Chapter 33 - Assault! Dinner on the Road 2 <1>
Once again, the story of dinner on the road.
I haven't touched this much since I first wrote it, so the perspective might be all over the place, but I aimed for something delicious and funny. Please enjoy.
Prologue
Several hours after leaving Faldina. The group was being rocked in a luggage carriage belonging to the inspection team.
Thanks to being with Edward, their carriage was as well-equipped as a comfortable inn, making it easy to forget they were on a journey.
Their journey so far had been a repetition of walking all day and sleeping when their stamina ran out. It had been anとにかく arduous experience, so this elegance felt a little strange, but they were making progress for free and in comfort, so they had to be grateful.
On top of that, they were told some lucky news. They were informed that they wouldn't have to deal with a certain chore they had struggled with until now. Released from that troublesome chore, Franz, who had suffered the most, savored his happiness from the bottom of his heart.
"A weight has been lifted from my shoulders…"
Because of that chore, even though he was exhausted, he had been forced to do even more labor. Words couldn't express how happy he was that this harsh situation was over.
"Is it really that big of a deal?"
Though he said that, Ritz also looked a little happy. He had probably found it troublesome.
"I don't know, it's a little disappointing, though."
At Anna's murmur, Franz felt a complex emotion. Come to think of it, only Anna had enjoyed it. He was envious of that, but at the same time, it had irritated him at times.
The troublesome matter that had plagued him so much was… preparing dinner.
Until now, no matter how tired they were, the painful situation of 'if you don't prepare it yourself, you don't eat' had changed completely, and they were now in the position of waiting for their meals to be ready.
Even if it was a little disappointing for Anna, for Franz, it was the same as having a stroke of luck that sent him to the heavens.
The number of people in the five-carriage convoy was six drivers, ten inspectors, the three members of Ritz's group, and King Edward, for a total of twenty people. Even if he were told to cook for everyone, Franz, who had lived with Orphe for a long time, couldn't quite grasp the quantities.
More importantly, what pleased the three of them the most was the large amount of food gathered in the carriage dedicated to food and luggage. Of course, that included the vegetables and herbs from Tushil Village that Ritz had provided.
On top of the relief of not having to prepare, what they could look forward to was a lavish dinner that, while not much since they were on a journey, would be better than their previous dinners.
"Hey, hey, what do you think is for dinner tonight?"
As they were rocked by the carriage, Anna asked Ritz in an excited tone, and Ritz also replied cheerfully.
"The king is with us, so they won't serve just anything."
"We're on a journey, though. It's better not to expect too much."
The king himself, Edward, was smiling wryly. He probably knew very well what kind of food would be served. But Anna wasn't one to be discouraged by that.
"Aww, but I can't help but get my hopes up, Ed-san!"
Anna's eyes were sparkling with anticipation. Even Ritz, who was pretending not to be particularly expectant, was, as Franz, who had traveled with him for the past few weeks, knew, very much looking forward to tonight's dinner.
At times like this, Franz would think from the bottom of his heart.
—Even if they're my companions, they're a bunch of gluttons…
The Driver's Menu of Love
Several hours after leaving Faldina in the morning, the evening darkness was approaching. Recently, the sun had been setting much earlier than before. It was as if winter was approaching with audible footsteps.
The inspection team's carriages stopped as soon as the sun set.
"Found it. This is it, Captain."
The man who was the leader of the drivers, called 'Oyaji-san,' turned around and told the man with walnut-colored hair.
"In this forest?"
The man who looked into the indicated forest was called Kenny Fort, a squad leader. Though still young, he was a man of considerable ability, leading this elite group of inspectors.
"Of course."
The old man said and drove the carriage into the forest. Surprisingly, there was a path, albeit a narrow one, that a carriage could pass through. And at the end of it was a small clearing.
"Wow, there's a clearing in the forest!"
The driver laughed at the surprised Anna.
"This, you see, is a campsite known only to us long-distance drivers."
Everyone except the drivers was surprised at the place, which, though in the forest, seemed to be frequently used.
"I'd heard rumors that there were rest stops only drivers knew about…"
Ritz, witnessing the rumor firsthand, let out a voice of admiration. He had known as a fact that drivers had created places like this here and there to make it easier for themselves to use, and to prevent them from being disturbed by others.
