Eating
"I definitely won't get pushed down again."
""Will do my best.""
Allen and Elena became motivated after hearing Cloud-sama's "definitely".
"You sound so reliable."
"Rain-sama, Cloud-sama too, please don't stir up my kids."
"It sounds fun, so why not?"
"... Austin-sama too?"
Rain-sama was totally having fun and Austin-sama seemed to be amused, too.
"We won't be staying here for many days, so the children won't have many opportunities. That's why I say, why not?"
Austin-sama... you were actually serious?
However, since the three princes have sanctioned it, I won't take any blame if Allen and Elena push Cloud-sama down in public during our remaining time in Creta, alright!
""Onii~chan, meal~?""
"... I will arrange it right away."
I was talking about the two of you, though. Well, I guess the two don't really understand what we were talking about.
"Is everyone eating here then?"
"Yes, please serve the meal here——your seat is there, Takumi. Allen and Elena can sit right beside him."
""Okay.""
I sat down at the seat Austin-sama pointed at and took out the meal from my Infinite Storage.
""Ohh~~~""
"I have never seen these kinds of dishes before!"
"Incredible."
"They all look delicious."
The reaction on the appearances seems to be good.
"Please eat before it gets cold."
""Let's eat~!""
As Allen and Elena begin to eat first, the princes also begin to eat.
""Nn~~~""
"How is it? A dish you have never eaten before. Does it get passing marks?"
Allen and Elena shook their heads up and down, while chewing with their cheeks stuffed.
It's obvious from their expressions, but it looks like the food got passing marks.
"Takumi, it's very delicious."
"Truly delicious."
"Amazing. All of these were made by you, Takumi?"
""Onii~chan is amaz!""
It seems it suited the tastes of Austin-sama, and Rain-sama and Cloud-sama too.
"Takumi-dono, would you like to work as the castle's chef?"
"Oh, that's a good idea. Takumi, I will arrange good conditions for you!"
"Pardon me, but cooking is just a hobby of mine, I don't want to make it a work."
I just like to make foods I want to eat on a whim. And I also like cooking to make my kids happy.
"Is that so, that is unfortunate."
"However, it will be difficult not being able to eat this anymore. Takumi, could you instruct our chefs... no, we won't have enough time to do that, right? Would it be possible to sell us the recipe?"
"Indeed, I would also like to bring this recipe home."
They must have liked it a lot. All three of them want the recipe.
"Haha. I will put together a recipe paper by the day of our return."
"Thank you so much. Let's decide on the price later."
"Indeed, let us just enjoy the meal for now."
Can't I just transfer the recipe to them? I would be fine with that, but these people would probably refuse.
"Onii~chan, what's this Shrimpy~?"
"That is Ebi Fry."
"Onii~chan, this one Ricy is~?"
"That would be Omurice."
"Ebi Fry is delish~!"
"Omurice is yummy~!"
"Do you like it?"
""Yeah, make it again!""
"Roger that."
It seems they have memorized the names of the dishes properly and will be requesting it again sooner or later.
"Ebi Fry and Omurice, you said? Then, what is this meat dish called?"
""Hamburger!""
"It's called a Hamburger? Then, this soup?"
""Yellow Millet!""
"""Yellow Millet!?"""
Ah, Yellow millet was treated as fodder for livestock! Rather, so is White Wheat!
Austin-sama knew about White Wheat, did he not? He didn't come to Allen and Elena's birthday party, so he probably isn't aware about the Yellow Millet.
Of course, Rain-sama and Cloud-sama don't know that both of them are edible so... did I totally do something I have to feel guilty about again?
"I, I'm sorry. I use Yellow Millet as well as White Wheat."
First, I will apologize honestly!
"White Wheat? I don't see anything like that here?"
"It's inside the Omurice's egg, right Takumi?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Heh~ This is that White Wheat?"
"It was something this delicious?"
The royalties of this world really have deep stomachs, don't they? All three accepted it as if it was normal~
"I would like to make this Yellow Millet soup into an instant soup, too."
"That's a good idea."
"Yellow Millet is easily obtainable, so it might not be a bad idea."
Moreover, not only did they not mind, the princes even wanted to turn the Yellow Millet soup into an instant soup.
Which reminds me, I haven't tried making the Yellow Millet into an instant soup before. Let's try it the next time.
"There are several kinds of Millet, no? Can those be made into soups too?"
"Now that you mention it, yes——What do you think, Takumi-dono?"
"You can make soups with different flavors by using White, Red, and Black Millet, but I believe that the Yellow Millet is most suitable for soups."
"If Takumi says so, I'm sure it's true."
"Indeed."
"True."
"... You accepted it quite easily."
It's surprising to me that they accepted it so easily.
"I don't have the need to doubt your palate which made something this delicious, Takumi."
"That's right, Takumi. Ah~ but I would really like to try a soup made out of a different type of millet at least once."
"Indeed. Let's have the chefs try when we get the recipe from Takumi-dono."
"Let's do that."
"Everyone has preferences too, after all. You might unexpectedly find your favorite taste."
Err, if I'm not mistaken... Red Millet has a strong acidity, and Black Millet is sweet. The White Millet should be thick and creamy. I'm sure some people would prefer one or the other.
""Thank you for the meal~""
"Are you full?"
""Yeah, full~""
Allen and Elena lightly tapped their bellies, showing that they were full.
"You ate a lot~"
""Yea, ate a lot! Is Austin-sama's belly also bouncy-bounce?""
"Bouncy-bounce!?"
""Ku.""
Austin-sama opened his eyes wide at the way Allen and Elena said it, and stared at his stomach.
Rain-sama and Cloud-sama averted their gazes to laugh.
Austin-sama's body is slender, so even by mistake, you wouldn't call him "bouncy".
"Allen, Elena, Austin-sama's belly isn't bouncy-bounce, right?"
""Is not~? Then, bob-bob?""
"Bounce" and "bob" have a similar feeling, so that's not it either? What the two want to say is...
"Ah~ the belly is bulging... I think?"
""Ohh~ it's bulging!""
The kids clapped their hands as if saying "That's it!".
Although a trivial mistake, it was a very unpleasant one.
~
Pudding Parfait
"Now then, you seem to be full, but I wonder if you have any space left for a pudding?"
""Pudding!? Will eat, will eat!!""
Knowing that there is a pudding, the children's eyes lit up.
"Was pudding the dessert that the kids wanted to eat? Do you have some for us too?"
Cloud-sama was also quick to react. Does he have a sweet tooth or something?
Rather, I don't think I've ever met anyone, young or old, who said they don't like sweets up until now~
"I brought it up myself, so I won't say 'No' now."
I took out the pudding from the Infinite Storage and put it on the table.
I made a mini pudding parfait style by adding vanilla ice cream made from the vanilla beans I recently obtained with fruits.
""Ohh~""
They only had pudding as a standalone item, so the kids were excited to see the parfait.
"This is another great-looking product. So this is the pudding?"
"Pudding is~"
"This~"
"So this light brown sauce over the yellow thing is pudding?"
""Yea.""
Allen and Elena taught Rain-sama what pudding is while eating.
""And then~""
"This is."
"Ice cream."
Following up, they scooped out ice cream on their spoons and informed Cloud-sama and Rain-sama who did not know of it.
"So this is ice cream, I see."
""Yea! N? Huh~?""
Eating the ice cream, the two tilted their heads.
"Is a bit different~"
"There are blackish grains~"
The children realized that it wasn't a milk ice cream.
"You did well realizing it. This is vanilla ice cream."
""Vanilla~?""
