Chapter 123

Soon, time passed, and the tea party came to an end. The fairies who had participated in the tea party began to return home one by one.

Most of the fairies had left, and the atmosphere in front of the Royal Palace became somewhat chaotic.

Surprisingly, it was the ministers, guards, and even the Queen herself who were left to clean up the mess.

Though, to be fair, they used magic to tidy everything up in an instant.

“Such precise mana control… and without even chanting…!”

For me, magic was just something I found fascinating, but judging by Serena’s reaction, it seemed like the skill level of those using magic was extraordinary.

Leaders who are both competent and proactive—now that’s ideal.

As I watched them use magic to clean up the messy plaza, Queen Vivian, who had just finished cleaning, gracefully approached and expressed her gratitude.

“Hmm. Kurt, was it?”

“Ah, it’s the Queen. Do you need something?”

“An idle question, perhaps. This level of exceptional cuisine—it was a thrilling shock I’ve never experienced in my life. On behalf of all the citizens of the Fairy Kingdom, I extend my gratitude. You may consider it an honor.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“No. While eating delicious food is a great joy for me, the greater joy is being able to share this happiness with my people.”

…Suddenly, she’s saying something embarrassing.

“…Well, as long as you enjoyed it.”

“Actually, there’s a favor I’d like to ask…”

“A favor?”

“Indeed. Through today’s tea party, many of my citizens were able to taste your cooking, but there are still many who haven’t had the chance. So, I would like you to stay a few more days so that all my citizens can taste your dishes.”

Vivian said this with cream smeared on half her face, sounding quite earnest.

“Well, I don’t mind as long as I can make desserts to my heart’s content…”

“I agree! Mr. Kurt! Since we’ve already convinced my mother, we have plenty of time!”

“That’s right! A request from the Fairy Queen! We can’t refuse this!”

“You’re not thinking of declining, are you!?”

When I turned to look at the group, they shouted with voices full of determination, as if insisting that we had to accept.

“Since everyone agrees, I can’t back out now. I accept your proposal.”

“Really! Then, during your stay, I promise to treat you as honored guests in the name of Vivian! This way, we can let all our citizens taste your cooking!”

“Though, isn’t it more that you just want to eat more yourself?”

“That is the true idle question! A wise leader knows how to gain multiple benefits from a single policy! Ohohoho!”

Vivian laughed joyfully, her face still smeared with cream.

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And so, after a day filled with rare experiences, we returned by carriage.

Though we were treated as honored guests of the fairies, the Kingdom, originally built for fairy-sized inhabitants, had no accommodations for us. Even the lodging facilities for other humanoid species were sized for dwarfs visiting from neighboring villages.

While the other three could manage with the slightly cramped space, for me—who is taller than the average humanoid, excluding trolls and ogres—it was uncomfortably small.

“You guys can just stay in the accommodations provided by the fairies.”

“No, Mr. Kurt is sleeping in a sleeping bag. How can we stay in the lodgings?”

“Miss Marisia is right. The only reason we’re being treated as honored guests is because of Mr. Kurt’s cooking skills. How could we rest comfortably without him?”

They do understand, huh.

“By the way, you guys seemed really excited about the fairy tea party?”

“Huh? Of course! Being invited to a fairy tea party is every girl’s dream!”

“Girl?”

“…Do you have something to say?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

Listening to their conversation, it seemed that being invited to a fairy tea party in this world was quite a romantic event.

To put it in perspective, it was like being invited to a noble’s ball, combined with the joy of a citizen of the Holy Kingdom receiving a blessing from a priest.

It was said to be the second most romantic thing after a prince arriving on a unicorn.

“But in the end, I’m the one doing the cooking.”

At my words, the three of them flinched, then smiled awkwardly.

“Hehe… Mr. Kurt. About that part, could you…?”

Seriously. Do they really want to keep participating in the tea party that much?

“Well, no need to make it so difficult. I quite like the fairies too. Plus, I enjoy cooking anyway.”

They were such an innocent race, it was almost hard to believe.

Seeing the pure-hearted fairies, I could understand why being surrounded by them and enjoying a tea party was a girl’s dream.

If only things could stay like this…

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And so, Kurt and his group stayed in Arciel for several days, serving dishes at the tea parties.

True to Vivian’s word of letting all her citizens taste Kurt’s cooking, countless fairies with different faces participated in each tea party, and they all enjoyed the tarts he made.

“This is the first time I’ve tasted such delicious food! This strawberry tart! It’s both tangy and sweet, an irresistible flavor!”

“Strawberry tart? It looks delicious! How about we exchange bites with my green grape tart?”

The praise was so overwhelming that even Kurt, who had made the dishes, felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

“Everyone, listen to me while you enjoy the tarts! The one who made this delicious food is none other than the chef Kurt here! So, let us all thank Kurt and enjoy these tarts!”

“Wow! I know! That chef is a dwarf chef cursed by an evil demon and turned into a dragon!”

“Wow! A love elopement!”

“Ohohoho! It seems there’s some misunderstanding! This person didn’t become a dragon due to a curse but is originally a beastkin with this form! His name is…! Dragonman!”

“It’s Lizardman.”

And so, while correcting the various rumors about Kurt and his group, the tea parties continued with endless laughter, and soon most of the citizens had participated.

Once all the citizens had attended at least one tea party, another round of tea parties began amidst their enthusiastic response.

