“Still, there’s no doubt that it’s delicious,” he continued. “Giba curry is always wonderful, so that’s no surprise. But this...”
“Yes? What is it?”
“The texture of this shaska doesn’t resemble that of any other ingredient. That is also true of shaska prepared the ordinary way, but...it seems to stand out even more here. Still, I’m not sure why I find it so surprising. It’s difficult to put into words,” Bozl said, but then he broke out in a smile. “Well, I think I’ll just give you my personal opinion rather than my professional one. This dish is incredibly delicious. It made me feel even more shock and joy than when I first tasted shaska.”
“I see. I’m very glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, I’d say it’s undeniably good. Still, it really is hard to explain why in words... Hey, has Mikel had this dish yet?” Roy asked.
“He hasn’t,” I replied. “Mikel’s leg injury isn’t fully healed yet, so I’d imagine he’s sitting on a mat somewhere. Oh, but a lot of people have been delivering food to those who can’t move around easily, so it’s possible that he has already tried some.”
“I see. I really want to hear Mikel’s impressions. I honestly don’t know how I would explain this dish to Varkas or Tatumai without having them try it personally,” Roy said.
The entire time that we had been talking, Shilly Rou had been standing beside Roy with her shoulders trembling a bit. When he noticed that, he shot her a suspicious look and gave her a little poke in the shoulder. “What’s up? Did you get all frustrated again because of how delicious it is?”
“N-Not at all! I was simply lamenting my own inability to properly critique the dish!”
Apparently, the curry shaska had left the chefs from the castle town feeling rather shaken and troubled.
“We have another shaska dish that we’ll start serving around when this one runs out. If you’d like, please enjoy the food from the other stoves in the meantime,” I urged, and the chefs from the castle town soon departed to do just that. Or I guess it was possible that they were moving away to have a heated debate without me around. Being a chef could be pretty rough sometimes.
“There’s only a little bit of the curry left now, so I suppose everyone will have had it soon,” the Fou woman reported, right before a tall figure approached us with an elegant companion.
“Asuta. At last, I get to, see you.”
“Ah, long time no see, Shumiral. And good work today, Vina Ruu.”
“I haven’t done anything especially noteworthy,” she said, fidgeting awkwardly in her banquet attire. Somebody must have arranged things so that she could spend time with Shumiral today.
“Have you two tried this dish yet? It’s a special one we prepared for today.”
“No. We were drawn, by the aroma, of giba curry,” Shumiral said.
“In that case, please do have some. This white stuff is shaska that I prepared.”
“Shaska?” Shumiral repeated, his brow furrowing doubtfully. “Asuta, you only just recently, got ahold of shaska, did you not? But this is very different, from the shaska, that I know.”
“Yeah. This shaska was prepared in the style of a dish from my home country. I’ve been really curious about what your impression of it will be since you were born in Sym, Shumiral.”
I served up a bit of the last of the shaska onto some plates, then had the Fou woman pass them to Shumiral and Vina Ruu. Vina Ruu had taken part in our study sessions with the Ruu clan, so she didn’t hesitate to dig in.
Shumiral’s tall frame started swaying after he took his first bite of curry shaska, and he ended up bumping into Vina Ruu’s shoulder.
Vina Ruu gave a slightly sensual, “Aaah,” and she stepped away from Shumiral. “Hey... Weren’t you taught that it’s a taboo to touch women unnecessarily?”
“My apologies. I was shocked, by how delicious, this is,” Shumiral replied, deeply bowing his head while still holding the plate in his hands.
Vina Ruu turned away in a huff, but a moment later, she brought her palms up to her red cheeks.
“So you like it, Shumiral? I’m glad to hear that.”
“It is delicious. I have thought, for some time now, that it might be, quite good, to add giba curry, to shaska...but this, surpasses my, wildest imagination.”
“Oh yeah? I heard before that people from Sym might not like shaska prepared this way, since they might see it as only being partially prepared.”
“This shaska, feels like, an entirely different, dish than, ordinary shaska. I cannot see, much purpose in, comparing them.” Shumiral then took a second bite and really savored it, closing his black eyes. “It is very good. All of your dishes, are delicious, Asuta, but I believe, this dish, is the best, of them all.”
“Hmm,” Vina Ruu grunted sulkily, causing Shumiral to turn her way, looking like he had just been snapped out of a dream.
“I am, simply saying, this shaska is, exquisite. But the giba curry, you make, is very delicious as well, Vina Ruu.”
“Oh, it’s fine... Of course the curry Asuta makes is tastier than mine.”
“No, your giba curry, is the best, Vina Ruu.”
“Did you forget that the customs of the forest’s edge say that it’s a crime to lie?”
“No. What I said, was the truth. I am the happiest, when I eat, your giba curry, Vina Ruu.”
Vina Ruu glared up at Shumiral, her face bright red. Whenever I saw the two of them interacting like that, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“In that case, the Ruu clan just needs to buy shaska too, and that should solve everything, right?” I suggested. “I’ve been teaching the members of the Ruu how to cook shaska, after all.”
“Jeez,” Vina Ruu muttered, squirming a bit while Shumiral happily narrowed his eyes. Then the two of them finished eating and left, at which point Ai Fa leaned in close to me after having been standing off to the side in silence ever since we had started serving people.
“I see those two are the same as always. But there’s no need to feel discouraged over him saying that her curry is better than yours.”
“I know. It’s only natural for food made by the person you care about the most to taste better than anyone else’s. Love is the ultimate spice.”
“Hearing you say that makes a chill run down my spine,” Ai Fa said, but there was a very affectionate light shining in her blue eyes.
As the two of us were talking, the last of the people standing in front of our stoves vanished. It looked like everyone had gotten to have some curry shaska at this point, so the seven of us, Ai Fa included, helped ourselves to what little remained, then got to work on the second shaska dish.