An A-Ranked Adventurer's Chapter 55

Cooking With Everyone

After was.h.i.+ng the radishes, Aisha and I joined Flora and Toack back in the kitchen.

Today’s menu is tomato soup with sauteed radishes, baked cheese bread, and salad with sesame sauce dressing.　

Did they make the bread while Aisha and I were getting the radishes? I could smell the scent of baked wheat coming from the wood-fired oven from behind. 

I guess Toack was in charge of making the tomato soup. Ingredients such as onions, carrots, and potatoes were being diced into cubes.

「…You’re going to make me cook after all, huh?」 

「I just need you to cut these vegetables. Even you can do at least that much, right?」

Toack was next to Aisha, directing her with undivided attention. 

We were standing in the same formation as the time we cooked venison. It was Flora, me, Aisha, and Toack.

I was put in charge of sauteing the radishes and helping with preparing the ingredients. Aisha was in charge of the salad. 

「And you have four knives now. They came along with Flora, huh…」

Aisha muttered in annoyance when she saw the additional knives.

Flora brought those tools from her home because we did not have enough last time.

「Because it’s more fun to cook with everyone」

Flora said as she cut the radishes with a smile on her face.

While Aisha was muttering complaints, the radishes have already been nicely chopped up.

「Your knife speed is as fast as always」

「Oh no, you flatter me」

When I muttered in shock, Flora replied with a bright smile.

She looked really happy for some reason. Her overall movements were light and she seemed to be humming a song. 

It was as if the strings of her pink colored ap.r.o.n were swaying in joy.

「What’s up?」

「Oh nothing. I was just thinking that ap.r.o.n suits you better after all」

She had always been using my blue ap.r.o.n until yesterday. However, she is now in her cute, pink colored one.

The ap.r.o.n has a faint flower embroidery sewn on it.

She looks completely different compared to when she wears my blue ap.r.o.n that’s a bit too big for her.

Like I thought, this look of hers that I’ve seen many times in Ergys-san’s home is better than when she wears mine.

「Is that so? I’m happy to hear that but I liked wearing your ap.r.o.n, you know? Even though it’s a bit oversized, it feels nice being enveloped in your scent」

「Ohh, I know what you mean since I also feel like that with the towels that you brought over」

The towels that Flora brought over and lent me all have a really nice smell to them.

I wonder if it’s some kind of special fragrance.

「T-talking about the towels right now is a little embarra.s.sing 」

「ah sorry」

Not only are the towels something that Flora uses, Aisha and Toack were also right beside us, so this conversation might be a little embarra.s.sing, yeah.

「…I’m going red over here just from listening to this conversation」

「…Well, they finally got together. It’ll be like this for a while」

Flora and I both laughed bitterly after hearing Toack and Aisha’s remarks.

I guess I should be more mindful of what I say.

「Oi, Aisha. Can you cut the slices a bit thinner?」

When I looked at Aisha after hearing Toack’s blaming voice, I saw large chunks of radishes rolling around.

Is that how she cut the radishes? They are too big. It’d feel a bit off even if they were going in the soup.

「Ehh? This is thin enough already, isn’t it? Hey guys, look?」

「They’re too thick」

「Please cut them into thinner pieces」

Aisha showed me and Flora what she cut, but we both told her in response that it wasn’t good.

「Ehhh? Still? It’s hard to cut the radishes since they are round」

I know what she means. Radishes are small so it’s hard to hold them by hand when you cut them.

「You only have to cut them this thin so do your best」

Toack chopped some up and showed it to Aisha.

「Whatt?! That’s impossible! I’ll cut my own fingers if I tried to cut them that thin!」

「It’s alright if it’s a bit thicker, okay? So just aim for this and do your best」

After being told that by Toack, Aisha started to try it with a grim expression on her face.

*Ton*…*Ton*… I could hear a slow cutting sound with no rhythm to it.

While she was cutting with caution next to me, I continued to cut the radishes that I’ve washed into halves.

After cutting eight radishes like that, I put some olive oil into the frying pan and started frying them.

I fried them quickly In order to prevent the radishes from overcooking. Then with Flora putting in just the right amount of salt for me, the dish was finished.

