The Arturia I rule is a snow-covered region that is inherently difficult for humans to inhabit. My great ancestors paved the way, and by somehow obtaining the rights and excavation of magic crystals and mineral resources, this land became habitable for people. With magic crystals, we can use magic engineering to create heating equipment and mining tools, and build houses. In this way, we were able to avoid the worst-case scenario of freezing to death and allow people to survive. The next challenge was obtaining food. This region is buried in snow year-round. It is extremely difficult to cultivate crops. Hunting animals is also challenging due to the small number of beasts and their ferocity, so securing food was a major issue. We turned our attention to the magic engineering techniques that our ancestors had researched and refined over generations. By focusing on training magic engineers and trading magic crystals, we were able to negotiate on equal terms with other territories and import food. Finally, we achieved a daily life without hunger or cold. At that time, what threatened me was a single kitchen knife.
That day, I had an audience scheduled with the Gungrave Mercenary Group. The Gungrave Mercenary Group. The more I hear about them, the more irritating they become. Last year’s war. They fought on the enemy’s side. At that time, our advantageous war situation was overturned by a single woman. Arius. A magician known as the “Blazing Witch” in the streets. She performed a godlike technique of melting all the snow on the mountains with just one person’s magic. Overwhelming fire magic and a strategy that forced us, who were accustomed to snowy plains, to fight on grasslands. And as soon as it became grassland, which they were familiar with but we were not, they became energized. We had no choice but to retreat. Fortunately, there were no reparations, but the damage did impact our national treasury. This time, they will likely demand that I sell them magic crystals. I’ll show them.
“We have no magic crystals to sell to barbarians like you. Go home.”
I tell Gungrave right off the bat. To them, bowing their heads respectfully in the audience chamber.
“Please reconsider. We need them for our activities. In return…” “Well then. If you give those two women as sex slaves for my son, I’ll sell you some.”
Of course, I have no such intention. I have no intention of selling or hiring them. At most, I’ll just toy with them and send them back.
“Papa, I don’t want to sleep with such potato-smelling women!” “Don’t worry, son. We’ll disinfect them properly with drugs.”
My plump son, Freud. My beloved firstborn, born when I was older, and I’ve given him plenty of knowledge. The only troublesome thing is that he loves eating sweets. He is a dear child to me.
“Lord Fleur, that statement is somewhat lacking in decency. What kind of eyes do you think the surrounding royalty and lords would look at you with if they knew?”
Gungrave criticizes me, but that’s fair. I myself might be caught out by my previous statement. However, I’m confident I won’t be.
“If that’s the case, then we’ll stop selling magic crystals to territories that look at us that way. This territory has enough resources for that.”
Magic crystals spring forth endlessly. The value of this territory is unrivaled in that one point. In terms of both mining quantity and quality, this territory is head and shoulders above the rest. Therefore, territories that trade in magic crystals cannot ignore my words. Nor can they afford to offend me.
“Papa. The woman beside the skinny little girl is fine.” “Hmm, then that woman will do.”
I nodded in agreement with Freud’s words. Indeed, that skinny woman is not my target. The other woman. If I can take Arius, it will serve as a bit of revenge.
“That’s how it is. If you hand over that woman, I’ll sell you half the usual amount at ten times the market price. Not bad, right?”
I couldn’t suppress the smile that formed on my face. Money, women, and pride. I can take all of these from this hateful man. There’s no other way to describe it but delightful.
“Well, that’s that. I’ll settle for that country girl, even if she’s too rural for my son.” “…That is…” “Gungrave…”
Seeing Gungrave’s frustrated face, my self-esteem was somewhat cleared. I can’t hold back my smile. Now, how should I torment him?
Just as I was thinking that, he came out.
“Now, now. Excuse me for a moment.”
A man stood up with a jester-like attitude. He doesn’t have the build of a soldier, but rather a slender man. He has an unusual black hair and eyes, with a somewhat effeminate impression. I don’t know who he is, but this is beyond rudeness!
“What do you want?”
Nevertheless, if I disrupt this situation any further, it will affect the king’s dignity. I ask in a quiet but angry tone.
