Chapter 183

What’s this?

I looked at Clarice, who was coldly reacting to the fruit I offered, and thought for a moment.

Did I make some kind of mistake?

…Ah. I see.

After pondering for a while, I soon realized why she had become so sharp.

Originally, the request was timed so that we could return to Astram by dinner time.

Although, thanks to her help, we were able to return to the village faster than expected, chatting still took quite a bit of time.

So, it was now a good time to have dinner.

Especially since she had been camping out for the past few days to get to Astram from her mansion and had used high-level magic, she must be tired and craving a warm meal.

Indeed…

Thinking about it, she must be tired from just returning from a journey, and it seems we kept her too long.

Moreover, people with low blood pressure tend to become hysterical unintentionally due to their condition, and judging from her conversation with Mari earlier, her low blood pressure was severe enough to cause anemia regularly.

So, since we received her help during the request, maybe we should treat her to a meal.

“It seems it’s about time for dinner.”

“Ah, really.”

“Clarice, why don’t we have a meal together? I’ll treat you.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly accept your treat…”

“That’s a great idea. Miss Liche, let’s have a meal and chat together!”

“I, I…”

“Indeed, it would be a shame to part like this. How about we have a chat over a meal?”

“Lucky! I was planning to have an incredibly delicious meal today!”

“Well, if you insist… I guess I have no choice. Hehe.”

Indeed, offering a meal seemed to have an effect as Clarice soon softened her hysterical expression and began to smile warmly at Karina and Serena.

As expected, most problems can be solved with delicious food.

“Kurt is the one cooking, but don’t worry. Even though he’s a Lizardman, his cooking skills are second to none.”

“Right. Despite appearances, Kurt is the best cook among the people I know!”

“…The best among the people you know?”

Clarice, sensing something amiss, asked in a lower voice.

What’s this? Is there a problem?

But the two, seemingly unaware of Clarice’s lowered tone, calmly answered her question.

“Of course! Among all the people I’ve met, no one cooks as well as Kurt!”

“And today, he’s serving a dish I’ve never tasted before, so you can look forward to it even more!”

“…Is that so?”

Hearing this, Clarice, seemingly displeased, glanced at me with an uncomfortable voice.

Is it because she can’t believe a Lizardman cooks well?

I’ve been getting such looks since I left the Lizardman Village, so it’s nothing new, but it still hurts.

I need to quickly serve delicious food to cure her prejudice.

I brushed off Clarice’s gaze and headed to the kitchen.

…

…

…

More than an hour had passed since Kurt entered the kitchen.

While Liche spent a happy time chatting with the three, she noticed Kurt’s cooking was taking a long time and smiled inwardly.

‘It’s taking this long. I wonder what kind of amazing dish he’s planning to serve.’

Just as she was about to harshly critique the dish if it turned out to be poor, Kurt finally entered the Adventurer Guild’s hall with the completed meal.

But when Kurt brought the food…

Clatter

Clatter

Clatter

“Th-this is…”

Liche couldn’t help but be stunned.

She already knew Kurt’s cooking skills were quite good from observing Karina and Serena’s lives.

But the actual skill displayed before her eyes was beyond what she had glimpsed.

What she saw then was Kurt serving gratin to the three.

Gratin, being covered with cheese, made it hard to appreciate the cooking skill from a distance, and back then, the only menu item was gratin.

So, even if the three praised Kurt’s cooking, it didn’t leave a strong impression.

But now, the dishes Kurt had completed and brought were tomato soup enhanced with a hint of red tomatoes, Caprese salad combining mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, fried potatoes sprinkled with salt and parsley, and steak with a light crimson sauce made from tomatoes.

These were not just ordinary adventurer’s meals but full-fledged dishes that could come from a noble’s mansion.

“Fried potatoes! He made my favorite dish!”

“Tomato soup too…!”

“And steak!”

“Right. I decided to serve a full course today, so I made dishes you all like.”

“Did you really make all this by yourself…?”

‘This isn’t the cooking skill of an ordinary adventurer!’

Thus, Liche couldn’t help but ask in a trembling voice upon seeing Kurt’s dishes.

Of course, Liche had also served lavish dinners when Karina and Serena stayed at her mansion.

But that was after preparing in advance while the two were bathing, using the mansion’s cooking facilities and magic.

This was a different story, cooking alone without the mansion’s facilities or magic.

Moreover, Kurt, a Lizardman, had just returned to the Adventurer Guild with her, hadn’t he?

Then, he wouldn’t have had time to prepare…

And what about the quality of the dishes?

Although she hadn’t tasted them yet, a skilled cook could assess the quality just by the appearance.

The tomato soup emitted a fragrant aroma without any earthy smell from unwashed vegetables or the discordant scent of improperly cleaned meat, only appetizing aromas. The fried potatoes shone with a light golden color, perfectly timed for the best frying.

The tomato salad exuded a tangy aroma, stimulating the appetite before even tasting, and as for the main dish, the steak…

It was beyond description.

It wasn’t quite the full course a high noble would eat, but it was an excellent feast for the Adventurer Guild, which had the atmosphere of a village tavern.

Liche, momentarily overwhelmed by the dishes, soon regained her composure and forced herself to look for flaws in Kurt’s cooking.

“Hmph. Using tomatoes in the salad, tomato soup, tomato sauce on the steak, and tomato ketchup for the fried potatoes—isn’t that too much tomato?”

“Oh, you noticed? I heard tomatoes are good for low blood pressure, so I made sure to use plenty of tomatoes.”

“Ugh…!”

“Indeed, Kurt. A very considerate menu!”

“Thinking not just about the taste but also the health of those eating… I should take notes!”

“Good for you, Clarice!”

“Y-yes…”

But her counterattack only served to elevate Kurt’s evaluation…

‘This isn’t what I wanted…’

“Now, let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

Whether he knew of Liche’s dilemma or not, Kurt urged her to start the meal.

“Yes! I’ll enjoy it!”

“Let’s eat!”

“Thanks! I’ll enjoy it! Wendy, a beer here!”

Thus, the four, excluding Liche, began their meal, each starting with their favorite dish.

‘…In this case, I have no choice but to eat and find fault with the taste! Even if he made four dishes, maybe one of them is a failure!’

And amidst the four, Liche decided to taste Kurt’s cooking and belittle its flavor.

In this situation, I must forcibly lower Kurt’s evaluation.

And I must show the three that I am a better cook than Kurt.

That was her conclusion.

And to do that…

‘Kurt, even if all the dishes you made are delicious, I will forcibly find flaws and lower your evaluation. I will never admit that your cooking is good.’

With that, Liche vowed not to yield to Kurt’s cooking and slowly raised her fork and knife.