Even after getting better, the busyness doesn’t change. But I’m able to work more enthusiastically than before. This place where I have my precious family and comrades. I’ve come to want to cherish it.
It’s Shuri here. What awaited me after recovering from my cold was everyone’s demands for food and encouragement for my recovery. Some grumble, “The food tastes awful and it’s unbearable without you.” Others worry, saying, “I’m glad you’re okay. Be careful not to get sick again.” And when I look at the washing area, there are piles of dishes, And some kind of unidentifiable leftovers remaining. It seems they tried to cook, failed, and had no choice but to throw it away. Just getting close to it almost made my nose wrinkle. It’s rotten and smelly.
“Gungrave, isn’t wasting food inappropriate?” “You’re absolutely right… I’ll make sure to tell them off properly.”
Gungrave looks embarrassed. It seems he couldn’t stop his subordinates from going overboard.
“Look, they even tried to make stew and burned it until it turned brown.” “It’s more like black, actually.” “Please stop doing this kind of thing.” “Yeah, I’ll make them stop.” “Gungrave, it’s useless to try and run away by saying that. Lill tried to make hamburger steak and ended up with just fried minced meat. And it has no flavor. I heard Kuuga tried to make fried horse mackerel and got burned. The fish is so chopped up it’s more like fish balls. Arius just boiled tofu without kombu, so it’s just plain boiled tofu. It’s tasteless. And Gungrave. This stew, you tried to make it, didn’t you? I know you were trying to blame it on your subordinates and even tried to set things up beforehand.”
I won’t let you get away with any excuses. I promised Lill I’d make hamburger steak and gathered information. I’m aware of all your misdeeds!
“Well… I’ll make a special dish for tomorrow night.” “What? Special?” “As punishment, I’ll cook today, but the portions will be small to save on ingredients.” “Your cooking after so long… and small portions? You’ve got to be kidding…”
Gungrave looks a bit desperate. Can’t be helped. Wasting food while people are sleeping is a serious crime. Of course, I won’t blame anyone for cooking to survive. But throwing away failed attempts and letting them rot is out of the question.
In the end, I finished the first day by making smaller portions for meals. Everyone else complained loudly, but when I mentioned the food waste they all caused, they quieted down. The power of ingredients is truly great, isn’t it? So, it’s now the second night. I had a few people help with preparations, and we formed several groups of dozens of people each.
“So, Shuri. What are you planning to do?”
At this table, I’ve gathered myself, Gungrave, Lill, Kuuga, Arius, and Tegue. All the captains and some others thrown in randomly. I had Lill quickly make over a dozen portable stoves, gathered pots, and set up this gathering.
“Well, you all took care of me when I had a cold, so I wanted to properly thank you.” “That’s unnecessary. We’re not the kind of people who need to be so formal with each other.”
Arius’s consideration is appreciated, but that’s not quite it.
“In my homeland, we have a saying: ‘Even among close friends, there should be courtesy.’ It means that even between close companions, we shouldn’t forget the courtesy of caring for each other. So, I want to properly express my gratitude.” “Is that what this cooking is about? How’s it different from what you usually make?”
Hehehe, that’s a surprise for when we lift the lid.
“This is a hot pot dish.” “Like yudofu?” “No, it’s richer than that. Here it is! Everyone, please lift the lids and take a look!”
When they lift the lids, there’s a nostalgic taste of home. It’s oden. The ingredients are grilled tofu, eggs, daikon radish, chikuwa, hanpen, tendon meat, and sausages. The oden at my home would have a bit more variety, but this is the best I could do here.
“Is this tofu? It’s firmer than yudofu, I can actually pick it up…” “Oh, eggs. I see, it’s quite hearty. The color has changed, I wonder if the flavor has soaked in.”
I can hear expectant voices from the other tables too. I spent a day preparing for this, managing dozens of pots while simmering them. The oden flavors must have soaked deeply into all the ingredients by now. The tendon meat should be really tender.
“Alright then, you lot can dig in!”
The soldiers raise their voices with excitement and start digging into the pots.
“Well then, shall we start too? Everyone, please help yourselves.” “Ah, then I’ll take a sausage.” “I’ll have this chikuwa thing.” “I’ll take some grilled tofu.” “…Egg.” “I’ll take this meat. What kind of meat is this?” “It’s tendon meat.” “Huh? That tough, inedible stuff?” “Try it. I guarantee you’ll be surprised.”
Everyone starts eating their preferred ingredients. Well then, I think I’ll start with some hanpen. By the way, the processed foods like chikuwa were made with Lill’s help. It’s delicious, as expected after all that effort.
“Egg, so fluffy.”
Lill looks happy eating the egg white and yolk together.
“This chikuwa thing tastes like fish. It’s a strange flavor.”
Kuuga is engrossed in the chikuwa. By the way, I stuffed the hole with burdock root to add an interesting texture.
“The grilled tofu is different from yudofu. It keeps its shape and has a satisfying bite to it.”