But they taught each other the locations among themselves and rarely told the general public. This was a considerable stroke of luck. If he ever traveled this road again in the future, he could probably use it.
"This time is special because His Majesty the King is with us."
Edward shrugged his shoulders in a lighthearted manner at the laughing old man.
"I'm much obliged."
As soon as Edward's playful words ended, the carriages stopped in a circle in this clearing. They had arrived.
"Alright everyone, time to get ready!"
At the leader's words, the drivers split into groups of several and began to disperse.
"?"
While the rest of the group stood around blankly, the drivers' preparations continued. Several of them began to repair a stone structure in the center of this campsite. Their movements were practiced, and the stone structure was assembled quickly and efficiently.
"Oh, a stove!"
By the time Ritz noticed, the full picture of the stove was becoming clear. The reason he was late in noticing was the size of the stove.
"It's huge! And there are two of them!"
That's right. The stove the drivers had assembled was such a magnificent thing that for a moment he wondered if it was appropriate to call it a stove. It was less of a stove and more of a magnificent stone oven. But the top part seemed difficult to build, and they weren't making much progress.
"Hey, big guy, give us a hand."
The old man clearly called out to Ritz in a cheerful voice.
"'Big guy,' that's me, right?"
Ritz gave a wry smile and looked around at the remaining members. In fact, no one had told the drivers what Ritz was. The only ones who knew that Ritz was a minister of this country were the three of them here, the inspectors, and Ritz himself.
It wasn't just Anna and Franz who had to suppress a laugh. Edward's shoulders were shaking. Even Ritz himself couldn't help but smile.
But the ones who couldn't laugh here were the inspectors, whose only superiors were the king, the prime minister, and the minister. They all had complex expressions on their faces. Among them, the even more serious Kenny stood up, his face flushed with anger.
"To call a minister of our country 'big guy' is rude… should I reprimand him?"
It was Edward's burst of laughter that stopped Kenny, who had involuntarily scowled.
"It's fine, isn't it? Ritz doesn't want to be a minister, right?"
"Yeah, I don't."
Ritz tried to make a grumpy face but failed and burst out laughing.
"Why don't you at least fulfill your duty as the 'big guy'?"
"I guess I'll do that."
Ritz scratched his head, laughing foolishly.
"But…"
Ritz smiled at the still-protesting Kenny.
"I'm a carefree traveler, a mercenary. I'm definitely not a minister, you know."
"However…"
At the still-unrelenting Kenny, Ritz strode over. Kenny's body tensed up before his eyes. He probably thought he had angered him. But the action Ritz took was the complete opposite of what Kenny was thinking.
"Kenny, I kicked the minister's chair, you know?"
"Y-yes, sir."
"So there is no minister in this country! Right?"
He placed both hands on Kenny's shoulders and patted them, then, without listening to Kenny's protests, Ritz walked over to the drivers.
"Wait, Ritz, I'll help too!"
"…Then I will too."
Franz and Anna, who had been standing around with nothing to do, hurriedly followed after them. From their habits so far, they felt restless if they weren't doing something. And today, they had been in the carriage all day. They had an excess of energy.
"What should I do?"
"Help with the stone stacking. You look like you've got some strength."
"Leave it to me."
Ritz rolled up his sleeves and started helping with the stone stacking. Ritz didn't actually dislike working. In fact, he preferred physical labor to desk work that required using his head by several degrees. So this kind of work wasn't a problem for him at all. Anna, who had been watching him enviously, poked the driver's back.
"Is there anything for me to do?"
The old man who turned around looked at Anna and Franz, then gave an instruction.
"Oh, little missy, you're on firewood duty. With that young master over there."
"I'm not a young master."
"Is that so? I'm counting on you."
He almost burst out laughing at the conversation that reached his ears, but it would be a pain to upset Franz, so he swallowed his laughter. The old man wasn't paying the slightest attention to Franz's protest. That was what was funny.
After Ritz's group had secured their respective jobs and started working, Kenny stared at Ritz, who was asking the driver for instructions with the face of a carefree traveler, with a complex expression.
Edward, who had been watching the scene, silently stood next to Kenny. Kenny, sensing his presence, turned around, and Edward smiled gently at him.
"Kenny, that's the kind of man he is. Being formal with Ritz will only make him dislike you."
With a bewildered look on his face, Kenny turned back to Edward.
