It’s Shuri here. Things are chaotic. Just when I thought I had returned to everyone, it seems the mastermind behind the commotion has been caught. Lenha Sounité. She’s the ringleader this time, a despicable woman who ran away leaving her husband and children behind. Apparently, this Lenha has been captured by Princess Tevis. She’s been thrown into the underground prison cell, the same place where I was held. Well, I don’t plan on going to see her. Honestly, it would take a lot of courage to meet someone who caused so much trouble, and I have no mercy for someone who inconvenienced Garn and Aeclys. Now, the problem is the person who captured her.
“Oh! It’s been a while, Shuri!” “Ah, yes. It’s been a long time, Princess Tevis.”
We’re in the conference room with all the captains, Gyngus, Aeclys, and me. On the opposite side are Princess Tevis, one maid, and several guards. On our side, everyone except me has a frowning face. On the opposite side, the princess is smiling. The others are expressionless. The temperature difference is crazy. The contrast between this side and that side is so strong, I can’t handle it.
“By the way, that curry recipe you gave me before. It’s still a work in progress, but I can make it fairly well now. It’s delicious. Wonderful.” “Oh, yes. Well, I thought the spice blend might be a bit difficult.” “A bit is an understatement. The royal chef at the castle is racking his brain, working day and night to recreate the recipe.”
Princess Tevis shrugs her shoulders with an expression that says, “What can you do?”
“I see. Should I give you pre-mixed curry powder next time? If I make it into a solid form, it could be curry roux.” “No, no, we must be able to make it ourselves in the end. It’s a matter of pride for Nouviche, the gourmet nation.” “I see…”
What’s with this… I can’t keep up with the princess’s energy… Was she always this talkative? Well, I’ve only met her once, so maybe she was always like this.
“Oh yes, we’re also developing a dish that combines curry and mapo tofu.” “Huh?”
M-mapo curry!? I never expected to hear the name of this dish in this world…
“It might seem like it’s just spicy at first glance, combining two spicy dishes. But we’re trying to figure out how to bring these supreme dishes together.” “That’s amazing. Even I…” “You won’t say you can’t make it, right Shuri? You’re the developer of this dish. Don’t you actually have the recipe in your head?”
No, no, you’re overestimating me. I’m not that great of a person… I did know about the existence of mapo curry. A long time ago, some company released it as a collaboration product. But I’ve never made it. Really.
“I really can’t make it. I’ve never even tried it myself.” “Hmm. But if you were told to make it, you could, couldn’t you?” “Well… it would take some trial and error, but…” “Well, that’s perfect. Why don’t you come with me and-” “Princess Tevis. I’m sorry to interrupt your chat, but could you get to the point?”
The one who spoke with a sharp tone was Gungrave. Behind his seemingly pleasant expression, I can clearly see his irritation. He probably wants to say: Get to the point already!
“I apologize, Sir Gungrave. You were of great help during the recent battle.” “It’s our job.” “At the very least, it’s a fact that thanks to overcoming that battle, we were able to avert a crisis. We’ve even received words from His Majesty.” “That is a great honor.” “If it weren’t for these circumstances, I would have taken you all into my service.” “That’s a hypothetical situation.” “Indeed, it’s pointless. There’s no use talking about it.”
Just small talk, not getting to the main point at all… I’m feeling a bit anxious. Then, perhaps noticing my state, Aeclys, who was sitting next to me, poked my shoulder gently. She probably wants to tell me not to make such a face here. So, I decided to ask.
“What’s going on, Aeclys? We’re not getting to the main point at all.” “You see, Shuri. In negotiations like this, you shouldn’t state what you want first. If they know what you want, that’s where they’ll try to take advantage. If we say first that we want Lenha’s custody, Princess Tevis will impose a lot of conditions on us.” “I see.”
I’ve heard something like this before. To rule a country, you need a good heart. But if you want to enrich a country, you also need to have an evil heart. Or something like that.