“I am Shuri, the cook of the Gungrave Mercenary Group. Pardon my rudeness, but may I ask one thing? That enchanting sweets the prince is eating, where did you obtain it?”
What is he talking about all of a sudden? I don’t understand. It’s infuriating, but I’ll respond calmly here.
“…It’s from Nouviche. What about it?” “Oh, I see. Just checking.”
Checking? What did he want to confirm? What does he want to do after hearing it’s from Nouviche? I couldn’t believe my ears at the next words spoken by the man who called himself Shuri.
“Would you allow me to prepare a dish here?”
Cook. He says he wants to cook here. This man did indeed introduce himself as a cook. But what is he thinking, asking to cook here? Besides, although Arturia has low food self-sufficiency, this is the royal castle. It’s natural that we have royal chefs.
“Why should we let a country cook like you prepare our meal?”
Is he saying he can make something more delicious than our royal chefs? Impossible. And it would be disastrous if he poisoned us. Or is he just buying time? While I’m talking with him, is Gungrave formulating a strategy to break this situation? But even Gungrave seems surprised and unable to act. Considering that, is this man acting on his own initiative? I don’t know. I can’t read this carefree man’s true intentions. I can’t grasp the true intentions of this nonchalant man.
“No, no. I’m talking about the prince’s sweets. I’ll transform it into an even more enchanting dish.”
An enchanting dish. The words slipped into my mind. In this land, supremely delicious food has incomparable value. With limited ingredients in this region, dishes crafted with ingenuity are likely no inferior to those of other countries. This man said he would make such a dish using my son’s dessert.
“An enchanting dish, you say?”
So he’s coming with culinary diplomacy. And he’s added the phrase “enchanting dish” to it. I don’t understand the man’s psychology. But I’m interested in this so-called dish.
“Yes, just potatoes, carrots, onions, and meat. That’s all I need. With just these, I’ll make a dish several times more delicious than that sweets.”
These ingredients are foods that can be obtained through trade in our territory. They are all popular and can be purchased by the common people. A dish combining such common ingredients with sweets? …He’s underestimating us. Does he think he can win us over with a slightly eccentric dish, looking down on us as snow country monkeys? Very well. I’ll take you from Gungrave too.
“…Interesting. A meal with chocolate and those ingredients? Go ahead and try. If it’s not delicious, we’ll cut off both your arms.” “By all means. Then, I’ll start cooking.”
However, even with his arms at stake, this man shows not a trace of fear. What’s going on? Is he that confident? As I watch, he takes out some strange paper and begins to cook. He cuts the ingredients into convenient sizes, takes out some strange powder from his pocket, and starts cooking. Poison? I thought so, but no. The smell is different. Poison generally loses its effect when cooked. Even if it retained its poisonous properties after cooking, such poison would at most cause dizziness. In other words, it’s meaningless. And the aroma. What a fragrant smell. It makes my mouth water involuntarily. He adds butter and flour, which he was apparently carrying, to that powder and thickens it. Then he cooks the ingredients in another pot and adds them to the previous pot. He then adds chocolate, stirs it with a ladle, and closes the lid. …I caught a glimpse, but the color is…
“…What is that disgusting colored dish?”
It’s kind of brown. Brown, even after adding all that powder. It’s beyond creepy. However, Shuri shows no sign of concern and remains calm.
“Now, now, please give it a try.” “…Well, alright.”
It seems I can cut off both his arms without even tasting this. Gungrave. The fact that you called this man to this place means he must be a very important person. I’ll take both arms of that man here. However, the moment Shuri opened the lid, that thought flew away somewhere.
“This is…”
Not just me and my son, but even Gungrave and his people behind us couldn’t move. It’s amazing. The aroma is amazing. Multiple seasonings combined to create an enchanting aroma that enveloped the audience chamber. This aroma has probably spread to even the corners of the room by now. That’s how powerfully the scent hit us. But there’s no unpleasantness at all. Even though I haven’t eaten it yet, my taste buds are going wild. Just smelling it makes my mouth water uncontrollably.
