“Captain, Miss Sylvia!”
Hubert jumped down the neighing horse and strode over, kneeling to report to Felix.
“The appearance of the beasts has moved farther from the lakeside than yesterday. That distance seems to ensure the villagers’ safety.”
Hearing this, Felix was assured that the gem he had planted was effective. The land around the lake was imbued with the power of the Black Dragon, and with the gemstones made from Black Dragon blood planted in residential areas, they could be at ease.
“Good work. Rest now.”
“Yes, Captain!”
“Yes!”
Hearing their robust response, Sylvia clapped her hands.
“You must be hungry. Please wait a moment. Go clean up first.”
“Yes, understood!”
The mercenaries moved efficiently. Sylvia hurried into the makeshift wooden house, quickly growing a watermelon to satisfy their hunger. She peeled the watermelon like an apple with wind magic.
Cutting the watermelon into small circles, she placed them in a large wooden bowl and sprinkled a generous amount of sugar. She then added small ice granules for them to chew together with the watermelon.
Cooling it with ice magic, she poured milk into the bowl and extracted pure juice from strawberries, adding it to the bowl. After stirring everything evenly with wind magic, she called Felix.
“Felix, can you bring this?”
“Sure.”
He quickly rose from his seat, having finished the remaining rolled eggs, and effortlessly placed the large wooden bowl on the table.
“What’s this?”
Curious about the unfamiliar dish, Sylvia explained,
“This is a watermelon punch. Try it. You like watermelon, right?”
“Watermelon punch? Why haven’t you made this before?”
Sylvia laughed at his blunt tone. Felix often requested watermelon from her. Hearing it was a dish made from watermelon, his eyes sparkled despite his gruff tone.
She brought a spoon box to the table, filled a small bowl with a ladle, and filled it to the brim. Watermelon punch on a hot day was truly delicious.
Although Sylvia liked it with milk, her favorite was just watermelon, ice, and sugar. She planned to make it that way for Felix next time, hurrying as the mercenaries began to emerge from the tents.
“Come over and have some of this!”
At her call, people flocked to the table.
“What’s this? It has ice in it!”
“Indeed, the forest was still too hot compared to this place. Phew, but it’s cooler here.”
“Sylvia, do we just scoop this up with a spoon?”
Amid the bustling voices of the people, Sylvia smiled broadly.
“Just eat it as is, it’s called watermelon punch! There’s no better food for summer! Enjoy!”
Behind her cheerful voice, the robust responses of the mercenaries followed.
“We will, thank you, Sylvia!”
Even the late-arriving mercenaries took their seats and picked up their spoons. Felix had already secured a bowl for himself and was eating. Sylvia found it endearing that he could now manage on his own without her beside him.
‘Hmm, that’s a very good posture.’
She couldn’t help but nod in approval to herself.
After ensuring everyone was enjoying their meal, Sylvia went into the makeshift house to start preparing dinner.
They had to set off on their journey again the next day. For that reason, she needed to feed the mercenaries well today and offer the villagers one last meal. She had prepared something special.
She had received chicken breast meat from her regular chicken shop. At her request, the shop owner skillfully deboned the meat, cutting it into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.
She mixed potato starch, flour, and a bit of turmeric powder well. The chicken breast meat, which had been soaked in milk since the morning, was rinsed clean in water, and then seasoned with salt and pepper.
After sprinkling with powder mix and stirring, she coated each piece in the powder mix again before frying them in oil.
As the chicken fried, Sylvia made the sauce. She finely chopped beet pickles and added them to mayonnaise, along with lemon juice and sugar, stirring well.
She then mixed apple juice with sugar, chili powder, homemade ketchup, and extra-hot chili paste, stirring before adding a generous amount of chopped nuts. She stirred sugar into soy-flavored Galbus oil with minced garlic, onions, green, and red chili peppers. Lastly, she added a bit of ginger juice, sesame seeds, and sesame oil, stirring again.
After preparing three kinds of sauces and letting the fried chicken drain well in the air, she fried the remaining chicken in oil and took out various pickles she had prepared earlier. Cucumber pickles, cabbage pickles, onion pickles, beet pickles, radish pickles – all were served in bowls, and she also ground some salt finely into small dipping bowls.
