by CHIROLU
And when they went to a shop specializing in soaps next...
“I know normally you would never go in a shop like this. But I couldn’t help but wonder a bit what type of smell you would like, so I’m really glad to have you come along,” Latina said, looking just a bit bashful. That singlehandedly washed away the frustration that Dale had been feeling. His thought process really was exactly the same as always, and was every bit as unshakably regrettable as usual.
After that, they headed over to a restaurant run by one of Kenneth’s acquaintances.
Dale had been sure to mention in advance that it was a really high-class establishment, but it was still a serious surprise to see it in person.
Secretly, Dale felt relieved when Latina said that they should just purchase the scrubbing brush on their way back. After all, he definitely would have hesitated to walk into such an establishment holding a plain bag full of everyday goods in one hand.
“Kenneth sure is amazing...”
“I wouldn’t say your connections are something to scoff at, either...” Dale muttered, then he took Latina by the hand. “Now then, shall we head on in?”
“But we just got out of the bath, and we’re in casual clothes. Is it really alright?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Dale shot her a smile to calm her down, then stood in front of the shop. It wasn’t decorated with a flashy sign or anything, but they were greeted by a rather refined-looking doorman, and the finely ornamented emblem carved into the door told them that this was the right place.
“Amazing...” Latina sighed, her gaze fixed on the emblem of a flower in full bloom. It was both gorgeous and refined, and it was certainly beautiful enough to be worthy of admiration.
“We have your reservation. Sir Dale Reki, yes?”
“Yeah.”
“We’ve been awaiting you.”
The polite doorman didn’t question Dale and Latina’s identities or even so much as raise an eyebrow when he saw them in casual attire, and instead just held the door open for them.
Dale seemed to say with his eyes, “See, I told you it was alright,” so Latina shot him back a relieved smile.
Just before they passed through the door, the air about them completely shifted. Dale straightened his posture and escorted Latina along, looking like a perfect model gentleman due to his training in the capital’s high society. Following along without even thinking about it, Latina shifted to the sort of graceful actions fitting to her nickname of the Platinum Fairy Princess.
The doorman had presented first hand just how first-rate this shop was, so they felt the need to respect that and respond in turn. And even if Latina was in clothing that prioritized comfort... No, precisely for that reason, she needed to behave herself like a princess traveling in secret.
Dale had given his own name when making a reservation, and it was easy to assume the person with him was the Fairy Princess, so as a first-rate establishment they made sure to be thorough in their arrangements. That was just how much influence the name “Dale Reki” held. Dale was perfectly aware of that fact, but sure enough, Latina didn’t quite seem aware.
Well, she hardly ever leaves Kreuz, and I’m sure the fact that she doesn’t remember anything from when I was traveling all around has a big effect, too, Dale thought to himself with a strained smile as he watched Latina excitedly run her hands over the high-class tablecloth and cutlery in the private room they were led to.
Apparently Latina had decided to indulge her natural curiosity and enjoy herself, as they rarely ever visited any high-class restaurants. However, whenever an employee was looking, she was sure to behave herself like a proper refined lady. It really was just plain amusing to watch her act like that.
“I know you always enjoy picking out a meal from the menu, but for this time, I already placed our orders along with the reservations.”
“Really?” Latina questioned, looking a bit disappointed for a second. However, what he said next caused her to brighten back up.
“At Kenneth’s recommendation, I made sure to include the chef’s specialty when placing my order. That was because Kenneth said we should be absolutely sure not to miss it. And also, I asked them to make your portions a bit smaller so you could make it all the way to the end.”
Dale had meant to explain as just a bit of idle chatter, but Latina didn’t seem to take it that way. Currently, she had an incredibly serious look on her face as she pondered.
“Um, Latina...?”
“If I ordered based on just my curiosity and interests, I’d surely make a mistake, right?”
“How in the world did you reach that conclusion?”
“A specialty... Right, a dish like that serves as the face of a restaurant, so you can’t miss it. It’s important not to forget that when ordering.”
Dale felt like you should just eat what you want when you want, but he couldn’t exactly say that in the face of how seriously Latina was treating the situation.
“You mean to study it...?”
“It’s a shop Kenneth recommended. I’m sure there’s all sorts of things I can learn from it!” Latina clearly answered, completely resolute on the matter.
Latina’s status had changed to a shocking degree over the last several years, but her master-and-disciple relationship with Kenneth hadn’t been shaken in the least.
Apparently, as a chef, Latina had a great deal of admiration and wonder at the town of Affe. It was close to the ocean, and it also enjoyed the abundance of the nearby mountains. It didn’t have the convenience of being a major hub for trade like Kreuz, but since it was in an area focused so heavily on production, it was possible to get ahold of a lot of fresh and unique ingredients.
That could be seen right away in how the ingredients used in the appetizer were rather difficult to obtain in Kreuz. And the way steamed young greens were adorned with flower buds made for an absolutely stunning presentation. Dale looked like a real glutton as he gobbled down the dish from atop his plate, while Latina carefully ate it bite by bite, observing and savoring the flavor as she went.
