[User] "And we’re very happy you thought about your sister’s feelings too.”

[Assistant] “Really?” May asked.

[User] “Mm-hmm. This problem is a bit difficult, but your mothers want to take the time to think it through with you two. Is that okay?” I asked.

[Assistant] “Yeah.” She nodded.

[User] I stood up, walked over to the two, and hugged them. Unlike usual, they hugged me back without any fuss. This matter must have been weighing heavily on them. “So what do you two want to do?” I asked, looking them in the eyes.

[Assistant] “I don’t wanna go to school anymore.”

[User] “I…want us to go to school.”

[Assistant] Their opinions were divided.

[User] “But Aleah! Don’t you care if we can’t be together? !” May exclaimed.

[Assistant] “I do! But I don’t want to be the reason you can’t go to school…” Aleah said.

[User] May was as true to her desires as ever, but Aleah was more mature. She had to have her qualms about the favoritism her sister was shown, but regardless, she cared deeply for May.

[Assistant] “Do you not like me anymore…?”

[User] “That’s not it! I don’t want to be apart from you either…”

[Assistant] “Then why? !”

[User] “You have the same talent as Sister Manaria. It’d be wrong for you to waste it.”

[Assistant] “I don’t care about that! I wanna be with you!”

[User] “All right, that’s enough!” I put a stop to things, as they were both getting too worked up. “Let’s get this straight. May, you don’t want to be apart from Aleah?”

[Assistant] “Yeah.”

[User] “And Aleah, you want May to learn more about how to use her magic?”

[Assistant] “Yes.”

[User] “Hm… Okay. Let me discuss this with your mother.” I parted from the two and returned to my seat at Claire’s side. Her expression was stiff, which worried me. “Miss Claire?” I asked.

[Assistant] “Huh? Oh… Wh-what is it?”

[User] “I was thinking we could discuss our daughters’ situation?”

[Assistant] “R-right, yes, let’s. Of course…” Her response was a bit strange, but she seemed up for it. This was definitely a problem I couldn’t deal with alone, so knowing she was with me right now was reassuring. At least, I hoped she was with me. Her head did seem to have been in the clouds just then. Oh dear.

[User] “They certainly know some big words for their age…” Claire said.

[Assistant] “Isn’t that because they love to ask questions and listen to us talk?”

[User] “Perhaps, but even then…”

[Assistant] “The two of them were clever enough to survive in the slums, Miss Claire. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with them being a little more knowledgeable than other children their age.”

[User] “Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Claire said.

[Assistant] I could tell something else was bothering her, but for now, she seemed ready to move back to the topic at hand. “Couldn’t they put Aleah in the same class as May?”

[User] “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.


[User] "Knowing the empire, they probably want to put May in the hardest class at the elementary school, and I think that’d be a bit too difficult for Aleah.”

[Assistant] “I see… May, will you be moved out of all your classes?”

[User] “No, just magic class.”

[Assistant] “Then can’t you bear being away from Aleah for just that one class?”

[User] “No! I wanna be with Aleah.” May grumbled.

[Assistant] “May, you treasure your sister, right?”

[User] “Yeah.”

[Assistant] “And you love her?”

[User] “Yeah!”

[Assistant] “I thought so. You don’t want to make her sad, right?”

[User] “Never!”

[Assistant] “But forcing her to take magic class with you might make her sad. Are you still okay with that?”

[User] “Huh?! Really, Aleah?”

[Assistant] “I can’t do anything in your class, May. I can’t use magic.”

[User] “Oh…”

[Assistant] “I don’t want to be apart from you either, but there’s this swordplay class I can take while you’re in magic. I was asked to join it at the same time you were asked to join yours.”

[User] “And that’s what you want to do?”

[Assistant] “Yes, because I don’t want to fall behind you. But I’m happy you said you wanted to be with me. Thank you.”

[User] May grew silent, clearly conflicted.

[Assistant] “Just for magic class?” She asked hesitantly.

[User] “Yes. I’ll be with you the rest of the time, like always.”

[Assistant] “Mm-hmm… Okay, but only for magic class!”

[User] “Hee hee. All right, all right.” Aleah smiled and patted May’s head.

[Assistant] Claire could breathe easy. "Okay, so May will do her best to take magic classes alone, while Aleah learns swordplay. The rest of your time, you’ll be together, just like you’ve been so far. All good?”

[User] “Yeah.” May nodded.

[Assistant] “Yes, Mother.”

[User] “May, thank you for being so understanding. And Aleah, thank you for being so considerate toward your sister.”

[Assistant] “Of course! I would do anything for my sister." Aleah proudly declared.

[User] “Ah, me too!” May quickly perked up upon hearing Aleah’s words.


[Assistant] Claire notes that May's truancy came to an end, at least for the time being. *** “Miss Claire and I will be going to school now, so you two be on your best behavior at home, okay? Aleah, can you take care of lunch? Just warming what I left out is fine.”

[User] “Yes, Mother.”

[Assistant] “Shall we be off, Miss Claire?”

[User] “Yes…let’s.”

[Assistant] “Have a nice day!” The two daughters said as Claire and Miss Claire left.

[User] Claire exited the Bauer student dorm and made her way through the main street toward the Imperial Academy. Foot traffic was high, so Claire had to weave through a crowd of mixed nationalities to proceed. Since the twins were taking the day off, they didn’t need to drop them off at elementary school.


[User] This left us more time to appreciate our surroundings, even after our long morning discussion. “We haven’t been able to walk to school this leisurely in a while, have we?” I asked.

[Assistant] “Indeed…”

[User] “Miss Claire?” I could tell something had been weighing on her mind for a while now. “Is something wrong? Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”

[Assistant] “Why do you always assume something is wrong?” she huffed. “Well…I suppose you’re right on the mark this time.” She smiled wryly and let out a deep sigh. “I just…lost some confidence, is all.”

[User] “Confidence? In my love for you? Please, give me a chance to reaffirm my love tonight!”

[Assistant] “Rae, I’m being serious here. Now’s not the time for jokes,” she said soberly.

[User] “Ah. Forgive me.”

[Assistant] “Yes, well, I’ve known you long enough to realize that you’re just trying to cheer me up. But right now, I want you to listen seriously,” Claire said. “Earlier today, when May said she didn’t want to go to school, I tried to use logic to convince her otherwise. But you moved to comfort them instead.”

[User] Oh. So that’s what was bothering her. “I don’t think what I said was wrong, but I didn’t consider their feelings. I was…forcing my solution on them.” She frowned. “You, on the other hand, asked how they felt and what they wanted to do. I think you handled it correctly—no, I think you handled it better. I feel a bit pathetic, realizing how rigid my thinking was.” She sighed deeply for a second time. This wouldn’t do at all. “Can you wait here for a bit, Miss Claire?” I asked.

[Assistant] “Huh? Um, Rae?”


[User] I left a bewildered Claire behind and waltzed over to a nearby fruit stand. “Excuse me, young lady, some strawberries, please.”

[Assistant] “Young lady? Dearie, I’m already a mother with a daughter your age.”

[User] “No way! You don’t look a day over twenty!”

[Assistant] “Oh, my! Well said, dear. Here, I’ll give you a discount; they’re out of season anyway.”

[User] “Thank you very much!” I paid for the paper bag of strawberries and returned to Claire. I held a strawberry out to her. “Here.”

[Assistant] “There you go, snacking again,” said Claire. “And we were just in the middle of a conversation.”

[User] “I know, I just thought it’d perk you up a bit.”

[Assistant] “Goodness, what am I to do with you?” She sighed but took the strawberry I offered regardless.

[User] I bit into one myself, my mouth filling with the sour-sweet taste. The fruit seller had said they were out of season, but I had a hard time believing that, considering how fresh they tasted. “Delicious,” Claire murmured.

[Assistant] “Delicious,” Claire murmured.

[User] “Indeed. You can tell a skilled farmer grew them. Growing food’s a bit similar to child rearing,” I said.

[Assistant] “Hm? In what way?” Claire took another strawberry from my hand.

[User] “They both require experience.”

[Assistant] “Huh?! You’ve raised a child before? !” she exclaimed. Of course, she meant in my past life.


[User] "I meant my own experience being raised as a child, not my experience raising one. Do you remember how I told you about my first love?"

[Assistant] "Of course. How could I forget such a messy, overcomplicated love square?"

[User] "Just like May, I didn’t want to go to school for some time after that. At least, not until my mother comforted me—like I just did with May and Aleah. That experience stuck with me, so I was able to draw upon it."

[Assistant] "But I—"

[User] "I’m sure you listened to everything your parents said as a child, Miss Claire." Ichiro interrupted. "I’ve said this before, but Claire truly had been an obedient little angel before she became a villainess. Perhaps excessively so."

[Assistant] "Um, so?"

[User] "Being nobles, both you and your mother were probably brought up to follow and act in accordance with society’s rules and morals."

[Assistant] "That…may be true."

[User] "That being the case, the response you gave May earlier was what you believed to be correct. While you might think it a mistake now, I see nothing wrong with imparting the same beliefs Madam Melia taught you when raising your own children."

[Assistant] Claire grew silent, a wistful look in her eyes.

