Chapter 627: The Forbidden Fruit

The goblins were defeated without incident. After a knight reported to Father, we resumed our journey.

Rosalia still seemed wary and clung closely to Father. He must have been delighted.

Mother watched him with a slightly exasperated smile. I regretted that I couldn’t see his expression clearly from where I stood.

“As expected of Julius,” Sister-in-law Daniela said. “Even with monsters nearby, you didn’t seem disturbed in the slightest.”

“I have fought monsters several times before.”

“It’s still impressive.”

Sister-in-law Daniela’s praise made me squirm. Everyone had been rather tense earlier. Apparently, encountering monsters for the first time in so long had put them on their guard.

Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my head and let my gaze wander.

“Hmm? Is that…?”

“Is something wrong?” Lady Fabienne asked.

She had heard my murmur, but I had no attention to spare for her reaction. Cacao fruit was hanging directly in my line of sight.

Why was cacao growing here? Could this world’s cacao trees grow in cold regions?

I instinctively appraised it, and there was no mistake: it was cacao fruit. Looking more closely, I saw numerous fruits growing throughout the area. I hadn’t noticed them at all.

It seemed I had been nervous about this family outing too.

“Lord Julius?”

“Ah, sorry. I spotted something familiar.”

“Do you mean those yellow fruits? I’ve never seen them in an illustrated guide. Are they ingredients for magic potions?”

“No. They’re… an ingredient in food, I think.”

They certainly hadn’t appeared in the illustrated guide to magic-potion ingredients. Lady Fabienne didn’t recognise them either, so that seemed conclusive.

They weren’t in the botanical encyclopaedia, but perhaps a food encyclopaedia included them—if such a book even existed.

I wanted to eat chocolate again after so long. I wanted Lady Fabienne to try it too.

“Father, I found an ingredient, so I’m going to collect some.”

“Do you mean those yellow fruits? A great many grow around here, but I’ve heard they have no use.”

“I remember reading somewhere that proper processing turns them into a delicious food. I would like to test it.”

“You’re certain it’ll be safe?”

Father looked at me as if pleading, Please don’t cause another disaster, Julius. Mother beside him wore exactly the same expression.

M-My parents didn’t trust me! Admittedly, that was largely my own fault, but they didn’t need to be quite so suspicious.

Rosalia and Mira, standing near them, watched with sparkling eyes and intense curiosity. Had they sensed the possibility of sweets? Their instincts were sharp.

“It should… probably be safe.”

“That isn’t a very reassuring answer. Very well. You have my permission.”

Father reluctantly granted it. In other words, if anything happened, he had accepted responsibility.

Excellent! Now it wouldn’t count as one of my disasters.

With permission secured, I headed towards the fruit with a spring in my step.

“Brother Julius, you look rather happy.”

“Kyuu.”

La-la-la, I couldn’t hear them. I couldn’t hear anything at all. How could I help myself? It was cacao fruit. Cacao! Chocolate, the king of sweets, was practically hanging from the branches. Of course I walked more lightly.

If these trees grew here naturally, they should also grow in our garden. Then I wouldn’t have to enter monster territory every time I wanted cacao fruit. Once we returned, I would plant cacao alongside the clover.

With plant nutrient, the saplings would bear fruit in no time. What kind of tree is that? Why, a cacao tree. Hurray for doping! Magic potions were incredible. What a thrill! What admiration!

“Lord Julius, do you truly need that many?”

“Ah! I became carried away. Perhaps this will be enough?”

Lady Fabienne pulled firmly on my sleeve and restored me to my senses. I discovered that I had filled an entire sack with cacao fruit.

She peered at me with worried brows.

Don’t worry. I’ve regained my sanity!

“Julius, may I ask something?” Brother Alex said. “What does that ultimately become? You said it was a food ingredient.”

“If processed, it becomes a sweet confection called chocolate. At least, I believe so.”

I added that caveat to avoid suspicion. This was my way of implying that I hadn’t invented it and had merely acquired the knowledge from some book written by a gourmet.

Brother Alex narrowed his eyes slightly. Beside him, Sister-in-law Daniela tilted her head.

Oh, no. I had forgotten that a royal princess with extensive knowledge of cuisine from around the world was standing right there! Her head tilt clearly meant, Did such a thing exist? Brother Alex’s expression said that he had never heard of it either.

What should I do?

“A sweet confection! Brother Julius, I want to try this chocolate!”

“Kyuu, kyuu!”

“Of course! Rosalia and Mira both want to try it, don’t you? We’ll ask the head chef to make chocolate as soon as we return. Lady Fabienne and Nero want some too, right?”

Well done, Rosalia and Mira! If I rode this wave, perhaps I could blur the matter without facing any more questions.

I pressed the advantage by turning to the ever-reliable Lady Fabienne and Nero.

Having grown accustomed to my methods, they didn’t betray me and promptly joined the great wave.

“I would also like to taste this chocolate,” Lady Fabienne said.

“I’m certain Lelie will be delighted when she hears about it,” Nero added.

“Exactly. Once it’s ready, we’ll offer some to the spirits too. They love dried fruit, so I’m certain they’ll be pleased.”

Invoking the spirits should settle the matter. I stole a glance at Brother Alex and found him wearing a resigned smile.

Good. I had somehow survived.