Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 41: Running Short of Spices
“Besides, I have something to discuss with Professor Harrington. You all go ahead—just tell the little cart my name,” Merlin said, rising from his seat, intending to head toward the faculty office.
Fitt immediately grabbed Merlin’s arm. “Hey, if you go to the office now, you definitely won’t find Professor Harrington. Come with me—I know exactly where he is.”
“Oh?” Merlin followed Fitt out, but after walking for a short while, a strange feeling crept over him. Isn’t this the direction to the courtyard?
At that moment, the courtyard of the teaching building was bustling with excitement. Students swarmed around the food cart, shouting their orders, eager to get their hands on the fragrant lotus leaf-baked chicken. The air was thick with sizzling aromas that made Merlin’s stomach rumble despite himself.
Merlin glanced at Fitt, dumbfounded, and Fitt noticed his expression immediately. He tugged Merlin closer and pointed toward the very front of the line. “Look for yourself. Isn’t that Professor Harrington right there?”
Merlin followed Fitt’s finger and sure enough, there was Professor Harrington. The normally composed professor was amusingly swapping places with his students to get ahead in the queue, a rare sight that made him seem almost childlike in his eagerness. Soon enough, Harrington had maneuvered himself to the very front of the line.
“Give me twenty chicken heads, five portions of chicken liver and heart, two lotus leaf-baked chickens, legs, necks, and some hot and sour chicken feet…” The professor rattled off his order in one breath, practically emptying the cart of all the items he could possibly request.
Jean, the vendor, accepted the payment with a cheerful smile, just about to start packing the food when he noticed Merlin approaching.
“Boss!”
“Hmm, go assist the other students,” Merlin said, taking charge himself. He personally served Professor Harrington and even added an extra lotus leaf-baked chicken as a special gift. Harrington’s eyes lit up with genuine delight, and he savored the gesture for a good while.
Patting Merlin on the shoulder, Harrington asked, “So, tell me, what is it that you came to see me about?”
Merlin forced a sheepish smile. “Professor… how did you know I came here for something?”
“You little rascal,” Harrington chuckled. “I’m your teacher. You think I can’t read your mind?”
Merlin handed over the alchemical blueprint Weber had given him. Harrington studied it carefully, his eyes gradually widening with admiration. Though the design depicted only a basic alchemical creation, the circuits and runes were intricate and clever, clearly crafted with considerable skill.
“Not bad. Don’t tell me you designed this yourself?”
“Impossible. I’m nowhere near capable of that,” Merlin replied.
“That figures. Whoever designed this must be at least an advanced alchemist. So… you want to hire someone to produce this?” Harrington’s eyes gleamed as understanding dawned.
Merlin nodded. “Exactly. This alchemical oven is specifically for making lotus leaf-baked chicken. I’m planning to expand production and need someone to help build more of these ovens.”
Harrington nodded in approval. “The materials required here aren’t particularly valuable. Only the advanced magical crystals are expensive and hard to acquire.”
“We don’t necessarily need advanced crystals. The cheaper ones will do fine. I recall that secondary magical crystals only cost five hundred gold coins each.”
“True enough. They’re only needed to activate the magical runes, so secondary crystals will suffice. Here’s what you do: take this blueprint to the academy’s alchemy workshop and see Matthew King Henry. Tell him I recommended you—he’ll help you forge it.” Harrington returned the blueprint, giving Merlin the invaluable recommendation.
Matthew King Henry was a prodigy personally mentored by Professor Harrington—a fourth-year senior in the alchemy department. Merlin had heard the name before, and now he had the chance to collaborate with him.
“Thank you so much, Professor Harrington,” Merlin said gratefully.
“If you really want to thank me, send me some of the food you make,” Harrington replied with a playful grin.
“Professor, I’ll have my owl deliver it to you,” Merlin said.
Harrington’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “An owl?”
“Exactly. I’ve recently started a delivery service. You just tell me what you want, and I’ll have an owl deliver it to any location you choose.”
The idea of food delivery fascinated Harrington. “Sounds intriguing. You’d better find a way for us to contact you easily—otherwise, placing orders would be troublesome.”
“Yes, I’m working on that,” Merlin nodded. Without the internet of his past life, orchestrating deliveries was far from simple.
“Alright, I’ll head back to the faculty office. You can come to me anytime you need something,” Harrington said, waving off Merlin and carrying his purchases with a satisfied smile.
By the time Merlin returned to the courtyard, the food cart was nearly sold out.
“Boss, we really need to increase production,” Jean said urgently. “Five hundred lotus leaf-baked chickens and the accompanying dishes aren’t nearly enough—they’re already running out.”
Several students in line nodded vigorously in agreement, some stepping forward with suggestions.
“Merlin, you sell far too few lotus leaf-baked chickens!”
“Yeah, I came late, and now there’s none left. Though the chicken heads and necks were great…”
“Can you make more of the sour-spicy passion fruit lemon chicken feet? I want fifty tomorrow!”
Some students had even bought over a dozen chickens at once, leaving those further back worried they wouldn’t get any.
Merlin’s eyes widened. Five hundred chickens weren’t enough? These students must have serious money to spend. He felt a pang of anxiety—one alchemical oven would never meet the demand. These were ripe opportunities slipping through his fingers, like fresh green chives waiting to be harvested.
As Merlin pondered the lost revenue, Jean added, “Boss, the spice packs you brought might run out soon.”
“Don’t worry—I’ll go restock. I still have my sources for spices,” Merlin reassured him.
He glanced at the frustrated students, shouting complaints about the scarcity. “Everyone, please be patient. We’re expanding production right now—it won’t take long.”
“We’re just worried that if more professors find out how good this is, it won’t just be the students competing anymore,” one student grumbled, recalling how they had stepped aside to let Harrington cut the line.
Indeed, teachers always had privileges, whether rules allowed it or not. With exams approaching, no one wanted to risk angering Professor Harrington. Merlin could only smile awkwardly in acknowledgment.
His gaze then shifted to the person he had come to find.
Dahl, his mouth still greasy from the feast, let out a satisfied belch. Spotting Merlin, he picked at his teeth lazily, his plump body swaying as he stood. “I guess it’s your turn to see me,” he said with a smirk.
“Oh?”
“Your spices must be running low, right?”
Merlin couldn’t help but marvel. This hefty man had a remarkable intuition—one glance and he knew exactly why Merlin had come. His business acumen was impressive indeed.