I Want Some as a Souvenir
“This smell really whets the appetite,” said Brother Chris.
“Right? I think some people might shy away at first because of the color, but they’ll definitely give in to the smell.”
The head chef brought over a plate of curry soup and meat that had been taken off the skewers and dusted with curry powder.
“Head Chef, have you already tasted it? Or not yet?” I asked, and he replied that he hadn’t tasted the meat yet—he wanted us to see the finished product first.
I tasted a piece. As expected of the head chef of the Duke Clondale, the tenderness of the meat and the doneness were perfect. It was incredibly delicious.
I took a sip of the soup. It had a bit of a spicy kick, but also a subtle sweetness—delicious.
“As expected. To produce this level of quality on your first try—truly fitting for the head chef of the Clondale Ducal House,” I praised him.
Raphael and Brother Chris also looked eager to try, so I handed them the plate. They both praised it just as highly after tasting it. The head chef looked pleased.
Since we’d be fine as long as the head chef tried using curry powder in various other dishes, we gave him the jarred curry powder and left the kitchen. Apparently, the two dishes we just had would be served for dinner.
Raphael guided Brother Chris and me to a guest room on the second floor with a full view of the garden.
“Reinhardt, I think that dish will catch on. Thank you,” he said, bowing his head.
It’s just the three of us, but if the butlers or maids of the Ducal House had seen the son of the duke bowing his head, it would have caused a stir.
“You don’t need to bow over something like that…” I began, but he said I didn’t understand.
He explained that the previously unprofitable fifth floor of the dungeon could now be revitalized. Most adventurers had been heading to the meat- or fish-related dungeons, but now he believed that even the herbal and fruit dungeons would become lively thanks to the curry powder.
Moreover, if we sold the curry powder, it would likely spread not just through the territory but across the entire country, bringing immense profit.
Just sprinkling curry powder on meat before grilling or adding it to soup completely transforms the flavor. It’s simple to use and easy to carry—there’s no way it wouldn’t sell, he said.
“You’re exactly right, Raphael. Reinhardt, you knew it would sell too, which is why you proposed not letting the beastkin make it on their own—it’s too risky,” Brother Chris added.
Well… yeah, that’s true.
Is it just my imagination, or does everything I do end up snowballing into something much bigger?
At dinner, the grilled meat dusted with curry powder and the curry soup were served first. Apparently, the Duke had requested to eat early.
They had somehow improved the flavor even more in such a short time. I was impressed, thinking, “That’s amazing,” when the Duke asked for seconds.
Is it okay to completely ignore formal dining etiquette like this?
“We can talk after the meal,” he said, and we were able to enjoy the full course in peace.
After we moved to the reception room with everyone,
“First, I want to express my gratitude—for turning the previously unused fifth floor into one with the potential for massive profit, and for bringing this business to our house,” said the Duke, bowing his head to me. Father panicked and urged him to raise his head.
Father explained that the spices brought in by the beastkin were originally cultivated in warm climates, making them difficult to grow in this country. However, beastkin blessed by the Plant God could grow them anywhere. Still, it was too risky to handle it alone, so they had been hesitant—until Raphael told them about the dungeon, and they tried it out.
“So this curry powder is something that’s already distributed in the beastkin’s country?”
“No, it seems not. Apparently, the recipe was created by a noble daughter from the beastkin nation who had been secretly supporting them. In exchange for the recipe, she asked for their protection. But she made them promise only to share the recipe with someone they deemed trustworthy.”
“And that trustworthy person is you, Reinhardt?”
“……”
Father stayed silent. His silence basically confirmed it.
“Well, fine. We’ll discuss the details going forward. Do you have any requests on your side?”
“There are two. First, the beastkin want to live a peaceful, normal life. Second, we’d like the curry powder to be sold at a price that even commoners can afford,” Father replied.
Someone suggested starting with a higher price and lowering it later, but Father insisted that it should be accessible from the beginning. He wanted adventurers and traveling merchants, even when camping out, to be able to eat something tasty.
True, there might be merchants trying to sell it at a premium, but I hope the Ducal House will crack down on that.
“Father, it depends on how the spices grow in the dungeon, but today Reinhardt showed us a very efficient way to harvest a large amount all at once, so I believe pricing it for commoners is feasible,” Raphael said.
Father gave me a look that screamed, “What did you do now?” but I couldn’t talk about it here.
“Oh, that sounds interesting. I’d have liked to see it myself. So, does that mean you harvested all the spices in the fifth floor?”
“Yes. We can test how much curry powder we can make just from this batch. We also have plenty of seeds to sow more into the fifth floor,” Raphael and the Duke discussed.
“Reinhardt, do you have any requests?” the Duke asked me.
I asked if I could have about five jars of curry powder as a souvenir.
“That’s it? Nothing else?”
“Not at all.”
The rest is between you and my father. I’m satisfied just having secured some souvenirs.
What do you think about this chapter?
