The Prince's Taste - Chapter 5.4
He couldn’t just stand there and listen to such nonsense. Richard could tolerate many things under the guise of diplomatic courtesy, but belittling Adrian was not one of them. His voice turned cold.
“Shall we compare it to the Rumelern Empire’s dish, ortolan, a French dish that was eventually banned because of its cruel cooking method?”
“…Hmm. Is it really like that?”
At the mention of ortolan, Calix fell silent. It was a controversial dish even within Rumelern. The preparation was so brutal that people covered their heads with white cloths while eating it, as if to hide their actions from the gods.
“Richard, what’s an ortolan?”
“You don’t need to know, Judy.”
Richard recalled the dinner banquet he had attended during a state visit to the Rumelern Empire. The imperial chef had proudly introduced the dish, explaining its preparation in detail.
They catch a small ortolan bunting alive, blind it, and keep it in a dark place. For a month, it’s fed only sweet fruits like grapes and figs. Once it gains weight, it’s drowned alive in Armagnac brandy, before finally being roasted whole.
“They say it’s a dish for the gods, comparable to ambrosia. The first bite is similar to hazelnut, and as you slowly chew the bones, muscles, and organs, it unfolds like a fantastical world in your mouth,” the chef had boasted. But it made Richard feel nauseous. If they had such a culinary culture, did they have the right to call eating octopus barbaric?
“We, at least, ensure a swift death by severing the octopus cleanly in one motion. We don’t imprison and torture our food for a month before consuming it.”
Sneering, Richard’s fingers tapped the edge of the plate.
“It’s easy to mistake its writhing for life, but that’s simply post-mortem muscle reflex.”
After a moment of silence, Calix raised both his hands in surrender.
“Alright, I have nothing to say against that dish, but in my defence, I’m of the opinion that ortolan should be banned within the Empire, so you’ll have to forgive me.”
“Do you think the Emperor will ever outlaw his favorite dish?”
“At the very least that will change once I ascend the throne.”
Calix drained his mug of beer, feeling nauseous.
“Am I the only one who doesn’t understand? Are you bullying me?”
Judy Esther, drunk, complained to the air and then suddenly became melancholic, pouting and sniffling.
“What is bullying?” Calix asked Richard. Richard recalled a new entry in the recently revised Adrian dictionary. It was, of course, a word coined by Judy Esther.
“It means to ostracize someone as a group.”
“Ah. Not a pleasant word, then.”
“Exactly why she’s throwing a fit over it,”
Richard sighed. Judy lowered her lashes as she began to grumble.
“I was in a good mood today because I found a four-leaf clover. But I guess my luck ends here.”
“What’s a clover?”
“It’s a plant with four round leaves, said to bring good fortune. I’ve only ever seen it in books, and this is the first time I found one, but now it’s ruined.”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. A plant with four round leaves—was it truly worth crying over?
“Judy, I’ll find you another one, don’t cry.”
“This isn’t just about the clover. I’m scared that my luck has run out and misfortune is coming. I saw Cinderella earlier too. And now, I just feel uneasy.”
Judy Esther mumbled and raised her mug of beer.
She reached for her beer mug, tilting it back.Two tears fell from her large eyes, dropping into the golden liquid.
“Richard, your woman is drunk and crying.”
“I know.”
Richard sighed. A tear rolled down both of Judy Esther’s cheeks. She wiped them away with her sleeve, and suddenly, in a high-pitched voice, began to address Calix and him.
“Yes, if you want to leave, go quickly. Both of you go to Cinderella. Hahaha. It’s said that life is like two dogs going their separate ways. Huhuhuhu.”
Thud! She slammed her empty mug onto the table. Her long lashes fluttered violently, as if caught in a storm of emotions.
Calix, struggling to contain his laughter, looked at Richard with a raised brow.
“She’s laughing now. Your woman.”
“You see that too?”
“Aren’t you going to stop her from drinking?”
“…I want to, but.”
Judy Esther became cute when she was drunk. Richard knew he should stop her, yet he found himself grinning like a fool, watching her. Calix clicked his tongue at the sight of Richard.
“Richard, is Cinderella your mistress?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Richard’s voice shot up in outrage. Calix raised his voice as well, slamming his empty beer mug onto the table.
“Judy was ranting earlier, talking about punishing cheating bastards and their mistresses. So naturally, I assumed you were the one fooling around.”
“I’m going to lose my mind. Who the hell keeps feeding Judy such nonsense? No matter how much I deny it, she keeps doubting me.”
Richard gritted his teeth in frustration. Calix chuckled quietly as he picked up a chicken skewer and took a bite.
