Chapter 116: Do you know how to cook?

“Hm, has the color faded a bit?”

In the reflection on the surface of the water bucket, I saw myself wearing a choker. It was a black choker with a small gem set in the center.

It might have been my imagination, but the color surrounding the gem seemed slightly faded.

It was still as pure white as ever. However, there used to be a subtle aura around it, which now felt like it had disappeared slightly.

“Hey, kid.”

It was just as I was about to tackle the mountain of dishes piled up today as usual.

Miranda, the old woman, held out a shabby-looking piece of cloth in front of me.

“It’s clothes. Try them on.”

“Excuse me?”

“How long are you going to keep wearing those cumbersome clothes while doing the dishes? It’s frustrating just to look at you.”

What I thought was just a scrap of cloth turned out to be clothes. I almost blurted out something rude.

Although flustered, I unfolded the clothes Miranda had handed me one by one.

It was a simple blouse with white lace, layered with navy frills. There were no decorations, just a few buttons, giving it a modest design.

It was the kind of outfit commoners might wear, but surprisingly, it was light and made of a soft material that seemed comfortable to move around in.

The long skirt extended downward and looked like it might drag on the ground if I wasn’t careful. Fortunately, its deep brown color meant it wouldn’t show dirt easily.

Finally, there was a pair of brown leather boots and a piece of cloth that seemed to be worn on the head.

To be honest, by my standards as someone who had lived as a noble, calling all of this “clothing” felt a bit embarrassing.

And yet, holding these clothes in my hands, they felt warmer than anything else I’d ever worn.

“…Is it free? I don’t have any money.”

“You brat! No money? Then give it back.”

“No way. My current clothes are way too uncomfortable.”

I hugged the pile of clothes tightly and took a step back from Miranda, showing a stubborn determination not to return them.

Seeing my resolute expression, Miranda shrugged reluctantly.

Even though she had intended to give them for free, her grumbling was her way of making sure I didn’t feel guilty about it—it was her kind of gentle warmth.

I hurried into the bathroom and changed into the clothes.

Shedding the heavy and uncomfortable dress I didn’t even know the last time I’d washed, I felt so much lighter as the soft, light fabric settled on my body.

I fastened the leather boots snugly, draped the white cloth over my head, and ran back to Miranda.

“How do I look? Does it suit me?”

Her reaction was brief—her eyes widened for a moment, then she rested her chin on her hand and began contemplating something deeply.

I hadn’t been fishing for compliments, but her lack of reaction made me feel a little embarrassed.

“I’ve got an idea to boost the store’s sales.”

With a sly grin on her face, Miranda confiscated my trusty dishwashing gloves, my precious soulmates.

“Kid, how long are you going to stick to just washing dishes? It’s time you tried something else.”

“Something else?”

“Of course. Did you think you’d spend your whole life just washing dishes in this fortune-telling shop?”

I had no idea what Miranda was thinking, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding.

I knew Miranda was a kind person, but that smile she had just given kept replaying in my mind.

Surely, she wasn’t planning to make me entertain customers or anything, right?

If Miranda asked me to, I would do it. After all, I was a sinner.

If this miserable body of mine could somehow atone for my sins, there was no reason to hesitate.

Even so, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear.

“Come, follow me.”

The place Miranda led me to was the kitchen right next door.

This was where she prepared and served food all on her own.

This cramped kitchen, which could barely fit five Mirandas, was always filled with the aroma of delicious food.

“Do you know how to cook?”

“C-cook? I’ve never tried before…”

I could manage instant ramen, but such convenient food didn’t exist in this world.

“I figured as much. A brat who’s never even washed dishes wouldn’t have cooked either.”

Despite her indifferent tone, I was somewhat intrigued by cooking.

Actually, in my past life, my favorite TV channel was the cooking channel.

I often found myself feeling vicarious satisfaction while watching the process of making high-class dishes I’d never dream of affording in my lifetime.

When I watched people tasting delicious food on screen, I’d nibble on a cold piece of bread in my hand, pretending for a moment that I, too, was indulging in something fancy.

“You’ll have to learn how to make at least simple dishes from now on.”

Grandma Miranda threw some wood chips and hay into the stove beneath the pot, then struck the flint together with her coarse hands, igniting a flame.

The small ember that warmed the kitchen was charming enough to catch my gaze all on its own.

“…Do I have to light fires like that too?”

“With those scrawny arms? Don’t be ridiculous. Use this instead.”

What she handed me was a palm-sized flint tool.

I tucked the tool into my large pocket and began silently observing Grandma Miranda’s cooking process.

She placed chicken into an oiled pot, then showered it with vegetables and a mix of spices. A savory aroma quickly began spreading through the kitchen.