“Conversely, if Princess Tevis states what she wants, we can demand Lenha’s… the lady’s custody and cut off everything else. That’s how negotiations work.” “Huh? If we both have something we want, wouldn’t it be easier to just state them to each other from the beginning?” “That kind of equal negotiation only works when diplomatic relations are normalized and there’s mutual trust. We’re not on equal footing with Princess Tevis. We need to reduce their demands as much as possible and reach a conclusion that both sides can compromise on. Especially since our position is weak. We need to minimize the damage.” “Then, why don’t we just say we don’t need Lenha’s custody?” “That’s right. Theoretically, that’s what it comes down to. But we have two ideals. Either we take the lady into custody and punish her, or she dies a miserable death. Anyway, we need to prevent the lady from causing any more trouble in our territory. It would be bad to say we don’t need her and then have her do something somewhere. We’re finally starting to move towards stabilizing the territory, and it would be terrible if something strange happened, right? But her custody belongs to Princess Tevis. If Princess Tevis abandons her somewhere because she has no use value, who knows what kind of disaster it could lead to later. So, we want to make sure the lady is punished.”
I see.
“There are such behind-the-scenes circumstances…” “That’s right. From now on, you need to pay attention to external matters as well.” “I understand… By the way, what’s with that outfit that’s somewhere between men’s and women’s clothing?”
Right now, Aeclys is wearing clothes that are somewhere between men’s and women’s. The top is a feminine shirt, the bottom is masculine pants. It’s somewhat unbalanced, but somehow it matches Aeclys’s atmosphere and strangely suits her.
“This? I was raised as a boy, you know. It’s fine to live as a woman, but I couldn’t quite get used to it. So I had this hastily made.” “It suits you well.” “You’re making me blush.”
Aeclys laughs with a “hehe”, and it’s somehow cute.
“What are you two talking about over there?”
Looking over, Princess Tevis seems a bit annoyed. Ah, not good. I forgot about the time and place. We’re in the middle of negotiations in the conference room right now.
“S-sorry!” “Well, it’s fine. Shuri, you’re still as laid-back as ever. You haven’t changed since we first met.” “Is that so?”
I thought I had become a bit more manly after going through various ordeals… Am I still a weakling? So sad! I’m about to cry!
“But Shuri. You were unfortunate this time. In a way, it’s strong to remain unchanged even in the midst of misfortune.”
Huh? Is that so?
“I-I see. The prison life was a bit tough, though.” “Oh, yes, yes. This time we were talking about that prison life.”
Huh? The flow of the conversation changed? Why is everyone looking at me with resentful eyes…? Princess Tevis has a “gotcha!” face…
“Um… Shuri… Even if she said misfortune, she didn’t say anything about prison…”
Huh?
“So? What does this mean? Sir Gungrave, Lord Gyngus. A cook who is on good terms with our country was unfairly treated and put in prison, and you didn’t even contact me until now?” “That’s because of the timing. Considering the time it would take for us to contact Nouviche and for Princess Tevis to actually visit, it’s natural that it would be delayed whether the Gungrave Mercenary Group or the Sounité side contacted you. However, considering the time it took for Princess Tevis to come here, isn’t it rather strange that the princess arrived so quickly?” “Are you suggesting that I had something to do with this matter?” “No, I don’t intend to say anything like that. But wouldn’t it be appropriate to explain the circumstances around that?” “I asked the question first. Answering a question with a question is not only bad manners towards royalty, but also a poor diplomatic move, don’t you think?”
Gungrave stumbled over his words.
“…What does that mean?” “Basically… it’s a preemptive strike in the conversation. Princess Tevis wanted to ask the first question in the natural flow of the conversation… If she had asked this question first in an unnatural flow of conversation, suspicion would fall on Princess Tevis, who has Lenha in custody. ‘Was there some ulterior motive for you to capture her first? Is that why you came to talk about this?’ If we get too greedy, we’ll face a counterattack. But if Shuri himself mentions his prison life, this question can be asked first as a natural flow. When Princess Tevis said ‘unfortunate,’ it would have been too obvious if she had mentioned the prison life first. But Shuri said it himself. No matter how much we argue against Princess Tevis from here, she can say ‘Shuri said it himself’ and it will pass.”
Huh? Such sophistry works?
“But if that’s the case, couldn’t we just return the question?” “Shuri, don’t you feel anything when the other party ignores our question and comes back with a different question?” “Ah… I feel a bit irritated.” “In rhetoric, it’s considered rude to deflect a question with another question. And the other party is Princess Tevis. In diplomacy, it’s unacceptable to ask a question to royalty without giving a clear answer. It’s more than just rude.” “Huh?” “That’s why Sir Gungrave was trying to find an opening in the conversation while making small talk. But by changing the direction of the dialogue to Shuri, Princess Tevis found another opening and attacked there.” “I-is it my fault?” “Well, it’s our fault…”
Oh no. I shouldn’t have been here in such a delicate situation! Looking around, I see Gungrave painfully continuing the conversation, with Princess Tevis relentlessly pursuing him. It’s a vicious cycle… This is bad if it continues…!