“Please, help yourself.” “Hmm, well…”
I want to eat it. That enchanting dish. Served on a plate, it’s brown but colored with the red of carrots and the yellow of potatoes. Looking closely, it’s not just brown. It’s the appearance of various seasonings mixed together in perfect proportions and appropriate temperature control. Forgetting even to test for poison, I brought the soup to my mouth.
“This is…?!”
What a taste this is. It’s sweet. It’s sweet indeed. But it’s not just sweetness. It’s spicy and sweet. These two seemingly contradictory tastes. This is a sweetness where the sweetness of honey is perfectly harmonized with the spiciness of spices. If you taste it carefully, the main component is spiciness. But it’s not an unpleasant, tongue-burning spiciness. A moderate stimulation. And a unique texture that gently envelops the whole mouth. When you bring it to your mouth with the ingredients, the soup clinging to those ingredients transforms them into supreme ingredients. The meat, the carrots, the potatoes. All of them turn into wonderful ingredients like I’ve never tasted before. I can’t stop my spoon. Such deliciousness. I’ve never tasted anything like it!
“That’s right. My kitchen knife skills aren’t too shabby, are they?”
When I saw the kitchen knife Shuri showed, my blood ran cold.
It bears the crest of the Nouviche royal family.
Only those of state guest caliber or those who are close to the royal family are allowed to possess items bearing this crest. In other words, it shows that Shuri’s skills have been recognized by the Nouviche royal family, and that he is close to the royalty. It reveals a certain fact about our Arturia territory.
That we have insulted a mercenary group that is on good terms with the Nouviche royal family.
There are many countries that can be looked down upon in relation to magic crystals in our Arturia territory. In this era, you can’t win wars without possessing many magic crystals. They are essential for both magic engineering and magic. Some territories even use them to produce weapons and armor for infantry units, so the demand never ceases. There are countless trading partners.
But Nouviche is different.
That country possesses a sacred forest. That forest holds vast resources, and magic crystals have been discovered there as well. It’s a unique territory where mana easily accumulates. And like our territory, it can be extracted infinitely. And in terms of food production, they are head and shoulders above other territories. Moreover, they are our main food importing country. They are a trading partner with whom we can barely maintain trade based on quality, as the advantage of magic crystals doesn’t apply. In terms of standing, we are lower than them. Nouviche is the only one we can’t pick a fight with.
“Ugh…!!”
Perhaps he checked the chocolate at that time to make us re-recognize this fact. Did he already know that we have connections with Nouviche and that our position is weak? Is this dish perhaps related to the Nouviche royal family in some way? I can’t stop my spoon. It’s too delicious to stop. But if I don’t stop, it will show weakness to Nouviche. If that happens, Nouviche might take some sort of action in the worst case.
“Please, prince, you too.” “Mmm!”
However, my son doesn’t seem to have such thoughts and happily accepts the plate offered to him. You should stubbornly refuse here!
“It’s delicious! I never knew chocolate could become so tasty!” “Thank you very much.” “Papa, I want this cook more than that woman!” “T-That’s…”
This stupid son! Taking the worst possible action! If our country, which depends on food supply through trade with Nouviche, tries to recruit a man that Nouviche has their hands on, who knows what might happen! We need to make a move before they take some kind of action from their side.
“You can make this by combining this powder with chocolate. I’d be happy to give it to you.” “Really?!” “In exchange, we’d like some magic crystals.” “Papa!” “B-Be quiet! …What’s your real purpose?”
Objective, in the end I don’t understand that. I need to know what this man is trying to do by taking advantage of the relationship between Arturia and Nouviche. I can hardly believe it’s just aiming for magic crystals. Damn, this soup is too delicious for my head to work properly. What a devilish soup. To think it would render me this helpless…!
“As I said, we want magic crystals. Please sell them to us at the market price.”
Magic crystals at the market price. This man. To use words like “the appropriate price for magic crystals traded in the market”. To hide “You’re going to cut us some slack because we’re keeping quiet about your blunder, right?” Damn. It’s no use. I have no choice but to make one last desperate move.
“…Fine. In exchange, forget about my son trying to recruit you.”
