Chapter 160 – Bear-san Is Going To Open A Shop At The Capital?
Zelef-san managed to make it to us, even though his running speed was slow. I noticed Anju-san walking right behind him, keeping up with his speed. This had often happened in anime and manga, but it was my first time seeing it in person. Wouldn’t it have been better if he just walked as well?
「Zelef, did something happen?」
The king asked Zelef-san when he finally reached us.
「Your Majesty, Your Highness, you’re both here?」
「Yes, I’m taking a breather from work.」
You did that every time I was here, ditching work to find me.
Well, at least that was what I came to believe. Did anybody even check in on him? In this kind of a world, shouldn’t there be an old man like a prime minister standing beside the king and scolding him? Probably someone who had to take stomach medicine to stop it aching from all the stress this king’s actions were causing him?
Well, if such a person had existed, he would have been here right now.
「So, what is it? This is the first time I have seen you actually run.」
Could we even call that running? It was of the same speed as Anju-san’s walking.
See, Anju-san was already tending to the queen and Princess Flora.
「I apologize for showing you such an embarrassing sight. I rushed here because I wanted to know more about the new recipe Yuna-dono just let me taste.」
He answered and scratched his head in embarrassment.
「It was pretty tasty, wasn’t it?」
「Yes, it was, and since I wanted to know what it was, I ran here despite my old age.」
Despite his old age? He seemed to be in his thirties, no more. Also, I didn’t think that his age was the reason for his slow running. He would do much better if he exercised more and got rid of his bulging stomach.
Zelef-san looked my way, not realizing what was going through my head.
「Yuna-dono, it’s been a while. As usual, I would like to thank you for letting me taste your new food.」
「How have you been, Zelef-san? Oh right, I’m sorry for always giving you trouble when you are already preparing meals for the royal family.」
「I certainly did feel that way at the beginning, but now, I look forward to your cooking. As a chef, your food motivates me to improve myself. Thanks to you, I understand that cooking has no limits.」
He was exaggerating….
Well, it was food from another world, so it might make sense for him to see it that way?
「Well then, Yuna-dono, what was the thing that you let me taste today?!」
Zelef-san asked while stepping a bit closer to me.
Even though I shouldn’t be able to feel hot because of my Bear Suit, I could sense the heat coming from his body. I nudged my chair away from him a bit before answering.
「It’s called cake. It’s similar to the pancakes I had brought over before.」
How many times had I said this by now?
Well, it couldn’t really be helped since it was the only way I could explain it.
「I get that part, but what was that sweet white stuff?」
「Oh, whipped cream?」
「It’s called whipped cream? It was very delicious.」
「Well, it’s still in the trial stage, so it needs some more fine tuning. Also, if you mix different things with whipped cream, you can get all sorts of flavors.」
Making a blueberry or a strawberry mousse might be a good idea in the future.
What I really wanted to make was a chocolate mousse, though. Even if I was able to get my hands on cacao, I wouldn’t be able to make chocolate. Maybe they sold chocolate in some other regions?
If I managed to procure it, the amount of sweets I could make would increase significantly. I really missed the days in Japan when I had played games while eating chocolate and drinking juice.
「So, how did you like the cake? Was it too sweet for you?」
「No, not at all. It was very delicious.」
「There’s still some left; would you like some more?」
They had already finished the one I had brought out on the table, but I had another one in my Bear Box.
「I wouldn’t mind another slice if it really isn’t a problem, but I came here for another reason.」
Zelef-san sounded a bit awkward.
「Why did you come, then?」
「I was wondering if it’s possible for you to teach me how to make it. I won’t reveal the recipe to anybody else, of course. As a chef, I want to know more about this mysterious texture and flavor. I do realize it must have took you a lot of time to create such an amazing recipe. It’s embarrassing for me to ask you to reveal it, and I understand if you don’t want to share it, but…」
Well, it had taken a bit of an effort to reinvent the recipe since I hadn’t known the ingredient ratios to make the right mixture.
「Zelef, I believe you promised not to ask Yuna about her cooking methods again.」
「Yes, but as a chef, I just have to know it. I couldn’t even imagine the concept behind something like that myself, and that makes my soul ache…」
「Yuna already showed you how to make things like pudding and pizza, didn’t she?」
「She did, and I apologize, but…」
Zelef-san’s voice trailed off, and he lowered his head as the king scolded him.