Chapter 194 - The Crimson Cattle Calf and the Company Chairwoman
After the toast, the first dish served was thinly sliced black bread topped with salted goat cheese.
The idea was for everyone to share a single loaf of bread, divided according to the number of participants, with each piece topped with cheese. It was a tradition meant to strengthen the bonds between them.
Apparently, when there were too many people, sharing a single loaf wasn't practical, so they used bread baked in the same oven instead.
This was Dahlia's first time trying salted goat cheese.
It had a slightly distinctive flavor, but it was rich and pleasantly salty. The heat had melted it into a creamy consistency, and it went wonderfully with the bread.
Just as she found herself wishing the portions were a little bigger, the drinks and dishes arrived all at once.
The center of the table was soon packed with an assortment of dishes: fried meat, seafood, and vegetables; long, mussel-like shellfish baked in the oven; and platters of smoked chicken and sausages.
Alongside the food, a serving cart had been stocked with red and white wine, cloudy eastern liquor, sparkling water, and fruit juices. Apparently, they had arranged everything so that everyone could choose whatever they preferred.
Next, two plates were placed in front of each guest.
On the white porcelain plates were small, neatly twirled portions of red and white pasta, probably with cream and tomato sauce.
Beside them were neatly arranged, golden-brown rounds of baked meatballs and mashed vegetables.
And then there was one more dish.
On a black metal plate resting on a wooden board lay a thick-cut piece of grilled meat. It was so red that she almost wanted to ask whether it had been cooked through.
Recognizing the meat, Dahlia turned toward Volf, who was already looking at her with his mouth slightly open, as though he was about to say something.
"That's Crimson Cattle, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I think so."
It was a rather unusual ingredient they had eaten together the first time they visited this restaurant.
It was a magical beast resembling a cow that a neighboring kingdom had successfully managed to breed.
While the others stared curiously at the red meat, the assistant manager entered carrying a steaming pot of sauce.
"This is a veal tenderloin steak from a Crimson Cattle calf. I'll pour some sauce with forest mushrooms over it. Please be careful, as the plates are hot."
He generously poured the wine-colored sauce over everyone's steak. The finely chopped pieces in it were presumably mushrooms.
The fragrant aroma of the mushroom sauce wafted up from the still-hot metal plates.
"Please enjoy your meal. If you need anything, simply ring the bell."
Once the assistant manager and the other staff had left the room, Dahlia addressed everyone.
"Thank you all for coming today. Please eat your fill and enjoy the drinks at your leisure."
Everyone picked up their preferred drinks, and they raised their glasses for a second toast before beginning their meal.
Since they had been told to eat it while it was hot, Dahlia immediately cut into her veal steak.
She couldn't recall ever having eaten veal steak, either in her previous life or this one.
As she cut into it, wondering what it might taste like, an image popped into her mind: an adorable little calf being jostled around in a wagon, crying sadly—with a soundtrack to accompany the scene.
That was one thing, and this was another. She forcefully banished the image from her mind and speared the meat with her fork.
For her first bite, she decided to try the meat without any sauce.
The moment she tasted it, the meat felt incredibly moist and tender against her tongue. Its texture was remarkably fine.
As she chewed slowly, she was surprised by how tender it was. The sweet juices and the meat itself practically melted in her mouth. It had a clean, straightforward flavor, with neither an unpleasant aftertaste nor any greasiness.
Starting with her second bite, she added some of the sauce.
The sauce appeared to be red wine-based, with finely chopped, aromatic mushrooms mixed in.
The sauce paired beautifully with the delicate flavor of the veal.
"Whoa... This meat is so tender. It's sweet, too. Delicious!"
"The meat is great, but that sauce goes incredibly well with it. Makes me want another glass of wine."
"Is it this delicious because it's Crimson Cattle, or because it's a calf?"
"I'm not sure which it is, but it's really delicious."
Everyone chimed in with praise as they savored their veal steaks.
All five guests except Dahlia and Fermo decided to order a second steak.
Dahlia's reason for holding back was the waistline of the dress she was wearing.
After that, everyone focused on eating, drinking, and enjoying one another's company.
They chatted about products such as the expedition stove, their respective guilds, and the latest fashion trends in clothes and shoes in the royal capital. The lively conversation continued until everyone was thoroughly full.
Afterward, they ordered additional desserts and snacks, and people gradually began switching conversation partners from time to time.
There was one person Dahlia was a little concerned about, though: Mena.
Earlier, she had ended up speaking rather harshly to him over the matter involving Volf.
When she glanced in his direction, his light-blue eyes were already looking at her.
The wine in the glass he held in one hand was only half-finished. He might have already had several glasses, but there was no sign of intoxication on his face.
"This is a welcome party for our new members, too, so please don't hold back. Enjoy as much as you like."
"Yes! Thank you very much, Chairwoman!"