The seasonal summer potage soup had a lovely pale green color to it and a wonderful texture, making for a light and refreshing dish. For their seafood dish, they were presented with a shrimp tart, and when they cut into it, there were countless clear, brilliant layers that could be spied in the cross section. Such technique would take far too much time and labor for a shop aimed at the general public, so you really could see the chef’s efforts in the dish.
Dale wished that Latina would stop making such a serious face and just enjoy the food, but that was her way of enjoying it, so he didn’t boorishly comment on the matter.
As for the specialty, it turned out to be a surprisingly simple white fish saute. It certainly was tasty, but it wasn’t anywhere near as flashy as the other dishes. Dale tilted his head at that fact, but Latina’s first bite had a serious impact on her.
“I see, so that’s it... That sure is amazing...”
Sadly, Dale had no idea what had moved her so greatly, so he couldn’t exactly relate. He was only able to share in her surprise upon hearing that the accompanying fresh flowers weren’t decorative, but rather grown specifically to be eaten and arranged as a salad.
The meat dish was also arranged beautifully.
“I’ve tasted this flavor before, at the beastman village... So it can be prepared like this, too...” Latina muttered in admiration upon tasting the green sauce accented by a bittersweet flavor. Dale, meanwhile, was more knowledgeable about the perfectly cooked red meat.
“You don’t see wild game meat in Kreuz that often. Most of it’s from domesticated livestock.”
“I see, so it came from hunting... The cooking in Tislow was yummy too, but this is what it’s like when it’s prepared in the Labandese style, huh?”
During the meal, Dale enjoyed some wine paired with the dishes. Latina, meanwhile, cursed her own weakness with alcohol, leaving Dale to feel quite guilty as he tilted hi
s glass. Normally Latina didn’t show any fixation on alcohol, so this sort of reaction was certainly unusual.
But perhaps it was only obvious that she would have an interest in the wines the shop recommended to pair with their perfectly prepared dishes.
“Even if you get drunk I’ll make sure to escort you back safely, so do you want to try a bit?”
“I want to, but I would be even more upset if that dulled my taste, so I’ll just bear it...”
“I see.”
She really did hold firm to her convictions.
Dale was also worried that a sweet tooth like Latina would find the dessert portion too small, but she shook her head when he raised the point.
“I’m already full. I couldn’t even eat another bite.”
“I see.”
“I really enjoyed eating a bit of everything. Thank you, Dale.”
Upon hearing Latina’s earnest gratitude, Dale naturally broke out in a smile. That alone was enough to make all of his effort worth it.
After that relaxed conversation, the employee informed them that the owner who served as the head chef wanted to say hello to them. He was also Kenneth’s acquaintance, so he was definitely trying to accommodate them. But they also wanted to meet him too, so they agreed. In no time at all, a well-built old man approached.
He gave a completely harmless and bland greeting... or at least, that’s how it felt to Dale, but Latina was more than a little excited about meeting him, so she probably wouldn’t agree. In fact, her reaction was probably closer to how most folks would feel meeting an idol or hero. Latina herself may have been the heroine of a world famous epic, but apparently the people she admired most were skilled chefs.
The chef certainly didn’t look at all dissatisfied when Latina’s eyes sparkled with respect as she looked at him, either.
Normally, Dale wouldn’t be able to hide his displeasure at her looking at another man like that and him smiling back, but...
“I could tell that you chose this place to open your shop in order to make that fish dish. That’s really amazing.”
He was completely taken off guard by Latina’s comment, so he decided to just remain silent.
“I see. I had heard Kenneth had taken on an apprentice, but it seems he really did find a fine successor.”
“Ah, I still have a lot to study, though,” Latina replied with an embarrassed smile, but she looked like the remark made her truly happy. In fact, she looked far more overjoyed than she did back when countless nobles praised her as the Fairy Princess.
“Latina really does have the mentality of a chef more than anything, huh...?”
He didn’t put much value in his title of hero either, so he didn’t have much room to talk, but he still muttered it while sipping his coffee.
“You used a special type of salt for the specialty, didn’t you?”
“You noticed?”
“Yes. And I knew it was smoked, but I didn’t recognize the scent so I don’t know what variety of wood was used.”
“That certainly is something, to be able to say you just couldn’t recognize the specific type of wood. It’s a lumber with a good smell, but there aren’t many trees of it around. The fact that they grow around this area is another reason I chose this spot for my shop.”
The conversation had gone far afield from Dale’s realm of understanding by this point.
Meanwhile, the shop owner definitely seemed to appreciate Latina’s responses. Dale could also tell that she was carefully listening to what he had to say, and that the conversation was steadily heating up.
“The tree blooms with white blossoms a lot like apricots, but the fruit has a weak taste and isn’t really suitable for eating. Thanks to that it’s called a false apricot, but in old scholarly books it’s called a deep mountain apricot, which I thought sounded better.”
“Ah! So that’s why the shop’s motif is an apricot blossom, isn’t it?”
