Chapter 06
The scenery of the ducal residence was so overwhelming that even calling it magnificent seemed insufficient.
Elaborately carved marble pillars and meticulously maintained gardens that seemed to stretch on forever.
The Vellaon family had always been wealthy, but the rumor that the current duke had tripled the family’s fortune during his reign did not seem exaggerated at all.
After leaving the carriage to Lucan, Cain took Luciela and headed straight for the kitchen of the ducal residence.
The moment Luciela stepped inside, she was filled with admiration.
It was a grand, spacious place three or four times larger than the kitchen in the lord’s castle.
The countertops gleamed white and smooth without a single trace of grime, while neatly arranged silver utensils sparkled everywhere. Even though it was not mealtime, dozens of chefs were busily preparing ingredients in perfect coordination.
Despite her fear, Luciela felt a tiny bit excited.
After seeing nothing but Nigel’s filthy kitchen, where cleaning was always neglected, this place looked like heaven to a chef.
The moment the two entered, dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward them simultaneously.
Ignoring the surrounding gazes, Cain looked at Luciela and asked briefly,
“Can you start cooking right away? Something like the Castella or potatoes you made last time…”
“Lord Cain.”
At that moment, a middle-aged man with wavy brown hair stepped in front of them.
A splendid badge signifying his position as sous-chef was attached to the chest of his expensive chef’s uniform, which was decorated with silver buttons.
“What brings you here?”
He began speaking.
“And this scruffy… I mean, who is this child?”
The sous-chef narrowed his eyes as he asked. Behind him, three or four chefs stood with their arms crossed, scrutinizing Luciela suspiciously.
“I’ll borrow one of the counters. There’s nothing special you need to prepare.”
Cain spoke briefly, but the sous-chef did not move.
“I’m sorry, but did you receive Lord Osburn’s permission to use the kitchen?”
“No.”
“Then I’m afraid that’s a problem. The kitchen of the ducal residence is a place reserved for verified chefs. A dirty little child like this…”
“I verified her.”
“You did, Lord Cain?”
The sous-chef asked again, openly furrowing his brow.
“That’s right.”
“I’m sorry, but I find that difficult to accept.”
Cain stopped moving for a moment and stared directly at him. His expression barely changed.
“Lord Cain, you’re not a professional, are you? It would be a different matter if she had passed my inspection as the sous-chef.”
The sous-chef shrank his neck beneath Cain’s sharp gaze, but he did not back down.
His displeased eyes moved back and forth between Cain and Luciela.
Even though he was reluctant to acknowledge Cain’s authority, he seemed particularly offended by the idea of allowing someone as shabby-looking as Luciela to use the kitchen of the ducal residence.
“If you need food prepared, please tell us. But I cannot allow this child to use the kitchen however she pleases.”
“Your name was Jerome, wasn’t it?”
Cain looked at the sous-chef with an indifferent expression and spoke in a low voice.
“Are you trying to stop me? Choose your words carefully.”
Whether it was because of the bluntness of the question or the menacing undertone hidden in his dry voice, Jerome’s eyes wavered slightly.
“Stop you? That’s a rather harsh way of putting it.”
“Then?”
“As you know, while the Duke is away, Lord Osburn, his second son, manages the affairs of the household. I’m simply saying that it would be difficult to open the kitchen without his permission.”
“Debron and Melina have brought people into the kitchen before. Do you stop them as well?”
For a moment, some of the color drained from Jerome’s face.
“That’s…”
“Even Theo and the other children come and go from the kitchen whenever they want snacks. Do you tell them to obtain Lord Osburn’s permission first?”
Jerome bit his lip in embarrassment before raising his head again.
“The masters obviously don’t need to ask permission before using it. But Lord Cain, you’re not a direct member of the family, are you?”
He spoke clearly.
“Even though you have received a baronial title, you are not the master of this ducal residence. As an employee of the ducal household, it is only proper that I…”
“I understand the situation.”
Cain let out a faint chuckle as though he had expected this.
“It seems that Lord Osburn taught you well. Treat me like an outsider whenever I come here. And interfere with me little by little whenever I try to do anything. That way, I’ll become uncomfortable enough that I won’t come here often.”
