Chapter 18
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: If It's Hot, the Food Spoils, Doesn't It? (3)
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Count Sinclair, who had been watching the soldiers' late-morning training, couldn't resist the temptation and called it to a halt. The soldiers, drenched in sweat under the blazing sun, sighed in relief at the end of the session and cheered toward their lord one after another.
"The kitchen must have put in some extra effort."
"Good. Bring it here. Oh, and don't forget the soldiers eat first."
"Woooah!"
The soldiers nearby erupted in cheers once more at the lord's words.
Unlike his father Theodore, the current Count Patrick Sinclair was no warrior. The old lord, a knight of high realm himself, commanded the respect of knights and soldiers alike just by existing, without ever needing to observe a training session. But Patrick had to constantly create opportunities to interact with them through various events.
'Loyalty doesn't come for free.'
He was the kind of man who made an effort not to forget the lessons his father had taught him.
"We, we've prepared very little, so please forgive us, my lord!"
The head chef arrived carrying the lord's portion of the meal.
Compared to his usual table, there were far fewer dishes, but given the outdoor setting at the training grounds, the unfamiliar presentation, and the exotic aroma, it didn't feel meager at all.
The tense chef, stumbling slightly over his words, kept wiping his palms on his apron, ready to answer any questions.
"What is this?"
"The yellow dish here is made by mincing oysters, mixing them with a few vegetables, coating them in egg batter, and frying them generously in oil. It's called oyster fritter. The red soup is made with chicken and a spice called chili pepper—it's quite spicy, so please be careful."
"Oh ho."
"There's noodles inside the soup, so you can fish them out to eat."
Putting noodles in the spicy chicken soup had been Dominic's idea.
[It's hard to suddenly procure enough rice to feed all the soldiers... Flour noodles should work fine!]
Without time to let the dough ferment, there might be a faint flour smell, but with the overpowering aroma of the spicy chicken soup, only the most sensitive noses would notice.
Dominic's hunch was spot on.
"Kaaah! This is good!"
"Whew, whew! It's spicy, but I can't stop eating it."
"Spicy? What's spicy about this? If you can't handle this much, you're no man! Tch."
"Hey now, wipe the sweat from your forehead before talking big!"
"Uhahahaha!"
Soldiers everywhere were slurping down noodles and broth straight from their bowls.
The catharsis of the spicy flavor spread across the training grounds, filling the air with boisterous laughter that never let up.
Dominic, the mastermind behind it all, stood in one corner of the kitchen tent with his arms crossed, nodding contentedly.
Slurp—
The lord scooped up a spoonful of the red soup.
His eyes widened instantly.
'Spicy...!'
The first hit on his tongue was intensely powerful. A fiery spiciness unlike anything he'd tasted before! And on top of that, the bubbling hot temperature, easily twenty degrees higher than a typical soup. He hurriedly swallowed it down his throat, where the savory chicken flavor blended with the subtle sweetness of the well-stewed vegetables, a rich umami saltiness different from plain salt—it made his taste buds explode.
Even as the pain of the spice hit, he couldn't stop. After a few more spoonfuls, sweat pores opened all over his body, beads of sweat forming steadily.
Drip.
A thick bead of sweat trickled down from his forehead.
But the lord didn't even think to wipe it away. Instead, he lifted the bowl to his lips and gulped down the broth in big swallows.
"Urgh—this is good. Very good."
A satisfied exclamation escaped as he set the bowl down.
A smile even crept across his face.
'It's been ages since my appetite was whetted like this.'
The lord was just as worn out by the unusually early heatwave. Yet here was this hot, spicy, salty soup revitalizing his fatigued body.
The head chef, who had been trembling in apprehension, breathed a sigh of relief at the sight.
Dominic, meanwhile, stood indifferently in the shaded corner of the tent, watching the scene unfold.
'Not planning to step forward?'
'Was it really out of pure goodwill?'
A flicker of bewilderment passed through Ian's eyes as he glanced at Dominic. He had watched from the start as this stranger built odd structures in his village, Evergreen.
He had heard the villagers' worries multiple times about how much it would cost.
'I thought he'd use this merit to ask for help...'
Winning the lord's favor with delicious food, then pleading about the village's dire finances—it could easily secure initial funding.
But Dominic showed no sign of moving.
'I must have misjudged him.'
Shame began to grow in the upright knight's heart.
"Uwahaha, the lord even gave us a special bonus!"
"You're not going to take it back, right?"
"Of course not! It's all yours. I'd give you the whole bonus if I could, but I can't shortchange the kitchen staff, so understand. Uwahahaha!"
The soldiers' joy must have pleased the lord greatly.
He had sent a butler separately to the kitchen with a hefty pouch, after all.
"I've been seeing gold coins a lot lately."