She also prepared salt sprinkled with a bit of pepper, salt and sugar, blueberry powder and salt, and orange peel powder and salt. Finally, she shredded cabbage and mixed it evenly with homemade ketchup and mayonnaise.
With everything prepared, Sylvia turned off the stove and opened the door.
“Could you help me out here? And please let the villagers know it’s time to eat!”
The Croban mercenaries, who had already finished their watermelon punch and were waiting, stood up simultaneously.
“Understood!”
Alan, with blue hair, ran across to the village to inform the villagers, while Bernard with red hair, Brian, and Calvin approached Sylvia. George and Russ with green hair, and John were arranging the table, placing enough spoons and bowls for everyone.
Karl, with his hair a mix of blue and silver, was busy filling wooden cups with plenty of ice.
Isaac, with blonde hair, also moved briskly with Bernard’s group to serve the food, and Jordan, with brown hair, arranged the chairs. Sylvia served all the food and cut fruits and chicken into small pieces for the fairies.
“This is called chicken, and it’s really delicious. Eat it with the fruit, okay?”
[Got it!]
[Wow, it smells so good!]
[Sylvia, this is delicious!]
[Asta will only eat fruit.]
[Unusual but very tasty.]
[Ah, too delicious!]
[So, this is that dreadful food!]
Remembering Sylvia’s description of a dish so delicious “one could eat it even if it meant death,” Eryngium hesitated at first, watching the other fairies enjoy it before finally taking a bite.
The sight of several fairies sharing a piece of chicken was incredibly cute. Watching the fairies eat, Sylvia clapped her hands.
‘We’ve missed the most important thing!’
The crucial element for eating chicken had been overlooked. Since it wasn’t something available in this world, she seriously pondered.
‘Should I try making it?’
Although she had never tried it before, the presence of magic made Sylvia think anything was possible. She created water in mid-air and surrounded it with wind magic, imagining the process in her mind.
Her imagination was filled with images of tiny bubbles infiltrating the water.
‘Become carbonated, carbonated! Turn into carbonation! Yap yap yap!’
With a deep yearning, she carefully tasted the carbonated water she had created.
Hmm!
Her teal eyes widened, conveying everything.
‘It’s delicious! It’s carbonated!’
She was delighted by the refreshing and cool carbonation bubbles tickling the roof of her mouth. Sylvia eagerly searched for the lemon, grapefruit, and pineapple syrups she had stored in the cypress wood space.
“Aha, an ade!”
Her shoulders bounced with excitement as she mixed the carbonated water with the syrup in a large glass jar, stirring well.
Filling it with ice, Sylvia opened the door with a bright face.
“Felix, can you help me with this!”
At her call, he approached quickly and took the glass jar from her, as she also carried some out. The villagers had already taken their seats, familiar with the routine. Without further ado, Sylvia exclaimed,
“Let’s eat!”
“Yes! Let’s eat!”
“Let’s eat!”
Their responses echoed like waves of support, and everyone, without exception, started with the chicken. Its irresistible savoriness didn’t need to be mentioned. The mercenaries explained to the villagers in Sylvia’s stead.
“Dip it in this sauce. Personally, I prefer this white sauce.”
“You’re not eating it right. Nothing beats the red flavor of Sylvia’s food. Here, try this red sauce.”
“I find this yellow sauce to be the best, slightly salty, spicy, and savory.”
“You’re all wrong. I just tried this scarlet salt, and it’s the best. It’s refreshing and savory!”
Preferences began to diverge. Sylvia simply nodded, accustomed to the scene. Beside her, Felix sipped the pineapple ade and looked dumbfounded. He stuttered as he asked,
“Si, Sylvia?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s this?”
“What?”
He was munching on chicken, pointing at something.
“Ah, that’s called pineapple ade. Tasty, isn’t it?”
“Ade? How can water fizz like this?”
Felix felt the same awe he had when he first used magic. The wonder and novelty of using magic for the first time, which he could only watch before, was unforgettable.
Similarly, the pineapple ade now presented him with a sense of novelty and wonder. Lost for words, he then gulped down the lemonade.
“Yum!”
