Chapter 69: Alice is Crying with Envy
This was the first time Alice had seen Erina, the proud little princess with the "God Tongue" who usually dissected dishes like a forensic scientist, praise a chef so highly without a hint of tsundere reluctance. Her cousin's eyes were closed in bliss, her posture relaxed in a way that was rare for the heiress of the Nakiri family.
Alice knew, deep down, that Ren certainly deserved that praise. She had seen his knife skills. She had heard his critique. Now, she was about to taste his philosophy.
Time passed minute by minute, and the dishes Kobayashi Rindou and the others had ordered earlier were gradually served. The small restaurant filled with a symphony of aromas—roasting meat, simmering broth, fresh herbs, and warm bread.
Alice, sitting aside with her hands clasped on the table, was already practically drooling just from the smell.
A dish is all about appearance, aroma, and taste. Alice didn't yet know how it tasted, but merely the color, appearance, and aroma were enough to whet anyone's appetite to a dangerous degree.
Lucifer's stomach, at this moment, seemed to finally react to the crepe overdose. She leaned back in her chair, playing on her phone with one hand while rubbing her stomach with the other. She was only now realizing the embarrassing fact that she had eaten too much in her quest for conquest.
Erina looked at the white, elegant bowl placed in front of her. It wasn't a standard soup bowl; it looked more like an oversized, handle-less coffee cup made of bone china.
She inhaled a breath of the aroma that wafted out with the steam. It smelled of earth, sweetness, and a deep, savory meatiness. Her brain received the signal that it was time to devour this dish.
"Hoo-hoo~"
After blowing on it twice to cool the surface, Erina dipped her spoon into the vibrant, ruby-red Borscht. She took a sip.
Erina said nothing. She just maintained that posture, spoon halfway to her mouth, her violet eyes losing focus as they stared into the middle distance. She sat there silently, as if rebooting.
Alice poked her arm. "Hey! Erina! Earth to Erina!"
"Good…" Erina whispered.
"Good?" Alice raised an eyebrow. "Just 'good'?"
Erina turned to her, her eyes intense. "Delicious! Why is this sweetness so fragrant? It's not just sugar; it's the natural reduction of the beets! And what's with this smooth and fresh texture?! It coats the tongue like velvet but finishes clean!"
Alice looked at the enraptured Erina and swallowed her saliva loudly. She was also very much looking forward to her own dishes now. It was torture watching everyone else eat.
Soon after Ren went back into the kitchen, he came out carrying a portable stove and a heavy iron pot. He placed it in front of Senzaemon Nakiri.
Senzaemon looked at the slightly dark but very clear soup bubbling in front of him. He took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring.
"Mmm. A very fragrant smell. It seems this is a very delicious hot pot base. Robust, yet refined."
Ren nodded. "This is a hot pot base made with Silkie Black Chicken and Pork Stomach, simmered with premium soy sauce, ginger, and white peppercorns. It warms the body from the core. Enough for you to enjoy alone. Do you want your Peach Blossom Wine warmed?"
"Yes! Excellent choice!" Senzaemon boomed happily.
Ren turned around, about to enter the kitchen to fetch the ingredients cart, when he saw Cerberus asleep on the table nearby. The poor dog girl had passed out from exhaustion and stomach cramps, still hugging the hot water bottle.
Ren sighed softly. He turned back and said with a smile to Senzaemon and the others, "Excuse me. I need to take this girl upstairs first. She can't sleep here."
Senzaemon and the others all nodded understandingly.
Ren gently picked up Cerberus. She didn't wake up, just snuggled closer to his warmth, murmuring something about "no more chocolate." He carried her upstairs to her room, tucked her in, and returned downstairs.
A few minutes later.
Alice watched Senzaemon Nakiri take various ingredients from a side cart—thinly sliced wagyu, fresh vegetables, tofu, mushrooms—and put them into the boiling pot. The old man was humming a tune, waiting for the meat to cook while occasionally sipping a small glass of warm, pinkish wine.
Alice was practically crying with envy; everyone else was eating, moaning in delight, and she was the only one who could only watch. It was a culinary purgatory.
"Ren-san... did you forget me?" she whimpered.
Just then, Ren walked out. He placed a wooden board in front of her. On it were two distinct open-faced sandwiches (Smørrebrød), beautifully arranged like edible gardens.
When Ren brought Alice's order over, Alice felt like she had seen a life raft in the middle of the ocean.
Ren looked at Alice's desperate expression and chuckled. "I made two different types for you; one of them should suit your taste perfectly~."
Alice didn't pay much attention to his words. She grabbed the first sandwich. It featured dark rye bread topped with slices of sausage, pickled cucumber, and remoulade.
She took a bite.
"Mmm! This is the taste!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Shopkeeper Ren, how did you make this sausage?! It's comparable to the most authentic Rød pølse from Denmark! The snap of the skin, the smoky flavor... it's perfect!"
