Side Story 1: With Vegetables in Hand, the Head Chef Speaks

 

 

 

Side Story 1: With Vegetables in Hand, the Head Chef Speaks

 

“URK. I bet it’s happening right now…”

The head chef, Gilbert, was muttering to himself in a corner of the kitchen. His brow slumped sadly and his face had grown pale

“I wonder if His Majesty will like the strawberries…”

Laetitia was with Glenreed right now, presenting him the strawberries and strawberry treats.

Has he laid eyes on them already, I wonder? Did he try them? Does he approve of strawberries as an ingredient?

Gilbert couldn’t keep calm once his mind began to race.

Strawberry jam, strawberry chiffon cake, and strawberry shortcake.

Laetitia was fully confident in each of them, but the problem lay in who they were presenting the dishes to.

Glenreed, the Silver Wolf King.

The young man who had ascended to the throne early in his life, earning said nickname.

The man rarely smiled. He was said to be incredibly tough on anyone deemed an enemy.

Not to mention the rumor that His Majesty doesn’t actually like to eat…

Those whispers came from the chefs working at the main palace. Gilbert knew there were very few working for Glenreed in the first place.

What if the king felt insulted by the food they presented him today?

“Queen Laetitia, please be safe wi—”

“Head Chef, I think you’re worrying too much.”

One of the chefs spoke up to the pale-faced Gilbert.

“Her Majesty is smart enough to avoid offending the king.”

“…I know that.”

“But I’m curious to know how it’s going too. I guess I understand where you’re coming from…”

The chef’s eyes fell on Gilbert’s hands.

Scrape scrape. Scrape scrape. Scrape scrape.

He was peeling a potato at intense speeds with his knife.

“As fast as ever, huh, Head Chef? It’s like your hands and your face belong to different people right now.”

The bowl at Gilbert’s side was overflowing with peeled potatoes.

Using a knife on so many vegetables like that was actually quite a draining task, which was why he usually assigned the work to a kitchen maid or one of the novice chefs.

Gilbert himself peeled vegetables every single day when he was still an apprentice. In fact, the act itself seemed to be ingrained in his body now. Whenever he was nervous or hung up on something, Gilbert tended to take over the peeling.

“We appreciate the help with the vegetables…but have you always been so anxious, Head Chef? You seemed so happy and upbeat to me lately, anyway.”

Gilbert once lost all confidence in his cooking when he was forced out of a job at Natalie’s villa. But he’d found a second wind thanks to Laetitia’s arrival.

“You should be more confident, Head Chef. What happened to that fearless man who tasted a real ‘Demon Gem’ for himself?”

“What are you talking about? What chef wouldn’t do the same?”

“Are you crazy? What chef would do that?”

The man shook his head from side to side. The rest of the chefs followed his gesture to a tee.

“Did you see Her Majesty’s reaction when you told her you ate a Demon Gem? She was horrified.”

“The queen was raised as a young lady of status. It’s not surprising that it was too much of a shock for her.”

“It’s not a class problem. Any commoner would be just as horrified…”

As the chefs chatted among themselves, more and more potatoes ended up peeled along the way. Gilbert eventually finished all the vegetables to be used that day.

Finally, finally, it was time for Laetitia to come home.

Gilbert rushed out of the kitchen and headed straight to greet her.

“He liked it. His Majesty said they were delicious.”

“Thank goodness…!!”

Gilbert breathed a sigh of relief. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Now able to relax, he suddenly found himself taken by Laetitia’s appearance.

She’s very beautiful…

The queen was much more dressed up than usual for her visit to Glenreed. Her cuffs were lined with lace and her skirt was embroidered with gold thread. She wore her hair with beautiful braided strands. Large gems dangled from her earlobes. Laetitia wore the bright, dazzling outfit and accessories with nothing but elegance.

Well, of course. She’s the new queen…

Gilbert spent a moment appreciating her beauty.

Laetitia always wore an apron and her hair in a ponytail when she was in the kitchen. The contrast between that version of her and the one who stood before him now completely captivated him.

“Is something the matter, Gilbert?”

“N-No!! Nothing at all!! What kinds of things did you speak to His Majesty about?”

