ALL NOVEL Chapter 73
The attendants entered briskly, each holding a plate filled with dishes in one hand.
One, two… ten. The numbers seemed endless. The variety of dishes was overwhelmingly vast.
‘What on earth did they prepare?’
Even for imperial evening banquets, it’s common for the number of plates not to exceed five or six.
Moreover, every dish seemed to have a different aroma, mixing together and tickling her nose.
Just as Acella’s curiosity deepened, the attendants surrounding her and Ambrosia simultaneously presented the plates onto the table like a choreographed dance.
When Acella’s expectations reached their limit, finally, a silver lid was lifted, and steam began to rise.
“Uh?”
But upon seeing the contents, Acella’s expression stiffened instantly.
There was no steak that she was familiar with, but instead, an array of vegetables that looked like they could be used as fodder.
The presentation itself was pretty. The food served in finger-sized portions was arranged with such care that it looked like a masterpiece.
The problem was that eight out of ten items were greens.
‘What is this?’
The source of the savory aroma she had anticipated turned out to be a slightly watery, grayish substance. The bizarre appearance, resembling a dead slime, extinguished her appetite entirely.
“Head Maid, it seems you brought the wrong dish.”
Acella chastised the Head Maid in an authoritative voice immediately.
If she were alone, it might be acceptable, but Ambrosia, the Emperor’s closest confidante, was right in front of her.
As expected, Ambrosia was also visibly surprised by the unexpected offering, something she could hardly imagine as an imperial meal.
‘I won’t know what to say to His Majesty.’
Acella extended her arm with precision.
“This is a table where guests are present. I will forgive a single mistake. Bring back the original meal that was supposed to be served immediately.”
The Head Maid bowed her head and instructed the attendants to close the lid.
They moved with precision, taking the plates and walking out of the dining room.
“It seems there was an error.”
“Hmmm, the aroma was nice, though.”
“Even so, it’s just grass lying around on the roadside. You’re not going to eat that as His Majesty’s attending physician.”
Ambrosia wouldn’t report this to the Emperor, right?
Feeling slightly anxious, Acella tapped her elbow with her finger when the attendants returned with the plates.
“Oh, finally.”
The plates were set down neatly once again.
The attendants carefully opened the lids.
Witnessing the dishes, Acella’s patience wore thin, and she frowned.
Wasn’t that the same dish she had seen just moments ago?
“Head Maid, call the physician.”
The Head Maid bowed her head and stepped back discreetly.
A moment later, he strode into the dining room confidently.
“Did you call for me, Your Royal Highness?”
“Prince, what is the meaning of this meal?”
Lars greeted her with a relaxed gesture and answered lightly.
“Of course, it contains my wish for Your Royal Highness’s good health.”
“You intend to feed me, the great imperial princess and master of Moonlight Palace, and the physician responsible for His Majesty’s health, with this?”
“Your Royal Highness, I, Lars Gothberg, the attending physician, have no intention of harming your precious body.”
Lars spoke with a voice full of confidence.
He smirked slightly.
“Have I ever disappointed you, even once?”
Not a chance. Just thinking of over twenty mishaps popped into her mind.
Acella swallowed her retort down the back of her neck.
Criticizing Lars in front of Ambrosia would only backfire on herself.
“I may have been lacking in explanation. Let’s start with this dish. It’s called Tarakjuk.”
“What is this? Is it slime?”
“As you know, the cheese you enjoy is made from milk. However, your body doesn’t handle milk well. That’s why I made it into this form for easier consumption.”
“…Is this supposed to be cheese?”
Acella still felt skeptical.
In the imperial family, you had to start off with suspicion to survive.
…Although Lars had kept to everything he said so far.
“Just trust me and take a bite.”
“Hmm.”
Reluctantly, Acella picked up the spoon.
Elegantly scooping the top of the Tarakjuk, steam wafted up, and once again, a savory aroma teased her senses.
‘Alright. Let’s fall for it just this once.’
As long as it wasn’t cheesecake. Lars, you’d be locked up in the underground prison.
Acella slowly brought the silver spoon to her lips.
And then.
“…Umm.”
A noise escaped her lips unexpectedly, and she swallowed the food with it.
It wasn’t cheesecake.
But it was delicious.
As the smooth texture spread in her mouth, warmth enveloped her.
The deep nuttiness of the milk filled her up to the tips of her hair.
“Oh, indeed. It has a mysterious flavor. It soothes the stomach comfortably.”
Ambrosia, satisfied, was already going for the next spoonful.
“Hm, it’s better than it looks.”
Acella, lowering her pride for a moment, took a spoonful of the warm dish.
Cheesecakes have a strong flavor but tire you quickly after a few bites.
However, this porridge seemed like something she could eat endlessly.
“Try this Salmon Wrapped in Sesame Leaves as well. It’s tonight’s main dish.”
“Was there salmon inside?”
Acella, who didn’t eat fish very often, watched as the delicately flaky salmon had already been cut into bite-sized pieces.
