Isn't that what you'd call "reaping what you sow"?
And the place those guys took Pochi to was the kitchen. Could it be a cooking showdown this time? That sounds fun.
“There’s a demon in this kitchen!”
“Yes, perhaps the most fearsome demon in this country... Skosh!??”
Ah, each of them getting whacked on the head with a frying pan. Well done, ma’am.
Standing behind the two idiots was a bulldog-like, intimidatingly fierce-looking lady. Her aura was so overwhelming, it reminded me of that ultimate elderly lady from a certain long-running ninja egg anime.
“You young masters, dreaming up more nonsense again, aren’t you!? Honestly, I’m busy, you know!”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry for disturbing your work. I’ll help to make it up to you. I’m good at peeling or washing.”
“Oh my…”
“I’ll help too.”
“I can peel as well.”
“Count me in.”
With the multitasking efforts of me and Dirk that rivaled a thousand-armed goddess, the cooking was done in no time. Beastmen eat a lot, so the portions were substantial. However, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of dried-out potatoes.
Cooking large quantities of food every day naturally builds strength and stamina. It's no wonder the cafeteria ladies are so robust.
“Lately, the crops have been bad, and with the smell of war in the air, it’s really disheartening.”
“That sounds tough.”
Pochi was listening attentively to the lady’s complaints. Without showing a single sign of annoyance, he sincerely engaged in conversation, which made him very popular with older women.
“To think… he tamed that fearsome Skosh…”
“That demonic hag actually smiled…”
“Hey!”
““Ow!””
Pochi chopped the two idiots on the head. Good! Keep it up!
“You shouldn’t say such rude things about women! Miss Skosh prepares meals for everyone. It’s hard work, as you saw, isn’t it? Even peeling is trickier than it looks. You need to be grateful to her for always making your meals!”
“That’s her job, isn’t it?!”
“Exactly, it’s just expected of her!”
Pochi looked straight at them.
“Then, what kind of ‘king’ are you aspiring to be? The princes I know properly show gratitude to everyone. My sister, though a duke’s daughter, taught me to treat even servants with sincerity. Would anyone want to serve someone who can’t consider others’ feelings? Servants are people too. Who would willingly serve someone incapable of kindness?”
Pochi turned to me and smiled gently.
Pochi doesn’t know this, but even Aldin-sama once went through a foolish phase where he believed everyone should bow before him. I won’t tell him that though. When I teased him about it recently, he cried. Apparently, it’s quite the dark history for Aldin-sama.
“Oneechan may be wild and outrageous, but she’s kind, smart, strong, and—”
“Hold it right there!!”
I interrupted Pochi’s speech with all my might. Why is he making it sound like I’d make a good king?! That’s clearly ridiculous!
“No, no, no! Don’t make it sound like I’m fit to be a king! I’m Dirk’s wife, the Marquis’ wife, and that’s it! I’d never want to be a king; it’s way too much trouble! My role stops at being the strategist!”
“... Is being a king really that much trouble?”
“Oh, absolutely. If you’re careless, you’ll be called a fool and risk losing your life. If you take it seriously, it’s super demanding. A king is the highest authority in the country. Of course, it’s ridiculously troublesome. Even being a lord is challenging enough, but the king oversees all of that, so it’s on another level.”
“”............””
The two idiots seemed to be lost in thought. Without engaging with them further, Pochi turned to me.
“Hey, Oneechan. If this is the kind of food served in the castle… doesn’t that mean the townspeople’s meals are probably even more basic?”
“… When traveling through the town earlier, I noticed that the townsfolk didn’t seem as healthy, though not as bad as during Wolfanea’s worst times. Likely, they’re suffering from malnutrition. Ultimately, it depends on the king, but if it’s for Pochi’s sake, I’ll see what I can do.”
Pochi wagged his tail happily. Ahh… my child really is such a good boy.
“What?! What could *you* do?!”
“She holds the blessing of the Greenery Spirit. Thanks to her efforts, she resolved Wolfanea’s food shortages when it was on the verge of becoming a barren wasteland due to Yggdrasil’s mana depletion. As for Ru over here, he’s a visionary with the divine ability of the ‘Green Thumb,’ which enables him to cultivate plants and conduct research on crops resistant to diseases, pests, and harsh environments.”
The two idiots stared in disbelief. As I opened my mouth to explain that solving Wolfanea’s food crisis wasn’t solely my achievement, my brother added unnecessary information.
“Ever heard of the Meat Saintess? That’s my little sister.”
“”Whaaaat?!””
“You mean the one who almost single-handedly resolved the Great Tsunami?!”
“The Meat Saintess who saved Wolfanea from famine and is also called the Saintess of Food? That goddess?!”
(Pretty much accurate.)
Pochi, my brother, Gator, and Dirk all nodded.
“It’s not accurate! Especially the last part!! I’m not a goddess, and I’m definitely not a saintess!”
“Sure, sure. But the title of saintess has completely stuck in Wolfanea. You might as well give up. Besides, Pochi convincing someone like you to take action shows how much charisma he has. If Pochi asked me, I’d help too. I think his influence speaks for itself.”
“... True…”
My brother managed to convince the two idiots. However, I strongly oppose the whole saintess narrative. Giving up is not an option. As a certain squishy teacher once said, giving up is the end of the match.
“Come to think of it, you look just like His Majesty…”
“Yes. It’s not confirmed yet that he’s my father, but I’d like to meet him…”
Pochi was chatting leisurely with the lady. Meanwhile, I was too busy fiercely protesting the saintess title to notice.
“I’m telling you, I don’t recognize myself as a saintess!”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re so persistent.”
“Because it’s Rosarin we’re talking about.”
“… Ojousama, there are times when it’s okay to give up, you know?”
“Absolutely not!!”
I am Rosarin, who says no! Giving up is not an option! I will stand against the world’s injustices!
“Wait, where’s Pochi?”
“Oneechan!!”
Just like the princess who’s always kidnapped in that game with the giant mushrooms and mustachioed guy, Pochi had been taken away.
“Pooochiii!!”
With an inner groan, I chased after Pochi, thinking, “This isn’t over yet!”
What do you think about this chapter?
