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Chapter 03
‘You… aren’t you… the kitchen maid from Zenotat?’
Just as she was about to slip away from the vegetable garden, Alina ran into Marika. The moment Marika saw Alina, covered in dirt, she couldn’t hide her pity.
Since Marika had once served in the Zenotat royal palace, she only remembered Alina as a maid who did odd jobs in the kitchen.
Alina asked Marika for a favor—to pretend that Alina was her cousin.
One reincarnation, two regressions.
That was the life given to her.
Alina abandoned her name and her origin and chose to live as Lise Kruger.
Running far away would only end with her being caught again anyway. In that case, hiding inside the imperial palace was safer. It’s darkest right under the lamp.
That was Alina’s conclusion. And for a year now, she had been adjusting to Malehark very smoothly.
Alina did not hope for much. All she wanted was for death not to come early in her fourth life.
To eat delicious food, to cook plenty of it. And simply to live happily.
Alina carried a basket of cabbage soup as she headed toward the training grounds. She had filled her stomach with a few freshly grilled pancakes before leaving.
Just in case, she brought some extra pancakes in the basket.
She thought that cabbage soup alone might not be enough for knights undergoing harsh training.
‘Freshly made is best… but it can’t be helped.’
After carefully securing the handkerchief over the basket, Alina walked toward the vegetable garden behind the kitchen building.
There was still time before the knights’ lunch break. Before heading over, she thought it would be nice to pick a few fresh strawberries.
The Malehark Imperial Palace was arranged with the Emperor’s palace at the center, surrounded by the Crown Prince’s palace, the Princess’s palace, and several small ivory-colored buildings.
The kitchen where Alina worked was an annex of the Emperor’s palace.
Beyond the vegetable garden behind the kitchen stood a red-brick building—Alina’s residence.
And behind that residence was a wide open space—the knights’ training grounds.
Alina set her basket down beside the garden and began picking strawberries. The ripe, bright-red berries gave off a sweet fragrance just by being near them.
She wasn’t sure how severe the knights’ stomach troubles were, but surely they could handle at least some fruit.
‘If they can’t eat them… then it can’t be helped.’
She had gathered a handful of strawberries into her apron when—
Rustle.
“Who’s there?”
Alina, crouched in the huge vegetable garden, whipped her head around. It wasn’t meal-prep time, so no one should be here.
A knight, maybe?
But no knight would sneak around so quietly. And no one would be training in stealth in the palace garden.
Just thinking of that sent chills down her back.
As Greta had said, the palace kitchen staff didn’t discriminate against Alina for being from Zenotat. But…
Could she really relax?
The knights had even been dispatched to kill Zenotat’s prince and princess.
If someone had figured out her true identity… If that had happened…
Rustle.
“Who’s there!”
Alina shouted with a trembling voice as she rose to her feet. A tuft of silver hair poked out from the bushes.
A boy looked at her with golden eyes like the sun and silver hair like the moon.
“Who are you?”
Alina took a cautious step toward him.
Thankfully, he didn’t seem threatening.
He was thin, wide-eyed, and there was a pure, almost helpless aura about him.
“Where are you from? Did you get lost?”
The boy didn’t blink—he only stared silently at her.
When the sunlight caught his golden eyes, Alina marveled internally.
‘Wow… Is he a doll?’
She had thought he was pretty from afar, but up close he was strikingly beautiful.
Even though he was still young—sharp eyes, high nose bridge, and full lips were perfectly balanced on his small face.
‘He’s definitely going to be famous when he grows up.’
Alina tried guessing his age. His hands and feet were larger compared to his body, but he was almost two handspans shorter than her, and very slender. Ten years old, perhaps.
‘But what would a kid this young be doing in the palace? A page?’
No, not a page.
His clothes were far too luxurious for that. Dirty from lack of washing, sure, but definitely not page attire.
“What were you doing here?”
“……”
Knees drawn up defensively, the boy didn’t open his mouth. Alina tilted her head.
“Can you even speak?”
Ah—this posture felt familiar somehow.
Watching him, Alina got a strange sense of déjà vu.
The way he sat on the ground with knees together and hands planted—
He looked… like a dog.
‘He’s not gonna bark… right?’
She wrapped the precious strawberries in a handkerchief and approached him.
“Hey, why are you—”
Alina froze when she saw what the boy was holding.
A white flower with a yellow center.
‘That’s—!’
The boy sensed her shock and immediately moved to put the flower into his mouth.
“Don’t!”
Alina lunged forward to snatch it away.
