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Chapter 5
The fact that Mom occasionally disappeared meant one thing—
I would be left alone.
That was why she armed me with every bit of knowledge she had.
—
“Lucy, the moment the Crown Prince ascends the throne, you must run away. Blending in with pirates is one option. They’re always looking for talented cooks.”
“Lucy, in the year you turn ten, a typhoon will hit the Southern Sea, and in the year you turn eleven, sugar prices will skyrocket. Stock up beforehand.”
“The Bellaon Ducal House is overflowing with schemes and power struggles. If you ever meet anyone from that family, be careful no matter what.”
—
Luciella stared at Cain and blinked.
So this is Cain Bellaon.
Even without hearing about him through her mother, there were few people in the Empire who didn’t know his name.
The duke’s fifth-degree nephew.
A man who had pushed aside all direct descendants and claimed a barony despite not being a close relative.
A brilliant warrior whom people said would already have become heir if he had been born as the duke’s legitimate son.
People described him as cold-hearted.
If someone could push aside the duke’s own children—those cunning people said to be as sly as snakes—and remain standing, then he must be even more ruthless than they were.
According to her mother, when she first played the game, she had died by this man’s hands several times.
Remembering that, Luciella looked at him again.
His eyes suddenly seemed much sharper.
“You’re probably wondering why you’re here. For reference, half a day has passed since you lost consciousness.”
Cain spoke while Luciella’s thoughts raced.
“The doctor says nothing is wrong with you. Simple exhaustion of stamina and mana.”
Right.
Why am I riding in a carriage with people from Bellaon?
Suddenly Luciella felt a chill run down her spine.
Kidnapping?
No—
More likely arrest.
Maybe he realized that the woman he had met during his army days was a wanted criminal and tracked them down.
Or maybe he had held a grudge over her calling him ugly.
Or maybe—
Luciella suddenly felt around her waist.
The gold she stole from Nigel wasn’t there.
…This is it.
I’ve been arrested for theft.
“W-Well, I’m not saying I did everything right…”
Convinced she was doomed, Luciella swallowed dryly and opened her mouth.
“But from my point of view—”
“I’ll ask directly.”
Cain’s throat moved slightly.
“That butter potato from earlier. And the castella you made long ago.”
“…What?”
“Can you recreate them?”
This time Lucan explained.
“That crispy, salty potato with the unusual shape. And the castella soft as clouds. Can you make those again?”
Luciella stared at the two men.
Looking closely—
there was still seasoning powder stuck near their mouths.
The same herb powder she had sprinkled on the tornado potatoes.
They ate it?
While I was unconscious?
The one that fell on the ground?
…Gross.
Perhaps noticing her horrified expression, Cain cleared his throat and handed something to her.
“First, I’ll return these. Officially, they belong to you. These are the belongings judged to be yours, as well as your severance pay. The lord asked me to pass them on.”
Luciella’s eyes widened.
What Cain handed over—
was her mother’s diary.
The bottle of MSG.
And the pouch she had stolen from Nigel’s belt.
Though—
it now felt about ten times heavier.
“I suppose an explanation is necessary. After you collapsed, we entered the castle and investigated. The kitchen staff lied until the end, but after hearing the cleaners’ testimony, it seemed that man called Nigel had been exploiting you quite severely.”
“……”
“We used the complaint letter and statements you left behind as reference and punished all of them.”
“…What? Everyone in the kitchen?”
“All those connected to Nigel were expelled. They stole from their previous master. No noble in the Empire will hire them now.”
Cain nodded indifferently.
“I intended to add whipping for the head chef, but apparently the poison scale in his face left him unable to feel anything. They say in one week he’ll experience pain severe enough to wish for death.”
“…What about the lord?”
Luciella asked blankly.
She couldn’t believe the people who had tormented her for a year had been dealt with so easily.
The satisfaction of revenge mixed with shock at how quickly Cain had ruined their lives.
Her thoughts became chaotic.
“If someone lacks the ability to manage their subordinates properly, then authority should be restricted and inspectors dispatched. He seemed quite upset.”
“Ah……”
Luciella murmured softly.
Lord Nor was almost eighty this year.
He wasn’t a bad person.
The problem was simply that he was old and too easily deceived by people around him—especially Nigel.
At that age, receiving such humiliating punishment must have been shocking—
“When he learned the special meals he had enjoyed all this time—especially the fries and apple pie—were your work and realized he would never eat them again, he beat the ground and cried. He called it cruel and tried to stop me, but I couldn’t reverse the decision.”
Cain’s cold gaze briefly passed over the scars and calluses on the hands of a fourteen-year-old girl.
“……”
For a moment Luciella felt speechless.
Then strangely solemn.
The lord really had loved apple pie.
He called it the joy of his life.
And because of that, Nigel constantly pressured her to make more.
She quietly looked at Cain.
So he punished even an old man who lost one of life’s few pleasures.
In her eyes—
Cain looked even more merciless.
“Anyway. Because of that, we’re heading to the ducal estate in the Imperial Capital.”
“…What?”
I froze.
How did that become the conclusion?
“T-The Bellaon ducal estate?”
Mom said that place was packed with terrifying people!
“That’s right. I need my nephew to taste your cooking.”
“……”
“Something like those potatoes. Or the castella from before. If you make things like that a few times, I’ll reward you generously.”
Luciella immediately understood.
So what he wants… is the buff effect.
The power to increase the eater’s physical ability and mana by more than twenty percent.
Luciella could grant power through cooking.
As long as she burned her own stamina and mana to do it.
—
“Our pretty daughter is so amazing. Your dad said children born between people of different dimensions sometimes have unique talents, but I never imagined yours would be something this cute!”
“Lucy buff?”
“That’s right! Cooking talent alone is incredible, and you can buff people too! But you have to be careful using buffs.”
“Why?”
“Because your ability is so extraordinary that bad people might try to use it.”
—
Her mother’s warning suddenly echoed in Luciella’s mind.
When she looked up—
Cain’s eyes gleamed sharply like a predator’s.
Could the bad person trying to use her abilities…
be the one right in front of her?
She hadn’t expected gratitude for saving him.
But she hadn’t imagined he would chase her this far.
Luciella’s thoughts spun rapidly.
“…What if I can’t?”
“Then that would mean your talent isn’t as useful to me as I thought.”
“…!”
Terrifying words came from Cain’s mouth.
His face was so beautiful people would gasp—
but his usual unreadable expression, neither smiling nor frowning, combined with his presence, made him deeply intimidating.
Luciella didn’t trust people easily.
After living through Nigel—
she had developed the habit of assuming the worst whenever things were unclear.
Just like he had killed Mom’s character in the game—
did this mean he would kill her once she became useless?
Cold sweat slid down her back.
I just need to hold out until Mom comes back…!
While she was still frozen—
the carriage slowly came to a stop.
“We’re here.”
Cain spoke.
“Get down. I’d like to see your skills with my own eyes.”
