Preparation for the healthy feast for Acella was moving along more smoothly than expected.
“I did say to just dig up whatever you find, but I guess hoping for ginseng from the back mountains of the palace is a bit unrealistic. If we find just half of it, it’ll be a success.”
“Teacher, I’ve found something.”
“Is this it?”
The capable knights of the Moonlight Palace had scoured the mountains all night and gathered all the ingredients I requested for Acella.
They had procured various wild vegetables, including ginseng, deodeok, bracken, and wild perilla leaves.
“Whoosh! The Supre Merchants just delivered some things! Fresh salmon caught at dawn from the harbor city…”
“Do they really have all that?”
The mobility of the Supre Merchants, who monopolized the empire’s canals, was impressive.
There are high-quality ingredients that can only be obtained through the royal kitchen. The exclusive royal cargo ship is said to fly at super speed using mana stones like motors.
Talk about express delivery! The empire’s infrastructure is more advanced than I thought.
“All that’s left is to make it delicious.”
Just past noon, I headed to the royal kitchen with the gathered ingredients.
In the central palace, the kitchen located near the Imperial Palace is responsible for the meals of all royalty and high nobility.
“Wouldn’t it be easier if each palace just prepared their own meals?”
“Only the royal kitchen can handle high-quality ingredients, not to mention safety concerns.”
Since it’s going into the mouths of royalty, there’s no room for poison or black magic.
The chefs and head cooks are elites selected through rigorous evaluation, just like the attending physician.
“I usually can’t go in. But today, I can use the imperial decree as an excuse. I’ve made arrangements. You just need to cook.”
“Your preparedness is impressive.”
Hugo nodded and followed me closely.
Upon arriving at the kitchen, we underwent a thorough security check.
As soon as we stepped inside, a hellish scene unfolded before us.
“The chicken coop door is open! Who’s the culprit?!”
“Bring a butter right now! We need three more plates out!”
The kitchen resembled a battlefield.
About thirty people were all preparing food that had to go to various palaces, making it a situation where we could use even a cat’s paw.
“Are you the attending physician?”
One of the head cooks, with bloodshot eyes, approached me.
The kitchen was filled with noise, requiring him to raise his voice.
“I received the message! From now on, you’ll be directly preparing the food going to the Moonlight Palace! I’ve cleared that workspace for you! Do not cross this line!”
He pointed at the white line he had drawn on the floor. For safety reasons.
Thunk, the cooks set down a large box.
“Here are the ingredients you ordered! We’re also inspecting the ingredients you brought in!”
The head cook and the chefs checked our secondary ingredients.
“You want to use this? That’s quite peculiar. Please be careful not to mix the ingredients!”
“Don’t worry. Ours look distinctively different.”
“Fire! Who left the oil in the pan?!”
The head cook dashed off in a panic. Tanya, who met my gaze, shrugged her shoulders.
“Ugh… it’s dirty.”
Chloe grimaced as she ran her finger over our workspace, revealing a smudge of grease.
In this world, hygiene doesn’t seem to be a major concern.
The royal kitchen’s top priority is to prepare food deliciously and quickly according to the requirements of the royals.
At least Chloe and Hugo, being trained, had some understanding of hygiene and infection.
“Let’s start with cleaning.”
Hugo diligently moved his gloved hands.
While I checked the ingredients and decided on the menu.
‘Acella’s recommended caloric intake is 2000. It’s too high in fats among the three main nutrients, so I’ll need to increase protein and include numerous components that clear the bloodstream in the first week.’
Tuna would have been better for protein, but since the empire’s sea is too far, I settled on salmon.
‘Wrapping the salmon in perilla leaves should make it palate-friendly. Sesamin will lower cholesterol.’
The main dish was decided.
‘Next, the staple food.’
Although Acella has trouble digesting milk, she likes dairy products.
‘If I break down the lactose beforehand and make it into milk porridge, it’ll be easier to eat. It’s better to get her accustomed to this rather than cheesecake.’
I wondered if Acella would eat vegetables like bracken or deodeok even if soaked garlic is mixed in to remove the pungency.
‘Deodeok’s saponins are especially good for inflammation.’
If it’s delicious, she’ll probably eat it.
I just need to do my best.
‘And tea instead of coffee.’
Acella seeks out coffee whenever she gets the chance. Instead, I need to find a tea she’d like.
I have no idea if she really loves it or if it’s just to look mature.
“Alright, let’s go with this.”
I was a native Korean.
I prefer a meal with a variety of side dishes rather than a plate with just a chunk of meat.
The total number of dishes would be twelve, but the portions would be small.
It would be tight to start preparing now.
“S-Sir, I’m ready.”
Chloe hesitantly spoke up, revealing that she had cleaned our workspace thoroughly, making it look brand new.
“Let’s get started. Put on your masks.”
I picked up my chef’s knife with vigor.
And two hours later, I tasted the bitterness of defeat at Tanya’s hands.
Her taste had been incredibly precise.
No, my ginseng stir-fry was the problem.
“This weed isn’t a dish; it’s as if you just plucked it from the mountains! If you applied some emergency treatment, it might bloom again!”
“Hey, that’s a bit harsh.”
“That’s what the Royal Princess would say.”
“It shouldn’t be this bad.”
I tried to reduce the carbohydrate content by using less sugar, which led to a lack of fermentation. Honestly, even I felt it wasn’t flavor packed.
At this point, there was nothing I could do.
After living alone for five years and cooking with the heroes… I tried to keep my pride intact.
“Property Change.”
Among the ingredients the knights brought was a sugar beet. It wasn’t process-ready, so it could only be given as fodder.
“Compression, Enhancement.”