[User] "Even in my past life, people had conflicting ideas about how to raise children. Should they be raised to prioritize social norms and expectations, or should they be encouraged to live in accordance with their individual wants and needs? Your upbringing was more aligned with the former, whereas mine was more like the latter. Both have their pros and cons." Ichiro bit into another strawberry before continuing. "Your method—convincing May it was her responsibility to attend school—might have worked perfectly. And while it succeeded this time, there was a chance my method might have ended in them both refusing to go to school. Neither approach was a guaranteed success."

[Assistant] "But in the end, yours was right."

[User] "We’re both drawing on our lived experiences. You have your experience with your mother from when you didn’t want to learn ballroom dancing, and I have mine from the time I didn’t want to go to school. I interrupted you this time because I thought my experience was closer to May’s situation, but it was really just pure luck that things turned out the way they did."

[Assistant] "Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that your method of child rearing isn’t wrong. The right technique just depends on the situation."

[User] "That’s not just lip service?" Claire asked haltingly.

[Assistant] "I mean it."


[User] "One hundred percent."

[Assistant] "Thank you, Rae." Claire reached into the bag and pulled out the last strawberry. "As a reward, you can have the last one."

[User] "Please feed it to me." I opened my mouth.

[Assistant] "Hee hee. Oh, you idiot." Despite her harsh words, she fed me the strawberry.

[User] Mmm… It was at least fifty percent sweeter than the ones before. "I’m sure I’ll make a blunder with the children one of these days."

[Assistant] "I’ll be counting on you then."

[User] "Hee hee. All right, Rae. Let’s give it our best."

[Assistant] "Yes!" With that, a burden fell from Claire’s shoulders, restoring her to her usual spirited self.


[User] The bell chimed, informing us it was time for our lunch break.

[Assistant] "Class is dismissed." With those few words, the teacher promptly left the classroom.

[User] Unfriendly as always, though they impressively always finished their lesson on time. Then the ground began to shake.

[Assistant] "It’s an earthquake!" someone yelled as panic filled the room.

[User] I grabbed Claire to shield her with my body, and a minute later, the tremors came to a halt.

[Assistant] "Quite a long one this time."

[User] "Indeed." I said. "Haven’t they been rather frequent of late?"

[Assistant] This had come up in conversation with Rod some time before we left the Bauer Kingdom. Earthquakes had grown increasingly common, which worried many people in Nur, having heard what the eruption of Mt. Sassal did to Bauer. They honestly didn’t seem so remarkable to a Japanese person like me.

[User] "Claire, Rae, are you two okay?" a worried voice called.

[Assistant] "Oh, Lady Philine." I said. "Thank you for your concern, but we’re all right."

[User] "Thank goodness… Shall we have lunch together, then?"

[Assistant] Normally, we ate lunch in the classroom alongside Lana and Frieda, but this day was different.

[User] "I’m sorry, but we didn’t prepare any lunch today."

[Assistant] Because of our discussion with May and Aleah that morning, I hadn’t had time to make lunch—or rather, I’d been halfway through making lunch, but it had wound up becoming May and Aleah’s breakfast instead. Claire and I were famished, since we’d left without eating breakfast. Yet for some reason, Claire didn’t look particularly thrilled that our long-awaited lunchtime was here.

[User] "Oh. So you’ll be eating in the cafeteria, then…" Philine smiled wryly.

[Assistant] "Yes…"

[User] The reason for Claire’s reluctance? Simple: The food in the cafeteria was less than great.

[Assistant] "Would it be all right if I sat with you two?"

[User] "Of course. The facilities themselves are fine, thankfully."

[Assistant] "Indeed. They do serve the Nur Empire’s formal cuisine, after all. It would be quite the problem if they weren’t up to snuff."

[User] I listened to them chat as we walked to the cafeteria.


[User] They always got along well. I wasn’t jealous or anything. Not one bit. Why would I be, when I was Claire’s wife? Yeah! We reached the cafeteria after a few minutes of walking.

[Assistant] "Empty as usual."

[User] "This place just isn’t popular."

[Assistant] Despite my griping, the cafeteria itself was clean and spacious. Its size was comparable to college cafeterias from my past life, but the building was made of wood rather than metal and concrete, lending it a cozy ambience. The tables and chairs were well made too. The food was the only problem.

[User] "Excuse me, what is today’s lunch?"

[Assistant] "Mutton and vegetable soup, sausage, sauerkraut, and bread." The cafeteria lady replied, cold and concise—she was a well-built woman who seemed like the no-nonsense sort. That was essentially the same as the last time we ate here. The cafeteria didn’t have menus—instead, the spread depended on the day of the week, and everyone got the same thing.

[User] "Two of those, please."

[Assistant] "Right." An unmotivated voice replied from within the kitchen. I stood behind Claire, waiting for our food.

[User] "I’ll go find us a table."

[Assistant] "I doubt we’ll have any trouble finding a place, given how empty it is."

[User] "Yes, but the food being what it is, I’d like us to at least have a nice place to sit."

[Assistant] "I see. Good idea." With her lunch in hand, Philine left to find a table. I followed her with my eyes, watching her choose a sunlit table by the window with a nice view.

[User] "Here’s your food. Carry it yourself now." The cafeteria lady handed us two trays with food inelegantly plopped onto them. It hadn’t even been five minutes. I suspected they simply heated up some premade food, which was fine—restaurants precooked some of their food too. In fact, I didn’t think any restaurant in existence made everything on the spot from scratch. No, the problem was—

[Assistant] "Ngh…"

[User] "Miss Claire, staring at it won’t make it any better. Let’s go."

[Assistant] "Right…" At my nudging, we walked to the table Philine had secured.

[User] "Shall we?" I put my hands together. "Bon appétit."

[Assistant] "Bon appétit."

[User] "Guten appetit."

[Assistant] The two put their hands together too. Moments like this really drove home that the world this game was set in had been developed by a Japanese company. If this really had been medieval Europe, they would have more likely offered a prayer before a meal. Such were the thoughts running through my mind as I started with the bread, tearing off a piece and eating it. It was hard. Low-quality wheat mixed with barley was my guess. High-quality wheat by itself would have yielded a better texture. The yeast must have gone bad too, and it lacked butter. It wasn’t inedible, but it certainly wasn’t good. And that was just the beginning. I tried the soup next. It smelled as though it had been salted too sparingly and spiced far too heavily.


[User] The meat wasn’t tender lamb but gamey mutton. While I generally enjoyed well-seasoned food, this soup was overpowering, as though they’d tried to drown the gamey taste with spice. The vegetables were cooked to a mush. It just wasn’t especially good. The sauerkraut was sauerkraut, nothing more. There wasn’t much to critique about what was literally just fermented cabbage. The one saving grace was the sausage. It was edible. Enjoyable, even. But as the main protein of the meal was mutton, the sausage was small—nothing but a side dish. I wished they’d used it for the soup instead. In conclusion, the empire’s cuisine was pretty disappointing. This was already a well-known fact in this world, much like the infamy of English cuisine in my old world. But unlike English cuisine, this world’s cuisine was very much real and very much in front of me. To give you some perspective, I could see Claire—who never complained about the food she was given—struggling to finish her lunch. Yeah, it was that bad. Of course, there were a few reasons for this. One lay in the food culture of the empire. The upper-class citizens of the empire traditionally ate simple rather than extravagant meals, which led to public establishments following suit—similar to how the English gentry’s love of simple foods had influenced their country’s cuisine. Another reason was the empire’s social system. Many people left their family homes early in life to work as live-in apprentices, leaving them little time to learn proper home cooking. Poor cooking skills meant poor cuisine, further feeding into the vicious cycle of a mediocre food culture. The low social status of chefs and pâtissiers likely contributed too. With the empire having been at war for such a long time, the most respected profession was that of a soldier. Chefs, pâtissiers, and other non-combat related occupations were the victims of implicit prejudice—despite both military cooks and army rations being an integral part of warfare. Just to be clear, everything I’ve described so far only applied to the Nur Empire’s formally recognized traditional cuisine. We’d already seen just how many foreign ingredients we could buy in the central market, and the empire was brimming with exchange students and immigrants from other countries. Naturally, this meant many citizens preferred foreign cuisine over their own, so the people of the empire actually ate quite well. It was only the imperial family and the nobility who obstinately refused to change. You could see this reflected in Philine’s lunch, no better than our own. No wonder she’d been so taken with the chocolate and rakugan we offered her. As an imperial princess, she had likely never before had an opportunity to taste such sweetness.

[Assistant] "Rae, your displeasure is showing on your face." Claire warned.

[User] "I’m sorry, but this food is far worse than I even imagined. It should be blasphemy to use ingredients this way." Rae fumed.

[Assistant] "I-I’m sorry…"

[User] "It’s nothing you need to apologize for, Lady Philine."


[User] "It’s the empire’s culture, nothing more."

[Assistant] "But it’s beginning to pose a diplomatic problem… Many foreign dignitaries complain about it when they visit."

[User] Of course they complained. If I were served this, I’d think the empire was trying to poison me.

[Assistant] "Aye, even we don’t wanna serve this stuff." The cafeteria lady approaches. It seemed she’d heard us.

[User] "I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to—"

[Assistant] "It’s fine; we know. The food here is terrible. But that don’t mean we like it." She gave us each a small plate of butter. "For yer bread. Of course, yer free to use it differently if ya’d like." She smiled meaningfully.

