Chapter 131 - Dinner at the Green Tower
“Sorry, the dishes might look a bit… childish.”
As she offered them seats on the second floor, Dahlia spoke in a slightly small voice.
The three men were staring intently at the plates on the table.
“Whoa, the ham looks like roses…”
“And the radishes are shaped like flowers…”
Since it was supposed to be a dinner with just women, Dahlia had gotten a bit playful with the decorative cuts for the large salad.
That said, all she had done was shape the ham and radishes into flowers and the cucumbers into leaves. It wasn’t anything too elaborate.
“Are those Vienna sausages… monsters?”
The real issue was the sausages.
She had bought a lot of them because they were on sale at the butcher’s, and in a moment of nostalgia for her past life, she got carried away.
She had shaped them into eight-legged creatures and arranged them to stand upright on the plate. It was no wonder they looked like monsters.
“Those are supposed to be octopuses, not monsters… Please don’t mind them.”
Realizing the portions might not be enough, she planned to cut up some of the cheese and ham Volf had brought.
“Please help yourselves for now. I’ll bring the drinks and the rest of the food.”
“Oh, I’ll help too.”
“Then, could you cut the cheese and ham?”
“Um… is there anything we can do?”
“Dorino, I’m going to bring some extra cutlery. Could you handle the table setting and match it with the others?”
“Sure.”
By now, Volf moved around the tower like a resident, and it didn’t feel out of place.
When Volf joined her in the kitchen, Dahlia immediately turned on the magic stove.
“Irma-san is your childhood friend, right? Is her mother still living near the tower?”
As he cut the cheese with a serrated knife, Volf asked.
“She moved to the central district because of her husband’s job. I thought I’d get to see her after so long, but…”
“Sorry for showing up unannounced. It would’ve been a bother if Irma and her mom were here.”
“No, it saved me from worrying, so I’m grateful.”
As she answered, Dahlia also lit the oven. The dishes inside just needed reheating.
While keeping an eye on the oil temperature in the pot, she took out the ingredients she had prepared earlier from the fridge.
“Is that… orange shrimp?”
“Yes, there was a big catch, apparently. The fishmonger came by to sell them.”
To Dahlia, orange shrimp were just large, easy-to-cook shrimp.
Known as “commoner’s shrimp,” they were cheaper than regular red shrimp but had a slightly muddy taste.
However, after changing the water several times a day and fasting them, then cooking them at high heat, they were perfectly fine.
“I’m making shrimp fry. I thought it might not be enough for the men, so I’ll bring out something extra after the toast.”
It was a good thing she had bought ten slightly larger shrimp.
She had planned to serve six, assuming two per person, and freeze the remaining four for when Volf visited—though she kept that to herself.
“Once you’re done cutting, could you choose the drinks? I don’t know everyone’s preferences.”
“Sorry, I’ll definitely make it up to you for today.”
“No, it’s not your fault. Um… please don’t blame Barty-san. I’d hate for you to start fighting again.”
“Yeah, no more fighting from here…”
Volf’s voice trailed off, and when Dahlia glanced at him, he looked reflective.
Perhaps he had been planning to scold Dorino again later. She was glad she had spoken up first.
“...It smells amazing.”
“Maybe just the smell. It’s a bisque soup made with orange shrimp. It’s not as fancy as the ones in restaurants, so it’s more of a ‘mock’ version.”
Bisque soup sounded fancy, but it was just a broth made from the shrimp heads and shells left over from the shrimp fry, with finely chopped leftover vegetables, tomatoes, and a splash of cream added by eye.
Thinking it might be too light for knights who had been training all day, she added a bit of salt and butter.
After frying the shrimp, she brought out the soup and other dishes.
Back in the living room, she set the plates in front of Dorino, who looked uneasy, and Randolph, who sat quietly.
“Why don’t you do the toast, Dahlia?”
“Um… then, to the safety of the Monster Subjugation Force and everyone’s happiness tomorrow, cheers!”
“Cheers.”
“…I’m grateful for the head of the Rossetti Company’s mercy, cheers.”
One person said something different in a low voice, but Dahlia decided to let it slide.
As she savored the sweet red wine with her parched throat, murmurs from those around her began to spill out.
“This is delicious…”
“Wow! I thought it was tomato soup, but it’s shrimp…”
The flavor seemed to suit Volf and Dorino. Seeing them enjoy it so much, Dahlia felt relieved.
