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Chapter 7
Luciella looked over the kitchen tools and swallowed.
Fortunately, Cain’s claim that she had been examined by a doctor while unconscious seemed to be true—feeling had returned to her fingertips.
“Let’s see…”
After washing her hands with the prepared water, Luciella walked to a pile of kabocha squash stacked in one corner of the kitchen and picked up a small but heavy one.
“I’ll make kabocha soup.”
From that moment onward, Luciella’s movements became quick.
She searched above and below the counters and found the pot and cutting board she needed.
She scooped out the squash seeds in an instant and placed it into the steamer, while at the same time sautéing onions in butter to draw out a sweet aroma.
Sizzle—
At that moment, Luciella took a deep breath and pulled up the mana buried deep within her body.
“Buff.”
A small translucent status window flickered before her eyes and disappeared.
Compared to the status window her mother could see, this one had barely any functions at all—
but this was all Luciella, who was only half-transmigrated, could summon.
She had been unbelievably proud when she first succeeded at it at age two.
[Casting Skill: ‘Buff (Peaceful Rest)’]
Anyone who consumes the prepared dish gains immediate mental stabilization and mana recovery.
Due to current mana exhaustion, the caster’s consciousness maintenance time is limited to 60 minutes.
A warm and gentle energy flowed through her fingertips and seeped into the food.
Sixty minutes?
That’s shorter than usual.
Luciella decided to hurry.
“Activate special function.”
The status window flashed again.
[Special Eye Function: ‘Gourmet Compass’ activated.]
Highlights the optimal ingredients within the kitchen.
※ Warning: Excessive mana consumption will reduce consciousness maintenance time by an additional 10 minutes.
“Ten minutes shorter? That’s seriously cheap.”
Luciella grumbled but continued cooking.
She moved through the kitchen as if it were her own home and found every ingredient she needed without hesitation.
Among ingredients the cooks hadn’t yet organized, her hands selected only the freshest items without a moment’s uncertainty.
Bubble, bubble—
She mashed the properly steamed squash until smooth and poured rich milk and fresh cream into it.
The orange squash blended with the white liquid and gradually transformed into a warm, vivid golden color.
Adjusting the heat with care, she gently stirred the bottom with a wooden spoon.
The soup slowly developed a velvety, rich texture—
and at the same time, an enchanting aroma began spreading throughout the kitchen.
“W-What is this?”
Several cooks, including the deputy chef, instinctively sniffed the air.
“Does kabocha soup… usually smell this good?”
“We eat this all the time… Are we just hungry?”
“She picked the freshest cream delivered today immediately. And one with a rich flavor that perfectly matches the squash…”
Even Cain, watching quietly from the side, breathed in the scent filling the room.
He swallowed and tried to keep his expression neutral.
Was it possible for a smell to feel warm?
But somehow—
it was.
The scent stimulating his nose felt as comforting as being wrapped in cotton on a cold day.
Meanwhile, Luciella looked around and immediately found a bottle in the pantry labeled from the Empire’s greatest food merchant—
Golden Olive Trading Company.
Highly concentrated chicken stock.
She opened it.
“H-How did she find that?!”
Jerome muttered in shock.
“That was a gift from the merchant company! The Duke hasn’t even tasted it yet—it hasn’t even reached the market!”
The other chefs nearby looked equally stunned.
How was this little kid finding the most expensive and valuable ingredients so effortlessly?
And that stock was notoriously difficult.
Its concentration differed from normal stock, making the proportions difficult to control.
Even Jerome had yet to figure out the proper ratio and had repeatedly ruined dishes while experimenting.
Luciella’s fearless movements strangely irritated their pride.
She sniffed it once and smiled as if greeting an old friend.
There you are.
Then—
without measuring—
she poured some directly into the soup.
A reckless action.
Yet Jerome instinctively understood.
Her measurement was perfect.
The moment the concentrated Golden Olive stock joined the soup—
the entire aroma ascended to another level.
Jerome unconsciously swallowed.
Looking at the beautifully golden soup, Luciella smiled.
Rich people really are different.
To find stock so similar to what she used to make with Mom.
She added several herbs.
Each ingredient deepened the fragrance filling the kitchen.
Shhh—
Finally—
she took out a bottle from her pocket.
And sprinkled in a pinch of MSG.
“Huh—!”
Everyone in the kitchen inhaled sharply.
Once the chicken stock and MSG met—
the aroma in the air became almost violently rich.
“Done.”
Luciella set down the ladle and turned toward the oven to take out bread.
