How I Found Myself as the Villainess's Obsessive Genius Chef
Tsk, what a capricious fellow… It truly felt like a dream. Celine carefully explained each duty to Kyle one by one, barely managing to suppress the smile that kept trying to slip out. Whether she was unfolding the duty roster or pointing out entries in the armory ledger, her heart fluttered like gentle ripples on still water. Sitting across from him at the same desk, examining the same documents, sharing the same conversation—each of these moments was impossibly precious and overwhelming to her.
…He really is alive.
Even as she continued her explanation, Celine’s gaze kept drifting back to Kyle’s face. The way he listened with solemn attention, determined not to miss a single word. The slight furrow of his brow when he fell into deep thought. Even the tiny gesture of his eyes rolling in mild panic. All of it was somehow heartbreakingly lovely. In her previous life, the face she had longed for so desperately—the face she believed she would never see again—was now moving so vividly right before her eyes. How could she not be happy?
…I want to teach him more. So much more.
Celine opened the next document, then the one after that. It wasn’t merely a scheme to keep him anchored in the commander’s seat. …Well, if she were honest, she couldn’t claim the idea held no appeal. As long as he remained firmly in this position, she could stay close and protect him. Yet there was an even greater reason.
This was everything she had devoted her entire life to building. The Imperial Knights. Every detail of their management, their regulations, their history. The fact that she could pass all of it on to him—and no one else—was a joy nothing in the world could replace. It felt like personally handing her most treasured possession to the person she cherished above all.
“…This section is rather tricky. You may take your time learning it.”
“…Ah, yes. …I see.”
Kyle nodded, his expression somewhat dazed, as if his soul had only half returned to his body. Celine couldn’t help letting out a soft laugh. She must have overwhelmed him by pouring out too much at once. He looked quite exhausted. Still, what could she do? There was simply so much she wanted to teach him. And more than anything, the fact that their time together stretched even a little longer… honestly, she didn’t mind it one bit.
…I wish time could stop right here.
The thought suddenly crossed her mind. In her previous life, they had never been able to share moments like these. She had neither stayed by his side nor sat across from him smiling. …She had simply lost them. So in this life, she refused to let even these small, ordinary instants pass by in vain.
“…Commander.”
Celine called to him in a quiet voice.
“…Please don’t worry too much. Everyone feels this way at first. You’ll grow accustomed to it in time.”
“…Ah, yes. …Th-thank you, Deputy Commander.”
“And.”
Celine hesitated briefly before continuing in the gentlest tone imaginable.
“…No matter what happens, this Celine will always be by your side… so please, never forget that.”
Kyle seemed to flinch at her words. Celine interpreted it as her sincerity reaching him, if only a little. Of course, what he was actually feeling was a shudder born of pure despair—Ah, there really is no escape now. …The kind white knight remained unaware of it once again.
The long day had finally ended. Dragging my exhausted body back to my quarters, I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy thud.
“…Haah.”
A deep sigh escaped before I could stop it.
…Just how had things come to this?
All I had wanted was to escape this suffocating imperial palace and open a small restaurant in some quiet countryside village. That was it. Yet somehow I had become a hero who slaughtered manticores, then the commander of the Imperial Knights, and now I was drowning under an avalanche of paperwork instead of escaping the position.
And that wasn’t all. On one side was a deranged princess who casually called me “honey” at any hour, sending chills down my spine. On the other was the former commander, who for some inexplicable reason kept looking after me with warm affection and trying to nail me firmly into the position.
No matter how I looked at it, there was no visible escape route.
“…Such is my fate.”
I buried my face in both hands and let out another long sigh.
…It was exactly then.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
A knocking sound came from the window.
“…Hm?”
When I looked up, a pitch-black crow was perched outside. It pecked at the glass again with its beak.
Caw.
…Well, this was unexpected. I rose and opened the window. The crow immediately hopped inside and settled neatly on the windowsill as if it had been waiting for the invitation.
“You look familiar.”
Upon closer inspection, it did seem strangely recognizable. Wasn’t this the suspicious crow that had circled above my head once before? …Well, crows all look alike. It couldn’t possibly be the same one.
“…Are you hungry?”
Instead of answering, the crow tilted its head with a small bob. It almost looked like it understood me.
“…Huh. You’re surprisingly clever.”
The sight was so oddly fascinating that I let out a soft chuckle. Come to think of it, this fellow didn’t seem wary of humans at all. On the contrary, it watched my every movement with remarkably clear, steady eyes. There was something strangely intelligent about it that didn’t feel like a mere beast.
