Opened a Meat Buffet in the Middle Ages (3)
Opened a Meat Buffet in the Middle Ages (3)
The moment the distinguished guests took a bite, they were shocked.
'Why doesn't it smell gamey?'
'Why isn't it salty?'
'Why is it so tender?'
Meat normally has a strong gamey odor.
So you can't just eat it plain; you have to sprinkle a lot of pepper to mask the smell.
That was their common knowledge.
But in this meat, there was no trace of pepper flavor at all.
Only the pure, rich, savory aroma of meat filled their mouths.
Of course, even when it was raw, no pepper had been visible.
So they comforted themselves, thinking, 'Once you actually put it in your mouth, the gamey smell will be terrible.'
The savory taste of the tender fat layer they chewed for the first time was, rather, a shock to the distinguished guests.
These wealthy guests, who had come all the way to this distant northern region for the wyvern auction.
They were a privileged class so accustomed to meat that they had ranches to supply it regularly.
But they had never even imagined a meat flavor like this. It completely defied their common sense.
'Is this really meat?'
When they came to their senses, at some point their plates were completely empty.
The guests who had wolfed it down in an instant stared blankly at the northern banquet table.
Over there, heaps of raw meat were still piled high.
Even at this moment, the cooks were continuously grilling meat on large iron plates.
The field kerosene burner emitting blue flames should have been an intriguing magical device, but—
the guests' eyes were fixed on the meat sizzling on the griddle.
Imperial envoy Count Yunes groaned inwardly.
'There's still a mountain of meat over there.'
Why must we only look on in such agony?
***
I was satisfied with the guests' reactions.
'They're completely spellbound.'
That's the proper reaction right there.
I could tell just from their expressions.
That my plan had been 400% perfectly achieved.
"Now they will long for and crave the meat they tasted today. For the rest of their lives."
Hildea imagined it for a moment, then shuddered as if chilled.
"I never want to end up like that. Colonel Piel, I trust you will stay by my side forever."
"Wow, Piel. I imagined it briefly too, and it seems like a really horrible future."
"Could it be that someone might not be able to bear the despair and commit suicide?"
"That could really happen, Luna."
The banquet continued.
The northern knights fervently praised the meat with their expressions and eyes while devouring it in a frenzy.
The cooks also grabbed bites in between grilling. I had ordered them to do so.
The distinguished guests no longer reached for their own plates.
Now, without hiding their expressions or emotions at all, they simply stared blankly at the northern knights eating meat.
They were so entranced by the taste of that single bite that they forgot they had to maintain their dignity.
'They all look exactly like privates watching a celebrity come for boot camp experience.'
Count Yunes approached this side.
Accompanied by a maid.
The maid was prettier and better developed than expected.
In beauty, she was by no means inferior to Hildea or Rebecca.
'Why would he bring such a beautiful maid all the way to this harsh north? Is she his concubine?'
Count Yunes stopped and hesitated.
I greeted him with a smile in place of Hildea, who was showing a chilly expression.
"Please sit, Your Excellency Count Yunes."
"Forgive my discourtesy, Count Balckenhardt."
Look how docile he's become.
An imperial count receives a level of courtesy somewhere between a duke and a marquis in the kingdom.
A position that allows them to speak casually to any marquis.
But before Count (Hildea) and Marquis (Rebecca), he was displaying the utmost polite attitude, as if he were a powerless count.
"I apologize for looking down on you. It was truly delicious meat."
"Not all monster meat is like this, but some monster meat is edible like these."
Hildea replied coldly.
A frigid attitude that she would never accept reconciliation over the meat.
Count Yunes smiled bitterly.
"Indeed, it is astonishing that you have successfully established a pioneer base in the Elf Forest. To think there were monsters with such flavor living in the Elf Forest."
If there's a secret you want to hide conveniently, just mention the Elf Forest.
Because there's no way for those weak southerners to verify what comes out of there.
The eastern neighboring kingdom might try to advance into the Elf Forest, but they'd be annihilated before even reaching the Twigs of the World Tree, wouldn't they?
A way to show off modern Earth meat while maintaining the cosplay of the north's poor food situation.
The claim that this is meat from Elf Forest monsters.
"Actually, this child has fallen for the taste of the meat of your territory... Could you share a bit more?"
He must really dote on his concubine.
To swallow his pride and say such a thing.
Perhaps reading my expression, Count Yunes hastily added.
"I would be grateful just to give her a plate. I would not have the audacity to ask for my own portion."
"Then, young lady, you may take a plate, stand in line like the other knights, and help yourself as many times as you like."
The maid quickly rose and stood at the very end of the line.
For a moment, a look of envy flickered across the count's face.
Yes, you want more too. I understand that feeling.
