That night marked the first time Megrie stood in the kitchen properly.
Not sneaking in.
Not cooking to survive.
But as someone—
who had been allowed to cook.
The ingredients were neatly arranged on the counter.
A wild rabbit Chino had brought back, cleaned thoroughly.
Several root vegetables, oddly shaped but fresh.
And a small pouch of coarse salt and herbs, which Kai had dug out from storage.
"…Is this enough?" Chino asked, a little uneasy.
Megrie glanced over them and nodded.
"It's enough."
She rolled up her sleeves, her movements efficient yet restrained.
Aaron stood by the doorway.
He looked relaxed, but in truth, his eyes took in everything.
He was used to observing people—
especially those who didn't fit the norm.
And Megrie was one of them.
Her back was far too thin, her shoulders narrow.
Yet when she stood before the stove, she radiated a strange sense of calm.
As if this was exactly where she belonged.
The fire lit.
The pan heated.
The scent of fat and herbs slowly spread through the room.
Chino was the first to twitch his nose.
"…This smells even better than the noodles earlier."
Kai said nothing.
He simply set his ledger aside, his gaze drifting unconsciously toward the pot.
As she worked, Megrie spoke lightly.
"This isn't noble cuisine."
She didn't turn around.
"No elaborate plating. No expensive spices."
"Just food that fills you up, tastes good, and makes you want to live another day."
Aaron's fingers paused slightly.
That didn't sound like a description of food.
It sounded more like—
she was talking about herself.
Before long, three steaming dishes were placed on the table.
Meat stewed until tender, the broth rich but not heavy.
Simply stir-fried vegetables that retained their natural sweetness.
And a pot of hot soup that warmed the chest with every sip.
Megrie sat at the edge of the table, not reaching for her chopsticks.
"Eat," she said.
The three men exchanged glances.
Chino was the first to take a bite.
Then Kai.
Finally, Aaron sat down as well.
No one spoke.
Only the soft clink of bowls and chopsticks filled the room.
Cooking broke the stalemate.
And over the course of eating and quiet conversation,
Megrie gradually came to know the three men seated before her.
They all lived together in this house.
Aaron was the captain of the city's guard—
a man firmly bound by duty, rules, and responsibility.
Chino was a woodcutter,
and also a hunter.
His strength came from the forest,
and his food from what he personally hunted or gathered.
Kai, the homeowner, was a landlord.
Several houses passed down through his family
allowed him to live comfortably off rent without needing to work.
Halfway through the meal, Chino suddenly looked up.
"…Were you really just the lord's daughter before?"
Megrie paused, then smiled faintly.
"Not anymore."
Kai slowly set his chopsticks down and looked at her.
"Then what are you now?"
Firelight reflected in her eyes.
"I'm a chef," she said,
her voice calm—yet utterly certain.
When the final bite was eaten,
the tension in the air completely faded.
And Megrie made a decision.
"I can cook for you," she said calmly, her gaze sweeping over all three men.
"But I have conditions."
The men exchanged glances.
"You provide the ingredients," she continued.
"All of them."
Then she paused, adding one more thing—
"And what happens here stays here."
She met their eyes one by one.
"No one can know that I come here to cook."
The kitchen fell silent once more.
Aaron frowned first, clearly weighing the risks.
Chino scratched his head, already calculating hunting routes and supplies.
Kai leaned back slightly, his gaze resting on Megrie in quiet assessment.
She was painfully thin.
Her clothes were old and worn, utterly unremarkable.
To be honest—
by this world's standards, she wasn't considered beautiful.
At least, that was what they thought.
(In truth, Megrie was anything but ugly.
Even beneath hunger and exhaustion, her delicate features were unmistakable.)
But appearances meant little at this moment.
Because one fact was undeniable.
Her food was irresistible.
They wanted to eat it again.
For the sake of good food—
no, for the sake of that taste—
None of them hesitated for long.
"Fine," Kai said first.
"As long as you keep your word."
"I'll handle the meat," Chino added immediately.
"Fresh game."
Aaron let out a quiet sigh, rubbing his temple.
"…I'll make sure nothing leaks."
Just like that, the agreement was made.
Megrie would cook.
They would supply the ingredients.
And her presence here would remain a secret.
A seemingly simple arrangement.
Yet no one realized—
This was not merely a transaction about food.
It was the beginning of something
that would slowly, inevitably,
change all of their lives.