Gilbert snapped out of his reverie and quickly tried to change the subject by asking Laetitia about her discussions with the king. They spoke of strawberries, construction around the villa, and Glenreed’s disinterest toward food in general.

“So from here on out, whenever I go to visit His Majesty, I’m going to bring a meal along with me.”

“That’s incredible!”

“It’s all thanks to you and the chefs’ help, Gilbert. He seemed to enjoy the strawberry chiffon.”

Laetitia thanked him, and Gilbert’s heart warmed to hear it.

A dish he personally worked on caught the interest of Glenreed, the man indifferent toward food. It was an honor—an absolute blessing for a chef.

“I’d love for His Majesty to enjoy the next meal as well. Have you decided what to present to him next?”

“No, not yet. What do you think we should serve?”

“That’s a difficult question…”

“Indeed. …Could I possibly ask for a favor?”

“What do you need?”

“I’d like to try a meal you consider to be your specialty, Gilbert. I think it will help me decide what to make for His Majesty.”

◇　◇　◇

“…THERE. Perfect.”

Gilbert gave a nod as he looked over the row of ingredients on the counter.

What kind of meal should he make?

What would please King Glenreed’s palate?

Gilbert had struggled with these questions, but then he received word that his butcher had just received some high-quality beef.

“Roast beef. That’s the answer.”

It was one of Gilbert’s specialties, and it presented nicely too.

He placed his well-sharpened knife against the massive round steak and used his years of experience to measure and cut exactly as much as he needed. Not too much, but not too little. He sprinkled the beef with salt and pepper, then set it aside to soak in the seasoning.

That left him some time to quickly whip up a few sauces. He used red wine as the base for his first sauce, a flavorful garlic sauce as the second, and finally, a third sauce made from mushrooms and butter. Each of the three sauces would pair perfectly with the flavor of the meat. They were recipes Gilbert had perfected after trial and error.

With three sauces to choose from, His Majesty might actually find one he loves.

Gilbert thought forward to the future as he picked up the seasoned beef. He poured oil into a frying pan and went about cooking each piece of meat at a time. Along with the juicy sizzle came an enticing aroma from the pan.

Yes, this is good meat. I can tell from the smell.

He felt his face untense a bit as he removed the roast beef. Wrapping it in waxed paper first, he then enclosed it in even more layers of cloth.

He set it aside for a while, and once it was cooled, it was ready to eat.

Next, Gilbert cut the meat into thin slices and garnished the beef with sliced onions, leafy vegetables, and glazed spring carrots.

When he brought it out to the dining room table, Laetitia’s face lit up.

“Oh my! What a pretty color. It looks so appetizing.”

The surface of the beef was bright pink—a visual display of how freshly cooked it was.

Laetitia started off by trying it with the red wine sauce.

“The meat is tender and juicy. It’s truly the perfect roast beef. This sauce is very robust as well… Did you include butter in this one for added flavor?”

“Yes, I did. How do you like it?”

“It’s incredibly delicious.”

A smile crept onto Gilbert’s face when he heard her praise.

I’m glad I got to see her reaction.

Laetitia was smiling because of the food he made for her. It filled Gilbert’s heart with joy.

“I’ll try the other sauces too.”

Laetitia next had bites of beef with the mushroom and garlic sauces. She seemed to enjoy both of them…but once she was finished, Gilbert noticed a look of deep thought on her face.

“Is something the matter, Your Majesty? Are you uncertain if roast beef is the correct meal to serve King Glenreed?”

“The taste is impeccable, and the presentation is lovely too…”

Gilbert understood exactly where she was going with this.

They were presenting a meal to the highest authority in the land. On top of that, he was a king who had never shown any interest in food. This was an important decision that required the utmost consideration.

As the two of them discussed this, their shared love of cooking began to take over, and the topic switched to sauces for the roast beef.

“There are a few other varieties I’d like to test out,” Laetitia said. “I’ll try making them tomorrow. Would you mind if I use some of today’s leftover roast beef for that?”

“By all means. …Oh, the color will have deepened by tomorrow, though. I’m sure you already know that doesn’t mean it’s gone bad, so please don’t worry, Your Majesty.”

