Chapter 572: On Edge

As I kept boiling water and extracting nutrients from the fertilizer, the time for lunch began to approach. It was probably about time I started preparing a meal.

If I remembered correctly, there was a “small farm” near the hut where some suitable ingredients were being grown. I decided to ask if I could take a few. When I made the request, the gardener quickly handed some over.

The freshness was incredible.

For some reason he was smiling really broadly, though. Could it be that he already guessed what kind of lunch I was planning to make?

“The ingredients I asked for when leaving the castle still haven’t arrived.”

“Julius-sama, it seems the items you requested have just been delivered.”

Nero jogged toward a servant approaching from the other side. The man appeared to be carrying several packages. I had ordered some meat as well, so perhaps they had been keeping it refrigerated until the last moment out of consideration.

Following Nero, I headed over to the servant as well. Seeing Nero accept the packages confirmed my guess.

I should thank him.

“Thank you very much. That really helped.”

“Oh no, please don’t thank me!”

The servant waved both hands in embarrassment.

Ah, that’s bad. I said thank you out of habit again. Apparently the word “thank you” can make people of lower status uncomfortable in this society.

Hmm… feudalism.

No matter how many years pass, I still can’t get used to it.

Nero carried the ingredients he received from the servant into the hut. The timing was perfect, so I decided to start preparing lunch. After thanking Nero as well, I asked him to find out how many people would want to eat.

“Are you really going to cook lunch yourself, Julius-sama?”

“Of course I am, it’s Mochi no ron. I’m planning to let everyone take home any leftover ingredients, so don’t force anyone to participate.”

“U-Understood.”

Mochi no ron? Nero tilted his head in confusion at my expression before stepping outside the hut.

Almost as soon as he left, Fabienne and Lionel arrived. When they saw me lining up ingredients on the table, they both made faces that seemed to say, “Is this guy serious?”

Yes.

I’m serious.

Serious as in dead serious.

“Julius-sama, you truly intend to cook lunch yourself?”

“Nero said something similar, it’s Mochi no ron.”

“Mochi no ron…?”

Fabienne tilted her head.

Lionel simply smiled wryly. He was already used to me saying things that made no sense. He was probably thinking, There he goes again with something incomprehensible.

And honestly, he wasn’t wrong.

I’d give Lionel a point for that one.

“Well, I’m going to start cooking. What about you, Fabienne?”

“Of course I will help!”

Fabienne clenched both fists excitedly.

Apparently asking for her opinion had raised my favorability points. However, she didn’t say mochi no ron back. What a shame.

Still, this outfit wouldn’t do for cooking. The clothes I was wearing could get dirty, but if it got too bad the servants might start nagging me.

So I borrowed an apron hanging nearby. Naturally I cast the Clean spell on it first, so hygiene was perfect.

…Though come to think of it, couldn’t we just cast Clean on ourselves before leaving?

Well, whatever. It’s about the feeling.

Once you put on an apron, you start feeling like one of those iron-chef types. Humans can become anything.

“First we prepare the meat. Then we get the ginger and flour ready…”

“You’re quite skillful,” Fabienne said. “If I remember correctly, ginger is a material used in magical potions, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. But it can also be used as a cooking ingredient like this.”

While explaining, I chopped away with the knife.

Fabienne also handled her knife confidently. Since knives are used when making magical potions too, she was already familiar with them.

I was glad she was dexterous. If she weren’t, I’d be cooking while constantly worrying she’d cut herself.

While preparing shredded cabbage to accompany the dish, Nero returned. When I asked how many people wanted lunch, the number was larger than I expected.

At this rate we might not even have leftovers.

Good thing I ordered extra ingredients. Better safe than sorry.

“I’d like to add garlic too, but you wouldn’t like that, right Fabienne?”

“Um… yes, probably not.”

“You wouldn’t be able to kiss afterward.”

“Pii!?”

Fabienne let out a chirp like a little bird.

What was that sound? That was way too cute.

As I grinned and watched her, her cheeks gradually puffed up.

Whoa there, Fabienne. Let go of the knife in your hand first.

Stay. Stay.

This could get serious real fast.

I definitely didn’t want a headline like: ‘Raven Kingdom Murder Case – The Deadly Aroma of Ginger and Garlic.’

“Julius-sama, you’re teasing me!”

“Not at all. I was just thinking it’s been a while lately.”

As I said that, I kissed Fabienne on the cheek.

Her face instantly turned bright red, like it had burst into flames.

Completely sexual harassment.

But she’s my fiancée, so it’s fine!

While we were flirting, Nero and Lionel politely turned their backs.

Truly excellent retainer and knight commander.

Even with all the flirting, we finished preparing lunch.

Today’s menu was ginger pork set meal.

I was so glad rice existed in the Raven Kingdom. It had been a while since I’d eaten it. Bread was the staple food in this world, after all. People did eat rice, but not very often.

“It’s a bit early, but let’s eat first ourselves,” I said. “I want to hear everyone’s impressions.”

“What is this dish called?” Lionel asked.

“It’s called ginger pork. Thin slices of pork coated in flour and seasoned with a sauce mixed with ginger.”

“Ginger…?”

Lionel tilted his head.

Apparently he didn’t know what ginger was.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped.

Shō ga nai… because it’s shōga. Get it? (*Shō ga nai means ‘it can’t be helped’. Shōga means ‘ginger’)

I showed him the ginger I had received earlier from the gardener. It was quite a fine piece. Honestly, it would be good enough to use directly as a potion ingredient.

“I have never seen this ingredient before,” Lionel said.

“Huh? Maybe it’s not used as food here?”

“I have never heard of it being used that way.”

A cold sweat ran down my back.

Wait… did this world not have ginger-based cooking?

Now that I thought about it, I had never seen ginger dishes at the dining table before.

Careless!

If this turned out well, I had been thinking about teaching it to the castle’s head chef… but maybe I should cancel that idea.

“Um, Julius-sama went through the trouble of cooking for us,” Fabienne said. “Shouldn’t we eat it before it gets cold?”

“You’re right, Fabienne. The taste should probably be fine, but don’t force yourselves if you don’t like it.”

It might not suit everyone’s palate.

If that happened, I could just turn it into plain pork steak instead. Everyone should be able to eat that.

Looking slightly nervous, everyone began eating.

Well?

Is it good?

My heart pounded as I watched their reactions.

Then suddenly—

Lionel’s eyes snapped wide open.

“W-What is this…?! It’s deeeelicious!!”

He looked like he might leap to his feet at any moment.

His eyes and mouth weren’t about to start shooting laser beams, were they?

Please spare me that.

I admit I may have created another problem-causing invention here.