I must erase even the fact that he was recruited. Without that, this situation can be explained away as just a dispute over magic crystal negotiations. We should be able to somehow deal with the disrespect shown to the Nouviche associate. So I must focus on erasing just this fact. If I don’t, ruin awaits us.
“Sure, that’s fine.”
However, Shuri agreed more easily than expected. As if he didn’t understand the intention behind this request.
Here, I realized that I was the one who didn’t understand.
This man is still a member of the Gungrave Mercenary Group. His objective is nothing like dealing a blow to our country. He simply wants magic crystals. Showing the knife, drawing out my slip of the tongue. It was all just a pose to make this negotiation advantageous. My position, the country’s position, and Shuri’s position. Taking advantage of these three different relationships, sometimes hiding, sometimes deceiving. Was he laying the groundwork to outsmart me!
After Gungrave and his group left, I felt so frustrated I wanted to hold my head in my hands. In the end, I was simply tricked into selling magic crystals. Even though we had the upper hand. Where did it get turned around? It’s obvious. That jester-like man. The existence called Shuri. Probably, the reason why the Gungrave Mercenary Group has grown this big is not simply because their captain-class members have become stronger. It’s likely because they have Shuri, a strategist and cook. With that level of negotiation skills and quick wit, knowledge and skills in cooking. It’s easy to predict that they’ve overcome difficult situations with these. Indeed, with such a cook, even Nouviche would want to secure him. Perhaps because Nouviche is rich in food, their cooking techniques are also high. A man who the Nouviche royal family, who have tasted all sorts of delicacies, went so far as to engrave their crest on a knife and hand it over, effectively claiming him. Indeed, a man worthy of that evaluation. However, what’s puzzling is that Shuri, despite receiving such favorable treatment, refuses recruitment. What exactly is he thinking, humbling himself in a mercenary group?
“…Perhaps an investigation is necessary.”
We don’t know when he might bare his fangs at Arturia again. We must investigate that man.
“Lord Fleur! This is terrible!” “What’s all this noise? I’m trying to think.” “A pigeon has arrived from Nouviche about revising our trade agreement!” “What?! What does it say?” “It just says, ‘Regarding the unjust contact and recruitment attempt of Shuri Azuma, who is on good terms with our country. We will take the form of trade sanctions.’“
The information is too fast! Why? How did they find out?!
“Could it be a spy?!” “Y-Yes. It seems one person from the guard unit has vanished without a trace!”
We’ve been had! Since this is our fault, we must make an explanation. And that explanation will likely require a lot of magic crystals. Moreover, it will be proof that our future fate is now in their hands.
Afterwards, Lady Tevis, known as the “Gourmet Princess,” came directly to negotiate with us. During those negotiations, the princess brought up: “Sanctions for unjust recruitment attempts” and “Insults against a person close to the royal family.” If we refuse here, our food trade won’t hold up. In the end, we had no choice but to pay a large amount of magic crystals and compensation.
This scene would later be described in many books and plays. A dramatic work about the tumultuous early days of Emperor Gungrave and Empress Arius. It becomes an action-packed drama where, despite being treated unfairly and having Empress Arius taken away, they use quick wit, wisdom, and courage to take back the woman he loves. This story is told in many forms and interpretations, becoming popular among women in later generations. However, the correct historical recognition of the quick wit of “Food King” Shuri Azuma is never mentioned in this story. That’s because Shuri Azuma appears from a different perspective. Emperor Gungrave, devastated after having Empress Arius taken away. At the point where Emperor Gungrave is depressed, Shuri Azuma appears and slaps him on the cheek. It changed to a scene where he scolds him, saying, “Can’t you risk your life for the woman you love?” By the way, when Emperor Gungrave and Shuri Azuma saw this play, they reportedly writhed in embarrassment at a drinking party.
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Chapter 21
The Arturia I rule is a snow-covered region that is inherently difficult for humans to inhabit.
My great ancestors paved the way, and by somehow obtaining the rights and excavation of magic crystals and mineral resources, this land became habitable for people. With magic crystals, we can use magic engineering to create heating equipment and mining tools, and build houses.
