Chapter 279

Rosemary felt a sensation as if the coldness that had unknowingly built up inside her body was melting away with each spoonful of the soup she tasted.

It was no illusion.

The soup Rosemary was drinking actually warmed her body.

The soup, made from a rich chicken broth of the Abnormal Bird Dish, was physically warm, but the taste and aroma of the soup were also subtly stimulating Rosemary’s body.

Have you ever heard the story that if you tell a hypnotized person that a regular piece of metal is a red-hot iron rod, they will actually get burned?

Similarly, even if the reality is different, the human body can accept it as such, and the brain can send signals that affect the body.

Take mint, for example.

The menthol in mint disrupts nerve cells, creating the illusion of coolness, which is why minty foods feel refreshing, and minty ointments feel cool when applied.

Conversely, there are ingredients that make the body feel warm.

Pepper, ginger, and the like.

No, not just pepper and ginger.

Green onions, onions, and chicken also synergize well to raise body heat.

Although not used in large quantities, the aroma of pepper and ginger in the warm soup stimulated the tongue, tricking the brain into thinking the soup was hotter than it actually was, and the brain sent signals to the body, making it feel as if it were filled with heat.

Blood circulation speeds up, sweat begins to form, and body temperature rises.

As a result, the initial heat felt by the tongue was exaggerated, but the body’s feedback made it real.

Thus, Rosemary’s body gradually melted into relaxation.

All the dissatisfaction she had built up towards adventurers, the guilt over her mistakes, and the fear of facing life-threatening situations.

“Ah… It’s really warm.”

Rosemary continued to sip the soup of the Abnormal Bird Dish.

Moreover, the soup had a charm that made her want to keep tasting it beyond just warming her body.

At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary chicken broth, but the taste and aroma within were far from simple.

The base chicken broth, or rather, the Abnormal Bird broth, had a rich and deep flavor that was hard to believe was brewed in less than an hour, with the sweetness from onions and green onions providing a healthy, subtle sweetness different from sugar, and the starchiness from potato pieces adding depth and weight to the broth.

A hint of ginger and pepper masked any gamey smell from the meat while the ginger’s unique warmth warmed the body.

It was truly a soul-warming Abnormal Bird Soup.

But as the saying goes, when standing, one wants to sit, and when sitting, one wants to lie down.

The satisfaction she felt from the first spoonful, thinking that the soup alone would make a satisfying meal, soon turned into a burning longing.

Like the humans in the Bible who, in their arrogance, built a tower to reach God, a desire arose in Rosemary’s heart.

Gulp.

It was the main meat of the Abnormal Bird Dish.

While a clear soup would usually suffice as the main, the Abnormal Bird Dish had the characteristics of both a clear soup and a stew with large chunks.

As she kept sipping the broth, her stomach, now awake, began to complain of hunger.

Having been invited by adventurers at lunchtime, which was uncomfortable, and having left the restaurant after an argument, she hadn’t had a proper meal.

Missing just one proper meal was enough to make her feel a great hunger, especially at her growing age.

And the Abnormal Bird Dish’s broth, neither bland nor overly stimulating, perfectly teased her hunger.

“Then, the main meat…”

Rosemary moved her fork to pick up a piece of the Abnormal Bird meat on her plate.

If it were the original chicken dish, she would have picked up a piece with bones, but the Abnormal Bird was too large, so only pieces from the legs and breast were used, all boneless.

Thus, the meat on her plate was all pure meat.

Without even small bones, the fork easily picked up the tender, bouncy Abnormal Bird meat, glistening with broth as it rose to her eye level.

For a moment, the broth-coated meat seemed to shine under the light, making Rosemary unconsciously swallow her saliva.

Despite having eaten countless meat dishes as the only daughter of Count Astram, and even more elaborately prepared dishes than the Abnormal Bird Dish, she felt drawn to the meat like a monk tasting meat for the first time.

“My, my…”

Mesmerized by the glossy appearance, Rosemary soon regained her composure and put it in her mouth.

The taste of the meat was exactly as she had expected from the broth.

Neither particularly stimulating nor overly bland.

The Abnormal Bird meat, infused with the broth’s flavor.

It was a predictable, expected taste, not deviating an inch from her anticipation.

