Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 16: A Little Barbecue on the Hour
“Hunting magical beasts isn’t as simple as you might think. Even though our Leo family has lost its fief, we are still nobles. Count nobles of the Dawn Empire joining a mercenary group to hunt magical beasts… if word got out, it wouldn’t sound good.”
“Of course, our pride is one thing. We’re willing to do this for you. But we don’t just represent the Leo family—we represent the face of the Dawn Empire. Nobles of the Empire working as mercenaries? If that got out, how would other countries view the Dawn Empire?”
“And what would the royal family of the Dawn Empire think of us?”
Leo Pate rubbed Merlin’s head. “Even this tavern can’t officially be run under the names of your mother and me. The responsibility must fall to the steward. Even if we personally manage it, officially this tavern can only be a commercial property belonging to the Leo family.”
Merlin suddenly understood, gaining a clearer sense of how the world worked.
A dwarf, who had been leaning on the table listening, chimed in, “Pate, running a tavern isn’t that simple. There are a dozen different taverns on this street. If you want a share of the business, you need to have your own unique feature.”
Pate suddenly remembered the dwarf and hurriedly led Merlin over. “Merlin, this is your Uncle Otto, a close friend of mine. He helped oversee this tavern before.”
Merlin looked at the bearded, rugged dwarf. “Hello, Uncle Otto.”
“Stoneheart Otto. You don’t call me ‘uncle’ for nothing. Consider this a gift for you.” Otto pulled a dagger from his belt and handed it to Merlin.
Merlin accepted it without hesitation. Drawing it from its leather sheath, he saw a dagger of deadly beauty. Its blade was slender and sharp, like a streak of cold light in the night.
Forged from the finest steel, its surface was polished to a gleaming sheen, each glint hinting at its lethal sharpness.
The handle was equally exquisite, usually crafted from hardwood or metal, engraved with delicate patterns that added grip and artistry. The pommel contained a crystal core infused with wind-element magic, making the otherwise meticulously forged dagger surprisingly light.
Merlin fell in love with the dagger at first sight. Pate, however, was a bit surprised at his old friend.
“You actually gave this dagger to my son? I asked for it for years back then, and you never gave it.”
Pate looked at Merlin. “You must take good care of it. This is Otto’s masterpiece—its sharpness can easily tear through the protective scales of a fifth-tier magical beast.”
“That powerful?” Merlin was shocked, then solemnly hung the dagger at his waist. “Thank you, Uncle Otto.”
“The boy,” Otto said with a shrug, “you just owe me a good bottle of wine as thanks.”
“Absolutely!”
At that moment, Kanna glanced at the bag Merlin had brought. “Merlin, what’s in that bag?”
Merlin opened it, revealing a large sack of spices.
Pate and Kanna were familiar with spices, of course—after all, the Leo family’s bankruptcy was related to them.
“Spices? So many? Merlin, where did you get these?”
Pate was dumbfounded. This bag must be worth thousands of gold coins. How could his son have more money than them?
“I earned them from alchemy at the academy—a gentleman paid me an alchemical fee,” Merlin explained. His work on lotus leaf beggar chicken involved seasoning, and Harrington had certified it.
Kanna clapped happily. “I didn’t expect my son to start earning from alchemy so soon at the Arcane Academy. He’s amazing!”
“Perfect. We can sell these spices to get some startup capital,” Pate said with joy.
Merlin shook his head. “Father, selling these spices would only bring in a few thousand gold coins. But I have a way to use them to earn much more.”
Pate raised his eyebrows. “You mean through alchemy? You’re planning to craft and sell spices?”
“Something like that. Father, don’t you want to see how I earned all these spices through alchemy?” Merlin rolled up his sleeves and headed toward the kitchen.
“Uncle Otto, didn’t you say a tavern needs its own unique feature to compete on this street? Now I’ll show you the special dish our tavern will offer!”
Special dishes? Otto perked up, curious to see what surprise this young boy could bring.
Special dishes? When did their son learn to cook? They had no idea.
Pate and Kanna exchanged glances, suddenly feeling they couldn’t quite understand their son.
After a while, a rich aroma of meat began wafting from the old tavern, spreading down the street. Passersby couldn’t help stopping, drawn to the scent.
Sizzle—
Inside the tavern, the charcoal fire roared in the stove. Amidst the smoke, Merlin busily tended skewers of marinated meat.
Rows of skewers rested over the flames. The meat came from farmed spiny boars, beasts that had evolved from magical creatures. Their meat was similar to wild boar, with a naturally gamey flavor, not as mild as domestic pigs.
As the flames licked the meat, it gradually changed color, from fresh pink to a golden brown, some edges slightly charred.
Dripping fat hit the fire with a sizzling sound, and the heat melted the oils, giving the skewers a glossy, tempting sheen.
Then Merlin sprinkled his special blend of spices over the skewers—chili powder, cumin, sesame. The rich aroma immediately filled the air.
Cumin, chili, and pepper blended into a unique fragrance, teasing the senses. Pate, Kanna, and Otto all inhaled deeply, trying to capture the enticing scent.
The smell…!
Even before tasting it, the aroma was irresistible. None of them had ever smelled anything so delightful. They stared hungrily at the skewers in Merlin’s hands.
With a final flourish of chopped green onions, Merlin placed the grilled skewers on a plate and presented it to them. “Flavored grilled skewers. Please enjoy!”
Hiss—
Otto eagerly grabbed a skewer and stuffed it into his mouth. Even Pate and Kanna, accustomed to noble etiquette, couldn’t wait any longer—they tore into the skewers with abandon.