ASDEF 03

Chapter 03

I tried desperately to recall the novel, but aside from that one line, absolutely nothing else came to mind.

「”Alissa had remained holed up in her library, reading books, without ever dating a man since her debutante ball. It was because she was unpopular.”」

But even that description made me doubt its reliability the moment I saw Alissa’s face.

Although she wore thick, flat-looking glasses, she was a girl with orange hair, and the freckles on her nose and cheeks were rather charming.

Well, she did give off a bit of an air-headed vibe.

With her fresh face, she seemed to be trying to act like a bothersome sister-in-law, which I found so endearing that a chuckle inadvertently escaped my lips.

At that, Alissa, seeming displeased, pushed her glasses up.

In that instant, Daniel suddenly lifted the plate in front of him and swapped it with mine.

He smiled faintly and said to me.

“You seem more nervous than usual today. Making uncharacteristic mistakes. And Alissa, mind your manners with our guest.”

“But Brother, that’s not—”

“Just let it go for today, please. Unless you want to provoke me.”

“Yes…”

At Daniel’s stern glance, Alissa merely pursed her lips and fell silent.

The Duke of Benson, who had set down his water glass, looked at me and finally opened his mouth after a long, heavy silence.

He pinpointed my greatest weakness with deadly accuracy.

My memory.

“I heard that the Fields family personally protected the previous king during the Poel War. It must have been disappointing that the royal family’s compensation was so meager for such a feat.”

“Well, it’s not so much that—”

“I’m well acquainted with the Poel War myself. Which division was the former Viscount belonging to?”

Which division did Celestine’s grandfather belong to…?

I hastily raised my eyes toward the ceiling.

[Celestine Fields. 20 years old. The only daughter of the Viscount Fields family.

Father, Paul Fields. Mother, Grace Fields.

However, due to the successive deaths of her parents, she is cared for by her maternal grandmother, Emma Churchill.

The Fields family has been from the Ines region for generations…]

Damn it. I only memorized up to this point.

I simply couldn’t memorize any further. It was because the regular market, which opened for the first time in a year, had brought in more customers to the shop.

If you’re going to say, ‘Then you should have studied at night!’, let me ask you—how on earth could I possibly read in a pitch-black attic without even a single candle?

The only time I could fully focus on memorizing was during the brief moments while drawing water from the well or wiping down the tables.

Besides, hadn’t Daniel warned me not to get caught by anyone? Sneaking in memorization was by no means an easy task.

As everyone’s gaze fell on my lips, my fingertips grew cold and my mind went completely blank.

I desperately wanted to pull out that document and memorize it again right then and there, but Daniel had burned all of it earlier in the carriage.

If that document had contained such crucial information—worth 80 gold—I would have stopped him.

‘Yeah, that’s when I thought it was strange. Fire coming from his fingertips…’

I figured he was a mage, but I never in my wildest dreams imagined he was *that* Daniel Benson.

With my shabby appearance and working at a shop, what reason would Daniel have to tell me everything, but still, if I had known, I would have crammed that document into my head.

Every last word.

‘This is your own fault! I’m absolutely not paying back that 80 gold!’

After taking a deep breath, I answered, my mind racing with schemes.

I’ll just guess it all.

“Was he in the 2nd Division?”

“Yes, yes! I believe he was in the 2nd Division…”

“I see. And what was his role in the 2nd Division?”

His role…?

In a war, it’s swordsman, cavalry, or archer. Pick one of three.

“C-Cavalry!”

Instantly, everyone’s expressions changed. Daniel’s gaze, in particular, turned fierce.

Alissa asked her father, puzzled.

“Father, wasn’t the Poel War a naval battle? Is cavalry even used in naval battles? Archers, maybe, but cavalry?”

It was just as I always feared. My guesses were never right.

This wasn’t just a second crisis; it was complete ruin.

As I was gulping down dry saliva, a peculiar glint appeared in the Duke’s eyes.