Arius is eating the grilled tofu elegantly.
“This sausage is different from what you’d find in a potage. It’s even more delicious when you eat it with the daikon!”
Tegue is nodding as he eats the sausage and daikon together.
“Impossible… this is tendon meat? It’s not tough at all. It’s tender. Easy to chew and still has a nice texture. The flavor is amazing too.”
Gungrave can’t hide his surprise at how good the tendon meat is. I can hear people at other tables saying it’s delicious too. It makes me happy to hear such words.
Since we’re at it, Gungrave allowed alcohol for the occasion. Everyone is happily drinking and eating oden, chatting away.
“This group really is a good place. I’m happy that this group took me in.”
Family and comrades. This group has both. If I had been picked up by another group, things probably wouldn’t have turned out like this. It would have surely been a terrible situation. That’s why this is my way of repaying the kindness I’ve received so far. And it’s also a way of asking for your continued support.
“Shuri, will you keep cooking for us here?” “Yes. I’ll keep at it until you force me to stop. I still have feelings for my homeland, but this is where I belong now.” “I see. Good.”
Gungrave downs his drink in one go and looks at everyone’s faces.
“My goal is to unite this entire continent into one country and become its king. I want you all to stick with me. Shuri.” “Yes, Gungrave.” “Then, Lill too.”
Lill stops eating her egg.
“Lill wants to use magic engineering for peaceful purposes in that country. This time, Lill wants to make everyday items like what she made for Shuri, and spread magic engineering to all sorts of people. She wants to create a school and such.” “Then I’ll be the Grand General of the country. I’ll become the world’s strongest swordsman and leave my techniques for future generations.” “I’d like to create a magic school, just like Lill. Not a school only nobles can attend, but one that recruits all sorts of people and gathers disciples. Also, I’d like to become a good wife.” “I want to travel to various places once the country is established and peaceful, and compile everything into a book. After conquering the continent, we’ll conquer the seas too!”
Before I know it, everyone is talking about their dreams. Maybe it’s the influence of the alcohol. But none of the soldiers around us are making fun of them. Rather, they’re saying it would be nice if those dreams came true.
“Then, I’ll help everyone achieve their dreams.”
Of course, I’m one of them too. I want to see everyone’s dreams come true.
“I’ll become someone who continues to make delicious food.”
I’m sure I won’t be able to leave this group. After all, this is where I belong.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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Chapter 11
Even after getting better, the busyness doesn’t change.
But I’m able to work more enthusiastically than before.
This place where I have my precious family and comrades.
I’ve come to want to cherish it.
It’s Shuri here.
What awaited me after recovering from my cold was everyone’s demands for food and encouragement for my recovery.
Some grumble, “The food tastes awful and it’s unbearable without you.”
Others worry, saying, “I’m glad you’re okay. Be careful not to get sick again.”
And when I look at the washing area, there are piles of dishes,
And some kind of unidentifiable leftovers remaining.
It seems they tried to cook, failed, and had no choice but to throw it away.
Just getting close to it almost made my nose wrinkle.
It’s rotten and smelly.
“Gungrave, isn’t wasting food inappropriate?”
“You’re absolutely right… I’ll make sure to tell them off properly.”
Gungrave looks embarrassed.
It seems he couldn’t stop his subordinates from going overboard.
“Look, they even tried to make stew and burned it until it turned brown.”
“It’s more like black, actually.”
“Please stop doing this kind of thing.”
“Yeah, I’ll make them stop.”
“Gungrave, it’s useless to try and run away by saying that.
Lill tried to make hamburger steak and ended up with just fried minced meat. And it has no flavor.
I heard Kuuga tried to make fried horse mackerel and got burned. The fish is so chopped up it’s more like fish balls.
Arius just boiled tofu without kombu, so it’s just plain boiled tofu. It’s tasteless.
And Gungrave. This stew, you tried to make it, didn’t you? I know you were trying to blame it on your subordinates and even tried to set things up beforehand.”
I won’t let you get away with any excuses.
I promised Lill I’d make hamburger steak and gathered information.
I’m aware of all your misdeeds!
“Well… I’ll make a special dish for tomorrow night.”
“What? Special?”
“As punishment, I’ll cook today, but the portions will be small to save on ingredients.”
“Your cooking after so long… and small portions? You’ve got to be kidding…”
Gungrave looks a bit desperate.
Can’t be helped. Wasting food while people are sleeping is a serious crime.
Of course, I won’t blame anyone for cooking to survive.
But throwing away failed attempts and letting them rot is out of the question.
In the end, I finished the first day by making smaller portions for meals.
Everyone else complained loudly, but when I mentioned the food waste they all caused, they quieted down.
The power of ingredients is truly great, isn’t it?
So, it’s now the second night.
I had a few people help with preparations, and we formed several groups of dozens of people each.
“So, Shuri. What are you planning to do?”
At this table, I’ve gathered myself, Gungrave, Lill, Kuuga, Arius, and Tegue.
