The Reincarnated Villainess Whose Romantic Trauma From Her Past Life Is Too Strong Is Sweetly and Painfully Doted On by the Prince of the Neighboring Country - Chapter 19

The kitchen Salute led Cherie into was a wonderful, airy space filled with bright sunlight. Inside, a young man in a chef’s uniform stood with a slightly nervous expression. He straightened his posture and greeted Cherie formally as she entered.

“—I serve as the head chef here. My name is Sheeran.”

Apparently, this young man was the one in charge.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Cherie Mercury.”

Cherie returned the greeting to the young man named Sheeran, who had light brown hair, charming freckles on his cheeks, and a clean white uniform. Once he realized Cherie was approachable and kind, he looked visibly relieved.

“I was told that His Highness’s guest wished to use the kitchen, so I came to show you the equipment before you begin. If you are ready, may I explain how everything works?”

Sheeran was careful to remain polite, and Cherie replied with a smile, “Yes, please. I would appreciate that.”

Sheeran showed her how to use the gas range and the water system, and pointed out where the dishes and cooking utensils were kept. After thanking him, Cherie decided to get straight to work.

She put on the white apron she had brought and tied her hair back in a simple ponytail so it wouldn’t get in the way.

As Cherie looked around to find a place to wash the rice, her eyes met Salute’s. For some reason, he looked incredibly pleased, smiling to himself as he toyed playfully with the strings of her apron.

“…Um, Prince Salute, you really don’t have to stay. You can wait elsewhere until I’m finished, you know?”

“I know. That’s why I’m waiting right here.”

Cherie had meant that he could wait in another room and do something else while she cooked, but…

“…You’re going to wait here?”

“Is that not allowed? I want to see you cook, Cherie.”

Salute even went so far as to offer his help if there was anything he could do, which left Cherie at a loss for words.

(…Is this really okay? Letting the prince of a major power help with the cooking?)

Well, if he said it was fine, perhaps it was. However, judging that his desire to “watch her cook” was currently stronger than his desire to actually “help,” she gave a non-committal response: “I understand. If I find something I need help with, I’ll let you know.”

Now then.

Having finished washing the rice, Cherie placed a pot of water with some kombu on low heat and began peeling the potatoes. Even though this was another world, perhaps because it was based on a Japanese otome game, the ingredients here were almost identical to those from her previous life.

Potatoes, carrots, onions, and pork.

With ingredients that were easy to gather, it was the perfect dish for her first foray back into Japanese cooking: Nikujaga (Meat and Potato Stew).

She smoothly peeled the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized chunks, then did the same with the carrots. After slicing the onions into wedges and finishing the vegetable prep, she poured oil into a pan and began browning the pork.

Cherie or rather, “Chieri” from her past life actually preferred making Nikujaga with pork rather than beef. Part of the reason was that she had been poor back then and couldn’t often afford beef, but she truly loved the flavor of pork belly. How the meat became soft and tender while the fat rendered out into a juicy richness.

As she added soy sauce, mirin, and sake to the sautéed pork, an appetizing aroma immediately filled the kitchen. She tossed in the prepared vegetables, stirred them until they were well-coated in the oil and seasonings, then covered the pot and lowered the heat.

Taking a breath, she flipped over a small hourglass with a soft clack.

“…Are you not going to add any water?”

Salute asked, sounding a bit worried that Cherie hadn’t added any liquid to the pot.

“This recipe is designed to let the vegetables simmer in their own moisture, so it will be just fine.”

When Cherie answered, Salute let out an impressed “Heh…”

To be fair, Cherie had felt the same way when she first learned the recipe; it had been a real eye-opener. She had always assumed Nikujaga had to be simmered in dashi stock. She let out a soft chuckle, remembering how surprised she was by how simple and delicious it turned out the first time she tried that particular method.

(…How nostalgic. I used to make this every single day.)

To be honest, Cherie’s previous life had been far from wealthy. Well, it had been wealthy at first. Until her father’s company failed and went bankrupt, leaving them with a mountain of debt.

To pay it off, they sold their house, and to cover the remaining balance, Cherie gave up on going to university. Instead, she took over all the housework while working to support the family. She had been the pillar of the household in place of her mother, who had abandoned her debt-ridden father and fled.

While feeling a pang of nostalgia for those distant memories, Cherie moved on to preparing the next dish.