Episode 14: Rietberg Castle
At the gates of Rietberg Castle, a drawbridge awaits. Between the gate and the walls lies a deep moat.
There’s no water in the moat. It was designed to hold water to prevent enemy incursions during wartime, but for now, it stood empty.
The drawbridge was raised vertically, but as the winch was turned to the left, the gears groaned with a heavy creak, and the bridge began to descend slowly.
Just as the bridge finished lowering, a large brown shadow leaped into the air.
Alexia smiled gently.
“I’m home, Baloo.”
“Cat?”
Luke’s eyes widened in disbelief.
In a flash, something so enormous that it defied imagination sprinted across the drawbridge and landed in Alexia’s arms.
With brown fur patterned in black stripes, Baloo’s long, thick tail had darker markings towards the tip. Its body, covered in thick, long fur, was far larger than any cat Luke had ever encountered.
“Baloo is a wildcat.”
As Alexia stroked Baloo, he purred deeply, rubbing against her. It was a menacingly deep rumble, but coming from Alexia, who was tall and imposing herself, it all felt perfectly natural.
(I want to be a cat…!)
Luke gazed at Baloo with genuine envy.
“I found him almost dead in the forest as a kitten. I took care of him and raised him.”
In the native tongue, “Baloo” means “bear.” Indeed, he looked more like a small bear than a cat, complete with ferocious claws and fangs.
Initially, they had planned to return him to the wild once he was weaned, but as he grew, Baloo just wouldn’t leave Alexia’s side. Now, he mostly hunts down rats in the castle kitchen and pesky birds raiding the vegetable garden.
“Baloo?”
With a soft purr, Baloo suddenly leapt from Alexia’s arms and made his way to Luke’s feet.
Luke braced himself for a possible bite or scratch, but Baloo merely sniffed at him curiously, showing no signs of aggression.
“It’s unusual for Baloo to get attached to someone he just met.”
Just then, Alexia remarked with surprise.
An old woman approached slowly.
“Welcome home, my lady.”
“Brigitta. Perfect timing.”
The woman, known as Brigitta, wore traditional wool clothing and a horned hat atop her graying hair, her small frame making her seem almost delicate.
“He’s the one who saved Emil. Please escort him to the guest room.”
“Of course.”
Turning on her heels, Alexia set off, and Baloo quickly turned from Luke’s feet to follow her, almost as if he were on a mission.
Luke, with a hint of reluctance, stole glances back at Alexia as he was led through the castle by Brigitta.
“Please use this room.”
“Uh…”
As he entered the guest room, Luke gasped.
The interior showcased a deep blue palette, simple yet spacious.
A splendid brick fireplace stood ready for use, the bed adorned with an elegant canopy, beside which was a small reading table and chair. A large arched window offered a breathtaking view of the sprawling woods and countryside below.
“Um, is it really okay for me to use this?”
“Is something wrong?”
Brigitta tilted her wrinkled head curiously.
The room was tidy and well-appointed, but perhaps it seemed modest to a young man from the capital.
“If there’s anything missing, just let us know and we’ll arrange it. Would you prefer a larger room…?”
“Enough! This is more than enough!”
“What about your other luggage? If it’s in the carriage, I can send someone to get it.”
“No, this is all my luggage.”
“All of it…?”
Luke pointed to just a single cloth bag slung over his shoulder.
That’s when Brigitta looked at him with an expression of puzzlement.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway, and in dashed Lily, breathless.
“Luke Nii-san!”
Lily still carried a basket filled with wild strawberries and, evidently feeling at home, jumped up to pester him.
“Hey, let’s cook together!”
“Sure, why not?”
Luke took the basket, and with her free hand, Lily tugged at him, as they joined hands and headed outside the room.
“How’s Emile? Is he okay?”
“The doctor helped him, saying there’s no need to worry anymore.”
“That’s good to hear.”
The kitchen at Rietberg Castle was located on the first floor, opening into the courtyard—truly the best spot for ventilation and food transport.
As dusk approached, the kitchen buzzed with chefs, each engaged in their tasks with great focus.
It wasn’t much different from the kitchen of Baron Valten—water was directly supplied from the well through pipes, and a grill utilized wood fire for baking bread. Given the practicality, it made sense they resembled one another.
“Hello. Nice to meet you.”
As Luke greeted them, the chefs glanced his way, suspicion dancing in their eyes. Fortunately, with Lily by his side, the suspicion died down.
The head chef named Hans was a pale and plump middle-aged man, chopping into salted pork ribs with a hefty knife—seemed like the main dish of the day.
Upon handing over the basket of wild strawberries, Hans’s face lit up with delight and he thanked Luke, saying he would use them for dessert.
“How about using half of them as a sauce?”
“A sauce? With strawberries?”
Hans tilted his head, half intrigued and half skeptical.
Typically, meat is seasoned with just salt and pepper. Sure, they might occasionally whip up a brown sauce using meat juices, but never had he heard of using fruit.
When Hans expressed his skepticism, Luke chuckled and rolled up his sleeves.
“In the capital, it’s trendy to use fruit as a seasoning for cooking. I’ll do it.”
After washing his hands, Luke cleaned the strawberries and let them dry.
Borrowing vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and a variety of herbs from Hans, he carefully chopped half of the strawberries with a knife. Mixing the seasonings just right, he expertly lit a fire and placed a cooking pot on the stove.
As he stirred, the strawberries bubbled and transformed into a thick sauce.
“How does it smell?”
Pouring the cooled sauce into a small plate sent a sweet and tangy aroma wafting through the kitchen.
Gathered around by curious chefs, Hans tentatively scooped some with a spoon to taste.
“Mmm! Delicious!”
As he tasted the sauce, Hans’s plump body shivered with delight.
“This is truly delightful! It pairs amazingly with meat!”
The sourness from the strawberries and vinegar had diminished, resulting in a mellow flavor. The rich sweetness harmonized beautifully with the savory meat, amplifying its umami.
The herbs mixed in were exquisite too. The delightful sweet and salty flavor made one want to continue eating indefinitely.
“Good! I learned it from the chef at my parents’ house.”
Luke sighed in relief, a smile spreading across his face.
He recalled the anxious expression on Johan’s face when they bid him farewell the day he left home.
How overjoyed they would be to know he had recreated a recipe from Johan and had shared it with the people of the castle.
That night’s dinner was lively.
After tidying up the kitchen, Luke sat in a corner to join the chefs for a meal.
Salted pork, pickled vegetables. Boiled eggs and steamed potatoes. Freshly baked bread and berries.
It was an utterly ordinary lineup, not particularly lavish or sophisticated, but Luke devoured it joyfully.
“Delicious…!”
Eating at ease, without concern for interrupting anyone or needing to hide, filled him with warmth.
The chefs complimented Luke on the sauce he had made, smiling and asking him to share more about the capital’s latest trends.
In their carefree smiles, Luke found a profound sense of relief. For the first time since departing from home, he could laugh freely, with peace filling his heart.
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