His cheerful smile and straightforward reply put her somewhat at ease.
Marcella, sitting beside Mena, turned toward her as well.
"Dahlia-chan, I'm a brand-new recruit too, you know?"
"But Marcella-san, you're certainly not holding back when it comes to drinking, are you?"
"Of course not! Besides, I don't drink at home anymore."
"Has the smell of alcohol started bothering Irma?"
Had Irma started experiencing morning sickness? Concerned, Dahlia asked, but Marcella shook his head.
"No, it's nothing like that. But Irma won't be able to drink for a while, right? It just doesn't feel right for me to be the only one drinking. She tells me not to worry and to drink as much as I like, but you never know what might happen. Her parents are with her today, though, so I'll enjoy myself without holding back."
"Fufu, Marcella-san, I knew you'd make a wonderful dad."
"Looks like we've got ourselves a doting father."
"Dahlia-chan, Volf, please... You're embarrassing me. Cut it out..."
Marcella scratched his head, narrowing his tawny eyes. He already looked rather embarrassed.
He looked so happy that Dahlia couldn't bring herself to tease him any further.
"Lucia-san, would you like some wine? The fruit water is delicious, too."
"Red wine, please! It's fine. Lord Fort has been teaching me, so I can drink more than I used to."
Perhaps Mena had noticed that Lucia's glass was empty and gone over to offer her another drink.
Mena was holding two bottles and had apparently been trying to persuade Lucia to have some fruit water, only to have her request wine instead.
The fact that Fort had been the one teaching her to drink gave Dahlia a little pause, but she decided not to ask.
Lucia picked up her half-filled glass and flashed Dahlia a mischievous smile.
"Lord Fort was jealous when he heard about today's party. So I told him, 'But you weren't invited by Dahlia, were you?' And he looked so dejected, like a little puppy!"
"Bwuh—!"
Lucia's remark made Dahlia choke on her drink.
As she coughed repeatedly, Volf, seated to her left, looked concerned, while Ivano, on her right, gave an amused smile.
"I would have liked to invite Lord Fort today as well, but we'll have to save that for another time. I imagine some people here would still feel a little nervous around him."
"Lord Fort is the head of the Tailors Guild and a Viscount, isn't he? I'd prefer to wait outside the room..."
"I don't know much about proper etiquette either. I'd need to work up a bit of courage before meeting him..."
"Aristocratic etiquette is so complicated..."
Mena, Fermo, and Marcella all furrowed their brows in unison.
Remembering how she'd once been unexpectedly put in a position where she had to meet him, Dahlia wholeheartedly agreed.
"It seems the three of you have forgotten, but Sir Volf is a nobleman himself. Though, I suppose our Chairwoman will be a noblewoman and a Baroness next year, too."
"Ugh..."
Just as her coughing was about to subside, it started up again. Ivano, why did you have to bring that up now?
This time, even Volf was smiling awkwardly.
"That's different. Neither Dahlia-chan nor Volf would nitpick over things like disrespect toward nobles."
"Huh? Come to think of it, Marcella-san, why do you call Sir Volf by his name without an honorific...?"
Mena gave Marcella a suspicious look as he spoke so casually.
"Because we're friends."
"Yeah. We even go out drinking together and stuff."
Mena immediately pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and spoke with one corner between his teeth.
"How could you, Marcella-san?! And here I thought we had something special..."
"I told you to quit that joke! Every time you pull that stunt, people give me these weird sideway looks. Besides, Irma's the only one who's allowed to say that to me."
"And that's how our very own Marcella-san manages to turn everything into an opportunity to brag about his wife."
"'Our very own'? I'm not yours..."
"I mean he's ours as in the Rossetti Company’s. He's part of the company, you know?"
Mena replied matter-of-factly as he folded his handkerchief.
Marcella closed his tawny eyes and let his shoulders slump.
"Dahlia-chan, I'm sorry. I've brought a strange one into the company."
"Oh, no, um... I think it's nice to have someone so cheerful around."
"You're such a kind Chairwoman...! I'll stay by your side until I retire in my old age!"
Relieved to see Mena laughing so cheerfully, Dahlia also found the phrase retirement in old age rather novel.
"I'll do my best to make sure the company is still going strong and that everything runs smoothly until then."
Neither in her previous life nor in this one had Dahlia ever been responsible for managing subordinates.
She had thought that if anything ever happened to her, Ivano could take over. That was why she'd asked him to become vice chairman.
But perhaps that alone wasn't enough.
There was her research and studies as a magical toolmaker, as well as her duties and learning as a chairwoman.
She had a mountain of things she needed to do, as well as countless things she wanted to pursue.
"Dahlia, you're the one who really needs to enjoy yourself today, our Chairwoman."
Volf smiled at her, glass in hand, noticing that she'd become lost in thought.
She felt as though his golden eyes had seen right through her seriousness, and she was a little embarrassed.
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