Chapter 97
Shrimp Doria
The Alphaid trading company was a major power of Eastern Continent which was originally born at the Kingdom.
Although it had been around for several hundred years, it was a trading company which just started to trade wheat from every area of the Kingdom since several decades ago.
The predecessor of the Alphaid Company, Thomas Alphaid, was a genius. When he decided to retire, he had already largely expanded the business into the Kingdom’s leading company in just a few decades while devising a plan to diffuse the quarrel between siblings.
While displaying his shrewdness, he entrusted the company to his eldest son… and in order to settle the dispute for the next head of the company between his second son and eldest daughter, he decided to entrust them with the branch company at the capital city of Empire and capital city of Princ.i.p.ality that he created with a great sum of money generated by the Alphaid Company at their origin country of the Kingdom.
Thus, the Alphaid Company, which only existed at the capital city originally, was divided into three branches. The branch of Princ.i.p.ality with long history of tradition and the branch of Empire that kept on advancing with tremendous momentum. Hence, the inheritance dispute itself disappeared and the company regained its stability.
…Although the consciousness of “The Alphaid Company that I govern is the true Alpahid company” was born in exchange for their intense rivalry.
And now, the Empire branch of Alphaid Company was about to experience a turning point.
In one of the residences of a n.o.ble of the Empire where the number of aristocracy was extremely few for a country of that size, aristocrats from other countries were gathering.
The story was heard from an amba.s.sador of another country in a place where the fragrance of expensive spice was spreading, and the one person ordered by her mother to come to this mansion was the next head of the Empire branch of Alphaid Company, Linda Alpaid, who unintentionally asked for clarification.
[A, a dish made using rice, is it?]
The amba.s.sador with brown skin that came from a desert country of the far Western Continent… nodded to confirm Linda’s question.
[That’s right. This is an important secret of our country… in the near future, His Highness Prince Sharif, our crown prince, will visit this capital city.]
Her expression and voice were firmly tightened by thinking about the future.
Linda unconsciously fortified her body while listening to the full details of the story.
Anyhow, an extremely important discussion was advancing in the Empire and Sand Country.
It was not an exaggeration to say that this discussion would decide the future of the Empire and the Sand Country, and it was judged to be too overwhelming by an amba.s.sador of a country.
Therefore, it was said that the crown prince of the Sand Country came as the representative of the king of Sand Country and was able to directly discuss with the emperor of the Empire.
[His Highness Sharif will stay at the imperial palace during the length of his stay as a general rule and will eat the Empire’s cuisine. However, he would get tired with just the Empire’s cuisine, and even the daytime of the Empire is as cold the nighttime of our Sand Country with its harsh environment. Therefore…]
[I have to prepare a dish that resemble the Sand Country’s cuisine, isn’t it.]
As the next head of the company, Linda had the same shrewdness as her mother who was the current head.
From the story she heard so far, she could understand what she was asked for.
[Umu. I’ve heard that you are also familiar with the cuisine of Sea Country. That’s why you should be able to prep
are the cuisine of our country… this is too fast to prepare our own chef.]
After muttering so, the amba.s.sador regrouped his mind and rang a bell while calling loudly. {TN: The author did not specify the amba.s.sador’s gender so I use ‘he’}
[Aisha! Aisha! Come here!]
After he called, a woman came.
(Hee… this is the middleman.)
She looked to be two years younger than Linda. A young woman who was the daughter of the amba.s.sador was accompanied by a butler of Empire descent.
She wore white dress with lots of fabric to accommodate the Empire’s cold weather, she had black hair and eyes and her brown skin showed that she came from Sand Country.
[Please show it to this guest. Isn’t the day today?]
[Yes. Today is definitely Satur’s day, otou-sama.]
After having a conversation that Linda didn’t understand, Aisha turned towards her and said.
[If it’s okay, how about we have a meal together? …I would like to explain the dishes that will be served to His Highness Sharif.]
[Ha, haa. Well then, I’m looking forward to working with you.]
Linda nodded while feeling that something was strange.
[Very well… let’s go there. Alfred.]