“Oh, I remember now. The 2nd Division that stood at the vanguard. Strategically, a small number of cavalry was needed. So you’re saying the Viscount was at the forefront of that? My, I had no idea I was in the presence of such a remarkable figure!”

“……?!”

For the first time, his voice rose.

Wh-what on earth is happening? I was simply bewildered.

“To think the lady is from such a distinguished family. The honor is all mine.”

Just then, the butler standing beside the Duke quietly approached him.

He handed over a paper box—one that was all too familiar to me.

Before I could even react, the box was in the Duke’s hands.

“My Lord, a gift brought by Lady Fields.”

“Lady Fields?”

The Duke carefully unwrapped the gift box.

“Ugh! What in the world is this? Who brings such foul-smelling meat as a gift?”

Alissa wrinkled her nose at the pungent odor that immediately spread through the air.

Daniel quickly turned his gaze towards me.

That damn gift.

It was a well-grilled goblin roast. If I had known it was a place like this, I would never have brought it.

Goblins—vicious, dwarfish monsters.

Who in their right mind would ever think to cook such hideous creatures?

That was none other than me, for heaven’s sake.

The problem was that I had presented the food of commoners to a nobleman, and not just any nobleman—but the notorious Duke Benson.

Gazing at the Duke’s rapidly souring expression, my mind went completely white once more.

This was the greatest crisis of my life, Sophie’s.

—

After being possessed here, the golden recipe I developed through ceaseless cooking at the shop was precisely that goblin roast.

Goblins were monsters usually found only in underground lairs like caves, but recently their population had surged, and they were now appearing in civilian villages as well.

In some regions, it was impossible to farm until a large number of goblins were caught.

It was the same in the area where I lived.

Catching goblins was fine, but disposing of those grotesque corpses was no small headache.

Initially, they were burned or buried, but due to the terrible stench and contamination, the nation issued bans on such practices in various regions.

Just then, a savior appeared in our area to solve this troublesome problem.

A person who transformed the hideous goblins into delicious dishes!

Who could have thought of such a thing? None other than yours truly.

I washed away the fishy innards and tenderized the tough meat by marinating it with various vegetables grown in the village. As a grand finale, I grilled it thoroughly over fire, slathered with a spicy braised-rib sauce.

Of course, no matter what I did, it never quite achieved that authentic Korean flavor, but…

‘Ooh! It’s spicy, yet I can’t stop eating it!’

That was the general consensus.

That’s the power of K-Food, you fools! Mwahaha!

“Hahaha! Ahhh!”

“M-Miss Fields…?”

I was unable to control the corners of my mouth, but I had to come to my senses immediately. Thanks to Daniel, who was discreetly stomping on my foot.

He glared at me fiercely, unseen by others.

His eyes screamed: ‘How are you going to fix this situation? Do you have nine lives or something?’

I rubbed my tingling instep with my other foot and glanced around.

The Duke wore a stiff expression, and Alissa was making a sour face at the food.

To be honest, the reason I brought this here was all because of that Daniel. The way he looked at the goblin roast when he visited our shop had stung my pride.

‘Such food is highly detestable.’

I desperately wanted him to try my golden recipe just once.

That was all. I just wanted to take Daniel down a peg…

Oh, God! Was it truly Your will that this ended up in the Duke’s hands?!

I have to resolve this. How do other possessed people usually get out of these situations?

I can’t just spout nonsense. If I do…

Daniel might burn my limbs off before I even get home. With the villain’s curse, without a trace. My possession would be for nothing.

Doesn’t that Daniel know a thing about ‘noblesse oblige’?! Why is this wealthy supporting male lead so desperate to torment an extra like me?

Knowing the rhythm is one thing, but this crisis was caused by you giving me such flimsy information!

As I narrowed my eyes and glared at the bastard, the word I had thought of earlier suddenly flashed through my mind.