Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 99. The Emperor's Lunchbox (2)
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“Ha, so you came to make a lunchbox for Veil?”
Lydia crossed her arms alone.
And she looked arrogantly at her half-sister.
“You're the one who claims she'll be ruler—why are you at a restaurant?”
Irina lifted her chin high in response.
With flour still stuck to her cheek.
“To boost my subordinates' morale, I'm trying to learn some cooking.”
The Third Imperial Princess stared at Irina with eyes that said she knew her true intentions.
In response, Irina shot back firmly.
“Same here.”
The two princesses indifferently turned their heads away.
And then they looked at Head Chef Mancinni, who had just followed them in.
“I-It's truly an honor to serve both of Your Highnesses.”
The man bowed politely.
But the two offered no reply.
The atmosphere was clear—they wanted to finish their cooking quickly and leave.
“Before we get into the real work, let's start slowly with how to hold a knife....”
The head chef cautiously began his lecture, clasping his hands together.
But....
“I already know that much.”
Lydia didn't want to show herself clumsily learning something in front of Irina.
With her arms still crossed, she declared confidently.
“How about we each make our own dishes and learn through evaluation instead?”
“I agree, Chef Mancinni.”
The Second Imperial Princess joined in.
She stepped forward with confident eyes.
“A-Alright....”
The head chef eventually acquiesced.
Who was he to stop the two imperial princesses, future rulers of the empire?
He could only stare blankly at the two women who had suddenly taken an interest in housework.
“Hm... what should I make for him....”
The Third Imperial Princess, who had boldly declared she would cook alone.
But she was悩ing over what menu to choose.
Still, she was the lord of the East.
She decided to make a dish common in the East.
Namely, Eastern-style shrimp fried rice and grilled sausage.
It was a staple from the lunchboxes Eastern knights' wives made for their husbands.
Having observed even the smallest details about her subordinates, she chuckled and immediately pulled out shrimp.
Then she prepared to finely chop various vegetables.
‘Fried rice, huh. Good thing she chose the right ingredients.’
Head Chef Mancinni let out a sigh of relief at the appropriate selection of ingredients.
He then glanced over at Irina.
She had prepared a thick, wide pot.
And tomatoes, meat, and various vegetables.
‘Her Highness the Second Imperial Princess is making beef stew...?’
Relieved by the safe choice, Mancinni loosened his tension a bit and watched the two princesses leisurely.
The sight of beautiful women cooking....
It was a feast for the eyes, like a masterpiece painting.
But he didn't know.
That not all masterpieces are beautiful.
What they showed was....
Closer to gritty realism depicting the horrors of war than a glamorous Renaissance portrait.
Irina skillfully sliced the meat and onions.
Lydia watched her with an awkward expression.
Seeing Irina, whom she'd always dismissed as easy prey, handle cooking so effortlessly.
It was quite disconcerting.
“Well... she handles the least state affairs, so she has to be good at something like this.”
The Third Imperial Princess laughed it off.
Then she focused on her own dish.
She chopped onions.
Chopped carrots.
De-veined the shrimp....
And even peeled the smelly garlic with her delicate hands, bit by bit.
“Haa... garlic, you fiend. You're no easier than Eastern bandits....”
Was it because she only ever handled documents?
The weary princess wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
And in that moment.
The sharp garlic scent hit her face full force.
“Cough, cough...!”
Lydia's eyes watered from the fiery garlic aroma she'd never experienced before.
A truly formidable opponent.
“Y-Your Highness...!”
“You bastard—did you deliberately prepare extra pungent garlic for Lady Lydia?!”
The Eastern knights were shocked by the pitiful sight of their coughing princess.
And they glared at Mancinni murderously.
“N-No, sir... I would never! Absolutely not!”
The head chef shrank back with an aggrieved expression.
“It's fine. Everyone, stop making a fuss.”
Lydia scolded the knights, insisting she was okay.
Afterward, she poured the chopped ingredients into the wok and lit the fire.
Sizzle――.
A delicious aroma began to rise bit by bit.
Emboldened, the princess looked arrogantly toward Irina.
Bubble bubble---.
Irina's side was progressing well too.
She had seared the beef at the bottom of the pot with skillful hands.
Then poured tomato soup and vegetables over the well-browned fat and meat.
