Bon Appétit

“Can I try it?”

Sarah asked with sparkling eyes, making her look innocent for an older witch. Luana happily nodded hair head.

“Yes, but it’s salty, so try a little.”

Then Sarah carefully tasted the soy sauce when Luana handed her a spoon. It was her first time tasting this kind of sauce. It was salty and had a strange scent that somewhat smelled attractive.

Luana used the soy sauce on her second attempt to make the stew. A tomato stew with soy sauce. She wondered if it would be appropriate to have oriental soy sauce in the western dish, but the result tasted unexpected.

‘Delicious!’

The taste was better than expected. Maybe what Sarah wanted was this taste.

“Would you like to taste it?”

Luana served Sarah a bowl of stew. Sarah took a deep breath, pressing down on her pounding chest. She took a spoonful of the stew and scooped it up. And when she put it in her mouth and chewed it, she felt amazed. Luana’s first stew was delicious, but this one tasted even richer! The texture of meat gently melts in her mouth, the cooked vegetables also soften softly, and the sauce that blends in the stew delivers a deep taste. Everything was perfect.

Above all, it tasted like Elanya’s cooking.

“Perfect! Please leave it as it is!”

Sarah, who shouted the words, clasped her hands and disappeared immediately. All that was left after she disappeared was a little wind. She has seen her move around the space a few times, but she was indeed someone unique and full of mystery. After all, Luana’s magic doesn’t have that kind of mystery effect.

Luana closed the lid of the pot with a small smile. She cast a spell on the pot to keep it warm. She’ll probably have more guests coming, so she’d better keep it warm until then.

***

Gerald sat in his chair and thought quietly about Elanya and her child, Luana. Where did everything go wrong? Was it when Elanya met the king who was hiding in another village where she first went out to play? It may be his fault for not being able to stop her more actively then.

Thinking back on her days still made his heartache, so he didn’t regret what he did now. As soon as he was lost in thought, Sarah suddenly appeared inside the house.

“Gerald!”

“Sarah?”

She’s not usually this rude. Something urgent seemed to have come up.

“There’s a place I have to go with you!”

Sarah grabbed Gerald by the arm.

“Where are we going?”

He tried to ask where she would take him, but Sarah’s magic worked faster. After a moment of dizziness, the scene in front of him changed. And right in front of him, Luana appeared.

“Luana?”

No matter how much Gerald was, he was still embarrassed to meet Luana. Sarah suddenly dragged him somewhere to go, and they arrived in front of Luana. There was even Duke Legion behind her. He was staring at Gerald as if he was about to kill him. On the other hand, Luana, whom he thought would be angry, looked more relaxed.

“Welcome.”

Luana led Gerald to sit at the table; then, she served a hot stew in front of him. Only then did Gerald notice Sarah’s plan. Perhaps she intended to shake his mind by making Luana cook Elanya’s dish.

‘It’s useless.’

It was a dish that Gerald, who knows Elanya better than anyone else, could not make even though he tried so hard. So he was about to refuse to eat, but he heard Luana’s voice.

“Please eat.”

It was just a simple word, but somehow he felt like he had to follow. With a spoon in his hand, he reluctantly tried the stew. The moment he took one bit, the emotions that had been holding his heart for a long time burst out.

He finally tasted Elanya’s stew dish, which he hadn’t tasted in a while. The dish was here now. His tough eyes were relaxed, and tears started to flow down. The tears that streamed down his cheeks fell on the table.

Gerald quietly ate the stew once more. One bite, two bites. Gerald, who silently emptied the bowl, blinked calmly.

“What do you think?”

Sarah asked Gerald carefully.

“It- It was delicious.”

“Same?”

Sarah asked with the subject omitted, but it was easy to understand what she meant.

“It’s pretty much the same.”

As he blinked, his blurry vision became clear again.

“But I can’t make you an antidote.”

At that, Sarah put on a bitter expression. At the same time, Legion put his hand on his sword. Among them, Luana was the calmest.

“Why?”

Gerald answered Luana’s question.

“Isn’t it too boring? You tried to change my mind by stimulating my emotions.”

