Parker was in high spirits.
The reason? A spice from her homeland, familiar and cherished, had finally been imported into Sidera.
The spice, a slender red pod, was called “Koshou”. Strangely enough, it shared the same name as the widely-used “pepper” in the kingdom, which probably explained why it hadn’t caught on here yet.
It was Sui Hatano who discovered it.
Her friend, who lived in the forest, had spent his boyhood in another world and possessed a unique trove of knowledge. Apparently, a plant similar to koshou had thrived in a place called Nihon, and Sui had found it in the market, letting her know.
Still, Parker had to admit she was puzzled at first by Sui’s communication through the crystal.
He had referred to the spice as “Tougarashi”, an exotic and unfamiliar word to her. When the message “Tougarashi in market” arrived, she had even wondered if he had sent it to the wrong person.
After some confusion, however, Sui had kindly reserved a supply for her at a local shop, allowing Parker to acquire it without any issues. She also made sure to ask the shopkeeper to stock it regularly, knowing both Sui and her fellow beastkins would likely want more. It might be a bit expensive, but the taste of home in the kingdom was worth every coin.
And so, filled with excitement, Parker decided to make a special dish with her newfound treasure.
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「You know, in the beastkin territory, the temperature varies wildly depending on the region. The south is hot, and the north is cold. I grew up in the north, where it’s freezing, so we often ate this kind of food to warm ourselves up.」
Noapp couldn’t help but smile, glancing between his fiancée and the intense, crimson soup in front of him, then back at Dolce, who was staring at it, dumbfounded.
They were at the mansion, just as evening had settled in.
Having just returned from a winter expedition, the steam rising from the fiery red soup seemed to warm him down to his bones.
And it looked incredibly spicy.
This was a popular soup in the beastkin territory, made with chicken, river shrimp, and various mushrooms. The main seasoning was ‘koshou’—a spice shaped like a small carrot—boiled together with milk, winter lemons, assorted herbs, and fish sauce.
「I’ve had it before, so I’ll be fine, but… what about Dolce?」
Noapp asked, concerned for the young girl staying with them.
He had been served this dish during a visit to the beastkin territory. It was delicious, no doubt about that, but it was ‘spicy’. So spicy, in fact, that it made you wonder why it needed to be this fiery.
「It smells nice, so I think I’ll be okay. Itadakimasu!」
Dolce chirped cheerfully, unphased by Noapp’s concern.
Without hesitation, she picked up a spoon and took a sip of the soup.
One sip, two sips.
On her third, she stopped.
「Ah—! H—hot! Eeeek!?」
As expected, or rather, worse than expected, Dolce’s face turned beet red. She clutched her mouth, flailing her arms in a panic.
「Hot! It burns! What is this?! What is this!?」
「Haha, it’s spicy, right? Here, drink some milk. It’ll help calm it down.」
Parker chuckled, handing over a glass.
「Hiii… gulp… phew…」
After gulping down the milk, Dolce took a shaky breath—although calling it a breath was a stretch, given she was still panting and sweating profusely.
Noapp, watching her struggle, sighed and gave Parker a pointed look.
「See? I told you. You should’ve warned her properly.」
「I did ask beforehand if it was okay to make a spicy dish. Dolce said yes, so I went ahead with it.」
「I didn’t think it’d be ‘this’ spicy!」
「To be fair, the heat from koshou is a different kind of spice than what’s commonly used in the kingdom. Maybe I should’ve explained that in more detail.」
Whether it’s koshou or onions, neither of them linger with a fiery aftertaste like this. Actually, it would be more accurate to say the heat arrives later, rather than lingers. Perhaps that’s another reason why koshou hasn’t gained much popularity in the kingdom.
「Phew… that was rough…」
Dolce, finally calmed down, still couldn’t resist taking another spoonful of the red soup.
「You’re going for more? You don’t have to force yourself. We’ve got plenty of other dishes.」
After all, the table wasn’t only set with the spicy soup. There were meat dishes, bread, and warm vegetables, all prepared with milder flavors.
Yet, Dolce’s hand didn’t stop. She scooped another bite, brought it to her mouth, and, even as she winced from the heat and exhaled sharply with her shoulders trembling, she managed to say:
「It burns… but it’s delicious.」
「Well said, Dolce! You get it!」
Despite the spiciness, Dolce continued eating the soup with evident enjoyment.
「I’m surprised. Were you used to eating spicy food back home?」
「No, not at all! In the first place, I hardly ever eat good food in Athenak.」
「……」
Her words hit Noapp and Parker like a weight, but Dolce herself didn’t seem to mind.
「I remember being amazed when Sui-san first let me try his cooking. I couldn’t believe food could taste that good. Even here in Sidera, everything I eat is incredible… it’s all stuff I’ve never had before.」
At that, Noapp understood. And judging by her expression, so did Parker.
「This red stuff surprised me at first, but now that I know what it tastes like, it’s fine! It’s spicy and sour, but it’s tasty. I can only eat a little at a time, though…」
—Ah, I see.
To this girl, every meal since coming to Sidera had been new and fresh.
Having lived most of her life without knowing good food—or even fully experiencing what it meant for something to taste ‘good’—it didn’t matter if it was some unusual foreign dish. In fact, for Dolce, everything was like a foreign dish, and she was enjoying each one for what it was.
「You said ‘it’s fine’ without even knowing what it was, didn’t you?」
「Yeah, I didn’t really understand, so I just said it was fine.」
Her mismatched responses were bittersweet, considering her past. But at the same time, knowing her pure heart made them endearing.
「I’m surprised she grew up to be a good girl.」
「Huh? Did you say something?」
「No, I was just saying it’s good that you’re enjoying the soup.」
A small part of him reflected on his own past, though he knew it was hardly comparable to Dolce’s. He had been treated as royalty, while she had been blatantly cast aside. Still, seeing her enjoy a simple meal with such unreserved delight gave him a sense of quiet relief.
「Wow… eating this is making me sweat. I’m getting hot.」
「As I mentioned before, spicy food warms you up. That’s why we beastkins eat it a lot in winter.」
「Feeling warm is nice. Not being cold is great.」
Dolce replied, cheerfully gnawing at a river shrimp like a little mouse. Parker chuckled and tousled her hair.
Dolce blinked in surprise, while Noapp gave a satisfied nod and handed her a large platter.
「Here, don’t just eat the spicy stuff. It’ll upset your stomach. Make sure you eat the other dishes, too, and don’t forget to drink your milk.」
As Noapp offered her a plate of milder food, he recalled how his own siblings had taken care of him when he was younger. He realized they had probably felt the same way he did now.
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Incidentally, when Sui was served this dish later, he exclaimed, ‘It’s Tom Yum Goong!’ with great enthusiasm.
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