“Can you do it, Ergo?”

The Grand Duke asked Ergo, the armory manager and blacksmith. Ergo looked at me. From his seated position, he examined the mask I was wearing with an artisan’s eye.

“Yes, it’s not difficult. I just need to make it based on the face shape and size of the side to be covered… Is the face inside the mask different from the exposed side now?”

His tone implied there was no need to make a new one.

“It would be easier if you needed a mask to cover the whole face.”

At those words, I slowly removed the half-mask covering my original face.

For some reason, I felt ashamed. Like being stripped naked in front of people.

But now, I want to reveal my real face. I want to stand under the sun with my true appearance.

And.

A small hope that if they see the life I had to live hiding a normal face, maybe they’ll open their hearts a little.

That hope overcame the shame.

I took off the mask and looked at Ergo.

“This is my real face.”

Ergo drew in a sharp breath.

“What happened to you? Your original face is pretty, no, no, ahem. Not unsightly.”

He blurted out words without thinking, then observed the right side of my face, the undamaged side, with a reddened face.

I needed to answer Ergo’s question, but emotion welled up in me unexpectedly.

My eyes grew hot.

Afraid I might cry, I quickly put the mask back on.

“I’ve lived like this my whole life. The South deceived me, saying the collapsed side was my real face.”

“How did you find out you were deceived? And how are you sure the right side is real?”

The Northern Grand Duke’s tone was cold.

His voice sounded like he was suppressing something welling up. He wasn’t looking at me, but had his head bowed.

“…I found out by chance. That’s all I can say. I’m sorry.”

My voice trembled without my realizing.

After a moment, Arcadia spoke.

“I’ll give you a proper chance to prove yourself, so you’ll have to respond properly too. I won’t go easy on you just because you look weak.”

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

I showed a small smile.

Arcadia’s expression had softened compared to before.

[This is the timeline separator]

I followed Moby, the only unit leader who accepted me, to the barracks used as a kitchen.

The barracks was a fully equipped kitchen that reminded me of the cooking department in a large castle.

A huge, long grill that looked like it could cook steaks for dozens of people at once. A spacious countertop with room to spare even if various ingredients were laid out without mixing.

I saw three or four soldiers sweating as they prepared ingredients in front of the grills and counters.

“Our mess hall soldiers. You need to eat to have strength to fight. This is where we provide the source of power for our knights. It’s truly the core department of the knightly order, you could say.”

Moby, with his bear-like build, smiled as innocently as a child. He shouted.

“We are the Empire’s strongest!”

Then the young soldiers who were working chorused with expressions that said they were sick of this. Raising the kitchen knives in their hands straight up over their heads in unison.

“Strongest in taste!! We’re the cooking unit!!”

The timing was so perfectly synchronized, it didn’t seem like a chant they’d only done once or twice.

“We bring joy to the knightly order with delicious food, we’re truly the ‘sunshine of the knightly order’. Nice to meet you, newbie. Your name is…?”

“It’s Esther.”

“Right, Esther. I’m Moby.”

“Yes. Moby…”

Moby’s eyes sparkled. It was a look that expected how I would address him.

“Chef?”

“Chef… Well, that’s not a bad title. But I’d like it even more with a little modifier.”

Is that not enough? This is difficult.

After some thought, I opened my mouth.

“Strongest… Chef?”

“Haha, I like that! But I prefer to be called Colonel Moby.”

“Colonel?”

“Yes. The leader of our knightly order is His Grace the Grand Duke, the deputy commander is Lord Nugent, and there are several colonels under the deputy commander. I used to be a colonel. I roamed the battlefields serving the previous Grand Duke.”

Moby’s eyes became majestic, as if picturing the past.

He rolled up the long sleeves covering his thick forearms. Red flesh melted by burns was revealed. It seemed the melted flesh wasn’t limited to just his arms.

“!”

“I almost died after being hit by oil-soaked fire arrows. His Grace the previous Grand Duke saved me. Unfortunately, I lost some strength afterwards and couldn’t wield a sword anymore, but I discovered the new world of cooking. Miss, no, Esther. You should cheer up too.”

Moby was kind. His eyes looked at my face.

I see.

So that’s why he accepted me.

Did he think the right side of my face might be like this due to burns too?

“Thank you, Colonel Moby.”

“Haha, yes.”

I’m still not used to someone’s kindness.

But that unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest.

“I hope your face is really due to black magic like His Grace the Grand Duke said, Mis- Esther. Burns are too painful.”

At those words, I smiled nonchalantly. I’m still not sure how to react to words of concern about my situation.

