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The inhabitants and visitors of Bendleig were ablaze with the fervor of the Crystal Jubilee, celebrating Inamark’s 15th anniversary of reign.

Street performers, including hawkers, clowns, and actors, as well as minstrels reciting ballads and poems, filled the air. The royal palace and nobles offered free meals for the festival, attracting tourists from distant lands.

Tournaments were held among those who prided themselves on their strength, including jousts where only spoken words were permitted and exhilarating combat competitions organized by both the crown and the people, devoid of any restrictions.

Catherine had to participate in the royal events hosted by her lord, Alfred, while Karem was spared from such obligations.

Catherine had explicitly commanded those present to treat her as someone worthy of an audience with the king. It was part of the initial agreement, after all.

According to that contract, Karem was obliged to host Wales, who had been freed from his seal only for the next few days.

[Ah, wait, there’s something I forgot earlier.]

“Yes?”

Wales, who was sprawled out in the communal area, curled his tail between his legs and clutched it with his two front legs.

Dududududu-THWACK!

He ripped it off.

“What the hell.”

[Hah! Done.]

With a loud thud, Wales nonchalantly released the heavy tail that had been squirming slightly, causing his massive body to become enveloped in light.

Karem instinctively closed his eyes against the familiar yet striking light.

When he opened them again, he found himself seated at a wide, elegant table, facing a woman with antlers and a amputated tail, adorned in armor whose defensive capabilities were questionable.

It was Wales polymorphed into a humanoid form.

His initial shock was understandable; he never imagined a female dragon would exist.

As for the exposure? If it were that revealing, paradoxically, it calmed his nerves. More than the exposure, the polymorphing fascinated him.

Well, he found being in this form far more comfortable after seeing it multiple times. Catherine was, indeed, more beautiful.

“Fascinating! You said you were polymorphed, right?”

“More than that, just bring it already!”

“You had some yesterday too.”

“Little creature, you should try starving for thousands of years! Even if you don’t die, the hollowness of your stomach will drive you mad.”

Unlike when he was in dragon form, where he telepathically babbled, Wales grumbled aloud now.

“By the way, little creature, you’re looking at me with that gaze again.”

“No, it’s just that it’s hard to comprehend how such a massive size can shrink like this.”

“Hah! It’s basic courtesy for a dragon.”

Karem, having seen this through novels in his previous life and having witnessed it firsthand several times, knew all too well.

Polymorphing. It seemed straightforward when he read about it, but to witness it directly defying the basic laws of physics was quite a spectacle.

“You seem to be worried about trivial matters, little creature. What have you prepared for today?”

“…Explaining will be tiresome, so just see for yourself.”

Karem opened the space-expansion pouch lent by Catherine and began laying out the dishes on the table.

From Beef Bourguignon, braised lamb shanks, porchetta, croquettes, lasagna, a pot filled with ragu sauce, bouillabaisse, cod in cream sauce, to Wellington steak with sausage gravy, and even desserts and salads.

For reference, time was tight, and even Mary, who was helping, had no choice but to employ the amazing cooking magic from the house fairy.

Despite that, even a handful would seem insufficient to fill Wales, who appeared as a hefty appetite.

‘While the true form is nice, it can’t feel the sensation of having a full mouthful of food, so I prefer to polymorph to eat.’

‘Why? Because you, little creature, lack observational skills. Dragons don’t have a physical organ like a mouth.’

‘Moreover, this form is less likely to get full compared to the true form.’

The words uttered while devouring dozens of servings were truly something. Even Mary, while preparing, was left agape.

Wales, of course, had no interest in that, quickly dragged the closest piece of porchetta to himself, having descended from the ancient realm.

Being of ancient descent, Wales disregarded table ware and, with his long, sharp nails, cut and picked up the food with ease.

“Despite signs of cultural decline compared to before the sealing, it’s astonishing to see development in such areas. To think you little creatures would astound me.”

“Well, half of these are dishes from my past life.”

“Your past life, huh? I don’t know how it was, but it must have been a genuinely rich world.”

Karem suddenly thought of revealing the truth to this person, no, dragon, just as he had with Catherine, but decided against it.

After all, they were in the middle of a meal.