Noticing the silence, she glanced across the table to see Randolph drinking the soup with refined movements, his expression unchanged.
Randolph had likely tasted proper bisque soup a dozen times before. She hoped he wouldn’t compare it too much.
“Is this asparagus?”
“Yes, it is.”
On the large plate were bacon-wrapped asparagus spears.
She had wrapped long asparagus spears with bacon and grilled them until the ends were crispy. After plating them, she sprinkled black pepper, so the aroma was still strong.
When she speared one with a fork and took a bite, the saltiness and fat of the bacon paired perfectly with the sweetness of the asparagus.
Judging by the number of times Volf chewed next to her, he seemed to like it too.
However, across the table, Dorino was struggling to cut the bacon with his knife.
“It might be easier to eat by spearing it with a fork rather than trying to cut it with a knife.”
“Sorry, my manners are terrible…”
“No, that’s normal here. My father used to eat with his hands too.”
“Wasn’t your father a baron, Chairwoman Rossetti?”
“Yes. But he rose from being a commoner, so his manners weren’t great. I’m the same.”
“I’ve also been allowed to relax when I come here, thankfully.”
As he spoke, Volf speared an asparagus with his fork and ate it.
Dorino, looking relieved, started eating.
Randolph ate in silence. Volf offered him wine, but he declined.
“These shrimp look fancy…”
“No, they’re just orange shrimp.”
Each person had a plate with two large shrimp fries, served with tartar sauce and greens.
Taking a bite of the still-hot shrimp fry, the firm flesh delivered a rich shrimp flavor.
Ignoring the calories, she dipped it generously in tartar sauce, and the combined flavors were even more delicious.
“…No way, this isn’t commoner’s shrimp. If you’re not a noble, you must be a wealthy merchant…”
Someone was muttering to the shrimp, but since she was busy eating, Dahlia decided to let it be.
After finishing the shrimp fries, Dahlia returned to the kitchen.
Boiling the preheated water, she cooked the pasta and quickly prepared a spaghetti aglio. The salt was slightly on the strong side, with extra chili and garlic for added flavor.
The way Volf and Dorino devoured it afterward was a joy to watch.
The extra plates were cleaned, and they looked satisfied.
However, Randolph declined the extra dish. He even switched from wine to water.
Perhaps the flavor didn’t suit him. Dahlia felt bad for dragging him along.
“Um… for dessert, I have bread pudding. It’s quite sweet, though.”
“Sorry, I don’t think I can manage it.”
“Same here. Everything was so good, I’m stuffed.”
“…Could I have some, please?”
While the other two declined, Randolph was the only one who asked.
He was probably being considerate, which only added to Dahlia’s sense of guilt.
She quickly reheated it in the kitchen and placed the warm bread pudding in a small ceramic dish on a wooden plate in front of Randolph.
He thanked her and started eating, but from the second spoonful, the amount he took halved.
Worried that he was forcing himself, she was about to tell him he didn’t have to finish it when she stopped.
The corners of Randolph’s eyes had softened slightly.
With the spoon that looked small in his hand, he savored each bite as if it were precious.
Could it be that Randolph had a sweet tooth?
If he preferred sweets over alcohol, it would explain why he didn’t drink much.
“Randolph-sama, if you’d like, there’s another serving.”
“Um… uh, thank you.”
For a moment, his expression softened, like a shy boy.
Dahlia decided to secretly add more honey.
Later, she brought out the bread pudding with a small bowl of extra honey on the side.
Randolph generously drizzled it on and finished it cleanly.
It was a relief that Randolph had found something he could enjoy. As she relaxed, he picked up the bottle of red wine.
“Lady Dahlia, everything was delicious. Thank you. May I pour you a glass of wine?”
“Th-thank you.”
She was slightly startled by the sudden offer.
Volf, sitting beside her, narrowed his eyes as he watched.
In noble etiquette, pouring wine for someone of lower status was a gesture of gratitude or encouragement. She vaguely remembered reading about it in the book on manners, but she couldn’t recall the details.
“Oh, you can stay seated. Noble etiquette doesn’t apply here.”
Randolph stopped Dahlia as she started to stand and rose himself.
The red wine he poured into her glass was sweet and comforting.
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