"That's right. It's made from the twigs we found at the shop yesterday."
""But, is similar~""
"Yeah. I just added vanilla's aroma, so it's not that different from the milk ice cream."
Allen and Elena were tilting their heads. They probably didn't understand too well.
Well, the ingredients of the milk ice cream and vanilla ice cream are mostly the same~ If I dare to say it, it's about whether there's a fragrance or not, so it can't be helped if you can't tell.
"Vanilla? I've never heard of it... oh, it's tasty. Was this something you found in our country?"
"Yes, it apparently came from the nearby dungeon. It's more of an aroma-adding spice than a food ingredient."
"Indeed, it doesn't smell like anything I had ever smelled before."
"I think women would love this kind of perfume~"
""!!""
I'm not familiar with perfumes, but I thought that women would like this kind of fragrance. So, when I said it, Rain-sama and Cloud-sama looked taken aback.
"If these vanilla beans could only be found in Creta's dungeon, wouldn't they be considered domestic goods?"
"We cannot be sure they exist in other countries too, but even if they did, people don't know about them. They are not being utilized at all, isn't that right?"
"That's very much possible."
"I think we have to check it out."
"Leave that to me then. You are busy enough with the instant soup, aren't you, Rain?"
"That's true. Then, I will leave it to you, Cloud."
Are Rain-sama and Cloud-sama going to make a vanilla perfume and sell it?
So will the price of vanilla beans, which were so cheap, go up in time? For me, I'm fine with the price going up as long as I can get my hands on it anywhere~
That being said, it's good that it's so lively, but——
"Rain-sama, Cloud-sama, I don't mind if you talk, but the ice cream is going to melt, so it would be better to eat first."
Yeah, the ice cream is melting. While Rain-sama and Cloud-sama were talking, Austin-sama and the twins were eating quietly.
"Right."
"Sorry about that, Takumi."
After eating the pudding parfait, we all chatted together again.
"By the way, both Rain-sama and Cloud-sama are working earnestly despite being this young. You two... aren't students anymore, are you?"
"These two were of the same age as my little brother, right?"
"Err... Felix-sama? Or Al-sama?"
"Like Alfried. Therefore, we just graduated."
"Yeah."
Common to all countries, the schools in this world are supposed to have been a maximum of eight years of education, starting from ten years of age to eighteen. Then, Rain-sama and Cloud-sama are eighteen or had just turned nineteen, I think?
Rather, eighteen or nineteen would be the age you would normally graduate from high school. When I take that into consideration, they are so steady~ I myself was still playing around when attending university... was I? Well, I did have a part-time job, but it wasn't a "job" like these two's.
"Father is, umm... he has a wild personality, so we are forced to be steady..."
"... Yeah."
... They have been struggling with Maynard-sama's personality, huh.
"Speaking of which, you do have an elder brother, no?"
Rain-sama is the second prince and Cloud-sama is the third prince, so there should be a first prince too, no?
"Elder brother is, umm... the same as Father."
"To put it simply, he's wandering around working as an adventurer, so he's away now."
"......"
The eldest was totally like the father!? And he's an adventurer!?
No wonder Cloud-sama and Rain-sama have to be this steady.
"You might have come across each other without even realizing it."
"That might be possible. He does not seem to be doing any domestic jobs, so he might be in Guardia."
Actually, there's a possibility that we already passed by each other in the Adventurer's Guild. Well, I don't think we've met.
"Takumi, please tell him to come home if you meet him! Rather, please bring him over!"
"Hahaha~ I will let him know if I meet him."
There might not be any problems since he will have the same personal history as the King, but I wonder if people who say that either Cloud-sama or Rain-sama should be the next king appear? N? No, it's not like the eldest son has to be the crown prince, no? ... Let's not talk about this.
And let's not dare to ask the first prince's name!
"Oh, Takumi, let me tell you before I forget. We will be returning in four days."
"Four days, huh. Understood."
Austin-sama told me as he remembered.
Still, we are returning so soon? Somehow, it's over in a blink of an eye~
"I will be interacting with Creta for the next three days starting tomorrow, so you are free to spend your time as you like, Takumi."
All of my business in Creta is done, and we will be returning to Guardia soon.
Austin-sama is going to allow us three whole days of free time until we return home.
"But, I'm here as your guard too, so I will do my job properly if there's one, you know?"
I haven't done anything that looked work-related since coming to Creta. When I told Austin-sama that, he slowly shook his head.
"You have already done a great deal of work for me, so there's no problem. Take the kids sightseeing."
"Is that so? Thank you very much, Austin-sama."
I decided to accept Austin-sama's kind intentions.
~
Returning to the home country?
Today, we are finally returning to Guardia.
"You haven't forgotten anything, did you?"
""Nope!""
The children replied while raising their hands.
We spent the three days of free time in the dungeon and had our last supper in Creta with Rain-sama and Cloud-sama.
I did not forget to transfer the recipes for the children's plate, including the hamburger and curry... I don't think we have forgotten anything.
"Gyau."
"Guru."
Cloud-sama and Rain-sama were seeing us off, but when we tried to get on Charo's back, we encountered a problem. Charo with the other wyverns and the gryphons were glaring at each other.
"It looks like they don't like the idea of you guys leaving, Takumi."
"I heard the reports that the gryphons were quite attached to you, but I did not think it was to this extent."
Cloud-sama's expression's seemed slightly unimpressed, but Rain-sama looked a bit surprised.
"Takumi, please go calm them down."
Austin-sama proposed absurdly as he looked at me with an enlightened expression.
"By the way, wich side."
"Both, of course."
Austin-sama said with a smile.
"You are telling me to go over there?"
"Yeah. It will be fine, you will manage, Takumi."
Charo and the individual who seemed to be the top dog among the gryphons were staring at each other as if a fight was about to break out.
"They are still keeping distance, but it looks like a matter of time before they go all out?"
"And that is why. A fight between wyverns and gryphons would cause great damage. I would like to avoid the castle from collapsing and people from dying."
"......"
I choked on my words at an unbelievable situation.
If the wyverns and gryphons start fighting, not just the castle, but the city is likely to be damaged.
"... I got it."
I gave up and went to pacify Charo and others. It's because Charo was trying to bring us home, but the gryphons didn't want to part with us.
"Fighting~"
"Is not good~"
""Bad!""
While thinking how to pacify them... the twins who came with me to Charo's side put their hands on their hips and started lecturing them. It was a very cute lecturing.
"... Gyau."
"... Guru."
But, the effect was superb. Even though they seemed to be in a critical stage a moment ago, Charo and others got obedient... they seemed to be dejected.
""Onii~chan, is this fine~?""
When Allen and Elena confirmed that Charo and others got obedient, they turned towards me——and tilted their heads.
"Ah, yes, perfect."
""Yay♪""
I applauded reflexively.
Who would have thought that things would be settled so smoothly? The people who were watching breathless, wondering what was going to happen, were also stunned.
""There, there~""
"Let's get."
"Along~"
"Gyau, gyau~"
"Guru, gururu~"
Unaware of the fact that the people around them were in such a state, Allen and Elena were petting Charo and the others who were snuggling up to them while making indulgent squeals.
The tense air suddenly relaxed and the mood got harmonious. Well, that's just the kids as everyone around them was still in turmoil.
"Have you calmed down?"
I went over to the kids and started by patting Charo and then the gryphon.
"I'm sorry. We cannot stay here forever."
"... Guru."
The gryphon was smart enough to understand my words well and looked a little depressed.
"Guru, gururu."
"N?"
""Huh~?""