“If you don’t like it, there’s another way.”

Legion spoke in a ferocious voice. He looked like he would drag Gerald and torture him right away.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t like that method either.”

“You’re picky.”

“I’m normally a bit picky.”

At Gerald’s words, Legion took a step forward. Luana caught him and said.

“It’s boring, but you enjoyed it, right?”

“That’s– right.”

“Then you have to pay for the food.”

Gerald smiled unconsciously at the words. Luana’s appearance resembles that of Elanya. So he wanted her to be even happier.

“Luana, are you happy now?”

Luana answered an unexpected question.

“I’m happy.”

“Do you think this will continue to be the case in the future?”

“I do.”

“What if the duke changes his mind?”

“Then I have to retaliate.”

“How?”

“Somehow!”

Luana pouted her lips and answered. It was an unexpected answer. This aspect of her seemed different from Elanya. He felt foolish as he looked at her overlap with Elanya this whole time. His heart was shaken. That may be why he opened his mouth without realizing it.

“Time.”

“What?”

“Time will solve everything.”

That was all the advice Gerald could give.

“Then, Sarah. Let’s go back.”

In the meantime, Gerald naturally took the pot in his hand. He could feel Sarah staring with her eyes wide open, but for now, he decided to put on a thick face.

“It’s the price of my advice.”

Luana looked at Gerald ridiculously. He didn’t say he did it, but she thought he was the culprit. But he comes out so naturally. However, as soon as she saw Gerald secretly avoiding her eyes, he seemed to know shame.

Gerald, who had been hesitating for a long time asked Luana.

“Can I come to learn how to make it next time?”

“If you bring the antidote!”

“Didn’t you say that time will solve it? It will probably be resolved before then.”

Leaving his words behind, Gerald disappeared with Sarah. Sarah gave her an apologetic look before she moved, but Luana didn’t blame her.

“Can we go on like this?”

Legion lowered his hand from his sword and asked Luana.

“But will Legion be okay?”

“Honestly, I’m not. I would have killed him immediately if it hadn’t been for a woman named the Great Witch.”

“Are you being considerate of Sarah?”

“No, I acknowledged her usefulness.”

Even if Gerald was nearby, the ability to show up with him so quickly was amazing. She has the known magic that has already disappeared a long time ago. After seeing that magical miracle in front of his eyes, he couldn’t give up on it. People called Legion a bloody and cold murderer, but he didn’t just kill them all unconditionally.

‘I have to make a useful person work.’

So he decided to let it slide this time. Of course, he was just turning a blind eye, so he’ll talk to the Great Witch later and do something about Gerald. No matter how much time solves everything, he didn’t mean to let him go smoothly.

Luana understood what Legion meant. People’s way of thinking in this era is very different from that of modern people. She was sure he held back a lot from letting this slide.

‘I’m glad it’s been resolved to some extent, though.’

While stretching, Legion was seen staring at the bowl with a dissatisfied expression.

“Are there any more stews?”

Come to think of it, Legion didn’t even taste the stew. Luana said with a smirk.

“I’ll make it again!”

“I will eat a lot.”

“I know you well. So can you help me get it done faster?”

“Of course.”

The two stood side by side and started making the missing stew again. Although Legion was in a different state, cooking together like this made her feel like she was back in the old days.

Chop chop-

A knife was cutting on the chopping board. Instead of the vanished pot, a larger pot took its place. And there are plenty of ingredients in it.

‘Or maybe…’

Was her mother, Elanya, also a reincarnation like Luana? This thought occurred to her. Wasn’t her mother Elanya a reincarnation like herself? Otherwise, it would not have been easy for people in this world to come up with soy sauce or chocolate. It’s not an easy world for modern people to live in, but she would have been fine. Even though her end wasn’t good, she had a friend who stayed by her side the whole time.

Luana smiled softly. Then, she stopped Legion, who was trying to add more ingredients.

“That’s enough.”

“But wouldn’t more be better?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

One of the characteristics of a person who can’t cook is not to follow the recipe as it is. It is not too late to add or subtract ingredients even after some skills have improved. Luana poured the sauce into the stew, stopping Legion firmly.