Chapter 116 — Bewitching New Menu!

Volume 3 — The Northern Nobleman and the Raptor Wife’s Village, Great Renovation Plan!?

After returning from hunting, I can take up the glorious job of singing lullabies to Arno.

Seeming like he had been having a nap, my son’s eyes were shining brightly.

I laid him down in the cradle and rocked it, to which he partly closed his eyes joyously.

While doing rhythmical movements, I became sleepy.

This won’t do. I slapped myself to wake myself up.

While rocking Arno’s cradle, I thought of the pub that was near the opening date.

The building was complete, while mother and Sieg were taking care of the interior.

The inside has warm colours used. Fitting for ‘The Crimson Eagle’.

I ordered alcohol as well and stored them in the cellar, as well as diligently making menu tables by carving wood.

There were plenty of ingredients as well.

Then, what’s left is……

—— Ritchan’s menus look like things old people would like~~

What mother said a few days ago was stuck in my head.

They’re my proud dishes, what part of it feels like an old man……

I pondered while rocking Arno’s cradle.

Soup of potato dumplings with corned beef inside (limited to five servings a day)

Fried corned beef and potatoes

Fish and tomato sauce stew

Fried oysters and mushrooms

Daily soup

Overall strong taste? Going well with alcohol? Overall brown shade?

N~n. No idea.

“Arno, Arno, what do you want~?”

Arno would of course like his mother’s milk. He can’t have solid food yet.

“……Milk, it’s good.”

After murmuring that, I realised what I had just said. I felt glad that there was no one else around.

Well, milk is precious! That’s what!

……Nn.

This won’t do. I can only think of needless things.

I couldn’t think up any good plan, so I decided to make myself feel better while patrolling around the village, which is the same as taking a stroll.

I took out the cloth for going on strolls, lifted Arno up and put on coats so that he won’t be cold. I then wrapped the cloth around him, knelt down and embraced him gently. After that, I tied the cloth around my neck and under my armpit.

I said a word to mother who was cooking with Ruruporon in the kitchen and then went out for a stroll.

Until recently, the village and the forests’ trees had autumn foliage, but on the ground there was a thin layer of snow, that it had completely turned into a wintry scenery.

Children were running about energetically, while ladies were working diligently. Since it was before the polar nights, there were many men hauling prey from the forests.

When I have Arno, everyone regardless of gender or age comes to see him. They praise that he’s cute, so my cheeks loosen up into a grin.

Meanwhile, I saw the figure of a familiar boy, so I spoke to him from behind.

“Luca~!”

He flinched and turned around with a prickly expression.

“Don’t suddenly call me, I’ll get surprised!”

“So~rry.”

Luca seems to be returning home after shopping, since he had a lot in his hands.

“I spoke to you at a tough time. Aren’t those heavy?”

“This much, it’s not heavy at all.”

“How amazing.”

While talking with Luca, I ended up thinking about Aina. Since they’re both stubborn.

I wonder if Aina’s feeling alright? Ah, Emmerich too.

I have been contacting the two of them through letters. Aina and Emmerich seems like they’re spending fun days. They look to be doing well, so it’s a relief.

Her grandfather’s attitude has been softening up recently. A little more, and the situation might become better. When that happens, I’m thinking of inviting them over to the village.

I asked how Luca was doing recently.

“What do you mean how.”

“No, I mean about Miruporon.”

“N-Nothing happened!”

Adolescent boys don’t usually get honest about women.

When people grow old, curiosity grows. I reflected that I should be more cautious.

Even so, there was a sack full of potatos, four heads of cabbages, and three leather bags filled with bottles.

It’s probably an errand for his mother, but it’s rather cold of her.

“Ah, sorry for holding you up when it’s heavy.”

“No, I’m not that busy and it’s not heavy anyway.”

“Luca is kind.”

“I’m normal.”

“Right.”

Luca was glancing at Arno, so I showed my son to him.

“Isn’t my child super cute?”

“He looks like your wife.”

He told me that he will grow into a handsome man.