"What happened all of sudden? That way is... the Beast stables?"
The gryphon, who was depressed for a moment, suddenly seemed to recall something and flew towards the Beast stables.
"Err... Austin-sama, could you wait for a little longer? Or you can leave without us first."
"It's fine. I'm also curious about the gryphons actions, so we will wait for you."
I thought we would be causing inconvenience to Austin-sama if it took too long, so I proposed him to go ahead.
However, Austin-sama seemed to be curious about the gryphon's actions, so he decided to wait.
""He's back~""
"Oh, you are right."
After waiting for a while, the gryphon returned.
"Gururu."
When the gryphon was in front of me, he dropped down a white sphere he was holding in his forelegs. When I held out my hands reflexively, I was already holding the white sphere in my hands.
""An egg!""
"Haah!? E, egg!? Eh, wait a moment! I don't need to guess, but isn't this your child!?"
"Guru."
The egg was about the size of my head and it seems to have been warmed just a little while ago as it was still warm.
"Why did you give it to me!?"
The gryphon landed and pushed the egg with its head.
It didn't seem like he was simply caressing the egg.
""We can take it~?""
"Guru!"
The gryphon replied to Allen and Elena's innocent words.
"No, seriously. Please wait a moment. Allen, Elena, you guys too. Things aren't this simple! You don't reply so readily either, gryphon!"
We cannot take a gryphon egg belonging to Creta without permission. Even if the parent gryphon says it's fine.
"Rain-sama, Cloud-sama, please stop the gryphon. No matter how you look at it, this is not something we can agree to, right!?"
"... I wonder about that?"
"No... I don't think we can say that we don't agree, no?"
First of all, I tried talking to the owners? guardians? superiors? of the gryphons, so I spoke to the princes. However, they only returned vague words.
"Austin-sama too, please say something!"
"... Well~ I couldn't find any words because this was beyond my expectations. Takumi, you have received quite the impressive present."
"I have not accepted it yet, alright!?"
I tried to ask Austin-sama for help, but he didn't seem like he would help me. On the contrary, he looked mischievous.
"Eh~ seriously, what should I do about this..."
When I really didn't know what to do about this situation anymore, Rain-sama spoke to me.
"Takumi-dono, I've sent for our father, so could you wait for a moment, please?"
"... Yes, thank you very much."
It seemed that this event was too difficult even for Rain-sama and Cloud-sama to determine, so they hastily sent someone to run for Maynard-sama to make a decision.
~
Egg's Outcome
"The gryphon gave you an egg?"
After a while, Maynard-sama came with an amused expression on his face.
"I'm currently trying to persuade it to reconsider."
"What, Takumi, you won't accept? I don't mind if it's you, though."
"This is something you are supposed to oppose, Maynard-sama!?"
Maynard-sama gave me permission to bring the egg with me.
The gryphons are, after all, the country's own war assets, no? You cannot simply entrust it to someone who is in no way attached to your country!
"Be concerned about it a little, please!"
"It's fine!"
"Nonono! Rather, I'm not confident about hatching a gryphon egg or raising a gryphon child for that matter, okay!"
"That little fellow is also a monster, so there won't be a problem even if you treat it a bit roughly, you know?"
Well, monsters do have a strong life force, so it won't be as delicate as a normal bird's baby chick... and although it's difficult for me to compare it to a normal bird, I still have no idea about hatching eggs.
"Besides, I don't want to separate a child from its parents!"
"It was that very parent who handed you the egg, though?"
"That's true, but still!"
Seriously, what is this situation!? Why are you trying to let go of your own child!?
"Some birds rely on brood parasitism, maybe that's it?"
"I don't know whether gryphons are the kind of species that has the need to rely on brood parasitism~ Rather, don't gryphons stick together?"
Rain-sama and Cloud-sama who no longer had to make the decision because Maynard-sama came, began to analyze the current situation leisurely.
"Gyau."
"N? What is it, Charo?"
"Gyau, gyau."
Charo, who was obediently quiet until now, suddenly cried out for some reason.
"Ah~ Isn't this Charo saying that he also wants to entrust his children to Takumi?"
"Gyau!"
"Oh my, looks like I was correct."
"Nonono, why are you interpreting it so calmly!?"
Austin-sama spoke for Charo's feelings, but I wanted him to be panicked a little. It would be a big problem if you handed the offsprings of a wyvern, a very important existence to the country, to another person to raise, no?
"Unfortunately, we don't have any wyvern eggs or wyvern younglings at the moment."
"N? Then, was it just Charo's wish?"
"Indeed."
"... Gyau."
Charo hung his head in Austin-sama's words.
Allen and Elena patted the depressed Charo to comfort him.
"Presently, it's not possible, but if eggs are born in the future, let's make a fuss to entrust them to Takumi."
"Gyau!"
I thought I avoided it, but it looks like I couldn't avoid it completely.
Well, let's put the wyverns aside for now, first I have to——
"Raise your children yourself."
do something about the gryphons, so I turned towards the gryphon and continued my persuasion.
"Guru."
However, the gryphon shook his head in refusal.
"Even if I don't hatch this child myself, I will come to see you again."
"Guru?"
In reply to my words, the gryphon tilted its head as if asking "Really?".
"Of course."
""Will come~""
Allen and Elena backed me up.
Even the twins who were ready to take the egg with us at first were taken aback when I said I did not want to separate the child from its parents, so they have agreed with my opinion.
Allen and Elena don't know their parents either, so I guess they had some thoughts abouts this.
"The child's thoughts are also important. Why don't you let the child decide for itself, whether it wants to go with us or not, when it hatches and grows up?"
"... Guru."
It seems the gryphon got finally convinced. Although reluctant, it took the egg back from me.
"Mmh. Then, we shall take care of the pup until it grows up to some extent."
"Eh? No, we have not decided on that matter yet, alright!?"
"I have no doubts the gryphon pup will be fond of you guys. If it was presented with an option to leave with you guys, don't you think it would absolutely agree to go?"
"......"
Huh? I thought I avoided this matter, but it seems that I wasn't able to avoid it completely?
Then, doesn't it seem like I forced Creta to take care of the gryphon pup until it grows up?... That's not good, is it?
Eh? Then, would it be better to take the egg, after all? No, but it would be difficult to work as an adventurer while holding onto an egg, no? You cannot contract an egg, so I wouldn't be able to keep it in my shadow like Joule and others.
"I, if you raise it with love, I'm sure it will want to stay in Creta..."
"That's unlikely."
Maynard-sama immediately denied my distressing thoughts.
"... You didn't have to reply that quickly."
"It's definitely not possible. We can even make a bet. When the pup in the egg grows up, it will definitely want to stay by your side."
Maynard-sama declared powerfully.
Is it time to face the reality? If that's so, what should I do~
"But well, walking with an egg in hands for an adventurer like you would be difficult, and I have no doubts it would paint a big target on your back. I agree with raising it in the castle until it becomes a force on its own."
Yep, it would be dangerous to work while carrying an egg, so that would be absolutely out of question!
After hearing Maynard-sama, I hurriedly withdrew the thought of "Should I take the egg with me now, then?".
"Is it really fine for Creta to raise a gryphon that will be eventually passed to an outsider?"
"What, one animal won't make a difference. Our government won't be toppled over because of that. Or what? Do you plan on attacking our country yourself, Takumi?"
"I don't!?"
The first half sounded like something a King would say, but what about the other half!? Why did you say that!?
That's not something you should say, even as a joke!
"There's no problem then——Rain, I will leave the arrangements to you."
"Understood."