“It may not be suitable for eating, but it has quite a fragrance to it. And so I use a liqueur steeped in that fragrance to make the sherbet that was brought out mid-course.”
“So that was what that sweet smell was...”
The coffee was now gone from Dale’s cup, but the conversation showed no signs of ending. And so, he stared at Latina with a look of defeat in his eyes, seeing she was just as absorbed in the discussion as her mentor Kenneth would be.
But still, Latina looked like she was really enjoying herself, so it was perfectly fine.
“In the period between late spring and early summer, mushrooms grow at the base of the deep mountain apricot trees. It’s a type that doesn’t appear around other trees, so only a very small number of them can be harvested. And so, it’s an extravagant ingredient that can only be experienced in the immediate area.”
“Mushrooms...”
“The freshly harvested ones have an especially wonderful aroma. It’s particularly outstanding when the deep mountain apricot wood is lightly roasted along with it, enhancing it further. It’s rather difficult to bring out its best as a chef, though.”
“Ooh...” Latina muttered, looking spellbound as her thoughts were racing.
Her expression would make a minstrel want to write a love ballad, but her thoughts were full of nothing but cooking ingredients, making for a bit of a regrettable situation.
“It’s just that season right now, isn’t it? Can I eat those mushrooms anywhere?”
The head chef had been quite talkative up till now, but he looked a bit uneasy when he heard her question.
“No...”
“Are they already out of season for the year?”
Various elements in the environment could easily shift the harvest period one way or another. And so, Latina had voiced that assumption while looking just a bit disappointed.
To her surprise, though, the chef shook his head.
“This year had a bumper crop with a great flavor, but the deep mountain apricot trees grow near the part of the forest with the spring source, which is closed off. Apparently it’s caused by a magical beast, but by the time that’s resolved, the season will surely have passed.”
With that response, Latina was clearly feeling dejected.
If it was simply impossible, then she probably wouldn’t have felt so down. Like if the season was over, or if there was a poor harvest this year. If it was a reason like that, even if she was disappointed she could just give up on it and move on.
But when there were plenty of them just there but it was hard to get at them, it was hard to bring herself to just give up. It was impossible to tell when they would next visit this town, and there was no guarantee it would be the right season. But it was clear that it wouldn’t be easy to just put it off for the next opportunity.
That was why Latina was feeling so thoroughly down. And yet, she wasn’t the sort to make selfish requests. It was written clearly on her face that she was feeling disappointed, but she wouldn’t bring herself to voice such a request.
As they walked side by side down the path back to the inn, Dale called out to Latina, as she hadn’t really been saying much. His tone wasn’t angry or astounded, but just quiet and gentle.
“Latina, I think you can be more selfish and ask for stuff...”
“Dale?”
The phosphorescent stone gave off a pale light.
Latina’s sorrowful expression was illuminated by that glow, with a strangely beautiful fleeting feel to it.
That wasn’t the expression Dale wanted to see most, though.
“I can work pretty hard for your sake, you know.”
He wasn’t the sort to do charity work, nor did he have any interest in being praised as a hero. But he was prepared to do absolutely anything for the sake of Latina’s smile.
Even taking down demon lords to protect that smile was nothing at all.
“I’ll do anything in my power to see your desires through.”
“Dale...”
In the fairytale-like atmosphere created by the pa
le light from the path, the extraordinary hero took the hand of his princess with her sorrowful face. He urged her on, and eventually she voiced her forbidden request.
“I want to try eating a mushroom...”
Despite the situation being like something out of an epic tale, what Latina said was far from romantic. It was also hard to say that it was fitting to hear coming from a demon lord. If the demon lords defeated by a certain deplorable hero heard that, they would surely turn in their graves.
“Right. You and Vint will have to hold down the fort a bit tomorrow, then,” Dale said, breaking out in a big, happy grin at having finally dragged a request out of his beloved younger wife.
†
A black leather coat, a gauntlet on his left hand, and a longsword hanging from his hip; after putting on that usual equipment, Dale slipped out of the inn in the dead of night. It would have been perfectly fine to take care of it in the early morning too, but he wanted to avoid interfering with Latina’s peaceful sleep. That worried Latina, but Dale had needed far less sleep ever since he’d become a demon. In fact, even going a few days without sleep wouldn’t be a problem.
He had little need for food either, which allowed him to travel quite lightly.
Dale had visited the hot spring source in Affe’s forest once before. Originally he had actually planned to bring Latina there, so he was already plenty well aware of the geography around the place. Though with that said, visibility was obviously poor at this time of night. And so to be on the safe side, he went ahead and weaved his mana even more carefully before entering the forest.
“Oh earth and the spirits dwelling within you, by my name of Dale Reki I order you...”
What Dale chanted was a spell that he used especially frequently even among the Earth magics that he was adept with, and was one for grasping the surrounding geography and the direction he was facing. It was a spell that could even be called his specialty. Now having an intuitive sense of the lay of the land, he moved forward with fully confident steps.
It wasn’t as if Dale knew the state of the forest in detail. But at the very least, he could guess from the vegetation and the like around him.
