Chapter 2

I looked proudly at the empty pot.

They cleaned it out.

Not even a single drop of soup remained. It looked so clean that it hardly needed washing.

Well, it wasn’t surprising.

This kind of flavor was rare in this world.

After recovering the memories of my previous life, I realized something.

The cooking techniques in this world weren’t very advanced.

Most dishes were simply boiled or grilled after cutting up the ingredients.

The great noble families cook a little more luxuriously…

But even their food was simple compared to what existed on Earth.

They considered making broth to be a waste of ingredients.

In any case, it worked in my favor.

The tense atmosphere among the members of Irregular had softened considerably.

They even trusted me enough to let me move around freely without assigning someone to watch me.

That allowed me to wash the pot alone by the river.

Perfect. Nice and clean.

By the time I returned to the cave with the cleaned pot and cooking utensils, the assassin who had gone to investigate the Imperial Army had returned.

“The Imperial Army was in complete chaos. It seems there really is a problem affecting the soldiers.”

The members all nodded.

“Ohh.”

“Then now’s our chance to move.”

“So… what should we do with her?”

Everyone looked toward the leader.

They were asking him to decide my fate.

I hurriedly shouted,

“Braised short ribs!”

“…Braised what?”

“I’ll make braised short ribs next time! The meat is slowly cooked in a sweet soy sauce with chestnuts and potatoes. The meat is delicious, but the best part is mixing the thick sauce into rice. It tastes amazing.”

So please… take me with you.

I clasped my hands together and looked at them pleadingly.

The assassins’ expressions immediately changed.

“Braised short ribs?”

“It’s even better than the soup?”

I nodded eagerly.

“Better than the soup.”

The members, who had been completely captivated by the soup, looked shocked.

“Better than that?”

Murmuring among themselves, they all turned toward their leader again.

The hopeful eyes of his subordinates poured toward him like arrows.

Finally, the leader let out a sigh.

“She’ll accompany us to headquarters as a temporary helper.”

I did it!

I nearly jumped with joy.

Now I just had to earn enough merit to officially join Irregular.

As I had already decided…

This man was truly my only hope.

Irregular possessed terrifying power.

People often whispered that they were capable of shaking the fate of entire nations.

That was how strong they were.

Besides… I know something no one else does.

Irregular’s leader, Aslan…

…was the hidden son of Duke Esgarott.

In the future, he’ll become the Duke himself.

Within just a few years, House Esgarott would grow powerful enough to rival even the Imperial Palace.

And I…

I was going to win the future Duke’s favor…

And protect my organs no matter what.

* * *

Irregular split into three groups as we headed toward headquarters.

That way, even if one group was captured, the other two could create a diversion and escape.

Unfortunately…

A problem immediately arose.

“She’s coming with our group.”

“What nonsense. She’s coming with us.”

“We refuse to give her up either… I mean, the girl.”

They started arguing…

Over me.

“Your group already has the most people!”

“Exactly! We need someone to carry supplies!”

“With those skinny little arms?!”

After surviving for over three months on nothing but dried jerky, they looked ready to bite each other’s heads off.

Finally, the oldest member stepped forward.

“You decide.”

He looked at me.

“Which group will you go with?”

The answer was obvious.

I immediately walked over and stood beside the leader.

The other assassins cried out in despair.

“You’ll regret it! The boss always takes the longest route!”

“That’s right! Antonio’s in that group too!”

They desperately listed every possible disadvantage, hoping I’d change my mind.

But I firmly shook my head.

“I still want to stay beside the Boss.”

“But why?!”

“Well…”

I obviously couldn’t say,

“Because you’re the future Duke.”

So I desperately searched for another excuse.

Then I blurted out,

“…Because he’s handsome?”

“…Damn face worship…”

The members retreated with devastated expressions.

Feeling a little guilty, I comforted them.

“We’ll meet again near headquarters anyway.”

“I’ll make braised short ribs for everyone then.”

“…Really?”

“You’re not going to use up all the meat before then… right?”

Only after I nodded about ten times did they finally leave.

Our group was very small.

It consisted of only three people.

The leader.

Antonio.

And me.

Antonio narrowed his eyes.

“You’re really not the boss’s daughter—”

“AAAGH!”

…

Now I finally understood why the others had said having Antonio around was a disadvantage.

We soon set off.

Leaving the cave near the mountainside, we crossed a valley and headed north, where the mountain keeper’s cabin stood.

North?

Isn’t the marketplace in that direction?

I asked curiously,

“Um… there are a lot of people near the marketplace. Why are we going that way?”

Shouldn’t an assassination group avoid crowded places?

Antonio answered.

“Because we’re going there.”

“Why?”

“We’re looking for something.”

“An ancient relic—”

Before Antonio could explain further…

The leader turned to look at him.

His gaze was cold and sharp.