“…So? Sir Gungrave. How do you intend to settle this matter?” “A fundamental review of the territorial management system. And reorganization of the military, I suppose.” “Is that all? Eutine, the thing.” “Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid standing by, called Eutine, stepped forward. What a beautiful person. Black bobbed hair, with dignified features. A maid shorter than me. What that maid took out was something like a stick wrapped in cloth. When she unwrapped it, I saw something familiar.
“Ah! My kitchen knife!”
Yes, what was there was my kitchen knife. It’s the cooking utensil I didn’t know where it had gone after I was imprisoned. Why is something like this here?
“I see, so this was indeed the knife I gave to Shuri. How very interesting.”
Hm? Princess Tevis’s eyes look sharp?
“Well, Gungrave? I had this engraved with the royal family’s seal and bestowed it. Why did it come out from the back of a storage room?” “That’s…” “Ah, I understand. It was confiscated while he was captured, right? However, it’s not quite right to leave this in storage now, after some time has passed since the commotion. Don’t you think so?”
Oh no. The flow is getting bad somehow. I need to change the flow somehow. But how? I’m panicking inside, but looking at the table, I noticed something. The drinks have become lukewarm.
“Excuse me for a moment!”
I suddenly shouted out loud. Everyone in the room is looking at me in surprise. Ugh, being the center of attention is tough. It’s especially hard on my stomach with these people.
“I’m sorry, Princess Tevis. I apologize for interrupting the conversation. But please, if I could just speak…” “…Very well, go ahead.” “The drinks on the table have become lukewarm, I think. I’ll bring new drinks, so why don’t we take a break?” “Hmm, drinks? Indeed, they’ve become lukewarm due to our continued discussion. However, a break is not necessary.”
Princess Tevis gave a look to Eutine behind her, and Eutine took out a bottle. It contains a deep green liquid.
“We’ve already prepared drinks in anticipation of this. And it’s the finest fruit juice from our country. It’s called Nornelles. Since we’re here, let’s serve it to everyone.”
Nornelles? While I was looking confused, everyone else was surprised.
“Tegue, is that such an amazing thing?” “It’s not just amazing. It’s a legendary fruit juice that even the royalty of this continent can only drink in limited amounts. It was on the verge of being lost during the previous war. It only exists now because we won. It’s made by crushing the skin and flesh of fruits that grow in very small quantities in the Sacred Forest, extracting the juice, and putting it all in. It’s the highest grade item with a deep fruit aroma and thick sweetness.”
Is it that amazing that you’re talking about it so passionately? Eutine poured it into new glasses that were brought and distributed it to everyone. It came to me too. The smell is intense. It’s sweet, or sour… But it’s not an unpleasant smell. Somehow, it also has a herbal scent. Looking at the glass, it’s green, just green inside the glass. It’s more concentrated than green juice, but a clear liquid.
“Now, try drinking it. It’s the finest in our country.”
Is it that good? I’ll try a sip.
It’s thick!
It has the sweetness and sourness unique to fruit, with just the right amount of bitterness that doesn’t become unpleasant. A refreshing mint-like aftertaste, it’s a delicious drink. It’s delicious, it really is, but…
“This is amazing…!” “It’s my first time, but… this is incredible.” “It’s my first time too. So this is Nornelles…”
Everyone is saying how delicious it is. Princess Tevis is looking proud. But this is…
“How is it? Delicious, isn’t it? Now, there’s no need for a break.” “Ah, wait a moment please.”
I stopped her reflexively.
“What is it, Shuri?” “Well, could I borrow that bottle for a moment?”
Eutine, looking puzzled, looks at Princess Tevis.
“Very well. Lend it to him.”
Eutine handed it to me.
“One thing. That, precious. Don’t, break.”
Eutine said in a somewhat halting manner.
“Don’t worry, I won’t break it.”
I try smelling the bottle. Hmm. Just as I thought.
“Understood.” “I see, I see. Not only Shuri’s tongue, but his nose also recognized it as the finest?” “Yes, I understand it’s the finest, but… Ah, could I have new glasses for everyone in the next room? And Arius, I need your cooperation.”
Saying that, I dash out of the room and rush into the next room. Arius hurriedly follows after me.
“What’s the matter, Shuri?” “Arius, can I ask you one thing?”
I asked Arius one thing I wanted to confirm.