The tartness followed by sweetness refreshed his mouth. The grapefruit ade was bitter-sweet. As Felix alternated between the ades, Sylvia offered him chicken topped with cabbage salad.
“Here, open up.”
Reacting reflexively to her “open up,” he opened his mouth without even looking at what was coming.
Chewing thoughtfully.
With his eyes widened, Felix finally noticed the cabbage salad. The moist eyes of Hubert and Dennis, eating beside him, observed.
Worrying that saying anything might stop him from eating like before, they simply cherished the sight of their lord enjoying his meal, not daring to utter a word carelessly.
Anyone who saw how Felix rarely had a proper meal could not speak lightly of it. Hubert was profoundly grateful to Sylvia. His gratitude wasn’t just superficial; he was prepared to lay down his life for her if necessary.
They were beings ready to die for their lord, but they decided to regard her with the same devotion they had for their lord.
***
After the bountiful dinner and as night fell, Sylvia returned to her makeshift home and lay down. The vine bed was soft and cozy.
“Ugh…”
Groaning, she took off her shoes and changed into comfortable clothes. Following a habit she had since her youth, she slipped into bed wearing only a large shirt.
The sensation of the bedding rubbing against her skin was pleasant. As she wiggled her toes and was about to fall asleep, she heard a faint voice near her ear.
[Sylvia.]
[Are you asleep?]
Opening her eyes, Sylvia saw the fairies calling her. Calmia and Lupinus were sitting side by side on her body.
“Calmia, Lupinus?”
[Today, we’re going to sleep with you, Sylvia! You always sleep with Erin… That’s not fair, Sylvia.]
Calmia burrowed into her embrace as she spoke, followed by Lupinus.
[You always smell so nice.]
Sylvia couldn’t help but smile at the tiny fairies. She gently stroked their little heads with her finger and said,
“Good night… Calmia, Lupinus.”
The two fairies mumbled sleepily in response to her greeting.
[Umm, we’ll sleep well…]
[Thanks to you, we’ll have sweet dreams.]
Watching their tiny lips twitch as if they were about to say more, Sylvia closed her eyes as well.
The night was even cozier thanks to the two fairies.
“Captain, Miss Sylvia!”
Hubert jumped down the neighing horse and strode over, kneeling to report to Felix.
“The appearance of the beasts has moved farther from the lakeside than yesterday. That distance seems to ensure the villagers’ safety.”
Hearing this, Felix was assured that the gem he had planted was effective. The land around the lake was imbued with the power of the Black Dragon, and with the gemstones made from Black Dragon blood planted in residential areas, they could be at ease.
“Good work. Rest now.”
“Yes, Captain!”
“Yes!”
Hearing their robust response, Sylvia clapped her hands.
“You must be hungry. Please wait a moment. Go clean up first.”
“Yes, understood!”
The mercenaries moved efficiently. Sylvia hurried into the makeshift wooden house, quickly growing a watermelon to satisfy their hunger. She peeled the watermelon like an apple with wind magic.
Cutting the watermelon into small circles, she placed them in a large wooden bowl and sprinkled a generous amount of sugar. She then added small ice granules for them to chew together with the watermelon.
Cooling it with ice magic, she poured milk into the bowl and extracted pure juice from strawberries, adding it to the bowl. After stirring everything evenly with wind magic, she called Felix.
“Felix, can you bring this?”
“Sure.”
He quickly rose from his seat, having finished the remaining rolled eggs, and effortlessly placed the large wooden bowl on the table.
“What’s this?”
Curious about the unfamiliar dish, Sylvia explained,
“This is a watermelon punch. Try it. You like watermelon, right?”
“Watermelon punch? Why haven’t you made this before?”
Sylvia laughed at his blunt tone. Felix often requested watermelon from her. Hearing it was a dish made from watermelon, his eyes sparkled despite his gruff tone.
She brought a spoon box to the table, filled a small bowl with a ladle, and filled it to the brim. Watermelon punch on a hot day was truly delicious.
Although Sylvia liked it with milk, her favorite was just watermelon, ice, and sugar. She planned to make it that way for Felix next time, hurrying as the mercenaries began to emerge from the tents.
“Come over and have some of this!”
At her call, people flocked to the table.
“What’s this? It has ice in it!”