"See you then, Takumi. Come to play again anytime."
As soon as the business was taken care of, Maynard-sama returned promptly to the castle.
"... Is this really okay?"
"If Father said it's fine then it is fine. Well then, Takumi-dono. We will take proper care of the egg."
"Anyhow, we will contact you when the egg hatches, so you should at least let us know your whereabouts."
Following Maynard-sama, Rain-sama and Cloud-sama were quick to proceed with the decision.
Since it's like this, it would be foolish of me to mind the small things.
"Looking forward."
"To its birth."
"Yeah, me too."
Let's just purely look forward to the birth of a gryphon pup, just like Allen and Elena.
~
This time, we are going back for sure.
"Then, when a wyvern is born in our country, we have to raise it well so it can be sent to Takumi."
"Gyau."
"Austin-sama, Charo... it's not good to brainwash children."
I feel like they want to start imprinting some strange things onto the pup right after birth... I want that to be just my imagination.
Rather, aren't Austin-sama and Charo having a normal conversation?
"Don't call it something as poor-sounding as brainwashing. I don't have the skills to do that."
"......"
Even if you say that, I feel like you would be capable of doing it, Austin-sama.
"Takumi, why are you looking at me so doubtfully. You are heartless."
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Now, shall we return home?"
"... You have blatantly diverted the topic."
Yes, I did.
That being said, it's certain that the departure got delayed. We cannot keep holding up the people who came to send us off.
"Fufufu, let's meet Takumi's expectations and raise a splendid wyvern.——Charo, please do your best at making children. And let's send the most competent child to Takumi."
"Gyau."
"Good reply."
... H, huh? Why does Austin-sama look fired up? He somehow teamed up with Charo!? What is this!?
"Let us return then.——Rain-dono, Cloud-dono, thank you very much for your hospitability this time. Please come to visit our country soon."
"We will definitely come if there's an opportunity."
"Please be careful on your way back."
Moreover, after saying farewells to the people of Crete, he swiftly moved onto his wyvern.
"... Austin-sama?"
"What is it, Takumi? We are departing, please get on Charo quickly."
"... Yes. Allen, Elena, we are leaving~"
""Yes~""
Did I offend Austin-sama? Or is he angry?
A little disheartened by Austin-sama's casual attitude, I said my farewells to Rain-sama and Cloud-sama one last time before getting onto Charo's back.
Then, after that, I traveled through the air, feeling a bit awkwardly.
"Fufu."
When we landed on the ground for a short break, Austin-sama burst out laughing as if he couldn't stand it any longer.
"Please don't look at me with such an anxious-looking face."
"... Austin-sama?"
"You were being mean to me, so I tried to be mean back, but it seemed to work better than I thought it would."
"... Well it worked like a charm, didn't it?"
It had a terrible effect. Honestly, it was excruciating.
I am actually pretty forgiving of Austin-sama, am I not... I rethought my thoughts.
"So, you are not offended then?"
"I'm not."
Austin-sama smiled at me. Apparently, I was rolling in the palm of his hands.
When hung my head down dejectedly, Allen and Elena stroked my head to comfort me.
◇ ◇ ◇
After reconciling(?) with Austin-sama, the journey was very peaceful.
"Is over here really okay? We can take you all the way to Rubia."
"No, over here is fine."
I declined Austin-sama who proposed to take us to our destination and had him drop us off near the borders.
"We promised to bring back souvenirs we obtained along the way, so."
"Is that so? All right. Then, I will be looking forward to the day we meet again, so please stop by the Capital again."
"Yes, we will. Then, Austin-sama, please be careful on the rest of the way back."
""Bye-bye~""
I waited until the wyverns in the sky became small specks and summoned Joule and others.
((Yay♪))
"Whoah!"
As soon as I summoned them, Joule in his large form and small Vector jumped at me, so I fell on my buttocks.
"Allen too!"
"Elena too!"
"Uoh!!"
Moreover, Allen and Elena followed after their example and jumped onto Joule who was above me.
(My, oh my, you are so popular, Niisama~)
(Aniue, are you okay?)
(Takumi Nii is going to get crushed!)
Feat, Bolt, and Mile stared in wonder at the sudden turn of events.
"H, hey, don't just stand there and watch, please help me!"
(Fufu, okay.——Now, now, Allen-chan, Elena-chan, Niisama is in pain, you know?)
When I asked for help, Feat grabbed Allen and Elena by the nape of their necks and got them off of me.
(Joule and Vector, you guys quickly get off of him too!)
Mile jumped onto Joule and Vector's heads and scolded them while hopping up and down.
(Aniue, are you injured?)
When I was finally able to raise my body up, Bolt landed in my lap and looked up worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Ah~ that startled me."
(Sorry.)
"N? There's no need for you to apologize, right Bolt? Besides, they were just playing a little too much, they meant no harm anyway."
I petted Bolt who looked as if he had done something wrong, and told him not to mind it. Bolt is the most caring among my Contracted Beasts.
"Still... that was quite an intense greeting this time, wasn't it~"
(I don't know! I just followed Joule!)
Vector seemed to act without thinking. Therefore, everyone's gazes turned to Joule.
(I mean~ Oniichan smelled of wyverns and gryphons~)
"... Ahh."
(Now that you mention it, you are soaked in it.)
(Is that so?)
(I cannot tell at all!)
When I stood up, Joule rubbed his body against me as if trying to overwrite the scent, and Feat took a sniff to confirm.
We rode on Charo, and we played a lot with the gryphons at the castle before departing, so the scent must have rubbed onto me at that time.
(Oniichan, are you cheating on us?)
"... What do you mean by that?"
(I mean, you have been with monsters other than us, no? Although you already have us... how heartless of you!)
Err... is this a kind of jealousy?
""You see~""
While thinking about how to follow up on this, Allen and Elena told the truth.
"Family."
"Got larger~"
(((((N?)))))
Joule and others tilted their heads in puzzlement.
"Ah~... there's just a possibility that it will, so don't mind it for now."
""It willmon!""
"......"
(Eh? Eh? Family? Do you mean by a wyvern and gryphon by that!?)
""Yea!""
Before I knew, it was decided by Allen and Elena that a wyvern and a gryphon will be joining our family.
~
To Rubia.
"Gee~ it hasn't been decided yet. Besides, both the wyvern and gryphon has not been born yet."
(Oniichan, be more specific!)
(True. Niisama, I'd like to hear more as well.)
Joule and Feat wanted to hear the details while Bolt, Vector, and Mile seemed curious, as they nodded to Joule and Feat's words in agreement.
"Erm... a gryphon at the Creta's castle got fond of me and he wanted to give one of his unborn eggs to me."
(((((Yeah, and then?)))))
I tried to explain things briefly at first, but Joule and others seemed even more interested.
"Well, I refused for fear of being targeted by carrying such a big egg in my arms around. When I spoke of my concerns, they said to come take it when it's born."
(((((Hooh~)))))
(Then, it's as Allen and Elena said, and our family is going to increase in a little while! I'd like a little brother! Oh, but I will take care even of a little sister!)
Joule's eyes got all sparkly after he heard my explanation. No, not only Joule, everyone's eyes were sparkling.
"No, as I said, it hasn't been decided yet. It's still unclear whether it will become our family since I decided to leave it up the child's will after it's born."
(Oh my? Niisama, you were talking only about the gryphon right now, yes? What about the wyvern?)
"The wyvern wanted to compete with the gryphon and wanted me to take his child too..."
(I'm looking forward to what kind of children they are!)
"As I said... no, forget it."