In this way, we were able to avoid the worst-case scenario of freezing to death and allow people to survive. The next challenge was obtaining food.
This region is buried in snow year-round. It is extremely difficult to cultivate crops. Hunting animals is also challenging due to the small number of beasts and their ferocity, so securing food was a major issue.
We turned our attention to the magic engineering techniques that our ancestors had researched and refined over generations.
By focusing on training magic engineers and trading magic crystals, we were able to negotiate on equal terms with other territories and import food.
Finally, we achieved a daily life without hunger or cold.
At that time, what threatened me was a single kitchen knife.
That day, I had an audience scheduled with the Gungrave Mercenary Group.
The Gungrave Mercenary Group. The more I hear about them, the more irritating they become.
Last year’s war. They fought on the enemy’s side.
At that time, our advantageous war situation was overturned by a single woman.
Arius. A magician known as the “Blazing Witch” in the streets.
She performed a godlike technique of melting all the snow on the mountains with just one person’s magic.
Overwhelming fire magic and a strategy that forced us, who were accustomed to snowy plains, to fight on grasslands.
And as soon as it became grassland, which they were familiar with but we were not, they became energized.
We had no choice but to retreat.
Fortunately, there were no reparations, but the damage did impact our national treasury.
This time, they will likely demand that I sell them magic crystals.
I’ll show them.
“We have no magic crystals to sell to barbarians like you. Go home.”
I tell Gungrave right off the bat.
To them, bowing their heads respectfully in the audience chamber.
“Please reconsider. We need them for our activities. In return…”
“Well then. If you give those two women as sex slaves for my son, I’ll sell you some.”
Of course, I have no such intention.
I have no intention of selling or hiring them.
At most, I’ll just toy with them and send them back.
“Papa, I don’t want to sleep with such potato-smelling women!”
“Don’t worry, son. We’ll disinfect them properly with drugs.”
My plump son, Freud.
My beloved firstborn, born when I was older, and I’ve given him plenty of knowledge.
The only troublesome thing is that he loves eating sweets.
He is a dear child to me.
“Lord Fleur, that statement is somewhat lacking in decency. What kind of eyes do you think the surrounding royalty and lords would look at you with if they knew?”
Gungrave criticizes me, but that’s fair.
I myself might be caught out by my previous statement.
However, I’m confident I won’t be.
“If that’s the case, then we’ll stop selling magic crystals to territories that look at us that way.
This territory has enough resources for that.”
Magic crystals spring forth endlessly.
The value of this territory is unrivaled in that one point.
In terms of both mining quantity and quality, this territory is head and shoulders above the rest.
Therefore, territories that trade in magic crystals cannot ignore my words.
Nor can they afford to offend me.
“Papa. The woman beside the skinny little girl is fine.”
“Hmm, then that woman will do.”
I nodded in agreement with Freud’s words.
Indeed, that skinny woman is not my target.
The other woman.
If I can take Arius, it will serve as a bit of revenge.
“That’s how it is. If you hand over that woman, I’ll sell you half the usual amount at ten times the market price. Not bad, right?”
I couldn’t suppress the smile that formed on my face.
Money, women, and pride.
I can take all of these from this hateful man.
There’s no other way to describe it but delightful.
“Well, that’s that. I’ll settle for that country girl, even if she’s too rural for my son.”
“…That is…”
“Gungrave…”
Seeing Gungrave’s frustrated face, my self-esteem was somewhat cleared.
I can’t hold back my smile.
Now, how should I torment him?
Just as I was thinking that, he came out.
“Now, now. Excuse me for a moment.”
A man stood up with a jester-like attitude.
He doesn’t have the build of a soldier, but rather a slender man. He has an unusual black hair and eyes, with a somewhat effeminate impression.
I don’t know who he is, but this is beyond rudeness!
“What do you want?”
Nevertheless, if I disrupt this situation any further, it will affect the king’s dignity.
I ask in a quiet but angry tone.
“I am Shuri, the cook of the Gungrave Mercenary Group.
Pardon my rudeness, but may I ask one thing?
