Chapter 9 - A Change of Plan (対策変更)

The next day, Ekaterina immediately started working during the lunch break.

Her destination was the cafeteria. Specifically, the kitchen.

Ekaterina felt apologetic for bothering them at their busy time, but she caught the staff and asked them to lend a corner of the kitchen.

Yes, she was thinking of cooking on her own.

In her previous life, Ekaterina had been living alone since she entered university. So she had a lot of experiences in cooking. When her friends came to stay overnight at her apartment, they liked her home-made food, so she didn’t think her skill was that bad.

But to be honest, she survived with convenience stores’ food after she got a job.

The problem here was that the cooking utensils must be utterly different from the technology in her previous life.

Maybe the kitchen would look like the one she saw in ‘Kiki’s Delivery Service’ a long time ago. Microwave or cooking stove wouldn’t exist here. Without that, she didn’t know how to adjust the heat.

Villainess Ekaterina naturally didn’t have any experience in cooking. She didn’t know how to cook in this world.

So Ekaterina decided to see it personally.

“Sure,” said the staff simply. “We have a kitchen table that we don’t use, so feel free to cook there. Ah, someone else is using it right now. Please get along with her.”

Ekaterina wasn’t surprised hearing that she would share the kitchen table. Instead, she was relieved.

The heroine was choosing the right route!

She got ridiculed when she went to the cafeteria, so she decided to borrow the kitchen and make her lunch. Then she would eat it later.

“Miss Czerny.”

The owner of the name, the girl with pink hair, turned her head towards Ekaterina and widened her eyes.

“Miss Yurinova… Why are you in the kitchen?”

“Yes, actually…”

Before Ekaterina could explain, her eyes stopped at the basket in front of Flora.

The freshly made lunch box was packed in the basket with a rattan lid.

Judging from its appearance, it looked like wrap sandwiches or deli crepes. The thin crepes wrapped the neatly lined up salads and eggs.

Flora also used various ingredients, clearly considering the nutritional balance of the meals. It also looked easy to eat, like something you would find in a food stall.

Yes, this is it! She wanted to make something like this! Brother would surely eat it deliciously!

Unable to control her excitement, Ekaterina grabbed Flora’s hands.

“What a wonderful lunch! Miss Czerny, you are very good at cooking!”

“Eh… N-no, not so much.”

“Please teach me how to make this. I want to make it for my brother.”

“Ehhh…”

Ekaterina started explaining to Flora that Alexei was working during the lunch break and not that interested in eating. That she was worried whether he properly had a nutritionally balanced diet.

“I have never cooked before. But I will try my best. Please help me? It’s fine if you only show me how you do it once.” Ekaterina said, putting her hands together.

Flora smiled. “Miss Yurinova, you’re really caring towards your brother.”

“Yeah! So can you lend me a hand?”

“This is commoners’ food that matches our taste, so I’m not sure if it’ll fit the Duke’s tongue…” Flora took one crepes from the basket and offered it to Ekaterina. “Um. If you want to, please have a taste first.”

“My, thank you!”

Wahhh, I wanted to try it!

I took a bite without any reservation. The fillings were… potatoes and bacon? It tasted like German potatoes: enough salt and enough spice.

“It’s very delicious. You’re truly skillful.”

“T-thank you very much.”

Flora faintly blushed and smiled.

Fwahhh…

How pretty.

Flowers were fluttering behind her. I could hear the chirps of the little birds too.

As expected from the heroine. Her aura was completely different from the villainess who looked good with an old castle and stormy weather as her background. Even the imperial prince would be an easy target for her.

She’s really a beautiful girl~

“If you don’t mind, then I will help you.”

“What a relief! Sorry for the inconvenience.”

With that, the heroine and the villainess began to have friendly cooking time.

It was honestly fun.

Flora taught me how to mix the batter and how to use the stove. We tried to make potato salad from the fillings of the crepe (?), sauerkraut, and sausages. It reminds me of hand-rolled sushi.

“You’re good at cooking the batter.”

Thank you. I lived in Osaka for a while in my previous life, so I’m confident I could turn okonomiyaki perfectly. I also had experience working part-time in a crepe stall.

“It’s all thanks to Miss Czerny. You’re very good at this.”

“It’s only because I have been doing it for a long time. I’m in charge of the housework because my mother was working full-time.”

“My, is that so? It’s amazing that you already have a responsibility from a young age.”

No matter in what world, single mothers sure had it tough. A proper daughter willing to do the housework must be a lifesaver for them.

“...I also lived with my mother until seven months ago. But I was a useless daughter,” Ekaterina unconsciously murmured. That made Flora look at Ekaterina in surprise.

“Until seven months ago? Your mother is…”

“Yes, she passed away.”

“My mother as well. She passed away seven months ago…”

“Oh dear…”

The two girls looked at each other and smiled.

Ekaterina already knew that Flora’s mother died from the game, but directly hearing it from her mouth had a different weight. She also didn’t know their mother passed away in the same month.

Ekaterina’s circumstances were tragic, but Flora only had her mother alone. It should be hard for her when her mother left her.

Alright.

For now, the change of plan to break the destruction flag was confirmed!

Ekaterina decided that she wouldn’t approach the heroine, but she changed her mind. Let’s get along with her.

Both of them would inevitably get assigned to the same class. Since Ekaterina already took a distance from the Yes-Yes Trio, she would protect Flora from the bullying with the power of the lady of the Duke’s family.

Plus, Ekaterina felt like she could get along with Flora well. She didn’t want to bully anyone. She got irritated listening to the Yes-Yes Trio unpleasant chatter.

As long as she didn’t approach the prince, the destruction flag shouldn’t be a problem!

Flora helped Ekaterina carry a large amount of lunch they made to the office.

“I’m sorry for bothering you with this even after you taught me this and that.”

“I have fun. Rather, I should thank you.”

Flowers danced along with her smile. How cute~

Ekaterina invited Flora to eat in the office together, but Flora refused. But of course she would feel uncomfortable eating in the same room with the Duke and unfamiliar uncles. Even so, Flora might get harassed again if she kept eating alone. Ekaterina took a note to join her someday.

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