kscans

Chapter 67 - Chapter 6: Part One, Matsu, Take, Ume

"It’s really coming along nicely."

Walking down the academy corridor for the first time in a while, I voiced my thoughts on our journey back to the Royal Capital. The four day carriage trip from Bertold was, at the very least, about as long as a normal one. According to Jacob, both its cruising speed and endurance have improved. A few days isn't much to go on, but testing it on actual roads was a huge step.

"Of course it is. After all the hard work Mia and I put into it."

"That’s right. Senpai, you were clumsy with your hands and not very strong, so you weren’t much help. I was even better at making the final adjustments after Alfina-sama."

"I was busy planning our next move. For the trade fair and all."

It’s true I wasn’t much help. But during the return trip, I was busy thinking about various things, like selecting checkpoints.

"The more you plan, Senpai, the more work it creates for everyone around you."

"W, well, I mean… I’m relying on all of you for the trade fair, too."

I thought about the meeting we were heading to.

"Well, it seemed like Rilka was having a lot of fun, at least," Mia said, and I felt a small sense of relief. As a rather timid person myself, dragging everyone else around isn't easy on my stomach.

"S, so, do I really have to go, too?"

As we neared the library, the other timid person, Noel, started to get fidgety.

"It’ll be fine. The prince and the grand duchess won’t be there this time. And you seemed to get along pretty well with Alfina-sama, didn’t you?"

"Th, that was because of the situation."

Although she was an academy student, Noel had spent all her time secluded in the sorcery dorm, so socializing with classmates still seemed to be a high hurdle for her. But today of all days, I couldn't let her skip it. She was to serve as our valuable judge.

◇◇

"...Ah, so you’re finally back."

The one who greeted me as I entered the room was Plural, who seemed a little less sharp than usual. One of the long tables in the laboratory had been cleared off, and the members of Central Garden were seated there. Alfina, of course, was with them.

The master of the room, by the way, was absent. He had been summoned by the prince to discuss the noise issue at the western observatory and the monster records accumulated by the old Second Knight Order.

"Senpai. You look exhausted."

"And whose fault do you think that is?"

"Yeah, that’s right. You just gave us a bunch of crazy requests for the trade fair food and dumped the rest on us. My arms are sore and my stomach is worn out from it all," Dalgan grumbled. Plural and Roston nodded in agreement.

"So, were you able to make it?"

"Who do you think we are?"

"That’s right. We’re very confident in what we’ve made."

It seemed that while I was completely occupied with the carriage, they had made significant progress on the preparations.

"First up is the ‘Matsu’," Plural said, placing a basket on the table.

Surely they didn't make ‘Matsu, Take, Ume,’ the name I suggested, the official one. It would be meaningless in this world.

The highest-grade item, the ‘Matsu’, consisted of something wrapped in cloth and placed in a shallow basket. I motioned for Noel to go first. She was the only one here who had no idea what to expect.

"No way, this is food?"

When she unwrapped the package, Noel’s expression filled with surprise. Inside was a container made of bamboo holding soup, surrounded by three different kinds of sandwiches.

The bread looked fine-grained and soft, a luxury item in itself. Furthermore, each of the three sandwiches was cut into a different color and shape. It was inspired less by a traditional partitioned bento and more by one of those artistic character bentos. Of course, I hadn't given them any detailed instructions.

With such a diverse group of food experts gathered together, my input was unnecessary.

"Please start with the green one, my lady."

At Plural’s theatrical words, Noel reached out her hand. The sandwich was shaped like a spindle, modeled after a plant's leaf. Tucked inside were ingredients of various colors. Noel gazed at it, as if reluctant to ruin its shape, but finally, unable to resist the colorful contents, she opened her mouth.

"What is this. It, it’s delicious."

Noel groaned with pleasure.

"...It’s a salad sandwich, using plenty of vegetables specially selected by my family and cheese from Rilka."

"The key is the combination of tomato and cheese," Belmini and Rilka added as an explanation.

I reached for one myself. A pleasant acidity and mellowness spread through my mouth. It was a wonderful combination, refreshing yet with impact and depth. It was similar to a BLT sandwich, but the use of chicken ham made with honey gave it a more subtle flavor, building anticipation for what was to come next.

"The second one features our pride and joy, our meat," Dalgan said.

This sandwich used a round loaf of bread with whole rye grains visible in its fine crumb. It had a brownish hue and gave off an aroma that whetted the appetite. Noel’s throat audibly gulped.

