Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 32: The Allure of Unstoppable Flavor
The young girl’s cheeks flamed crimson as she quickly turned and fled, fearing that if she stayed any longer, she would be rooted to the spot at the sight of that impossibly handsome face. She was terrified of making a fool of herself in front of Prince Merlin.
Indeed, in the girl’s heart, Merlin had already become the prince of the Arcane Academy—her dream, the one ideal she cherished above all. No one else could ever replace Merlin’s position in her mind.
Her gaze drifted down to the chicken feet resting on the wide leaf she held. Deboned and carefully prepared, they glistened with a translucent, almost jewel-like quality. The golden hue of the meat was utterly inviting, and beneath each piece lay thin slices of lemon interspersed with a few passionfruit seeds. The fresh, citrusy aroma of lemon mingled with the sweet tang of passionfruit, while tiny flecks of red chili added a playful splash of color.
They were… beautiful.
Never in her life had she imagined finding chicken feet aesthetically pleasing. Tentatively, she extended a finger and lifted one from the plate.
Truthfully, she had never eaten chicken feet before. In her mind, such a thing had always seemed unclean, unfit for consumption.
But the tantalizing aroma made her hesitate only briefly. Steeling herself, she brought the chicken foot to her lips.
The moment it touched her tongue, an explosion of flavors erupted in her mouth: sour, spicy, fragrant, and sweet all at once. The lemon lent a refreshing tang that balanced the heat perfectly, while the passionfruit contributed an additional layer of vibrant sweetness and acidity, making the flavor rich and multi-dimensional. The boneless meat was firm yet springy, and with every bite, the hidden marinade burst forth, flooding her senses with a pure, overwhelming satisfaction—a sensation she could only describe as happiness.
A small, involuntary gasp of delight escaped her lips, immediately drawing countless eyes from the surrounding crowd.
Realizing she had revealed her pleasure, she covered her mouth with both hands, cheeks burning hotter than ever. She had never imagined that something as humble as chicken feet could taste so divine. For a moment, the sour, spicy, passionfruit-lemon chicken feet eclipsed even Merlin’s face in her mind.
If Merlin ever knew, he would surely scoff, declaring with a wry smile that women were, by nature, fickle.
“Five aren’t enough!” she thought, eyeing the remaining sauce on the leaf. Unable to resist, she mischievously flicked out her small, pink tongue to taste it.
A shiver ran through her body at her own audacity, though thankfully, she assumed no one had seen.
Glancing around, however, she realized many people were indeed staring at her. That gasp she had made had been far too suggestive, far too tempting.
Her face flushed an even deeper crimson, and she stomped her foot, ready to dash away. Yet, as if remembering something urgent, she sprinted straight toward Merlin—not looking at his handsome face, but at the sour, spicy, passionfruit-lemon chicken feet in his hands.
“Senior Merlin, I want ten more!”
Merlin laughed warmly and wrapped ten more chicken feet, handing them over. The girl accepted them shyly, then quickly bolted across the courtyard, small legs moving at top speed.
The onlookers, observing the scene, drew a unanimous conclusion.
“That girl… she’s absolutely adorable… no, wait!”
“It’s those sour, spicy, passionfruit-lemon chicken feet—they’re insanely delicious!”
Meanwhile, Merlin arranged the prepared chicken feet, drumsticks, chicken livers and hearts, and roasted chicken heads on a pile of lotus leaves for Fitt and Kris.
Fitt and Kris trusted Merlin completely. Though they were somewhat wary of offal and chicken heads, they were still eager to try.
“Merlin, give me five chicken feet!”
“I want some too! No, ten for me!”
“This looks so good!”
Merlin hurriedly reassured them, “Don’t rush! Take it one at a time—line up properly!”
Business was booming beyond Merlin’s expectations. Nearby, Gene’s eyes glimmered green as he watched the coins pile up in the metal cashbox. The sounds of successful Magic Crystal Card payments rang out constantly, accompanied by the metallic chime of coins.
The money kept coming, unstoppable!
“It’s so delicious! Absolutely delicious! I can’t… I can’t!”
“The aroma… it’s irresistible.”
“How is this even made?”
“Was I eating garbage before?”
“My life has no regrets!”
Merlin watched as the sour, spicy, passionfruit-lemon chicken feet sold out completely. He had known that people in this otherworld, unaccustomed to gourmet food, would be powerless against such a bright, tangy, and flavorful taste.
The braised drumsticks and chicken necks were also extremely popular and had sold out, but the chicken livers, hearts, and heads were far less sought after. Only the portions he had given Fitt and Kris found any takers; the rest of the crowd showed no interest.
Fitt and Kris finished their chicken feet, drumsticks, and necks, yet they still hesitated at the sight of the livers, hearts, and heads.
“Merlin… I didn’t expect you to be selling food here,” Fitt remarked.
Looking up, Merlin saw Professor Harrington standing before him, giving him a small start. “Professor Harrington! Isn’t selling here allowed?”
“Not at all. The Academy doesn’t forbid it. I just came to see what you were selling.”
Harrington had long dreamed of tasting Merlin’s lotus leaf “Beggar’s Chicken,” but as a teacher, he had never asked Merlin to make it for him. Today, hearing that Merlin was selling it in the courtyard, he had rushed over immediately.
Unfortunately, he was too late. The lotus leaf Beggar’s Chicken, as well as the newly introduced drumsticks, necks, and sour, spicy, passionfruit-lemon chicken feet, were already sold out. Only the roasted chicken heads, livers, and hearts remained.
Harrington hesitated. He wasn’t particularly fond of offal, and as for roasted chicken heads—could they really be good?
Yet, standing before his student’s stall, it felt improper to leave empty-handed. After a moment, he said, “Merlin, I’ll take one roasted chicken head, and some of the livers and hearts as well…”
Relieved that it was permitted to sell here, Merlin happily packed a few roasted heads and grabbed a handful of livers and hearts. “Here you go, Professor.”
“How much?”
“Professor, since you’re supporting my business, I can’t take your money.”
“That won’t do. Consider it me supporting a student.” Harrington placed several gold coins in Merlin’s hand.
Merlin, surprised by the generous amount, protested, “Professor, the roasted chicken heads are two coins each, and the livers and hearts are one coin per portion by weight—you’ve given me far too much.”
As an alchemy master, Harrington had no shortage of gold. He smiled at Merlin’s words. “Then pack me a little extra. I’ll share some with the other teachers.”
Merlin quickly added more roasted heads, livers, and hearts to the package. Harrington accepted it and departed, not intending to eat in the courtyard like the students. And of course, if the livers, hearts, or roasted heads weren’t tasty… well, that would be unfortunate.