Her hands moved deftly, guided by years of experience. Ingredients sizzled and leapt in the oil under her touch, almost like they were dancing.

Before I realized it, a fragrant dish of chicken bathed in seasoning and a delicious-smelling potato stew was placed in front of me.

“How about it? Not that hard, is it? Think you can manage?”

“Eh…?”

“Now it’s your turn.”

Her sudden remark caught me off guard. Grandma Miranda tossed a raw chicken into the pot with an indifferent expression.

“I’ve shown you once. Now give it a try. Be careful not to burn the chicken. Not that it matters, you’ll burn it anyway.”

“What?! B-but I’ve never cooked before!”

“That’s none of my concern.”

It seemed she was serious about making me cook. Grandma Miranda stepped back, folding her arms as she watched me with an amused smirk.

As I stood frozen, staring at her, the sound of the chicken starting to burn reached my ears.

“Ahhh…! Don’t blame me if it’s ruined!”

With a deep breath, I clenched my fists, donned some cooking gloves, and got to work.

I hurriedly moved my hands to manage the smoke rising from the pot.

It’s not my fault if it turns out awful, so I might as well do whatever comes to mind.

Muttering words of self-encouragement, I moved my hands as fast as I could.

***

The Kiraz Frontline.

Once the most intense battleground between the Kingdom of Kaladwen and the Empire, it had since become a haven for the remnants of the defeated kingdom, hiding like cockroaches.

Although the Kingdom of Kaladwen had been destroyed beyond recovery, erasing any chance of the war reigniting, unease lingered at the frontlines. There was no telling what the kingdom’s loyalists might attempt.

However, stationing a large force on a battlefield where the fighting was already over was inefficient. The defense of the area was mostly left to a small contingent of imperial soldiers and mercenaries hired by the guilds.

And among those mercenaries was one called Eily, also known as the ‘Claw of the Wolf.’

Eily, with wide eyes, stared blankly at the girl in front of her.

“You’re telling me you made this?”

“Is it… not good?”

The girl standing before her looked back nervously.

Her crystal-clear blue eyes and snow-white hair gave her an angelic air. She exuded an innocent charm completely out of place on this bleak frontline.

But it wasn’t her beauty that had surprised Eily.

It was the dish in front of her.

The plate held roasted potatoes, slightly charred on the outside, paired with a chicken salad.

Before Eily knew it, she had devoured it all without a trace.

“This is amazing. Better than that old hag Miranda’s cooking. Did someone teach you?”

“N-no… It’s my first time making it…”

“Your first time? This is seriously good.”

“R-really? I’m glad you enjoyed it…”

The girl smiled shyly, her eyes curving into soft crescents.

Her smile radiated genuine happiness at Eily’s praise.

As Eily stared at the faint blush spreading across the girl’s pale cheeks, she muttered absentmindedly.

“Marry me.”

“W-what?!”

The words tumbled out of Eily’s mouth before she could stop them.

She paused, deep in thought.

Her life as a mercenary was grueling, with aching muscles and exhaustion from the constant battles. But imagining such a lovely and adorable wife brightened her thoughts.

Coming home after a hard day to those charming eyes and this mouthwatering food…

After the meal, those delicate hands would wash away the grime from her body with care.

And after a soothing bath, she’d finally be able to relax and recover from the day’s fatigue…

He pressed that small, delicate body beneath him and unleashed the violent desires he had built up throughout the day to his heart’s content.

The girl in front of him spread her legs wide and willingly accepted all of his desires.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him with a desperate embrace. Her waist trembled as if in convulsion.

She let out a mix of hurried, shallow moans, creating a beautiful melody that filled his ears.

And when that time ended, they left a short kiss on each other’s foreheads and concluded their day.

How happy would such repetitive days be?

‘No, this is crazy… What am I even thinking?’

Eily, lost in thought, snapped out of it with wide eyes and shook her head vigorously.

She had never been interested in same-sex relationships. Yet, she couldn’t believe she had entertained such fantasies.

No matter how adorable the girl before her was, there were lines that should never be crossed as a human being.

“Ugh, I misspoke. Could I have another bowl of the same?”

“Yes, yes…! I’ll bring it right away…!”

The girl nodded with sparkling eyes and eagerly returned to the kitchen with light steps.

Eily blankly watched her retreating figure.

The way her hips swayed, like the flick of a fox’s tail, seemed to seduce, as if begging to be grabbed.

The desire to throw that female down on a bed and pin her surged in her mind once again.

“Why am I like this…?”

Had it really been that long?

It seemed like she needed to calm her body down once she got home.

Eily stared at the innocent bowl in front of her, struggling to suppress the intrusive thoughts that popped into her head.

She decided the reason she was having such fantasies, despite not usually being very lustful, was because the food was just that delicious.

And honestly, it was incredibly tasty.