「So in the end, what exactly were you and Mizera doing?」
Leaving the Adventurers Guild, we did a bit of shopping and now the five of us were walking through town.
「Nothing unusual. Right, Mizera?」
「Was it really….? It looked like you were plotting something.」
It wasn’t anything like plotting.
I had only been thinking about how we should sell Mizera’s accessories once she finishes them, and also, since Mizera had been helping with cooking so often lately, what would happen if we tried selling her homemade lunchboxes through the Adventurers Guild.
「Well then, we’ve restocked on ingredients, so let’s get going, yeah?」
「Come to think of it, everyone else seemed really busy, but Aina, you didn’t have to take on a quest?」
「No. There weren’t any urgent quests today, so we decided against it. It wouldn’t be right to steal away chances for others to shine.」
I see. So there weren’t any quests only Aina’s group could handle.
「That’s true. And my lord doesn’t have any shortage of materials right now, correct?」
「Yeah. I’ve got enough stocked up that even a sudden request wouldn’t be a problem.」
「You lend us a magic bag for quests too, so the amount we can carry back has increased. Plus, we can pack food for the trip. Those bags really are handy.」
For everyday shopping I can rely on my magic-space disguised as magic bag, and thanks to the ores and herbs crammed into the magic bag, I haven’t had to ask them to gather more in quite a while.
That said, a magic bag(lesser) still feels a little unreliable. At the next auction or so, maybe I should buy a bigger one.
「So today we’ll be preparing meals at the orphanage, right?」
「That’s correct. Since the Sister is away, we’ll be the ones handling it. I’ll be counting on your help.」
「Me…? I wonder if I can manage that.」
「Eh? What do you mean? You’ll be the one in charge of cooking, won’t you, milord?」
Normally that would be the case. But whenever I go there, I can hardly focus on my work…
「You’re just too popular with them, masterssu.」
「The boys like you too, but especially the girls.」
「That’s true. I mean, you can cook delicious food and sweets, and you even make cute accessories. Of course they adore you.」
The first time I visited the orphanage, I baked sweets to break the ice. The girls loved it.
The boys wanted to play too, but since many of them want to be adventurers, I couldn’t keep up with their energy. They often saw me as the pathetic adult who was left behind.
「So milord, you’re liked by little girls, right?」
「Oi, stop phrasing it like that. That sounds dangerous.」
「Wait… does that include me too?」
「Sorte… that’s just sad, don’t say thatssu…」
No, Sorte is an adult, so she’s safely within acceptable range, alright?
Look, adulthood is important. That part is crucial.
Morality matters, after all.
-0-
Now then, we had arrived at the orphanage. Of course, not all the children were inside. As expected, some were outside, running around and playing energetically.
「Onii-chan!!!」
「Gu… do… bo… bua…!!」
A merciless fourfold tackle.
The hits to my stomach and groin hurt the most, but since I’ve been training lately, I no longer collapse in disgrace.
「Onii-chan, hello! Why are you here today?」
「Onii-chan, hello! Did you bring sweets today?」
「Onii-chan, hello! Will you play with us today?」
「Onitan. Hello. Will you kiss?」
「Hey there, hello. Today I came to make lunch. The sweets are after the meal. If you want to play, it’ll be after the cooking. And no kisses!」
The little Origols, well, they’re already small, but these even smaller ones, rushed at me and drained my stamina completely.
「Alright, alright, everyone. I know you’re happy that oniisan came, but Mother has something to talk about this time. Playing will have to wait until later.」
「「「「Okay!」」」」
Just when I was being pulled to the right and left, my head spinning, the elderly sister, also known as Mother, came to my rescue.
Normally, I’d be dragged away like this, forced to play until my strength ran dry. But today I was saved.
「Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming today. Ara, this cute young lady must be new to me.」
「Ah, yes. My name is Mizera. N-nice to meet you.」
「Fufu, don’t be nervous. I’m just an old woman, nothing more. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.」
Mother’s smile was that of a saint, brimming with kindness.
It was as if Mizera was being wrapped in a gentle light. Slowly, her stiffness faded, and the tension in her face loosened.
