Chapter 687

A visit to the market after a long while.
The next morning.
Breakfast at the estate’s manor was a perfect Japanese meal prepared by the head chef: salt-grilled salmon—well, sharken, to be precise—with tamagoyaki, miso soup filled with daikon and carrots, and some light pickles.

Wow, I’m so happy right now!

It looked beautiful, and when I tasted it, the seasoning on the sharken was spot on. The tamagoyaki was a rolled omelet, with dashi gently oozing out—it was heavenly.

The dashi itself had been carefully and thoroughly made, and the miso soup using it was delicious… Honestly, if not for the heavy Western-style mansion background, I’d have thought, "What fancy ryokan breakfast is this?!"

“The head chef’s improved quite a bit. This was truly delicious.”

“Heh, well, I couldn’t let anyone say my skills got rusty from slacking while you were gone, young lady. I figured I might as well master it all the way.”

Ever since I enrolled at Adelia Academy, I’ve heard that whenever the head chef in the royal capital’s estate sends a new recipe, it turns into a bit of bragging and one-upmanship (though, to be fair, I might be guilty of the same).

One day, after sulking over one of these exchanges, the royal capital’s head chef asked, “It pains me to say it, but you’re Cristea-sama’s top disciple. How will you, as the senior disciple, preserve your master’s flavors while she’s away?”
To which our head chef declared, “Then I’ll master my master’s flavor once and for all!”—and began studying Japanese cooking every day, even mingling with the Yahatoor people who frequented the Bastea Company.

Well… that’s a wonderful story, really.

But… may I raise one objection?

I am not your master!

I never agreed to take on any disciples!
Stop unilaterally declaring me your master!

When I said this, all the cooks looked at me like, "What is she even talking about…?" I don’t get it!

Still feeling unconvinced, I finished breakfast and headed to the local market in my incognito style.

“Wow, it’s been a while, but it’s as lively as ever.”

Before heading to the royal capital, I used to shop here from time to time, so it felt nostalgic.

This was where I ate okupal—takoyaki—from Shin’s stall and regained my past life’s memories.

I wandered over to where Shin’s stall used to be, but now there was a soup stand instead.

“Hey, Ojouchan, care for a cup? It’s soup made with bacon from Duke Ellisfeed’s estate. Tastes great!”

“It does sound delicious, but I’ve just eaten, so I’m full. I should’ve come hungry.”

“Gahaha! That’s a shame! Come back later when you’re hungry.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that.”

“Oh my, Cris-chan. It’s been a while! I’ve got some delicious cookies.”

“Ah, Obasan! Long time no see! I’m living in the capital now, but I came back today for some errands. Wow, these cookies with lots of nuts look amazing! I’ll take five bags, please.”

“Much obliged! I’m planning a new flavor, so come by again.”

“Thank you! I’ll look forward to it!”

After taking the cookies, I browsed the other stalls, with Mariel-chan walking beside me looking surprised.

“It was the same in the royal capital’s market, but… you seem even more at home here.”

“Ahaha, the capital’s market has goods from all over, so the novelty factor was higher, but here… I came by whenever I had the chance.”

“Y-you ‘came by’… huh.”

Well, maybe not "that" often, but compared to how often I go to the capital’s market now, I did visit here more.

“If we keep going ahead, we’ll reach the Bastea Company… oh?”

Something smelled good…

A refreshing, sweet scent was carried to me by the wind, so I followed it to its source—and found a display of colorful fruits.

“Wow! They look delicious…”

“Oh? Interested in these fruits, young lady—wait, Miss Cristea?”

“Eh? … Wait, P-Pri… Kaldor—?! What are you doing here?!”

“Huh? Ah, it "is" Cristea-sama—wait, eeeeeh?!”

“Even you, Tika-san?!”

Why are "you two" running a stall in "my" territory’s market?!

What do you think about this chapter?