[Yes, ojou-sama.]
Aisha nodded satisfactorily to Linda’s answer and called Alfred who was beside her.
[Well then, please follow me Linda.]
[Yes, I will accompany you.]
Linda left the mansion with Aisha.
Linda walked while exhaling a white breath.
[Are you okay, Aisha-sama? Do you feel cold?]
On the way there, Linda asked Aisha who was walking with her butler Alfred.
The Imperial Capital was located at the northern part of Eastern Continent, so it was very cold during this season.
On the contrary, she thought that it would be hard to be born at the Sand Country which was hot throughout the year.
[Ee, I have gotten used to the temperature after a year living here.]
However, Aisha who wore a thick coat with white fur shrugged her shoulders.
Aisha was used to it after visiting “that place” many times throughout the year.
[Sa, we’re here. This is the place.]
And when they arrived at the usual narrow back alley, Aisha turned to Linda while internally felt relieved that the black door hadn’t been used by any halflings.
[Why is there a door in such a place…?]
Seeing the mysterious door at the back alley, Linda’s eyes widened and she couldn’t help but to retort.
[Well, let’s go. First of all, you have to taste test and decide which cuisine will be good.]
In that way, Aisha took Linda’s hand and went through the door along with Alfred.
‘Chirinchirin’, while listening to the bell, the two went through the door followed by Alfred, then the door closed.
At the moment they pa.s.sed through the door, Linda felt that the air was warmer and customers of different races were eating food at their respective tables.
[…Ano, Aisha-sama, what is this place?]
[It’s a restaurant. In a different world.]
[A, a different world?]
Aisha kept speaking, while she recalled her father’s reaction when she brought him here for the first time, causing her to laugh.
[Yes, this is a restaurant of a different world than the one we live in. I’d like you to cook the dishes for His Highness with the reference of the cuisine here.]
When their conversation was done, the waitress noticed the three new customers and welcomed them.
[Welcome to Western restaurant Nekoya. I will show you to your seats. Also, would you like to deposit your coats?]
The two of them were wearing thick bulky coats that would hinder them when eating.
The waitress offered to take their coats off them during their time there.
[That’s right. Please do. Linda too.]
[…Yes, very well.]
She was inspired by Aisha and while she entrusted her coat to the waitress, she was surprised by her appearance.
(…Such a tidy demon, I have never seen one like this even at the capital.)
At one point, the experience of touring every major cities of Eastern Continent over a period of several years under her mother’s instruction made her realize the abnormality in front of her.
Seeing the black horns peeking in between her well-groomed hair, there was no doubt that the girl was a demon.
In the Empire which opened up towards demons, demons were not unusual existences.
Such as at the Empire’s second largest city that was governed by the relatives of the “demon king”, there were more demons than humans.
However, this was the first time for Linda to see a female demon with such well-maintained hair and skin like a n.o.ble.
(And that costume… although it is strange, the quality of the fabric is too good.)
The clothes she was wearing were also mysterious. The design was too far from Linda’s common sense, and if she believed Aisha’s words of this being in a different world, the quality of the clothes was very high.
The clothes which were nearly brand new, the fabric was very fine as if spun from high-quality cotton, and the sewing was so accurate it was strange.
Well, even if it’s tailored normally, it would undoubtedly cost a year’s worth of a commoner’s wage, the owner of this restaurant seemed to have considerable whim sensibility.
[Saa, this way please.]
While thinking such, Linda and Aisha were lead to their seats.
Next to them, a n.o.ble of Sand Country was drinking a black tea called Kaffa with something white on top and was sitting alone; perhaps he was waiting for somebody.
[Well then, would you like a menu?]
[No. Today I would like to order shrimp doria, so there’s no need. 3 portions of shrimp doria please. I might order again later, but that’s it for now.]
While Linda was pondering, Aisha quickly ordered.
Linda did not know anything about this restaurant’s cuisine, but she wanted her to recreate the cuisine of another world.
[Yes, please wait a moment.]
In response to Aisha’s order, the waitress retreated to the kitchen at the back.