"Your Majesty…"
"He's Ritz, not the minister. If you're persistent, he might end up cutting you down."
In reality, the man named Ritz was not that short-tempered, but for Kenny, who didn't know Ritz, it would be a sufficient threat. Besides, being told so by the king, even the serious Kenny had no room for further argument. When he looked around, he saw that the other inspectors were also helping the drivers with their work in one way or another. The only ones not doing anything were Kenny and Edward.
"I'll go help."
After saying that briefly, Kenny headed towards the old man who was a few steps ahead. The conversation between the two of them could be heard clearly in the clear air.
"Let me help with something too."
But the driver waved his hand.
"Captain, you should rest. His Majesty must be bored alone, and you've been so considerate. The golden rule of travel is to rest when you can."
"However…"
It was Ritz, who happened to be there, who delivered the final blow to the even more troubled and hesitant Kenny.
"That's right. We, who haven't done anything, will do it, so you should rest, Captain."
"…Minister…"
"It's Ritz, right? Try saying it."
"I couldn't possibly…"
Edward smiled to himself at the exchange between the two. It was certain that Ritz was completely playing with Kenny. At Ritz's intense stare, Kenny finally gave in and let out a deep sigh.
"I understand, Ritz-san. As you wish, I will rest over there. If anything happens, I will come immediately, so please call me."
Kenny, while calling Ritz by his name, replied in the tone of addressing a minister of this country. That was probably the best resistance Kenny could muster.
"Ah, yeah, leave it to me."
Ritz gave a wry smile at Kenny's excessively polite tone. Edward, who had clearly heard it from a distance, couldn't help but burst out laughing. Ritz glared at him. The driver, who had been watching Kenny return to his original spot, turned to Ritz with a strange expression.
"Hey, brother. Who the hell are you?"
"An old friend of the king from before he was king."
Before he could be questioned any further, Ritz hastily returned to his work.
When all the preparations were complete, the old man's dinner preparations began. The one who volunteered to help was Anna, who was more interested in food than anyone else.
The others who had finished helping moved on to other tasks to prepare their sleeping arrangements.
"Alright, Anna-chan, first, could you peel these turnips, onions, and carrots?"
"Okay!"
The old man handed her a small knife. Anna peeled them with a practiced hand. In the meantime, the old man began to make bread. While peeling the vegetables, Anna couldn't help but be curious about that.
"Wow, whole wheat flour!"
The old man looked up at Anna's exclamation.
"This is ground from the highest quality wheat from Glein. Bread baked with this is fragrant and delicious."
"Wow…"
Anna watched in fascination as the old man added all-purpose flour to the whole wheat flour, mixed them gently, and then added milk.
Two types of flour and milk… what kind of bread would it make….
"Hey, your hands have stopped moving."
"Ah!"
Anna hurriedly returned to her work. It was dinner for about twenty people, so just preparing the vegetables was a lot. If she didn't finish, it would be a problem.
She finished peeling all the vegetables at almost the same time as the old man finished shaping the bread dough for everyone.
"Now, let's start making the stew first. Anna-chan, put the water and lamb in the pot."
"Lamb and water, got it…"
She put two kilograms of diced lamb into the large pot and poured in water. When all the meat was submerged in water, the old man stopped her.
"That's good. Now let's put it on the stove."
The two of them tried to carry the pot, but it was surprisingly heavy, and they couldn't carry it well. The pot itself was heavy, and the meat and water were also heavy. On top of that, Anna was a girl, and the old man was an old man.
Ritz, seeing the two of them struggling, came to their aid. He stepped in from behind and lifted the pot by himself with ease. For him, this was a piece of cake.
"As expected of Ritz!"
Anna and the old man applauded Ritz, who had placed the pot on the stove.
"I don't know if I deserve praise for just this…"
As Ritz returned shyly, Anna and the old man continued their cooking, waving at him with a smile.
The vegetables Anna had just peeled were lightly sautéed in butter and returned to the pot with the lamb. All that was left was to add salt and pepper, and the herbs Anna and the others had, and let it simmer.
The old man made a shelf with an iron plate inside the stove and put the bread in. It seemed it would be good once it rose.
Stirring the simmering pot and occasionally skimming the scum, Anna's eyes narrowed in fascination at the aroma again. The smell of vegetables and meat when you're hungry… this was irresistible.