「Once again, welcome everyone. I’d like you to cook for us today, but… there’s another matter I’d like to ask your advice on.」
「I don’t mind, but will your errand be alright?」
「Yes. You’ve already been informed the other Sisters will be late. In fact, it’s related to that very matter… and it has me troubled.」
「If it’s something we can do, I don’t see a problem.」
「It’s fine. Actually, it’s you I wanted to ask…」
With a troubled look, Mother pressed her cheek with her hand. To hear her out, we headed into one of the orphanage’s rooms.
On the way, more and more children tagged along behind us, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, and eventually, all of us entered a large room together.
「Alright everyone, no noise. Anyone noisy won’t get dinner. Today your oniisan and oneesans will be making it, so it’s going to be very delicious.」
When Mother spoke, the children who had been chattering fell silent at once, just like when a principal steps onto the stage during a school assembly.
Still, a restless energy lingered, perhaps because they were children after all.
By the way, two of them were sitting on my lap and another one was riding on my shoulders, but apparently, no one was going to comment on that.
「Now then, to the main matter… we will also be setting up a stall at the festival, but I’ve been troubled about what we should sell. Do you have any good ideas?」
「At the festival? In that case, wouldn’t the usual vegetable soup be fine?」
「That’s rightssu. Soup made from the vegetables grown here would be good enough, wouldn’t itssu?」
「Of course, if nothing is decided, that will do… but the children have been saying they’d like to try something a little different this year. What do you think…?」
I see…..
So that’s why the other Sisters weren’t around. They must have been called away to help with the preparations.
Normally, there would be more Sisters here besides Mother, so it had seemed strange that no one else was present.
「Do they have anything specific in mind that they want to do?」
「Let’s see… they all said they want to help, so it should be something even children can make. Of course, it has to be good enough to sell. Soup is only about pouring, you see… and that feels a bit lacking to them.」
I see.
When I turned to look at the children, I saw their eyes sparkling, their eagerness to help written all over their faces.
It was probably also their way of giving back to Mother, the Sisters, and those who had donated to the orphanage.
「We don’t have much money, so it would be best if it’s something inexpensive to sell. Also, something that doesn’t take too much time to make would be preferable… I know it’s a difficult request, but do you have any ideas…?」
「Hmm… something that feels like a festival would be good, right?」
「Yes. But it shouldn’t be too extravagant.」
「I see… Sorry, let me think for a bit.」
I began turning things over in my mind.
Something festive, cheap to make, and easy to sell…
It should have enough steps so the children can divide the work, but each task should be simple and quick, something even kids can handle.
「Um… are you alright?」
「Mother, it’s fine. When my liege starts thinking, he sometimes gets a little too focused.」
「Is that so? For him to think so seriously for our sake… it makes me very happy.」
If I remember right, shaved ice stalls are pretty common here.
Ice can be made cheaply since there are people who can use magic for it, and I’ve even had it before with syrup made from fruit.
「Aina-neechan, what’s for dinner today?」
「Let’s see… we bought the ingredients, so maybe salad with vegetables from the orphanage, and then a stew with chunky vegetables and meat.」
「Veggieees…」
「What’s wrong? Don’t you like them?」
「No… but the bitter ones, I don’t want those!」
「I see. If you don’t hate them, that’s great. Don’t worry. The vegetables in the stew aren’t bitter, they’re delicious.」
「Mm. I’ll try hard.」
Vegetables, huh…
Now that I think about it, I didn’t like them much when I was a kid either… but there was one dish I loved, and I could eat plenty of it.
It would also fit the festival. Yeah, that might be good.
「…If I remember right, you grow Cares here, don’t you?」
「Eh? Oh, yes. That’s right. The children have been looking after them, so we have a lot.」
「Then we can use those. Alright, how about okonomiyaki?」
「Okonomiyaki…?」
「It’s one of the dishes from my old world. Simply put, you finely chop the ingredients, mix them with broth and flour, and cook it like a pancake.」
We have the ingredients, so it should be doable.
The only issue is that there’s no griddle, so we’ll have to use frying pans.
As for the broth, the one I usually use would make the cost too high, so I’ll have to use something cheaper, like dried ingredients.
「Well, it’ll be faster to just show you. Mother, I’ll make it right now, so please watch.」
With that, we all moved to the kitchen.