Next came vigorously boiling the stew over high heat.
The kitchen filled with the mouthwatering aroma of beef and tomatoes, no less enticing than the fried rice.
“Tch.”
Lydia eyed Irina's unexpectedly decent performance with displeasure.
She'd slaved away until her shoulders ached, only just starting to fry.
While Irina had simply dumped her roughly chopped ingredients into the pot and called it done.
“She picked an easy dish, huh?”
The Third Imperial Princess was convinced her fried rice was far more sophisticated.
And more homely than some stew, without a doubt.
But....
Was it because she'd stared at Irina's side too long?
“Huh...?”
From her wok, which had only given off good scents, a burnt smell began to waft up.
“...!”
Lydia, quick to recognize what it meant, hurriedly thrust her spatula into the wok.
And as she flipped the vegetables....
She faced the charred outer surfaces.
“W-Why is this happening...?”
The princess frantically stirred the vegetables to cook them evenly.
But that wouldn't un-burn the already scorched parts.
She'd handled countless political maneuvers and court intrigues with ease her whole life.
Yet this damned fried rice was trickier than all of them combined.
“Huaaah....”
Lydia let out a plaintive voice for the first time in her life.
Her expression was as mournful as if her castle had fallen to enemy forces.
In that moment, she regretted never learning to cook from her mother, the Third Imperial Consort.
Her twin-tailed hair, tied with an apron, even jumped in shock.
Irina watched her younger half-sister impassively.
She knew she shouldn't laugh, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward.
With an expression assuring her victory, she slowly closed her eyes.
Because....
She'd been studying cooking on and off for a while now.
This time, the Second Imperial Princess was certain of her win.
And as she gazed down at her meat stew emitting an ecstatic aroma....
“Huh?”
A faint burnt smell began rising from her own dish too.
“W-What's going on?!”
She'd followed the recipe exactly, boiling the stew for 10 minutes.
So why the burnt smell?
She hurriedly dipped the ladle into the pot.
And as she slowly lifted it....
She realized the bottom of the pot had burned.
“Uwaaa...!”
Her already pale face grew even whiter.
She'd forgotten you had to stir the stew slowly the whole time it boiled.
The princess hastily scooped out the unburnt top portion.
And started boiling it again in another pot.
Lydia did the same.
She painstakingly removed the burnt vegetables and stir-fried again.
After all that trial and error, the dishes were finally complete.
The descendants of the Conqueror King slowly placed their plates before Head Chef Mancinni.
“Here, try it.”
“Please, have a taste.”
Mancinni sat at the table, receiving the handiwork of the two princesses.
He had served many royals in the imperial palace before.
But to eat the cooking of the emperor's daughters right in front of them....
And with knights from the East and Verdant watching him from behind.
Perhaps today was his most terrifying ordeal yet.
“W-Well then... I'll have a taste....”
The head chef slowly picked up his spoon.
First, he looked at the Third Imperial Princess's fried rice and grilled sausages.
She'd removed all the burnt vegetables, but traces remained here and there.
Not an easy first dish.
Mancinni scooped some fried rice into his mouth.
Then he calmly savored the flavor alone.
“Ooh... quite....”
The initial taste was good.
Soft oiliness and nutty rice.
The novel Eastern flavor made him nod involuntarily.
But soon, his brows furrowed.
“Sss....”
A subtle burnt aftertaste at the end.
It ruined all the fried rice's merits.
“It's a bit burnt....”
True to his expertise, Mancinni spoke honestly.
And at that moment.
“What? What did you just say?!”
“Burnt? Our princess's cooking is perfect!”
The Eastern knights pounded the table and pointed at Mancinni.
With their burly muscles and fierce glares.
“Eek...!”
Mancinni huddled, wrapping his arms around himself.
“Is that so....”
Bitter Lydia's lips pouted downward.
“Sorry... it's my fault for being inadequate....”
The apron-clad girl cupped her cheeks.
And gave him her saddest look.
“Have you ever seen such a scoundrel? How dare he with Her Highness's cooking!”
“Your Highness, let us taste it! That guy's tongue must be broken!”
The Eastern knights fumed, ready to execute Mancinni on the spot.
“Fine, you all try it. Meanwhile, I'll make it again....”
