Tensei Shite Inaka de Slowlife wo Okuritai - Chapter 606

Thank you to all Patrons!

Aiji S., Alex, Alexander P., Bakadeathly, Bazsi, Ben I., BigZak, Blackghoul45, Brben, Brili3an, Chocolat, Chowok11, Christian S., Code_Vio, Corey, Daniel B., Daniel L., David G., Deguaro, DKLA, Dragoncamper, Gabriel C.,  Jakers, Jason, Jaycob T., Jealyn L., John V., Jones, Joseph A.,  Kaichu, Kiriaky, Luis D., Luther S., Malinkat, Maverun, Max, Myla, Ograf, Omniamore, operaa, Pao Y., Scott M., Sean D., Shaun, SK, Sniktaw, Soomin B., Taiyou D., Tenkkun, Tim N., TsuTsu, Tuan N., Urko M. M., Will B., William H., X3N0R0X, XxChemical_fire, YMK,  and Z!

Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

Eccentric Magician

「Next I will fry vegetables that take longer to cook」

　Once I finished serving the unusual food, I decided to fry the ingredients that are harder to cook through. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　Vegetables have a lot of moisture, each cooks differently and has a different texture, so it is important to process them with the appropriate frying method. It is surprisingly one of the most difficult ingredients to fry.

　You basically start with lighter, lower-moisture vegetables. Start with ingredients such as bell pepper, shishitou pepper, and king oyster mushroom, followed by vegetables that cook relatively easily, such as onion, eggplant, and shiitake.

　This will prevent the oil from getting dirty and the temperature from stabilizing easily, allowing you to slowly fry the ingredients while maintaining the optimal temperature.

　Once those are done, it will be time for the soft ingredients such as pumpkin, sweet potato, and potato.

　These take a long time to cook, and the point is to fry them slowly and thoroughly at a low temperature of around 160 degrees Celcius. If you fry these first, the other ingredients will become soggy, so it is better to fry these in the latter half of frying.

　Last are those with high water content, like cherry tomato and zucchini. The oil will splatter around if there is too much water ,and the batter will come off easily. Especially the cherry tomato could burst, so you need to be careful.

　As I proceeded carefully while lightly explaining to Bernard and the others, I was able to fry all the vegetables without problems.

「It’s an assortment of deep-fried vegetable skewers」

　They are served as an assortment of skewers on a single plate.

「……the sweetness from the eggplant and the richness of the oil go perfectly well 」

「The sweetness from the onion is also good」

「The vegetables, they’re deliciousー!」

「By deep-frying the vegetables, the sweetness, umami, and texture are outstanding」

「Yes, it is also colorful and they are all very delicious」

　It looks like the Misfid house members have all become captivated by the vegetable skewers.

　It is well-received by people of all ages, from children to adults. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　It is especially popular among women, including Floria and Alicia.

　When you think of skewers, the image of flashy skewers like shrimps, whiting, and pork will come to mind, but the hidden powerhouse among skewers could be said to be vegetable skewers.

　Now then, it’s about time for the frying to come to an end.

　Having gone through several rounds of quick-cooking vegetables, seafood, and other ingredients, the guests’ eating pace has also begun to settle down.

　There are people with hearty appetites such as Gideon, Shelka, Ra-chan, Barnack, and Gregor, but if it’s just frying enough for 4 people is not at all tiring.

　Perhaps he was just waiting for that exact situation that Bernard asks.

「Alfried-sama, would it be alright if I could have a little taste? I would like to know the difference with the ones we fried…」

「Sure」

　So he said, but there’s probably no difference between the ones I fried with what Bernard and the other chefs fried, right? After all, my fried food is just slightly better than a home-cooked meal.

　I served the freshly fried vegetable skewers on a plate while feeling nervous inside.

　Bernard picked up a shishitou skewer.

　

I know you will choose that.

「――!」

　As soon as he took a bite of the shishitou, Bernard’s body trembled and his eyes opened wide.

　I thought he would immediately tell me his impression of the shishitou, but Bernard just stared at the shishitou skewer with blank amazement without moving a muscle.

　The Misfid house’s chefs were saying things like 「As expected it is different from what we fried」,「I could never make crust like this」,「The texture and the trapped savoriness are different」 after trying it.

　As I was confused why only the head chef - Bernard - had not given any thoughts about the skewer, he slowly turned towards me. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「……Alfried-sama」

「Yes?」

「Have you gotten better at frying now?」

「Is that so?」

「Yes, this is clearly different from the skewer I tried in the beginning」

「I don’t know that. I mean, I haven’t even eaten a single skewer」

　I should be one of the guests at this party, but I wasn’t able to eat a single skewer since I was the developer of this ‘dish’. Even if you told me there is a difference in flavor from the beginning, I completely have no idea.

「Then please, make sure of the flavor yourself」

「Ah, un. Okay I said, stop trying to make me open my mouth 」

　I understand your feeling of trying to make me realize it as soon as possible, but having an old man saying ‘Aah’ to me is extreme.

　I took the skewer he brought closer to my mouth with my left hand and ate the fried skewer without knowing what it was.

「Ah, it’s pumpkin」

　The fluffy texture of the pumpkin came out from within the fragrance, and gentle sweetness seeped out.