That enchanting sweets the prince is eating, where did you obtain it?”
What is he talking about all of a sudden?
I don’t understand. It’s infuriating, but I’ll respond calmly here.
“…It’s from Nouviche. What about it?”
“Oh, I see. Just checking.”
Checking?
What did he want to confirm? What does he want to do after hearing it’s from Nouviche?
I couldn’t believe my ears at the next words spoken by the man who called himself Shuri.
“Would you allow me to prepare a dish here?”
Cook.
He says he wants to cook here.
This man did indeed introduce himself as a cook.
But what is he thinking, asking to cook here?
Besides, although Arturia has low food self-sufficiency, this is the royal castle.
It’s natural that we have royal chefs.
“Why should we let a country cook like you prepare our meal?”
Is he saying he can make something more delicious than our royal chefs?
Impossible. And it would be disastrous if he poisoned us.
Or is he just buying time?
While I’m talking with him, is Gungrave formulating a strategy to break this situation?
But even Gungrave seems surprised and unable to act.
Considering that, is this man acting on his own initiative?
I don’t know. I can’t read this carefree man’s true intentions.
I can’t grasp the true intentions of this nonchalant man.
“No, no. I’m talking about the prince’s sweets.
I’ll transform it into an even more enchanting dish.”
An enchanting dish.
The words slipped into my mind.
In this land, supremely delicious food has incomparable value.
With limited ingredients in this region, dishes crafted with ingenuity are likely no inferior to those of other countries.
This man said he would make such a dish using my son’s dessert.
“An enchanting dish, you say?”
So he’s coming with culinary diplomacy.
And he’s added the phrase “enchanting dish” to it.
I don’t understand the man’s psychology.
But I’m interested in this so-called dish.
“Yes, just potatoes, carrots, onions, and meat. That’s all I need.
With just these, I’ll make a dish several times more delicious than that sweets.”
These ingredients are foods that can be obtained through trade in our territory.
They are all popular and can be purchased by the common people.
A dish combining such common ingredients with sweets?
…He’s underestimating us.
Does he think he can win us over with a slightly eccentric dish, looking down on us as snow country monkeys?
Very well. I’ll take you from Gungrave too.
“…Interesting. A meal with chocolate and those ingredients? Go ahead and try.
If it’s not delicious, we’ll cut off both your arms.”
“By all means. Then, I’ll start cooking.”
However, even with his arms at stake, this man shows not a trace of fear.
What’s going on? Is he that confident?
As I watch, he takes out some strange paper and begins to cook.
He cuts the ingredients into convenient sizes, takes out some strange powder from his pocket, and starts cooking.
Poison? I thought so, but no. The smell is different.
Poison generally loses its effect when cooked. Even if it retained its poisonous properties after cooking, such poison would at most cause dizziness. In other words, it’s meaningless.
And the aroma. What a fragrant smell. It makes my mouth water involuntarily.
He adds butter and flour, which he was apparently carrying, to that powder and thickens it.
Then he cooks the ingredients in another pot and adds them to the previous pot.
He then adds chocolate, stirs it with a ladle, and closes the lid.
…I caught a glimpse, but the color is…
“…What is that disgusting colored dish?”
It’s kind of brown.
Brown, even after adding all that powder.
It’s beyond creepy.
However, Shuri shows no sign of concern and remains calm.
“Now, now, please give it a try.”
“…Well, alright.”
It seems I can cut off both his arms without even tasting this.
Gungrave. The fact that you called this man to this place means he must be a very important person.
I’ll take both arms of that man here.
However, the moment Shuri opened the lid, that thought flew away somewhere.
“This is…”
Not just me and my son, but even Gungrave and his people behind us couldn’t move.
It’s amazing. The aroma is amazing.
Multiple seasonings combined to create an enchanting aroma that enveloped the audience chamber.
This aroma has probably spread to even the corners of the room by now. That’s how powerfully the scent hit us.
But there’s no unpleasantness at all.
Even though I haven’t eaten it yet, my taste buds are going wild.
Just smelling it makes my mouth water uncontrollably.
“Please, help yourself.”