“Yes… magic can certainly do that.” “Then, please help me.”
After trial and error, I finally completed the glasses and had them brought back to the room.
“I’m back!”
As I return to my position, Princess Tevis looks puzzled.
“What were you doing?” “I was just making some adjustments. Now, please distribute these.”
At my signal, the attendants came in with the glasses. When they finished distributing glasses to everyone, they all had puzzled looks on their faces.
Yes, what I made was a juice using Nornelles as the base. That’s what’s in the glasses in front of everyone. I made a beautiful drink with ice floating in it, and a translucent pale green color.
“Water… mixed? What do you mean?” “Well, please try drinking it.”
I take the lead and drink first. Mmm, delicious. The overpowering taste and mint aroma have become just right.
“I can vouch for this too. This is even more delicious than the Nornelles from earlier.”
Arius said that and drank. Well, it’s delicious, but… compared to earlier… People who like it might prefer the earlier version.
“Oh? You say so. Our country’s Nornelles. Even among those, this is considered the highest grade, and I was satisfied with it. If you say it’s more delicious than that, let’s give it a try.”
Saying that, Princess Tevis took a big gulp. The others also started drinking one after another. And once again, everyone was surprised.
“Indeed… it’s much easier to drink than before.” “Yeah. I think I prefer this one.” “I like the earlier one better… but this would be good as a palate cleanser.”
Oh, it’s getting good reviews from everyone. And the person in question, Princess Tevis, was looking surprised with her eyes wide open.
“This is impossible…! Indeed, this is Nornelles. And it should be the highest grade. But this is something beyond that! The sweetness and sourness are just right, and there’s no bitterness…! The herbal aroma passes through the nose and mouth, leaving a refreshing aftertaste! Why?! Shuri, how do you have such Nornelles?!” “This is the Nornelles I borrowed earlier.”
In front of everyone who was dumbfounded, I returned the bottle I had borrowed earlier. Looking at the reduced contents, Princess Tevis still had a face of disbelief.
“That’s impossible! What on earth did you add to make such Nornelles?! Did you add some secret seasoning?!” “No, Shuri didn’t add anything like that.”
The one who denied it was Arius.
“When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it either. I never dreamed that such a thing could make a drink this delicious.” “That? You mean the ice?! The secret is in this ice, isn’t it?!” “No, the ice is just to keep the drink fresh. What was added to this is”
Taking a breath, Arius said.
“Just water.”
At those words, everyone in this place was dumbfounded.
Yes, when I drank this Nornelles, I thought It’s too concentrated. Sure, it’s delicious. It was such a small discrepancy that you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t pay attention. But once I noticed it, I couldn’t help but be bothered by it… To give an example, it’s like when you put the wrong amount of water in a powdered drink mix? And when I heard the explanation, I realized it. A drink with the whole fruit juice in it. In other words, it’s what we call 100% fruit juice in the world I know. However, while this is delicious, some people don’t like it. Why? Because it’s too concentrated. The cloying sweetness remains in the mouth, causing an unpleasant feeling. You can’t just say that 100% fruit juice is delicious as it is. That’s where mineral water comes in. Juice diluted with the right amount of water becomes delicious and easy to drink just like that. I just applied that to Nornelles. What I asked Arius was, “Is water created by magic clean and drinkable?” According to Arius, “It’s clean and drinkable, but ordinary people don’t do it. It’s a waste of magical power.” Well, since it’s possible, I had her do it along with the ice.
When I explained this, Princess Tevis looked at the glass with a frustrated expression.
“To think… that mere water could bring out such a taste…” “It’s not bringing out, it’s reducing. Diluting something that’s hard to drink or eat to make it easier to consume. That’s a basic principle in cooking. Delicious and easy to eat. That’s the fundamental of cooking, isn’t it?”
As I explained this, Princess Tevis fell silent with an even more severe expression. Huh? Did I do something wrong…?
“Hahahahaha!”
And suddenly, Gungrave laughed. What’s going on!?
“Thank you, Shuri. That’s a good hint.”
Huh? What’s going on?
After that, the negotiation ended in a draw and was postponed to the following day and beyond. Gungrave is thanking me, but what does this mean?
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Chapter 39
It’s Shuri here. Things are chaotic.
Just when I thought I had returned to everyone, it seems the mastermind behind the commotion has been caught.
Lenha Sounité.
She’s the ringleader this time, a despicable woman who ran away leaving her husband and children behind.