At her permission, the men eagerly shoveled more fried rice into their mouths.
“It's tasty.... Hup!”
One oblivious fellow's words caught in his throat.
His comrades promptly elbowed his side until he shouted how delicious it was.
“Your Highness, it's delicious. That chef is the problem!”
Lydia chuckled at her subordinates.
“No, even I can taste the burnt note at the end. It's fine.”
Only after the princess's reassurance did the Eastern knights calm down.
Thanks to that, Mancinni could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But....
There was still one more dish he had to try.
Irina's meat stew.
“Now then... I'll taste Her Highness the Second Imperial Princess's dish....”
Mancinni lifted his spoon and glanced up at Irina.
The neat lady in her apron, with her bangs swept aside.
Outwardly, the picture of a perfect homemaker.
Her emerald eyes sparkled with intimidating pressure.
But the head chef knew.
That Irina had already burned her first pot.
“Whew....”
The man slowly took a sip of the stew.
And then....
He tasted the familiar burnt flavor from the fried rice moments ago.
Even if they were royals.
Even with the menacing knights before him.
As a chef, he couldn't lie about a nonexistent flavor.
Brows furrowed, Mancinni forced his lips upward.
“It's deli...cious....”
Her knights faced his contradictory expression.
No different from the Easterners, they wore menacing looks.
“Frowning before Her Highness?!”
“I don't sense sincerity in that taste!”
Mancinni teared up amid the finger-pointing.
‘Gods above... why this trial for me...!!’
The head chef suffered immense agony at being unable to speak his honest opinion.
“No, everyone. I messed up, so it doesn't taste good.”
The princess sighed deeply.
And scolded her knights.
“Looks like... I still need more practice.”
Irina admitted her mistake from letting rivalry distract her from the food.
“I admit it too. Cooking isn't something to take lightly.”
The two behaved like true rulers, without false pride.
“Head Chef Mancinni, will you help us?”
The young chef, tormented by her knights until now.
Hearing the princesses' request, he finally grasped his situation.
“Please do—we'll learn diligently.”
It wasn't just something to fear.
The princesses eager to learn.
And needing him for it.
“Of course! I'll help Your Highnesses master perfect cooking!”
Inspired, Mancinni regained his confidence.
The princesses tied their aprons tightly again.
And this time, they focused solely on their dishes.
「―――.」
Meanwhile, in the capital's western sector.
A small annex stood in the garden of the First Imperial Princess's office.
There, a woman sat silently in a leather chair, wearing only a loose white dress shirt.
She reviewed state documents, monocle perched high.
“....”
Having handled everything with expert skill, she picked up today's newspaper for a break.
“Veil Mikhail?”
Veil Mikhail's portrait on page two.
Lea sipped her tea, moistening her lips, and read slowly.
“You're having quite the entertaining days.”
The princess paused at the word "lunchbox" in the article.
“You sure know how to ask for a lot.”
Lea rose from her chair.
She smoothed down the shirt that had ridden up her thighs, covering her body.
The princess headed to the kitchen.
And eyed the ingredient basket from the Western Palace.
Soon, her mature eyes curved up with a smile.
She snapped her fingers lightly, igniting the stove.
While the pan heated, she leisurely chopped onions.
She mixed them with lime juice and spices, then made a sauce with tomatoes and cream.
Next, she added butter to the hot pan and toasted both halves of a burger bun.
She shaped ground meat into patties and grilled them while sipping tea leisurely.
Setting down her cup, the meat was perfectly cooked.
She layered lettuce, patty, and onions on the bun.
Finally, she spooned on melted cheese gently and topped with the other bun....
The princess's homemade burger was easily complete.
But Lea didn't stop there.
Drawing her wand, she conducted like an orchestra, lifting an orange.
Channeling mana, she squeezed the juice into a glass bottle.
Fresh orange juice was finished.
“It's been a while—kind of tiring.”
Lea kneaded her stiff shoulders and hips.
Then she noticed an orange juice stain splattered on her chest.
“....”
The First Imperial Princess rubbed the spot on her white shirt and picked up the finished burger basket.
She placed it outside the door and called for Damian.
“Send it north.”
Once the basket was dispatched, Lea sat back in her chair as if nothing happened.
And gulped her tea while resuming state affairs.