Of course, I think that Arno will be popular with women like Sieg is, in the future.

“Come to think of it, I heard the rumour that you’re opening a store.”

“Ah, yes!”

I jumped at the opportunity and started advertising ‘The Crimson Eagle’.

Though it’s a pub, it doesn’t serve alcohol from noon to evening. There’s juice and snacks as well, so I told him that he can come any time.

“What will you serve?”

“Ah, er~m.”

When I told him the menu, he eyed me suspiciously since ingredients like corned beef was unknown.

Then, I had a good idea.

I should ask young people what they want to eat.

“Hey, Luca, is there anything you want to have?”

“……Meat.”

How simple. Meat.

Meat, eh. The middle of the polar nights becomes centred on preserved foods so it’s rather hard.

Since we can’t go out hunting, we can only really use smoked meat for cooking.

Well, we can preserve meat if we keep it cold with ice.

When I asked specifically what he wanted, I received a reply that he wanted meatballs.

I felt that it would be conscientious to tell that there are no skewers or stews.

“If it’s meatballs, it’s easy to increase the volume.”

“Volume?”

“Bread crumbs or other fillers can be added to increase the amount.”

“So not all of it is meat?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know that……”

He looked a little shocked.

Maybe I shouldn’t have told him that?

However, if there are fillers, it can’t form into balls.

When I told him that, he accepted it.

“Come visit after the store opens!”

“……Well, if I feel like it.”

Come with Mirupron, I managed to endure and swallow those words right before they escaped my throat.

I thought in secret that it would be nice if they’re relationship deepened.

On my stroll, I visited the gift store to buy meat for making meatballs.

When I asked what type of meat is best for meatballs, she recommended pork to me.

I was surprised after hearing the price. It was unexpectedly cheap.

In a village where meat can be hunted, the demand for meat from livestock is low. Thus, merchants don’t sell too much. Even if they do, the price would be rather high.

In the gift store, she sold meat for people who could not go out hunting because injuries or illnesses.

Today was apparently a special sale day for pork.

“Recently, making ham is popular among the ladies so I have been buying a lot of pork.”

“Hoh!”

Homemade ham!

Sieg had talked about ham she had back home, so it created a small boom.

When the shop lady who knows about the recipe sold the pork with the recipe, they were sold out quickly.

Pork ham. I felt like eating them after a long time. I learned how to make it from father-in-law so I decided to buy plenty to make some as well.

The shop lady said that Arno was cute so I received a large bonus.

◇◇◇

After returning home, I decided to make meatballs.

Upon hearing that, mother made a suggestion.

“Then, let’s make meatball pasta.”

“Meatball pasta, hehh, sounds interesting.”

It seems that people in the city have it quite often. I think that it will be delicious.

First, the pork is minced well.

To make the texture better, coarsely ground meat and finely ground meat are mixed together.

In the bowl containing ground meat, spices and bread crumbs are added. I wanted to add eggs too, but they can’t be procured during the polar nights, so instead I added in drained potatoes.

Until the ingredients become sticky, I shaped them into shapes, and then fried them in oil.

The finished meatballs are then boiled together with the tomato sauce mother made.

When that is spread over the cooked pasta along with dried basil, meatball pasta is complete.

The pasta and meatballs scattered about had an appealing look, I thought. It was perfect for children.

I called over Sieg as well for dinner.

First is the main, meatball pasta.

I took a meatball to my mouth using a fork.

When I chewed, the meaty juices flowed out. Since the meat is combination of coarse bits and fine bits, the texture is nice too. The spices were good too, and the tomato sauce mixed well. It was delicious.

“Ritchan, having powdered cheese on top is delicious too, you know?”

My!

As mother suggested, I sprinkled cheese over the pasta.

“Oh, delicious!”

The sour flavour of the tomato is lessened, and the flavour becomes deep.

Just by adding cheese, the change is amazing.

I think that young people would gladly have meatball pasta.

The recipe is simple too, so I decided to add it to the store menu.