Apparently, this Lenha has been captured by Princess Tevis.
She’s been thrown into the underground prison cell, the same place where I was held.
Well, I don’t plan on going to see her. Honestly, it would take a lot of courage to meet someone who caused so much trouble, and I have no mercy for someone who inconvenienced Garn and Aeclys.
Now, the problem is the person who captured her.
“Oh! It’s been a while, Shuri!”
“Ah, yes. It’s been a long time, Princess Tevis.”
We’re in the conference room with all the captains, Gyngus, Aeclys, and me.
On the opposite side are Princess Tevis, one maid, and several guards.
On our side, everyone except me has a frowning face.
On the opposite side, the princess is smiling. The others are expressionless.
The temperature difference is crazy.
The contrast between this side and that side is so strong, I can’t handle it.
“By the way, that curry recipe you gave me before. It’s still a work in progress, but I can make it fairly well now. It’s delicious. Wonderful.”
“Oh, yes. Well, I thought the spice blend might be a bit difficult.”
“A bit is an understatement. The royal chef at the castle is racking his brain, working day and night to recreate the recipe.”
Princess Tevis shrugs her shoulders with an expression that says, “What can you do?”
“I see. Should I give you pre-mixed curry powder next time? If I make it into a solid form, it could be curry roux.”
“No, no, we must be able to make it ourselves in the end. It’s a matter of pride for Nouviche, the gourmet nation.”
“I see…”
What’s with this… I can’t keep up with the princess’s energy… Was she always this talkative?
Well, I’ve only met her once, so maybe she was always like this.
“Oh yes, we’re also developing a dish that combines curry and mapo tofu.”
“Huh?”
M-mapo curry!?
I never expected to hear the name of this dish in this world…
“It might seem like it’s just spicy at first glance, combining two spicy dishes. But we’re trying to figure out how to bring these supreme dishes together.”
“That’s amazing. Even I…”
“You won’t say you can’t make it, right Shuri? You’re the developer of this dish. Don’t you actually have the recipe in your head?”
No, no, you’re overestimating me. I’m not that great of a person…
I did know about the existence of mapo curry. A long time ago, some company released it as a collaboration product.
But I’ve never made it. Really.
“I really can’t make it. I’ve never even tried it myself.”
“Hmm. But if you were told to make it, you could, couldn’t you?”
“Well… it would take some trial and error, but…”
“Well, that’s perfect. Why don’t you come with me and-”
“Princess Tevis. I’m sorry to interrupt your chat, but could you get to the point?”
The one who spoke with a sharp tone was Gungrave.
Behind his seemingly pleasant expression, I can clearly see his irritation.
He probably wants to say:
Get to the point already!
“I apologize, Sir Gungrave. You were of great help during the recent battle.”
“It’s our job.”
“At the very least, it’s a fact that thanks to overcoming that battle, we were able to avert a crisis. We’ve even received words from His Majesty.”
“That is a great honor.”
“If it weren’t for these circumstances, I would have taken you all into my service.”
“That’s a hypothetical situation.”
“Indeed, it’s pointless. There’s no use talking about it.”
Just small talk, not getting to the main point at all…
I’m feeling a bit anxious.
Then, perhaps noticing my state, Aeclys, who was sitting next to me, poked my shoulder gently.
She probably wants to tell me not to make such a face here.
So, I decided to ask.
“What’s going on, Aeclys? We’re not getting to the main point at all.”
“You see, Shuri. In negotiations like this, you shouldn’t state what you want first. If they know what you want, that’s where they’ll try to take advantage. If we say first that we want Lenha’s custody, Princess Tevis will impose a lot of conditions on us.”
“I see.”
I’ve heard something like this before.
To rule a country, you need a good heart. But if you want to enrich a country, you also need to have an evil heart.
Or something like that.
“Conversely, if Princess Tevis states what she wants, we can demand Lenha’s… the lady’s custody and cut off everything else. That’s how negotiations work.”
“Huh? If we both have something we want, wouldn’t it be easier to just state them to each other from the beginning?”
“That kind of equal negotiation only works when diplomatic relations are normalized and there’s mutual trust. We’re not on equal footing with Princess Tevis. We need to reduce their demands as much as possible and reach a conclusion that both sides can compromise on.
Especially since our position is weak. We need to minimize the damage.”
“Then, why don’t we just say we don’t need Lenha’s custody?”
