Chapter 280

And that day, she remembered.

The sweetness of the sweetener.

The intense aroma of the spices.

“Ah…”

What appeared to be a rough and simple cabbage salad was, in fact, a complex and intense flavor that defied its humble appearance.

The main player was soy sauce.

To erase the heavy taste of soy sauce and add a refreshing acidity, vinegar was added.

To elevate the flavor’s combat power, sugar was dissolved within.

Sweetness, saltiness, sourness.

The refreshing harmony of these three flavors, combined with the crisp crunch of cabbage.

It blended seamlessly with the mild and chewy meat of the Abnormal Bird, creating an addictive, almost devilish allure.

‘This… is too… too stimulating.’

For Rosemary, who had just been enjoying the simple and mild taste of the Abnormal Bird Dish, this was an overwhelmingly intense experience.

Just moments ago, she had been savoring the plain and unadorned flavor of the Abnormal Bird Dish, awakening to the charm of simple tastes.

She had been skeptical of the meals at Count Astram’s mansion, which were drowned in excessive seasoning, as she began to appreciate the natural flavors of the ingredients.

She had thought that truly good cooking wasn’t about using expensive spices but about bringing out the natural taste of the ingredients.

But…

‘It’s definitely stimulating. Stimulating… but delicious♡’

Her thoughts melted away like snow the moment she tasted Kurt’s special soy sauce salad.

‘Once you know the taste of this seasoning… you can never go back♡’

The flavor of the sauce was so delicious that it made her forget her previous thoughts.

It was stimulating.

And at the same time, delicious.

It was only natural.

Kurt had cooked the Abnormal Bird Dish as a rebellion against the over-reliance on spices in Count Astram’s cooking, but that didn’t mean he was a naturalist chef who excluded spices and sweeteners entirely.

Enjoying the natural taste of ingredients was one way to appreciate fine dining, but that didn’t negate the purpose of sweeteners and spices.

After all, sweeteners and spices were the result of humanity’s countless trials and errors to make food more enjoyable, the crystallization of human effort.

Kurt’s dissatisfaction was with dishes that relied too heavily on the taste of pepper and salt, not with pepper and salt themselves.

You could create delicious food by maximizing the natural flavors of ingredients without relying on sweeteners and spices, but adding them generously would naturally increase the chances of making the food even more delicious.

It was simple.

Thus, the dish Kurt paired with the Abnormal Bird Dish was his special soy sauce cabbage salad.

The recipe for the soy sauce salad itself was simple.

Soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

That’s all.

But that simple combination came together in a golden ratio that maximized each flavor.

Like an Oriental Salad.

It was not an addition of flavors but a multiplication.

Once you tasted it, you couldn’t help but dip the Abnormal Bird Dish into the sauce, as it was as addictive as a drug.

The deep vegetable aroma and the mild chicken-like flavor of the Abnormal Bird.

And the intense, addictive sweet, salty, and tangy taste of the sauce that the Abnormal Bird lacked.

The two complemented each other perfectly, like a couple that had always been one.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Despite the intense flavor, the crispness of the lettuce prevented the mouth from becoming overwhelmed and refreshed it at the same time.

At this point, it was complete.

An endless loop of flavor that you couldn’t stop until you were full.

She, entranced, picked up her fork and dipped it into the meat.

Then, she moved the fork again, burying it into the lettuce salad as if to mix it, and lifted the salad.

In the process, the meat’s juices and the salad’s sauce mixed, creating an irresistibly appetizing brown hue that tempted her.

At that moment, she lost the will to resist and had no choice but to put it in her mouth.

She could only move her mouth, smiling happily at the combination of sweet, salty, sour, and the deep, mild flavor of the meat.

But the trap set by the lettuce salad didn’t end there.

The more you dipped and ate the Abnormal Bird meat, the more the meat’s juices and broth mixed with the special soy sauce, evolving into a glossy brown sauce that also contained the vegetable juices.

It might look messy, but those who tasted it knew.

The savory flavors of the meat and vegetables blended together, transforming into something extraordinary.

The broth mixed with the special sauce might slightly reduce its sweetness, saltiness, and sourness.

But in return, a deeper, richer, and yet mild flavor emerged.

And soon, all those flavors harmonized.

Even more than an Oriental Salad.

The more she ate, the deeper the flavor of the Abnormal Bird Dish became, and Rosemary ended up emptying the first bowl, then the first refill, and soon the second refill, finishing the third bowl.

…

“Phew… I’m really full. It’s been so long since I’ve had such a satisfying meal…”

After finishing the third bowl, Rosemary sighed contentedly.

If you smelled the sigh coming from her mouth now, you would surely detect the strong aroma of the Abnormal Bird.

And in the dining room, not just her but everyone who had dined together was smiling happily, satisfied with the meal.

Kurt’s companions, Mari, Karina, and Serena, as well as her academy friend Yuri, and even her father, Count Astram, were all contentedly patting their stomachs.

“Hahaha. Honestly, at first, when I heard you were cooking, I thought you’d serve some traditional Lizardman dish with blood dripping from the meat and bitter grass that wasn’t properly cleaned, but to serve such a masterpiece… I’m truly surprised.”

“Hmph. Kurt’s cooking skills aren’t just limited to this. Why hide it? Kurt is actually a master chef.”

“It’s true!”

“Oh? Is that so? It seems you’re not only a great adventurer but also a talented chef.”

“Why are you guys boasting when I’m the one who cooked?”

“Because Kurt is the adventurer I admire the most!”

“Agreed!”

Listening to the idle chatter of those who had finished their meal, Rosemary thought lazily.

Normally, no matter how satisfying the food, she wouldn’t have refilled her bowl multiple times, considering her noble dignity.

Yet, in this moment, she had forgotten all decorum and refilled her bowl. Was it because she had grown a step further through today’s experience?

Or was it simply because the food was delicious?

Seriously pondering this, she spoke to Kurt.

“Kurt.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry again for what happened this morning.”

“Don’t worry about it. Thinking about it, it was something you had every right to be angry about.”

“No. Even so, I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on innocent adventurers like you and your party.”

“Ahem, ahem!”

Kurt, seemingly uncomfortable, coughed unnaturally and turned his head.

But Rosemary, unaware of what that gesture meant, continued calmly.

“And today’s meal was truly satisfying. Originally, as the host, our Astram family should have properly entertained our guests, but instead, we were treated to such a wonderful meal…”

“Don’t worry about it. I just wanted to cook, so I did.”

“Thank you for saying that. It makes me feel much better. Still, I’m truly grateful for such a delicious meal. Today’s meal will be an unforgettable memory.”

Rosemary, gracefully expressing her gratitude, seemed even more mature and dignified than she had been just a few hours ago.

And to her, Kurt said,

“Huh? What are you talking about? The meal isn’t over yet.”

“…What?”

Rosemary, genuinely confused, asked in a dazed voice.

Kurt didn’t answer with words but with actions.

Thud.

What Kurt placed on the table was a bowl covered with a cloth.

Then, he removed the cloth, revealing a white flour dough inside.

“For dessert, we’re having knife-cut noodles.”

She didn’t know.

Even if she thought the meal was over, as long as Kurt didn’t, the meal wasn’t finished.

The meal was not over yet.