Yet, Rosemary felt all the more satisfied.

Had it been shockingly better than expected, it might have shattered the comfort and warmth she was feeling.

In that sense, the taste of the meat was exactly as she had imagined, in a good way.

The aroma of green onions and onions, more fragrant than any rare and expensive herb at that moment, spread pleasantly in her mouth, with the taste and aroma of salt and pepper subtly absorbed by the meat, which tenderly fell apart with each chew.

As she happily chewed the meat, Rosemary soon realized.

That the meat was not at all what she had expected.

Boiled meat can risk becoming dry due to moisture loss during cooking, and even if avoided, it inevitably loses texture compared to grilling.

Yet, the Abnormal Bird meat, despite being boiled, maintained a moist and tender texture, as if it had been steamed separately and then soaked in broth.

If not for the aroma of green onions and onions permeating the meat, she might have thought that was the cooking method used.

It was a pleasant miscalculation.

The Abnormal Bird Dish, while maintaining the comforting warmth of the broth, also delivered a taste beyond expectations, like a well-made movie that captures both commercial success and artistic merit.

For her, accustomed to strongly flavored dishes with generous amounts of spices and sweeteners, this was an entirely new sensation.

Of course, the Abnormal Bird Dish also contained salt and pepper, but they were merely supporting actors to highlight the ingredients’ natural flavors.

Ultimately, the stars of the meal were the Abnormal Bird meat, green onions, onions, and potatoes, proudly showcasing their presence.

Thus, she found herself enjoying the most satisfying sensation from a dish that was not stimulating, continuing to devour the Abnormal Bird Dish.

“It’s not stimulating, yet it’s so delicious…”

“Right? Kurt has a knack for making even non-stimulating dishes irresistible.”

“Really. It’s strange how this simple dish feels more delicious than the usual heavily peppered and sweetened foods…”

She agreed with Karina and looked anew at the Abnormal Bird Dish before her.

Yes. Perhaps Kurt made this dish to teach us to appreciate the natural flavors of ingredients.

‘I should tell Dad to reduce the seasonings in our meals from now on.’

As Rosemary thought this and was about to wrap a piece of the softened green onion around the Abnormal Bird meat and put it in her mouth, Karina spoke to her again.

“But Rosemary, aren’t you going to eat the cabbage salad?”

“Cabbage salad? Ah…!”

Only then did she notice the sliced cabbage marinated in black sauce.

She had been so focused on eating the main dish, the Abnormal Bird, that she had forgotten about the cabbage salad marinated in black sauce.

“That’s right. I was so engrossed in the main dish that I forgot. Thank you for reminding me.”

The salad, made only with cabbage without any seasonal fruits or vegetables, didn’t look particularly appetizing, but Rosemary was no longer concerned with appearances.

Just today, she had been rude to Kurt and his party due to her prejudice against adventurers, only to be humbled and helped by them.

And the Abnormal Bird Dish, despite its rough appearance, had healed her body and mind with its light yet rich broth.

Thus, Rosemary opened her eyes to the natural flavors of the ingredients, no longer holding any prejudice against the cabbage salad’s rough appearance.

She moved her fork, about to pick up a piece of meat, to scoop up a handful of cabbage salad instead.

But at that moment, Karina spoke to her again.

“Ah. That salad isn’t meant to be eaten alone but with the meat in the stew. Like this.”

Plop.

Gulp.

Chew chew.

As she demonstrated, Karina skewered a piece of Abnormal Bird meat with her fork and then dipped it into the black sauce-covered cabbage before bringing it to her mouth.

Then, with a hand on her cheek, she smiled happily.

“Mmm~. It’s delicious♪ This is how you eat it.”

“So that’s how you eat this dish…”

Using a fork to eat two dishes at once was not proper etiquette for nobles, but Rosemary, having grown mentally, felt no aversion and clumsily followed suit.

She wrapped a green onion around the Abnormal Bird meat and then dipped it into the cabbage salad, lifting the cabbage that came with it.

But the glossy broth from the meat mixed with the black sauce of the cabbage salad, creating a shimmering brown color.

Gulp.

And so, she put the meat and salad skewered on her fork into her mouth.