“That’s right. Theoretically, that’s what it comes down to. But we have two ideals. Either we take the lady into custody and punish her, or she dies a miserable death. Anyway, we need to prevent the lady from causing any more trouble in our territory. It would be bad to say we don’t need her and then have her do something somewhere. We’re finally starting to move towards stabilizing the territory, and it would be terrible if something strange happened, right?
But her custody belongs to Princess Tevis. If Princess Tevis abandons her somewhere because she has no use value, who knows what kind of disaster it could lead to later. So, we want to make sure the lady is punished.”
I see.
“There are such behind-the-scenes circumstances…”
“That’s right. From now on, you need to pay attention to external matters as well.”
“I understand… By the way, what’s with that outfit that’s somewhere between men’s and women’s clothing?”
Right now, Aeclys is wearing clothes that are somewhere between men’s and women’s.
The top is a feminine shirt, the bottom is masculine pants.
It’s somewhat unbalanced, but somehow it matches Aeclys’s atmosphere and strangely suits her.
“This? I was raised as a boy, you know. It’s fine to live as a woman, but I couldn’t quite get used to it. So I had this hastily made.”
“It suits you well.”
“You’re making me blush.”
Aeclys laughs with a “hehe”, and it’s somehow cute.
“What are you two talking about over there?”
Looking over, Princess Tevis seems a bit annoyed.
Ah, not good. I forgot about the time and place. We’re in the middle of negotiations in the conference room right now.
“S-sorry!”
“Well, it’s fine. Shuri, you’re still as laid-back as ever. You haven’t changed since we first met.”
“Is that so?”
I thought I had become a bit more manly after going through various ordeals… Am I still a weakling?
So sad! I’m about to cry!
“But Shuri. You were unfortunate this time. In a way, it’s strong to remain unchanged even in the midst of misfortune.”
Huh? Is that so?
“I-I see. The prison life was a bit tough, though.”
“Oh, yes, yes. This time we were talking about that prison life.”
Huh? The flow of the conversation changed?
Why is everyone looking at me with resentful eyes…?
Princess Tevis has a “gotcha!” face…
“Um… Shuri… Even if she said misfortune, she didn’t say anything about prison…”
Huh?
“So? What does this mean? Sir Gungrave, Lord Gyngus. A cook who is on good terms with our country was unfairly treated and put in prison, and you didn’t even contact me until now?”
“That’s because of the timing. Considering the time it would take for us to contact Nouviche and for Princess Tevis to actually visit, it’s natural that it would be delayed whether the Gungrave Mercenary Group or the Sounité side contacted you.
However, considering the time it took for Princess Tevis to come here, isn’t it rather strange that the princess arrived so quickly?”
“Are you suggesting that I had something to do with this matter?”
“No, I don’t intend to say anything like that. But wouldn’t it be appropriate to explain the circumstances around that?”
“I asked the question first. Answering a question with a question is not only bad manners towards royalty, but also a poor diplomatic move, don’t you think?”
Gungrave stumbled over his words.
“…What does that mean?”
“Basically… it’s a preemptive strike in the conversation. Princess Tevis wanted to ask the first question in the natural flow of the conversation…
If she had asked this question first in an unnatural flow of conversation, suspicion would fall on Princess Tevis, who has Lenha in custody. ‘Was there some ulterior motive for you to capture her first? Is that why you came to talk about this?’ If we get too greedy, we’ll face a counterattack.
But if Shuri himself mentions his prison life, this question can be asked first as a natural flow. When Princess Tevis said ‘unfortunate,’ it would have been too obvious if she had mentioned the prison life first. But Shuri said it himself.
No matter how much we argue against Princess Tevis from here, she can say ‘Shuri said it himself’ and it will pass.”
Huh? Such sophistry works?
“But if that’s the case, couldn’t we just return the question?”
“Shuri, don’t you feel anything when the other party ignores our question and comes back with a different question?”
“Ah… I feel a bit irritated.”
“In rhetoric, it’s considered rude to deflect a question with another question. And the other party is Princess Tevis. In diplomacy, it’s unacceptable to ask a question to royalty without giving a clear answer. It’s more than just rude.”
“Huh?”
“That’s why Sir Gungrave was trying to find an opening in the conversation while making small talk. But by changing the direction of the dialogue to Shuri, Princess Tevis found another opening and attacked there.”
“I-is it my fault?”
“Well, it’s our fault…”
Oh no. I shouldn’t have been here in such a delicate situation!
Looking around, I see Gungrave painfully continuing the conversation, with Princess Tevis relentlessly pursuing him.