“Right, of course. If memory serves, the meat turns red due to hemoglobin?”

“Hemoglobin?”

“It’s a certain substance found in blood. It oxidizes as time passes, changing the original color…”

Laetitia fell silent.

“What is it?”

“Something’s bothering me…”

The queen had something on her mind, but it was time for her to head to Natalie’s villa, so Gilbert never received a response.

◇　◇　◇

“THIS is something you…eat…?”

Gilbert was taken aback.

Before his eyes was what appeared to be a lump of salt. It was made with the rock salt Laetitia had received as an apology for being roped into Lady Kate’s sibling rivalry.

“It’s salt-crusted pork. You use this wooden mallet to crack the shell, then you eat what’s on the inside.”

He followed Laetitia’s instructions and split the heap apart. The inside turned out to be a delicious pork roast salted to perfection.

“It’s wonderful!! What a fun new way to eat, and the taste is great too. This might be a good dish to present to His Majesty.”

“Thank you very much. …However, I need to improve this a bit more before I do that.”

“Improve it? How so?”

“Any food presented to His Majesty must first be tested for poison. I’d like to find a way to extract the meat for tasting before breaking the salt shell apart. The ideal method would be to create a lid within the crust that can be opened. That way, you can take the meat out and close the lid again. Do you think that would be doable?”

“I see… Perhaps adding cuts in the meat after it’s cooked might make it easier.”

Gilbert racked his brain. It might not be successful, but it was still worth taking on the challenge. The salt-crusted pork was just that unique and versatile.

“This dish has a visual impact and a good flavor. You can even present it to His Majesty while warm.”

“…Warm?”

“The salt shell traps the heat inside, so it should stay that way for quite some time.”

“That’s true… That’s it!!”

Laetitia lit up in realization.

“That’s perfect, Gilbert!! Thanks to you, I finally figured it out!!”

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

“It’s warmth!! I just figured out what bothered me about the way that roast beef changed color. His Majesty can’t eat things that are freshly prepared. That means he never eats anything warm.”

Laetitia was mumbling something to herself, apparently now deep in thought.

“Of course they have to test for poison… How did I never think of that? So I could improve the salt-crusted pork, or I could find a way to warm the meal once I get to the palace. Maybe His Majesty would like that.”

Laetitia’s chain of thought eventually led them to the dish they would serve to Glenreed.

◇　◇　◇

A dish that was more delicious while warm and easy to heat up.

Laetitia ended up going to the palace to present the king with chicken cream soup and toast. While she was gone, Gilbert stood in the kitchen peeling spring carrots.

I always pick up vegetables at times like these…

With a pained smile on his face, he quickly peeled one carrot after the next, but he wasn’t using a knife this time. Laetitia had transmuted him a utensil called a “peeler,” which had a handle with a thin blade on the end. It made the job extremely easy.

What a convenient tool. It really improves our efficiency in the kitchen.

With vegetable preparation going much faster, everyone could now spend that time focusing on seasoning the food or whatever else was needed. The other chefs seemed to like the peeler too. Dishes that made use of it were growing popular in the kitchen.

Her Majesty is so amazing.

First the whisk, and now the peeler. Chiffon cakes and salt-crusted meat. She brought them so many new meals and utensils, but instead of expecting to be the one treated with them, the queen participated in the cooking herself—enthusiastically, at that.

Gilbert’s respect and gratitude for Laetitia had only grown.

The two had worked together through a process of trial and error to make the dish she was presenting to Glenreed today. They’d adjusted the recipe to emphasize the soup’s flavor once it was reheated, and believed that Glenreed would be pleased with their efforts.

◇　◇　◇

EVENTUALLY, when the peeled carrots formed a small mountain on the counter…

“Gilbert, it went perfectly!! His Majesty loved the warm soup!”

Laetitia’s announcement filled him with a wave of joy and relief. But at the same time, he felt a strange twinge of sadness when he watched Laetitia talk about Glenreed with so much cheer in her voice.

“That’s wonderful. I’m filled with pride as a chef.”

A smile came over Gilbert’s face.