As usual, that's perfectly fine.
I wrote a letter addressed to Sei, requesting him to escort Mariel-chan to the academy, and asked Kurogane to deliver it. He not only delivered it but also brought back a response of acceptance.
Indeed, the reliable and secure Kurogane Express.
Afterward, to show my gratitude to Kurogane and Mashiro, I brushed them thoroughly until their fur became soft and fluffy before heading to bed.
Having indulged in fluffiness to my heart's content, I was fully satisfied.
The next morning, I woke up early as always, got ready, and headed to the kitchen.
"Good morning, everyone."
Everyone, busy with preparations, returned my greeting while continuing their work.
"Good morning, Cristea-sama."
"Good morning, Chef."
I exchanged greetings with Head Chef, who quickly spotted me entering the kitchen and hurried over. Then, we moved to the small room next to the kitchen for a meeting.
"Um, are you sure about sticking to the usual menu this morning?"
Head Chef looked at me anxiously.
Well, it's not like I know what a typical Samonar Kingdom breakfast is, and some countries don’t even eat breakfast.
Besides, considering Prince Kaldor's stay here is an unusual situation, I honestly don’t think we need to fret over breakfast and risk being criticized for trivial matters.
Additionally, from my conversations with him, I’ve realized that although Prince Kaldor can be a bit short-sighted, he’s a good person who genuinely cares for his people. I believe that serving him a heartfelt meal will convey our sincerity.
"Yes. We can’t afford to reveal the dishes prepared for the banquet beforehand. Moreover, since Prince Kaldor has been secretly staying in the country and eating our food for some time, there shouldn’t be any problem."
Unlike noble cuisine, which often has complex flavors, commoner dishes tend to have simpler seasoning. If something felt lacking, they could adjust it with their own spices.
… Now that I think about it, those overly rich noble dishes are kind of problematic, aren’t they? Frighteningly so.
"Besides, the dishes from our household should be the most delicious in this country. Don’t you agree?"
When I asked, Head Chef grinned and replied, "Of course, absolutely."
That said, I can’t serve Japanese-inspired dishes reminiscent of Yahatul, so the breakfast menu consists of toast, salad, omelets, and consommé soup—simple yet classic.
The bread is fluffy and soft, baked using natural yeast, served with plenty of butter, and optionally jam or marmalade.
The salad features fresh baby leaves harvested from vegetables we started growing in the back of the manor, dressed with freshly made French dressing or mayonnaise.
The omelet is prepared to perfection using a frying pan specially crafted for eggs, achieving a soft, trembling texture, cooked as a live performance.
The consommé, prepared the previous day, is a golden, translucent soup offering a delightfully complex harmony of flavors with just one sip.
Served with tea or coffee, this creates a standard yet impeccable breakfast. Oh, milk and fruit juice are also options—I’ll go with juice!
As for the coffee, I had Miria replicate the hand-sewn filters Mariel-chan made for the drip coffee process.
Miria acted as an instructor, teaching the servants how to brew using the drip method, and they even got to taste it. Surprisingly, preferences were quite divided.
I also had my parents try it—Otousama liked it, but Okaasama seemed to prefer tea.
Hmm, so Otousama is a coffee enthusiast, while Okaasama favors tea.
With no issues regarding breakfast, we discussed the cooking methods for Idika rice, suitable side dishes, and other related matters.
Approaching breakfast time, I left the rest to Head Chef and moved to the dining room.
Upon entering the dining room, I noticed that Prince Kaldor and Otousama were already seated.
Wait, isn’t this too early?
"Good morning, Prince Kaldor."
"Ah, good morning. Miss Cristea, you’re an early riser."
Prince Kaldor greeted me with a refreshing smile, a stark contrast to yesterday's grim demeanor.
He’d transformed from a brooding handsome man into a cheerful one.
"Prince Kaldor, you’re quite early as well. You could’ve taken it easy this morning to rest."
"No, I was too curious about Idika to sleep longer. Besides, I’m used to waking early for farm inspections back in my domain."
Ah, that’s right. Despite being a lord, he personally works in the fields. I’d love to learn about medicinal herb cultivation from him.
"By the way, where is Tika-san?"
I didn’t see Tika-san, who had gleefully indulged in curry under the guise of taste-testing yesterday.
"Oh, I figured there’s no need for guards here, so I sent him to retrieve the Idika from the inn. Could I trouble you to let him eat once he returns?"
"Ah, sure…"
Poor Tika-san. At least let him have as many servings as he likes.
"Prince Kaldor, while safety is assured in my home, it’s still risky to go without a guard. This is…"
Otousama expressed his disapproval of the lack of security, to which Prince Kaldor responded with a hearty laugh.
"True, but considering Miss Cristea’s guards are highly skilled, neither Tika nor I could match them. If the Duke offers his protection, staying near Miss Cristea seems far safer."
"Well… that’s debatable. These two are solely loyal to Cristea," Otousama replied, frowning deeply.
Yeah, I can’t deny that. It’s completely true.
Of course, if I asked them to help Prince Kaldor, they’d grudgingly assist, but their priority would always be me.
"Ah, Miss Cristea has excellent attendants. Duke, you must be very fond of your daughter."
"Ha, ha…"
Otousama’s dry laugh resonated with my inner thoughts.
Unbeknownst to Otousama, I’ve interacted with the Divine Beast Byakko who helped me form two Sacred Beast contracts.
It’s probably my fault his forehead wrinkles have deepened in recent years.
Thus, breakfast commenced, with Prince Kaldor marveling at the softness of the bread, enjoying the freshness of the salad, being thrilled by the omelet performance, and savoring the exquisite consommé.
What do you think about this chapter?
