Chapter 5

Making congee is simple. You can make it from raw rice, but it’s even easier to make it from cooked rice. I was about to call a new maid to replace Nella, thinking that good things should be done quickly, but I wanted to proceed discreetly. Nella surely left behind spies. Rabi’s actions might be completely transparent to Nella.

Deciding to go to the kitchen myself, I stood up, but it was impossible. To add to that, it was almost evening, and the kitchen would be bustling with preparations for the manor’s meals. Although I received instructions from Nella to act as a villain, now that I am free from her control, I want to minimize my harassment of the manor’s people as much as possible. I’ve already caused them enough trouble.

So, I decided to rest a bit and then quietly head to the kitchen as the sun set. When I entered, I found a young man desperately cleaning up.

“Hey, you.”

I spoke in my usual arrogant tone. The servant, who was washing pots, looked around. “Over here. Can you see me?” We didn’t know each other, but he probably recognized me as a member of the Heathfen family from my silver hair. Considering my age and gender, it had to be Rabi. He covered his mouth with a “huh.” As the eldest daughter of the Heathfen family, known for my madness, it’s no wonder he was confused being alone with me in the kitchen.

Despite this, Rabi’s mind was already focused on congee. The pain in my stomach was unbearable. Hunger had turned into mere pain, quietly draining calories from my brain. I just wanted to eat congee and be stupid.

“Can you make me some congee?”

“Huh, congee…?”

From his reaction, it seemed this country might not have a congee culture. I realized that their cuisine mostly involved raw ingredients or meat that retained its shape. The taste of light, Japanese-style dishes might be far away.

Well, if that’s the case, I thought, and was about to tell the servant to cook, but then I remembered. I didn’t know where Nella’s spies were. Food was particularly important. Who knows what they might put in it. Rabi took a step forward, and the servant stepped back, trembling. He let out a small scream. With his emaciated body and the night kitchen, he must have looked like a ghost, a bit of a horror. Poor guy.

“Hey, you.”

“Hiiii, I have an old mother back in my hometown who is waiting for my remittances!”

“Okay, but just a moment.”

“The only joy I have on remittance day is eating meat soup, please have mercy—!”

“That’s fine, but our pay isn’t that low. Maybe you should reconsider.”

Ignoring his response, I gently held his hand. “So thin!” His face, contorted with fear, was noisy. “I won’t do anything. Can you lend me this pot?”

Fortunately, I found some cold rice. I put the rice in the pot and added water. “Hii!” The servant was covering his mouth with both hands, but Rabi didn’t care. Thinking it was too little, I added more water. Then I put it on the fire. “T, the rice is getting all… mushy…” The servant was trembling. From their perspective, Rabi’s actions were bizarre. They didn’t understand the charm of congee.

In her previous life, Rabi was a woman who enjoyed cooking, even if she lived alone and often ate instant noodles. On her days off, she would make elaborate dishes. As she stirred the rice with a wooden spatula, the pot began to boil, and the water gradually turned white and thick. The charm of congee is its simplicity and ease. By adjusting the amount of water, you can control the softness. This time, I added about three times the amount of water to the rice, making it a bit too soft.

I added a pinch of salt. Despite the lack of a ladle, I used a spoon to taste the congee. Manners were irrelevant when hungry.

“Mmm, delicious…!”

But it was so good. “Hey, hiiiii!” It was so satisfying. If only I had a ladle or a wooden spoon, I could enjoy the melted taste on my tongue. Rabi cried. This was what she had been seeking. Her soul was Japanese. It was good that this world at least had rice. Whether or not there was a god, she thanked the heavens. Behind her, the servant watched her with fish-like eyes, completely stunned.

***

“Well, it can’t be helped…”

If this country doesn’t have a congee culture, then Rabi, stirring the pot at night like a witch, must seem like a strange person claiming that a mysterious object is delicious. I don’t really care what the manor’s people think of me anymore. If the story reaches Nella and she thinks I’m still weird, that’s fine.

However, I lacked the resolve to continue eating in front of the servant with his stiff expression. I decided to take it to my room. Carrying a plate might tip over, and I wasn’t confident I could return to my room without a break. Heat is important for congee.

So, I borrowed a cart and pushed it like a maid. This was better. It was easier to move while pushing something. I understood why old ladies push carts.

However, Rabi is still the daughter of the Heathfen family. Even though it’s a bit late, if someone saw me rolling a cart with food like a maid, it would be a bit strange. Despite my thoughts, I walked down the less crowded hallway. This was the private space of the Heathfen family. At night, I wouldn’t run into the maids. But then I ran into my brother.

He looked up at me with his small body, his eyes on my load. Then he looked at me. It had been a long time since Rabi and her brother had seen each other. I hesitated about whether to greet him, but he looked at me with disdain, as if I were trash.

“Well, I knew our family relations were terrible!”

I laughed and ate the congee, which was a bit too salty.