Chapter 74: A Cheerful Dinner
After Kurune and Aisha came back from their visit to Ergys-san’s house, we started eating dinner.
「Delicious! This venison, not only does it not have a smell, it’s super tender!」
「…You’re right. I pan fry it at home too but it’s not this tender at all」
Kurune and Aisha spoke in admiration after they took a bite of the venison.
「That’s because the processing of the meat was handled nicely right after the deer was caught. And in your case, Aisha, that would be because the meat is just slightly overcooked」
It’s true that I have gotten used to handling deer after I became a hunter, but I think it’s more amazing how Flora could cook the meat just right while considering what goes well with it.
It wasn’t only pan-fried venison, she also served a light sauce that’s made by using kuku berries, a salty-sweet sauce, and some mildly spicy spices.
She didn’t just cook the venison, but she has done all that to further enhance its taste.
I will first taste the venison as it is without putting any of the sauces on it.
I put a bite of the fatty venison into my mouth.
The moment I bit softly into it, I felt the juices of the meat burst out.
My mouth was filled by the rich flavor of the freshly caught wild venison. The doneness of the meat was perfect as it was very tender. The more I chewed, the more the overflowing flavor of the meat seemed to flood my body with power.
After I had a taste of the venison by itself, I will try it with the salty-sweet sauce on it next.
It’s the same sauce that I sometimes find in the sandwiches that Flora makes. The sauce is made by mixing several different fruits, sugar, and alcohol together. It’s very tasty when it’s together with meat in a sandwich.
Since there was some bread that was cut into small portions on the table, I was thinking about making one. But at that moment, I saw Aisha add the salty-sweet sauce to her venison the same way I did.
Then, she went into thought for a second and added some of the spicy spices on top of her venison that already had the salty-sweet sauce on it.
While I was surprised by her two-step combo that had never crossed my mind, Aisha leisurely put a bite of her venison into her mouth.
From there, she chewed the meat to savor the taste and gave Flora a thumbs up.
That seems delicious no matter how I look at it.
Tempted by Aisha’s double combo, I added some of those spices onto my venison after I put some sauce on it. After the sauce absorbed the spices, the venison was dyed red.
After I slowly put a bite of that into my mouth, the salty-sweet sauce, the pungent spices, the overflowing meat juice and all kinds of different flavors mixed together in my mouth.
I could taste the rich, gamey flavor of the venison more as I chewed, and that flavor collided with the sauce and spices as if they were competing with each other.
There was a strong spicy flavor, but for some reason it made me want to eat more.
「…Eating it like this makes it tastes like the meat that they sell on the food stands on the street」
「This combo might be my favorite」
「Ehhh, that flavor is a bit too strong after all. It’s best to eat it with the light sauce to neutralize the fattiness of the meat!」
Kurune said in a dissatisfied voice after Aisha voiced her opinion after me.
That’s because Kurune prefers the taste of her food to be on the lighter side instead.
After I cut up another piece of my venison, I dipped it into the light sauce that was made from kuku berries.
Then, I put that piece of meat into my mouth in one go as its meat juice and sauce looked like they were about to drip down.
As I chewed on it, the fatty juices of the venison overflowed after I felt the texture of the fatty venison. While the rich gamey flavor of the venison oozed out, the light sauce made from the kuku berries neutralized the fatty taste. It was easy to eat thanks to its spot-on sourness.
Kurune’s method is also great. It’s a simple approach.
「But what if you add some fresh vegetables to this venison with both the sauce and spices on it and make a sandwich?」
「Ugh…T-that…! That does sound good…」
Kurune, who belonged to the lighter flavor party, groaned at what Aisha pointed out.
It’s true that if the flavor is too heavy then you can just make up for it with the vegetable’s water content. You can appease different people’s tastes by adding in different things. Meat and sauce is deep.
While Kurune and Aisha were in the middle of their dispute, I asked Flora who was sitting next to me,
「Which way is your favorite way to eat this, Flora?」
When I turned to Flora and asked her that, she had just put a piece of meat in her mouth. She wanted to answer me, but she couldn’t since her mouth was full. She desperately chewed her food in a hurry but it seemed like she couldn’t swallow it since her mouth is small.
「Ahaha, just take it slowly」
Her troubled expression as she tried to swallow her food down was so cute that it made me laugh. She looks like a squirrel that had a nut in its mouth.
Perhaps she sensed that I was making fun of her in my mind, so she started to hit me lightly in protest.
