The Key to Prison Life is Enduring the Cold Simply put, the basement of a medieval building without heating or cooling becomes extremely cold. Due to its structure, with little sunlight reaching it, there are very few means or environments to get warm. In other words, you start craving something warm to eat.
It’s Shuri here, reporting from prison. It’s been a week since my prison life began. The meals are simple. There’s no entertainment. I’m bored out of my mind. I’ve become somewhat friendly with the guard, Garn Labor, recently. He seems to have taken a liking to the steamed clams in sake I made, and has been secretly asking me to make them more often. It seems he has some worries, as he sometimes shows a troubled expression.
“Huh? Food shortage?”
Garn nods.
“Yeah. We won the war, but now there’s a political struggle happening inside the castle. It’s mainly about how to deal with you.” “Me?” “The struggle has split into two main factions. The Introspective Faction, led by the First Prince, opposes killing you. They don’t want to make enemies of the Gungrave Mercenary Group, and they’re devising a plan to win you over since you can make the lord’s favorite dishes. The Military Faction, led by the Second Prince, thinks you should be killed. The main reason is your disrespect towards the lord. Plus, they can’t forgive you for knocking over the wine glasses that the Second Prince gave to the First Prince and the lord as birthday gifts.” “How does that connect to the food shortage?” “Well, it’s about each faction hoarding food supplies, or rather, occupying financial resources. As a result, wheat and money in the domain have become concentrated among the factions, leading to a food shortage.”
How ridiculous. At this point, I almost wish they’d just kill me.
“Don’t look so depressed.”
Garn says, looking at me.
“Listen, you’re more of a victim here. I haven’t been told the details of why you were captured. But when I eat the food you make, I can tell how much you care about others through your cooking. Just endure for now.” “…Alright. Oh, by the way.”
I decide to ask about something that’s been bothering me.
“What happened to the Gungrave Mercenary Group…?”
Garn’s face darkens.
“…I can’t tell you that.”
He takes a potato out of a bag and starts gnawing on it. Is that a steamed potato?
“I’ve been strictly ordered from above not to tell you anything about the Gungrave Mercenary Group. Don’t ask about it now.” “I see.”
I feel a bit down. No, no, I shouldn’t get gloomy. That’s not like me.
“By the way, is that a steamed potato?” “Yeah. With the recent food distribution problems, this is all we’ve got. Damn, just steamed potatoes are so tasteless.” “It doesn’t have to be that way.”
Plain boiled potatoes are indeed bland.
“Do you have any butter?” “Huh? Butter? Well, yeah, we do.” “Can I have some?”
Butter and potatoes. This calls for buttered potatoes! I prepare a stove and pot, and start cooking. I pour a cup of water into the pot and bring it to a boil, then add the potatoes and cover with a lid. Ideally, high pressure would be best, but without a pressure cooker, we’ll have to make do. Once they’re nice and fluffy, I take them out and spread butter on them. It’s ready.
“Here you go.” “Oh, wow. It’s strange. Your potatoes smell so much better than regular steamed ones.” “Try it and you’ll see.”
Garn takes a bite of the buttered potato, and a smile spreads across his face.
“I see. Such a simple trick can make potatoes so delicious.” “If we had some oil, I could make even more interesting and tasty dishes. Something that goes well with alcohol, but also keeps you from drinking too much.”
At those words, Garn’s face fills with astonishment.
“Excessive drinking. I can smell the alcohol from here. Constantly yellow complexion, lethargic body. Getting out of breath from climbing stairs. These are all symptoms of excessive drinking. Soon, you might experience vomiting blood and numbness in your limbs. Quitting cold turkey is impossible. But if you can distract your cravings with substitutes and avoid drinking, you should be able to manage. What I mentioned are all early symptoms. If you control it now, I can promise you’ll live longer.”
Garn is probably on the verge of alcoholism. But if he starts cutting back or quitting now, there’s a chance he can turn things around. I’m not a doctor, so I can’t guarantee anything, though.
“…Who are you?” “Just a cook. I know about the body through cooking, that’s all.”
That’s a lie, actually. I just saw something like this on a TV special back on Earth. But Garn doesn’t know that, so he’s just amazed.
“I understand. So I need to cut back on drinking, right?” “Before that, is something troubling you? I’m sorry if this is too personal, but people usually turn to alcohol when something’s really bothering them. Or if they just love drinking too much. You don’t seem like you actually enjoy it that much, Garn.” “…Well, there’s some family stuff. It’s complicated. I’d rather not…” “That’s fine, you don’t have to say more. I’ve only known you for a week, Garn. I understand there are things you can’t talk about.” “…Sorry about that.”
As Garn says this with a bitter smile, He looks somewhat burdened, as if carrying some inner darkness.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Chapter 25
The Key to Prison Life is Enduring the Cold
Simply put, the basement of a medieval building without heating or cooling becomes extremely cold.