[User] "Um, what does she mean?"

[Assistant] "She’s saying we can do something like this." I took half of my butter and dropped it into the soup, which would make it taste fuller—incomparably better than before.

[User] "My, this is so much better."

[Assistant] "Why not cook it like this from the start?"

[User] "They got angry the last time we tried to change things. The empire once had many delicious foods, y’know. Zwiebelkuchen, spargelsuppe, eierschecke… All forgotten." She muttered as she made her way back to the kitchen.

[Assistant] I recognized the things she’d listed as German regional cuisine from my world. "Can’t you do something about this?" I asked Philine.

[User] "I want to, but my mother doesn’t see it as a problem…"

[Assistant] Right. I really didn’t think I’d ever see eye to eye with Dorothea. Regardless, wasting food was wrong. The three of us took our time, finishing up our far-from-satisfying meals. "That was…nice?"

[User] "Don’t phrase it as a question."


[Assistant] "A ball, huh?" In class the next morning, the teacher told us the Imperial Academy was hosting a ball, and a lavish one at that, as it would double as Philine’s society debut. That much was fine. In fact, I thought it was wonderful news. The problem: my participation was mandatory.

[User] "You seem displeased, Rae." We were in the classroom, eating lunch with Philine, Lana, and Frieda.

[Assistant] "I am displeased, Miss Claire. You know better than anyone how bad I am at dancing!"

[User] "My, how unexpected. I thought you were the type to do everything perfectly."

[Assistant] "Dance is easy! Just let your fiery hot passion take control of your body!"

[User] "We’re talking about ballroom dancing. Sure, there was room for self-expression in ballroom dance, but that kind of flourish was better left to the experts."

[Assistant] "Isn’t this a good opportunity to learn? We can practice like we did for the ceremonial dance."

[User] "Oh no, do I have to wear that training harness again?"

[Assistant] "Is that a problem?" I enjoyed having Claire fuss over me, but that training harness seriously wore me out. In fact, simply recalling all that practice made me tired.


[User] We’d brought lunch from home today, having learned our lesson with the cafeteria. White rice, seasoned fried chicken, rolled omelet with scallions, and green pepper namul. All simple dishes, but I was confident in their taste. I’d noticed Philine had her eyes on Claire’s lunch for a while now.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire, how is today’s lunch?” I inquired nonchalantly.

[User] Claire smiled. “Delicious. Thank you for making lunch every day, Rae.”

[Assistant] That smile alone could have fed me for days. I needed to eat too, so I got started on the fried chicken. We had no problem affording food, since Bauer provided us with financial aid as part of the exchange program—hence why this fried chicken wasn’t breast meat but thigh meat. I’d rubbed it with cooking sherry and salt, let it marinate in my very own special sauce, and then coated it in potato starch before frying it in a small amount of oil, resulting in fried chicken that exploded with the aroma of my special sauce when you bit into it. We were eating it cold, so the meat wasn’t particularly juicy, but it was still delicious. I tried the rolled omelet next. I don’t think I need to explain my process in much detail—I just mixed diced scallions with egg and fried it, as you usually would. I supposed I had added some mayonnaise and sugar to bring out the omelet’s natural flavor. I didn’t care much for sweet omelets myself, so it was just a pinch of the latter. Claire liked this dish a lot, so I often included it in our lunches. The namul was the last thing I ate. Back in modern-day Japan, this dish would have been the easiest to make, but in this world, it was the hardest. In Japan, I would have simply finely chopped green peppers and mixed them with salt, sesame oil, and chicken bone broth powder; microwaved the result; and then sprinkled sesame seeds on top. But in this world, I was missing the most critical component: the microwave. Okay, I’m kidding. I was also missing chicken bone broth powder. Consommé powder, chicken bone broth powder, dashi soup stock, MSG—these flavor enhancers were the culmination of my world’s culinary science, but I hadn’t truly understood their impact until I came to this world. I’d thought I might make my own substitute—until I realized it would take ages. I would have to cook various different meats, fish, bones, and vegetables for a long, long time while also skimming off any scum that formed. Consommés and dashi-based soups did already exist in this world, but they were all closely guarded restaurant secrets. In the end, I settled on making a faux consommé powder. I took carrots, onions, celery, ordinary mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms, and I sliced them all ultra-thin. I then dried everything under the sun, dry-roasted the onions with a frying pan, and ground up the results with a mortar and pestle.


[User] The absence of meat meant it lacked richness, but it was far better than having to make broth from scratch every time. I was thinking I might be able to mass-produce it and sell it through Broumet. Then again, if it really took off, I worried I might earn the ire of restaurant chefs the world over. But I digress. The takeaway here was that this namul was made with my faux consommé powder and tasted pretty good. People who disliked green pepper could enjoy it to a degree, and people who didn’t mind green pepper could eat it endlessly. In fact, the Japanese recipe I based it on was called “Endless Green Peppers” because—you guessed it—it made people want to eat green pepper ad nauseam. That’s a recipe I’ll have to skip over for now, however. Just know that I made it for Claire and Aleah, being the green-pepper-haters they are. I looked at Claire’s lunch and confirmed the namul was being eaten. Mission successful. Woo-hoo! "Miss Claire, feed me please, aaah." I opened my mouth wide.

[Assistant] "Didn’t I do this just yesterday?"

[User] "What’s that matter? C’mon, aaah."

[Assistant] "A-aw, I wish that were—I mean, h-how shameless…" Philine muttered.

[User] "Oh! I want to feed Rae too!"

[Assistant] "Lana, you too! Let’s feed Rae!"

[User] "Huh? Me?" Lana said after a delay. She seemed somewhat distracted.

[Assistant] "Oh, goodness! Why is everyone making such a fuss about this?!" Claire complained as she picked up a piece of fried chicken, presumably for me.

[User] "Wait, Claire!"

[Assistant] "Why don’t you practice feeding me before Rae?"

[User] "Lady Philine?!" Claire gasped.

[Assistant] "Hey, you’re just trying to take advantage of the situation to get Claire to feed you!" I complained.

[User] "If you don’t, I’ll feed Rae first! I mean it, I’ll really do it!" Philine declared.

[Assistant] "What kind of threat is that?!" I exclaimed. Needless to say, it was a lively lunch.


[User] "Whew… Returning to our previous topic, do you like to dance, Lady Philine?" Claire inquired as she cut her rolled omelet.

[Assistant] "Truthfully, not very… Well, I don’t mind dancing itself, as I’ve taken lessons from a young age, but I don’t care much for dancing with men," Philine answered dejectedly. She was slightly afraid of men, as a result of her sheltered upbringing. She was a princess, after all.

[User] "I enjoy dancing. It’s a form of expression for me. I believe those who have trouble speaking their mind can communicate their feelings through dance. I’ve even heard of cases where dance brought people together." While she was but a common citizen now, she’d been one of the belles of high society in the past. She had likely danced with many men since her youth—which made me realize something important: I had yet to dance with Claire. We’d practiced together for the ceremonial dance but hadn’t actually danced together for the ceremony itself.


[User] Well, no…I supposed we had danced together during practice, but there was a fundamental difference in what together meant in ballroom dancing. We had yet to dance hand in hand, bodies close to one another. "Miss Claire, can you teach me how to ballroom dance?"

[Assistant] "Oh, but of course. But why the sudden change of heart?"

[User] "I just thought it’d be nice to dance with you."

[Assistant] "Rae, you realize ballroom dancing is typically done by a man and a woman, right?" Claire reminded me.

[User] Normally, she would have been right. Normally. "Oh? Is that a rule in the Bauer Kingdom? I don’t think anyone will question it here."

[Assistant] "Really?"

[User] "Yes. Same-sex marriage has been recognized in the empire for a long time."

[Assistant] "See? Nothing wrong with it. So will you be my partner for the ball, Miss Claire?"

[User] "Hee hee, all right. In exchange, you have to wear a dress, okay?"

[Assistant] "Whaaat?"

[User] "Don’t ‘what’ me. You realize I still haven’t seen you wear a dress once, right? You even wore a pantsuit for our audience with the late King l’Ausseil."

[Assistant] I didn’t like skirts much. I wore the Royal Academy uniform because I had to, but I preferred no skirts at all if I could. For a ballroom dance, I would have to wear that…whatchamacallit? An evening gown? Bleh. "Oh, don’t make that face. I want to see you dolled up for once. Can you wear an evening gown for me? Please?"

[User] "Ugh. I’ll think about it, but only because you asked."

[Assistant] "Hee hee. I’m looking forward to it."

[User] "Rae Taylor, a moment please."

[Assistant] Wondering who it could be, I looked toward the entrance of the classroom to see a familiar face beckoning me.

[User] "Oh, it’s Hilda. What could she want?"

[Assistant] Indeed, it was Hildegard Eichrodt, an extremely talented official of the Imperial government and someone with whom we’d worked closely during the pope’s visit. Notably, she was also a love interest in Revo-Lily. Her monocle glinted in the light, as it always did. "I’ll be right back." Most of my lunch was gone at that point anyway, so I left Claire behind and went over. "Yes?"

[User] "Sorry to call on you so suddenly. I have a request."


[Assistant] Mmm… I have a bad feeling about this. "Would you please assist with the refreshments for the ball?"

