”

“I apologize, but I find that difficult to accept.”

Cain paused and stared at him. His expression barely changed.

“You aren’t a professional, after all, are you? If she had passed my evaluation as sous-chef, that would be another matter.”

The sous-chef shrank his neck slightly beneath Cain’s sharp gaze, but he didn’t back down.

His displeased eyes moved between Cain and Luciella.

He was already reluctant to acknowledge Cain’s authority, and apparently even more displeased by the idea of allowing someone as shabby-looking as Luciella to use the ducal kitchen.

“If you need food prepared, simply ask us. But I cannot allow this child to use the kitchen as she pleases.”

“Your name was Jerome, wasn’t it?”

Cain murmured quietly, looking at the sous-chef with an indifferent expression.

“Are you trying to stop me? Choose your words carefully.”

Perhaps because of the directness of the question, or perhaps because of the menace hidden beneath Cain’s dry voice, Jerome’s eyes wavered slightly.

“Stop you? That’s rather harsh wording.”

“Then?”

“As you know, when the Duke is absent, Lord Osburn, his second son, handles all important affairs. I’m merely saying that it would be difficult to open the kitchen without his permission.”

“Debron and Melina have brought people into the kitchen before. Do you stop them as well?”

The color drained slightly from Jerome’s face.

“That…”

“Theo and the other children also come in and out of the kitchen whenever they want snacks. Do you tell them to get Lord Osburn’s permission first?”

Jerome bit his lip in embarrassment, then raised his head again.

“Of course the members of the family can use the kitchen without asking. But Lord Cain, you aren’t a direct member of the family, are you?”

He spoke clearly and firmly.

“Even if you have been granted a baron’s title, you are not the master of this ducal residence. As an employee of the ducal household, I have a duty to…”

“I see what the situation is.”

Cain gave a small, knowing laugh.

“Looks like Lord Osburn taught you well. He told you to treat me like an outsider. And to obstruct me little by little whenever I try to do something. That way, I’ll find it troublesome and stop coming here so often.”

“……”

Cain had clearly hit the nail on the head. Jerome’s face became even paler.

Luciella watched the two men anxiously, tense from the confrontation.

She had expected there to be some power struggle surrounding Cain’s unusual position, but she had never imagined that even the kitchen staff would stand in his way.

“Osburn Bellaon, the duke’s second son, is simply rotten to the core. His self-esteem is terribly low, so it’s easy to provoke him, and when he’s upset, he goes out of his way to take petty revenge. I just hope you never have to cross paths with him, my Luci…”

Remembering something her mother had once said, Luciella began to understand the situation a little better.

Cain stared down at Jerome for several seconds before letting out a small sigh.

“You have your own circumstances, I suppose.”

“……”

“But that doesn’t mean I have any reason to tolerate them.”

Shing—

Something silver flashed.

Before Jerome could even understand what was happening, the cold, gleaming blade of a sword stopped beside his neck.

Jerome’s face went deathly white, and his eyes widened.

“L-Lord Cain! How can you draw a sword in the kitchen…?”

“You certainly create a lot of rules for yourself. Now you’re even trying to decide where I am and am not allowed to draw my sword.”

Cain’s voice remained completely level.

“Move aside. That’s an order.”

The atmosphere in the kitchen froze beneath Cain’s chilling declaration.

“The master of this residence is not Lord Osburn, but the Duke. You all know very well that stopping me is not his order.”

“……”

“Anyone who defies the master’s wishes has no right to remain here. For convenience’s sake, I’ll take care of the matter myself.”

“……!”

“You aren’t moving. Then I’ll cut you down.”

“Gasp…”

Jerome stood frozen in place, his face drained of color.

Cain’s command, backed by a sword, carried a weight entirely different from anything Osburn or the head chef could wield.

It wasn’t simply the sight of the sword that frightened him. He felt as though his entire body were being crushed beneath the heavy killing intent radiating from its tip.

Just as Jerome began trembling violently, someone tugged at Cain’s sleeve from behind.

“……Wait.”

A tiny figure, with messy yet bright blond hair and sparkling green eyes, came into view beside Cain and Jerome.

It was Luciella.

Everyone’s attention focused on the little girl.

“So… you don’t trust Lord Baron’s assessment of me?”

“Y-Yes.”

Jerome barely managed to answer, as though he had finally been given a chance to breathe.

“The kitchen is a sacred place. We can’t simply let anyone in based on unsubstantiated claims about their abilities, only for them to ruin the ingredients or…”

“Then test me right now. You can do it yourself, Sous-Chef.”

“What?”

Jerome blinked at the unexpected suggestion.

“You can think of it as a test instead of cooking. I’ll make soup right here, right now.”

“But…”

Luciella subtly raised her head and looked up at Cain.

Judging by the fact that this man had dragged her straight here, the patient’s condition was obviously urgent.

There was no time to waste arguing over whether she was capable enough to prove herself.

Making food with the buff effect was far more important.

There was even less time to draw a sword, cut someone down, and deal with the aftermath.

Whether they approved her after she passed the test or not was none of her concern.

If they needed another dish afterward, she could worry about that when the time came.

More importantly, she needed to avoid dying a pointless death because her cooking was delayed and the Baron decided she was useless.

If she died here, her mother wouldn’t even be able to find her body.

Jerome swallowed hard and nodded repeatedly.

“G-Good. Fine.”

He had no intention of losing his life to Cain’s sword today.

He had only been worried that if he cooperated too readily, the man who actually held power, Osburn, or the head chef when he returned, would chew him out.

At the same time, he simply disliked the thought of a filthy little child wandering into the kitchen and making a mess.

If he called it a test, however, he had no reason to stop her.

On the contrary, if her skills turned out to be terrible, it would give him the perfect excuse to ensure she never set foot in the kitchen again.

“Let’s have the test, then. If this child makes something terrible, Lord Cain, you’ll have to back down as well.”

Jerome forced himself to maintain his dignity as he stepped aside.

Cain sheathed his sword and nodded at Luciella.

“I don’t care what you make. Just cook something. If the result meets my expectations, I’ll reward you generously.”

At last, having obtained permission, Luciella headed toward the workstation.