Dominic, who had swiftly pocketed the gold from the head chef, chuckled happily as he held it up to the light, muttering to himself.
"...Sorry."
At that moment, Ian approached quietly and offered a soft apology to Dominic.
"Huh? What for? Did you badmouth me somewhere again?"
"..."
"Whoa, you really did? And here I thought I didn't look the type."
"I'm sorry."
"Eh, whatever. Everyone curses the king behind his back. So what did you say that you're apologizing?"
"...I misunderstood you."
"Misunderstood?"
"I thought you'd step forward and claim credit from the lord."
Ian hung his head, ashamed even as he spoke.
The sight of the golden-haired beauty berating himself was enough to stir pity in anyone, but Dominic's expression remained unmoved.
"You thought I'd claim it? Why?"
"...To get rewarded."
"Tsk tsk."
Ian's ears were now red as well. Dominic just clicked his tongue at the sight.
"How do you plan to survive this harsh world being so naive."
"What?"
"Listen, knight. I'm saying this like you're my little brother, so pay attention."
Dominic shook his head pityingly and spoke as if bestowing wisdom.
"Once you've clearly earned merit that anyone can see, what do you do next?"
"...No idea."
"The answer is, 'do nothing.'"
This clueless knight, you idiot, nearly slipped out, but Dominic caught sight of the sword hilt at Ian's waist and managed to hold his tongue.
"But from what I see, you and your village seem to need the lord's help."
"Help?"
"Yes."
"No thanks. Investment, maybe."
Dominic grinned.
"Village Chief Dominic of Evergreen, follow me. You're to see the lord—might want to fix your attire."
The butler arrived right on cue with the lord's summons.
They passed through the ornate corridor and reached the lord's study. Dominic had been here before.
"I see the lord."
"Heh heh, I don't even know how many times you've helped me now."
"You honor me."
Affection dripped from the lord's voice.
"So, if you hadn't stepped in, the soldiers would have suffered greatly from that shellfish flu, right?"
"Yes."
"You're not fazed. Aren't you curious how I know?"
"Even a child could predict that a wise lord like you would investigate the origins of unfamiliar spices and recipes."
"Hahaha! Music to my ears."
Dominic had anticipated this from the start.
He'd served Hong Kong-style oyster fritters and spicy chicken soup made with scarce chili powder. Hungry soldiers might think, 'The kitchen outdid themselves today,' but the lord, who ate the head chef's food daily, would notice immediately.
'And today being the village chiefs' regular meeting, it'd naturally bring my face to mind after tasting it multiple times.'
'He even confirmed the shellfish flu already? Efficient guy.'
Well, all the better.
A demanding but competent boss beat an incompetent one any day.
"If I offered you charge of the castle kitchen and inner household, would you refuse?"
Lost in thought, Dominic heard the proposal amid the lord's smile.
"I'm grateful for the high regard, but the castle already has a skilled head chef, doesn't it? Besides, I have commitments in the village that tie me down."
"Haha, I figured you'd refuse. The castle kitchen might be too small for you anyway. Still, disappointing. Your insight into ingredients and recipes—I never met anyone at the capital academy who reached your level."
"You flatter me."
"Can't reconsider? Compensation would be generous."
"Who would refuse your offer? But with a venture on which my village's fate hangs, I simply can't extract myself now."
"Venture?"
Finally, the timing Dominic wanted arrived.
Curiosity filled the lord's eyes.
"Yes, my lord. By your boundless grace, we built Evergreen—to make it a land worthy of you without shame, I struggle in my humble way!"
His address and tone shifted to utmost deference. Was his voice a touch more ingratiating? Probably not imagined.
'Like the sycophants in historical dramas.'
Ian, bowing at the door, flushed with secondhand embarrassment at the sudden change, but Dominic was utterly shameless.
What's a little flattery to the guy with the money?
"I understand your intent, so speak as usual. But I heard Evergreen's fortunes improved with seaweed sales—was that wrong?"
"Yes. By heaven's fortune, we're harvesting seaweed to put food on the table. But Evergreen, on your lordship's land, is a barren fishing village with no specialties."
"Hmm."
The count swallowed a groan at Dominic's words.
Truth be told, the Sinclair lands his family had ruled for generations were quite prosperous compared to other regions.
But even so, not every village could share equal wealth.
'Especially a new one like Evergreen—it's bound to lack in every way.'
An obvious truth, but one that left the lord feeling apologetic.
"Seaweed sales do bring money to the village, that's certain. But that wealth vanishes when the farmer turtles leave. As chief, how can I rely on luck? We've pondered and pondered ways to turn that fortune into lasting happiness, free from hunger."
"So this venture you're pursuing now is the fruit of those worries?"
"Yes, my lord."
"You're doing my job. Well... I like it. I'll help with your plans."
"Help is fine."
The count's eyes widened at Dominic's refusal.