Well, that’s more or less how sauteing radishes goes. They are easy to cook compared to venison because you don’t really have to worry about if they are cooked through.

When I started to take a break after putting the radishes I sauteed onto a plate, Toack handed me a plate with cut vegetables and bacon on it.

「Here, fry these together with b.u.t.ter. I’m going to watch the pot」

「Sure, I got it」

He’s quick to have all these ingredients cut up already.

「Ohh and cook the bacon first before you put the vegetables in」

「I know」

The frying pan was still hot and there was still some olive oil in it. It’s in perfect condition to fry some more.

With that thought in mind, I used the spatula to put the bacon into the frying pan.

The olive oil and bacon created a sizzling sound when they met. The distinct aroma of bacon oozed out and filled the air.

Usually Aisha would take a peak when she smells grilled meat, but this time, she was quiet.

「Aisha, you okay?」

「…Don’t talk to me right now」

When I suddenly checked on her from her side, I saw her cutting the radishes with a serious expression on her face.

On her cutting board, there were slices of radishes that were as thin as the ones Toack showed her.

She tried hard to recreate them, yeah.

「Oh okay…. Be careful」

I thought I shouldn’t talk to her then and took my eyes back to my frying pan.

Even though Aisha had a struggle cutting her vegetables, all the dishes were safely finished with everyone’s help.

This time Aisha was seriously cutting the radishes and did not sneak bites in at all.

She was taking some big sniffs when the bacon was sizzling though.

The finished dishes will be plated and then taken to the living room one by one by us.

In the living room, the scent of the baked cheese bread and the sour scent of tomato were mixed together with all kinds of different smells, stimulating our hungry stomachs.

「I’m so hungry since I used so much of my brain power. Please hurry up with the preparation…」

Aisha said as she laid her head on the table, seemingly exhausted because she focused too hard to cut the vegetables.

Since I wanted to start eating sooner as well, I quickly set the utensils on the table.

「Ara? This is a spoon Flora brought over, right? No wonder it’s so pretty, unlike Toack’s」

「What’s that? You’re not getting any tomato soup then」

Aisha casually muttered at a bad timing as Toack carried out the pot of tomato soup.

「Hey, that’s not funny」

While I was laughing at the conversation between them, I went in the kitchen where Flora was and took the cheese bread that was just done out of the oven.

The slightly burned cheese on the bread was bubbling as its thick cheesy aroma filled the air.

The creamy melted cheese dripping from the bread stirred up my appet.i.te.

「That looks so good」

「Yeah, I’m so hungry I can’t wait anymore」

I put them on the big plate that Flora brought me.

Since I saw a piece of burnt cheese drop from the bread onto the plate, I took that and put it in my mouth as the special privilege of the host.

Yeah, the crispness and thick cheesy flavor was delicious.

「Ahh, Aldo-san. Your manners…」

Since Flora saw me and started to scold me, I put a piece of cheese into her mouth as well.

Then, she chewed it with a reddened face and muttered “Mouu”.

She sounded somewhat upset but her expression was very gentle.

「Ahh! Aldo and Flora are sneaking bites! Not fair!」

Perhaps Flora was embarra.s.sed that we got caught stealing a bite; she tried running away by going to hang her ap.r.o.n on the wall.  

「We were just eating the slightly burned parts. We used our house to make these after all」

「You idiot! It’s unforgivable because the slightly burned parts are what’s delicious! Bring some to us too!」

「You, you are too much of a glutton」

Toack said to Aisha after she hit the table.

Yeah, at least cut us some slack like-

「Alright, don’t eat your share then Toack, I’ll eat it for you」

「Oi, I didn’t say anything like that」

Nope. Toack was the same.

Well, I think the three of us who wanted the slightly burned parts are all gluttons.

While Toack and Aisha were complaining, I cleaned off the slightly burned cheese and cheese that was sticking to the plate to make it look nicer and brought the baked cheese bread to the table.   

「Now then, shall we start eating?」

「Yes, let’s eat」

「Yeahh」

「Finally」

Me and Flora sat next to each other. After we gave the signal, Toack and Aisha gave their short replies and picked up their spoons. 

Since Flora and I were hungry as well, we picked up our spoons sooner than usual. 

