3 bar menu

Chapter 82: Teriyaki and Pancakes (The Royal Couple Appears)

Princess Sophia had become quite the tomboyish young lady.

She’d been galloping around on horseback with Jessica, so she was bound to come back with an empty stomach.

I was preparing lunch to make sure Princess Sophia could eat plenty and enjoy it.

That said, this was the royal palace of the Kingdom of Algeas, with many chefs at hand.

There wasn’t much I personally needed to do.

All I had to do was introduce maple syrup to the chefs and cook up a sample piece of meat as an example.

When I prepared a 「Maple-Syrup Teriyaki Beef Round,「 the palace chefs eagerly tasted it with great interest.

「Delicious!」

「No way!? That liquid gives it this kind of flavor!?」

「This sweet and salty balance is so refreshing!」

「We must let His Majesty the King taste this!」

The teriyaki was a huge hit.

It used salt instead of soy sauce, so it was a little different from the Japanese version of 「teriyaki,「 but in a world with such limited seasoning options, it was an innovative flavor.

The chefs got excited and started debating all kinds of ideas.

「This… might work with other ingredients too, right?」

「Chicken… maybe vegetables?」

「Fish might go well with it too?」

I clapped my hands together, clap clap, to quiet the room.

「Save your maple syrup experiments for later and help with lunch. Princess Sophia’s been riding around all morning. She’ll come back famished. Now that she’s recovered, let’s feed her something delicious.」

At my words, the chefs sprang into action.

They came to consult with me on the menu.

This was the palace kitchen of the powerful Kingdom of Algeas, ingredients were abundant.

I drew upon my memories from my previous life to propose new dishes for Princess Sophia.

Noon arrived.

Lunch was to be held outdoors in the courtyard of the palace where Princess Sophia lived.

We set out a table to enjoy the meal under the sky.

Prince Alex and I had agreed on this location.

It was the spot where Sophia first stepped outside after getting out of bed, and also where we Barbar first began to interact with her.

To our surprise, the King and Queen themselves decided to join us.

Around the large courtyard table sat the King and Queen of Algeas, Crown Prince Alex, and Princess Sophia.

On the Barbar side, it was me, my wife Jessica, and Rosso.

His Majesty the King greeted us with a warm smile.

「This is just a casual family luncheon. Please, feel at ease and enjoy yourselves. No need to worry about formalities.」

The King had black, curly hair and sharp, defined features. He resembled Crown Prince Alex.

Likely because this was a private occasion, his clothes were relaxed and undecorated.

However, the embroidery on his jacket was intricate and clearly of fine quality.

As expected of the King of a rapidly rising nation like Algeas, he had the kind of presence that drew everyone’s eyes.

Her Majesty the Queen had smooth blonde hair and a beautiful face much like Princess Sophia’s.

She wore a traditional-style dress similar to the King’s, with a tastefully simple gold hair ornament.

Her gentle smile held a strength behind the eyes, a sense of resolve.

I offered my greetings in the Algeas language, using a formal tone, not the casual one I used with Alex.

「Your Majesty, thank you for your gracious hospitality.」

「No, no, don’t be so stiff. We’re deeply grateful that Sophia has recovered, both I and the Queen. You are our benefactors! Thank you!」

「That’s right. I’m very grateful as well. Thank you. All of you from Barbar are dear friends to Alex and Sophia. Please, feel at home.」

The King and Queen both thanked us warmly.

Jessica sat beside Princess Sophia, the two of them chatting like close sisters with bright smiles.

Rosso was completely absorbed in the food. Since he didn’t understand the Algeas language, he probably just thought, 「some bigwig is saying something.」

I, on the other hand, was reading the situation carefully.

(This is a big deal…)

I quietly sorted my thoughts.

Until now, our Barbar tribe’s relationship with Algeas had been mostly informal, mediated through Prince Alex.

Evidence of that was that we had never been officially invited to any Algean state functions.

