Chapter 73

Leontine placed her hands on her hips and nodded in satisfaction, then signaled to the cook in the kitchen.

From the other side of the counter, a pleasant clattering sound began to rise.

It was the sound of oil.

Usually, one would be frugal with oil and fry with just a little, but this place was different. From the sound, it was clear that they were deep-frying the ingredients in a generous amount of oil.

What a luxury, she thought, and she was also curious about how it would turn out.

Fritters were a familiar dish to Jean, who was from the Eastern Kingdom.

He was interested in how they would be prepared in the Empire. There was something to be learned from that.

It wasn't exactly a case of truth emerging from a lie, but if he could obtain important information here, he might be able to make a comeback as a collector of strange tales.

He scooped up a piece of tofu from Otoishi with a spoon.

Dishes using this tofu had become a secret topic of interest in the Eastern Kingdom's social circles. The renowned bard Clovinkel, known for his love of cooking, had sung praises of dishes like dashimaki and ankake yudou in various places, which had sparked a lot of interest.

There were rumors that it could be found somewhere in the ancient capital, but he never expected it to be at this izakaya, Nobu.

As he savored the delicate flavor, a plate and a metal box were brought to him.

"This is the sauce. No double dipping."

"Double dipping? What do you mean?"

Leontine smiled slyly.

"You're not a young prince from the Eastern Kingdom, so you should know how much sauce you need for one dip, right?"

"Yes, I do know, but—"

"If you dip too many times, the sauce gets dirty. This place is clean, both for the staff and the customers."

"Being clean is a good thing."

The moment the name of the young prince was mentioned, Jean struggled to hide his surprise.

The current king of the Eastern Kingdom is twelve years old.

There are rumors that he is foolish, and one of them is that he doesn't know how much sauce to use on his favorite dishes, always adding more and more.

Why did this waiter, Leontine, mention the young prince? Did she realize that Jean was a collector of strange tales under the regent princess?

He wanted to leave immediately, but he couldn't panic. He had to eat the food first.

After that, he would calmly try to escape.

As a spy, he was willing to risk his life, but he had to bring back the information he obtained.

That was his loyalty to Princess Celestine de Oiria, who oversaw all the political, military, and diplomatic affairs of the Eastern Kingdom as the regent.

"Alright, let's start with the shrimp."

Shrimp. He thought it was unlikely to find it in the inland ancient capital, but he wouldn't make the same mistake as with the salad.

He knew that some water guilds had collaborated to import seafood from the northern fishing towns. He didn't know how they transported the shrimp, but they must have some method.

First, a bite.

The crispy batter gave way to a sweet flavor.

Shrimp could be this sweet? He had never known.

The plump texture and the perfect harmony of the batter and sauce made it irresistible. He could eat dozens of them.

Just as he was hoping for more shrimp, Leontine brought the next skewer.

"Next is onion."

The sliced onions were well-fried.

He tried to imagine what they would taste like, but the only thing that came to mind was the spicy flavor of pickled onions. He had never eaten fried onions before.

Crunch.

"Wow."

The sweetness caught him off guard. He never imagined that frying alone could bring out such sweetness. He couldn't resist taking another bite... and then a sip of his drink.

As expected.

Kushikatsu goes well with Triaeznana.

Crunch, sip, crunch, sip, and the onions were gone.

Why did they have to run out? Just as he was thinking that, the next skewer arrived.

"Next is quail eggs and broad beans."

The three small, adorable quail eggs had a rich flavor despite their appearance. The broad beans, though small, had a strong, delicious taste.

This was delicious. And it made him want more to drink.

He couldn't resist finishing his first drink and ordering a second, just as the next skewer arrived.

"Scallop and pork loin. Scallops are best with salt. Loin is a part of the meat that is lean and tender. Both are delicious."

When told something is delicious, a food connoisseur follows the advice.

A pinch of salt brought out the sweetness of the scallop. He immediately took a sip of Triaeznana.

The Triaeznana at this place, as he had learned, was a lager, which had a sharper taste than ale but a slight bitterness.

But that was good.

He dipped the pork loin into the sauce carefully, mindful of the no double dipping rule. He didn't think he would be thrown out for double dipping, but he had a lot to lose. He couldn't risk being suspected over a small mistake.

Crunch.

This was delicious too. It made sense. He knew which part of the meat was called loin. It was rare and expensive, even in a butcher shop.

He had always thought that the best way to eat pork was to grill it or make it into ham, but he was wrong.

Fried pork is the way to go.

For the next New Year's fritters, he would definitely fry pork. Definitely.

The kushikatsu assault continued in a torrent.

The system at this place was to keep bringing kushikatsu until the customer was satisfied.

Konjac, shishito peppers, salmon, lotus root, shishamo, mochi bacon, potatoes, squid, camembert, asparagus, and chicken breast.

As the skewers progressed, so did the drinks.

The cabbage that came with the skewers was also good.

Even though the kushikatsu wasn't greasy, he would bite into the cabbage to freshen his palate before moving on to the next skewer.

After the sausage, the shrimp came again.

"Is this a full circle?"

"Yes, that's right. We're not a kushikatsu specialist, so our selection is limited. Our manager even apologized for it."

"No, no, I have no complaints. I've had plenty of delicious food."

His face was red, but his mind was surprisingly clear.

He needed to pretend to be a drunk and leave quickly.

"Alright, the bill..."

As he reached into his money pouch for the silver horseshoe, his hand slipped. The no double dipping sauce box tipped over.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

As he tried to fix it, Leontine moved swiftly.

Her agility was not that of an ordinary server.

With the agility of a seasoned mercenary, she quickly wiped away the spilled sauce.

"It's okay, sir. This place is clean, both for the staff and the customers."

Leontine's smile carried a hidden pressure, and Jean François Mont de La Vigny was speechless.

He had been noticed. The first mention of "clean" was a warning.

This place was not for dirty Eastern Kingdom spies. What a mistake. To be pitied by the enemy was a disgrace for a spy.

"Sir? You look pale. Is something wrong? Are you wearing makeup? It's running..."

"No, no, I'm fine. Everything is fine. Thank you for the meal!"

He threw down his money pouch and ran out into the night of the ancient capital. He couldn't return to such a terrifying place. He would immediately write a detailed report and send it to the headquarters of the collectors of strange tales. After that, he would request a leave of absence. He couldn't continue this job. Yes, he would retire to the countryside and farm wheat. He should be able to buy a small field with his savings.

As Jean ran through the darkness of the ancient capital, he thought he might want to try kushikatsu one more time.

Far to the south of the ancient capital, in the capital of the Eastern Kingdom, La Parisia.

This great city, which has thrived since the ancient empire, continues to be the political and economic center of the Eastern Kingdom.

In the innermost part of the royal castle, in the office, Princess Celestine de Oiria was efficiently processing reports related to the state affairs.

As she was reading a report on a diplomatic issue with the noble of the United Kingdom, the black walnut door was knocked four times.

"Your Highness, I apologize for the intrusion."

"Enter."

The head butler held a sheet of parchment.

"It's the long-awaited report from the collector of strange tales."

"Ah, that one."

There was an interesting man among the collectors of strange tales. Celestine had heard about him last year.

He was exceptionally good at describing food.

If he had chosen that line of work, he could have achieved the same level of success as Clovinkel.

His vivid report on a salad had made everyone who read it want to try it.

It was Princess Celestine herself who decided to send him back to the ancient capital.

"What is it this time?"

"Kushikatsu, apparently."

"Hmm, a dish I've never heard of. I look forward to reading about it."

A small pleasure during a busy day.

Jean François Mont de La Vigny had no idea that his report was being treated this way.