Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 334: The Party and Delicacies
“Everyone, please raise your glasses… Cheers!”
“““““Cheers!”””””
Rest lifted his glass, and the guests followed in unison.
Thus, with many distinguished guests gathered, the party truly began.
Since it was a standing buffet, the long tables were lined with dishes of all kinds.
Maids and butlers dispatched from the Rosemary household busied themselves, carrying trays of food and drink through the crowd.
“Oh-ho… is this wyvern meat?”
“Indeed, indeed… well hunted!”
The first thing to draw the guests’ attention was the wyvern.
By deliberately displaying the beast’s severed head at the table, Rest ensured all eyes were irresistibly drawn to it.
Around the head were arranged platters of roasted wyvern meat.
“Roast wyvern, eh? The seasoning is excellent.”
“I’d heard Count Clover was a first-rate magician, but it seems the rumors are true.”
The nobles savored the meat with impressed expressions.
Among them, however, was Marquis Catreya, wearing a grave look.
“…So Yuri’s judgment was sound after all.”
The Marquis muttered sourly.
As commander of the knights—one of the kingdom’s twin pillars—he could tell.
This wyvern had been killed in an instant.
The quality of wyvern meat changes drastically depending on how much it is battered before death. If multiple adventurers or soldiers drag out the fight, the meat becomes tough and flavorless.
Yet the roast melting on his tongue showed no such flaws. This was a specimen brought down in a matter of moments… likely felled in a single strike.
“I understand now… I lost. I was defeated. Then, I must acknowledge it.”
For some time, his daughter Yuri had left home and taken shelter under Count Clover’s care.
As a doting father, Marquis Catreya found it intolerable. His daughter, so like her late mother, now standing beside another man—it was hard to accept.
“…Delicious.”
And yet, someday he would have to face it.
Wearing a rigid expression, the Marquis swallowed the tender meat.
“Please take care, this is quite a strong drink.”
“This liquor…!”
“What depth… what strength… distilled spirits!”
Next, the guests were stirred by the alcohol being served.
It was a distilled spirit, developed in a coastal town. Though such liquor circulated in the Empire, in the Aiwud Kingdom it was almost unheard of.
“It is quite strong, so we recommend mixing it with water or juice.”
“To dilute it would be a crime. I’ll take mine straight.”
The one downing his glass in a gulp was none other than Duke Crocus, the kingdom’s chancellor.
Among certain nobles, it was well-known—Duke Crocus was a lover of drink beyond compare.
One of the few hobbies of the work-obsessed statesman was collecting rare spirits. Naturally, he could not resist sampling what the party had to offer.
“Distilled liquor from the Empire is well-known… But this rivals it, perhaps even surpasses it. In the Empire, the finest batches are reserved for the imperial family, leaving only poor-quality stock for trade. Yet this lacks the off-flavors of those. No wonder my daughter was so surprised.”
“Um… we also have wine available, so please enjoy yourself.”
The servant attending him flinched slightly at his enthusiastic lecture, but maintained a professional smile.
“It will be ready shortly, please wait a moment.”
“Oh? A fish dish?”
“Fascinating… how does it come out in such a round shape?”
At the fish corner, takoyaki was captivating the guests.
The chef performed the cooking right before their eyes, and the sight of the little balls sizzling on the hot iron griddle drew fascinated stares.
Besides octopus, fillings like fish fillets and cheese were prepared as well.
Through trial and error, the chef had perfected the broth, tempura crumbs, and bonito flakes, while devising a Western-style sauce to suit noble tastes.
“Oh-ho… delightful. And the flavor is excellent.”
“It pleases the eye as well. Well done, my dear son-in-law.”
Marquis Rosemary and his wife smiled in satisfaction as they tasted the takoyaki.
The sight of the chef deftly flipping the little spheres was charming even for novelty-loving nobles, while the unique texture proved highly popular.
“By the way, Albert—do you know what sort of creature an ‘octopus’ is?”
“No, I haven’t the faintest. Do you, Eilish?”
“It’s the child of a kraken.”
“Pffft!”
“This one has cheese inside instead, no octopus, so rest assured.”
As the couple laughed together, fresh takoyaki was served before them.
The other nobles, curiosity piqued, speared the piping-hot morsels with their forks and sampled them.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention!”
At last—the moment came for the evening’s main dish.
“Behold, tonight’s centerpiece… sautéed Diamond Bear!”
“““““……!”””””
The butler’s announcement sent a ripple of shock through the hall.
“Diamond Bear…!? Impossible!”
“That’s a legendary delicacy, so rare even royalty seldom taste it!”
“Is it real…? I’ve heard most on the market are counterfeits!”
The murmurs grew louder—until the butlers and maids carried forth the dish itself.
To prove authenticity, they brought not only the meat, but also the creature’s severed head and pelt. Rest knew well that Diamond Bear forgeries abounded, so he offered proof not by words, but by undeniable evidence.
“…No doubt about it. This is genuine Diamond Bear.”
In the hushed hall, it was Count Walnut who spoke.
Eyes wide with astonishment, he stroked his beard and sighed deeply.
“Count Rest Clover… It seems you truly are no ordinary man.”
The very next instant, the hall erupted in excitement.
The nobles surged forward, gathering around the fabled delicacy—an ingredient so rare that even kings rarely feasted upon it.