Before we knew it, noon came.

When Alstroe finished her meditating, she started watching me together with Shouko. At some point, the two of them became closer to each other. I can see them conversing with smiles and laughter in their faces as Alstroe entertains her with stories of her own adventure that sounds so absurd.

And I got laughed at several times because of my failure with handling the spear…

When I was in Divine Possession with Hasu I felt that his proficiency with the spear becomes one with my body, however, fat chance that I will learn that way.

I need to start at square one if I wanted to learn the way of the spear.

Well for today, I just felt so frustrated for not understanding of how and why of the spear.

Seeing me so downhearted, Shouko and Alstroe finally approached me.

“Don’t mind it Asagao. You never trained in this sort of things before you even came to this world, right?”

“Um…”

Shouko told me so and I felt conflicted about it. Conflicted and crestfallen even though she tried to comfort me.

“Well…the thing is, it seems that I originally came from this world. In hindsight, the world where we came from is the other world for me.”

“I think you’re pointing out the wrong subject here…”

“Ahehehe, don’t worry. I’ve always had this kind of roadblocks in my life. Well, this isn’t something to really brood over…I guess.”

“That’s a relief then. It’s always important to have the kind of mental fortitude and perseverance. Why don’t we eat some lunch? Maybe filling your belly might give you an idea or insight.”

“Ah, you bet that’s a good idea!”

“I just figured it’s time to have some bite. Alstroemeria’s stomach has been growling for a while now.”

“Ah…”

I look at Alstroe with stupefied face and she just lightly laughs while scratching the back of her head. I think anyone will forgive her if she smiles brightly and cheerfully like that…

I kind of wanted to see her doing an embarrassed face while doing upturned eyes. It’s not really every a man’s dream but I felt like it is mandatory to see one if there’s someone cute in sight.

Putting such superficial thought aside, I nodded to Shouko’s suggestion of having lunch.

“Oh, are you guys about to get lunch?! Don’t worry as I have prepared it already!”

“You’re way too excited Ashfon, well, I’d like to eat some of your dishes as of late…”

Fonfon, Violetta, Edelweiss, and Lily are marching towards us in a group. In their hands are baskets that seems to contain food for lunch.

Did they come all the way here just for this?

I ask Fonfon with a tilted head and confused countenance.

“What’s going on?”

“Let’s have a picnic Asagao! The weather’s perfect and it seems that as long as I don’t show my face yet to the public, I have a little bit of freedom.”

“And those foods are…your cooking?”

“Since I had the chance, I borrowed the kitchen from the chefs and dished out some foods I am specialized with.”

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Suddenly, Lily and Edelweiss intervene with the conversation by putting themselves between me and Fonfon. Their eyes are dead serious and they look at me with intense excitement.

“Asagao, Fonfon is a really helpless man and as you have guessed, none will bother to serve under him.”

“Is it exactly as Lily said, however, as you can see, we are his Royal Guards. Do you know the reason we bothered to?”

“”It’s because of this!””

The two of them simultaneously showed me the content of the basket. By the tone of their voices and how they have gone their way just to talk smack at Fonfon, it seems that his cooking skill is considerably recognized.

However, in the next moment, my thoughts are proven wrong…

An intense fragrant smell of the meal invaded my nostrils that tickle every single bud on my tongue. I can feel my saliva unconsciously trickles from my lips and my body is shaking to the very core. The slight hunger that I was feeling before becomes a striving starvation.

All of it was just from the aroma alone…

As I was staring intently at the content of the basket, I notice that Alstroe is also staring at the food like she was hypnotized. I guess her sensitive sense of smell was stimulated to the maximum.

While all this happened, Violetta finished setting up the necessary things in a picnic such as the high-class fiber of blanket, a magically enhanced umbrella that is sure to block off the sun’s harmful effect, and high-quality plates, spoon and fork fitting of royalty.

We’re just going to have a picnic…right?

“Come, let’s partake on the meal already!”

Violetta seems to be in a festive mood too as she beckons everyone to sit down on the laid blanket. Lily and Edelweiss immediately help themselves and find a spot to sit. Shouko who was also allured by the smell but able to control herself from showing any visible emotion find her own place to sit.