"...M, my mouth is just filled with the taste of the meat. A, and this scent…"

"Are these bits sprinkled on it truffles?" I asked Roston.

"Yes, I added them to the roast beef sauce."

The thickly sliced roast beef sealed in its juices was irresistible. The sensual aroma of the truffles, slightly similar to garlic, was divine. It paired perfectly with the robust flavor of the rye.

"For the third one, I especially need to hear Vinder’s opinion."

After nodding in satisfaction at Noel, who was still dazed by the truffle’s aroma, Roston urged me forward.

"The third one is... fried."

A brown crust peeked out from a wavy, rectangular piece of white bread. The red tomato sauce on top emerged as I pressed it with my fingers.

"Ah, is this fish, by any chance?"

I took a bite in surprise, then immediately checked the cross section. A fried white fish fillet. It was so nostalgic I could have cried. I had loved fish burgers. I had asked for it on a whim when I requested three different types of sandwiches with different ingredients and cooking methods. There were no companies in Central Garden that dealt with fish.

"That’s right. It’s perch I sourced from a fishmonger I know. And…"

"Um, Ricardo-kun, how is the taste?" Alfina asked, looking up at me.

"You don't mean to say you cooked it, do you?"

That must have struck fear into the hearts of everyone around her.

"Alfina-sama personally cut the shapes and assembled the sandwiches, too. She said she wanted to make the dish that a certain someone was looking forward to herself," Rilka said.

"W, was it still not good enough? I wasn't able to participate much because of my work at the cathedral."

If she looked up at me with such a worried expression, I would have had no choice but to nod, even if it were just a piece of black bread.

"Judging by Senpai’s face, he’s more than just satisfied," Mia observed, and Alfina let out a sigh of relief.

"So the dessert is being served separately this time," I said, changing the subject to hide my embarrassment.

"Frankly, as an ingredient, this is the rarest delicacy of all," Plural said proudly as he brought over a white fruit. It was a white fruit, split in half and preserved in honey. The flesh was dense, with a color like cheese. It was a cherimoya. It only grows at high altitudes in the south. In other words, it could only be harvested in a very specific environment in this country, and its fruiting rate was low. I figured it must be pollinated by insects.

After hearing about it from Plural and Roston, I had a beehive brought over to try assisting with pollination. In my old world, one of the roles of beekeeping was to pollinate orchards. According to them, the harvest had increased by 1.5 times.

It doesn’t keep for long, but they apparently plan to combine it with the carriage improvements to market it as a new fruit in the Royal Capital.

The trade fair would be its grand debut. One way or another, the members of Central Garden always manage to seize a business opportunity. They’re a tough bunch.

The taste was out of this world. If it were cold, you might mistake it for custard ice cream. The sticky texture, the sweetness, and a richness like cheese were all perfectly integrated. The faint aroma of yairu fruit and the accent of caramel were also wonderful.

Even Alfina and the others, who must have already tasted it, wore dazed expressions. As for Noel, she was still holding the first bite in her mouth, a look on her face as if she didn't know what to do.

"I’ve tasted this so many times, but its deliciousness is just unfair," Rilka sighed.

"Yes, I’ve never eaten a dessert like this, not even at the royal palace," Alfina agreed.

Satisfied with having surprised us, the members of Central Garden began to eat as well. The girls all looked positively blissful, their energy seemingly restored by the sweetness of the dessert.

The boys, on the other hand, looked exhausted, as if they had given it their all. Even Roston was resting his forehead in his hand. It was amusing how it was the complete opposite of how they were with the bearings.

By the way, the ‘Take’ was a simplified version of the ‘Matsu’, with the same fillings in ordinary white bread. For dessert, they would offer french toast upon request. It was a product aimed at wealthy merchants. They decided a taste test wasn't necessary.

"Um, you’re Noel-san, right? What did you think?"

"Oh, um, I was just so surprised."

"‘Surprised’ doesn't tell us much," Rilka said, striking up a conversation with Noel.

The ‘a friend of a friend is a friend’ theory. From my perspective, she's pulling off such a high-difficulty social combo.

"...You’re one of us now, another one dragged around by Vinder. ...You don’t have to hold back. Right, Mia?"

"Noel has suffered enough to earn the right to eat this."

"Ah, so it’s true. It’s nice to meet you, then."

What’s with this ‘Ricardo Vinder Victims’ Association’ way of putting things? I am thinking about Central Garden’s profits, you know. These three bento boxes are part of a larger economic plan.