But I feel a warmth spreading in my frozen heart. What is this feeling?

“When we return to the North, ask to see Lord Adrian. If it’s due to magic, he might be able to fix it.”

Suddenly, I remembered what the Grand Duke had said.

[We’ll need to show Adrian when we return to the North to know more details.]

I wonder if this Adrian person can figure out why my face became like this?

“Um… What kind of person is this Adrian?”

“Hm? Lord Adrian? He’s the greatest, no, the Empire’s greatest magician.”

“I see.”

Suddenly, I missed the North. Ridiculously.

In my previous life, I had been to the North too. To kill Bran Ophilit, who became deputy commander after Arcadia’s death, and dismantle the knightly order.

At that time, I had achieved my goal.

But now I’m going to protect the North.

A small hope is being sown in a heart that doesn’t deserve happiness. My heart is pounding.

Moby shouted energetically.

“Now then, let’s find something Esther can do well!”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Stooooop!”

I froze with half a large radish in my hand. A pale Moby pointed at the radish I had cut with trembling hands.

“Are you trying to kill the radish? I told you to cut it into chunks, but you’ve minced it so finely! This precious radish. This precious radish that adds a cool taste to hot soup, you’ve turned it to powder!”

“I’m sorry. I was trying to make it easy to chew.”

“No one in the knightly order wears dentures! No one’s missing teeth either!”

Moby ran off somewhere with a tearful expression, holding the half radish I had cut, no, minced. Then he put it into a huge paper box that reached the ceiling of the barracks.

“Are you throwing it away?”

“I’m reviving it. I’m not sure if it will work. I’ve never tried to restore an ingredient damaged this horribly before.”

“…”

A moment later, the door of the paper box opened. Inside was the revived half radish.

How did this happen?

Moby spoke to me as I stood there dazed in surprise.

“Ah, as expected of Lord Adrian.”

“Is this magic?”

“It’s magic. This isn’t just a box, it’s a magic refrigerator that restores spoiled ingredients. It’s light as paper so it’s easy to carry around, a battlefield essential.”

It was amazing.

Moby said,

“You don’t seem to have talent for ingredient preparation. Can you grill steaks well?”

I nodded vigorously.

I was confident about grilling meat.

To live as an assassin, camping out until a mission was completed was basic. I had lit fires alone in wasteland-like places to grill hunted beasts.

Grilling should be easy…

“Stooooop!”

Moby cried out again.

The steak for one knight was bigger than I expected, making it difficult to cook evenly. The heat was also on a different level compared to an outdoor campfire.

In the end, I burnt one large piece of meat black.

The steak went back into the magic refrigerator. But that steak couldn’t be fully restored.

“I’m sorry.”

“It can’t be helped. I’ll have to eat this after scraping off the burnt parts.”

Moby said with a disappointed face.

“No! I’ll eat this. It’s mine.”

If Moby ate this instead, I wouldn’t be able to bear the guilt. I quickly snatched the black steak from Moby’s hands.

If I had been an ordinary princess, I would have called the Northern knights my people. I had ruined one of their precious meals. I felt sorry.

Watching me, Colonel Moby muttered to himself.

“Esther, what should I have you do? Fetching water would be tough…”

“I can do it.”

“R-right. You don’t have to do it right now. We’ve drawn plenty. Serving might be… too much?”

“I can do it! And um… how about slicing the big meat with a knife? I’m good with swords…”

“Kitchen knives and swords are different. We can’t waste precious meat.”

Moby said firmly.

In the end, I was assigned to serving.

[This is the timeline separator]

The evening menu was goose steak and vegetable soup with radish to soothe the stomach.

I carried plates with a total of over 100 dishes along with Moby and another soldier.

Fortunately, thanks to my strength as a Sword Master and core power, I could carry several plates at once without spilling a drop of soup.

Moby was pleased and satisfied with this sight.

“We’ve found your talent.”

The last place to deliver food was the Grand Duke’s tent.

It was a special course meal personally prepared by Moby.

“He’ll be weakened after ingesting poison. We need to bring it while it’s still warm, in a special non-cooling state.”

Steaming special vegetable soup. Steak gently cooked at low temperature, which Moby had taken special care with. And a fruit dessert, rare on the battlefield.

I followed Moby, who was carrying the food, holding various tableware towards the Grand Duke’s tent. Arcadia was standing in front of the tent. He asked.

“Did Colonel Moby prepare the food himself?”

“Yes, as always.”

Arcadia glanced at me slightly. Then he spoke towards the inside of the tent.

“Your Grace, shall we bring in the food?”

“Is Moby alone?”

The Grand Duke’s voice was heard. Moby said.