“Indeed, the forest was still too hot compared to this place. Phew, but it’s cooler here.”
“Sylvia, do we just scoop this up with a spoon?”
Amid the bustling voices of the people, Sylvia smiled broadly.
“Just eat it as is, it’s called watermelon punch! There’s no better food for summer! Enjoy!”
Behind her cheerful voice, the robust responses of the mercenaries followed.
“We will, thank you, Sylvia!”
Even the late-arriving mercenaries took their seats and picked up their spoons. Felix had already secured a bowl for himself and was eating. Sylvia found it endearing that he could now manage on his own without her beside him.
‘Hmm, that’s a very good posture.’
She couldn’t help but nod in approval to herself.
After ensuring everyone was enjoying their meal, Sylvia went into the makeshift house to start preparing dinner.
They had to set off on their journey again the next day. For that reason, she needed to feed the mercenaries well today and offer the villagers one last meal. She had prepared something special.
She had received chicken breast meat from her regular chicken shop. At her request, the shop owner skillfully deboned the meat, cutting it into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.
She mixed potato starch, flour, and a bit of turmeric powder well. The chicken breast meat, which had been soaked in milk since the morning, was rinsed clean in water, and then seasoned with salt and pepper.
After sprinkling with powder mix and stirring, she coated each piece in the powder mix again before frying them in oil.
As the chicken fried, Sylvia made the sauce. She finely chopped beet pickles and added them to mayonnaise, along with lemon juice and sugar, stirring well.
She then mixed apple juice with sugar, chili powder, homemade ketchup, and extra-hot chili paste, stirring before adding a generous amount of chopped nuts. She stirred sugar into soy-flavored Galbus oil with minced garlic, onions, green, and red chili peppers. Lastly, she added a bit of ginger juice, sesame seeds, and sesame oil, stirring again.
After preparing three kinds of sauces and letting the fried chicken drain well in the air, she fried the remaining chicken in oil and took out various pickles she had prepared earlier. Cucumber pickles, cabbage pickles, onion pickles, beet pickles, radish pickles – all were served in bowls, and she also ground some salt finely into small dipping bowls.
She also prepared salt sprinkled with a bit of pepper, salt and sugar, blueberry powder and salt, and orange peel powder and salt. Finally, she shredded cabbage and mixed it evenly with homemade ketchup and mayonnaise.
With everything prepared, Sylvia turned off the stove and opened the door.
“Could you help me out here? And please let the villagers know it’s time to eat!”
The Croban mercenaries, who had already finished their watermelon punch and were waiting, stood up simultaneously.
“Understood!”
Alan, with blue hair, ran across to the village to inform the villagers, while Bernard with red hair, Brian, and Calvin approached Sylvia. George and Russ with green hair, and John were arranging the table, placing enough spoons and bowls for everyone.
Karl, with his hair a mix of blue and silver, was busy filling wooden cups with plenty of ice.
Isaac, with blonde hair, also moved briskly with Bernard’s group to serve the food, and Jordan, with brown hair, arranged the chairs. Sylvia served all the food and cut fruits and chicken into small pieces for the fairies.
“This is called chicken, and it’s really delicious. Eat it with the fruit, okay?”
[Got it!]
[Wow, it smells so good!]
[Sylvia, this is delicious!]
[Asta will only eat fruit.]
[Unusual but very tasty.]
[Ah, too delicious!]
[So, this is that dreadful food!]
Remembering Sylvia’s description of a dish so delicious “one could eat it even if it meant death,” Eryngium hesitated at first, watching the other fairies enjoy it before finally taking a bite.
The sight of several fairies sharing a piece of chicken was incredibly cute. Watching the fairies eat, Sylvia clapped her hands.
‘We’ve missed the most important thing!’
The crucial element for eating chicken had been overlooked. Since it wasn’t something available in this world, she seriously pondered.
‘Should I try making it?’
Although she had never tried it before, the presence of magic made Sylvia think anything was possible. She created water in mid-air and surrounded it with wind magic, imagining the process in her mind.
Her imagination was filled with images of tiny bubbles infiltrating the water.
‘Become carbonated, carbonated! Turn into carbonation! Yap yap yap!’
