PLANNING a wedding menu turned out to be an incredibly difficult affair.
My cooking only tasted so good because we worked up quite an appetite on expeditions. Outside of that, it was no better than any normal home cooking.
Yet despite this, Zara wanted me to come up with recipes for the wedding.
“Your cooking is the best in the whole world, Melly.”
“I don’t think anyone outside of you and Album feels that way.”
“No, that’s not true!”
It definitely was true. But it was possible that Zara and Album were merely able to taste the love in my cooking.
Of course, that was far too mortifying to say out loud.
“I’m worried that people like Lord Lichtenberger and Sir Aiskoletta will be let down if they’re not treated to something better at a wedding, of all places. After all, they’ve eaten a lot of the best food in the world.”
“Don’t worry, Melly. I just know they’ll love it.”
“Okay, in that case, I’m instituting a ‘yummy rule!’”
“A yummy rule? What’s that?”
“It means you have to fast starting first thing in the morning. That way, my food at the wedding will taste incredible!”
“Heehee! Goodness, Melly.”
Zara was laughing, but this was no joke. Those who could follow the yummy rule would be the right people to eat my cooking. Nothing brought out a dish’s flavor like an empty stomach.
“But the food on all our expeditions really was delicious, wasn’t it?”
“Definitely. Even when the campfire was so big that ashes got into our food, I didn’t care a single bit.”
“Me neither.”
It all started when Ulgus made those horrible field rations of bread and jerky.
“They were really awful. I still remember feeling enraged. Although, when I think back on it now, it’s a little bit funny too.”
I’d made all sorts of food on our expeditions. I even brought along field rations so that we would still have something tasty, even if that otherwise wasn’t possible out in the wild. At times, I had to create meals from scratch out of what I could find nearby.
“You’ve worked so hard, Melly.”
“I always loved watching everyone’s faces as they ate my food. I think that’s why I was able to put in so much effort.”
“The Second Expeditionary Squadron has been so happy to have someone who cares for them like you do, Melly.”
Zara put his arm around my shoulder. “I’m the luckiest man in the world now that I get to have you all to myself.”
His sudden closeness and the way he whispered that into my ear made me feel shy. For some reason, I let out a very Album-like giggle of, “Deheheh!”
Was this what it meant to be lovey-dovey with someone? Just as I had that thought, I was struck with an incredible idea.
“Oh, I’ve got it! Zara, why don’t we recreate our expedition meals for the wedding?”
“That sounds fabulous! I love it!”
Everyone would probably really enjoy reminiscing on those expeditions as they ate.
After that, Zara and I spent a few days coming up with the menu. Our wedding banquet was finally decided.
“There, that should do it, don’t you think?”
“I can’t even imagine a better feast than this.”
Zara and I nodded, satisfied by the list of food we’d written down. I knew we would never be able to beat the menu we finally narrowed it down to.
“Premeal drink: Captain Ludtink’s beloved white wine stash ~I’m sorry, I’ve been occasionally using it to cook~
Appetizer: Pancakes with lots of maple syrup
Soup: Bandit-style soup full of gifts from the forest
Seafood: Cheesy steamed fish
Meat: Sausage on a stick
Vegetarian: Noodles with slime sauce
Cheese: Golden-style cheese gratin
Dessert: Mythical beast steamed buns
Postmeal drink: Captain Ludtink’s beloved red wine ~Sorry, I forgot to give it back to you~”
“Although, some of these are a little strange, like having pancakes as an appetizer or calling it golden ‘style’ cheese gratin.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll all love it.”
“I certainly hope so.”
We were going to write the menu out on cards to distribute on the big day.
“What should we call our banquet, Melly?”
“Actually, I already thought of something.”
I wrote it down on top of the paper and showed it to Zara.
“‘Expedition Cooking with the Enoch Royal Knights.’ What do you think?”
“That’s absolutely perfect!”
That was how the two of us finalized our wedding menu. We still had to go out and buy ingredients and order drinks, but even that felt like part of the fun.
🥞🥞🥞