72. The Princess's Meal (3)
Preparations for the healthy full-course meal for Asella proceeded more smoothly than expected.
"I told them to gather whatever they could find, but I wasn't really expecting ginseng from the palace's back mountain. If we get even half of what we need, it'll be a success."
"Teacher, I found it."
"This is here too?"
The capable knights of Moonlight Palace had scoured the mountain all night because it was for Asella, digging up every ingredient I'd requested. Not just ginseng, but also deodeok, bracken ferns, wild perilla leaves, and all sorts of wild greens.
"Shoo, a delivery from the Shupre Merchant Guild just arrived. Fresh salmon caught at dawn from the port city and..."
"They got that too?"
The Shupre Merchant Guild, which practically monopolized the empire's canals, had impressive mobility. There were luxury ingredients only available through the imperial kitchen. Apparently, the imperial express transport ships used mana stones like motors to fly at supersonic speeds. Talk about bullet delivery.
The empire's infrastructure was more advanced than I'd thought.
"All that's left is making it taste good."
A little past noon, I headed to the imperial kitchen with the gathered ingredients in tow. Located near the center of the palace by Heavenly Palace, the kitchen was responsible for feeding the imperial family and all high nobles.
"Wouldn't it be easier if each palace handled their own meals?"
"It's also because only the imperial kitchen can handle premium ingredients, and there are safety concerns."
What went into the imperial family's mouths couldn't risk poison or black magic contamination. The chefs and head cooks were elites selected through screening as rigorous as that for personal physicians.
"Normally, even I couldn't get in. But starting today, I can use the imperial order as an excuse. I've coordinated it already. Just go in and cook."
"As thorough as ever in your preparations."
Hugo nodded and followed behind me. We arrived at the kitchen and underwent a thorough security check. Finally stepping inside revealed a scene straight out of hell.
"The chicken coop door's open! Who the hell is it!"
"Bring the bellyache right now! Butter too!"
"Three more bowls out! In five minutes!"
The kitchen was a battlefield. With about thirty people handling food for all the palaces, they were desperate enough to borrow even a cat's paw.
"It's the personal physician!"
The head chef approached me with bloodshot eyes. The kitchen was so noisy he had to shout.
"I got the message! You'll be making Moonlight Palace's food yourself from now on! We cleared that counter for you—use it! And don't cross this line!"
The head chef pointed to a white line pre-drawn on the floor. For safety reasons.
Thud. The chefs set down a large crate.
"These are your ordered ingredients! We'll inspect the ones you brought in too!"
The head chef and cooks checked our supplementary ingredients.
"You're using stuff like this? How peculiar. Please be careful not to mix them with ours!"
"Don't worry. Even at a glance, ours look like they belong to us."
"Fire! Who left the oil pan sitting there!"
The head chef dashed off frantically. Tanya, catching my eye, shrugged.
"Ugh... this is filthy."
Chloe ran her finger along our counter and recoiled in disgust. Black grease smeared off. Hygiene standards were practically nonexistent in this world. Even the imperial kitchen prioritized making delicious, fast food to the imperial family's tastes. At least Chloe and Hugo, being under my training, had a grasp of sanitation and infection control.
"Let's start with cleaning."
Hugo got to work busily with his gloved hands. Meanwhile, I checked the ingredients and finalized the menu.
Asella's recommended calorie intake is 2,000. Her diet's heavy on fats among the macronutrients, so boost protein, and for the first week, include plenty of vascular-cleansing components.
Tuna would've been ideal for protein, but the empire's seas were too far, so salmon it was.
Wrap it in perilla leaves, and she'll eat it without resistance. Sesamin will lower her cholesterol.
Main dish decided.
Next, staple carbs.
Asella had trouble digesting milk despite loving dairy.
Pre-break down the lactose into rice porridge. Better to get her accustomed to this than cheesecake.
Even soaking garlic in water to remove the pungency and mixing it into other dishes, I doubted she'd touch the wild greens like water dropwort or deodeok.
Deodeok's saponin is especially good for inflammation too.
If it tasted good, she'd eat it. That was on me to make happen.
And tea instead of coffee.
Asella craved coffee whenever she could. I needed to find a tea she'd take to. Whether she genuinely loved the taste or just wanted to look mature, who knew.
"Alright, let's go with this."
As a former Korean native, I preferred meals with side dishes galore over a lone slab of meat on a plate. Twelve dishes total, but small portions each. Even starting now would be tight.
"T-Teacher. It's ready."
Chloe fidgeted, but they'd already wiped the counter spotless like new.
"Let's begin. Masks on."
I grabbed the kitchen knife with gusto. And two hours later, I tasted bitter defeat at Tanya's hands.
She had discerning tastes. No—my ginseng roast was just bitter.
"This weed isn't cooking; it's like you just yanked it from the mountain. With your emergency care, you could replant it and it'd bloom."
"Hey, that's harsh."
"Her Highness would say it just like that."