With a deep yearning, she carefully tasted the carbonated water she had created.
Hmm!
Her teal eyes widened, conveying everything.
‘It’s delicious! It’s carbonated!’
She was delighted by the refreshing and cool carbonation bubbles tickling the roof of her mouth. Sylvia eagerly searched for the lemon, grapefruit, and pineapple syrups she had stored in the cypress wood space.
“Aha, an ade!”
Her shoulders bounced with excitement as she mixed the carbonated water with the syrup in a large glass jar, stirring well.
Filling it with ice, Sylvia opened the door with a bright face.
“Felix, can you help me with this!”
At her call, he approached quickly and took the glass jar from her, as she also carried some out. The villagers had already taken their seats, familiar with the routine. Without further ado, Sylvia exclaimed,
“Let’s eat!”
“Yes! Let’s eat!”
“Let’s eat!”
Their responses echoed like waves of support, and everyone, without exception, started with the chicken. Its irresistible savoriness didn’t need to be mentioned. The mercenaries explained to the villagers in Sylvia’s stead.
“Dip it in this sauce. Personally, I prefer this white sauce.”
“You’re not eating it right. Nothing beats the red flavor of Sylvia’s food. Here, try this red sauce.”
“I find this yellow sauce to be the best, slightly salty, spicy, and savory.”
“You’re all wrong. I just tried this scarlet salt, and it’s the best. It’s refreshing and savory!”
Preferences began to diverge. Sylvia simply nodded, accustomed to the scene. Beside her, Felix sipped the pineapple ade and looked dumbfounded. He stuttered as he asked,
“Si, Sylvia?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s this?”
“What?”
He was munching on chicken, pointing at something.
“Ah, that’s called pineapple ade. Tasty, isn’t it?”
“Ade? How can water fizz like this?”
Felix felt the same awe he had when he first used magic. The wonder and novelty of using magic for the first time, which he could only watch before, was unforgettable.
Similarly, the pineapple ade now presented him with a sense of novelty and wonder. Lost for words, he then gulped down the lemonade.
“Yum!”
The tartness followed by sweetness refreshed his mouth. The grapefruit ade was bitter-sweet. As Felix alternated between the ades, Sylvia offered him chicken topped with cabbage salad.
“Here, open up.”
Reacting reflexively to her “open up,” he opened his mouth without even looking at what was coming.
Chewing thoughtfully.
With his eyes widened, Felix finally noticed the cabbage salad. The moist eyes of Hubert and Dennis, eating beside him, observed.
Worrying that saying anything might stop him from eating like before, they simply cherished the sight of their lord enjoying his meal, not daring to utter a word carelessly.
Anyone who saw how Felix rarely had a proper meal could not speak lightly of it. Hubert was profoundly grateful to Sylvia. His gratitude wasn’t just superficial; he was prepared to lay down his life for her if necessary.
They were beings ready to die for their lord, but they decided to regard her with the same devotion they had for their lord.
***
After the bountiful dinner and as night fell, Sylvia returned to her makeshift home and lay down. The vine bed was soft and cozy.
“Ugh…”
Groaning, she took off her shoes and changed into comfortable clothes. Following a habit she had since her youth, she slipped into bed wearing only a large shirt.
The sensation of the bedding rubbing against her skin was pleasant. As she wiggled her toes and was about to fall asleep, she heard a faint voice near her ear.
[Sylvia.]
[Are you asleep?]
Opening her eyes, Sylvia saw the fairies calling her. Calmia and Lupinus were sitting side by side on her body.
“Calmia, Lupinus?”
[Today, we’re going to sleep with you, Sylvia! You always sleep with Erin… That’s not fair, Sylvia.]
Calmia burrowed into her embrace as she spoke, followed by Lupinus.
[You always smell so nice.]
Sylvia couldn’t help but smile at the tiny fairies. She gently stroked their little heads with her finger and said,
“Good night… Calmia, Lupinus.”
The two fairies mumbled sleepily in response to her greeting.
[Umm, we’ll sleep well…]
[Thanks to you, we’ll have sweet dreams.]
Watching their tiny lips twitch as if they were about to say more, Sylvia closed her eyes as well.
The night was even cozier thanks to the two fairies.