At that moment—
Jerome did something he couldn’t explain.
Mesmerized by the smell of a dish that wasn’t even finished—
he quietly approached the counter like a thief.
“…Ha.”
He scraped a little soup from the ladle with a spoon—
and put it into his mouth.
“W-Wait—”
“Deputy Chef!”
The other cooks couldn’t stop him.
Only after the soup slid down his throat did Jerome realize what he’d done—
but it was too late.
“…!”
His eyes widened.
The rich sweetness of squash.
The buttery flavor softly coating the tongue.
The herbs subtly enhancing the aroma—
and—
“W-What is this…? Is this because of the stock…?”
An overwhelming depth exploded across his palate—
as though thousands of chickens had been concentrated into a single drop.
Then came a burst of impossible umami.
A taste he had never experienced.
Dense.
Layered.
Rich enough to make his skin tingle.
No—
even extraordinary stock couldn’t create this alone.
Then was it because of that strange powder she added?
He tasted the lingering soup again.
This time—
he noticed the texture.
How had she controlled heat and time?
The soup flowed over his tongue as smoothly as silk—
yet every so often, soft chunks of squash remained.
They held their shape—
then melted like honey the moment they touched his teeth.
Jerome couldn’t bear to swallow.
He rolled each precious bite around in his mouth.
It was unbelievable.
This dish fulfilled every expectation anyone could have of kabocha soup—
while delivering something entirely new.
Jerome realized clearly.
The essence of this soup wasn’t magical ingredients.
It was Luciella.
Her ability to combine all of them into a single dish.
This seemingly simple bowl held more depth than any cuisine he had ever known.
The pride of a man who had won the Imperial Cooking Competition—
and served as senior chef of the Imperial Palace—
collapsed in one bite.
The surrounding cooks whispered.
“Deputy Chef… what does it taste like?”
One by one, they gathered around the pot with spoons.
“W-Wait… this can’t be real!”
“My god… It feels like something warm is wrapping around me like a blanket.”
“If I could eat only this soup for the rest of my life… I’d die without regrets.”
Jerome suddenly turned toward Luciella.
Holding bread in one hand—
she looked completely dumbfounded.
“You already tasted it?”
“….”
“What is this? I made extra on purpose and now only half is left.”
“….”
“If you’re done eating, could you move? I’m trying to plate it.”
“Y-You…”
Jerome grabbed the edge of her skirt desperately.
“How… did you make this?”
Luciella tried to shoo them away like flies.
“Excuse me?”
“Please.”
There was reverence in his eyes.
“Even once… I want to make food like this with my own hands.”
Despite finding him annoying, Luciella felt relieved inside.
Of course it tastes good.
But they didn’t notice the buff effect.
Then again—
they were cooks.
Naturally they focused on flavor and texture instead.
“…Did I pass?”
“Pass? There’s no need for that!”
Jerome exclaimed.
“If a child like you would stay in our kitchen—!”
Hah.
Luciella narrowed her eyes at the complete reversal.
“How ridiculous.”
Cain gave a short laugh and separated Jerome from her.
“I don’t remember saying I was hiring this child under you.”
“I-I was arrogant, Sir Cain.”
Jerome lowered his head.
The other cooks awkwardly followed.
“This wasn’t an evaluation. I received a lesson.”
He looked moved.
“No—I want to learn. The stock usage, that strange powder, those herbs not normally used in soup, the detailed heat control…”
Jerome earnestly sought instruction.
Luciella suddenly thought of Nigel.
That awful man who had manipulated her and only thought about exploiting her.
Compared to him—
Jerome seemed surprisingly honest.
She could even see genuine passion for cooking.
“Later.”
She shook her head.
“We’re in a hurry right now.”
She poured the golden soup into a clean bowl and paired it with freshly baked bread heavy with the scent of butter.
A perfect meal.
“Let’s go.”
After waving away the bothersome chefs—
she grabbed the sleeve of the only person in the kitchen who had maintained self-control.
Cain.
“It looks excellent—wait.”
Cain unconsciously licked his lips while looking down at the food—
then frowned.
He finally noticed Luciella’s complexion.
Her face was pale—
just like when he first found her in the forest.
“You don’t look well.”
“….”
“Are you ill?”
He bent slightly and examined her face.
She pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“We need to go now.”
Her voice was firm.
“It can’t get cold.”
“….”
“Hurry.”
According to the status window—
in an hour—
no—
in only dozens of minutes—
she wouldn’t even be able to remain standing anymore.