It would be boorish of me to continue saying "It hasn't been decided yet", so I decided to stop.
"Now, come on, it's about time we depart. Otherwise, it will get dark before we take even a step."
But, I decided to stop the kids from happily talking about the family that might grow, for now. I don't want them to get too excited about it.
Besides, if I let it go on like this, I really feel like it's going to get dark. Well, I would be lying if I said that it would be a problem if it got dark, but I do want to move to a place suitable for camping first.
(Right, you are right. And so, where are we going, Oniichan?)
"Ultimately, the town of Rubia. Erm, it should be in the southeast direction."
(Making detours is fine, right?)
"Of course."
If Joule and Feat got serious, we would arrive in Rubia in less than a day. Therefore, detours are welcome.
Ah, but since we went to Creta, we are behind on the schedule when it comes to Rubia, so I'd like to get there in about four to five days.
"Anyhow, why don't we go to the forest we can see over there first?"
""Let's goo~!""
(((((Agreed!)))))
After that, our actions were quick. Urged by the kids to hurry up, we entered the forest in the blink of an eye.
""Ah! Ichi!""
As soon as we entered the forest, Allen and Elena found Ichi fruit.
(Oh, there's growing a lot~)
(Oh my, there are blueberries over here too.)
(There are blackbarries mixed among them. Oh, there are redberries as well.)
(It's true! They look delicious! Niichan, can I eat those?)
(Geez~ You have to gather them before eating!)
We entered the forest at random, but it was full of all kinds of berries..
I've never seen blueberries in this world before! Moreover, there were black and red berries as well as the usual blue-purple ones. As I recall, they had a different sweetness and flavor.
"However, it's rare to see so many of them ripe enough for eating. They don't seem to be damaged by worms either..."
(Now that you mention it. There don't seem to be many that have fallen to the ground naturally either, right?)
There are animals, insects, and monsters that eat berries everywhere, so it's unusual that there is no visible damage.
"Is it a coincidence?"
(Maybe there are many carnivorous creatures who don't eat berries in this part of the forest?)
(Ohh! I will go beat them up then!)
While Feat and I were considering the reason why the berries weren't eaten or damaged, Vector ran off while wagging his tail excitedly.
(He's gone~)
Mile let out a sigh.
"Hahaha~ Well, let's let Vector do as he likes. Shall we pick some berries in the meantime?"
(Yeah. Mile, let's pick the berries too.)
(Okay!)
That said, Allen and Elena were already crazily picking Ichi fruit together with Joule, and Bolt was also dexterously collecting blueberries.
""We got lots~""
(Yeah! We can make lots of Ichi jam or Ichi milk with this.)
"Ice cream too!"
"Pudding too!"
(I picked lots of these berries too.)
(Doesn't milk made from these blueberries sound kind of nice?)
(Sounds delish!)
Having harvested plenty of ichi, blueberries, blackberries and red berries for a while, we decided to take a break.
"Would you like to have blueberry milk that you haven't tried before then?"
""((((Yeah!))))""
I made blueberry milk for everyone and we relaxed.
"Still, just how far did Vector go?"
(He's not nearby, is he?)
(Who knows? I feel no monster presence, so didn't he go quite a distance to find them?)
(Shall I go look for him?)
(Even though he was scolded by Feat the last time, he doesn't learn!)
However, even after finishing the milk, Vector was nowhere to be found.
"Anyhow, this forest looks safe, so let's camp here tonight. There won't be a problem to let Vector free for a little longer then."
(Then, there's still a bit more time until it gets dark, can we also go exploring for a bit?)
"Yeah. This forest is abundant with berries, so let's look around for a little longer."
""Let's look~""
That being the case, as we explored the forest a little more, we found many more berries.
""So many~""
"It really is a berry-rich forest, isn't it?"
In addition to the ichi fruit and blueberries, we found yellowberries and loveberries. And you won't believe this, we even found Meteoberries!
""Starberries!""
The moment Allen and Elena found the Meteoberries, their eyes were shining.
Of course, I was able to harvest them properly.
(Niichan! Problem! Big problem!)
When we finished picking the berries and were about to return to the campsite, Vector rushed over in a panic.
~
What he found.
"Vector, what are you so panicked for?"
(T, there's a problem!)
Vector, who is nonchalant even when running, was unusually out of breath.
"I understand that there's a problem, alright. What is the problem, though?"
(You see! There's a place you can't enter over there!)
"A place you can't enter?"
(Yea! I could saw the scenery inside, but when I tried to enter——bam! There seems to be an invisible wall!)
If Vector is right, although it is certainly strange, I cannot say for sure that it is a problem.
"How curious~ But, now's not the time."
(Why!?)
(Right~ The sun will be setting down soon, after all~)
I would love to go check it out right away, but I don't want to enter this mysterious place when it's dark outside.
"Vector, did you feel something harmful or malicious there?"
(N? Erm... no, I did not feel anything malicious whatsoever?)
"Then we don't need to be in a hurry. If that's so, let's go there when it gets brighter."
""Not going~?""
"We will. Let's save it for tomorrow, though."
""Got it~""
We could also leave the forest, but I think we should go check it out. I'm quite curious about it.
"That being the case, I will go prepare dinner. What would you like to eat, everyone?"
""Meat~""
Oh, it's not the usual bread or sweets request today.
"A meat dish, huh. Then, sukiyaki... you wouldn't understand what I mean. How about a sweet and salty Armored Buffalo meat with vegetables?"
""Wanna eat!""
(((((Want to eat that!)))))
Everyone agreed, so I started right away.
The ingredients are thin slices of Armored Buffalo meat, a vegetable resembling a white-stalked green onion, and a Chinese cabbage-like green called whitebagge. Next is rook mushrooms, and shii mushrooms. It's unfortunate that I don't have any shirataki and tofu, but there's nothing I can do about it.
After cooking the green onions and meat, I put in the sukiyaki stock I made with sugar and soy sauce, then I added the cabbage, mushrooms and cooked everything well together.
Which reminds me, the only beef-like meat I have gotten my hands on so far is the Armored Buffalo. I wonder if I should try looking for another cow-monster?
""Smells nice!""
(Yeah, yeah.)
(Quickly, quickly.)
Allen, Elena, Joule and Vector were fidgety when I started cooking.
"Just a little bit longer. All that's left is..."
I cleaned the eggs using light magic's Purification spell. Even though I keep freshly picked eggs on me, I'm a little worried about eating raw eggs as they are.
I cracked the eggs into the pot and lightly broke them up, then I divided the meat and vegetables into the bowls.
"Alright, it's done~"
""(((((Yay~)))))""
As soon as I handed it out to the kids, they all started eating at once.
""Nn~~~""
(Oniichan, this is yummy!)
(The meat and veggies soaked in a sweet and salty sauce are delicious~)
(Aniue, I love this.)
(Me too! This is delish!)
(It's very tasty!)
Oh, it's very popular. When it came to Allen and Elena, they were eating in silence, seemingly eating too busy to speak out their impressions.
N~ but I would definitely want udon noodles. Come to think of it, I never made them. Erm... udon is just wheat flour, salt, and water, right? I'm not going to make it now, but let's do it next time.
◇ ◇ ◇
When the meal was over and we were preparing to go to sleep, I felt a presence approaching us from the front.
"... It's not a monster, is it?"
(Yeah, that's a person, I think?)
——Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, we were a little cautious.
"Good evening."
"... Good evening?"
It was an elderly gentleman. He looked suspicious in his gray-hooded robe, but for some reason, I couldn't feel wary of him. Moreover, he greeted us so refreshingly.
