Chapter 5

The fact that Mother disappeared from time to time meant that I had to be left on my own.

That was why Mother used every bit of knowledge she possessed to arm me with everything I needed to survive.

“Lucy, the moment the crown prince ascends the throne, you need to run. You could even infiltrate a group of pirates. They’re always looking for good cooks.”

“Lucy, there will be a typhoon in the South Sea when you turn ten, and the price of sugar will skyrocket when you turn eleven. We should stock up ahead of time.”

“There are all kinds of schemes and political machinations going on inside House Bellaon. If you ever meet someone from that family, be extremely careful.”

Luciela stared intently at Cain and blinked.

So this man was Cain Bellaon.

Even without hearing his name from Mother, there were few people in the Empire who didn’t know who he was.

The fifth-degree nephew of the Duke of Bellaon.

A man who, despite not being a close relative, had pushed aside every member of the direct line and earned himself a baronial title.

A remarkably talented warrior who, had he been born as the duke’s legitimate son, would have been considered a natural heir long ago.

The general public regarded him as ruthless.

After all, anyone capable of pushing aside the duke’s cunning direct descendants and holding his position against them had to be even more vicious than they were.

In fact, Mother had said that when she first started the game, she had died at his hands several times.

Remembering that, Luciela looked at his face again.

His eyes seemed even sharper now.

“You must be wondering why you’re here. For your information, half a day has passed since you lost consciousness.”

Cain spoke to Luciela, who was frantically turning things over in her head.

“The doctor says there’s nothing seriously wrong with you. Apparently, you simply exhausted your stamina and mana.”

Then why am I riding in the same carriage as the people of House Bellaon?

A chill suddenly ran down Luciela’s spine.

Kidnapping?

No.

Being arrested was far more likely.

Perhaps they had realized that the woman she had met back when she was in the Imperial Army had been a wanted criminal and tracked her down here.

Or maybe Cain had held on to the fact that Luciela had called him ugly that day and had come all this way to take revenge.

Or perhaps…

Luciela suddenly felt around her waist.

The gold coins she had stolen from Nigel were gone.

…So that’s it.

I’m being arrested for theft.

“I don’t think I was completely in the right…”

Thinking she was doomed, Luciela swallowed nervously before speaking.

“But from my point of view…”

“I’ll ask you directly.”

Cain’s Adam’s apple moved slightly.

“Can you recreate those butter potatoes from earlier, as well as the castella you made long ago?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you can make those crispy, salty potatoes you made with your own hands—the ones with the amusing shape. And the castella that was as fluffy as a cloud.”

This time, Lucan spoke.

Luciela stared at the two men with round eyes.

Looking more closely, she noticed that there was still seasoning around their mouths.

The very herb powder she had sprinkled over the tornado potatoes.

Did they eat it?

While I was unconscious?

The piece that had fallen on the ground?

…Gross.

Perhaps her horrified expression gave her away, because Cain cleared his throat and handed her something.

“First, I’ll return these to you. Officially, they belong to you. These are the items determined to be yours, along with your share of the severance pay. The lord asked me to deliver them to you.”

Luciela’s eyes widened.

What Cain handed her were her mother’s diary, the bottle of MSG, and the pouch she had taken from Nigel’s waist.

Except the pouch was about ten times heavier than it had originally been.

“I suppose an explanation is necessary. After you lost consciousness, we entered the lord’s castle and investigated the situation. The kitchen staff continued lying until the very end, but according to the testimony of the cleaners, it appears you were being exploited quite severely by a man named Nigel.”

“……”

“Using the complaint you left behind and the statements you had recorded, we punished all of them.”

“What? Everyone in the kitchen?”

“Everyone who was colluding with Nigel has been dismissed. They stole property belonging to their former employer, so no noble in the Empire will be willing to hire them.”

Cain nodded with an indifferent expression.

