Volume 3 - CH 6.7

Poncho and Serina: A Bizarre Midnight Snacking Session 

“Hrm... I just can’t seem to get it right, yes.” 

This was just after the Principality of Amidonia had been annexed into the Elfrieden Kingdom. 

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Poncho, had spent the long autumn nights in the castle’s cafeteria wracking his brain. The seed of his worries was in a certain sauce that His Majesty had asked him to develop. He had been told it was a seasoning that would be absolutely essential for recreating the dishes from Souma’s former world. 

According to Souma, this sauce was thicker than the ones in this country, had a bittersweet flavor, and was amazingly delicious when tossed with noodles or put on fried foods. The development of this sauce for flour-based dishes was Poncho’s current task. 

Poncho gulped. I would very much like to try the yakisoba and okonomiyaki dishes that His Majesty spoke of, yes. 

With his greater-than-average interest in eating, Poncho had experience with spending exorbitant amounts of money on gourmet trips to various countries. If he was told there were as-yet-unknown delicacies for him to try, it was only natural he would be interested. However, in order to make them, he would first have to create this unknown sauce. 

It hurts that I’ve never tasted it myself. It means I have to recreate an unknown taste relying only on the hints His Majesty gives me, yes. 

Working off the hint that it was delicious when poured over noodles, he repeatedly experimented with pouring his test sauces over the spaghetti used in spaghetti buns and stirring it in with them as he fried them. Even with the ordinary sauce it came out pretty tasty, but something felt lacking. 

What is the sweetness His Majesty spoke of anyway? Sugar? Caramel? Or a fruity sort of sweetness? Without knowing that, there’s not much I can... 

“Sir Poncho,” a voice suddenly called across from the cafeteria where he’d thought he was alone in the dead of night. 

“It is. Now, Sir Poncho, please... feed me again tonight.” 

Serina’s face drew in so close that it felt like he could hear her breathing and she whispered that to him sweetly. When a beautiful woman like Serina begged him so alluringly, Poncho couldn’t possibly refuse. 

“I-I’ll do it. Though, that said, all I have here is spaghetti. Spaghetti Neapolitan is about the only thing I can make. Will that do?” 

“It is enough,” she said. “It really is a mystery. Who would have thought spaghetti and that sauce called ketchup would mix so well? All you do is pour the sauce on and stir-fry it, but it creates a unique dish different from meat sauce or arrabbiata sauce. It’s cheap but delicious, with a taste that reminds you endlessly of home. Just the memory of it has my mouth watering.” 

Serina spoke quickly, with a passion that would normally be unthinkable for her. Poncho was listening to her with a wry smile, but then something she said caught his attention. 

“Ketchup goes well with spaghetti...” he murmured.