“Hmm, well…”
I want to eat it. That enchanting dish.
Served on a plate, it’s brown but colored with the red of carrots and the yellow of potatoes.
Looking closely, it’s not just brown.
It’s the appearance of various seasonings mixed together in perfect proportions and appropriate temperature control.
Forgetting even to test for poison, I brought the soup to my mouth.
“This is…?!”
What a taste this is.
It’s sweet. It’s sweet indeed.
But it’s not just sweetness. It’s spicy and sweet.
These two seemingly contradictory tastes. This is a sweetness where the sweetness of honey is perfectly harmonized with the spiciness of spices.
If you taste it carefully, the main component is spiciness.
But it’s not an unpleasant, tongue-burning spiciness.
A moderate stimulation. And a unique texture that gently envelops the whole mouth.
When you bring it to your mouth with the ingredients, the soup clinging to those ingredients transforms them into supreme ingredients.
The meat, the carrots, the potatoes.
All of them turn into wonderful ingredients like I’ve never tasted before.
I can’t stop my spoon.
Such deliciousness. I’ve never tasted anything like it!
“That’s right. My kitchen knife skills aren’t too shabby, are they?”
When I saw the kitchen knife Shuri showed, my blood ran cold.
It bears the crest of the Nouviche royal family.
Only those of state guest caliber or those who are close to the royal family are allowed to possess items bearing this crest.
In other words, it shows that Shuri’s skills have been recognized by the Nouviche royal family, and that he is close to the royalty.
It reveals a certain fact about our Arturia territory.
That we have insulted a mercenary group that is on good terms with the Nouviche royal family.
There are many countries that can be looked down upon in relation to magic crystals in our Arturia territory. In this era, you can’t win wars without possessing many magic crystals.
They are essential for both magic engineering and magic. Some territories even use them to produce weapons and armor for infantry units, so the demand never ceases. There are countless trading partners.
But Nouviche is different.
That country possesses a sacred forest.
That forest holds vast resources, and magic crystals have been discovered there as well.
It’s a unique territory where mana easily accumulates. And like our territory, it can be extracted infinitely.
And in terms of food production, they are head and shoulders above other territories.
Moreover, they are our main food importing country.
They are a trading partner with whom we can barely maintain trade based on quality, as the advantage of magic crystals doesn’t apply.
In terms of standing, we are lower than them.
Nouviche is the only one we can’t pick a fight with.
“Ugh…!!”
Perhaps he checked the chocolate at that time to make us re-recognize this fact.
Did he already know that we have connections with Nouviche and that our position is weak?
Is this dish perhaps related to the Nouviche royal family in some way?
I can’t stop my spoon. It’s too delicious to stop.
But if I don’t stop, it will show weakness to Nouviche.
If that happens, Nouviche might take some sort of action in the worst case.
“Please, prince, you too.”
“Mmm!”
However, my son doesn’t seem to have such thoughts and happily accepts the plate offered to him.
You should stubbornly refuse here!
“It’s delicious! I never knew chocolate could become so tasty!”
“Thank you very much.”
“Papa, I want this cook more than that woman!”
“T-That’s…”
This stupid son! Taking the worst possible action!
If our country, which depends on food supply through trade with Nouviche, tries to recruit a man that Nouviche has their hands on, who knows what might happen!
We need to make a move before they take some kind of action from their side.
“You can make this by combining this powder with chocolate. I’d be happy to give it to you.”
“Really?!”
“In exchange, we’d like some magic crystals.”
“Papa!”
“B-Be quiet!
…What’s your real purpose?”
Objective, in the end I don’t understand that.
I need to know what this man is trying to do by taking advantage of the relationship between Arturia and Nouviche.
I can hardly believe it’s just aiming for magic crystals.
Damn, this soup is too delicious for my head to work properly.
What a devilish soup.
To think it would render me this helpless…!
“As I said, we want magic crystals.
Please sell them to us at the market price.”
Magic crystals at the market price.
This man. To use words like “the appropriate price for magic crystals traded in the market”.
To hide “You’re going to cut us some slack because we’re keeping quiet about your blunder, right?”