Shall I give the tomato soup that Toack made a try first?

When I dug my spoon in the really red tomato soup and gave it a stir, there was a mix of many ingredients such as onions, carrots, potatoes and bacon. 

I took a scoop of it and then the vegetables came rolling into my mouth.

As I chewed on them, a sourness that contained sweetness and tons of other flavors coming from the other ingredients were all released into my mouth.

The tomato soup made of bacon and many kinds of vegetables and herbs really drew out an exquisite flavor.

「Mmmm! The tomato soup is so delicious!」

「I know, right? I’m good at making soup type of dishes」

Toack replied happily in a straightforward manner.

「It really is. The combination of vegetables and herbs really brought out their natural flavor」

「You’re really good at making soups, aren’t ya?」

As a furniture craftsman, Toack is a perfectionist. He probably looked for ways to bring out the best taste to his soup.

He must have gone through a lot of trial and error to get this taste.   

After enjoying the tomato soup, I reached out to grab some of that hot baked cheese bread.

The bread was not cold even after some time as I felt the heat slowly emitting in my hand. It wasn’t enough to burn me but it was still a little hot.

However, I took a bite vigorously because it’s the most delicious when it’s hot.

The soft and fluffy bread entered my mouth as the sweet flavor of wheat took over.

Then, the hot, thick, creamy cheese touched my tongue and brought it joy.

It blows my mind how well baked cheese and bread goes together.

「….Ha…..ha…..」

Beside me, Flora split her bread into two pieces and blew on them before putting a piece in her mouth.

「Mmmmm, hoofoo, hooff」

Was it still a bit too hot? Flora covered her mouth while making that sound.

「You okay?」

When I poured a cup of water for her, she took it and drank it right away.

「…Ahh, sorry. It’s still so hot」

Flora calmed down by drinking the water, and returned the cup to me with embarra.s.sment.

This side of Flora when she’s just a little embarra.s.sed is also really cute.

「Mouu, please stop laughing at me」

Flora hit my shoulder lightly when I laughed out loud without thinking.

She doesn’t realize that att.i.tude of hers is so lovely and cute that it makes me laugh even more.

I don’t tell her that because it’s so cute and funny.

「W-water! There’s none?!」

「Here」

「It’s empty!」

「Haha. Serves you right, stupid」

Toacked seemed to be having fun laughing at Aisha, then Aisha s.n.a.t.c.hed away my cup.

She drank the water in one gulp.

「Puahhh, I thought I was a goner」

She slammed the cup on the table as if she just took a shot of alcohol at the tavern. It was a strange movement that reminded me of old men. 

「I thought you were unusually smart for once, but the cup was empty. You really are the worst」

「Hehh, who cares about you?」

Toack was very rude to Aisha maybe because of the spoon thing from before.

Well, they were always on cat and dog terms with each other, it’ll probably cool down again in time.

Flora and I both laughed instinctively because they were so funny.

「Say Flora, what did you think of that just now?」

「Yeah, it was funny」

「No! A guy acting like that when a girl is in trouble is unheard of!」

While Aisha was complaining to Flora, Toack put the sauteed radishes into his mouth. 

「Ohh, this is good」

「Wouldn’t be able to put this on the dining table if it didn’t come out good」

Even though I said that, I tried the sauteed radishes somewhat anxiously still.

Yeah, it’s delicious with just the right amount of salt. I could really taste the radishes’ flavor and its crispy texture. 

「Flora is the one who seasoned it, so of course it would be good」

「No, it’s more due to the ingredient’s natural flavor」

Even though I did not know how much salt I needed and relied on Flora, she did not take credit for it and wanted them to acknowledge the achievement of how well the radishes were brought up.

「I was joking. Yeah, the radishes were brought up quite nicely」

Toack complimented it with a smile.

Hey, that joke was a bit offensive but there’s no way I won’t be happy when a third person compliments the crops that I grew for the first time.

「…Thank you. The radishes that I left in the kitchen is a gift for you guys to take home, so you can bring some home」

「Ohh, thank you」

I’ll give him the spicy radishes that Aisha and I picked out with our excellent judgement. 

TLN: Cooking chapters are strangely entertaining