White granules poured charmingly between my fingers.
Magical powder.
MSG complete.
“Sodium glutamate. The ultimate seasoning that enhances the umami flavor.”
With lower sodium content than salt, it reduces the risk of adult diseases while enhancing flavor.
Of course, it couldn’t quite compare to the rich taste developed through long fermentation by artisans but allows beginners to easily catch up.
I liberally tossed it into sauces and soups.
“I need to adjust the flavor components of all the dishes.”
Since the ingredients hadn’t been processed, the flavors were quite different from what I knew.
Using Property Change, I reduced the bitterness while enhancing the flavor.
After a long struggle, I presented the completed five dishes in front of Tanya.
“Try it.”
Tanya’s eyes rolled as she scrutinized the food.
As she took a spoonful of the cold daikon soup.
“Wow.”
Her expression turned serious as if lightning had struck her head, her eyes widened.
*
“The girl has arrived at the Moonlight Palace for the first time. Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty.”
“Take a seat.”
Ambrosia entered the Moonlight Palace’s dining room, surveying the surroundings before sitting in the chair the knight pulled out for her.
A long table was set up facing Acella and Ambrosia.
“The Moonlight Palace is quite neat. I feel a sense of progress.”
“You’re exactly right.”
As Ambrosia noted, the Moonlight Palace was decorated in a relatively modern style even compared to the Imperial Palace.
“Just looking at Gothberg’s attending physician’s challenging attitude gives insight into the path you’re taking, Your Majesty. I’m curious what he will show us today.”
“Indeed. You too should keep a close watch.”
Acella tried to decipher Ambrosia’s true intentions hidden behind her formal words, fixing her gaze on her.
‘The Emperor’s first attending physician. Aside from the secretary, they spend the most time with the Emperor.’
The Emperor’s attending physicians remain on standby due to his age. There’s hardly any duty at the Inner Palace.
Acella wanted to extract information about the Emperor’s health from her.
‘The easiest way for me to become the Emperor is to be recognized as the official heir.’
Anyone could feel that Gunter was merely a nominal crown prince.
Who would first win favor with the Emperor and become the true crown prince or princess?
Acella was determined to make the most of this opportunity to gather information from the Imperial Palace.
“How is the Emperor’s health? He must be sleeping well.”
She began with a light question, aiming to come off as a simple daughter concerned for her father.
“Hmm. He is as dignified as ever, commanding the world.”
Ambrosia had no choice but to reply like that.
An attending physician cannot reveal the health information of the royal family, and suggesting that the Emperor is weakening could be seen as rebellion against the Empire.
The cracks in that statement.
Acella sought hidden meanings in Ambrosia’s tone.
‘She hesitated slightly. That exaggeration suggests he’s definitely not as well as before.’
Tap, tap, Acella drummed her fingers on the table.
“You must be having a lot of trouble too.”
“As an attending physician, it’s my duty.”
“If you’re in a position like that, you could be holding onto some power. I heard the Inner Palace is stronger for you than for the 1st princess or 2nd prince?”
“We have neither the leisure nor the reason to form factions.”
“Ah, thank you.”
The head maid served pre-meal tea, which Ambrosia lightheartedly sipped.
Meanwhile, Acella didn’t take her eyes off Ambrosia, not even glancing at the tea or dishes before her as she asked.
“Given such a situation, don’t proposals come your way?”
“A proposal? In what sense?”
“Well, for instance… a request for cooperation from another faction?”
Acella sought information beyond just the Emperor’s movements from Ambrosia.
She recalled it.
The scene witnessed through her clairvoyance in her dreams.
The day when Lars hugged her tighter than ever.
No, it wasn’t about Lars.
Why is my focus wandering like this?
Ambrosia had certainly been executed for treason.
The reason was the attempted assassination of the Emperor.
‘Lady Tanya claimed it was a fabricated charge by me.’
Considering her personality, she would have taken advantage of existing circumstances. She wouldn’t take such a high risk to manipulate an entirely void situation.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
I speculated whether Ambrosia may have been involved in a conspiracy against the Emperor, under the command of another prince or princess.
“Another faction? I wonder, as a girl, I owe my loyalty solely to the Emperor, so such discussions do not reach my ears.”
‘That doesn’t seem like a lie.’
Among those beheaded in the execution grounds must have been Marquis Gothberg too.
He wouldn’t have been dragged there without reason.
The attempted assassination of the Emperor—a major crime involving the head of a noble family is a serious incident.
Lars’s family must have faced ruin.
‘That’s one possibility.’
It’s a slim chance, yet…
If the present flows similarly to what I saw in my clairvoyance, Lars could end up as a stray abandoned dog, losing everything.
The thread of his life is in Acella’s hands.
‘What if indeed Ambrosia colluded with Marquis Gothberg to spark a rebellion?’
What choice would she have to make then?
Would she throw them to the public as food, just like what she saw in her clairvoyance, or protect them?
‘I can’t abandon Lars.’
To protect her beloved puppet, she wanted to uncover the truth.
“So, Lady Ambrosia…”
Gurgle—
A small rumble emanated from Acella’s stomach as she tried to continue the conversation.
Ambrosia stretched her mouth wide in a smile. Acella, without realizing it, turned her head sharply.
‘Why is Lars so late?!’
Even if he burst in and interrupted the conversation, I’d be mad at him but for now, I was blaming Lars.
Just while I was reprimanding him in my mind.
Creak, the door to the dining room opened.
“Eh.”
Acella involuntarily let out a dazed sound.
A delicious aroma she had never smelled before wafted in from the corridor, stimulating her nose.
Unbeknownst to her, she instinctively licked her lips, hoping she hadn’t drooled.
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