To Algeas, we were likely just 「a strong tribe from the western edge, with rare goods, friendly with Prince Alex, let’s leave it at that.」

It was Prince Alex’s jurisdiction.

But now, after helping Princess Sophia and introducing rare trade goods like jam and maple syrup…

Algeas had arranged this private luncheon with the King and Queen in attendance.

(They’ve just bumped up Barbar’s status a notch…)

I wore a social smile while smirking inside.

In politics, commerce, and war alike, the Kingdom of Algeas was a key player.

Having Barbar’s standing elevated within Algeas was a welcome development.

Now, the food was being served.

There wasn’t a concept of 「courses,「 so fresh dishes were brought out from the kitchen one after another.

Bread, soup, vegetable salad, and meat dishes.

「Oh, it smells so delicious!」

Princess Sophia clapped her hands in delight, eyes locked onto the 「Maple-Syrup Teriyaki Beef.」

I gave a brief explanation.

「This is called ‘Teriyaki Beef Round.’ It’s flavored with sweet maple syrup and salt. The meat has been sliced into easy-to-eat portions, please enjoy it with some bread and vegetables.」

Hearing this, the King smiled and spoke up.

「Oh! So this is the new dish! Let us try it at once!」

Everyone began to eat.

「My! This is delicious!」

「Amazing! Truly a delightful flavor, I’ve never tasted anything like this before!」

The royal couple’s eyes widened in surprise.

Princess Sophia clearly liked it too, eagerly bringing bite after bite to her mouth.

「Wow! It’s delicious! Even I can eat meat like this!」

「Sophia-chan, try it with the vegetables too. It’s even better that way.」

「Oh my, you’re absolutely right, Jessica-oneesama! It goes wonderfully with the vegetables!」

Sophia and Jessica chatted cheerfully as they ate, filling the air with a lively energy.

Alex quickly devoured his teriyaki and let out a satisfied sigh.

「Gaia! This is incredible! Absolutely delicious! Father, perhaps we could serve this at royal banquets? I believe it would be a splendid hospitality dish!」

「Indeed, I agree. Gaia-dono, allow us to purchase maple syrup for the palace.」

「Thank you very much! We have it stored aboard our ship, I’ll have it delivered.」

Just like that, a major deal was struck!

Sweet goods like jam and maple syrup truly are powerful assets!

After everyone finished the main dishes, dessert was brought out.

I had personally provided the recipe, for Princess Sophia: pancakes.

Golden-brown pancakes stacked in two layers on a round plate.

Butter sat atop the center, and orange slices, grapes, and figs added vibrant color around it.

Beside the plate was a small dish of maple syrup.

The aroma of butter and the sweet scent of syrup stirred the appetite.

Everyone has room for dessert.

「Oh my! What an adorable dish!」

Princess Sophia was absolutely delighted.

「To celebrate Princess Sophia’s recovery, we’ve prepared a dessert. These are called pancakes. Spread the butter and pour the maple syrup over them before eating.」

「Wow! Thank you, I’ll dig in!」

Without hesitation, Princess Sophia began eating the pancakes.

She poured the syrup from the little dish, then, bite!, took a big mouthful.

「So good~!」

Her eyes narrowed in bliss.

「I’m so glad, Sophia-chan! Now there are even more things you can eat! Look, eat some fruit too!」

「Yes, Oneesama!」

Sophia and Jessica ate their pancakes together, giggling and happy.

Watching Sophia enjoy her food so energetically, I felt from the bottom of my heart that I was truly glad she had recovered.

The words came out naturally.

「Princess Sophia! Congratulations!」

Following my lead, the King, Queen, and Alex joined in celebrating her.

「Congratulations, Sophia!」

「We’re so happy to see you well again!」

「Congratulations!」

「Thank you so much!」

The warmth of this family gathering made me a little envious, but I could celebrate with all my heart.

Congratulations, truly!