She poked it with her fork, dipping it into the black sauce next to it.
“Hmm.”
As it entered her mouth, the burst of the sesame leaf’s aroma combined with the soft texture stimulated her tongue.
“Lord Gothberg, what is this sauce?”
Ambrosia questioned while lifting a black lump next to the salmon with her fork.
“It’s soy sauce, pickled with grated radish, used in the East. It’s typically much saltier, but since it pairs with meat, I adjusted the salinity appropriately.”
“It’s a sauce from the East. The flavor is excellent, but does it have health benefits?”
“Our land has an inland geography, making salt supply limited. Of course, too much salt is not good, but in small quantities, it increases osmotic pressure, helping to eliminate waste.”
“What’s the reason for pairing it with vegetables?”
“It’s sesame leaves. Rich in vitamins, it’s good for preventing various diseases and beneficial for the skin as well. The effects are improved if eaten raw, so once you get used to the aroma, I plan to serve it seasoned as well.”
“Seasoned, you mean these raw vegetables mixed with the sauce?”
“Yes.”
Acella’s gaze drifted to the vegetables.
Though she had belittled them as fodder just moments ago, now that she tasted Lars’ cooking, a curiosity began to stir.
“Your Royal Highness, please take a chance once.”
“Fine.”
Acella dipped the seasoned vegetables, sniffing at them first.
It was an unfamiliar sensation, but she took a bite, crunching softly.
“Hmm.”
Acella covered her mouth with her opposite hand, her small mouth moving daintily.
Slowly, her eyelids lifted, and her golden pupils gleamed wide.
“How is it?”
Seeing Lars’ smug face made Acella reluctant to answer honestly, but she had to admit this.
She closed her eyes and replied haughtily.
“It’s delicious.”
“See?”
“It’s a flavor I’ve never tasted before! It has a deep flavor. What is in it?”
“Haha, that’s a family secret.”
Lars winked and brought his index finger to his lips.
Even if she knew, extracting MSG from beets was something only Lars could do.
“Hmm, hmmm.”
Acella became quicker with her utensil.
Before she knew it, she was moving her fork around, wanting to taste all the vegetable dishes.
But it led to dissatisfaction.
‘The portions are too small.’
It wasn’t intended for tasting; since only a little bit was prepared, she couldn’t eat to her heart’s content.
“It might not suit your taste, Your Royal Highness.”
“Uh, yes?”
Acella, who had momentarily forgotten Lars was right beside her, replied with rice stuck at the corner of her mouth.
“Please think of this food as medicine for your health. If you eat it all, dessert awaits.”
As Lars signaled, the Head Maid entered with one more plate.
‘Oh, coffee?’
Acella’s attention was instantly drawn to the cup placed on the plate.
The drink she thought was coffee had a slightly different color.
Most importantly, something dark was settled at the bottom.
“It’s Oolong Bubble Tea with tapioca in it.”
Lars said confidently.
“I’m sure you’ll like it.”
*
“Prince, I want bubble tea.”
“You had some yesterday. Not allowed.”
When I firmly refused during morning rounds, Acella pouted her lips.
Though oolong is healthier than coffee, it still contains a little caffeine. I couldn’t give it often.
“Then what are you going to bring for dinner?”
“Ask the Head Maid? Today isn’t my responsibility.”
“What?”
Acella’s mouth dropped open.
After starting her healthy diet a week ago, Acella noticed a positive effect where her appetite had increased.
Thanks to that, her forehead was shining.
“Why aren’t you making it?”
“Because I’m the attending physician, not a chef, right? I had other tasks piled up while organizing this time.”
“What if it’s not good? I don’t want to eat steak.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll follow the menu that I designed. I’ve already prepared enough seasoning.”
While I would occasionally check the kitchen, from now on, the Head Maid would be responsible for the cooking.
Since high-quality ingredients must still come through the imperial kitchen, we had to use it.
Although the outside chef was giving me a dirty look for barging in, what could I do? The duties of Moonlight Palace were divided, so it was a win-win.
“Rounds are over. The blood test showed a noticeable improvement in circulation. How’s your recent magic usage?”
“Um… I feel like the speed of releasing mana has increased.”
“Good. Let’s keep it up. I’ll see you at dinner then.”
“Wait.”
Acella grabbed my gown’s hem.
“Are you really not going to make bubble tea for me?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll drink coffee?”
“Go ahead and try. You secretly had tapioca last time and ended up regretting it.”
At my jab, Acella’s eyes widened.
Tapioca pearls don’t pair well with coffee. She shot herself in the foot.
“I’ll pay the price.”
“Ten thousand gold coins for a cup.”
“Annoying.”
Acella poked my belly and got up to start her day.
Acella’s healthy diet was a success.
At this rate, I could start preparing to move my office soon.
There were also whispers that the Emperor would hire the winning physician, so this could lead to a shift in the imperial kitchen’s trends.
I wondered how Simon’s exorcism massage was going.
Not that I cared much.