Chapter Ninety-Nine: Exquisite Meridionan Cuisine
LORD Kuze was arrested as a “Meridionan thug” and escorted away for his interrogation. Or to be more accurate, an audience with the emperor.
When the hubbub finally settled down, Lord Yukinari came to Sekirei Palace with an explanation. “Orient cannot acknowledge Lord Kuze as the official Meridionan king, at least not yet. Until we go through such procedures, he cannot have a true audience with the emperor.”
“I understand. Acknowledging him as king is essentially declaring war on Centoria, which is in conflict with Meridiona.”
Not to mention the fact that although Lord Kuze had united Meridiona, he didn’t have a powerful political background. His authority was built on a shaky foundation, helped in no way by the derogatory title Centoria had given him. But in Orient, the Meridionan king played a vital role in the import of medicinal ingredients, so he was one of the most important guests imaginable.
I nodded to myself. “Unofficial diplomatic relations with them are the farthest we can go, correct?”
“Yes. This also means we can keep one card close to our chest and use our approval of him as king as leverage during negotiations.”
In the end, Lord Kuze ended up staying in the imperial guesthouse as a “nameless Meridionan merchant who was clueless about court policy.” For the past few days, the entire imperial court had used every effort to show him hospitality.
After I parted ways with Lord Yukinari, I struck up a conversation with a magpie playing about the railing. “Looks like every nation has it rough due to their own unique circumstances,” I remarked.
The magpie chattered almost as if in reply, and I felt my tension ease slightly.
Sekirei Palace was just as busy as other departments during the king’s visit. Everyone was in a race against the clock—court ladies, maids, and even the government officials from the Department of Divinities who came over to give us a hand. I didn’t have the luxury of wasting time talking to birds.
I slapped my cheeks lightly. As supervisor, I had a mountain of things to do: delegating tasks, managing our schedule, determining areas that needed assistance, and checking for supplies we lacked. At noon that day was a banquet featuring Meridionan cuisine. And the head chef was going to be Lord Kuze.
“What is he going to cook, I wonder?”
Sekirei Palace was equipped with several kitchens. There was the one we utilized most often and also a few others that we used for the development of new products and when entertaining merchants and their families. After all, the building was the former Inner Palace, home to the erstwhile imperial harem—each consort’s chamber had featured a dedicated kitchen. The original structure remained; the only difference was that we usually used the spaces for other purposes.
The strong fragrance of spices transported by merchant ships permeated the entire palace. As for the court ladies who got a whiff of it…
“That smell is really strong.”
“It’s almost like medicine.”
…They all seemed to be filled with trepidation.
My pulse was racing as well, but for a different reason. To me, it smelled delicious, and I was certain that my impression was due to memories from my previous life. “Maybe, just maybe, he might be making what I’m thinking…” I mumbled to myself.
I visited the kitchen where Lord Kuze was busy cooking. The man had rolled up his sleeves and donned an apron and was efficiently mobilizing the servants he had brought from Meridiona. His rolled-up sleeves revealed thick, muscular arms—a warrior’s arms. I took a step inside and found myself surrounded by heat and the unique odor of spices.
“Well well, if it isn’t the great Wagtail Priestess. What brings you here?” asked Lord Kuze.
I glanced at the pot he was stirring and had to employ all my willpower to stop my mouth from watering. “I stopped by just in case you were missing anything. That smells delightful.”
A big smile lit up his rugged features. “You’re fine with this scent? Huh, pretty rare for a young noblewoman of Centoria.”
“Well, yes…”
The stir-fried onions were a gorgeous golden brown. The colorful, sizzling vegetables beside them looked just as appetizing. I spotted numerous bottles filled with expensive spices, as well as a thick, yellowish-brown sauce nearby. I felt my patience whittle away. Yes. I knew it. This is exactly what I was thinking about!
I gulped. “You have used quite a lot of seasoning. Eating it…will be like biting into a jewel.”
“If the grub made by the king of Meridiona’s stingy, I’ll never be able to hold my head high in front of Orient’s emperor ever again. I’m the only person on this entire continent who’s able to make a feast like this.” He grinned.
“Indeed.”
In my previous life, the particular dish was easily enjoyed by everyone, almost like fast food. In my current lifetime, however, it was a dish so expensive that I didn’t even dare to imagine the cost—all the spices used were raw medicinal ingredients as well. What he was throwing lavishly into a pot and boiling down into a thick sauce to pour over rice probably cost as much as the annual budget of a respectable small domain.
Dazed, I murmured, “I can’t believe I have the chance to eat curry rice in this world as well…”
“Cur-ee rice? Whuzzat?”
I hesitated. “It is an ancient term referring to sublime cuisine.”
“Heh, thanks for the praise. I used to call it Meridionan gravy rice, but, well…if that’s what you call it, Honorable Priestess, I guess I could make a name change.” He added in a low voice, “Huh. Maybe all Wagtail Priestesses like this dish.”