"But it shouldn't taste bad."
To cut carbs, I'd minimized sugar, leaving it under-seasoned. Honestly, even I found it lacking depth.
No helping it now. Five years solo-living plus hero party roadside cooking—however many years that was—I'd tried to uphold that pride.
"Property alteration."
Among the knights' finds was beetroot. Unimproved, inedible raw, only good for fodder.
"Compress, enhance."
Pure white granules trickled sweetly between my fingers. Magical powder. MSG complete.
"Monosodium glutamate. The ultimate seasoning that amps up umami."
Lower sodium than salt, less risk of adult-onset diseases, and it preserves flavor. No match for a master's long-fermented depth, but it lets even beginners hit halfway there easily. I dumped it generously into sauces and broths.
"Gotta tweak the flavor profiles across all dishes."
These unimproved ingredients tasted worlds apart from what I knew. Using property alteration, I dialed down bitterness and boosted savoriness.
After much grunting, I set five finished dishes before Tanya.
"Try them."
Tanya's eyes rolled critically over the food. She spooned some water dropwort soup.
"Whoa."
Like lightning struck her head, she widened her eyes in a grave expression.
"This is my first time at Moonlight Palace. Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness."
"Sit there."
Ambrosia entered Moonlight Palace's dining hall, surveying her surroundings observantly before settling into the chair a knight pulled out. Long table between them, she faced Asella.
"Moonlight Palace is neat. It feels progressive."
"Spot on."
As Ambrosia said, Moonlight Palace had relatively modern interiors even among the palace buildings.
"Just from Marquis Gotberg's bold attitude, I can imagine the path Your Highness treads. I'm looking forward to what he'll show today."
"Indeed. Watch closely."
Asella fixed her gaze, probing the true intent hidden behind Ambrosia's formal words.
The Emperor's chief physician. Excluding the secretary, she spends the most time with him.
The Emperor's physicians were on constant standby due to his age, rarely at the Imperial Medical Office. Asella wanted intel on the Emperor's movements from her.
The easiest path to becoming Emperor is official heir recognition.
Everyone in the palace knew Kwunter was a figurehead crown prince. It was a race to score points with the Emperor first—true crown prince or princess.
Asella planned to milk this chance for Heavenly Palace info.
"How is His Majesty's condition? He needs his rest to stay healthy."
Start with light questions. Sound like a daughter worrying for her father.
"Mm. As ever, commanding the realm with majestic vigor."
Ambrosia had no choice but to reply so. Physicians couldn't divulge a charge's health, and implying weakness could border on treason against the empire.
In that phrasing's gap, Asella read the hidden meaning in her tone.
Slight hesitation. Exaggerating means he's definitely worsened.
Tap tap. Asella drummed her fingers on the table.
"You must have it rough."
"Just my duty as chief physician."
"In such a position, you'd deserve to wield power. But isn't the Imperial Medical Office dominated by First Princess or Second Prince factions, not you?"
"No reason or leisure for factions on my end. Ah, thank you."
The head maid served pre-meal tea; Ambrosia sipped lightly. Asella ignored her own tea and utensils, staring straight at Ambrosia.
"In that situation, no other offers come your way?"
"What sort of offers do you mean?"
"Well... say, requests for cooperation from other factions."
Besides the Emperor's movements, Asella wanted one more piece from Ambrosia. She remembered. A scene from her foresight in the dream.
The day Ras hugged her tighter than ever. No, Ras aside. Why was her focus drifting there.
Ambrosia had been executed for treason. Reason: regicide.
Tanya claimed it was a frame-up I orchestrated.
Knowing herself, she'd exploit existing situations favorably, not fabricate from nothing at such risk. No smoke without fire.
Asella suspected Ambrosia acting on another prince or princess's orders to assassinate the Emperor held some truth.
"Other factions. Well, I devote myself solely to His Majesty, so such talk never reaches my ears."
Not a lie, it seems.
At the execution grounds, Marquis Gotberg was there too when heads rolled. He wouldn't have been dragged there without cause. A regicide plot implicating a family head—Gotberg house would've been exterminated.
One possibility.
Just in case. If events flowed like her foresight, Ras could lose everything and become a stray dog.
She held his lifeline.
If Ambrosia truly conspires with Marquis Gotberg in rebellion...
What choice then? Feed them to the masses like in foresight, or protect them?
I can't abandon Ras.
To safeguard her attachment doll, Asella wanted the truth.
"Then, Lady Ambrosia..."
Gurgle—
A small rumble from Asella's stomach interrupted. Ambrosia smirked.
Asella whipped her head away unconsciously.
Why is Ras so late?!
She'd have snapped if he'd barged in now too, but first, blame Ras.
Blame was short-lived. Click. The dining hall door opened.
"Eh."
Asella let out a dazed sound unwittingly. From the corridor poured a savory aroma she'd never smelled before, tickling her nose. Unthinkingly, she flicked her tongue over her lips, checking for drool.