“Could you refrain from slandering my appetite?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing. However, you mentioned that the cooking has evolved significantly compared to the ancient empire, right?”

“Umm. Yes.”

Wales nodded in agreement while relishing a piece of crispy porchetta topped generously with sausage gravy.

“Even now, are the spices hard for those little creatures to procure?”

“No, not that. If the commoners strive a bit, they’ll certainly purchase spices that I discovered.”

“Huh? Such things exist? Not those common herbs?”

“Yes, it’s Red Basilisk.”

“Why would you use that poisonous plant…?”

As he attempted to take a bite of his apple pie, Wales paused and looked up for a moment.

“No, now that I think about it, those arrogant imperial folks consumed all sorts of bizarre things, huh? So perhaps there’s not much difference after all?”

“They consumed all sorts of things?”

“Indeed.”

They say the older you get, the more you talk. Even while continuously eating, Wales’ mouth showed no sign of stopping.

“Shall I give you an example? What did the Ancient Palatino Empire consider the greatest delicacy?”

Obsessed with garum, but that was a spice, not a dish, so…

“…Uh, Mammoth or Basilisk?”

“The crushed mole and the seared squirrel.”

Creatures unknown to man were mentioned.

But what about moles and squirrels?

“Why those?”

“How would I know the thoughts of little creatures? I have no interest.”

He then swallowed the previously nibbled piece of apple pie in one go.

“And the empire folks prioritized the appearance of their dishes over the taste.”

Indeed, aesthetics impacted flavor, and age-old wisdom suggested that something visually pleasing is typically tasty.

“Perhaps, thinly sliced cucumbers dyed with rose water, arranged like scales, or a whole roasted bull carved like a pig. Fruits magically dancing and slicing themselves to serve guests were common. Or rather, they must have done so before their demise?”

Wales’ subsequent explanations seemed to focus so heavily on presentation that sacrificing taste was beyond Karem’s comprehension.

“That seems enough eating for today. I must start to exercise some restraint.”

To say he’s going to cut back after devouring meals equivalent to dozens of portions felt absurd.

“Restrain, you say?”

“Yes. Since it has come to this, let us define a time to receive your meals as well. Yes, little creature’s time… once a month should be sufficient. I shall visit here then.”

“Y-yes?”

A sudden declaration to become a regular customer.

Regardless of the reaction, Wales waved his hand dismissively as he washed his hands in a water basin.

A pebble that had been resting in Karem’s pouch slipped out on its own.

The runes inscribed densely on it indicated it was a type of return stone.

It was a magic tool leading to Wales’ vacation den.

Wales scratched its surface with a claw and, with a flick of his hand, redirected the magic of the return stone back to its original spot, inserting it.

“With this, you can come here anytime, anywhere, yes? Hmm? Little creature, what’s with that expression? Don’t tell me you’re apprehensive about visiting my dwelling?”

“Uh… to be honest? Yes.”

Karem firmly closed his eyes while speaking. Truthfully, hosting a dragon posed no problem. Gods visit and dine regularly without issue. The quantity of food? That could be managed with Mary’s help.

The way Wales made such solid arrangements unilaterally triggered a feeling of rebellion within him.

“Little creatures these days have such small guts. Yet, I shall forgive you. I possess a generous heart that takes care of little beings.”

However, Wales expressed his discontent while washing his hands, snapping his fingers.

“Did you think I would unilaterally command you little beings to prepare meals for me? Even if it’s a contract, there must be compensation to ignite my willingness.”

Wales clenched his fist, then lightly threw it towards Karem. A plump pouch flew towards him and was caught.

“This is payment for today’s meals. Once a month, I shall pay with the gold coins I have amassed in this spatial void. They belong to the empire folks though. Ah, and take the tail with you when you leave.”

As he opened the pouch, one side was inscribed with a man’s face while the other featured a double-headed eagle, filled to the brim with gold coins.

…Even if he prepares them in bulk, it’s undeniably an excessive amount, but Karem accepted it. Money piling up wouldn’t hurt.

And the tail, another reward and wish granted.

“…By the way.”

“What is it?”

“I did ask for some meat, but… is the tail alright?”

“Huh? What are you insinuating?”

“Uh, well, you just effortlessly cut off your tail, didn’t you?”