“If you eat that you’ll die!”
She tried prying open his fingers, but he resisted fiercely. He was skinny enough that his bones jutted out, yet surprisingly strong.
“You’ll die!”
When Alina grabbed one of his fingers to peel it open, the boy scrunched his handsome brows and growled.
“You die!”
His thin, clear voice hit her ears, and Alina snapped back,
“Oh, so you CAN talk?! Hey! Give that!”
“What are you saying! Let go, you crazy woman!”
“Who’s crazy?!”
When he tried stuffing the flower into his mouth, Alina lightly bit the back of his hand.
“Aagh!”
She hadn’t bitten hard, but it was enough to startle him.
The boy jerked back, dropping the flower. Alina swiftly picked it up.
“You— you what!?”
“But why is this flower in the garden?”
Ignoring the red-faced boy screaming behind her, Alina frowned deeply.
White petals with yellow centers—similar to plumeria at first glance, but this was rosebay.
Plumeria could be fried or brewed as tea, but rosebay was poisonous.
‘A poisonous plant in the palace kitchen garden? Who planted this?’
Her brows knit as she examined the flower.
“What? Herbs are supposed to be in the garden.”
The boy grumbled, still upset over losing his food.
Alina looked back at him and said calmly,
“That’s the thing. There should be herbs—but why is there poison?”
“That’s poisonous?”
“This is a poisonous flower called rosebay. Why do you think I acted like a ‘crazy woman’ to stop you?”
“T-that’s because…”
The boy’s face flushed again.
“You just suddenly lunged at me…”
He wrapped his arms around his flat stomach.
“I was hungry…”
Alina crushed the rosebay underfoot and looked at him. His eyes were filled with resentment—he had just lost what he thought was food.
‘So that’s why he tried to eat it so desperately.’
His white hands gripping his stomach were bony. He must not have eaten—not for hours, but days.
Alina sighed and pulled a pancake from her basket.
“Want this? It’s cold now, but…”
When she tried to offer the pancake to him, he flinched and swatted the dish away.
“Hiii!”
The plate spun through the air and landed in the grass.
Alina stared at him, dumbfounded—then her eyes widened.
Three seconds.
She had three seconds to save it.
She darted forward, grabbed the plate, and checked the pancake. Since the whole plate had landed flat, the pancake survived.
“What are you doing? Wasting food!”
“I—I thought you were gonna bite me again…”
Oh.
Alina scratched her head. She hadn’t meant to scare him like that.
“I only did that because you were about to eat poison and die.”
“……”
“You must’ve been really startled. Sorry.”
At her gentle apology, the boy gave a small nod. Alina tore off a small piece of pancake and offered it.
“Here. Eat.”
“No.”
“Why? Aren’t you hungry?”
“Well… yeah, but… that fell on the ground.”
“And who was about to eat a poisonous plant with roots and soil still on it?”
The boy’s shoulder flinched.
“T-that’s because you were trying to take it!”
“I know.”
Alina smiled kindly.
“But you saw that, right? I picked it up within three seconds.”
The boy blinked, curiosity flickering in his sunlit eyes.
“Why does three seconds matter?”
“If you pick it up within three seconds, it’s basically like it never fell. You don’t know that?”
“I’m pretty sure more than three seconds passed. Don’t say weird stuff.”
This crazy woman.
Alina could read the unspoken insult clearly in his eyes. She looked indignant.
“It’s not weird. Didn’t your mom teach you that?”
“Why would my mom teach me something like that? And my mom is…”
Before he could finish mumbling, Alina pushed the cake piece toward his mouth.
“Enough—just try it. And this fell with the plate, so even if more than three seconds passed, it’s fine.”
“……”
“See? It’s fine.”
When he hesitated, Alina deliberately took a bite herself.
The pancake, though a little firm from cooling, was delicious. Each chew released buttery, fragrant vanilla notes—she couldn’t help but smile.
‘Good thing I added vanilla beans.’
Vanilla beans were a luxury in ordinary homes, but not in the palace—where even edible gold dust was common.
Alina never skimped on ingredients when cooking, and Greta, the head chef, shared the same philosophy. Today’s pancakes had even earned praise.
A natural smile spread across her face as she ate.
“Is it… good?”
The boy stared blankly at her as she enjoyed the pancake.
“Of course it’s good. You really don’t want any? You’ll be crying later, you know. I’m being super generous right now.”
“But…”
Rumble.
No more words were needed. Alina pushed the plate toward him again. Just as he reached for the pancake, she stopped him.