It clearly meant:

Don’t tell her anything else.

So he still doesn’t trust me at all.

As far as they were concerned…

I was nothing more than temporary help.

Seeing me fall silent, Antonio shrugged.

“No point getting upset.”

“Huh?”

“Weren’t you disappointed?”

“I was actually wondering where I’d cook dinner tonight.”

I blinked at him innocently.

Antonio looked speechless.

“Normally people would feel hurt in a situation like this.”

“Wouldn’t it be stranger if you trusted someone you just met?”

“Well… that’s true.”

He laughed awkwardly.

“You’re a strange kid.”

Even so…

I wasn’t upset about not being trusted.

Trust had never really existed in my life anyway.

Even my own family hadn’t trusted me.

They falsely accused me of poisoning my younger half-sister.

So why would I feel depressed just because people I’d met today were suspicious of me?

Instead of worrying about trust…

I’d rather think about how to earn it.

Lost in those thoughts, we eventually arrived near the marketplace.

The leader and Antonio passed the checkpoint using forged identity cards.

As for me…

Since I’d worked around the marketplace so often, the guards recognized me immediately and waved me through.

Our destination was a junk shop deep inside the market district.

Standing outside, Antonio said,

“You stay here.”

“If you’ll be a while… may I go buy a few things?”

“Go ahead.”

The leader and Antonio entered the shop.

I carefully folded Antonio’s robe and tucked it into my bag.

Alright.

Let’s hurry.

Even after using the gate, headquarters was still more than four days away.

If I was going to keep feeding Irregular…

I’d need ingredients.

Judging from what they had in the cave…

They definitely don’t have enough.

They probably hunted animals for meat.

Which meant they needed vegetables…

And seasonings.

I headed straight to the marketplace.

“Hello, Auntie.”

“Well, if it isn’t Eustea.”

I often came here while working at restaurants to buy ingredients.

Because everyone recognized me, the merchants were always kind.

“I’d like to buy dried vegetables.”

Fresh vegetables tasted better…

But dried vegetables were lighter, smaller, and lasted much longer.

The vegetable seller smiled.

“I’ve got just the thing.”

She pulled out several bundles.

I shook my head.

“Auntie… these aren’t dried enough.”

“Oh, those were the ones I was about to put aside.”

“The ones I meant to show you are—”

“Auntie?”

“…Actually, these were also supposed to be put aside.”

“Auntie?”

“I certainly have a lot of things to put aside today.”

She grinned sheepishly.

The moment you lowered your guard…

Merchants always tried things like this.

“You’re so picky.”

Grumbling, she finally sold me the dried vegetables she’d been saving for herself.

Next…

The seasoning shop.

“Uncle?”

“This is premium Naza salt.”

“Uncle?”

“What kind of thief expects to buy premium Naza salt for twenty copper coins?”

“Uncle…”

“…Damn it.”

“Take it already!”

“I’ll sell it to you!”

I bought all the seasonings I wanted at a very reasonable price.

Now…

The only thing left is the general store.

A good multi-tool with a knife, bottle opener, small hammer, and screwdriver would be useful.

I’d also need thread and needles.

Looking at Irregular’s robes…

Every single one of them was torn.

I’d repair them.

Just as I was walking toward the general store with my arms full of supplies…

Thud.

I bumped into someone.

“Ah, I’m sorr—”

“My goodness, young lady.”

I froze.

That voice…

It was familiar.

Looking up…

I saw faces I’d spent years trying to avoid.

Servants from House Andres.

“Oh dear.”

“What happened to you?”

One maid smiled sweetly.

Despite her words…

There wasn’t a trace of sympathy on her face.

These servants adored Stella…

The heroine of this game…

The daughter born from Father’s first love.

The other servants of House Andres also looked down on me after I was expelled…

But these people hated me more than anyone.

They firmly believed I had poisoned Stella.

They’re the reason I had to keep changing jobs.

Every time I found work…

They somehow discovered where I was.

When I worked at a restaurant…

They hung a sign outside that read:

“The criminal who poisoned her own sister works here.”

When I worked on fishing boats…

They bribed the captain to fire me.

When I worked at the military camp…

They spread rumors until all the workers avoided me.

I can’t let this become a scene.

I quickly turned to run.

Or rather…

I tried to.

One of the servants stuck out his foot.

“Ugh!”

I tripped.

My nose slammed into one of the seasoning bottles.

The bottle shattered.

A sharp piece of glass sliced across my nose.

Blood immediately trickled down.

Stella’s followers giggled.

Being bullied…

Being beaten…

This had become normal.

No matter how cruel they were…

No one ever helped me.

Everyone feared House Andres.

“You really haven’t learned proper manners.”

The maid, who seemed to be their leader, crouched in front of me.

Then she grabbed my chin.

