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The staple food of a meal is generally quite bland.

There wasn’t any particular reason for it.

It’s simply so you can eat a lot without getting bored.

A staple is essentially the protagonist that provides the body with calories.

If one were to supply calories with something other than carbohydrates, regardless of type, cost, or nutritional issues, one would have to consumptively eat an imagination-busting amount of food.

Thus, considering all those factors, carbohydrates became the staple.

Typically, this involved grains, fruits, and tubers that were abundant in carbohydrates.

Of course, there are extremely rare exceptions.

Such as in cases where meat is more common and cheaper than bread.

For instance, in expansive pastures where livestock is developed inland.

For the people living in such regions, the choice was simple.

They just ate meat as their staple. The end.

In those areas, it was only natural that meat was cheaper than grains, after all.

Once upon a time, even that common flour used to be a mark of luxury.

Nevertheless, that means—

Crunch, crackle, plop!

“Um, this isn’t quite the flavor I expected.”

“Well, I suppose so.”

With the overly simplistic flavor spreading in her mouth, Alicia was, for the first time, a bit disappointed—no, greatly disappointed.

Well, it was only natural that Alicia had expectations.

Hadn’t Karem’s actions in the castle been anything ordinary?

Let alone the essence of cuisine that would open the eyes and minds of even elf or dwarf chefs who had lived for centuries, unfolding from the hands of a child just a few years older than Alicia?

Given how she was six years old and bursting with curiosity, would she not have an appetite comparable to that of a beast?

Thus, it was only natural to have expectations.

That’s why Alicia was disappointed in Karem’s cooking for the first time.

“Nonetheless, it’s a staple, you see. It’s made from oats, after all.”

“Oats? Karem, what are oats?”

Ah, perhaps it started from there.

Karem and Mary closed their eyes in unison.

Of course, it was understandable that Alicia wouldn’t know.

She was the precious youngest daughter spoiled by everyone in the Duke’s family (excluding Robin), growing up only with good, healthy, and delicious goods.

Karem, regaining his senses before Mary, opened his eyes and hurriedly murmured.

“Um, it’s a type of grain. Very nutritious.”

“Um, the taste is just okay.”

“Just okay, yet you still consume it?”

At those words, Alicia absentmindedly lowered her head.

The plate piled with oat rice had suddenly revealed its bottom.

“Um, the taste is just okay. There’s no flavor at all.”

“Well, it’s a staple, much like plain bread.”

“Right. But there’s something about the sensation that makes me want to keep going.”

“What if you combined this with side dishes? For example, sautéed spinach and mushrooms in butter, meatballs braised in gravy sauce, or cabbage kimchi or pickled radish?”

“Ooh, that sounds pretty good. Especially the spicy pickles—”

“Those aren’t pickles, they’re kimchi.”

“Um, I still don’t get the difference between the kimchi you speak of and pickles. Isn’t it just some uniquely spicy sauerkraut?”

Karem half-listened as Alicia spoke.

In any case, Alicia’s assessment, though not perfect, wasn’t bad for anyone who is well-versed in food (or, rather, simply not picky).

However, Mary could hardly believe it.

“…You find it passable, the oats?”

Mary’s thoughts spilled out quietly.

A mix of disbelief and doubt brewed within her.

Her reaction was justifiable.

What are oats, anyway?

Grinding them is tough, and even if one goes through the effort, the reward is a rough, tasteless crop.

Only a few decades ago, they were a staple in Iceland, but with a large influx of food from Adobice, they had been relegated to livestock feed.

There’s a reason why oats don’t get much respect.

But what’s unfolding before my eyes?

A noble, who had only eaten beautiful and precious things since birth, from Iceland, no, from the entire kingdom, is ‘actually’ eating oats, and her evaluation is that it’s passingly acceptable?

While Mary’s thoughts drifted, Karem busily prepared the aforementioned side dishes and laid them out.

“Here, I’ve prepared some side dishes to go with the rice.”

“Oh, where? Hmm, indeed, it pairs well.”

While Mary was lost in thought, Karem finished setting up the side dishes, and before she knew it, Alicia was devouring them alongside the oat rice.

As Alicia’s plate quickly emptied, Karem refilled the rice and side dishes on Mary’s plate, too.

“Here you go, Mary. I understand why you feel that way, but just try it, will you?”

“Huuuuum.”

“If the taste had been bad, would Alicia be eating it so well? Though, strictly speaking, she did say it was merely passable.”

“That’s true. But—”

Mary feigned a disgruntled expression as she sat down.

With her hands placed on the table, she picked up a fork, still holding onto a sliver of doubt as she glanced at her plate.

The side dishes on the plate looked tantalizing just by sight.

Brown, perfectly sautéed mushrooms glistened with butter that had caught the sunlight, while the spinach was soft and well-cooked without losing its shape.

Next to them, bite-sized meatballs were simmered in gravy sauce, golden brown enough to imagine their flavor.

And nearby, the cabbage kimchi gave off a slight sour aroma.

Its color had dulled compared to before, but perhaps due to their first encounter, it still looked somewhat off-putting.

Then there was the oat rice, taking up half the plate.

Mary’s brow slightly furrowed at the whiff that wafted from the dish.

She had no choice but to admit the aroma.

Yet she still couldn’t shake off her doubts.

But having already taken a seat and picked up her tableware, she couldn’t just sit there forever.

Might as well get it over with.

With her eyes squeezed shut, Mary popped some oat rice into her mouth.

And the taste was—

Crunch, crunch!