Unlike Wales’ fresh-cut tail, the part she had severed still seemed to twitch slightly, as if alive.

“Ah, don’t worry. Just a little pressure, and it will grow back.”

What is this, like a lizard? So that’s why it didn’t bleed? Aren’t dinosaurs distinctly classified? But this is a different world, so dinosaurs wouldn’t apply here.

While he wished for such a reward, he never imagined receiving it so boldly and nonchalantly.

“…This is suddenly infuriating.”

“Why is that?”

“Because of the humiliation suffered due to that damned pot. But don’t worry about it.”

Oh, speaking of which, they had a pot. Catherine mentioned she’d investigate back, but she had indeed said the pot was a divine object, right?

“So what’s the pot you instructed me to bring?”

“Huh? You never tried using it?”

“No, I couldn’t just use it without knowing what it is since it’s a divine object…”

“Not like a little creature to be so cautious.”

Wales cut a Wellington steak, generously dipped it in sausage gravy, and took a big bite.

“Mm. It is one of the pots granted by the Apostle of the Fire God Eranos, who received the right to use it from Eranos himself.”

“But how can a pot be sealed?”

Setting aside the unknown god’s name, Wales’ expression contorted painfully, as if he had bitten into a chunk of stone while eating.

“The ingredients placed inside the pot adhere strictly to the chef’s will. This nameless apostle of Eranos treated me as if I were mere meat on a chopping board, taking that pot and flipping it onto me to prevent me from moving!”

Wales’ feelings intensified, and he screeched, devouring a doughnut. The jam inside squirted out, violently suspended mid-air, held by telekinesis.

“However, it seems the empire was destroyed due to the dark lord you little creatures mentioned; the power held within the divine object has significantly diminished.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. Originally, the pot’s abilities granted to little creatures allowed for the creation of endless food or drinks at the user’s divine power’s expense.”

“Endless.”

“Indeed. I directly witnessed it, so it is certain.”

Unlike the telepathy, having spoken for an extended period made Wales pause, quenching his thirst with a luxury wine.

“Huh, as of now, it can merely create a single dish or drink that the user originally envisioned, and that is an achievement.”

“That’s certainly a tragic reduction.”

“Didn’t I mention such?”

It was akin to a Tyrannosaurus turning into chicken from a fryer. To have a pot that could infinitely dispense food now limited to making only one dish…

That realization made Karem stop dead in his tracks.

Wales tilted his head, noticing Karem’s sudden odd behavior as he retrieved the sealed pot he had earlier placed within his space-expanding pouch.

Wales frowned disapprovingly.

Karem, undeterred, carefully set the pot down on the communal floor and grasped it with both hands.

“Why are you pulling that out? Why do you think I gave it to you? Quickly put it away.”

“I have something to test.”

Fixated on the pot’s base, Karem slowly infused his divine power into it through his hands.

Despite Wales’ questioning gaze, the conditions were currently running rampant in Karem’s mind.

One dish or drink could be made, as desired by the user.

Moments later.

Ssssssssssssss- bubbling bubbling bubbling-

With the sound of popping bubbles erupting, a very light brown foam pooled with a dark brown liquid filling the bottom.

At the sight, a grand theme from a memorable 2000s sci-fi movie echoed in Karem’s ears.

His eyes widened in disbelief as the deep brown liquid began to rise, appearing almost black in the pot.

The more it surged, the more he felt a distinct and refreshing difference in the bubbles bursting around him.

The beer foam created thick layers was different from this.

Bubbles that felt purely refreshing began to froth up.

One of the world’s greatest beverages, which is cheaper than water in parts of America and is emblematic of the nation.

“Little creature, what exactly is that fragrant bubbly liquid—”

“Glass!”

“Huh?”

“Glass!”

Under an unfamiliar yet pressuring tone, Wales unconsciously conjured a glass.

Karem seized the trembling glass with unsteady hands, ladling the dark liquid from the pot to drink.

A refreshing sweetness from a golden ratio of taste and aroma burst forth in harmony, followed by a fizzy sensation traveling from his mouth and throat to his stomach, enhancing the crispness.

Karem thought to summarize it in four characters.

Democracy.

The taste of freedom.

Cola.

 

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