Chapter 8

Chapter 8

#The Devil's Hand Appears in the Sea (3)

Having been a rugged mercenary traveling across the continent, and having great confidence in Dominic's culinary skills after savoring his meal, Calron asked, "Is it really delicious?" However, Ian, a knight by profession, frowned and subtly expressed his disapproval.

Nonetheless, persuading Dominic, who had already switched into "Tonight's dinner is piping hot seaweed soup!" mode, seemed quite challenging. Nevertheless, Ian decided to make one final attempt.

"Must we truly dine on that dreadful seaweed? There's no need to go to such lengths."

"Aiyo."

As if he had been waiting for this, Dominic sighed in response to Ian's words.

"Well, how could a noble knight like yourself consume mere seaweed that commoners eat? I didn't think that far ahead. Typically, we would have to capture a lamb or calf, grill a steak, and season it heavily for you. Alas! Our Evergreen village is so impoverished that we have nothing else to offer but this humble seaweed."

"No, why go to such lengths...!"

Ian started to appear visibly flustered at Dominic's words.

'I should put an end to this now while I have the chance. If he keeps criticizing the ingredients, it'll become bothersome later.'

This was why Dominic escalated the situation.

It remained uncertain how long Lord Theodore's secluded training would last. Until then, they had to coexist, as per Lord Theodore's orders, whether they liked it or not. It would be quite bothersome if the topic of ingredients kept arising.

'This knight, at the very least, seems to respect commoners.'

Many knights looked down upon commoners as if they were insects.

However, Ian, though stubborn and inflexible, didn't seem to harbor prejudice against commoners.

This became evident in how he respected the position of the head cook in the Count's Castle and how he showed respect to Calron.

"I misspoke. My apologies."

Just as Dominic had expected, Ian quickly admitted his mistake and lowered his gaze.

"Very well. Since you've promptly apologized, I'll share some food with you as a special gesture this time."

"No, there's no need to go to such lengths..."

Ian gestured that it was unnecessary, but Dominic disregarded him and headed to his kitchen.

Situated at the village's edge, Dominic's kitchen was actually constructed by the fishing community. Feeding around ten or so sailors required more than a typical household kitchen. Everyone in the village pitched in to build it at Dominic's request.

Though lacking fancy interior decor, it boasted good lighting, ventilation, and, above all, a spacious yard and a well-provisioned warehouse, making it a quite satisfactory space for Dominic.

"This kitchen is remarkably well-organized for a small village."

"Of course, I'm the one who uses it."

Ian, while inspecting the kitchen, also genuinely admired it.

"It's placed right here... ah, here it is!"

Calron went to the backyard and soon returned with a sheepish expression, scratching the back of his head.

"Dominic, what should we do with this?"

"Is there a problem?"

"I stored it improperly, and this happened. Haha!"

Calron chuckled awkwardly and extended a bag. Inside, the seaweed was haphazardly broken into pieces, dried by the sea breeze.

"Let's see, hmm! It's well-dried. It would have been better with a bit more salt, but it's not a big deal. We'll adjust the seasoning anyway."

"Really? Is it okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you see me throw away the first and second wash water?"

"Tha, that's...!"

This was where Ian was flustered.

Why would someone discard the water the first few times and then save the milky water on the third and fourth washes, only to add it to a stew? What kind of madness is this?

"Rice water contains starch, lipids, vitamin B1, B2, and more. It harmonizes the flavors of the ingredients, you know. It also removes the fishy smell from seafood and balances out bitterness. Stop interfering when you know nothing."

"...Really?"

"You've been deceived all your life."

Dominic was using words he couldn't understand. However, seeing how confident he was, Ian was certain he wasn't making things up.

Indeed, after some time passed and the clear stew began to boil, a savory aroma started to fill the room.

He couldn't even imagine what it would taste like, but his nose seemed to scream, "This is definitely going to be delicious!"

From then on, Dominic started to give him cues, and he was pushed into a corner of the kitchen, relegated to just restoring his appetite.

Meanwhile, dish upon dish started to be neatly arranged on the makeshift dining table.

"It's fortunate that we have a few kinds of vegetables left. Don't take out the kimchi; I don't even have enough for myself. And half-cooked sunny-side-up eggs are the best!"

"Hey, Dominic! I've fried a fish, hahaha!"

Calron, perfectly timed, came in with three appetizingly red fried fish.

"Where have you been? Thank you!"

"What for? You deserve this at least. How could I just stand there and let you feed me?"

"You really know what you're talking about. Some people just complain even when they're eating for free."

"...I apologize."

"Dinner is ready. Please come quickly."

The table wasn't lavish, but it was abundant.

"Please try it. I promise it's delicious."

Ian hesitated for a moment at the sight of the black, slippery seaweed in the soup bowl. However, his sense of smell won. The salty, yet deep and savory aroma seemed to beckon the blond knight to take a bite.

Slurp-.

"!"

Cautiously, Ian took a spoonful, and his eyes widened.

The black seaweed, despite its ominous appearance, went down his throat even before he could chew. The deep flavor of the broth instantly alleviated his fatigue, making him feel relaxed.

The dried mussels provided a chewy texture, and the garlic balanced out the strong aftertaste, making it a perfect soup.

Clink.

As if by instinct, Ian wrapped some steaming rice in the stew.

Though it was a grain he was seeing for the first time, the glossy, elastic appearance naturally stimulated his appetite.

As he wrapped the rice in the stew, each grain started to soak up the broth.

Now, Ian was literally drinking the stew from the bowl.

"See, why can't you trust people when they say it's good?"

"...I admit, my experience was limited. There's no choice but to acknowledge it."

Finally, a K.O. sign dropped.