episode_0078

“… … .”

Early morning.

Lumiang opened his eyes in the dim morning just beginning to dawn and was staring blankly at the ceiling.

Just as when you get drunk and forget your memories, after drinking the water infused with red mandragora root, an irresistible drowsiness began to wash over me, and when I opened my eyes, it was the next morning.

He had been in such a deep sleep that he couldn’t even dream, and while looking around in a somewhat bewildered state of inexplicable relief, Lumiang raised his upper body from the bed.

and.

“… … .”

I look at my hands and body with a bewildered expression, unable to believe that I have accomplished this on my own.

It was light.

My body, which had been heavy as if soaked in water, became light, and the muscles that had been screaming with every movement became quiet.

There was a strange heat swirling inside the room that had been cooled down.

The surrounding sounds that had felt hazy and dim became clearly felt.

“… .”

I knew about the red mandragora.

Because it is a plant and grows throughout the kingdom regardless of climate or soil, it is also called the ‘miracle root’ and is considered the best medicinal herb due to its strong vitality.

It was a medicinal herb that was especially effective in reviving lost energy, and when Lumiang tried it for the first time, he couldn’t help but be taken aback.

I never thought that my energy, which was as weak as a corpse just yesterday, would be restored to this level with just one root.

Le Miang, who got out of bed while he was at it, stood there blankly.

The legs that were shaking like a newborn baby now support the center of gravity quite firmly.

furthermore.

Gulp-!

Perhaps because my energy had recovered, I felt hungry for the first time in a long time.

It was the past when he had swallowed waste only when his stomach was so hungry that he was starving, and Lumiang, who had forgotten what hunger was, suddenly patted his stomach when he heard a sound.

They say the older it gets, the more effective it becomes.

It must have been a pretty old red mandragora, since it restored stamina with just one intake, and it seemed like it owed Elden and Ariel an unpayable favor.

A grace too great for a sinner who had to choose death because life was so cruel.

It was a grace that was shameful to receive for a life stained with nuisance and evil, and I wanted to do something in return for what I had received.

Because now I can move on my own.

It seemed truly abominable and shameless for a human being who had sacrificed his loved ones and almost caused the entire nation to fall into a swamp of disappointment to regain his strength, but he felt he had to do something for those who were helping him directly instead of handing him over to the village guards who had no duty to take care of him.

Just because he was abominable and shameless, he couldn’t let the help of those who had risked their lives to obtain the medicine go to waste.

That would be like breaking a promise to Marien twice.

Lumiang, who had been loitering around the room, soon seems to have made up his mind and opens the door and goes out.

After spending a few days with them, I heard that they found me by chance while heading to the Marquisate of Eris.

The reason I wanted to go to the Marquisate of Iris was to start a monster hunting and culinary tour in the eastern part of the Northern Territory.

There was only so much I could do with limited power in a limited space, and there was only one way to repay their favor without causing them any harm.

Treating someone to a delicious meal.

Moreover, he had such talent.

From the moment my name was added to the list of 4 people for the wedding ceremony, I started special training in monster cooking with Marien.

If they are nobles, then 100 is 100.

I practiced cooking with the sole intention of announcing the prelude to revenge by making a monster dish that would contain disgust and contempt, and that’s when I realized it.

I have an innate talent and flair for cooking.

Perhaps because I am born with a natural curiosity and research, I really enjoy the process of combining various ingredients to successfully create a dish.

Daughter.

Le Miang quietly closes the door and heads to the kitchen on the first floor.

It was so early in the morning that the accommodation was quiet.

Lumiang arrived at the kitchen and carefully checked the ingredients and tools, making careful gestures with his hands.

Fortunately, we have delicious ingredients and useful tools ready.

Gulp.

My hungry heart starts beating again when I see the ingredients.

Although his hungry stomach is urging him to hurry and fill his stomach, Lumiang decides to prioritize feeding his benefactors over his own hunger and begins cooking quietly.

Although he still found it difficult to hold a knife, was burdened by moving a pot, and was tired of preparing ingredients, he considered it an effort he had to endure for the sake of those who helped him, so that he would not break his promise to Marien, even though life was so difficult that he had no choice but to die.

like that.

Lumiang, who had been honing his monster cooking skills to get revenge on his abusers, is now putting them to good use to repay his benefactors.

**

《Hmm! Is this okay?》

《Me, really?!》

Hmm… … .

Of all the monster dishes Ariel made, the seasoned grilled dire wolf foreleg was the most delicious… … .

It seems like the seasoning prepared by Chef Nelon, who left the expedition after meeting his destined partner, played a big part…

Churrup… .

Oh, that dish is… … .

“What do you think, Prince Elden?”