It’s a vicious cycle… This is bad if it continues…!
“…So? Sir Gungrave. How do you intend to settle this matter?”
“A fundamental review of the territorial management system. And reorganization of the military, I suppose.”
“Is that all? Eutine, the thing.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid standing by, called Eutine, stepped forward.
What a beautiful person.
Black bobbed hair, with dignified features. A maid shorter than me.
What that maid took out was something like a stick wrapped in cloth.
When she unwrapped it, I saw something familiar.
“Ah! My kitchen knife!”
Yes, what was there was my kitchen knife. It’s the cooking utensil I didn’t know where it had gone after I was imprisoned.
Why is something like this here?
“I see, so this was indeed the knife I gave to Shuri. How very interesting.”
Hm? Princess Tevis’s eyes look sharp?
“Well, Gungrave? I had this engraved with the royal family’s seal and bestowed it. Why did it come out from the back of a storage room?”
“That’s…”
“Ah, I understand. It was confiscated while he was captured, right? However, it’s not quite right to leave this in storage now, after some time has passed since the commotion.
Don’t you think so?”
Oh no. The flow is getting bad somehow.
I need to change the flow somehow. But how?
I’m panicking inside, but looking at the table, I noticed something.
The drinks have become lukewarm.
“Excuse me for a moment!”
I suddenly shouted out loud. Everyone in the room is looking at me in surprise.
Ugh, being the center of attention is tough. It’s especially hard on my stomach with these people.
“I’m sorry, Princess Tevis. I apologize for interrupting the conversation.
But please, if I could just speak…”
“…Very well, go ahead.”
“The drinks on the table have become lukewarm, I think. I’ll bring new drinks, so why don’t we take a break?”
“Hmm, drinks? Indeed, they’ve become lukewarm due to our continued discussion.
However, a break is not necessary.”
Princess Tevis gave a look to Eutine behind her, and Eutine took out a bottle.
It contains a deep green liquid.
“We’ve already prepared drinks in anticipation of this. And it’s the finest fruit juice from our country. It’s called Nornelles. Since we’re here, let’s serve it to everyone.”
Nornelles?
While I was looking confused, everyone else was surprised.
“Tegue, is that such an amazing thing?”
“It’s not just amazing. It’s a legendary fruit juice that even the royalty of this continent can only drink in limited amounts.
It was on the verge of being lost during the previous war. It only exists now because we won.
It’s made by crushing the skin and flesh of fruits that grow in very small quantities in the Sacred Forest, extracting the juice, and putting it all in. It’s the highest grade item with a deep fruit aroma and thick sweetness.”
Is it that amazing that you’re talking about it so passionately?
Eutine poured it into new glasses that were brought and distributed it to everyone.
It came to me too.
The smell is intense.
It’s sweet, or sour… But it’s not an unpleasant smell. Somehow, it also has a herbal scent.
Looking at the glass, it’s green, just green inside the glass. It’s more concentrated than green juice, but a clear liquid.
“Now, try drinking it. It’s the finest in our country.”
Is it that good?
I’ll try a sip.
It’s thick!
It has the sweetness and sourness unique to fruit, with just the right amount of bitterness that doesn’t become unpleasant. A refreshing mint-like aftertaste, it’s a delicious drink.
It’s delicious, it really is, but…
“This is amazing…!”
“It’s my first time, but… this is incredible.”
“It’s my first time too. So this is Nornelles…”
Everyone is saying how delicious it is. Princess Tevis is looking proud.
But this is…
“How is it? Delicious, isn’t it? Now, there’s no need for a break.”
“Ah, wait a moment please.”
I stopped her reflexively.
“What is it, Shuri?”
“Well, could I borrow that bottle for a moment?”
Eutine, looking puzzled, looks at Princess Tevis.
“Very well. Lend it to him.”
Eutine handed it to me.
“One thing. That, precious. Don’t, break.”
Eutine said in a somewhat halting manner.
“Don’t worry, I won’t break it.”
I try smelling the bottle.
Hmm. Just as I thought.
“Understood.”
“I see, I see. Not only Shuri’s tongue, but his nose also recognized it as the finest?”
“Yes, I understand it’s the finest, but…
Ah, could I have new glasses for everyone in the next room? And Arius, I need your cooperation.”
Saying that, I dash out of the room and rush into the next room.
Arius hurriedly follows after me.
“What’s the matter, Shuri?”
