Three days before the martial arts tournament, just as planned, we rode in a carriage with Fina-san and the Madam toward the grand plaza that would serve as the tournament grounds.
“Wow, look at all the things they’ve built!”
“There are food stalls too!”
“So many seats!”
“The preliminaries starts tomorrow so most of the preparations are already finished.”
Shiro and the others gazed around in amazement at the stage and the newly constructed facilities.
Just as the Madam had said, the plaza was practically ready for the event to begin. Rows upon rows of chairs stretched across the square, enough to seat a small army. Once the spectators filled those seats, it would be quite the spectacle.
Still… with everything so close to completion, I couldn’t help but wonder—what exactly were we supposed to be doing here?
“Fina, Shiro, all of you follow me. We’ll be checking the Margrave family’s seating area.”
““““Y-yes!””””
“Sue, could you please stay with the medical team for now? Construction sites tend to have a lot of injuries.”
“Yes. I understand.”
In that moment, Shiro, Fina, and Sue were each given their roles by the Madam.
The Margrave family’s seating area needed a final inspection, and with construction still ongoing nearby, it was likely someone could get hurt. It made sense to have Sue ready to respond immediately.
Right before my eyes, a worker was being carried into a medical tent, their hand bleeding from a cut.
I was about to join Sue in helping with the injured when the Madam stopped me.
“Ah, Shun, you have a different task. Could you head over to the stall where our steward is? He’s preparing something for me.”
“Ah?”
“Please”
I had a bad feeling about this.
At the stall she was pointing to, the steward was testing out a dish I had made—a trial run of my cooking. On top of that, she gave me a smile that left no room for refusal—warm, but unmistakably commanding.
Reluctantly, I made my way to the stall.
There were four stewards at the stall, though mainly two of them approached me with questions.
“Shun-sama, we’ve been waiting for you.”
“We’d like you to check the dish we prepared.”
“O-oh, understood.”
Thank goodness. I wasn’t being asked to cook the dish myself. I just have to inspect the stewards’ preparation of it. If that’s the case, I could do this all day.
With that settled, I immediately began reviewing the cooking process, step by step.
“The fruit sandwiches use plenty of fresh fruit.”
“We made sure the meat slices weren’t too thick, so they’re easier to eat.”
“Thank you for your creativity. This is very well done.”
Each steward had added their own clever touches, and the dishes had turned out even better than if I had made them myself. Truly, the Margrave family’s stewards were impressive—the flavors were excellent.
Then, something caught my attention.
“You’re making yakisoba too?” I asked, intrigued.
“Yes. We tried to recreate the yakisoba bread that became popular at the cherry blossom festival in the eastern Margrave territory.”
“But… it hasn’t been going very well…..”
“In that case, leave it to me. Not to brag, but I was the one who originally made yakisoba bread, after all.”
And so, I decided to take charge of making the yakisoba bread. The yakisoba for the sandwich needed a slightly stronger seasoning to bring out the flavor properly.
By the way, we decided to skip the curry this time. The reason was simple—there was no way I could risk spilling curry in front of a crowd.
With that in mind, I focused on cooking the yakisoba and assembling the yakisoba bread.
“Whoa, it smells amazing, kid!”
“The scent of the sauce caramelizing is irresistible.”
Perfect timing. I handed them a sample to taste.
“Want to give it a taste?”
“Sure. Oh—this slightly stronger flavor is perfect.”
“The yakisoba really holds its own against the bread, and best of all, you can eat it without getting your hands messy.”
I had cut the yakisoba bread in half and offered it to the workers, and judging by their reactions, it was a success. I also let them try the onigiri, which they enjoyed just as much.
Just then, the Madam approached the stall.
And… I had that uneasy feeling again.
“Impressive work, Shun. I’ve been watching from a distance, and your technique is excellent. But more than that, you’re really used to dealing with customers.”
“That’s because I practiced a lot in the eastern Margrave territory.”
She nodded approvingly, her eyes moving between me and the workers.
“Madam, this kid really is a skilled cook.”
“This year, the Margrave family’s stall is bound to have a long line.”
“Yes, it’s truly a blessing.”
“H-hey—wait just a moment!”
I protested, feeling flustered at all the praise.
How did it happen that I ended up being the one cooking at the stall?!
I was supposed to be helping at the martial arts tournament as a healer this time!
Can’t the stewards say something?
“Madam, with so many customers expected this year, having Shun-sama here is incredibly helpful.”
“Please, could you assign him to the stall?”
“Very well, Shiro and the others will help out with the medical team, so there’s no need to worry.”
“E—eeeh…?”
I collapsed, defeated by the Madam’s decision.
Ah, so it’s back to being a cook again…
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next
Yume Neiji's Works 