-0-
Unfortunately, it was too dangerous to let all the children in, so they waited outside.
Only the older ones and Mother came in, while the rest peered in through the door and the serving window.
「Mizera, chop the Cares. Shred… no, mincing will be better.」
Since the children would be the ones cooking, mincing would be easier than shredding.
If I considered texture and balance of flavor, shredded would be better, but mincing makes it fluffier and brings out the sweetness and flavor of the vegetables.
I took out strong flour, weak flour, and a broth different from the one Mika-chan had given me.
This broth was made from dried small fish and mushrooms similar to shiitake.
Since Einzheil is inland, most of the fish that arrive here are salted or dried.
That means the price is a little high, but I recently learned that they can still be obtained.
As expected of a commercial city, you can get your hands on almost anything.
If I needed a large order, I could just ask Meira to handle it.
「Milord, I’ve finished chopping.」
「Thanks. Now put it in that bowl, mix it with this flour and broth, add some eggs… then it’s just a matter of cooking it.」
I laid some pork belly on the pan first, then poured the okonomiyaki mixture on top, shaping it into a circle and letting it cook.
「That’s all?」
「Yeah. The only fixed ingredient is the Cares, but you can add steamed Moi or even cheese. It’s all about your preference, and you just cook it.」
「So that’s why it’s called okonomiyaki?」
「Uh… probably? I’m not exactly sure, but unless it’s something really strange, just about anything works.」
TN: Okonomi means how you like it.
I checked how it was cooking and used a spatula to flip it over.
The children all gasped in awe.
While Mizera checked the doneness, I took out my homemade Worcestershire sauce, simmered it down, and adjusted the flavor to be a little sweet and savory.
Next, I made mayonnaise from eggs, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
Normally vinegar would be used, but personally I thought the refreshing citrus of lemon juice would better balance the rich aftertaste of the Worcestershire sauce.
Once the okonomiyaki finished cooking, I plated it, added the sauce and mayonnaise, and it was complete.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have bonito flakes or aonori, but in appearance it was unmistakably okonomiyaki.
「Ahh… that smell should be illegal…」
「Just from the aroma alone, I can already tell it’s delicious…」
I understood exactly what they meant.
That smell really is great.
It might not be the same as festival-style okonomiyaki, but the aroma alone could be enough to draw customers in.
「Alright then, let’s taste it…」
I cut it into small pieces with the spatula and handed out bites to everyone in the kitchen.
Of course, I had to taste it too. And just as Aina said, you could tell it was good before even eating it.
「Ah, hot… h-hot… mm. Puhaah. Delicious!」
「This fluffy batter with the rich dark sauce and the refreshing white sauce goes perfectly together.」
「The vegetables are delicious too. Even children who dislike them could eat this.」
It was only a small piece, but the vegetables in this world had such a strong flavor that they stood up well against the sauce.
Since they were minced, the texture was fluffy, the taste of the vegetables came through richly, and it seemed like less broth would be enough.
「For the real thing, I’ll prepare a much larger iron plate so we can make plenty at once. If we split the work, lots of kids can help too, right?」
「An iron plate as well? Is it really alright to go that far… I almost feel guilty.」
「It’s fine, really. With an iron plate, you could run a food stall even after the festival. It would help make life easier for the orphanage.」
「…So you had thought that far ahead. Thank you… Everyone, is this alright? For this time, I think we should go with okonomiyaki.」
「「「「Agreed!」」」」
I said you’re welcome and started cooking the next one.
Why? Because the other children were drooling and leaning out of the doors and windows, ready to pounce.
After that, Mother went to the festival gathering to submit what we would serve, while I was left endlessly grilling okonomiyaki…
First, I showed the older children and Mizera how to make it, then kept cooking for the hungry kids waiting with growling stomachs.
Aina and the others helped by chopping vegetables and meat, and mixing the batter, but even then it was hectic…
Still, everyone ate happily, and even the children who disliked vegetables said it was delicious and ate plenty, so I considered it a success.
In the end, okonomiyaki became dinner. I left behind notes on how to make the batter, broth, and sauce, and by the time I went home, the smell had clung to my clothes. Shiro drooled enviously the moment I walked in.
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