“…Huh?”

Surprisingly, it was very ordinary.

No, seriously. Why is this considered acceptable?

Certainly, the texture was much firmer than freshly baked wheat bread.

But that doesn’t mean it’s inedible.

Above all was the texture.

Pop! Whack! Crunch!

With each movement of her teeth, the crackling sound and texture stimulated her ears and head as her jaws worked.

There wasn’t any special flavor to it.

But the texture was much richer compared to average bread.

No matter how much she chewed, the pop-like texture of the oat rice persisted until she stopped chewing.

And for something labeled as a grain—

The more she chewed, the more the unique umami returned.

There was even a subtle sweetness.

“Just by steaming it a bit, oats become this much better?”

“Not to mention, oats fill you up, which is a bonus.”

“Indeed, oatmeal and oat bread’s sole advantage is that they’re quite filling.”

“You’ll probably stay full for about half a day?”

As Mary pushed aside any doubts, she nodded.

And lightly poking at a meatball with her fork, she couldn’t help but devour it too.

Of course, it wouldn’t be tasteless.

“But does this really solve the issue?”

“The issue…? Ah.”

At Mary’s glance, Karem subtly looked at the unexpected guest—Alicia.

Thinking about it, there was no way Karem could divulge that they were serving oats to the Duke’s family eldest son.

At least until the principal herself ate it and consented, it was best to keep the number of listeners to a minimum.

Of course, Alicia was fully focused on her meal, but Karem and Mary couldn’t relax either, just in case.

Karem lowered his voice as much as possible.

“Yes. While one can endure hunger, one can’t stand tasteless food.”

“Hmm. This much can indeed serve as a substitute for bread.”

“Just be sure to stay away from that cursed mayonnaise, and you’ll shed weight quickly.”

That one thing Karem was confident about.

Noblesse Oblige.

The so-called duty of the nobility.

Godwin was to be the future duke ruling over the vast Iceland.

Godwin’s days were far more hectic than Karem initially thought.

Waking up at dawn, sleeping late, studying and practicing simultaneously to become a duke—his daily routine was certainly not less strenuous than that of students preparing for exams.

“Your Highness. Are you not going to collapse before taking Your Grace’s place?”

“Well, it’s not like this every day. There are breaks here and there, and I consistently consume the restorative elixirs, and I release accumulated fatigue as it’s due.”

“Is it the mayonnaise, hence the weight gain?”

“Oops.”

But there is a limit to everything.

Once mayonnaise crept into the nutrient-rich diet meant to withstand harsh labor, Godwin’s experience and accumulated knowledge began to weigh him down physically.

Therefore, the solution was simple.

First, ban mayonnaise until he reached a normal weight.

While controlling butter and sugary desserts that he had been allowed to indulge in, he would only need to eat (compared to) healthy foods and regularly exercise.

Mary agreed after tasting Godwin’s planned diet.

It was a nutritious menu that included a balanced mix of meat, vegetables, grains, and fats.

Feeling reinvigorated, Mary decided to tackle that aforementioned side dish she had been avoiding for a while.

She might as well give the cabbage kimchi a try.

After all, with oats already consumed, there was no reason not to tackle this.

Mary’s fork dipped into the cabbage kimchi.

“Um, the smell is much better than before…”

“Huh? Are you also going to eat, Mary? It pairs well with the lightly spicy flavor.”

“Is that so?”

“It surely is. Once you try it, you’ll know.”

As it turned out, Mary’s mouth felt overly oily.

It was even getting a little grimy.

Following Alicia’s suggestion, Mary ate the cabbage kimchi.

“Um!? Uhmm?”

“It’s surely better than plain sour sauerkraut, right?”

“Y-yeah, indeed. It has much more flavor than cabbage that was just salted and fermented.”

The tart scent and tangy flavor danced along with a hint of ocean flavor.

But soon after, a refreshing brightness washed away the greasiness and muddiness, like a torrential downpour cleansing a dam.

Had she not been told, she’d never believe these two dishes were of the same kind of food.

In fact, compared to the hellish red turnip pickles from earlier, the cabbage kimchi before her had much more white in it.

Seeing Mary enjoying the alternating bites of oat rice and kimchi, Karem shook his head in displeasure.

To Karem, that was merely pickled cabbage rather than authentic kimchi with a side seasoning.

However, the predictable reaction from Mary, should he present her true fare, was clear.

After all, even Alicia was reluctant about it.

For now, they managed to ease the situation, but any further progress rested solely on Karem’s shoulders.

Karem had great confidence, as proven by Catherine, who was now unwittingly enjoying spicy dishes more than before.

“Um, I think I need to stop eating now.”

“Alicia? Why aren’t you eating more?”

“Uh, Karem is right; this oat thing is indeed quite filling.”

“Well, is it not because you’ve devoured all the side dishes? It was just three servings.”

The pot still had oat rice and the jar of kimchi left.

In contrast, the other dishes were completely wiped clean.

Master Felwinter. Just who is she really?

“Isn’t that too much for a snack?”

“If I eat less of a snack, Mrs. Poppins would be suspicious, right?”

“Of course.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll need to jog around the castle and garden a bit—uh?”

Despite all that food she had consumed, Alicia, still slender, frowned and tilted her head.

And then, eureka! She clapped her hands.

“Ah, right. Karem! I had something to tell you.”

“Me? You mean?”

“Yes. Corvus requested a visit when he has time. Um, he said the cultivars are finally ready.”

“!!!”

 

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