"It looks like you are getting ready to sleep, but won't you come over to my house? I can't say it will be more comfortable as it's not that spacious, but at least you can sleep under a roof?"
"House?"
"It's right there by the barrier. That red child was there during the day."
It seems that the invisible barrier Vector found was created by this person. And this person seems to have a house inside.
"Err... why did you come to invite us?"
"I observed you guys for a little, and you seem like an interesting bunch. Plus, I've got a few questions to ask you."
"......"
It appears that we were being observed.
However, what is interesting about us? The kids and I were only picking berries and we ate dinner, nothing else, no?
"... Guru."
"What? You came out too, Claudia?"
While hesitant to reply, a black panther slowly walked out from the direction the eldery man came from. It snuggled up to the old man.
"Is that child your familiar?"
"Yeah, that's right. Which reminds me, I have not introduced myself yet. I'm Oswald. A retired old man who lives in this forest. And this child is called Claudia."
When the senior introduced himself, he took off his hood, revealing white hair and long ears.
... Oswald-san? Erm............ ah, I thought it sounded familiar, but there's a person among the Guardia Knights with the same name~
""Oh, ears are so long~!""
When I appraised the senior, I realized that he was an Elf. Moreover, he had no Dark magic in his skills, so that black panther wasn't a contracted beast, but a normal familiar. The senior is probably a tamer.
Moreover, he's 421 years old! He's the oldest person I have met so far! Ah, aside from Kaiser!
"Is this your first time seeing an Elf?"
"That would be so."
I've met Andy-san and Kana-san who are humans with Elven appearances because of their mixed blood, but this is my first time seeing a pure-blood Elf. Uhh... if I'm not mistaken, then the average lifespan of humans over here is 80 years, while the average lifespan of Elves is around 500 years.
"So, how about it? Will you accept my invitation? Ah, of course, your familiars are most welcome as well. It's just the red child won't fit unless he gets smaller like he was during the day."
"What do you want to do, guys?"
The senior——Oswald-san, was very calm and gentlemanly, and neither Allen, Elena or the rest of the kids showed vigilance against him.
""Nniyu?""
I asked everyone what they thought, but Allen and Elena didn't seem to understand the situation.
(Isn't it fine?)
(Right. If we can let Allen-chan and Elena-chan sleep under a roof, that would be for the better, I think.)
(Indeed. I also think we should go.)
(Ehh~ I want to sleep together~)
(You just have to turn small, Vector! I agree, too!)
Joule and others gave their opinions in turn.
As a result, four were in favor. One opposed.
"Then, we will be in your care. Ah, I'm adventurer Takumi."
Going by the majority vote, I decided to accept Oswald-san's invitation to his house, and introduced myself and the kids.
"I see, thank you for accepting my invitation. Then, Takumi-san, please follow me. It's this way."
"Yes."
~
Oswald-san.
On our way to Oswald-san's house, Allen and Elena were beginning to doze off as we walked.
"Come here."
""... Uniyu.""
I picked Allen and Elena up in my arms and they genuinely fell asleep.
"My, oh my, they seem to have fallen asleep. Sorry about that~ I wish I had gone to meet you sooner, but I had to confirm what kind of people you were~"
"Well, you can't just invite someone who you don't know or what kind of person they are into your home, so I think it was required. It is your place, after all."
If I was to meet someone in the middle of a remote forest, I would check to see what kind of person they are first. I wouldn't just go say hello without any precautions.
"Come on, this way."
"Is this the place of the barrier?"
(It's the place I couldn't get past earlier!)
As we walked through the forest with Oswald-san's guidance, I felt a sensation of passing through something like a thin membrane. Because I experienced it before, when visiting the Blue Waters Shrine——the mermaid settlement, I immediately understood what it was.
The location of the transparent wall that Vector found was this place.
"... Which reminds me, is this forest managed by you, Oswald-san?"
"I got a housemate who's more plant-oriented than I am, doing all sorts of things in her spare time."
"I am greatly sorry!"
Hearing Oswald-san's reply, I immediately apologized.
This forest was filled with so many berries, that it couldn't be said that they were simply "growing wildly".
Before meeting Oswald-san, I had thought that it was possible, but when I entered the barrier, I was convinced that it was not the case.
Because the trees and bushes inside the barrier had even more fruit growing on them than outside!
"Hm? What are you apologizing for?"
"We have picked the berries growing in the forest without permission."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. This is not really my plot of land or anything, and there's more than what we can eat ourselves anyway. The rest was just going to decay naturally, so my child would be happy to hear that you found them delicious."
Oswald-san didn't seem to take offense at all, but told me to pick more instead.
(That's right. Don't hesitate to eat more.)
"Whoah!"
(Oh my, did I startle you? I am a dryad, Marshelly. Oswald's companion.)
A woman with green hair suddenly appeared behind me, which caused me to leak out a startled voice.
Dryads are tree spirits, right? Oh, she's a bit transparent. However, other than that, she looks and her voice sounds (through telepathy) like a normal woman.
"Now, now, Marshelly. The children are sleeping, so stop startling people."
(Oh my, it wasn't on purpose.)
"I know that, but you are not used to dealing with children, are you? If not, you need to be paying attention."
(Fufu, that's true.)
As with Claudia, it can be clearly seen that Oswald-san gets along with Marshelly well.
(Oz, the back room is ready.)
"Thank you, Marshelly. In that case, Takumi-san, please use that room to rest."
As soon as we passed through the barrier, we were guided to a room that will be lent to us.
"Thank you very much. Can I talk to you for a little after putting them to bed?"
"I don't mind, but it's okay to leave that for tomorrow, no?"
"I'm quite curious about your situation, Oswald-san."
"Oh, of course you are. Then, I will make tea and wait for you, so come to the living room I have just shown you after you are done with the children."
"Yes, thank you very much."
After seeing Oswald-san head to the living room, I entered the room and put Allen and Elena to bed.
"Then, Joule and Vector, please stay with them here."
(Okay, got it.)
(Leave it to us~)
Vector, who had declared that he was going to sleep, was already using his small form as a pillow for the kids, and Joule, also in his small form, was already settled between Allen and Elena, so I decided to let them take care of things here while I'm away.
(Takumi Nii, I will also stay here and make sure the two are quiet!)
(Then, Bolt and I will accompany Niisama.)
(Indeed.)
Mile will remain in the room, and Feat in her small form and Bolt will accompany me to talk with Oswald-san.
"You were quick."
When I entered the living room, I smelled a very nice fragrance of herbs.
"I have got some herbal tea ready for you, but feel free to let me know if you don't like it. I will get you something different."
"I'm fine. Thank you."
I took a sip of the tea and then asked Oswald-san frankly what he wanted.
"What can I do for you, Oswald-san? You don't like to have much contact with people, since you live in a forest enclosed in a barrier, do you?"
If he lives in the forest far from any towns and villages, it's easy to imagine that he doesn't like to socialize very much.
"Just as you said, I live here because I am bothered by the company of people. At first I wasn't going to show up, I was just going to wait quietly for you guys to leave."
It seems that I have guessed right.
"But, you had quite a number of familiars accompanying you, so I got interested by them at first."
(Oh my, by us?)
Feat spoke up, but Oswald-san and Marshelly-san didn't seem to be able to hear her.
So, was Marshelly-san talking normally instead of using Telepathy? Or, as you become more proficient in the Telepathy skill, will you be able to be heard by an unspecified number of people?
For now, I'll just pat Feat who was in my arms.