[User] "The refreshments for the ball?"

[Assistant] "Yes."

[User] Hilda adjusted her monocle before continuing. "As you likely already know, our empire’s cuisine is not held in particularly high esteem. I was hoping you could help us improve it." Her countenance and tone remained sharp, but her body language communicated sincerity. Of course, I knew it was all an act. But it was an impressive act, nonetheless.

[Assistant] "But why me? Why not somebody from the empire?" The cafeteria lady, for instance, certainly seemed concerned about the empire’s culinary situation.


[User] “There are a few reasons, but…we should sit down first. Could you follow me to the parlor?”

[Assistant] I followed Hilda to the room the academy used to entertain guests. Nothing extravagant, but it was comfortable and furnished well enough.

[User] “I’ve come to request your assistance for three reasons. The first is that I desire insight into your extensive culinary knowledge.”

[Assistant] "Er, I’m really nothing special, you know?” I liked cooking but didn’t really consider myself an expert. I was nowhere near the level of professional chefs, even in this medieval European-esque world.

[User] “You’re far too modest. You’re the brains behind Broumet, are you not?” Hilda’s expression loosened into a smile. She’d done her research.

[Assistant] “I’ve shared a recipe or two with them, yes, but my cooking skills are nowhere near as good as those who make a living off it.”

[User] “We can leave the actual cooking to the professionals. What I want from you is your creativity.”

[Assistant] “Uh-huh…” She was still giving me far too much credit. I wasn’t particularly creative; I just had knowledge from my old world.

[User] “The second reason is your social skills. In the span of a few months, you’ve managed to forge meaningful connections within the empire, even with Lady Philine herself.”

[Assistant] “No…that’s all thanks to Claire.” I said. I wasn’t introverted or anything, but I certainly wasn’t the type to actively expand my circle of friends. Claire, on the other hand, could definitely have been considered a socialite. Almost all of our connections in the empire were her doing.

[User] “You two are practically one and the same. Having your support naturally means we’ll have hers, will we not?” she said.

[Assistant] “No. I am me, and Miss Claire is Miss Claire.” It might not have sounded convincing coming from me, with how I followed Claire around, but individuals were ultimately just that—individuals. To me, Claire was irreplaceable, and hopefully I was the same to her. For an outsider to reduce us to a package deal was incredibly uncalled for.

[User] “Forgive me. I’ll extend my hopes to her directly later, then. The final and most crucial reason why I chose you is that Her Majesty Dorothea has taken an interest in you.”

[Assistant] “Oh, now I get it.” In an instant, I grasped the bigger picture.

[User] “I’m glad you understand. Yes, the greatest obstacle in our food troubles is Her Majesty herself—more specifically, the fact that she doesn’t recognize the problem exists at all.” Hilda put a hand to her forehead and shook her head, frustrated.

[Assistant] The reason the empire’s formal cuisine had remained so poor for so long was because its highest authority—the Empress—saw no reason to fix it. Knowing her personality, convincing her otherwise would be a challenge. Hence why the task was being thrust onto me, someone Dorothea had taken a peculiar interest in. How crafty, I thought.


[User] “Can you help me?” Hilda asked with her classic soft smile.

[Assistant] I knew the smile was an act, but it was still enchantingly beautiful. I said nothing, but I thought it over for a moment. I could easily refuse. This was the empire’s problem. There was no reason for me to help, but…

[User] “I’ll do it.”

[Assistant] “How…unexpected. I didn’t think you were the type to do things out of the kindness of your heart, like for instance Claire might. I’m grateful, but may I ask why you’ve accepted?”

[User] She certainly didn’t mince her words, but she was right. I had a feeling she and I were similar, personality-wise. "I figured it wouldn’t hurt to make the empire owe me one."

[Assistant] “To make us indebted, then.”

[User] “Yes.” The imperial government hadn’t yet made any attempts on Claire’s life, and I wanted it to stay that way. Plus, there was another thing I needed to prepare for.

[Assistant] “Let me guess…the demons?” Hilda said.

[User] “Has no one ever told you that it’s creepy to predict someone’s thoughts that way?” It was rude to say, but it was true. With the empire so close to demon territory, the threat of demons was high. The Three Great Archdemons we’d met were powerful, and they had named and targeted Claire specifically. Lilly had said we weren’t likely to run into them at all, yet we’d already been attacked by all three since we’d come to the empire. It would have been foolish not to prepare countermeasures.

[Assistant] “Heh heh, you’re everything I hoped you were.”

[User] “I don’t think I’ve done anything worth getting your hopes up for.”

[Assistant] “That’s not true. Everybody had their eyes on Claire, the hero of the revolution, but I’m more impressed by you, Rae Taylor.”

[User] “Is that right? Thank you very much.” This was likely another one of Hilda’s acts. Even if she did mean what she said, it was likely in the sense that she thought I’d be useful for furthering her own career.

[Assistant] “May I ask you something?”

[User] “Of course.”

[Assistant] “Don’t you think you’re dreaming a little big?” For a brief instant, Hilda’s facade slipped away. But it was back as quick as it went.

[User] “Whatever do you mean?” she said, playing dumb. How crafty.

[Assistant] “Oh, nothing. Just making sure someone knows not to try anything.”

[User] “Is that so. I haven’t a clue what you’re trying to imply, but you continue to intrigue me even more, Rae Taylor.”

[Assistant] “Is that so. What an honor. Ha ha ha.”

[User] "Heh heh heh…” Two vixens trying to outfox each other… Jeez. All this probing each other for information was tiring me out. Wasn’t there a saying for this? Something like “if opposites attract, likes repel”?

[Assistant] “Anyway, just let me know if you need anything. We’ll spare no effort, now that you’re helping.”


[User] "Then there’s something I’d like to request right now.”

[Assistant] “Yes?” She seemed a little more on guard than before.

[User] “Two things: let me borrow the Academy’s cafeteria workers—and grant me an audience with Her Majesty Dorothea.”


[Assistant] “Welcome, Rae.” Dorothea, whom I hadn’t seen since the conference with the pope, seemed to be in a rather good mood as she greeted me. I had been invited to the Imperial Castle’s audience chamber. Dorothea sat atop her throne clad in her usual armor with two swords by her side. Her sharp, composed gaze homed in on me, matched by a faintly amused smirk.

[User] “What brings you here today? Have you finally decided to pledge your services to me?”

[Assistant] “No. I’m here to discuss improving the empire’s food situation, Your Majesty.” I rejected her invitation for what felt like the umpteenth time, getting straight to the point.

[User] She made no effort to hide her displeasure as she grimaced. “How dull. Don’t bother—food’s only purpose is to nourish soldiers.”

[Assistant] “I see. Well, let’s put that aside for now. Here, take a look at this.” I took something resembling a biscuit from my bag.

[User] “Hm? What is this?”

[Assistant] “It’s a ration packed with nutrients that combatants need. Please, try it.” Provisions—in other words, military rations—was food that soldiers ate.

[User] “Hmm. I see…”

[Assistant] “Your Majesty, you mustn’t,” said the man beside her. “Please, let the poison taster try it first.”

[User] “Silence, old man. Rae is not one to use such underhanded tricks.”

[Assistant] “That’s not the issue! Your own safety is at risk!” The elderly man, who I assumed to be Dorothea’s manservant, shouted until he was blue in the face. He was right; the Empress had no business eating unknown foodstuffs so carelessly.

[User] “How about I eat half first?” I offered.

[Assistant] “Humph. Please do. I’m sorry about the old man.”

[User] I ate half the biscuit. I tasted sweetness—not just from sugar but from dry fruits as well—alongside the richness of butter. I’d asked the cafeteria ladies to help make this special biscuit for me. It was similar to the empire’s official military rations, but it had more sugar and butter, as well as the dried fruits. Not only did it taste better, but it also had more calories and was nutrient-dense.

[Assistant] “Humph. It’s good."

[User] “Here’s the recipe, and here’s an estimation for ingredients and labor cost.”

[Assistant] “Quite cheap. But even if it tastes good, it isn’t better than what we already have,” she said disapprovingly. It seemed she didn’t get it yet.

[User] “I wonder about that. Compared to your current field provisions, this is three times more nutritious at the same weight. And as you’ve said yourself, the flavor is noticeably better.”

[Assistant] “Hmm… So it would incur no extra transport costs while improving morale. Humph. Not bad.”

[User] “This is but one example. We can make different types as well.”

[Assistant] “Very well. Rae Taylor, I’ll leave production to you. Use any personnel as you see fit.” Huh? No way, I thought.


[User] If I did the labor for you, I’d get pulled into the empire for real.

[Assistant] "You can’t put a foreigner in charge of your own military."

[User] “The Nur Empire welcomes all individuals of talent, regardless of origin.”

[Assistant] “How do you know I won’t make something highly addictive or unhealthy?”

[User] “You wouldn’t say that if you were planning to.”

[Assistant] “I might just be employing reverse psychology.”

[User] I’d just learned something new: Dorothea had no sense of caution regarding those she took an interest in—likely as a result of her excessive confidence. She probably considered herself a perfect judge of character, or she believed she could solve problems with violence after the fact if she were somehow mistaken. Her sloppiness surprised me. Though I supposed if it had worked for her thus far, I couldn’t really call it sloppy.