“How pitiful.”

“Let go.”

“You still have quite the temper.”

“Maybe that’s why your mother ended up suffering in your place.”

My jaw tightened.

Even though I knew staying quiet would end this sooner…

I could never endure it.

Because…

They always brought up my mother.

I slapped the maid across the face.

“AAAH!”

Her eyes blazed with fury.

“You little—!”

She leapt to her feet and kicked me.

Everything I had been carrying scattered across the ground.

She shouted,

“Your name’s already been erased from the family register.”

“And you’re still so arrogant?”

“…”

“You’re nothing more than a homeless stray now.”

Thud!

Another kick.

I collapsed again.

As I fell…

The clasp on my bag caught my clothes and snapped open.

No!

The bag nearly opened.

Inside…

Was Antonio’s robe.

I’d seen it back in the cave.

The inside was embroidered with Irregular’s emblem.

If anyone saw it…

It would be disastrous.

I desperately hugged the bag to my chest.

“Look at that.”

Stella’s followers exchanged looks.

“Seems she’s protecting something valuable.”

“As if someone thrown out of her family could own anything valuable.”

“Then she must have stolen it.”

Smirking…

They approached.

One servant grabbed my arm roughly.

Without thinking…

I bit down hard on his forearm.

“AAAGH!”

Not only the maid…

Even the grown men began kicking me.

Pain exploded through my body.

It felt as though my bones were breaking.

But I clung desperately to the bag.

Not this.

Anything but this.

If they took the robe…

I’d never be allowed into Irregular.

“Fine.”

“You asked for this.”

The servant I’d bitten glared at me.

Then he looked around.

He picked up a heavy laundry bat from the general store display.

Just as he swung it toward me—

CRACK!

A strange sound echoed.

I flinched and looked up.

The servant’s arm had twisted into an unnatural shape.

“AAAAAAAH!”

He let out a horrifying scream.

Still clutching the bag…

I stared blankly behind him.

The leader.

A chain of magic extending from his hand had wrapped around the servant’s arm…

And twisted it.

“W-Who are you people?!”

The maid cried out.

The leader’s magic was so overwhelming that even ordinary people who had never studied magic could feel it.

And beyond that…

His presence alone inspired instinctive terror.

While Stella’s followers stood frozen…

Antonio walked over.

“You…”

The corner of his robe was sticking out from my bag.

His eyes moved from the robe…

To my bruised and battered face.

Then…

To the vegetables and seasonings scattered across the ground.

I hurriedly explained,

“I-I bought them with my own money.”

“What?”

“I didn’t waste any of your money.”

“I… I protected the robe too.”

“…”

“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

“It won’t happen again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m really sorry…”

The leader and Antonio silently watched as I desperately apologized.

After observing everything…

The maid suddenly laughed.

“Ah…”

“So you’re this girl’s new employers.”

“…”

“As you can see…”

“She’s completely useless.”

“You’ve heard of the expelled daughter of House Andres, haven’t you?”

“…”

“She’s the criminal responsible for poisoning Lady Stella.”

The maid smiled triumphantly.

She was certain I’d be abandoned.

After all…

That accusation had always been enough to get me fired.

I lowered my head.

I guess… they’ll throw me away too.

I had told them from the beginning that I was an Andres.

Still…

I couldn’t help feeling anxious.

To an organization that operated in secrecy like Irregular…

Someone like me was only a burden.

Then…

“Huh?”

The maid suddenly touched her cheek in confusion.

A strange sword mark had appeared across her face.

Blood slowly trickled from the wound.

“AAAAAH!”

It wasn’t only her.

The two servants who had kicked me also suddenly bore identical marks on their faces.

The shape resembled an upside-down cross.

Every citizen of the Empire knew that symbol.

“A-an inverted cross!”

“It’s Irregular’s mark!”

Someone among the crowd shouted.

Yes.

It was Irregular’s emblem.

The inverted cross.

The leader strode toward me.

“If you wish…”

“I’ll kill them.”

At those words…

The terrified followers of Stella turned deathly pale.

I stared blankly at him.

Why…?

Then…

After thinking about it for a moment…

I realized the reason.

The reason someone like him would step in to protect someone like me.

It had to be…

“So…”

“The Boss was looking forward to the braised short ribs too…”

“…What?”

“Don’t worry.”

“A few bottles of seasoning broke…”

“But everything else is fine.”

“I can still make it tonight.”

“…”

After all…

If it wasn’t for the braised short ribs…

Why else would he bother helping someone like me?

Still…

Thank you.

For three years after being thrown out of my family…

I’d never imagined anyone would protect me.

“I’ll make delicious braised short ribs for you.”

The leader let out a long sigh, as though he suddenly had a headache.

“First…”

“Stand up.”

He held out his hand to me.

The leader…

…was quite the food lover.