[…So, does this shrimp doria contain rice?]
Linda asked Aisha after the order was completed.
Since she was asked to prepare a cuisine with rice and was then invited to a meal, it must be a cuisine of another world according to the woman in front of her.
By connecting the points, it quickly became clear that the possibility was high.
[That’s right. Also, this cuisine does not exist at the Imperial Capital, but perhaps you can recreate it deliciously.]
Aisha nodded to Linda’s question.
After their bland conversation, the waitress came with their meal.
[Thank you for waiting. Here’s your shrimp doria.]
As she said so, she deftly placed the meal in front of them.
At a glance, it looked to be fresh from the oven; a faint bubbling sound came from inside the thick pottery dish.
Under the brown pattern, it was filled with yellowish white sauce and something pink was seen peeking from inside.
(Ara, this is possibly… cheese and knight’s sauce?)
She immediately noticed the ident.i.ty of the ingredients except the pink one.
Knight’s sauce was a sauce that enabled the Alphaid Company to build up to its current status and was also familiar at the Empire Branch since it had good compatibility with Cobbler’s fruit commonly eaten at the Empire.
(It’s certainly a dish for our store.)
Knight’s sauce was gradually spreading at the Empire, but their company was superior in how to use it.
That’s why when she thought she knew the reason she was chosen, she took a bite… and was lost for words.
(What!? This is…)
Its taste was as expected, but at the same time it greatly betrayed her expectation.
The fragrance of melted cheese and the knight’s sauce containing faint sweetness. Scattered on top was crushed crumbs, usually used to make croquettes at the Empire, giving out distinctive fragrance.
Then, soft fine grains were laid inside… this was rice. It tasted sweet and was delicious.
This was expected.
However, the part that was the shrimp doria’s foundation, it was unexpected.
(Schripe!?)
When she glanced at Aisha in surprise, Aisha responded.
[If it’s you, perhaps there’s a way to transport it without it rotting?]
To those words, Linda once again realized why she was the one that was requested.
Schripe was a sea creature that’s easily perishable. Since it would cause food poisoning once it rotted and released stinking smell, it did not circulate at inland areas, but as it was considerably delicious and there’s no need to worry of rotting at seaside area, people from commoners to n.o.bles would eat it at daily basis.
(…I see, they want us to transport the Schripe.)
There was no way to carry Schipe to the Imperial Capital that was located inland. It would be an expensive food ingredient because they must hire a good magician with enough magic to preserve it, but if it’s the Alphaid Company which was originally developed as food ingredient trading company at the Kingdom, certainly it wouldn’t be impossible.
(If it’s without Schripe… no, it’s impossible. Without it, it wouldn’t be “shrimp doria”.)
She tried again and noticed.
The leading role of this food was definitely the Schripe.
The pink Schripe as big as her fingertip was a food ingredient that’s a ma.s.s of umami.
When she chewed on the plump meat, its flavor overflowed.
It was excellent with the soft sweetness of knight’s sauce, and when eaten with plenty of the sauce, it was suitable enough to be called a feast.
Also, the rice that had absorbed plenty of the flavours was also delicious, and when chewed on, the flavours would burst from inside.
The rice, the knight’s sauce, Schripe and cheese.
When simultaneously eating them all, shrimp doria was complete.
The hot shrimp doria amused her tongue and warmed her body.
Linda forgot her work and only concentrated on enjoying the food, though she seriously tasted the food.
[How was it?]
After finishing the food, Aisha asked Linda who sighed satisfactorily.
[Ee, it’s delicious, truly.]
After saying so, Linda stiffened her face and reported her demand.
[I would like to bring my chef here next time, is that okay?]
According to the information gathered by Alphaid Company, there was an inn at a small frontier country that sold something similar.
Then, if it’s a chef of Alphaid Company, they would be able to prepare it.
…In addition, she was interested in other dishes. If the others were as delicious as the shrimp doria, she wouldn’t want to miss it.
The question was a result of Linda’s merchant ambition.
[…If you bring me and Alfred along.]
Aisha tentatively conveyed her request.