The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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When I was a child, I had such thoughts whenever I looked at cookbooks.

‘Do we really need spices? Can’t we do without them?’

Wouldn’t it be far more practical to spend that money on stockpiling food instead? Especially since the production yield was already lacking, why not buy a whole bunch and stack it in storage from the beginning? Sure, things like potatoes might rot if stored like that, but grains like wheat, rice, or barley would last quite a while, wouldn’t they?

Yet, people would wastefully dump a ton of pepper onto meat dishes, ruining the flavor, just to flaunt their wealth. And they’d use up heaps of gold coins they could have saved for emergencies…

However, after experiencing it for myself, I finally understood.

Having eaten nothing but bland, under seasoned food, it must’ve been eye-opening to finally taste something sprinkled with pepper.

The difference between food with and without spices was far greater than just a matter of seasoning.

“Wow…!”

I sparkled with excitement as I looked at the sack Amelia laid before me.

Even standing nearby, the distinctive sharp scent of chili powder crept up my nose. It was clearly the real deal. Moreover, it was brilliantly red, as if treated in some special way.

Without realizing it, I reached out my hand but flinched and stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

Amelia asked, curious about my hesitant behavior despite clearly desiring the chili powder.

“…This must be very expensive, right?”

“Ah.”

Indeed, it was an extremely expensive item. Even if it were a traded crop in cultivation, it would take a long time for ships to cross the continent and return.

It’s not like they were being shipped in modern container ships equipped with GPS and propelled by engines. Instead, they relied on rudimentary compasses, hand-drawn maps on parchment, and large sails influenced by the winds. Many ships undoubtedly sank during these perilous voyages, making imported goods unimaginably expensive by modern standards.

It wouldn’t be unusual for ships to sink in the process of crossing the sea. Thus, goods from faraway lands were so shockingly expensive that it left one speechless.

“I wasn’t able to prepare any moose for you…”

“Moose?”

Amelia tilted her head quizzically at my muttering, then her expression lit up as if understanding.

“Ah, could it be that the one who paid three moose in exchange for sugar with the merchants was Lady Elsie?”

She finally seemed to understand, her expression clearing.

“Yes.”

My answer was brief. It was the truth, after all.

The largest city one could stop by when traveling to other regions from here was the village near the Grand Ducal estate. Though I hadn’t been there yet, I’d heard it was incomparably larger and more populated than Delkis.

I’d like to visit someday if I get the chance.

“Did those moose sell properly?”

To be honest, I had been a little worried when handing them over.

The merchant had told me that moose weren’t as popular as cows, so I captured and handed over three moose priced at three times the cost of a cow. The merchant had looked quite surprised, perhaps wondering if I had paid too much, but being a merchant, he likely wouldn’t have refused the profit.

The moose that inhabited the areas near Delkis were larger than most cows. Surely, they could’ve been sold at an excellent price in the big city.

“…They… sold, yes. I heard they were sold properly.”

Amelia nodded slowly as she spoke. Naturally, she wouldn’t be aware of every single item the merchants bought and sold, so she must have been recalling what she’d heard.

“That’s a relief. Then, I suppose I can pay a similar price the next time I need sugar.”

“…Next time, make sure to deliver it processed, not alive.”

She echoed the exact same advice as the merchant.

Isn’t it better to deliver fresh goods alive rather than processed? Even if the North is a cold region, transporting them like that could lead to various issues.

Well, the merchant was the expert, far more knowledgeable than me. I’m sure they had their reasons. If that’s how they wanted it, I’d just prepare it that way. Especially since Amelia was now saying the same thing.

“Then, this…”

“Think of it as a gift. There’s no need to worry about the price. Nobles often exchange gifts, and sometimes those include valuable items like this.”

“But… I’ve heard that if you receive such a gift, it’s customary to give something of similar value in return.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Amelia briefly pondered over my reply, then shrugged her shoulders with a smile.

“In that case, let’s consider it a tab for now.”

“A tab?”

“Yes. I won’t calculate interest or anything like that, so just think of it as being on credit… Actually, no.”

Amelia smiled warmly at me and suggested,

“Just consider it a favor you can repay later… Maybe by helping me if I need it someday? That way, I can continue bringing you rare spices and ingredients like this.”

“…”

“…Why are you suddenly silent?”

When I squinted and stared at Amelia, she looked somewhat flustered and asked,

“Human labor isn’t worth that much…”

I murmured, aware of the labor market prices for Delkis people.

Ah, of course, it wasn’t that we were being sold off like slaves. Not in that sense. What I meant was, I knew the price offered by those who hired Delkis laborers.

It wasn’t exactly cheap, but it wasn’t outrageously expensive either. After all, only those with connections to the people of Delkis could hire them, so it wasn’t as if Delkis workers were driving up prices on purpose.

More importantly, if the cost were too high, it would make it impossible to bring in money from external work. Unless there was a war, charging exorbitant fees simply for being strong wouldn’t make sense in such a peaceful era; it would make employment unfeasible.

And so, as the weakest member of the House of Delkis, with mediocre swordsmanship to boot, it would take me an incredibly long time to repay such an expensive item through labor. Of course, a single sack of chili powder might not take long. After all, it was only the value of “a cow,” or a few cows at most, worth of work.

But if I were to keep receiving such ingredients in the future, it would be a different story.

“Uh, that’s not what I meant!”

Amelia seemed a bit flustered by my reaction and hastily added.

Of course, Amelia wasn’t a villain. She wasn’t the type to say something to truly trap me. While Amelia would later grow into someone who didn’t care much about the gender of her partners, it had taken her some time to accept that about herself.

In any case… I knew that she hadn’t said it to put a leash around my neck.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to know the price. If I owe a debt, I want to repay it properly. Not with something vague like labor, but with a clear, tangible exchange.”

“….”

When I spoke firmly, Amelia fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Alright. Then let’s do that. I’ll make sure to calculate a proper price and charge you clearly.”

Her words sounded a little intimidating, but…

At least it wouldn’t be so expensive that I’d have to capture every animal in the forest to pay it off.

“So, what are you planning to make with this? Do you already have a recipe in mind?”

“Ah, that…”

Honestly, I hadn’t thought of anything in particular. I wasn’t a chef or anything like that.

But, it was chili powder.

Surely, adding it to anything would make it taste great.

The thought of finally tasting something spicy again made excitement rise deep within my chest.

*

Elsie probably said something like that to me because she still thought of me as a villain.

I haven’t openly displayed any evil behavior yet, but she must believe I could fall into corruption eventually. If I really were to become the “villainous noblewoman,” that promise with Elsie would turn into a shackle, binding her tightly.

She’s not as naive as she seems, huh?

Still, I couldn’t just reveal my identity outright.

Someone who transmigrates into their favorite novel is bound to be hostile toward other transmigrators. Usually, in stories where two transmigrators appear, one of them ends up being the villain.

I’ve had my fair share of social experiences, so I don’t necessarily think that way. But if the other person is young, they might base their judgment entirely on the story they’ve read.

For now, I’d give it more time and let her come to the realization naturally. Let her understand that I bore no hostility toward her.

“What should we eat? Should we start with seasoned vegetables? Tossing it into a noodle dish right away could end up ruining the flavor, so we should probably start with something foolproof!”

Watching Elsie suggest something so distinctly Korean, I chuckled bitterly.

She really is naive.

Saying it like that makes it all too obvious.

Well, I suppose she’s acting like this because she doesn’t know I’m a transmigrator too, so she wouldn’t realize the slip.