Once the food distribution was finished, we gathered in the courtyard of the frontier lord’s mansion. Of course, the reason was to develop the main dish that would be served at the upcoming martial arts tournament.
“It would be ideal if it were something people could eat while holding in their hands.”
The Margrave suggested, giving us our first guideline.
With that in mind, we started narrowing down our ideas. One dish was quickly decided—slime-baked food a.k.a Slime’s pancake. Since the region was famous for its local fruits, it would be a waste not to use them.
And so, we turned to Ao for assistance.
“Wow, amazing! So many cooking tools are coming out!”
“Ao’s got an item box.”
Shiro spoke proudly.
“My my, what an incredible slime.”
The Margrave murmured in awe.
“And to think it’s skilled at cooking too. Pearl dear, you’ll have to work hard to keep up.”
The Madam added with a smile.
Shiro puffed out her chest, clearly proud, and she wasn’t wrong—Ao really is an extraordinary slime.
Ao slid up to the magic stove, laid out a smooth iron griddle, and began preparing the batter for the Slime’s pancakes, mixing the ingredients together with practiced, fluid motions.
Sizzle, sizzle.
“Oh, that smells so good!”
“Ao’s pancakes are always super tasty!”
“We’re putting peaches in this one too!”
Both Fina-san and the household attendants watched Ao’s cooking with rapt attention. The recipe itself was simple enough—but watching a slime cook is a spectacle in its own right.
When the golden pancakes were done, Ao gently sandwiched slices of the northern frontier’s famed peaches and a layer of jam between them.
“Mm, this is excellent.”
“It doesn’t dirty the hands, either.”
“Children can enjoy it too. And it’s a wonderful way to promote our region’s produce.”
The slime panakes were clearly a success.
“Delicious!”
“Yummy!”
“So sweet!”
A chorus of cheerful voices rang out as Fina-san and the others beamed with delight, happily munching on their portions.
Even Sue had slipped into the group and was nibbling away, grinning as if to confirm that there were no issues with the flavor.
“Shun, what are you going to make?”
Fina-sann asked, tilting her head.
“Just wait a moment.”
I answered with a smile. I wasn’t planning on making anything too fancy this time.
I did have one little highlight in mind though.
“First up is the usual standard sandwich, but we’re going to change up the filling a bit.”
I started with a hearty version. Thick slices of meat, marinated in curry sauce before grilling.
Sizzle, sizzle…
“The meats are from two kinds of game—wild fowl and orc.”
I explained.
“Oooh, that smells amazing!”
Everyone chimed in at once.
The aroma of curry wafted through the garden, rich and spicy enough to make anyone’s stomach growl.
“As for the second one, it’s a fruit sandwich. Since we’re here, it would be a waste not to use your local specialties.”
“My, I never knew such sandwiches existed.”
The Margrave’s wife said, intrigued.
“Shun, you always bring us something unexpected.”
The Margrave added with a chuckle.
We didn’t have whipped cream, so I used buttercream instead. But with the fruit’s quality—ripe, fragrant, and specially sweet—it more than made up for it.
The Margrave and his wife watched with keen interest as I layered the bright slices between soft bread.
Then came the main event.
“Oh! It’s onigiri!”
Shiro exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
““Onigiri?“”
The others echoed in unison, looking puzzled.
They leaned closer, clearly curious about the mysterious food taking shape in my hands.
Holding up a freshly shaped triangle of rice, I explained,
“This is called an onigiri—a rice ball. You press the rice into shape, and you can put fillings inside to change the flavor. Or you can keep it simple with just salt.”
“How fascinating. It pairs nicely with a stronger seasoning, doesn’t it?”
“Mm. Onigiri could serve as a supply ration as well. We already import rice from the western frontier. This would be quite practical.”
Both Sue and the Margrave seemed pleased with the taste, though the latter’s mind was already racing ahead to logistics and military efficiency.
As expected of a frontier lord, I thought with a wry smile.
“I kept it simple. What do you think?”
“It’s simple indeed. Yet it allows for countless variations in flavor. Especially the fillings—you’ve given my chefs something new to experiment with.”
“I, on the other hand, am quite taken with the fruit sandwich. It would be perfect for women and children at the tournament.”
With both of them offering such favorable reviews, I could finally breathe easy.
These recipes were simple enough that there was no need for detailed instructions—anyone could make them.
“Shun, you’re amazing. I’ve never seen food like this before!”
“Of course!” Shiro chimed in proudly.
“Shun-oniisan is a super cook!”
Sue nodded in agreement.
“He really does come up with the most creative dishes.”
I smiled awkwardly at their praise.
“Thanks… but just to be clear, I’m a healer, not a chef.”
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little proud as they all bit into the food with happy smiles on their faces.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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