It’s pig’s feet.

Crispy, golden-grilled pig’s feet.

I see pig’s feet, which I had to eat vicariously by watching mukbangs at high prices.

Gulp… … .

《I won’t misunderstand your sincerity in abstaining, so would you like to take a bite?》

The grilled hind leg of the red longhorn I tasted at Daegongseong… .

It was such a monster dish that I regretted not eating more than one bite… … .

If only it weren’t for the abstention declaration… .

A delicious hind leg roast that I devoured with gusto… .

Churp.

Churrup.

Maybe it was because I had to eat only one bite, but I have never tasted a red long leg roast that surpassed the taste I had at my first meeting at the wedding… … .

Hmm… .

hmm….

hmm……?

It has a rich and mild meaty flavor… … .

For some reason, the meaty scent is familiar… .

Flash!

I opened my eyes.

I see a familiar ceiling.

From the White Storm to the incomprehensible duel with Rachel.

It had been quite a tiring day, and after dinner I had fallen into a deep sleep.

When I opened my eyes, it was a bright and sunny morning.

Sniff sniff.

“… What’s that smell?”

What I thought was a smell I only smelled in my dreams lingers strongly even after I wake up.

I stood up from my seat as if possessed and headed in the direction where the smell was coming from.

I opened the door and went out into the hallway.

Gulp.

A rich, yet light smell that makes your mouth water.

It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Crunch.

Ariel came out of the bedroom across from her, rubbing her eyes, wearing her pajamas.

And when we met eyes, we had the same question in our pupils.

“… What is it?”

“Does it smell like the kitchen?”

“But, who?”

Ariel was in charge of the expedition’s cooking.

Rachel wasn’t interested in cooking, and Mr. Landler was terrible at cooking, so he didn’t touch it.

That means someone else is probably cooking in the kitchen on the first floor.

I had a guess as to who it was, but I couldn’t believe it, so Ariel and I cautiously went down to the first floor.

Knock knock.

Rustle.

As you go down the stairs, you can hear faint sounds.

It was definitely the sound of cooking, and it was a cautious sound.

A slow noise made when an object is placed slowly.

The silence that comes every now and then when a loud noise is heard.

For a moment everything stopped like that, and then the sound of movement started again.

The person cooking was keeping the sound as low as possible, and it seemed obvious that it was so as not to wake us who were sleeping on the second floor.

yet.

We came down to the first floor and the overwhelming smell of food greeted us.

And when I smelled it up close, I thought I knew why the meaty scent was so familiar.

‘Is this… the smell of the hind legs of a red longhair?’

That was the inspiration of Rendler.

They say that while they can’t really distinguish other smells, they are incredibly good at picking out the smell of monsters.

Thanks to that, it seems like there will be no shortage of food even in the northernmost part of the country in November.

What caught my nose was the scent of red longueurs, and since I had hunted a few red longueurs and stocked up on food on my way here, I was sure of it.

soon.

I arrived at the kitchen with Ariel.

I was able to witness an unbelievable and moving sight.

Lemian Winterfell.

I saw her cooking.

The face that was no different from a living corpse has come to life, and the body that was stiff as if paralyzed is now moving, albeit stiffly.

As she was placing a large roasted red longhorn leg in the center of the table, we happened to come face to face with her.

“… !”

Lumiang, who almost spilled the food on the tablecloth, quickly put the food down with a surprised look on his face and quickly wrote something.

[Sorry. I told you to be as quiet as possible, but… did I wake you up?]

Strictly speaking, it was indeed Lumiang who woke her up, as she woke up to the smell of food, but that wasn’t the important thing.

“Are you okay?”

[I’ve gotten a lot better. It’s all thanks to you. I felt like I had to do something… I tried cooking, but I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste.]

Just by smelling it, you can already guess that it will taste great, so any worries will be for naught.

As long as Lumiang was restored, it didn’t matter what it tasted like.

match!

“Wow! This is Erinshi, ah, no! The Grand Duchess prepared it? You know how to cook monster food?!”

Ariel was delighted to meet her monster cooking comrades.

“I’m so glad you recovered.”

I was glad that my comrade, who had to be a victim, recovered.

And after a while.

“Huh! So, is the person you are seeing right now really the Grand Princess?”

“You’re awake.”

Thanks to the noisy first floor, the 3rd Northern Princess herself was able to prepare breakfast thanks to the joining of Rachel and Landlor, who had woken up from their sleep.

[Thank you all so much.]

He lifted the red longan’s hind legs and took a big bite.

“Um… !”

The taste of that day, as if going back six months.

The taste was so good that the regret of not being able to taste the same flavor again after only one bite due to the declaration of abstention was blown away in an instant.