It was a blissful time where everything seemed to be going smoothly.

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The Fairy Kingdom of Arciel.

In terms of population, it was more of a city-state than a kingdom. Though not exceedingly wealthy, it was a peaceful and livable country, neither rich nor poor.

They didn’t produce anything particularly lucrative or engage in active trade with other nations, but the fairies, with an average height of only 30cm, had an overwhelming advantage that other races didn’t.

That advantage was their minimal resource consumption due to their small size.

Each fairy could perform tasks comparable to an average humanoid using magic, but the cost was absurdly low, making them an economically efficient race.

Thus, their per capita production was above the average of other humanoids, while their resource consumption was less than a tenth of an average humanoid.

This was the secret to Arciel’s relatively prosperous lifestyle, despite lacking a dominant industry or active trade.

However, in recent days, a significant change had come to Arciel’s treasury.

That change was the presence of Kurt in the Kingdom of Arciel.

In her determination to let all her citizens taste his cooking, Vivian held tea parties every day.

As a result, Arciel’s treasury was slowly drying up.

The fairies, who had lived peacefully without material greed, had only saved their treasury as a precaution for emergencies, not to accumulate wealth.

Most of the fairies’ desires were focused on sweet foods, and gold and jewels held little value to them.

However, most sweet foods, except for honey, didn’t preserve well, so there was no need to stockpile them, and the fairies’ storages always had just the bare minimum.

But as Vivian began to deplete the treasury to let all her citizens taste Kurt’s cooking, it started to diminish at an alarming rate. To make matters worse, the tarts Kurt made required large amounts of expensive ingredients like sugar and butter.

As a result, the treasury began to visibly shrink within days.

The first and hardest hit was the royal family’s private wealth, which Vivian had generously spent for her citizens.

Even for royalty, the reserves were minimal compared to the national treasury saved for emergencies. Moreover, the key ingredient for the fruit tarts was the fruit from the Royal Tree, which Vivian had grafted to bear multiple types of fruit simultaneously.

To address the dwindling treasury, the ministers gathered before Vivian.

“Your Majesty, if this continues, we’ll have to dip into the national treasury needed for the kingdom’s operations.”

“We must come up with a solution!”

“I am aware of the dangers of the treasury running dry. Speak freely, ministers, about your solutions.”

“I believe the biggest cause of the treasury’s depletion is the tea parties!”

“But we can’t stop the tea parties!”

“To not be able to eat that chef’s cooking anymore! That would be too tragic!”

As the ministers debated, one cautiously proposed an idea.

“Then, what if we limit the number of participants in the tea parties?”

“Limit the number? Explain further.”

“If we continue to feed all our citizens, the nation’s foundation could be shaken. So, while it’s unfortunate for those who can’t participate, we could limit the number so that at least some fairies can enjoy the tea parties!”

“And how would we select those fairies?”

“To avoid favoritism, we could use the sacred and fair rule of drawing lots to select the participants!”

The sacred and fair rule of drawing lots.

It was an absolute tradition in the Fairy Kingdom, passed down for generations.

From the lowest to the highest, no one could escape this equal selection by luck.

“That way, while not all fairies can enjoy it, it would be the most reasonable method to continue the tea parties…”

Vivian nodded, finding the idea reasonable.

But then, a thought struck her.

“Wait, if we do that, wouldn’t I also be subject to the drawing?”

Until now, under the name of the Queen’s Tea Party, other ministers had taken turns attending, but she had always participated.

But if this drawing were implemented, even she couldn’t escape the sacred and fair rule.

That meant she might not be able to attend the tea parties.

A Queen’s Tea Party without the Queen.

“No, that’s absurd! I’ve spent so much of my wealth to host these tea parties…! It wasn’t just to feed the citizens…!”

At that moment, a horrifying and selfish greed rose in Vivian’s mind.

The regret over the wealth she had spent.

And the fact that she had become captivated by Kurt’s cooking, something she had never experienced before, clouded the Queen’s usual devotion to her people.

“That treasury is mine! Why should I use my wealth just for others’ benefit!?”

In that moment, the Queen’s mind was devoid of the fact that the treasury was filled with taxes from the citizens and her love for them.

“Indeed, your proposal is sound. But not all proposals are perfect. I shall improve upon it.”

“How do you plan to improve it?”

“The selection method for the tea party participants shall not be the sacred and fair drawing of lots, but limited to high-ranking officials working in the royal palace!”

“…That’s absurd!”

The minister who had proposed the drawing protested vehemently.

But Vivian, blinded by her greed, didn’t hear it.

“Do you have a complaint? If so, you don’t have to participate. But if you do, you’ll never taste Kurt’s cooking again.”

At Vivian’s words, the minister’s mind was filled with the sweet, tangy, smooth, and blissful taste of the fruit tart.

For fairies, who were as obsessed with sweets as dwarfs were with alcohol, it was an irresistible, devilish flavor.

The thought of never tasting that heavenly sweetness again filled the minister with terror.

A cold, inorganic fear that dominated their entire being.

In the end, the minister had no choice but to yield to that indescribable weight of fear.

No, it wasn’t yielding—it was falling into the same corruption as Vivian.

If only high-ranking officials could attend the tea parties, they could eat Kurt’s cooking every day without waiting for their turn.

And so, all the ministers bowed their heads, their eyes gleaming with greed at Vivian’s decree.

Dark clouds began to gather over the future of the Fairy Kingdom.

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