「Oh what the…To suddenly start flirting in front of us」
「Better not go “ahh” and start feeding each other or something」
I guess they noticed our interaction; Kurune and Aisha looked at us and said with unimpressed expressions on their faces.
Of course we aren’t going to feed each other in front of people. We do it sometimes when we’re home by ourselves though.
While they stared at us, Flora finally swallowed her food and slowly opened her mouth,
「I like to try the different combinations one by one and then finish with just the light sauce at the end」
Flora’s way was also another perfect way to eat it.
◆
The dinner the four of us had with a huge debate about what sauce goes well with venison and how to eat it was very lively. When I took out a bottle of wine in the middle of the meal, Kurune drank it with delight and got tipsy, but it really seemed like she was having a blast.
It goes without saying that wine goes well with venison, but things like seeing an old companion again, making new friends, arriving at a place where she could relax; all those things probably made her tension disappear.
I feel like she had let herself loose and was having fun for a change.
After we finished the delicious food, drank the alcohol, and had some nice long chats, it was night time.
The sun had already set and it was pitch black outside.
We reluctantly rounded up our conversation and moved to wash the dishes.
However, since Aisha and Kurune are visitors, Flora and I were the only ones doing the clean up.
But even still, Kurune carefully helped us wipe the table to show her gratitude. As an adventurer, she wouldn’t be able to sit around and not do anything when there are things she could help with at times like this.
After I looked at Kurune with those heartwarming thoughts in my mind, I turned to stare at Aisha, who was proudly relaxing on the sofa on the other hand.
Yeah, I know you’re a guest, but how about learning how to have a commendable attitude like Kurune at least?
Even though Aisha noticed the message I was sending her through my look, she just kept sitting on the sofa and went “Kuaaa” as she let out a yawn of relaxation.
It’s impressive that her skin can be that thick.
After that thought crossed my mind, Aisha stood up after she finished her big yawn.
「Alright, Kurune. Let’s go home for the day」
「Yeah, it seems to be about time. I don’t want to go yet but I guess we’ll have to call it here」
「Hm? Aisha aside, I thought you were going to stay here for the night though, Kurune?」
Flora nodded in agreement as she wiped the dishes that she washed.
Then, Kurune looked at me and said “You’re stupid, aren’t you” in a shocked voice.
「I’m considerate enough to not stay at you love birds’ house when you two just moved in together. I’ll be living at Aisha’s place for a little while」
Were we looking like a pair of lovebirds? I guess she saw us like that from the exchange between me and Flora earlier.
Actually, if I were in her shoes, I might have said no too. For example, I wouldn’t want to stay at Elliot’s place when he’s being all lovey-dovey after marrying the noble girl.
「Yess, feel free to stay at my place. Everyone will be happy if they could take a bath- I mean, if you come stay with us, Kurune」
「Yea yeah, you want to take a bath, right? Sure. In exchange, let me have a taste of the finest wine in your house, Aisha」
「…Fine. I’ll let you have a taste of the vintage wine that my dad is hiding」
It looks like they have already made an agreement.
It’s true that if Kurune’s there, getting a bath ready would be a simple task.
I’m sure Aisha’s entire family can take this opportunity to enjoy taking a bath.
「…With this, Ena won’t be mad at me」
If Aisha invites such a talented wizard as a guest to their home and shows them her splendidness, they might not scold her for slacking off at work.
That’s truly cunning of her.
Well, not only will Kurune get to drink some nice wine, she won’t have to feel reserved staying at her place either since she’s giving Aisha what she wants as well.
「Don’t make too much trouble for your family, okay?」
「Yes, I know I know. Okay, thank you for the food. And have a good night」
After Flora scolded her, Aisha quickly started walking out as if she thought Flora was going to start preaching to her.
Kurune also walked towards the entrance of the house with a bitter smile like she was looking at a child who was afraid of being scolded.
She put on her shoes and opened the door of the house, and then she turned around.
「Thank you for today, you two! It was really fun. Alright, see you tomorrow!」
「Yeahh, I had fun as well. See you tomorrow」
「Yeah, see you tomorrow」
After Flora and I replied with a smile, Kurune smiled back at us and closed the door.
Those two lively people had left before I knew it, and the living room became quiet again.
I was surprised and worried when Kurune left the academy of magic and came to Nordende, but once I saw the genuine smile on her face, all my worries were blown away.
I don’t know if she can find new happiness here, but I hope she could find it like I had and live life a little more enjoyably.
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