Ren smiled and said, "I saw this in a culinary magazine before and tried to replicate the curing process. It's not difficult if you control the humidity. But I thought you'd like the other one more. After all, the book says many children don't like the smoky, salty taste of cured sausage."
Alice shook her head vigorously, swallowing. "No! I loved eating this when I was little in Scandinavia! It tastes like home!"
She looked at the second sandwich. It was topped with a white, fluffy mound that looked like mashed potatoes or cream, garnished with dill and... white cubes?
"But the other one you mentioned, Shopkeeper, that I would like... could it be..."
She picked it up and took a bite.
"Eh?!"
Her eyes widened.
"What kind of meat is this... The texture is as soft as a soufflé, but the meat itself is as high-grade as cod. This isn't fish, is it! Why is there no fishy umami, only a fragrant and sweet taste? And these cubes..."
Ren leaned against the counter, enjoying her analysis. "Then congratulations, you guessed wrong. This is indeed Silver Cod, poached in milk and herbs, then whipped. But you deserve praise for noticing the texture. It seems your lessons weren't in vain. Those white cubes are white truffle-infused mushrooms~."
"Oh, oh... I knew the texture was so strange... Wait?! White truffles?!" Alice stared at the sandwich. "You put truffles in a sandwich?!"
Ren casually waved his hand. "It's not anything valuable here. Just a flavor enhancer. Well, you go ahead and eat. I'll go take care of the rest of the dishes. Lucifer~ Do you want Hawthorn Juice to help with digestion?"
Lucifer looked up from her phone. "Okay~. Please."
Lucifer wasn't tsundere this time. Firstly, she was happily chatting with someone online, and secondly, her stomach really needed the acidity to break down the crepe mountain she had consumed. Although she also wanted to experience Ren's famous stomach massage, seeing how busy Ren was with the new guests, she kept quiet.
About forty minutes later.
Everyone's dishes were served. The restaurant was filled with the quiet, contented sounds of eating.
Ren sat next to Lucifer, stretched his arms, and sighed. "It's really been extra busy tonight~. But rewarding."
Lucifer, playing on her phone while sipping the ruby-red Hawthorn Juice, glanced at him. "For other Restaurants, this traffic must be considered 'dead'. But for you, it's a festival~."
Ren thought for a moment. "That makes some sense. By the way, what are you looking at? You've been smiling at your screen for ten minutes."
"I'm watching Kirari and Sonoko battle it out in the group chat..."
Ren's mouth twitched. "Sonoko... will be severely beaten down by Kirari... If my impression is correct, Sonoko gets spun in circles by the Gambler every time~."
Lucifer nodded, showing him the screen. Sonoko was typing in all caps, clearly very angry. The reason was simply that Sonoko had asked when Ren would come to Teitan High School to be a guest teacher like he did at Totsuki.
Then Kirari, bored in her own academy, lit the fuse by suggesting Ren only taught "elites," not commoners. It escalated quickly.
Lucifer and the others were watching the drama with such relish. Even Kobayashi Rindou was eating her venison steak with one hand while scrolling through the chat with the other.
Compared to Rindou, Erina and Alice were simply immersed in the world of gourmet food. Erina because of her God Tongue analyzing every nuance, and Alice because it was her first time eating such "illogical" deliciousness.
Heaven knows what Alice felt when she finally cut open her main course—the Beef Wellington.
Her eyes almost turned green with hunger. The cross-section was a work of art. The layers were distinct: the outermost crispy, golden puff pastry; then a thin layer of Parma ham; followed by a layer of Duxelles (mushroom paste) oozing with savory juice; and finally, the slightly reddish center, a large piece of fillet mignon with marbling as beautiful as polished stone.
She took a bite.
Setting aside the taste for a moment, just the perfect texture alone was irresistible. The crisp and buttery crunch of the pastry shattered, followed by the savory, umami-rich softness of the mushroom and foie gras blend. And finally, the steak... it was so tender it practically melted, releasing a rush of bovine juices.
"Mmmph!" Alice covered her mouth, her eyes watering.
When the multiple textures of crisp, springy, soft, tender, and smooth came together, she discovered that the true soul was still the essence of the dish—the harmony. It was a deliciousness realized only after the fact, lingering on the palate.
Across the table, Senzaemon had also abandoned his dignity. He took off his haori, rolled up his sleeves, and ate the freest dish—Hot Pot—almost shirtless.
No matter what kind of hot pot, it is the freest dish. Ingredients rolling in the boiling broth, cooked to one's own preference. For someone who has been busy all day carrying the burden of the culinary world, a single-person hot pot was a solo party.
He dipped a slice of beef, waited three seconds, ate it, and then took a sip of the warm Peach Blossom Wine.
Relaxed, warm, and utterly peaceful. This was the magic of Ren's shop.
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