All the captains and some others thrown in randomly.
I had Lill quickly make over a dozen portable stoves, gathered pots, and set up this gathering.
“Well, you all took care of me when I had a cold, so I wanted to properly thank you.”
“That’s unnecessary. We’re not the kind of people who need to be so formal with each other.”
Arius’s consideration is appreciated, but that’s not quite it.
“In my homeland, we have a saying: ‘Even among close friends, there should be courtesy.’
It means that even between close companions, we shouldn’t forget the courtesy of caring for each other.
So, I want to properly express my gratitude.”
“Is that what this cooking is about? How’s it different from what you usually make?”
Hehehe, that’s a surprise for when we lift the lid.
“This is a hot pot dish.”
“Like yudofu?”
“No, it’s richer than that. Here it is! Everyone, please lift the lids and take a look!”
When they lift the lids, there’s a nostalgic taste of home.
It’s oden.
The ingredients are grilled tofu, eggs, daikon radish, chikuwa, hanpen, tendon meat, and sausages.
The oden at my home would have a bit more variety, but this is the best I could do here.
“Is this tofu? It’s firmer than yudofu, I can actually pick it up…”
“Oh, eggs. I see, it’s quite hearty. The color has changed, I wonder if the flavor has soaked in.”
I can hear expectant voices from the other tables too.
I spent a day preparing for this, managing dozens of pots while simmering them.
The oden flavors must have soaked deeply into all the ingredients by now.
The tendon meat should be really tender.
“Alright then, you lot can dig in!”
The soldiers raise their voices with excitement and start digging into the pots.
“Well then, shall we start too? Everyone, please help yourselves.”
“Ah, then I’ll take a sausage.”
“I’ll have this chikuwa thing.”
“I’ll take some grilled tofu.”
“…Egg.”
“I’ll take this meat. What kind of meat is this?”
“It’s tendon meat.”
“Huh? That tough, inedible stuff?”
“Try it. I guarantee you’ll be surprised.”
Everyone starts eating their preferred ingredients.
Well then, I think I’ll start with some hanpen.
By the way, the processed foods like chikuwa were made with Lill’s help.
It’s delicious, as expected after all that effort.
“Egg, so fluffy.”
Lill looks happy eating the egg white and yolk together.
“This chikuwa thing tastes like fish. It’s a strange flavor.”
Kuuga is engrossed in the chikuwa.
By the way, I stuffed the hole with burdock root to add an interesting texture.
“The grilled tofu is different from yudofu. It keeps its shape and has a satisfying bite to it.”
Arius is eating the grilled tofu elegantly.
“This sausage is different from what you’d find in a potage. It’s even more delicious when you eat it with the daikon!”
Tegue is nodding as he eats the sausage and daikon together.
“Impossible… this is tendon meat? It’s not tough at all. It’s tender. Easy to chew and still has a nice texture. The flavor is amazing too.”
Gungrave can’t hide his surprise at how good the tendon meat is.
I can hear people at other tables saying it’s delicious too. It makes me happy to hear such words.
Since we’re at it, Gungrave allowed alcohol for the occasion.
Everyone is happily drinking and eating oden, chatting away.
“This group really is a good place.
I’m happy that this group took me in.”
Family and comrades.
This group has both.
If I had been picked up by another group, things probably wouldn’t have turned out like this.
It would have surely been a terrible situation.
That’s why this is my way of repaying the kindness I’ve received so far.
And it’s also a way of asking for your continued support.
“Shuri, will you keep cooking for us here?”
“Yes. I’ll keep at it until you force me to stop. I still have feelings for my homeland, but this is where I belong now.”
“I see. Good.”
Gungrave downs his drink in one go and looks at everyone’s faces.
“My goal is to unite this entire continent into one country and become its king.
I want you all to stick with me. Shuri.”
“Yes, Gungrave.”
“Then, Lill too.”
Lill stops eating her egg.
“Lill wants to use magic engineering for peaceful purposes in that country. This time, Lill wants to make everyday items like what she made for Shuri, and spread magic engineering to all sorts of people.
She wants to create a school and such.”
“Then I’ll be the Grand General of the country. I’ll become the world’s strongest swordsman and leave my techniques for future generations.”
“I’d like to create a magic school, just like Lill. Not a school only nobles can attend, but one that recruits all sorts of people and gathers disciples. Also, I’d like to become a good wife.”
“I want to travel to various places once the country is established and peaceful, and compile everything into a book. After conquering the continent, we’ll conquer the seas too!”
Before I know it, everyone is talking about their dreams.
Maybe it’s the influence of the alcohol.
But none of the soldiers around us are making fun of them.
Rather, they’re saying it would be nice if those dreams came true.
“Then, I’ll help everyone achieve their dreams.”
Of course, I’m one of them too.
I want to see everyone’s dreams come true.
“I’ll become someone who continues to make delicious food.”
I’m sure I won’t be able to leave this group.
After all, this is where I belong.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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