The Final Task of the Forsaken Saint: A Command to Marry the Barbarian Count - Chapter 13

I ended up having lunch with Lord Teodoric.

The meal brought to the private dining room, specifically prepared for him, was different from the grand banquet the night before. This time, the dishes had a more rustic feel: soup with something stuffed inside pasta dough, thinly pounded meat breaded and fried, sausages, and of course, a hearty vegetable stew. There was also brown bread, sliced and served, probably mixed with rye.

My stomach was already growling with hunger.

I must have been giving off an especially eager vibe, because Lord Teodoric furrowed his brows slightly, and the young servant standing by seemed to flinch nervously.

“Are you sure this is okay? Rostock’s traditional dishes, I mean?”

When I had been asked what I wanted to eat, I had requested Rostock’s food. I didn’t understand why he seemed so worried, but I nodded enthusiastically.

“Absolutely! I heard the steak I had for breakfast was made from monster meat, and I was dying to try it again!”

At my enthusiastic response, one of the thin, wiry older men who had brought the food flinched, his eyes darting nervously from side to side.

Lord Teodoric shot a stern look at him.

“Well, it seems you did well, Cook. The Saintess is pleased.”

“Wait, that person is the cook?”

I leaned forward in surprise, and the man—who was obviously Cook—shrunk back, nodding awkwardly.

“I… I made a change to the ingredients without asking permission…”

“The breakfast was absolutely delicious! The portions were just right too, thank you! I was starving after the wyvern hunt!”

“Ah, ah, yes…”

“And I heard from Mike that you’re really good at cooking monster meat, Cook. Does this meal use any monster meat? What kind of monster is it, if you don’t mind telling me?”

Cook froze, his wide eyes flicking toward Lord Teodoric, who gave a small, resigned smile and nodded.

“W-well, since it was your request, we used meat from the stock here at Neige Castle. The Maul-Tasche soup dumplings and fried Schnitzels are made with Horn Boar. The sausages use a mix of various meats.”

Horn Boar—now that was a monster I knew well, notorious for its horned charges. It was a creature I frequently hunted. I remembered the first time I had roasted and tasted it, and the meat had a tough, woody texture with a bitter aftertaste.
But the dish before me smelled mouthwateringly good.

“Can I start eating now?”

“…Yes.”

With Lord Teodoric’s permission, I eagerly picked up my fork and knife.

The schnitzel, coated in a thin crust, was my first target. As soon as I took a bite, the rich juices from the Horn Boar poured out, making my eyes widen in amazement.

“It’s soooooo good!!!”

With every bite, the meat seemed to melt in my mouth, a tenderness I never expected. This was on a whole different level compared to the Horn Boar I cooked myself. The oil wasn’t overwhelming either. I could easily eat ten more of these.

“What is this?! I had no idea monster meat could taste this amazing! Incredible!”

Next, I sipped the soup. Its deep, savory flavor was perfect, cleansing my palate from the richness of the schnitzel.
When I carefully broke open the ravioli-like dumplings with my fork, a rich ground meat filling came out. I took a bite, and the hot, concentrated broth exploded in my mouth, and I melted into the experience.

The delicate, sweet flavor of the Horn Boar shone through in this dish as well.

“Such bliss in every bite…”

The sausages had a crispy skin, and the vegetable stew was superb. The potatoes were soft and warm, making me want to eat even more.

“This castle’s people get to eat this amazing food every day?! This is the best!”

“I’m glad you like it,” Lord Teodoric responded with a small smile.

I eagerly responded, “Yes! It’s delicious!”

But then I suddenly froze. I had been eating so greedily, and I realized that in front of such a dignified person, this might seem inappropriate.

I’d been taught manners, but I knew I wasn’t very good at following them.

Maybe I should be more refined…?

Looking over at Lord Teodoric nervously, I found that he was watching me with a small, amused smile. It looked like he was enjoying the situation, but there was no malice or mockery in his expression. Rather, he seemed… relieved?

I felt a strange unease, but before I could figure it out, my stomach growled again.

Embarrassed, I looked up at Lord Teodoric, my face flushed.

“U-um… would it be okay to have some lunch now? I’m really hungry…”

Lord Teodoric blinked, and then his lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile.

“Ah, of course. I’ll have it brought right away. But… may I join you?”

I was stunned by his unexpected offer.

“Wait, you want to… join me?”

Lord Teodoric gave a soft chuckle as Cook quickly wiped his tears and hesitated before speaking up.

“Well then, would you like seconds? I can bring you as much as you want…”

“Really? If you’re offering, then yes, please! I’ll take two servings of everything!”

Since Lord Teodoric said it was fine, I didn’t hold back!

The food from the capital had been good, but nothing had moved me like this. Cook looked startled but bowed and quickly left to bring more.