“Eh? We’re imposing too much―”
Facing the panicking Nfirea, Ainz replied with a calming gesture.
“This is to make sure the transaction with Nfirea-kun is profitable.”
“What do you mean by transaction?”
“…I’ll explain before we eat.”
Ainz sat on the other side of the sofa.
“To begin with, I have no intention to openly market the potion you make. Or rather, without the ingredients I provide, you can’t manufacture the purple potion. Do you agree?”
“That’s right. It’s been difficult to get this far, even when we’re using the material provided by Gown-sama. There’s still a lot of unknown factors, like how potent it is and what other effects it has.”
“Therefore, a public offer would only cause problems. Although simply asking about the source should be fine… we can’t be sure that there aren’t any opponents who’ll come at this operation with violence, right? …And from what Lupusregina’s told me, your village has suffered a monster attack.
There is the possibility that these monsters, seeking the protection of strong walls, attacked your village in search of safety. Do you know why they did this, and did you take any prisoners?”
There were none, Enri answered in her heart. When they heard the monstrous roar from behind ―
made by the troll Enri and Nfirea had encountered ― the goblins simply didn’t have the time or the ability to take anyone captive, and just finishing the fight had taken enough from them that there were no enemy survivors.
And that guy with the magic sword was very strong…
“Is that so. Well, that’s a shame… I considered the reasons why your village might have been attacked, which was what I just told you. As the village’s defenses become stronger, it will in turn create more problems. When an object is more valuable, it will be desired by more people, right?
Similarly, if news of the potion leaked out…”
“…We should keep it a secret.”
“I’m glad you understand, Nfirea-kun. If we could make the red potion using just the ingredients from around the village, there would be no reason to keep it a secret… that is to say, everything we discuss after dinner will need to be kept strictly confidential. It concerns a duty to keep a secret.
Then, preparations for the meal should be finished soon. Shall we?”
“Ah, no, there’s no need for food, how could we possibly partake of such amazing…”
Enri hurriedly shook her head.
“…Well, although I won’t force you… but isn’t it rare to have dragon steak as a main course?”
“Dragon?”
Dragons. In all the stories Enri had heard, they were mankind’s enemy, but some of them were friends of justice. However, no matter what stories they appeared in, they were always powerful beings. Could such beings become food?
Impossible. He must just have been teasing them.
At least, if Ainz hadn’t been the one saying it, she would have thought so.
However, since it was the great magic caster in front of her telling her this, that meant there was a high chance it was true.
“We also have desserts. Have you ever had ice cream? Although E-Rantel had some… don’t think I’ve tried them before. They’re ice-cold, and sweet… and they melt in your mouth. Something like sweet ice or snow.”
Enri and Nemu couldn’t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva.
“That’s a high-class luxury. Just one of those would cost more than a day’s worth of food.”
“It seems Nfirea-kun has tried something like that before. Then I shall produce more delicious ice cream for you than you can possibly imagine. Following that — where’s the menu?”
In response, the maid recited a long string of words.
“For today’s lunch menu, we will be serving two hors d’oeuvres. The first will be a dish of Piercing Lobster, which is a form of Noatun seafood, in a velouté sauce. The second will be a dish of Poiret’s foie gras of Víðópnir. The soup will be an Alfheim-style cream of sweet potato and chestnut soup.
We have selected meat for the main course, which would be the marbled steak made from Jotunheim’s ancient frost dragons that Ainz-sama mentioned earlier. After that comes dessert, which would be Golden Apple compote, served in white wine and topped with yogurt. In addition, we have black tea-flavoured ice cream coated in gold leaf. For the after-meal beverages, we have considered that coffee may not suit everyone's taste, so we also have fresh peach juice. That is all. If any part of the menu requires amendment, please inform us and we will do so immediately.”
Is this a spell incantation?!
Enri, who had no clue about what had just been recited, was sure of that.
“Doesn’t everyone like foie gras? I think children will. Please add it to the menu for me. How about something light?”
“Yes. Then, we shall add scallop salad and star plum confit as hors d’oeuvres.”
“Hmm, there is that… is this menu better than the previous one?”
“Eh?! You’re asking me?!”
Enri, who had been suddenly put on the spot, answered frantically. It would be very confusing if she had to keep talking about this stuff she knew nothing about.
“Ah, that. No. Uh. I’ll leave it to you.”
It had taken all her effort to get a single sentence out. Ainz instructed the maid to prepare the meal as suggested.
Nemu looked at Ainz with worshipful eyes, muttering “so amazing” to herself. Enri felt the same way. This was too far removed from the world she usually lived in.
Wealthy people could spend money on luxuries. And being able to eat, not just to fill one’s stomach, but for nothing more than pleasure, was part of that.
Wealth, knowledge and power. A magic caster who had all of these.
He was a being that Enri as a simple farmer had no hope of reaching, a person better referred to as a king who stood above the tops of the clouds. This masked magic caster was such a formidable individual.
“Then, let’s go. Although, I don’t intend to join you. The three of you — that’s right, this family of yours should enjoy the meal with no reservations. After that, we will discuss business. Ah, I need to tell Lupusregina that I’m adding one more person to the list.”
“Eh? What’s that, Gown-sama?”
“No, it’s nothing, Nemu.”
Ainz stood up, and the sparkly-eyed Nemu stood up too.
Enri’s face had turned slightly hot from being referred to as a family, but she noticed something odd about Nfirea, who was rising slowly.
His mouth was flattened into a straight line, with no intention of opening it. However, Enri knew the secret to loosening him up.
That was to stare at him. Through the gap in his hair, Nfirea’s eyes flickered back and forth, until at last, as though giving up, he sighed.
“I was thinking that I can’t beat him. No, I know I can’t beat him. He’s far better than me as a man.”