CH 4

In order to live, Luana lied.

“Didn’t you just say you’re not? How do I believe you are a witch?”

‘You didn’t believe me when I said no before, and now you still don’t trust me when I said I am. You must have no friends, huh? How is your personality this bad?!’ Luana shed tears in her heart and raised her left forearm. When she rolled up her sleeves, there was a serpentine pattern. On the surface, it looked very plausible to be some kind of mark.

But in fact, she got that burned mark when she tried to cook with the most expensive-looking metal pot in that abandoned palace. The nanny was terrified that her only strength, which was her fair skin, was scarred, but Luana was proud of that mark, she even played a role as a Black Dragon for a while due to her scar.

“This is actually a witch’s mark.” said Luana with a sad look as she pondered the memories of the past.

“Then, did you use your magic to make the jerky?”

“No, I made that with my own skill… No, you’re right! It’s a magic jerky!”

“Is it harmful to the body?”

“No, it’s not harmful at all!”

‘That’s because I cooked it normally, so there’s no way it could be harmful!’ I worked for a few nights to try to make something delicious, and with the money I got, I bought expensive meat and dried it with care. If it doesn’t taste good, then it will be unfair!

“It is rather good for the body. For the jerky, I used quality beef, then I aged it in a clean environment with clean air of the kingdom!” babbled Luana.

While Luana was talking about food, the Duke who was stroking the tongs with a bored look stopped moving.

“It’s really delicious! Besides, what went into the jerky is my secret seasoning! Special seasonings that you can’t find anywhere else in the world!”

“You’re not using some kind of bug, don’t you?”

“No? Why would I put that in the food?!”

“Witches are known for using strange ingredients.”

‘Yeah, I should’ve fed you something with those ingredients.’ Hiding her evil intention, Luana smiled mischievously.

“I didn’t put those kinds of ingredients. I won’t put something like that in my own food.”

“Then you put it on someone else’s food?”

He is such a good talker. But, Luana, as the underdog, answered calmly.

“No, I didn’t. It’s a bother to cook it twice.”

“I see. All right, then.”

Luana looked at Legion with a nervous look.

“Cook for me. If I like it, I will spare you.”

“Really? Do you really mean it?”

“I don’t lie.”

“Then, please swear with your family name!”

“I swear.”

But she was nervous because of how easy it was for him to swear on his family name.

“Uh, really?”

Come to think of it, this madman is a person who will destroy his family if he needs it.

“Let’s make a pinkie promise with our fingers!”

“Finger?”

“Yeah! With the Duke’s finger.”

“My finger?”

The tongs in the Duke’s hand moved and made a clicking sound. It looked like he was going to take my finger right away.

“No, it would be better to just swear on the family name.”

Luana quickly changed her stance.

So the Duke and Luana made a promise. He lifted Luana, who was sitting at the ground and holding his feet, and then he threw her to his shoulder like a sackcloth.

“Ugh… Ugh! Ahh!”

As she groaned because she was uncomfortable going up the stairs this way, the Duke rolled the tongs in his hand and said,

“You’re so noisy.”

“I-I’ll be quiet. Shh!”

‘But why are you still holding the tongs?’ Luana was very curious, but kept silent, fearing that he might use the tongs on her.

***

Luana was dragged into the kitchen. The kitchen was originally used to make dishes for the king, and it was very different from the kitchen at the abandoned palace. It was much cleaner and had more tools and materials.

“But what should I make?”

‘It seemed that if I couldn’t make something delicious, he wouldn’t let me go. No, wait! Why do I have to worry about this?’ Luana struggled as she pulled her hair out, then straightened herself at the gaze she felt from behind. She forgot that one of the guards was here with her.

‘I’ll just make what I want to eat right now! Food is the best when you make it because you’re craving it!’

Luana rummaged through the ingredients.

Hmm… Fresh beef and cabbage. The freshness of the ingredients are different from that of the abandoned palace! First, she made a broth using anchovies, mushrooms, and green onions.

The expert might have put some secret ingredient here, but she wasn’t really a cook in her previous life! She is just a single woman who likes to cook by herself! Therefore she will go her own way!

With a serious expression, Luana layered the cabbage and sliced some ​​beef. Meanwhile, the broth was boiling perfectly. The savory smell of anchovy broth permeated the kitchen.

She thought it would be better if there were perilla leaves. While she was being regretful, she carefully put the cabbage and beef in a pot. Seeing the layers made of cabbage and meat, she felt better.

In the middle of the empty space in the pot, she put some mushrooms, then poured the hot broth, and brought it to a boil again. The white cabbage turned into a translucent color and the red meat turned gray, and it looked very appetizing.

“It’s done!”

Luana placed the pot on the tray and smiled. She put the large metal lid on the pot so the food won’t be cold and she pushed the tray. ‘But! There was something wrong. I made what I wanted to eat, but I couldn’t eat it!’ Slowly, a grumble sound was heard from her stomach.