“…All right. Can’t send a guest away empty-handed.”
I stood and stretched lightly. Yeah. No amount of lamenting would change anything. At times like these, nothing soothed the heart like cooking.
“…It’s been a while. Maybe I should make a proper dinner.”
Just thinking about it lifted my sunken mood a little. Yes, good. Time to show off my skills for once. Of course, that meant I would need ingredients.
“…Looks like I should head back to the market soon.”
The moment those words left my mouth—
Cawww──!
The crow suddenly cried out loudly. It began nodding its head busily, as if it had understood something, then spread its wings with a powerful flap and shot out through the open window like a bolt.
“…Hey! Are you leaving already?”
I stared after the receding crow in bewilderment. What an odd creature. I thought it had come because it was hungry, yet it flew off without eating a thing.
“…Tsk, what a capricious fellow.”
I scratched my head and shrugged it off without much thought. Never dreaming that the strange crow was, at that very moment, diligently carrying news about me somewhere far away.
Even after returning to her chambers, Victoria’s heart refused to settle. That scene kept flickering before her eyes. The two people she had encountered in the corridor. Celine standing close beside Kyle, gazing up at him with eyes full of boundless affection. And Kyle’s back as he followed her without the slightest hesitation.
…Hmph. The more I recall it, the angrier I become.
Victoria bit her lip hard. Just what was their relationship that they could be so utterly unreserved with each other? The depth in Celine’s eyes as she stared at him was far too profound and intimate to be directed at a mere colleague. Victoria knew exactly what that look meant.
…That woman… she clearly holds feelings for Kyle.
The moment the thought formed, one corner of her chest felt as if it had frozen solid. No. That was one thing she could never allow. Kyle belonged to her. In her previous life, she had lost him through her own foolish hands. In this life, he was the one person she had sworn never to let go of again.
…And yet that woman dares to reach for him.
Victoria threw herself onto the bed and snatched the nearby pillow, hugging it fiercely. Unable to contain her frustration, she buried her face in the soft fabric and kicked her legs wildly. The empire’s princess, throwing a tantrum and clinging to a pillow over a single man—if anyone saw her now, they would doubt their own eyes.
But there was no one else in the chamber. So Victoria indulged her ugly jealousy to her heart’s content.
If only that woman… if only that woman didn’t exist…
She pressed down on the unfortunate pillow and chewed viciously on the name. Celine von Frostheim. The woman who had crossed swords with her until the bitter end in their previous life was now trying to claim even Kyle in this one. If so, she could not simply stand by. No matter what methods it took, she had to separate that woman from Kyle. Even if it meant—
…Yes. Perhaps I should simply exile her to the distant frontier. No, that isn’t enough. Rather—
Just as her thoughts spiraled toward a dangerous place, a sound interrupted.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“…Hm?”
Victoria snapped out of her reverie at the knocking on the window. Turning, she saw a familiar crow perched outside. The spirit beast met her eyes and urgently pecked at the glass.
“…Come in.”
When she opened the window, the crow flew inside and landed on its perch. Catching its breath, it spoke in a low, respectful voice.
“…What is it? Why such urgency?”
In that instant, the icy coldness vanished from Victoria’s face as if it had never existed.
“…What did you just say? Kyle is going to the market?”
…Ahh. Victoria’s heart suddenly began to race. The market. Wasn’t that the very place from last time? Where they had held hands while shopping, where he had cooked that warm bowl they shared…
The murderous edge she had been sharpening against Celine melted away without a trace. In its place bloomed nothing but pure excitement at the thought of seeing him again.
…Yes. This is perfect timing.
Victoria sprang to her feet. Hadn’t she been thinking of repaying him anyway? Come to think of it, she still hadn’t properly given him that repayment. She had sulked earlier when Celine stole him away and simply sent him off.
…Hmph. Very well. Today, without fail.
She stood before the mirror and straightened her appearance. She felt as if a cheerful hum might escape her at any moment.
Wait for me, Kyle. I shall personally descend to bestow a reward upon you.
Of course, that “reward” had somehow quietly transformed from the deadly retribution she had been plotting for Celine into something irresistibly sweet meant for him. Victoria herself remained completely unaware of the shift.
And so the princess—who had been on the verge of complete darkening mere moments ago—now headed toward the market with steps as light and excited as a maiden on her first outing.
The crow followed behind her with a solemn expression, like a loyal retainer attending his sovereign.