“……”
Cain’s words must have struck directly at the heart of the matter, because Jerome’s face became even paler.
Luciela nervously watched the two of them.
She had expected there to be some sort of power struggle because of Cain’s unusual position within the family, but she had never imagined that even the kitchen staff would stand in his way.
“Osburn Vellaon, the Duke’s second son, is simply rotten. His self-esteem is pretty low, so he gets offended easily, and then he tries to take petty revenge. I just hope our Lucy never has to meet him…”
When she remembered what Mother had said in the past, the situation began to make a little more sense.
Cain stared down at Jerome’s face for several seconds before letting out a small sigh.
“You have your own circumstances.”
“……”
“But that doesn’t mean I have any reason to tolerate them.”
Shing—
Something silver flashed brilliantly.
Before Jerome could even realize what was happening, a cold, gleaming blade stopped beside his neck.
Jerome’s face went deathly pale as his eyes widened.
“L-Lord Cain! How could you draw a sword in the kitchen…?”
“You seem to have created quite a lot of rules of your own. Now you’re even trying to dictate where I can and cannot draw my sword.”
Cain spoke in a flat, emotionless voice.
“Move aside. That is an order.”
At Cain’s chilling declaration, the air in the kitchen froze.
“The master of this ducal residence is the Duke, not Lord Osburn. You all know perfectly well that ordering you to stop me is not the Duke’s intention.”
“……”
“Anyone who disobeys the master’s wishes has no right to remain here. For convenience’s sake, I’ll take care of the matter myself.”
“……!”
“You’re not moving. Then I’ll cut you.”
“Gasp…”
Jerome froze in place, his face drained of all color.
Cain’s command, accompanied by a drawn sword, carried a weight completely different from that of Osburn’s or the head chef’s.
Jerome was not simply frightened by the sight of the sword.
The heavy killing intent emanating from its tip made him feel as though his entire body were being crushed beneath it.
Just as Jerome began trembling violently—
Someone tugged on Cain’s sleeve from behind.
“…Wait a moment.”
A small body, messy but bright blond hair, and sparkling green eyes entered Cain and Jerome’s field of vision.
It was Luciela.
Everyone’s attention focused on the little girl.
“So… you don’t trust the baron’s verification of me?”
“Y-Yes.”
Jerome managed to answer, as though someone had finally given him room to breathe.
“The kitchen is a sacred place. We can’t simply let anyone in based on unverified claims about their abilities, only for the ingredients to be ruined… or…”
“Then verify me right now. Personally, Sous-Chef.”
“Huh?”
Jerome blinked at the unexpected proposal.
“You can think of it as a test rather than cooking for someone. I’ll make a soup right here, right now.”
“That’s…”
Luciela quietly raised her head and looked up at Cain.
Judging from the fact that this man had brought her straight here, his patient’s condition was clearly urgent.
There was no time to waste arguing about whether she was capable of cooking.
What mattered was making food with a buff immediately.
There was even less time to draw a sword, cut someone down, and deal with the aftermath.
Whether they allowed her to pass the test afterward was none of her concern.
If they needed another dish, she could think about that when the time came.
More importantly, she had to avoid being branded useless in the baron’s eyes because the cooking was delayed and ending up with a pointless death.
If she died here, Mother wouldn’t even be able to find her body.
Jerome swallowed dryly and nodded repeatedly.
“G-Good. Fine.”
He had no intention of losing his life to Cain’s sword today.
He had simply been afraid of being reprimanded by Osburn, who actually held power in the household, or by the head chef once he returned. At the same time, he disliked the thought of a filthy-looking child making a mess in the kitchen.
But if he called it a ‘test,’ there was no reason to stop her.
If her skills were terrible, it would actually give him the perfect excuse to prevent her from ever setting foot in the kitchen again.
“Let’s have a test, then. If this child makes something terrible, Lord Cain, you’ll have to back down as well.”
Jerome reluctantly stepped aside to clear the way.
Cain sheathed his sword and nodded at Luciela.
“The menu doesn’t matter. Make something. If the result meets my expectations, I will reward you generously.”
Finally obtaining permission, Luciela walked toward the cooking counter.