　The texture of the crust adds a very nice accent and the slow frying enhances its sweetness.

　It’s like sweets.

「It’s truly delicious」

「Right!?」

「But, I can’t tell the difference between this and the meat-wrapped asparagus that time. I think the asparagus that time was tastier」

「That’s not true! Compared to back then, there are huge differences in the color of the crust, the texture, and the flavor!」

「That’s right! That was also delicious, but the result was hugely different from the food now!」

「This one is tastier, seriously!」

　When I answer like that, all the Misfid house’s chefs - including Bernard - vehemently protested.

　Even if you told me about the better coating color, the texture, and the flavor, that’s rather subtle.

　I feel like the meat-wrapped asparagus was overwhelmingly tastier.

　Still, I wonder if that was because of it, as a late-night snack situation was not good?

　I mean, eating fried food on a sleepless night, so it won’t get found out with a small number of people, was both sinful and delicious. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「It is definitely tastier right now」

　Just as I was tilting my head in puzzlement, Bernard said that to me as if to assert it.

　Maybe that was a memory bias caused by a dopamine rush.

「The umami is fully maximized despite still retaining the ingredients' original texture. Is there are difference in the temperature control?」

「Hmーm, might be because I use Psychic....」

「So it is magic?」

　When I use Psychic to fry the skewers, it becomes noticeably easier to fry compared to doing it manually.

　It’s easier because I don’t have to use my hands, but that’s not it.

　The sound when the ingredients tighten, the sensation when heat has completely settled in the ingredients, the crispness of the coating, the size of the oil bubbles, I think I became more sensitive with the mana passing through them all, or something.

　This is probably a magical experience that the craftsman or artisan from my previous life is finally able to perceive after accumulating decades of diligent studies.

「Let me try it too」

　After I stated my guess, Bernard started chanting the Psychic spell while rolling up his sleeves.

　Apparently, he can also use non-attribute magic.

　Bernard’s magic caused the skewer to float in midair.

　He’s kinda poor in control, though. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　Just as I observe feeling hazy and unsure, there’s the sound of the skewer submerged in the oil.

「……how is it?」

「I do not grasp anything」

　I tried asking after about a minute, but Bernard shook his head.

「Hmーm, is there anyone with better non-attribute magic?」

　Frankly, I feel like Berbard is not that good at magic, so he can’t perceive that feeling.

「Unfortunately, the people here are all chefs……」

　That’s true. It would be wrong to expect that much magic skill from a chef.

「Then, Ranna-sama――not, I mean, let’s ask Tickle」

　I thought it would be bad to ask the Duke’s daughter - Ra-chan - to help, so I immediately changed it to someone else.

「Sure. I am also indebted to Alfried-sama」

　She readily agreed after I got permission from Gregor and asked her.

　……truly a good kid, Tickle is.

「I just have to use Psychic to fry the skewers, right?」

「Un, please do」

　Once she arrived at the cooking space, Tickle cast Psychic to make several batter-covered skewers float in midair.

「As expected of you, it’s really smooth」

「It is all due to Alfried-sama’s guidance」

　Since I thoroughly taught her how to control dolls, Tickle’s activation of Psychic has become extremely smooth and her mid-air control is also stable. It doesn’t make you uncertain about it when you see her Psychic. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Just put them into the oil just like that」

「Yes」

　Following my instructions, Tickle gently put the 3 skewers into the oil.

「How is it? Can you feel the sensation from the skewers through your magic?」

「……I can feel a slight vibration from the bubbles, but I do not understand what Alfried-sama said about the ingredients tightening or the heat spreading throughout the ingredients」

「Hmー, I wonder if it was just my imagination?」

「But, I can somehow understand what Alfiried-sama is trying to say. If only I were more proficient in Psychic.....please forgive me」

「No, Tickle did nothing wrong. Thank you for your help」

　I cheered Tickle as her shoulders drooped and looking truly disappointed with herself.

　Although she was not exactly the same as me, Tickle also perceives it more or less so it’s probably not wrong, right?

「Hmm, I think it is a cooking method that can only be done by Alfried-dono, who boasts extraordinary Mana Sense and Mana Control」

　As I was discussing things with Bernard, Schugel came over and told us his thoughts.

「Is it like that?」

「Yes, Alfried-dono’s amount of mana is incomparable. I also say this as the headmaster of the Magic Academy. I am certain of it」

　I was also told something similar by Salva in Lazur.

　I’m fairly confident in my magic, but still, turns out my mana is quite a lot.

「So that means it is impossible to cook with Psychic. We are chefs, so let us aim for the path of mastery using our skills and experiences we have cultivated so far」

「Eh, isn’t it too early to give up?」

「It is impossible to become a non-attribute magician with Alfried-dono’s level」

「It will indeed take time but you could consider employing a capable person from outside to help, for instance――」

「Even if they do exist, a mage with such skills will not think of using their magic to do something like cooking」

　That will make me - someone who uses magic to cook - like an eccentric mage, wouldn’t it?

　And when I said that, the people around looked at me as if saying ‘What are you talking about at this point?’

　Even though I sulked a little and couldn’t accept it, I continue to fry the remaining skewers with Psychic. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

You can support the author by buying the LN here.