[Assistant] “Humph… Then what do you propose instead?”

[User] “Well, I wouldn’t implement the change right away, for sure. I’d test its safety over a year, then officially adopt and mass-produce it.”

[Assistant] “Too slow. Your exchange program will have ended by then.”

[User] “Indeed. Let Lady Philine handle it. I can train her.”

[Assistant] “Philine? You think she can handle this?”

[User] “Philine is more talented than you think.”

[Assistant] “Humph… Let’s do that, then.”

[User] Whew, dodged that bullet. But the real deal began now. "Your Majesty,"

[Assistant] “eating is more than the process of acquiring adequate nutrition.”

[User] “What’s this about?”

[Assistant] “Are you aware of the general consensus on the empire’s formal cuisine?”

[User] “I am not, and neither do I care.”

[Assistant] “‘I thought they were trying to poison me.’”

[User] “Hmm…?”

[Assistant] “A certain diplomat spoke those words after eating the empire’s food.”

[User] Dorothea grimaced. “Go on.”

[Assistant] “The only country with such awful formal cuisine, bad enough to be considered blasphemy against food itself, is the empire. It’s so bad that it’s costing the empire diplomatic opportunities.”

[User] “Is it truly that awful?”

[Assistant] “Yes. Definitely, yes,” I asserted.

[User] Dorothea groaned. “Then what do you suggest?”

[Assistant] “Culinary reform. Luckily, the empire has a wealth of ingredients at its disposal, thanks to its various vassal states. We should definitely make use of them.”

[User] “Hmm…” Dorothea seemed deep in thought.

[Assistant] Just one more push would do it. "I recall Your Majesty was a devotee of rationality?"

[User] “Naturally.”

[Assistant] “Then shouldn’t you amend any irrationality within the empire?”

[User] “What is this irrationality you speak of?”

[Assistant] “Your chefs are forced to intentionally make unpalatable food. Their skills are deteriorating.”

[User] “Is that really a problem?”

[Assistant] “Yes! People eat every day. If the empire’s chefs were given the opportunity to really flaunt their skills, you could develop a far more impressive food culture.”

[User] “Culture, hmm? I don’t quite understand that field…” Dorothea’s obsession with rationality had become a problem. Under the lens of rationality, culture was often seen as wasteful and indulgent. As a book I read long ago had put it, If all that was excess were trimmed, there would be nothing left to call culture.


[User] “That’s all right,” I said. “We don’t need to go into detail about the benefits of improving your food culture. Just understand that improving the empire’s formal cuisine will at least yield results in the diplomatic field.”

[Assistant] “Humph. Very logical.”

[User] “With that all said and done, could I have your official approval?”

[Assistant] “Hmm?” Dorothea’s face made clear her confusion. “Is my approval somehow necessary?”

[User] “Huh? Er, didn’t Your Majesty prohibit extravagant meals?”

[Assistant] “I myself do not care for extravagant meals, but I’ve never once spoken out against other’s eating habits.”

[User] “Ohhh, I see what’s going on.” The people around Dorothea had probably come to their own conclusions about what she wanted—well intentioned, but ultimately completely missing the mark. “Your Majesty’s influence is far greater than you realize. Please be a little more careful about what you say and do.”

[Assistant] “Humph. It would seem that is the case. Your advice is appreciated.”

[User] “Great. Also, could you make an official announcement stating people are free to modify food as they see fit?”

[Assistant] “Is that necessary?”

[User] “It is. Otherwise, the people will be wary of defying what they thought was your decree.”

[Assistant] “How complicated.”

[User] Don’t talk like you’re not somewhat at fault… I thought. “I was also asked to lead the efforts in these first culinary reforms. Do you object to that?”

[Assistant] “None. Do what you must.”

[User] “Even if it means you’ll owe me one?”

[Assistant] “Why not?”

[User] Nice, that’s a verbal promise. “Is that all?” she asked.

[Assistant] “Yes. I’ll return and get to work right away.”

[User] “Good. I like fast workers like you… Heh, I want you even more now.”

[Assistant] “Haven’t I told you I belong to Miss Claire?”

[User] “Why don’t you both become citizens of my empire? You can even get married here, if you’d like.”

[Assistant] “Mmm…” To be honest, the offer was tempting…but I wouldn’t be swayed. “We don’t need anything official. Knowing our love is mutual is enough.”

[User] “Humph, that’s too bad. We are done here, then. You may leave.”

[Assistant] “Thank you, Your Majesty.” After my audience with Dorothea, I returned straight home to the Bauer student dorm. Now, let’s get this cooking boom going!


[User] “How rude!” Claire, who had come along, was furious—being the stickler for decorum that she was.

[Assistant] “Oh, sure, I’m the rude one here!”

[User] The head chef didn’t seem to like the idea of being bossed around by a stranger, likely due to his professional pride.

[Assistant] “Now, now, no need for that. You too, Miss Claire,” I tried to soothe them both. Picking a fight wouldn’t get us anywhere.

[User] “I can make tasty, brand spankin’ new dishes well enough without yer meddlin’! I’ve just been holdin’ back on Her Majesty Dorothea’s account!” the head chef spat.

[Assistant] According to him, all the miserable fare he’d churned out thus far was due to his not being allowed to shine—and that was probably true. He held office in a ministry of the Nur Empire, one of the most powerful nations, so he was probably an elite in the culinary world—perhaps even the best chef in the empire, considering its meritocratic practices. Even if the empire itself didn’t respect chefs as a profession, his skill was still most certain. But skill wasn’t enough.

[User] “I’m sure you’re right, but just making new, delicious dishes won’t be enough, so—”

[Assistant] “Zip it! Whatever yer plannin’, you can leave me right out of it! I ain’t puttin’ up with outsiders lookin’ over my shoulder an’ orderin’ me around!” He was leaving us no room for negotiation. Now what?

[User] “Is something the matter?” someone called. Presumably having overheard us, Hilda entered the room, a puzzled look on her face.

[Assistant] “Oh, Miss Hilda,” the head chef said. “Nothin’ the matter, Miss, just a coupla brats talkin’ smack.”

[User] “Is that so? Could you explain what happened in detail?”

[Assistant] I quickly briefed her.

[User] Once I finished, she nodded in understanding. “I think it will be best if you ascertain each other’s skills. Why not have a cook-off?”

[Assistant] “A cook-off?”

[User] “Yes, seeing as bickering back and forth here won’t accomplish anything. If the ministry chefs win, that will be proof of their skills, and the culinary reforms will continue according to their wishes. But if Rae wins, you chefs will have to recognize her skill and accept her advice. Will both parties agree to this?”

[Assistant] What in the world? What kind of development is this? I thought, greatly taken aback.

[User] “Wouldn’t have it any other way!” the head chef declared. “We’ve been workin’ this kitchen for generations, all the way since the late Emperor’s time, and we ain’t about to give it up to some nobody!”

[Assistant] “Then you have no problem doing what the winner says if you lose?” Claire asked.

[User] “Sure, but there ain’t a snowball’s chance in hell of that happenin’!”

[Assistant] I personally didn’t feel the slightest bit inclined to participate, but Claire and the head chef were at each other’s throats. My choice was made for me.

[User] “All right. I’ll do it,” I said.

[Assistant] “Wonderful. And you, chef?” Hilda asked.

[User] “You betcha."


[User] “I’ll show ya the cooking spirit of an imperial chef!” And thus I found myself forced into a cook-off.

[Assistant] “Which is why I’ve gathered you all here. Please help me!” I lowered my head to everyone present. Gathered in the Bauer student dorm’s kitchen were seven people: Lene, Misha, Frieda, Eve, Joel, Aleah, and me—everybody who could cook. Claire wanted to participate as well, but I’d asked her to refrain on account of her disastrous skills in the kitchen. She had a good palate, though, so I intended to ask for her help with taste testing later.

[User] “I don’t mind, but have you decided on what kind of dish you want to cook yet?”

[Assistant] It had been a while since we could properly talk like this. We’d both been busy since coming to the empire. "Well, we’ll be competing with a three-course meal: an appetizer, an entrée featuring meat, and a dessert. So we can work from there.”

[User] "That’s quite a bit…” Misha said with a frown.

[Assistant] I couldn’t argue with that.

[User] “How long do we have?”

[Assistant] “One week.” I answered. Far too short a time to invent a three-course meal’s worth of new dishes.

[User] “And why am I here?” Eve asked, her words dripping with displeasure. She still hated me for some unknown reason.

[Assistant] “Sorry, Eve, but I need all the help I can get right now.”

[User] “So you’d be fine with anyone then?” she seethed.

[Assistant] The misunderstandings just kept piling up.

[User] “Isn’t seven people too many?” Joel asked.

[Assistant] It was a good question—too many cooks spoil the broth, after all. “I’ll be overseeing everything while you six work in pairs on a single dish.”

[User] “Huh? I’m making something too?” Aleah asked with surprise.

[Assistant] “Yes. I’ll help some, of course, but I think you’re a good enough cook already.” I meant it. Aleah might not have been able to use magic, but she was an astoundingly fast learner in every other regard.

[User] “Okay, Mother… I’ll try my best.” Aleah said, nervous but happy.