"Well, that wasn't enough to make me want to meet you, but the fact that you were cooking something I've never seen before made me even more interested."
"... Cooking?"
"It seems like you were using a condiment I didn't know existed."
(I wonder if he's talking about the shoyu?)
"Right."
He was talking about a condiment, so I'm pretty sure it was the shoyu.
Shoyu is truly wonderful because it could attract even someone like Oswald-san, who doesn't want to interact with people very much~
"What I was using is called shoyu."
"Shoyu? So, do you know what it's made of? To tell you the truth, I cannot eat meat or fish at all."
"Are you a vegetarian? Is that a racial trait?"
"No, it's unrelated to Elves as a race. I just cannot withstand it myself."
"Oh, so it's like that."
Heh~ so not all Elves are vegetarians, huh.
"I get plenty of vegetables and fruits from the forest, and I can ask an acquaintance in the town to supply me with salt and bread, so I am not troubled with that, it's just... I'm getting a little tired of it."
"... Of course you would."
A life of only eating bread, vegetables, and fruits, moreover, having salt as the only seasoning on top of it~
Although eating is necessary to keep living, I would get bored too if I had been eating the same diet for more than four hundred years.
"This shoyu I have is made from the sap of a tree, so it should be all right for you to eat, Oswald-san. Also, there are things called miso fruit that can be used as a flavoring, are you aware of those?"
"Miso fruit? That's a new one! Does it come from a fruit tree?"
Oswald-san's cheeks were flushed and happy. He seemed to be quite exhausted by his eating habits.
"The rest, yes~. There are new kinds of salts that have been developed recently, with a variety of flavors."
The Easy Salt Series is also not made with meat and fish, so it should be fine.
"Oh! I didn't know there were different kinds of salt! That's great information, thanks! I'm so glad I decided to meet you! But even if I hear information this good, it is a question whether that guy will find it and buy it for me..."
"I can give you some?"
I thought that he approached me because he wanted the condiments, but it seems that Oswald-san just wanted information.
"I would be happy to try it right away if you could give it to me. Also, if you can, I'd like you to teach us how to use it. Of course, I have abundant rewards for your trouble, can I request this of you?"
"Teach? You, Oswald-san?"
(No, it's me.)
Marshelly replied to my question.
Apparently, it's not Oswald-san who does the cooking, but Marshelly-san. I didn't know that spirits can cook~
"I can teach you if it's just something simple, so how about we make tomorrow's breakfast together?"
(Yes, please.)
"But how much should I teach you?"
"I'd like to say to teach her everything you know... but that's not how things work. Let's see, I'd like to ask for a few dishes each made from shoyu and miso. What do you think?"
N~ then, if we make breakfast and lunch together, we could possibly achieve it in terms of the number of dishes, right?
"That's not a problem."
"Really? Thank you, Takumi-san!"
'No. In lieu of that, may I pick some more berries from the forest? I'd love to be paid with that."
(Oh my, that's not a problem. In fact, you should pick everything that's ripe.)
I was given the right to pick as many berries as I could in exchange for a handful of seasonings and instructions on how to use them.
~
Cooking Instructions
The next morning I borrowed Oswald-san's kitchen and cooked breakfast with Marshelly-san.
Allen and Elena were in high spirits all morning and went with Joule and the others to the forest to pick fruits.
"Erm, meat and fish are out of the question, but eggs and milk should be okay, right?"
(Yes, that's correct. Butter and cheese are fine, too.)
I checked with Marshelly-san to see what Oswald-san can eat and decided what to make.
"Well, I suppose we'll start with the vegetables cooked with the sukiyaki stock as requested by Oswald-san."
(Right. Oz's eyes were glued to it, saying it looked very tasty.)
"I, is that so? Then, should we make the same with green onions and whitebagge?"
(Yes, please let's do that.)
When I asked whether I should make the same but without meat, since he was so interested in it, Marshelly-san nodded.
"Next would be stir-fry veggies with the Simple Salt Series, miso soup with plenty of vegetables in kombu stock, Ena grass boiled bonito-flavored soy sauce, grilled mushrooms with butter soy sauce, and tamagoyaki, which you can season as you'd like."
Rice also seems better than bread here, so I decided to cook some White Wheat too.
"I think any of these salts could be used for stir-fry vegetables, but which one should I use today?"
(Let's see~ let's go with this green one today?)
None of the dishes take much effort, so I finished one after another, and finally, I made the vegetable stir-fry.
When I explained that there are different types of flavors of the salts depending on the colors of the lids, Marshelly-san chose the herb salt.
(Oh my, it smells very nice. It is very convenient if this is all you have to do to change the taste. Oz will be happy about this, too~)
"I'm glad to hear that."
Just as we were finishing up the meal, the children came back with baskets full of all kinds of fruits.
""We are back~""
(This forest really is amazing, isn't it?)
(There are lots of seasonal and non-seasonal things~)
(We picked lots.)
(We ate lots!)
(You were the only one eating, Vector!)
"Look, look" the children showed off the baskets.
"You picked so much~ Should we eat it as it is?"
""Ehh~""
I thought it would be a good idea to eat the fruits raw as they were, since they were all ripe and sweet, but Allen and Elena sounded unhappy.
"What? No?"
"Ice cream~"
"Jam, too~"
(Niichan, I think fruit water would be good, too!)
(Fruit milk sounds nice as well.)
(Wouldn't these taste incredible as dried fruit?)
(Anything is fine as long as it's delish!)
(I think they would be yummy if frozen too!)
It was not just Allen and Elena, but Joule and the others told me about other ways to eat them as well.
"Ice cream and jam, fruit water and fruit milk, dried fruit and frozen fruit? Hahaha~ you came up with so many ways to eat them~"
Since Marshelly-san shouldn't have heard Joule and the others, when I recited the examples, Marshelly-san's eyes widened in surprise.
(Oh my, there's so many ways to eat the fruits, I see~ Since there are so many ways, I wonder if you picked enough? You should pick more so you can make everything.)
""Is okay?""
(It's fine~)
"Is that really okay?"
(Yes, I mean, Oz hasn't been eating them much recently~ I've never made fruit milk or frozen fruits before, so he might eat those if he tried them, but that aside, there's still a lot more growing, right? So, feel free to pick more.)
Did he get tired of eating too much of that delicious fruit?
For lunch... or not, let's serve some fruit milk and frozen fruits for snack time.
(All right, it seems we are all set. Let's serve the meal right away. I'm sure Oz is waiting impatiently.)
We all gathered around the table, which is a bit grand for a dining table, and began to eat.
"... Delicious."
After taking his first mouthful of the vegetables cooked with the sukiyaki stock, Oswald-san spilled his impressions.
"... This too... and this... they are all delicious."
He tasted each dish in turn.
He was a bit teary-eyed.
"This is delish too."
"Eat more~"
Seeing the teary-eyed Oswald-san, Allen and Elena recommended him dishes.
"Thank you. But there's enough for everyone, so you both eat up as well."
""Yeah.""
We finished breakfast on good terms and after a short break, we started cooking again. This time it was lunch and snacks.
First of all, I decided to make the udon noodles I had planned to make last night, and I asked the kids to help me with that.
""Steppystep~♪ Steppystep~♪""
I put a small amount of flour, salt, and water together in a plastic bag-like leather bag and have the barefooted kids step on it.
Oh, Joule and the others have gone to pick fruits because they can't help much here.
"Marshelly-san, it's not necessary to step on it like this, you can do it with your hands too, but... it takes quite a lot of strength."
(I see, but it should be okay if the amount is smaller.)
"That is true."