Fonfon walks in and sits himself a little distance away from Violetta, Lily, Edelweiss, and Shouko. No matter how I see it, he is opening himself for me to sit beside him.

Since I got my appetite stirred, I rush beside him with Alstroe in tow and threw ourselves for the little feast. I sat beside Fonfon’s left and on my left side is Alstroe who eyed on the food with drooling mouth.

“Don’t get so worked up you two. It’s really nothing special even though I said I am specialized in this kind of prep.”

So he said as he started taking out the meat from the basket. After that, he takes out a loaf of bread and starts slicing it.

The meat was placed in the middle of two sliced loaves and was topped with tomatoes, lettuce, and some other ingredients, garnish and such. There are some things I don’t recognize, however, I notice that there’s something smelled like honey.

After making two good portions, Fonfon put it in separate plates and handed it over to me and Alstroe.

As I take the plate, I noticed that there’s also sesame spread all over in a fine manner. The meat is tender and juicy with a little stickiness to it and lastly, I recognized that it is dashed with pepper as it was being marinated.

I wonder what kind of method did he used to make this meat tender, juicy, and glossy.

“Thanks for the food.”

I open my mouth and set out my mind to firmly grasp the taste of the sandwich presented to me. The scent brought by the oil scented with so many seasonings mixed with the dripping grease from the meat further excites me.

Then I took a bite of the sandwich…

………

……

…

What the hell is this?

What the hell is this?!

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!

My body tenses up as I bit it. A splash of wild taste suddenly eroded my mouth as controlled sweetness befitting for a meat dish and mild spiciness collided. The taste alone is too strong but the bread helped in toning down the extremity of the taste and created a harmony between those two strong attributes.

The meat is not just tender, it is soft to the core and I can easily chew on it. Every chew enriches the flavor that exploded in my mouth and softly entices my taste receptors.

The food easily goes down in my throat like it is not even a meat. It was so easy to swallow that having another bite wasn’t difficult.

Before I knew it, I already finished the sandwich in my hand and I am just staring at nothing. I felt a little sad as I didn’t notice that the delicious food that I tried to savor disappears…

“Ahh! D-Don’t look so down now Asagao! Here, I made a lot so you can eat to your heart content!”

“Eh…? Eh?! EH?! Really!? You’re the best! I love you!”

“Hngh!!”

Fonfon presented me with another sandwich. I think I just saw him squeezing his chest or something but I didn’t bother anymore as I chow down on the sandwich he handed to me.

This doesn’t compare to anything I have eaten before!

Even modern dishes looks less satisfying now that I have eaten this. I now know what’s so great about him other than being a king! One would wish to eat his dishes every day if they are this tasty!

“Delicious! Three more!”

Alstroe shouted.

I turn around and look at her. There were crumbs that stuck to her face and her cheeks are a little flushed. Is it because the food stirred her sensitive senses that she is feeling a little aroused from it. Why…why aroused? What hell am I thinking?

W-Wait…I think I have the same condition right now. I can feel my cheeks burning up together with my body. I’d like to think it is because of the spices of the meat.

Violetta, Lily, Edelweiss, and Shouko are eating quietly but their cheeks are visibly flushed too. I can understand how this dish is accepted just looking at them.

“Oh, do you really like it Asagao? I know that you don’t eat that much. Are you going to be okay?”

“Yeah! More please!”

“Y-Yeah! I’ll keep it coming for you!”

Fonfon keeps his hand moving as I immediately finished my second serving. It’s not something big like how Alstroe is already asking for her ninth serving but I feel like I am being pulled by the deliciousness that I can eat about five servings.

However I see it, it’s a bit impossible for Fonfon to learn cooking in the Castle. Not that I am underestimating him but I simply can’t picture him cooking, not even cooking rice. I bet none would even suspect that he can cook!

Being a little curious, I scoot closer to Fonfon and asks him directly.

“This is really delicious! How did you learn to cook?!”

“Ahaha! I used to travel around the seven continents. For survival, I learned how to cook for myself and use any ingredients that I can find. As I travel from town to town, villages to villages, cities to cities, I learned from so many people. Well, there’s a lot more to tell but it is a long story. Just enjoy your food for now.”

“Yes!”

I suspected that it will be something like that. This is a top class food, even better than any dish a chef could produce.

I can’t even imagine myself eating foods other than this anymore…