“Arius, can I ask you one thing?”
I asked Arius one thing I wanted to confirm.
“Yes… magic can certainly do that.”
“Then, please help me.”
After trial and error, I finally completed the glasses and had them brought back to the room.
“I’m back!”
As I return to my position, Princess Tevis looks puzzled.
“What were you doing?”
“I was just making some adjustments. Now, please distribute these.”
At my signal, the attendants came in with the glasses.
When they finished distributing glasses to everyone, they all had puzzled looks on their faces.
“What is… this? Shuri?”
“I call it, water-mixed Nornelles.”
Yes, what I made was a juice using Nornelles as the base.
That’s what’s in the glasses in front of everyone.
I made a beautiful drink with ice floating in it, and a translucent pale green color.
“Water… mixed? What do you mean?”
“Well, please try drinking it.”
I take the lead and drink first.
Mmm, delicious.
The overpowering taste and mint aroma have become just right.
“I can vouch for this too. This is even more delicious than the Nornelles from earlier.”
Arius said that and drank.
Well, it’s delicious, but… compared to earlier…
People who like it might prefer the earlier version.
“Oh? You say so. Our country’s Nornelles. Even among those, this is considered the highest grade, and I was satisfied with it. If you say it’s more delicious than that, let’s give it a try.”
Saying that, Princess Tevis took a big gulp.
The others also started drinking one after another.
And once again, everyone was surprised.
“Indeed… it’s much easier to drink than before.”
“Yeah. I think I prefer this one.”
“I like the earlier one better… but this would be good as a palate cleanser.”
Oh, it’s getting good reviews from everyone.
And the person in question, Princess Tevis, was looking surprised with her eyes wide open.
“This is impossible…! Indeed, this is Nornelles. And it should be the highest grade. But this is something beyond that!
The sweetness and sourness are just right, and there’s no bitterness…! The herbal aroma passes through the nose and mouth, leaving a refreshing aftertaste!
Why?! Shuri, how do you have such Nornelles?!”
“This is the Nornelles I borrowed earlier.”
In front of everyone who was dumbfounded, I returned the bottle I had borrowed earlier.
Looking at the reduced contents, Princess Tevis still had a face of disbelief.
“That’s impossible! What on earth did you add to make such Nornelles?! Did you add some secret seasoning?!”
“No, Shuri didn’t add anything like that.”
The one who denied it was Arius.
“When I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it either. I never dreamed that such a thing could make a drink this delicious.”
“That? You mean the ice?! The secret is in this ice, isn’t it?!”
“No, the ice is just to keep the drink fresh.
What was added to this is”
Taking a breath, Arius said.
“Just water.”
At those words, everyone in this place was dumbfounded.
Yes, when I drank this Nornelles, I thought
It’s too concentrated.
Sure, it’s delicious. It was such a small discrepancy that you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t pay attention.
But once I noticed it, I couldn’t help but be bothered by it…
To give an example, it’s like when you put the wrong amount of water in a powdered drink mix?
And when I heard the explanation, I realized it.
A drink with the whole fruit juice in it.
In other words, it’s what we call 100% fruit juice in the world I know.
However, while this is delicious, some people don’t like it.
Why? Because it’s too concentrated.
The cloying sweetness remains in the mouth, causing an unpleasant feeling.
You can’t just say that 100% fruit juice is delicious as it is.
That’s where mineral water comes in.
Juice diluted with the right amount of water becomes delicious and easy to drink just like that.
I just applied that to Nornelles.
What I asked Arius was, “Is water created by magic clean and drinkable?”
According to Arius, “It’s clean and drinkable, but ordinary people don’t do it. It’s a waste of magical power.”
Well, since it’s possible, I had her do it along with the ice.
When I explained this, Princess Tevis looked at the glass with a frustrated expression.
“To think… that mere water could bring out such a taste…”
“It’s not bringing out, it’s reducing.
Diluting something that’s hard to drink or eat to make it easier to consume. That’s a basic principle in cooking.
Delicious and easy to eat. That’s the fundamental of cooking, isn’t it?”
As I explained this, Princess Tevis fell silent with an even more severe expression.
Huh? Did I do something wrong…?
“Hahahahaha!”
And suddenly, Gungrave laughed. What’s going on!?
“Thank you, Shuri. That’s a good hint.”
Huh? What’s going on?
After that, the negotiation ended in a draw and was postponed to the following day and beyond.
Gungrave is thanking me, but what does this mean?
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