“I had intended to add a whipping to the chef’s punishment, but apparently he can’t feel anything after being struck in the face by the venomous scales. I’m told he’ll experience enough pain to kill him after a week, so keep that in mind.”

“…What about the lord?”

Luciela asked in a dazed voice.

It was hard to believe that the people who had tormented her for an entire year had been dealt with so easily.

She was both exhilarated by the completion of her revenge and stunned by how Cain had ruined their lives in half a day.

The two emotions collided in her head, leaving her thoroughly confused.

“He clearly lacks the ability to properly manage his subordinates, so his authority will have to be restricted and an inspector dispatched. He seemed quite saddened by it.”

“Ah…”

Luciela murmured sympathetically.

The Lord of Nor, who was nearly eighty years old, wasn’t actually a bad person.

If there was a problem, it was simply that his age made him too easy for people like Nigel and those around him to deceive.

Being subjected to such a humiliating punishment at his age would naturally come as a shock…

“He learned that the special dishes he had been eating all this time, especially the French fries and apple pie, were actually your work. He beat his fists against the ground and cried, asking whether he would never be able to eat them again. He even grabbed me and called my decision cruel, but I couldn’t reverse it.”

Cain’s cold gaze swept over the scars and calluses on Luciela’s hands—marks far too numerous for the hands of a fourteen-year-old girl.

“……”

Luciela was speechless for a moment before her expression turned solemn again.

The lord really had been particularly fond of apple pie.

He had practically lived on it, calling it one of the few joys left in his life.

That was why Nigel had constantly harassed her to make more.

She cautiously raised her eyes toward Cain.

So he had punished the old man further by taking away his greatest pleasure in life.

To Luciela, Cain looked even more ruthless than before.

“Anyway, that’s why we’re heading to the duke’s estate in the Imperial capital.”

“What?”

Luciela froze in confusion.

How had they arrived at that conclusion?

“T-The House of Bellaon’s estate?”

Mother had told her it was crawling with terrifying people!

“Yes. I need to let my niece taste your cooking.”

“……”

“I’d like you to make something like those potatoes from earlier, or perhaps the castella from the past. If you make them for her a few times, I’ll compensate you generously.”

Luciela immediately understood what he meant.

So he wants the buff ability.

The power to increase the physical abilities and mana of whoever ate her food by more than twenty percent.

Luciela could imbue food with special effects.

All she had to do was burn through her own stamina and mana.

“How amazing and wonderful, our pretty daughter. Your father said that children born between people from two different dimensions might have unique talents, but I never imagined yours would be such a cute ability!”

“Lucy buff?”

“That’s right! Cooking is already an incredible talent, but you can even apply buffs! You just have to be careful when using them.”

“Why?”

“Because Lucy’s ability is so powerful that bad people might try to take advantage of it.”

Mother’s warning suddenly flashed through Luciela’s mind.

When she raised her head again, she saw Cain’s eyes shining like those of a predator.

Could the bad person trying to exploit her ability be standing right in front of her?

She hadn’t expected him to be grateful simply because she had saved his life.

But she hadn’t expected him to come chasing after her all the way here, either.

Luciela’s mind raced.

“What… if I can’t?”

“It would mean that your talent is of no use to me after all.”

“……!”

A terrifying threat slipped from Cain’s mouth.

His face was so handsome that anyone looking at him might gasp in admiration, but his distinctive expression—neither a smile nor a frown—combined with his intimidating aura made him frightening.

Luciela didn’t trust people easily.

After what had happened with Nigel, she had developed a habit of assuming the worst whenever things were ambiguous.

Just like the times he had killed Mother’s character in the game…

Did he mean that he would kill her once she was no longer useful?

Cold sweat trickled down her back.

I have to hold out until Mother comes back…!

While she was still frozen in fear, she felt the carriage slowly come to a stop.

“We’ve arrived.”

Cain spoke.

“Get out. I want to see your skills with my own eyes.”