Due to its structure, with little sunlight reaching it, there are very few means or environments to get warm.
In other words, you start craving something warm to eat.
It’s Shuri here, reporting from prison.
It’s been a week since my prison life began. The meals are simple. There’s no entertainment. I’m bored out of my mind.
I’ve become somewhat friendly with the guard, Garn Labor, recently.
He seems to have taken a liking to the steamed clams in sake I made, and has been secretly asking me to make them more often.
It seems he has some worries, as he sometimes shows a troubled expression.
“Huh? Food shortage?”
Garn nods.
“Yeah. We won the war, but now there’s a political struggle happening inside the castle.
It’s mainly about how to deal with you.”
“Me?”
“The struggle has split into two main factions.
The Introspective Faction, led by the First Prince, opposes killing you.
They don’t want to make enemies of the Gungrave Mercenary Group, and they’re devising a plan to win you over since you can make the lord’s favorite dishes.
The Military Faction, led by the Second Prince, thinks you should be killed.
The main reason is your disrespect towards the lord. Plus, they can’t forgive you for knocking over the wine glasses that the Second Prince gave to the First Prince and the lord as birthday gifts.”
“How does that connect to the food shortage?”
“Well, it’s about each faction hoarding food supplies, or rather, occupying financial resources.
As a result, wheat and money in the domain have become concentrated among the factions, leading to a food shortage.”
How ridiculous.
At this point, I almost wish they’d just kill me.
“Don’t look so depressed.”
Garn says, looking at me.
“Listen, you’re more of a victim here.
I haven’t been told the details of why you were captured.
But when I eat the food you make, I can tell how much you care about others through your cooking.
Just endure for now.”
“…Alright. Oh, by the way.”
I decide to ask about something that’s been bothering me.
“What happened to the Gungrave Mercenary Group…?”
Garn’s face darkens.
“…I can’t tell you that.”
He takes a potato out of a bag and starts gnawing on it.
Is that a steamed potato?
“I’ve been strictly ordered from above not to tell you anything about the Gungrave Mercenary Group.
Don’t ask about it now.”
“I see.”
I feel a bit down.
No, no, I shouldn’t get gloomy. That’s not like me.
“By the way, is that a steamed potato?”
“Yeah. With the recent food distribution problems, this is all we’ve got.
Damn, just steamed potatoes are so tasteless.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
Plain boiled potatoes are indeed bland.
“Do you have any butter?”
“Huh? Butter? Well, yeah, we do.”
“Can I have some?”
Butter and potatoes.
This calls for buttered potatoes!
I prepare a stove and pot, and start cooking.
I pour a cup of water into the pot and bring it to a boil, then add the potatoes and cover with a lid.
Ideally, high pressure would be best, but without a pressure cooker, we’ll have to make do.
Once they’re nice and fluffy, I take them out and spread butter on them. It’s ready.
“Here you go.”
“Oh, wow.
It’s strange. Your potatoes smell so much better than regular steamed ones.”
“Try it and you’ll see.”
Garn takes a bite of the buttered potato, and a smile spreads across his face.
“I see. Such a simple trick can make potatoes so delicious.”
“If we had some oil, I could make even more interesting and tasty dishes.
Something that goes well with alcohol, but also keeps you from drinking too much.”
At those words, Garn’s face fills with astonishment.
“Excessive drinking. I can smell the alcohol from here.
Constantly yellow complexion, lethargic body. Getting out of breath from climbing stairs.
These are all symptoms of excessive drinking. Soon, you might experience vomiting blood and numbness in your limbs.
Quitting cold turkey is impossible. But if you can distract your cravings with substitutes and avoid drinking, you should be able to manage. What I mentioned are all early symptoms.
If you control it now, I can promise you’ll live longer.”
Garn is probably on the verge of alcoholism.
But if he starts cutting back or quitting now, there’s a chance he can turn things around.
I’m not a doctor, so I can’t guarantee anything, though.
“…Who are you?”
“Just a cook. I know about the body through cooking, that’s all.”
That’s a lie, actually. I just saw something like this on a TV special back on Earth.
But Garn doesn’t know that, so he’s just amazed.
“I understand. So I need to cut back on drinking, right?”
“Before that, is something troubling you?
I’m sorry if this is too personal, but people usually turn to alcohol when something’s really bothering them.
Or if they just love drinking too much.
You don’t seem like you actually enjoy it that much, Garn.”
“…Well, there’s some family stuff. It’s complicated. I’d rather not…”
“That’s fine, you don’t have to say more. I’ve only known you for a week, Garn.
I understand there are things you can’t talk about.”
“…Sorry about that.”
As Garn says this with a bitter smile,
He looks somewhat burdened, as if carrying some inner darkness.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
<< Table of Contents >>