But the ones whose eyes were shining even more than Anna's were the drivers who weren't participating in the cooking.
"I'm looking forward to Oyaji-san's dinner."
"Yeah, it's delicious, isn't it?"
Ritz and Franz, who had been listening, looked at each other. From the way the drivers were talking with delight, they thought it was certain that this old man always cooked.
"Is that old guy a good cook?"
The drivers nodded at Ritz, who had naturally joined in.
"Oh, yes. Oyaji-san used to be so fond of cooking that he couldn't decide whether to become a driver or a cook."
"A driver or a cook?"
Franz tilted his head. There was a considerable difference between those two professions. Why would he be torn between those two?
"That's right. Oyaji-san loved horses, you see. And he loved cooking too."
I see. So after considering horses or cooking, he chose horses.
"And as a driver, you get to go to all sorts of places, right? He apparently decided on this because he could eat all sorts of things."
Everyone has a story, and the old man has his struggles.
Meanwhile, Anna and the old man, completely unaware that such a conversation was taking place, were in the final stages of cooking.
The flavor of the lamb and the softened vegetables had blended perfectly into the soup, creating a rich and mellow taste. This exquisite harmony….
The finishing touch was red wine. This would suppress the sweetness and give it a slightly more mature taste. The bread in the stove had also been baked to a golden brown and was fragrant.
"Old man, is it done?"
The old man replied with a smile to the impatient Anna.
"Not yet. We need to simmer it more to make the lamb melt-in-your-mouth tender. Then we'll make mashed potatoes and serve them together on a plate."
"Wow…"
Anna was at a loss for words. She imagined the finished dish, staring at the contents of the pot in a daze, almost drooling.
As if that wasn't enough to make her happy, the old man delivered the final blow to Anna.
"Anna-chan, do you like sweets?"
"! I love them!"
"Then let's bake an apple pie. We'll have some extra time with just the mashed potatoes."
"Yes!"
Stew, bread, mashed potatoes… that alone was a delight, but to have dessert as well… Anna imagined the blissful time that would soon come and let out an enraptured sigh.
"Alright, I'll knead the pie dough, so can you peel the potatoes, Anna-chan?"
"Yes!"
Day 1 The Driver's Menu
Vegetable and Lamb Stew (Irish Stew)
Mashed Potatoes
Brown Bread
Apple Pie
(And a few other snacks for drinks)
"!"
The moment he brought the stew to his lips, Franz was speechless.
This mellow flavor of the meat… the natural sweetness seeping from the onions, turnips, and carrots, and the faint acidity of the red wine that harmonized it all….
The herbs that were added along with them brought a refreshing aroma to his mouth. And the main ingredient, the lamb, which had been simmered for a long time, melted on his tongue as if it were unraveling.
It was truly a masterpiece.
"Delicious… I've never had such a delicious stew before."
Franz, who wasn't particularly obsessed with food, couldn't help but let out an enraptured sigh. Had he ever had a dish that he felt was this delicious before?
This dish had such a wonderful flavor that it made him reflect on the past. Ritz, who was sitting next to him, sighed while nodding at Franz's words.
"This isn't something you can eat in the middle of a forest on a journey…"
"Indeed. It's as delicious as the royal court chefs."
Even Edward, who should have been used to eating high-quality food, narrowed his eyes at the taste.
"Your Majesty, you praise me too much."
The old man was extremely humbled.
The taste of this dish seemed to have melted the heart of Kenny, who had been scowling until just a moment ago. Even if it was country cooking, a taste that made people happy was the essence of cooking.
He poured a generous amount of stew over the buttery mashed potatoes on his plate and ate it. This also created a different, rich flavor, making it a dish that was delicious twice in one plate.
"Old man, this is delicious! It'll be even richer with bread!"
Anna, who had been helping, was also eating in a daze. Everyone present was letting out blissful sighs, eating the stew in a dreamlike state. This scene, which might seem a little strange to an outsider, was completely unnoticed by the people eating. If they were to be attacked by a wild beast now, they would probably all go to the other world in an instant. That's how little警戒 they had right now.
The large amount of stew that was made sold out in an instant, and the large amount of brown bread that was also baked disappeared in an instant. It was a very satisfying dinner.
