The last thing I saw in my old life
…was a dumpling.
Not metaphorically. An actual dumpling.
I was rushing across the street, late for work, juggling my phone, my bag, and a steaming takeout box when the lid popped open. One perfect soup dumpling arced through the air in slow motion. I lunged to save it.
Then came the truck.
Bright lights. Screeching brakes. A flying dumpling.
Darkness.
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying face-down on warm cobblestone.
My nose was filled with a smell so heavenly I thought I'd died and gone to food heaven.
Steamed dough. Ginger. Pork. Garlic. Chili oil.
"…She's awake!" someone shouted.
I looked up.
A silver-haired elf girl hovered over me, holding a bamboo steamer like it was a sacred artifact. Behind her stretched a bustling market straight out of a fantasy anime — colorful banners, floating lanterns, merchants shouting in a language I somehow understood.
And dumplings. Mountains of dumplings.
I sat up too fast. "Where am I?!"
"You collapsed in front of your stall again," the elf said, annoyed.
"If you don't want the Dumpling Guild to revoke your license, you need to take care of yourself, Master Mei!"
"…My stall?"
I looked down.
I was wearing a red apron dusted with flour. My hands — smaller, softer — were expertly folding dough around filling with impossible speed. I wasn't even thinking about it.
My body just… knew.
A line of customers stretched around the corner.
A muscular adventurer slammed coins onto the counter.
"Another basket! Your dumplings give +5 stamina!"
A cat sitting on the counter glowed faintly as it ate one and instantly healed a scratch on its ear.
I blinked.
"…My dumplings are magical?"
The elf stared at me.
"You invented enchanted dumplings. You're the most famous dumpling maker in the capital. Did you hit your head harder than I thought?"
My heart pounded.
Truck-kun. Dumpling. Darkness.
Reincarnation.
I grabbed a dumpling, bit into it, and nearly cried. It was perfect. Juicy, savory, wrapped in a thin skin that melted on my tongue. Warm energy spread through my body like sunshine.
A glowing message appeared in the air:
[Skill Activated: Divine Dumpling Craft Lv. 1]
[Welcomback, Legendary Chef of a Previous Life]
"…I died," I whispered.
The elf nodded sympathetically. "Emotionally? Yes. Every morning before opening."
"No. I mean I actually died."
She paused. "…That explains a lot."
The crowd cheered as another batch finished steaming. I moved without thinking, serving basket after basket. Every dumpling shimmered faintly. People healed injuries. Fatigue vanished. One old man stood up from a wheelchair and started dancing.
I stared at my hands.
In my old life, I was an overworked office drone whose greatest achievement was finding good takeout.
In this life…
I was a legendary dumpling master.
And judging by the armored knights pushing through the crowd and the royal banner waving above them, the kingdom had just noticed.
The captain slammed his fist on my counter.
"By order of the Crown," he declared, "you are to prepare a banquet… for the Demon King."
I dropped a dumpling.
"…I'm going to die again, aren't I?"
The glowing message returned:
[Main Quest Unlocked: Feed the Demon King]
Reward: Unknown
Failure: Probably death
I sighed.
"Fine," I muttered, tying my apron tighter.
"If I'm getting reincarnated, I'm doing it properly."
I grabbed my steamer.
"Let's cook."