Damn. It’s no use.
I have no choice but to make one last desperate move.
“…Fine.
In exchange, forget about my son trying to recruit you.”
I must erase even the fact that he was recruited.
Without that, this situation can be explained away as just a dispute over magic crystal negotiations.
We should be able to somehow deal with the disrespect shown to the Nouviche associate.
So I must focus on erasing just this fact.
If I don’t, ruin awaits us.
“Sure, that’s fine.”
However, Shuri agreed more easily than expected.
As if he didn’t understand the intention behind this request.
Here, I realized that I was the one who didn’t understand.
This man is still a member of the Gungrave Mercenary Group.
His objective is nothing like dealing a blow to our country.
He simply wants magic crystals.
Showing the knife, drawing out my slip of the tongue.
It was all just a pose to make this negotiation advantageous.
My position, the country’s position, and Shuri’s position.
Taking advantage of these three different relationships, sometimes hiding, sometimes deceiving.
Was he laying the groundwork to outsmart me!
After Gungrave and his group left, I felt so frustrated I wanted to hold my head in my hands.
In the end, I was simply tricked into selling magic crystals.
Even though we had the upper hand.
Where did it get turned around?
It’s obvious. That jester-like man.
The existence called Shuri.
Probably, the reason why the Gungrave Mercenary Group has grown this big is not simply because their captain-class members have become stronger.
It’s likely because they have Shuri, a strategist and cook.
With that level of negotiation skills and quick wit, knowledge and skills in cooking.
It’s easy to predict that they’ve overcome difficult situations with these.
Indeed, with such a cook, even Nouviche would want to secure him.
Perhaps because Nouviche is rich in food, their cooking techniques are also high.
A man who the Nouviche royal family, who have tasted all sorts of delicacies, went so far as to engrave their crest on a knife and hand it over, effectively claiming him.
Indeed, a man worthy of that evaluation.
However, what’s puzzling is that Shuri, despite receiving such favorable treatment, refuses recruitment.
What exactly is he thinking, humbling himself in a mercenary group?
“…Perhaps an investigation is necessary.”
We don’t know when he might bare his fangs at Arturia again.
We must investigate that man.
“Lord Fleur! This is terrible!”
“What’s all this noise? I’m trying to think.”
“A pigeon has arrived from Nouviche about revising our trade agreement!”
“What?! What does it say?”
“It just says, ‘Regarding the unjust contact and recruitment attempt of Shuri Azuma, who is on good terms with our country. We will take the form of trade sanctions.’“
The information is too fast!
Why? How did they find out?!
“Could it be a spy?!”
“Y-Yes. It seems one person from the guard unit has vanished without a trace!”
We’ve been had!
Since this is our fault, we must make an explanation.
And that explanation will likely require a lot of magic crystals.
Moreover, it will be proof that our future fate is now in their hands.
Afterwards, Lady Tevis, known as the “Gourmet Princess,” came directly to negotiate with us.
During those negotiations, the princess brought up:
“Sanctions for unjust recruitment attempts” and “Insults against a person close to the royal family.”
If we refuse here, our food trade won’t hold up.
In the end, we had no choice but to pay a large amount of magic crystals and compensation.
This scene would later be described in many books and plays.
A dramatic work about the tumultuous early days of Emperor Gungrave and Empress Arius.
It becomes an action-packed drama where, despite being treated unfairly and having Empress Arius taken away, they use quick wit, wisdom, and courage to take back the woman he loves.
This story is told in many forms and interpretations, becoming popular among women in later generations.
However, the correct historical recognition of the quick wit of “Food King” Shuri Azuma is never mentioned in this story.
That’s because Shuri Azuma appears from a different perspective.
Emperor Gungrave, devastated after having Empress Arius taken away.
At the point where Emperor Gungrave is depressed, Shuri Azuma appears and slaps him on the cheek.
It changed to a scene where he scolds him, saying, “Can’t you risk your life for the woman you love?”
By the way, when Emperor Gungrave and Shuri Azuma saw this play, they reportedly writhed in embarrassment at a drinking party.
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