[Assistant] “Does anyone have preferences as to which part of the meal they’d like to make?”

[User] “I’d like the dessert, if possible.” Joel was the first to answer.

[Assistant] I found it a little surprising he’d picked dessert, considering his usual brusqueness.

[User] “Confectionery is more up my alley than the rest.”

[Assistant] “Oh, I see. I’ll leave it to you, then."

[User] “You can count on me.”

[Assistant] That was one person down for dessert.

[User] “Why don’t I work on the entrée? It sounds like the most trouble.”

[Assistant] “That would be great.” Lene offering to work on the entrée was a big help. Being the highlight of the meal, it was better to leave it to the most experienced member. Lene had years of serving the François house under her belt and was one of the key figures at Frater, a trading company at the forefront of the culinary industry.


[User] "Can you work on the entrée too, Aleah?" I asked. "There’s a lot you can learn from Lene."

[Assistant] "Yes, Mother."

[User] "Let me help with the appetizer. I’m somewhat familiar with formal dining, so I think I can manage it."

[Assistant] "Thank you, Misha. I’ll leave it to you."

[User] “Hmm… Are only the appetizer and the dessert left? Do you have a preference, Mademoiselle Eve?”

[Assistant] "No."

[User] "Ooh la la, very shy girl! Your bluntness is so very cute. Why don’t I do dessert, then?"

[Assistant] "Then I’ll be on the appetizer with Misha." Eve confirmed.

[User] "Please and thank you."

[Assistant] It was settled: Misha and Eve on the appetizer, Lene and Aleah on the entrée, Joel and Frieda on dessert, and me overseeing everything.

[User] "Are we allowed to do as we see fit for our dish?" Lene said, always asking the right questions.

[Assistant] "For the most part. There’s just one thing I want everyone to uphold," I said, before explaining my one key condition.

[User] "I see… That’s very much like you, Rae," Lene commented.

[Assistant] "Always thinking ahead."

[User] "How shrewd," Eve muttered.

[Assistant] "Non, non, Mademoiselle Eve. Not shrewd. Say it’s nice!"

[User] "Mmm… That is important," Joel agreed.

[Assistant] "Okay, Mother!"

[User] It seemed everyone was in agreement. "All right, let’s win this cook-off!" I declared. Thus began our preparations.


[Assistant] "Ladies and gents, it’s time for the long-awaited First Imperial Formal Cuisine Cook-Off! I’m Lana Lahna, here to bring you play-by-play commentary. I’m joined today by Marthe Borel, the Imperial Academy’s cafeteria lady, here to provide a running analysis!" Lana’s voice echoed far across the venue, amplified by wind magic.

[User] "This whole ordeal’s taken an unexpected turn, but it’s a pleasure to be here nonetheless." Lana's and Marthe's voices echoed far across the venue, amplified by wind magic.

[Assistant] We were at a temporary event venue set up in Ruhm’s central market. In the middle of the venue was a kitchen, which was surrounded on all sides by spectators.

[User] "It’s become quite the event," Claire said incredulously.

[Assistant] I agreed. "I had no idea it’d become something like this."

[User] A truly breathtaking number of spectators had gathered.

[Assistant] The citizens were apparently tremendously invested in this event.

[User] Initially, the cook-off was to be a quiet affair, but it seemed Hilda had pulled some strings and turned it into a large-scale event.

[Assistant] Her reasoning was that it would help bring the citizens around to the idea of changing the empire’s cuisine, but I was sure it didn’t hurt that an achievement like this would look good on her record. That sly fox…

[User] Three judges sat in front of the kitchen.

[Assistant] One was Philine, which wasn’t strange at all, given that she was an imperial princess and this event would decide the empire’s formally recognized national cuisine. She was visibly nervous in her seat.

[User] The second judge was Dorothea’s elderly manservant, whose name I had learned was Josef.


[User] He seemed used to making public appearances and, in fact, looked somewhat bored.

[Assistant] The final judge was, shockingly, Empress Dorothea Nur herself. It’s an honor, but are you sure you don’t have better things to do, Your Majesty?

[User] From the moment she took her seat, Philine restlessly sneaked glances at her mother.

[Assistant] Dorothea, on the other hand, didn’t seem to even notice Philine. This mother and daughter were clearly distant, in multiple meanings of the word. I supposed that, seeing as Philine had chosen Claire’s route, their relationship hadn’t had the chance to improve.

[User] "Heh. Well, ya didn’t chicken out, I’ll give ya that." The head chef sneered, wearing his white uniform. Alongside him were who I presumed to be his sous chefs, standing imposingly with their arms crossed and glaring our way.

[Assistant] "Whyever would we?"

[User] "Our victory today is guaranteed."

[Assistant] "Ha! Don’t get yer hopes up, lady!"

[User] "I could say the same to you!" In mere moments, Claire and the head chef were at each other’s throats.

[Assistant] "Oh, and would you look at that? We haven’t even started and this kitchen’s already getting heated! Looks like we’re gonna have quite the match on our hands today, don’t ya think, Marthe?"

[User] "Perhaps, but I personally dislike all the bickering. A real chef fights with nothing but their food."

[Assistant] "I couldn’t agree more! Oh, would you look at that? It’s about time for this cook-off to get cookin’! This event is sponsored by Frater Trading. Frater Trading: We’re there for you."

[User] Hwuh?! Hearing Lana announce something I would never in a million years have expected to hear, I looked over at Lene, who stuck her tongue out at me sheepishly as though to say “Whoops!” A businesswoman’s acumen wasn’t to be underestimated.

[Assistant] "Now for the opening address! Your Majesty Dorothea, if you would?"

[User] "Very well." Dorothea stood and walked to the front. In an instant, a hush fell over the crowd. The respect her citizens felt for her was palpable.

[Assistant] "Today, you bear witness to an event that will change the cuisine of our empire forever. Never again shall our food be called poison." Dorothea kept her opening address short and sweet—very true to her nature—but the crowd went wild, nonetheless. Her popularity astounded me.

[User] "Thank you very much, Your Majesty Dorothea! Now then, time for the rules! The contestants are to prepare an appetizer, an entrée featuring meat, and a dessert for a best-of-three match. The first side to score two points wins the cook-off!" Lana explained. We’d put some serious effort into planning our dishes, but we were up against professionals who cooked for a living. Victory would be hard won. Then again, seeing how much attention this event had already focused on the empire’s cuisine, it wouldn’t have been a stretch to say we’d already accomplished our goal.

[Assistant] "Our first bout is appetizers."

[User] "Ready, set…cook!" The deep reverb of a drum signaled the chefs to leap to action.


[User] “Misha, Eve, anything I can do to help?” I asked.

[Assistant] The two shook their heads and gave curt responses. “Just watch us, Rae.”

[User] “Please sit down.” Eve added.

[Assistant] I knew they were both the cold, blunt sort, but being shot down like that still hurt. Then again, some people considered being given the cold shoulder by a beautiful woman a reward in itself.

[User] “Sister Misha, Miss Eve, try your best!” May cheered from the stands by the Bauer side of the kitchen, helping in her own way.

[Assistant] Misha waved at the stands.

[User] Eve turned and nodded.

[Assistant] “What’s this? The imperial chefs seem to be preparing mushrooms!”

[User] “Those are shimeji, hen of the wood, king trumpet, and oyster mushrooms. I’m impressed they could procure them at this time in spring.”

[Assistant] “Oh, so they’re, like, rare ingredients? On the other hand, I only see some plain old onions and bacon from the Bauer team.”

[User] “Onions are most delicious at this time of year. A fine choice of ingredient.” Lana and Marthe’s live commentary echoed throughout the venue.

[Assistant] “Eve, is the dough ready?”

[User] “Yes, it just needs to be baked. The oven is preheated.”

[Assistant] “Thank you. I’ll take things from here.”

[User] “Please do.”

[Assistant] “We’re finished.”

[User] “As are we!” the head chef said.

[Assistant] “Both teams have finished! Let’s see what our judges think, starting with the imperial team’s appetizer!” Prompted by Lana, the head chef set the dishes before the judge.

[User] “Four-mushroom roast wi’ a lemon marinade!” the head chef announced.

[Assistant] “Why, I’ve never heard such a crude imperial dialect.”

[User] “Imperial what now? !” I exclaimed.

[Assistant] Back to the head chef’s appetizer.

[User] “I took four kinds a’ mushroom and roasted ’em up nicely, takin’ care to not let ’em burn, then marinated ’em in a lemon sauce. All the mushrooms are a rare, off-season variety. Fragrant and tasty, it’s the perfect dish to start off a meal.”

[Assistant] Marinated mushrooms, huh? That did sound pretty good. Even back in my world, marinated mushrooms had often been served as appetizers in Italian cuisine.

[User] “Now, time for the judging! Judges, please eat your dish!” Following Lana’s prompting, the judges took a bite of the dish.


[User] "It’s…delicious. The mushroom flavor just fills my mouth…"

[Assistant] "The marinade is wonderful too. The refreshing taste of lemon elevates the dish even further."

[User] "I don’t understand such minute details, but this is good."

[Assistant] "Up next, the Bauer team’s appetizer!" Lana announced.

[User] "Seasonal onion and bacon pie." Misha said as Misha and Eve set their dishes before the judge.