‘This is painful.’

There’s something she wants to eat right in front of her, but she can’t eat it. It felt like a torture. Luana pushed the tray with a half-dying look.

She pushed the tray to the king’s office. She saw the office was decorated in an extravagant way, which made her angry because the king gave her so little. Maybe if the king gave her a little more money, she could’ve been playing around without working! She was really pissed. 

Knock Knock

“The food is here!”

As I shouted out with all my heart, I heard the Duke’s voice from inside.

“Come in.”

Because it is an office, there was no table. Instead, there was a desk, so the food was served one by one on the desk. There is only a plate, a seasoning sauce and a pot served in front of the Duke. The Duke stared at the pot Luana had placed. When she lifted the lid, white steam rose and he saw Mille-Feuille Nabe blooming like a flower.

TL/N: Mille-Feuille Nabe is a Japanese hot pot soup with layers of cabbage and beef.

“What kind of food is this?”

“It’s my creative dish.”

Yes, it’s Luana’s creative dish here because she is an abandoned princess. But this recipe is a special one, because she remembered the recipe from her past life! She tried to make it when she thought she couldn’t.

“You seem confident.”*

*TL/N: It’s an idiom ‘간이 크군’, with a literal meaning ‘the liver is big’, which means ‘you’re so brave’ but in sarcastic way.

This person! She has put her life on the line to make the dish. In front of other people, she was not more other than a mad princess. But Luana was confident!

“Please eat.”

The combination of beef, cabbage, and broth is always good! It would never taste bad!

“You try it first.”

‘Huh? Are you a court lady now?’ Luana muttered but put on a smile, and picked up a portion of the nabe with chopsticks. The broth dripped from the cooked cabbage filled with the meat. After she picked it up, she dipped it in the sauce, and then put it in her mouth. The cabbage was easy to chew and the broth leaked out.

“Oh, it’s hot!”

‘I should have cooled it first!’ She jumped from her seat, and she continued to chew when she felt the nabe in her mouth was not hot anymore. The sweet cabbage with the broth soup tasted good. The savory taste from the high-quality beef, was perfectly cooked and was pleasant to chew, and when the nabe was dipped in the sauce, it made a fantastic harmony. Because there was no soy sauce, she used peanut sauce, which was easier to find, but the taste still went well.

‘When I have time, I should try making soy sauce.’ She hasn’t been able to challenge herself to make soy sauce that has the potential to fail because she doesn’t have enough money. Luana swallowed what was in her mouth and made a promise to herself.

“Delicious!”

Luana grew more elated.

“Eat it before it gets cold!”

“It may not be an immediate-acting poison, so we have to wait a little longer.”

“Then it will get cold and it won’t taste good! Any food tastes best when freshly made! I just ate it too!”

“It’s common for an abandoned princess to abandon her words.”

“Yeah, maybe it is. But do I look like someone who will sacrifice for the royal family?”

Luana proudly stuck out her chest.

“That’s… No.”

The Duke used a knife and fork to take a portion and place it on the plate. He also wanted to eat it while it’s hot, but seeing Luana’s case, he cooled it appropriately and put it in his mouth.

Unfortunately…

‘What is this flavor?’

The Duke touched his forehead at the sudden wave of sensation. He hasn’t been able to eat properly for a long time, but suddenly it was hard for him to handle when he suddenly encountered this kind of flavor. However, He didn’t want to give up eating. Because it was delicious.

“Isn’t it delicious?” asked Luana with a big smile.

She has been living with her nanny so far, so she didn’t feel much, but food was not the only thing that was enjoyable. It was also fulfilling when she saw other people eating what she cooked and said the food was delicious. Happiness is doubled when shared! Besides, the Duke was thin for his size, so it was worth it to have the chance to cook for him.

“I don’t know.”

Whether it’s delicious or not.

“But it doesn’t taste bad.”

“That’s not a really good compliment.”

She pouted her lips and tried to protest, but she couldn’t do more than that. She knows how terrifying the Duke is, so Luana decided to restrain herself.

“It will be delicious even when you cook some noodles in it after you finish!”

“Noodles? Are you talking about pasta?”

“No! Other than pasta, there are thicker noodles. If you boil it in the leftover soup, it tastes like you’re in heaven!”

Luana clasped her hands together and her eyes twinkled while talking about noodles.

The Duke slowly ate all the leftovers. Then he gracefully put down his knife and fork, then stood up from his seat. He walked and approached Luana. Even though he was short, he was still taller than her, so she felt pressure. Luana unknowingly stepped back, but was blocked by a wall.

‘No way.. Was the food not to his liking so now he won’t spare me? But how is that possible? My nanny said it was delicious!’

Ha! Did the nanny lie to me?