“I came with that Esther girl. You said to have her serve. Oh, Your Grace, we need to do laundry too, so please give us any clothes that need washing.”

“Come in.”

Arcadia opened the tent entrance with a reluctant face.

I followed Moby and stepped inside for the first time.

A small portable stove was emitting a warm light in one corner of the spacious green carpet.

It was a large tent.

On the opposite side of the stove was a white birch desk. Many documents were piled on the desk. It seemed to be where the Grand Duke did his work.

Right next to the desk was a neatly arranged long bed.

The Grand Duke was leaning against the desk in casual clothes instead of his silver armor.

We set up the food on a long table placed in the middle of the tent. Even after the setup was finished, Moby continued to stand next to the table. Because of that, I couldn’t leave either and stood beside him.

The Grand Duke was still leaning on the desk.

“Moby, do you have something to say?”

“No. I just feel at ease watching you eat.”

“It looks very delicious. You must have worked hard.”

At the Grand Duke’s kind words, Moby smiled, lifting the bridge of his nose slightly.

“Can I eat slowly? I have a lot to think about.”

“Yes, of course.”

I followed Moby as he was leaving. But the Grand Duke called me.

“Esther, stay here. I need someone to attend to me.”

I was flustered. Arcadia said.

“I can attend to you. And you usually don’t like being waited on anyway.”

“I also have things to ask her. Everyone else can leave.”

“Then I’ll be right outside.”

Arcadia left with Moby, looking disgruntled.

When we were left alone, the Grand Duke straightened up and stood. I could tell anew how tall he was.

Probably if we stood face to face, my gaze would reach about his chest…

Thinking that, my cheeks flushed for no reason.

‘What is this?’

I lowered my head and stood next to the table. I had to attend to him after all.

The sound of the Grand Duke quietly sitting in a chair was heard. After a moment, he spoke.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, yes.”

I said that because it was true I hadn’t eaten, but after saying it I thought he might be uncomfortable if I said I hadn’t eaten. So without realizing, the word “yes” popped out.

“Hm?”

“Ah… not yet. I’ll eat when I go back after finishing work.”

“Then… would you like to eat together?”

“Yes, what?”

I looked at him in surprise. The Grand Duke spoke calmly in his usual composed, low tone.

“It’s awkward to eat alone, so let’s eat together.”

“Oh, no. How could I dare.”

“Is there an empty plate?”

“What?”

“There’s not as much food as I expected. But Moby is always anxious about not feeding me enough.”

The Grand Duke smiled slightly. It was a genuine smile.

‘It’s almost the first time I’ve seen him smile. So that’s how he smiles, that person.’

It felt like a cool winter wind blowing by and fading away.

The Grand Duke looked at me.

“It’s a lot for dinner. Let’s share. If you give me an empty plate, I’ll portion some out for you.”

“No, it’s alright.”

“…That’s disappointing.”

“What?”

“If you don’t intend to make me eat all this by myself and get indigestion, let’s eat together.”

“I have no such intention. Really, it’s fine. I need to wait until you finish eating and take the plates back. Oh, and take the laundry too if you give it to me.”

As I was rambling on like that, suddenly my stomach growled loudly. It was my stomach clock.

My face turned bright red without me realizing. I was embarrassed.

In truth, the meals I could eat at the Southern Grand Duke’s house were always just a few pieces of dry bread.

The food before my eyes really looked delicious.

I was also hungry after doing unfamiliar kitchen work and serving.

But I couldn’t just sit down at the same table.

I declined once more. Then the Grand Duke said,

“I don’t know what kind of food you ate in the basement of Lahert Castle, but this is probably better than that.”

The Grand Duke himself picked up an empty plate and started portioning out the hot vegetable soup.

“I’ll do it!”

Flustered, I moved towards the Grand Duke. But then I tripped on a table leg and lost my balance.

My face was getting closer to the table.

An impossible mistake for a Sword Master. Was I too flustered being in front of the Grand Duke I had reunited with?

Even while falling, I twisted my body to avoid the soup. But it happened to be towards the Grand Duke. I twisted my body once more. A reaction speed only possible for an assassin. It was better to fall towards the soup than on top of the Grand Duke.

But the Grand Duke discarded the soup bowl and caught my falling body.

The soup that was suspended in the air fell onto the Grand Duke’s body. When I came to my senses, I was on the Grand Duke’s chest.

I frantically brushed off the vegetable soup that had soaked the Grand Duke’s upper clothes with my hands. His large hands stopped those hands. My hands were caught in his hands.

“Is this a new assassination technique?”

He asked.