Chapter 231: Preparation Before Cooking
Chapter 231: Preparation Before Cooking
「I’m hungry」
It’s probably because of the intense practice before noon. So Eleonora-neesan bluntly said.
It’s currently a little before noon. It’s a bit early to have lunch, but we had breakfast early in the morning and then left after all, so it can’t be helped.
And despite just spacing out, even I’m also hungry so it’s natural for her - who was practicing - to be hungry.
「Right. It’s a bit early, but why don’t we have lunch here? Is that all right with Al and Sylvio?」
「Un, it’s okayー」
「I’m also hungry actually」
I and Sylvio-niisan nodded, while feeling the silent pressure to make us nod from Elna-kaasan and Eleonora-neesan. I understand how you feel, but it’s scary you know.
「Then, let’s have our lunch here, shall we? We should still have enough time but, I will check with Row-san just in case」
‘Eleonora-neesan and Elna-kaasan are hungry’. The probability of Row-san the coachman shaking his head - horizontally - is extremely low if you told him that. But still, even if you know the result, it is important to discuss it with him.
Nord-tousan conscientiously goes to Row-san to discuss it.
Consequently, Row-san didn’t find a problem with that and nodded. Though he felt the pressure from the women’s group and his face was twitching, it looks like we are going to be okay since we have plenty of time in our schedule for today.
Everyone still has a lot of stamina and was lively on our first day on this trip. He had probably predicted that it would become like this. As expected from Row-san.
Most of all, when everyone has become tired and bored during the latter half of the journey, he’s going to increase the pace to let us arrive as soon as possible. I feel like this time will also be just like when I went to Kagura.
「Now then let’s prepare for lunch, shall we」
With Nord-tousan’s words as a signal, each of us starts moving to prepare our lunch.
The food at our destination had basically been decided at the pre-journey stage. For our lunch today, we are going to have a pot-au-feu, where you just cut and stew the vegetables, and adjust the taste.
Of course, we have three female big eaters here so it won’t be enough with just that, that’s why we planned to add spaghetti to our lunch.
First, we’ll make a fire to cook.
「Mina, bring firewood hereー. I’ll light the fire」
「Understood!」
After asking Mina, I took the flat ground near the carriage as a kitchen. Since the grasses on the grassy field are too tall.
I can just cut the grass, and cultivate the ground just like when I was using the trick of Earth magic to pull weeds back then, but I feel kinda awkward doing that just for us to have lunch. It’s such a beautiful grassland, see.
The road is wide enough to let other carriages pass, so it would be safe even if someone were to pass through here.
As I finished choosing the place for the kitchen, Mina returned bringing a bundle of firewood.
And as I was about to use Fire magic to light the fire, Elna-kaasan called out to me.
「Wait a minute Al. Let Eleonora do it」
「Ehー? I’m lighting the fireー?」
Perhaps she also knows that she’s not skilled in magic that Eleonora-neesan said that in a displeased tone.
「You can think of this as a practice. When you have polished your magic power perception and you are able to sense them as I do, it will make it easier for you when you fight against someone using Body Strengthening, you know?」
「I’ll try it then!」
Eleonora-neesan shows an eager enthusiasm after hearing what Elna-kaasan said.
As expected from Elna-kaasan, she’s good at leading someone with her words. Inserting part of swordsmanship in teaching about magic like that to make her interested.
Oh well, I think it will take a lot of time and taxing for her at this pace, but I guess it’s fine since it will make her more interested in magic and magic power than before.
So I didn’t say anything after considering all that.
「Al, I brought the ingredient」
While Eleonora-neesan is lighting the firewood, I’m preparing the ingredients with Sylvio-niisan and Nord-tousan. Then Row-san brought the tablewares to us.
「Okay. I’ll make something to place them on」
I cast an Earth magic toward the ground. With the image of our mansion’s kitchen, the ground rises. Then I compress the magic power and hardened the soil to adjust the shape.
The kitchen is completed, not even 10 seconds had passed since I cast the Earth magic.
I actually want to make it more detailed than this, but we will just demolish it after using it anyway since this is just a place we took a break at. People are waiting, so this much should be enough.
「Okay, it’s done」
「「「…………」」」
Despite telling them that I’m done, no one is placing their stuff on top of it.
How should I put it, they look more bewildered rather than being amazed.
By any chance, I didn’t cut corners somewhere, right?
No, it doesn’t make any sense even if I were to make the kitchen fancier than this, we already have a place to put all the ingredients and stuff……
「Ah, that’s right! It’s chairs and a table then!」
We won’t be able to have the vision of having a delicious meal if I don’t do this.
So I immediately cast an Earth magic. I reproduce a table and chairs that have almost the same shape as the dining table back at the mansion using Earth magic.
Taking out a white cloth from the carriage, I quickly spread it on the table.
Un, now it’s giving a more nice looking and clean impression I think.
The color of the chairs is a dull, earthen color but please spare me for that since I’m particular with the details. I put too much attention on the ornaments to reduce people’s boredom when they saw them.
「「「…………」」」
’How about this then?’ when I turn my gaze to the three of them with that kind of meaning, their expression looked as if they were speechless.
What’s wrong now? As I was trying to find out what’s the reason for their expression, I found out that the three of them are looking at the chairs.
……I knew it, it’s because of the chairs after all. When it comes to chairs, it’s important for them to have a certain level of comfort. It’s very important to be able to sit in a relax-ed position for a long time to enjoy a refined meal.
A wonderful chair is indispensable to have a wonderful time. I understand that the three of them are shocked by the hard chairs made using Earth magic. I also want to sit on a chair that fit my body with a soft cushion, you know!
But, there’s no way of reproducing with just Earth magic.
「I know what everyone is going to say, you know? Even I want to sit on better and a soft chair that fit my body! But, we’re currently on a journey right now! We’re outside, not in our mansion! There are things I can and can not do. So please bear with the current level of comfort since we also have slime cushions」
「「No one is thinking like that」」
Although I was telling them about my frustration and uselessness, Nord-tousan and Sylvio-niisan’s replies were cold.
「Eeh!? Then, what are you complaining about!? It must be the kitchen then!?」
「I’m not complaining. If anything, these are too well-made」
「It feels like we are in the mansion despite being on a trip」
For some reason, Nord-tousan seems like he’s having a headache while Sylvio-niisan is smiling wryly.
Un? So, in other words, it’s as comfortable as the mansion? You all have no complaints then.
「Hey Eleonora! The fire is strong! Reduce the amount of magic power you put into it a little more!」
「Eehh? I don’t know the amount even if you told me ‘a little more’!」
While I was tilting my head to the side, I can hear Elna-kaasan and Eleonora-neesan’s angry voices in the back. Then, the sound of the firewood loudly cracking sounded.
here