Chapter 78: Those who do not work shall not eat.
Suddenly, Carl was taken aback when the topic of cooking was brought up.
“Why are you suddenly talking about this? Men don’t cook.”
“Oh, here, we have to do everything ourselves. Cooking is just one of them.”
“You mean I have to cook alongside women?”
“If you dislike cooking, then please procure food from the fields. Oh, or would you like to go into the mountains?”
“…I don’t want to do any of those.”
“Then, if you don’t participate in the cooking class, please have your lunch provided by the women. You can even snatch it from them if you want.”
“Damn…”
Carl pondered silently. Behind him, Katarina shook her shoulders as if finding it amusing and watched her husband’s flustered state with a smile.
“I see… I’ve been tricked, Katarina.”
“What’s the matter?”
“…Damn it. I guess I’ll have to harvest from the fields.”
Carl left quietly, and Katarina approached Diana.
“Fufu. Carl finally started moving.”
“What do you mean, Katarina-sama?”
“Well, you see, my husband is someone who doesn’t do anything. But he’s always good at complaining.”
“I see.”
“When I heard about this inn, I thought it was a good opportunity. It would be good for him to understand how fortunate he was to have lived in such an environment.”
Diana’s shoulders drooped, thinking that she might be considered a punishment for agricultural work.
“I was actually born into a truly poor Duke’s family.”
Katarina looked at her husband and began to talk about herself.
“We lived in a barren land with few peasants, so we had to manage the farmland ourselves. Milking cows, as you can see, was a daily task. So when it was decided that I would marry Duke Dreves, there was a commotion throughout the house… no, throughout the territory. At first, I was happy to become his wife. But…”
Katarina furrowed her brows sadly.
“He doesn’t understand how privileged his life is and constantly irritates those around him. From the servants to the Duke of another territory, he grew up without knowing anyone’s hardships. He’s unfit to be a Duke like this. That’s why I have to teach him about how the world works.”
Diana swallowed her saliva at Katarina’s educator-like speech.
“That’s the situation.”
“Well, my parents told me never to oppose my husband’s words, so I won’t complain in front of him. My parents are currently living off Dreves’ charity, so I can’t afford to anger him. But even after evacuating, he continues to behave in ways that are too much. I’ve always wanted to put an end to this daily routine of cleaning up after an ill-mannered dog. So when I heard about this farm, I couldn’t help but jump for joy. It’s a chance to correct him.”
In the distance, Carl was struggling to dig up a potato.
“Fufufu. Just see how much trouble it is to dig up a potato.”
To obtain a meal, they had to dig in the soil and milk cows.
Carl, who had never been taught such things, would be shocked by the “reality” today.
Noble daughters descended from the carriage and gathered around Katarina.
“How is it, Katarina? Living in a mountain hut?”
“Fufufu. Look.”
Katarina pointed at Carl, who was diligently digging up potatoes. The women exclaimed in delight.
“Look, Carl is digging up potatoes!”
“That’s amazing! What kind of magic did you use?!”
Diana smiled wryly.
There was no magic involved. It was just the experience of being “pressed by necessity.”
But sadly, they had never experienced the necessity that came with it.
Unintentionally, this farm seemed to “press them with necessity.”
The cooking class began.
Today’s menu was “Potato Pizza” and “Vichyssoise.”
Under Diana’s instructions, they first started harvesting. Unlike Carl, everyone was excited and lively during the harvest.
They harvested potatoes and filled a basket to the brim before heading back.
They washed everything at the well and peeled the potatoes.
Then, they boiled everything in a pot. Meanwhile, they kneaded the pizza dough and spread it on a baking sheet.
They placed half of the boiled potatoes on the pizza and set aside the other half for borscht.
They also topped the pizza with bacon and cheese before putting it into the charcoal oven.
I start working on the vichyssoise until it’s cooked. They mash the potatoes into a paste and dissolve them in the milk they squeezed earlier.
In the meantime, they harvest the edible flowers for the final touch.
Once the pizza is nicely baked, they top it with edible flowers and garnish the vichyssoise with flowers too――.
“It’s done! Edible flower pizza and vichyssoise!”
In the kitchen, a small applause erupted. Carl, who had somehow become covered in dust, was captivated by the meal in front of him, standing still.
Katarina approached him and spoke.
“You should eat too. After working in the fields, you must be hungry.”
Carl cast a gaze at his wife that was different from usual and murmured,
“Oh…”
Murmured.
Beautiful flower-shaped pizzas and bisque were carried to an outdoor table in the clear autumn air. Everyone gathered in a circle, cutting the crispy pizza and savoring the fresh lunch as the cheese melted.
“It’s delicious. Freshly harvested ingredients really make a difference!”
“Right, Diana-san. Is the cheese homemade too?”
“Yes. We use the village’s traditional rennet for the cheese.”
“No wonder it has a unique taste that can’t be found anywhere else.”
“If you’re interested, we can plan cheese-making as well.”
“That sounds wonderful! I’d love to try making it.”
“Then, how about next time? It takes time to complete, though.”
“Oh, that’s perfect! Anticipation brings vitality to everyday life.”
While listening to everyone’s conversation, Carl seemed deep in thought.
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