We are making more now, so it takes some effort, but I'm not sure if Marshelly-san's slender arms can even handle two servings~
""Become deli~sh♪ become deli~sh♪""
"Looks good so far! If you try for a little longer, it will definitely turn out delicious!"
""Will work hard!""
While Allen and Elena did their best, I made the after-meal desserts.
Flour, sugar, eggs, mix with milk, and bake thinly on a heated up pan.
"... Oh, there's a hole in it."
The first one unfortunately got a hole torn in the dough when I turned it over, but after a couple of times, I got used to it again.
""What's that~?""
Allen and Elena seemed to be watching me work while stepping on the udon noodles and asked me what I was making.
"These are crepe doughs."
""Crepe doughs?""
"Yep. You eat these by stuffing cream or jam and fruits inside of these. I'd love to give you a variety of things to choose from, but today I think we'll have to go with plenty of cream, berries, and a chocolate sauce."
""Yeah! Looking forward to it~♪""
I continued to bake more and more doughs, and continued to wrap them as they cooled down... but before that, I cut the doughs with holes in them to form bite-sized crepes.
I gave one Marshelly-san to try, and put one each into the mouths of Allen and Elena who were waiting with their mouths wide open.
""Nn~~~""
(Oh my, it's so sweet and delicious.)
"Raw fruits, fruit sauce, jams... it would be fine with anything"
(It seems like a lot of fun~)
Allen and Elena, as well as Marshelly-san, seemed to like it.
Oh, come to think of it, I haven't shared anything with Syl lately~ I'm just about to mass-produce the crepes anyway, so send some Syl's way.
~
Cooking Instructions 2
I made two kinds of udon for lunch: stewed udon noodles made with a simple shoyu-based noodle soup-like substance, and miso-stewed udon noodles; as well as stir-fried eggplant with miso, and gomoku-mame made with various beans and root vegetables.
"What else should we make~?"
(Say, is there a way to make raw vegetables taste better?)
"There's this thing called mayonnaise."
(Mayonnaise?)
"Yes, it's eggs mixed with vinegar and oil."
Marshelly-san asks me about what goes well with raw vegetables, so I introduce her to mayonnaise.
""Onii~chan, Onii~chan.""
"Salad."
"Sauces~?"
"Salad sauce? Ah, you mean dressings! Come to think of it, I spoke about making some, but never actually did it. Then, let's make that as well!"
""Let's make~!""
He might get tired of eating salads with just mayonnaise, so I'm going to try to make salad dressings to prevent that.
And the dressings are something I've been meaning to make for Allen and Elena anyway.
"Let's start with... green onion."
I'd like to make a few different kinds, but I think I would like to start with a soy sauce-based green onion dressing, which I used to like to use. I'd like to eat it again.
First, I fried the chopped green onions and let them cool, then I mixed them with a little bit of shoyu, vinegar, and oil to adjust the flavors.
"N~... something like this?"
""Ahhh~""
"N?"
"Tasting~~~"
"Haha, got it, got it."
As I tasted the shredded lettuce with a bit of the green onion dressing, Allen and Elena opened their mouths so I put some lettuce in their mouths as well.
""Delish!""
Allen and Elena seemed to like it and opened their mouths again, asking for more.
(Ahh~)
As the children sampled it for the second time, Marshelly-san opened her mouth too.
"Nono, I definitely cannot do that with you, Marshelly-san."
(Oh my, how unfortunate. But, is it fine for me to taste it as well?)
"Of course. Please have a try."
I could tell she was joking as she opened her mouth with a chuckle. But even if she wasn't joking, she just cannot say "ahh" to someone in an adult female form, so I asked her to eat it herself.
(Oh my, it's delicious.)
"You can add more vinegar to make it sourer, or you can add honey to make it sweeter."
(So you can change the flavor with a little effort. Right~ Should I try making it with honey?)
"For sure, please give it a try."
I made a different dressing while Marshelly-san tried to make the green onion dressing to review.
"What should I do next~ sesame?"
Grind the white sesame seeds until they form a paste, then mix in shoyu, vinegar, sugar, and oil.
"This should be fine?"
""Ahhh~""
The kids opened their mouths before I even tasted it.
"Gee~ you guys are too fast~"
I dipped the lettuce in a bit of sesame dressing, as I did with the green onion dressing, and put it in their mouths.
"How is it?"
""Dewishh~""
"That so? I'm glad to hear that."
I tasted it too and the flavor was okay.
But I feel that if I don't write down the amount of seasoning carefully, I'll end up with a different taste every time.
Hmm... I'm wondering if I should be more consistent or enjoy the subtle differences every time I make this...
(Please try this one as well.)
It looks like Marshelly-san has finished making the green onion dressing with honey.
"Let's have a taste then."
"Allen too~"
"Elena too~"
"N, it came out very well, Marshelly-san."
""This is delish too~""
(Fufu, I'm glad.)
I liked the sweetened dressing Marshelly-san made.
"Is this enough for lunch?"
(It is~ but, I would like to learn a bit more. Hey, Takumi-san, it's going to be night soon if you leave in the afternoon. Won't you stay one more night and continue teaching me in the evening and in the morning? Though I say that, the only rewards I can offer is to let you continue picking the fruits and vegetables from the forest, but won't you consider it?)
Although the appointment was only for today's breakfast and lunch, Marshelly-san wanted to learn to cook some more.
It's true that there's only a limited number of dishes I could teach her with just two meals. But are there any more dishes I can teach that don't involve meat and fish?
"N~..."
""Sure~""
While I was hesitating, Allen and Elena gave their approval first.
(Fufu, thank you. But unfortunately, your older brother doesn't seem too keen on staying.)
"Nono, I'm also fine with staying longer, but I don't know what more I could teach you, so..."
(Oh my, so it was like that. Let's see~ I think it's good that we can now substitute bread with the White Wheat, but I was wondering if there were any dishes made specially with the White Wheat?)
Oh, I see. I did not make anything with rice yet!
""Curry!""
"Indeed. Let's make vegetable curry for dinner."
And maybe something like chop suey but without meat and seafood? Chinese-style fried rice also seems like a good idea, as well as a mini-donburi.
Come to think of it, it's not only the White Wheat, but Red Wheat should be fine for Oswald-san too, right?
"I would like to teach you about mochi too, but I don't know where to get Red Wheat. I only have a little remaining..."
When I checked the Red Wheat on my Infinite Storage list, the amount obviously increased.
"... Was it Syl?"
This is... he liked the mochi I sent him before, so he would like more?
""Onii~chan, what is it?""
"No, I was only confirming how much Red Wheat we have left."
"Red Wheat!"
"Mochi~!"
""Wanna eat~!""
(Red Wheat? That's another rare crop you are talking about~)
"Is it like that, after all?"
(Yes, I don't know the exact place, but it should be cultivated only in a small part of a region. But, though immediately would be impossible, I would be able to grow it myself, you know?)
It looks like Marshelly-san could grow Red Wheat without any problems.
"There's a light meal or rather a snack called Mochi, which is made from Red Wheat..."
(Please teach me by all means.)
Since she could get her hands on Red Wheat, I asked her if I should teach her how to make mochi, and she replied instantly that she wants to learn.
"Understood."
(Fufu, thank you.)
Let's leave mochi for tomorrow morning. Rice dumplings, red bean paste, roasted soybean flour... grated radish would be nice too. Ah, butter shoyu sounds nice too.
Since the main dishes for the dinner and breakfast have already been decided, I'll just make stir-fried vegetables and stewed vegetables of different flavors.
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