[Assistant] "We slow-fried a large quantity of fresh onions together with bacon to draw out the gentle sweet and savory flavors of the ingredients, then baked it into a pie. Please help yourselves."

[User] The three judges moved their forks to the dish.

[Assistant] "Oh, this is delicious as well. It has a very nostalgic flavor."

[User] "You can taste the sweetness of the onion. What a wonderful seasonal flavor."

[Assistant] "Mm-hmm. This one is good as well."

[User] The judges soon finished off both dishes.

[Assistant] "Now, which appetizer tasted the best? Get ready for the reveal in three…two…one!" A needlessly dramatic drumroll played out.

[User] "Two votes for the Nur Empire! One vote for Bauer! Incredible!" Lana exclaimed as the judges each raised a placard for the dish they’d liked most.

[Assistant] "Yeah, saw that coming." Marthe commented offhandedly.

[User] "Let’s ask why our judges voted the way they did!"

[Assistant] "Umm… They were both delicious, but I chose the head chef’s appetizer because it felt more original." said Philine.

[User] "I liked the seasonal flavor of the Bauer team’s dish more." said Josef.

[Assistant] "The marinated mushrooms tasted better. That is all." said Dorothea.

[User] "I’m sorry, Rae." Misha apologized.

[Assistant] "Sorry." Eve apologized as well.

[User] "It’s all right. We still have two rounds left."

[Assistant] This cook-off was just getting started!


[User] "And the first match goes to the Nur Empire!" Lana said, eliciting a wild cheer in the crowd for the imperial team.

[Assistant] "Coming up next, we have the entrées! Any thoughts on the upcoming entrée bout, Marthe?"

[User] "The entrée is the highlight of a three-course meal. It’s important enough that you could argue this round should be worth twice as many points."

[Assistant] "Insightful! But that’d cause some problems, competition-wise!"

[User] "A shame."

[Assistant] "Lene, Aleah, give it your all."

[User] "Leave it to us, Rae."

[Assistant] "I’ll do my best, Mother!"

[User] The two reassured me and entered the kitchen.


[User] “Sister Lene, Aleah, go get them!” May cheered ardently from the stands, watching her dear sister with excited eyes.

[Assistant] “Why don’t you two give up and save face while you can?” The head chef taunted. His gaze was fierce.

[User] “Laugh while you still can.”

[Assistant] “We won’t lose.”

[User] They stood strong… Which means there’s no need to boo,May, My dear. That’s inappropriate.

[Assistant] “It’s now time to cook your entrées! Ready, set…cook!” As soon as Lana finished, both teams set about their work.

[User] “Well, would you look at that? The Bauer team has quite the cute chef with them!”

[Assistant] “According to our data, Aleah is only six years old, but she’s already a talented cook.”

[User] “Really? Well, let’s see what she’s got!”

[Assistant] I might have been the one to add her to the team, but I still had some concerns about how she’d perform under pressure. But as far as I could see, she was doing just fine. Lene played the role of lead chef while Aleah did an excellent job of supporting her. As my daughter’s cooking teacher, I was proud.

[User] “Hey, you!” the head chef suddenly called.

[Assistant] “Me?”

[User] “Yeah, you! I thought it weird yer entire team was just a bunch of brats, but then ya bring out an actual child?! Ya all tryna mock me or somethin’?” he yelled.

[Assistant] “I may be young, but I’m a proper cook who’s been entrusted with the kitchen at home plenty of times. Don’t you think you’re setting yourself up for embarrassment by mocking me?”

[User] “Damn brat…” The head chef trembled with rage and shame.

[Assistant] Yeah! You tell him, Aleah!

[User] “Let’s take a look at what our competitors are doing! First off, the imperial team is… Oh? They seem to be preparing a long skewer!”

[Assistant] “Ah, I see what the head chef’s tryin’ to make.”

[User] “Ohhh, I think I know what you mean!”

[Assistant] “Yeah. It’s been all the rage in the streets lately.” I watched as the head chef took thin cuts of beef and beef tallow and skewered them, alternating between each. A giant kiln-like structure was being prepared for him. I had a sense of what he was making.

[User] “And what about the Bauer team?”

[Assistant] “My, looks like they’re usin’ beef and asparagus. I can guess what they’re making too.”

[User] “Wow, that’s a pro for ya! You haven’t been in the business for thirty years for nothing!”

[Assistant] “You flatter me.”

[User] “Things are getting heated! Once again, this event is sponsored by Frater Trading. Frater Trading: We’re there for you.”

[Assistant] That sponsorship stuff was seriously spoiling the mood. Although, I supposed it wasn’t spoiling Lene’s, who was currently all smiles.

[User] “Aleah, how’s the meat?”

[Assistant] “It’s ready! Please check it!”

[User] “Looks good. The soup is done too.


[User] "Let’s put them together and let it simmer."

[Assistant] “Yes, Sister Lene!” Aleah was working hard under Lene’s guidance.

[User] Claire and I watched worriedly from our seats.

[Assistant] “Both teams have finished their entrées!”

[User] “Let’s see what our judges think! Starting with the imperial team’s dish, we have… Wow, what’s this?” The imperial chefs brought over a huge chunk of meat that had been cooking in the kiln. The smell of spices wafted heavily through the air, eliciting a rumble from a stomach next to me.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire?” I asked tentatively.

[User] “Y-you’re hearing things. There’s no way I’d react to the enemy’s cooking.”

[Assistant] “You sure? That dish is genuinely delicious.”

[User] “You’ve eaten it before…?”

[Assistant] “Yes.” In my past life, that was.

[User] “Traitor.”

[Assistant] “I’ll make it for us at home some time. A smaller version that’s easier on our budget, of course.”

[User] Now, back to the main show.

[Assistant] “What we got here’s called doner kebab!”

[User] “I’ve been dyin’ to make it myself for a while now, seein’ how popular it’s been in the capital. You can eat it with veggies between some bread, but this time, I’m servin’ it up as is—just meat and spice!” His line chefs held the huge chunk of meat as the head chef carved away at it with a long knife. Dishes like these weren’t just a feast for the taste buds but a feast for the eyes as well.

[Assistant] “Now, judges, please try your dish!”

[User] “It’s delicious. I’ve been wanting to try this ever since I heard about it a while back. A bit spicy.”

[Assistant] “The beef tallow seems to be the critical component. I can’t get enough of the juices.”

[User] “Mm-hmm, it’s good.”

[Assistant] Once again, a favorable impression. Despite his obnoxiousness, the head chef was indeed a formidable chef.

[User] “And now for the Bauer team’s entrée!”

[Assistant] “Our dish is veal and white asparagus soup,” Lene said as Aleah laid out the dishes.

[User] “We roasted the tender veal to bring out its flavor and combined it with the Nur Empire’s traditional white asparagus soup. We hope you enjoy its simple taste.” Pieces of veal shimmered in the white soup, and the aroma of rich butter mixed with that of seasonal white asparagus. It wasn’t as flashy as the doner kebab, but it did have a certain elegance—one that made you want to correct your posture in your chair.

[Assistant] “Now, to the tasting!”

[User] “This is…delicious! It tastes nostalgic, like the pie, but also somewhat original…”

[Assistant] “Ah, the taste of spring… White asparagus certainly is a must in this season.”

[User] “This is good but too little. Can I have more?” The dish was raking in the praise. That was Lene for you. She wasn’t just canny—she also had the skill you’d expect from the proprietress of an up-and-coming trading company.


[User] "It’s time for the results! A loss here is a nail in the coffin for the Bauer team! Will they hang in there?" Lana said. Another drum roll. The judges raised their placards, revealing—

[Assistant] "One vote for the Nur Empire! Two votes for Bauer! The Bauer team takes the round! Woo-hoo!"

[User] "An unexpected result." Marthe commented.

[Assistant] All right! We’re tied now!

[User] "Let’s see why everyone voted the way they did, starting with Philine!"

[Assistant] "The kebab was delicious, but I think the soup had a more elegant feel that matched the theme of formal dining."

[User] "I enjoyed the seasonal taste and elegance of the soup, but the deciding factor was the fattiness of the kebab, which was a bit too much for an older gentleman like myself."

[Assistant] "Uh-huh, I see, I see! How about Your Majesty?"

[User] "The kebab was simple and tasty. That’s how I enjoy my food."

[Assistant] Close call—if Josef hadn’t been an older man, we might not have won.

[User] "Thank you very much! Looks like we’re tied now. Things sure are getting interesting, aren’t they, Marthe?"

[Assistant] "Yes, the Bauer team is doin’ better than I expected. That little girl—Aleah, I believe her name was? She did pretty well earlier. We can expect good things from her in the future."

[User] "Glowing reviews from a thirty-year veteran in the field! You’re going places, kiddo!"

[Assistant] "Th-thank you very much!" Aleah replied nervously. Things hadn’t been going great at school for her, what with May being shown favoritism and all. With any luck, this would give her some much-needed confidence.

[User] "Humph. Ya guys got lucky, but don’t count on it a second time!"

[Assistant] "The next round is the last, huh? Please don’t go too hard on us." I said.

[User] "Dumbass, what’s the fun in holdin’ back? No good citizen of the empire holds back in a fight!" The empire sure doesn’t hold back with their warmongering either. Sheesh.