And after dinner, a large amount of snacks for drinks had been made, though he didn't know when. Those who drank ate the snacks, while those who didn't enjoyed conversation and spent the evening happily. Ritz was, of course, among those who drank. Edward was also the same. These two were originally fond of drinking. That being said, Edward wasn't being rowdy. He was a king, after all, so he was behaving himself. In return, he seemed to be drinking more than anyone else.
The group that couldn't drink, Franz and Anna, and the inspectors who couldn't drink because they had to work, ignored the commotion and were eating the apple pie that was the finishing touch.
This too was a masterpiece, with the crispy pie crust, the not-too-sweet apple with just the right amount of acidity, and the aroma of cinnamon all in harmony.
"Old man, how did you get so good at cooking?"
Anna asked the old man, holding an apple pie. The old man was also not drinking, but was smiling as he cleaned up the pots and pans. Contrary to his appearance of a jolly old man who loved to drink, the old man was not a strong drinker.
According to the old man, cleaning up was part of the cooking process. As they sat by the fire in the now cold night air, the inspectors were also listening to the small talk between the old man and Anna.
The old man answered Anna's question simply.
"Love."
"Love?"
Anna tilted her head, not understanding. The old man explained it to her in an easy-to-understand way.
"That's right. Love for cooking, love for the ingredients, love for the people who will eat it. A lot of love goes into making delicious food."
"A lot of love…"
To the somewhat convinced, somewhat unconvinced Anna, the old man asked.
"Anna-chan, is there anyone you like?"
"Yeah. My adoptive father, Ritz, Franz, Ed-san, and my friends Lira and Dill…"
The old man smiled at Anna's words, which seemed to go on forever.
"When you cook for the people you like, what do you think about when you cook, Anna-chan?"
"I hope they'll enjoy eating it when I cook."
"That's right. To make them happy, you choose the ingredients carefully and cook with all your heart, right?"
"Yeah."
The old man smiled at Anna again.
"That's what love is."
"I see!"
Completely convinced, Anna nodded cheerfully. If she cooked with love, she could make delicious food. That seemed to be a very convincing way of thinking for Anna.
But that's not where it ended for the girl named Anna Myers.
"The old man made us a delicious meal today, right? So let's all return the favor!"
"Anna… what are you saying…"
Anna pressed on the involuntarily interjecting Franz.
"You think so too, right, Franz?"
"Huh?"
"You think so too, right, Kenny-san?"
"What?"
Franz and Kenny opened their mouths in a daze at Anna's words, which they didn't quite understand.
"So, starting tomorrow, let's make cooking a rotating duty!"
"Anna, what are you talking about!"
It was Franz who was flustered. He had just thought he was free from cooking, so why did he have to cook again? But once Anna made up her mind, she wouldn't budge.
"Tomorrow, Kenny-san and the others will cook, and the day after tomorrow, we'll cook! I think it's a good idea to return the favor with a meal full of love for the old man."
"No, that's…"
Ignoring Kenny, who was trying to voice his opinion to Anna with difficulty, Anna stood up and ran towards Ritz and Edward. When she was like this, Anna couldn't hear anything.
"Ritz, Ed-san, listen, listen!"
"Wait, Anna!"
Franz called out to Anna's back, but he sighed as if he had given up.
"Saying whatever she wants…"
But the old man, who had been listening to their exchange, burst out laughing.
"Hahaha. What a cheerful child, that Anna-chan!"
Ignoring the laughing old man and the stunned Franz and Kenny, Anna was talking loudly to Ritz and Edward.
He thought Ritz might say something to Anna, but Ritz seemed to be quite drunk and replied cheerfully to Anna's suggestion.
"A meal of love? That's a great idea. Love, yeah, that has a nice ring to it. It's a great idea, isn't it, Ed?"
Edward, who seemed calm, was also quite drunk, and he nodded with a smile.
"It's a great idea. After all, you have to approach the people with love."
Though Edward was saying something completely unrelated, Anna seemed to have taken it as the two of them agreeing.
"It's decided then!"
At Anna's words, Franz sighed.
Another round of rotating meal duty was coming. And this time, it was for about twenty people. How could he not be depressed?
Franz, who was so preoccupied with his own affairs, didn't notice. The ones in the worst situation were not him, but the inspectors.
The inspectors stared at Kenny and turned pale. Kenny turned even paler. The reason for that would be revealed tomorrow.