'If she's the count's concubine, she could nag him at the bedside, so it might be good to feed her plenty of meat.'
Maid, be corrupted even more.
I will specially allow you a few bites.
After all, it's a taste you'll never experience again after today.
Now the count will suffer doubly: from longing for the meat flavor and from his concubine's bedside nagging to get more meat.
The concubine maid, who had piled her plate high with meat, shoveled it in with a truly happy face.
The count watched the maid's eating show with a gentle smile, as if looking at his daughter.
The other distinguished guests were still staring blankly at the maid's mukbang.
A few occasionally stood up hesitantly, only to sit back down with a sigh, repeating the process.
It was worth going around begging each one to attend the banquet.
Because they had previously indirectly refused, they couldn't bring themselves to swallow their pride and come over.
'Looking at it that way, Count Yunes is really impressive. Or does he just dote on his concubine that much?'
***
Princess Yuzel's foot gently stepped on Count Yunes's foot.
The count felt immense pressure from that small action.
'Hurry up and say it, hurry!'
It was a stepping that conveyed the princess's firm resolve.
He recalled the struggle he had with the princess before mustering the courage to sit at this table.
'I will remain in the north.'
'Pardon? Your Highness the Imperial Princess, what do you mean?'
'I'm just saying I'll stay.'
'You cannot. Please, bear with it.'
'Ah, I don't care anymore, so you, Count, just report to Abamama well on your own.'
'On what grounds do you intend to stay here? Would they even accept you? You'll only be suspected as a spy!'
'You, Count, should think of the justification yourself, shouldn't you?'
'Your Highness!!'
How much trouble he went through, arguing in whispers to avoid revealing the princess's identity to those around.
Squish.
The princess, diligently inhaling meat, stepped on his foot again.
A silent urging to hurry up and bring up the topic.
But seeing Hildea's cold expression, the words wouldn't come out readily.
Whenever he thought he'd found an opening, the handsome young officer with platinum blonde hair changed the subject.
In the meantime, Princess Yuzel finished her meal with satisfaction.
"Young lady, monster meat is quite edible, isn't it?"
"Yes! It was really delicious! If they had known such tasty monsters lived in the Elf Forest, even the great nobles of Leodis wouldn't have concocted such a foolish scheme."
Count Yunes flinched.
Now, with a full stomach, the princess was bringing up the 'Frontline Reorganization Pact'.
The fact that the Empire knows about the pact among the 17 great nobles must be kept secret from the north.
"Then, would you like this for dessert?"
The young officer took something out of a strange box (icebox).
Tearing open the wrapper, a cold, green rectangular solid revealed its glistening form.
'Green ice?'
It was clearly edible at a glance, but he couldn't imagine what flavor it was hiding.
Princess Yuzel, also curious, accepted the wooden stick stuck in the green ice.
"What is this, Officer-nim?"
"It's called Melona, made by mixing monster milk with fruit juice and freezing it."
Since ice cream contains milk, it wasn't entirely untrue.
Princess Yuzel, with eyes full of anticipation, tilted her head here and there and then, 'Ang!', took a bite.
Her pupils dilated as if they would burst, and her whole body began to tremble faintly.
Princess Yuzel devoured the Melona ice cream in an instant.
With an expression of happiness and sorrow crossing like that of a girl fallen into an impossible unrequited love, she endlessly stared at the empty stick.
Squish.
Secretly, the count's foot was stepped on even harder.
Finally, just as the count, disregarding all shame, was about to speak, Piel changed the subject.
"Commander-in-Chief-nim, shall we begin preparing for the military review?"
"Indeed, we should."
Without giving the count a chance to speak, Hildea stood up and announced to the distinguished guests.
"Everyone, please look down there. We will now begin the review prepared for you esteemed guests. Please enjoy it with a glad heart. These are the heroes of the north who pioneered the Elf Forest!"
Clap, clap, clap.
Feeble applause rang out.
On the flat ground below the banquet area situated high up, the parade troops began to move.
But the review did not properly enter the guests' heads, which were filled with the taste of meat.
Tens of thousands of soldiers all were equipped with the famed sword (machete) that had split an imperial knight's sword in two during a duel.
They displayed fearsome mobility and combat power.
Until the procession of taxidermied wyverns and the wyvern lord passed.
No one could properly focus on the review.
Incidentally, the mortar and incendiary package aerial bombing demonstration was urgently canceled, so the knights and Luna were disappointed.
The reason was that the guests were so entranced by the meat that showing it was meaningless, but as the review concluded, that seemed true.
After the review, the auction of the wyvern taxidermy and the Twigs of the World Tree (wood cut from the Elf Forest) began below the banquet hall.
Everyone participated in the auction listlessly.