[Assistant] "It’s now time for the last match: desserts! Don’t change the channel yet—you won’t wanna miss this one!" Lana said. Of course, by “channel,” she was referring to the wind magic channel being used for the live coverage. It had nothing to do with my world’s modern-day television.

[User] "This event is sponsored by Frater Trading. Frater Trading: We’re there for you." Again? Really?


[Assistant] "It’s about time for the grand finale! The score’s currently one-to-one with the imperial team taking the appetizer round and the Bauer team taking the entrée round! All that’s left is room for dessert!"

[User] "The dessert is the finishing touch on a three-course meal. The adage ‘all’s well that ends well’ couldn’t be truer here. Let’s hope they finish strong."

[Assistant] "You got that right! Once again, this commentary is brought to you by me, Lana Lahna, with expert analysis by Marthe Borel. Let’s give it our best ’til the end, Marthe!"

[User] "Yes, let’s."

[Assistant] We’d managed to tie. All that remained was the dessert round.


[User] Our chances of winning were now fifty-fifty—perhaps less, considering we were up against pros.

[Assistant] “Ya ready to end this?” Claire glares daggers at the head chef.

[User] “Are you?” Claire glares back. Of course, the one actually doing the cooking would be Joel and Frieda.

[Assistant] “Good luck, you two.”

[User] “We got this.”

[Assistant] “Pas de problème, on s’en occupe! Leave it to us!” The two responded reassuringly. The ever-composed Joel and Frieda the unstoppable bulldozer—if they were nervous, they sure didn’t show it.

[User] “It’s time for the final round of the cook-off! Ready, set…cook!” Lana says, beginning the final round.

[Assistant] “Joel, Frieda, try your best!” May cheered from the stands with the last of her energy.

[User] Joel returned with a slight nod.

[Assistant] Frieda sent her a wink.

[User] “Let’s start off by checking in on the imperial team, like before!”

[Assistant] “Interesting—it looks like they’re cracking eggs and separating the yolks from the whites!”

[User] “I see someone grindin’ almonds too. Even I don’t have a clue what they’re making. It looks like we’re seein’ some new innovation to match the times.”

[Assistant] “Embracing new things is very much in the spirit of Nur! Will the head chef show us that same spirit as a chef of the Nur Empire, right here, right now? !” From what I could see, the head chef was separating the yolks from the whites to whisk the latter into a meringue with an eggbeater.

[User] “Now, then, why don’t we take a gander over at what the Bauer team is doing? Oh, what’s this? They seem to be using eggs just like the imperial team!”

[Assistant] “It looks like that boy is making a custard while the girl is working on cookie dough.”

[User] “Do you have any idea what they could be making, Marthe?”

[Assistant] “I believe so. There’s a runnin’ theme across their dishes, after all.”

[User] “Really? What is it?”

[Assistant] “Oh, you’ll see soon enough. That head chef might get the carpet pulled out from under him yet.” That was the cafeteria lady for you. Her thirty years in the culinary business weren’t just for show—she realized what was going on. We just had to pray the judges realized it too.

[User] “Frieda, is the dough done?”

[Assistant] “Oui! Should I put it in?”

[User] “Go for it.”

[Assistant] “Roger that!” I’d had some doubts about whether the mismatched duo could work well together, but it seemed they did just that without a problem. Joel gave the orders while Frieda provided support, although their personalities might have made one think it would be the other way.

[User] “We’re approaching the end of the end here! Let’s watch as our contestants put on the finishing touches!” Lana announced.


[User] “Bake’s done!”

[Assistant] “Plate’s ready, head chef!”

[User] “Frieda, cream and mint!”

[Assistant] “Oui!” Finally, both teams finished their desserts. “To the judges, starting with the imperial team!”

[User] “What we’ve got here’s our own take on a dessert known as dacquoise, from the fallen western country of Reims." The head chef explained.

[Assistant] “And what about the Bauer team? !”

[User] “We’ve made an everyday, run-of-the-mill sweet. If I had to name it…it’d be an egg cake with chocolate cream, I guess."

[Assistant] “For the last round, please try both dishes at the same time! Feel free to start with whichever you like!”

[User] “Oh, I see…” The three judges tried the two types of cakes.

[Assistant] “Hm, how clever…” Josef said thoughtfully.

[User] Dorothea said nothing.

[Assistant] “All right, it’s time to crown our winner! Judges, get ready to raise your placards for the dessert you think was best! Let’s find out who the goddess of victory will smile upon in three…two…one!” A third drum roll.

[User] “Zero votes for the Nur Empire! Three votes for Bauer! It’s the Bauer team’s victory! Yahoo!” The result…?

[Assistant] “I figured as much. Congratulations, Bauer team,”


[User] We won. It had been a gamble, but the risk had paid off. We’d gotten our point across.

[Assistant] “We did it, Rae.” Claire put her hand on my shoulder.

[User] I looked around to see everyone else wearing looks of triumph and relief. It might have been a close match, but it had been a good one, nonetheless.

[Assistant] “What in the blue blazes?! That’s impossible!” There was still a sore loser left. “How could my new recipe lose to some old-fashioned egg cake?! I ain’t tryin’ ta be a bum here, but I’m gonna lose sleep if I don’t get a real reason why!” The head chef slumped down in his chair, adamantly refusing to acknowledge our victory.

[User] “Your behavior is unsightly, Chef,”

[Assistant] “The match is over. You lost.”

[User] “I mean no disrespect to Your Majesty, but when it comes to food, I’m the expert here, and I just know there’s no way my cookin’ could lose!


[User] "I won’t accept this outcome until I hear a satisfactory explanation!" It was a testament to the head chef’s pride in his work that he dared address the much-respected Dorothea this caustically. No ordinary person would dare talk back to her.

[Assistant] "Humph. You really don’t understand why you lost?"

[User] "Not one bit!"

[Assistant] "Care to explain then, Rae Taylor?"

[User] "Umm…" I hesitated. Would an explanation from me really convince him? Still doubtful, I was about to reluctantly begin when—

[Assistant] "Pathetic… It’s ’cause yer like this that you’ll never be as good as yer father!" A voice rebuked the head chef.

[User] "M-Mama…"

[Assistant] "Ya went and got yerself a nice lofty position as head chef, only to make an arse of yerself now?"

[User] "Sh-shut it! I ain’t buyin’ these results! It don’t make sense that my cookin’ lost, and ya know it don’t!"

[Assistant] "No, I get why ya lost. What ya cooked wasn’t the Nur Empire’s food. Ain’t that right, judges?" The judges all nodded at Marthe’s words.

[User] "What…? What do you mean?!"

[Assistant] "Think back to the dishes the Bauer team presented. Onion and bacon pie, white asparagus soup, egg cake… They have been improved upon, but they are all traditional dishes of our proud empire."

[User] "Ah…" Dorothea’s words finally made him understand. This was the condition I’d given everyone at the start—to make new dishes based on the empire’s existing ones.

[Assistant] "Your cooking was delicious. But that was all. On the other hand, the Bauer team’s were all reimagined dishes that I could still proudly call the empire’s. The pie was zwiebelkuchen. The soup was spargelsuppe. The cake, eierschecke. Do you understand why you lost now?"

[User] "Every country struggles to find food they can proudly present as their own. Your culinary skills are by no means inferior. To be able to make what you did today after living and working in the empire’s stagnant culinary world for so long is amazing. However—"

[Assistant] "What’s expected of us imperial chefs right now is cooking that we can show the world with our heads held high." Marthe finished what I wanted to say.

[User] "I…see… I get it now." The head chef hung his head.

[Assistant] I meant it when I said his skills were good. We’d need him if we wanted to shake up the empire’s culinary world from here on out, so I hoped this ordeal didn’t break his spirit.

[User] "Heh heh…"

[Assistant] "Um?" I looked at him.

[User] "Heh heh… Aha ha ha ha! Ya got me good."


[User] "I lost for real!" He started laughing madly before bounding to his feet like a rabbit. "Ah, jeez. No two ways about it. I lost. I thought the never-changin’ cuisine was the lamest crap ever, but the real lame one was me. Ya got me good." He smiled as though the debacle of moments ago no longer concerned him in the least.

[Assistant] "All right, I admit my loss. Yer all quite impressive, but I’m different now. I won’t lose next time, ya hear?"

[User] "There won’t be a next time. Cooking is your battle, not ours. Leave us out of it."

[Assistant] "Quittin’ while yer ahead? Can’t have that."

[User] "Instead of another cook-off, how about you help us change the empire’s cuisine? I ask again, will you help us?"

[Assistant] "That was the deal, wasn’t it? A man never goes back on his word." He extended his right hand—his knife-wielding hand.

[User] I shook his hand firmly. "I’m looking forward to working with you."

[Assistant] "Right back at ya!" And so, amidst the applause of the spectators, our cook-off came to a close. "This event is sponsored by Frater Trading. Frater Trading: We’re there for you."

[User] "Oh, give it a rest already."


[Assistant] "And there ya have it. This girl will be trainin’ you lot startin’ today."

[User] I cheered her on from the sidelines. You got this, Aleah!

[Assistant] "Head Chef, is this for real?"

[User] "Is what for real?"

[Assistant] "Are we seriously being taught by a little girl just because you lost some cook-off?"

[User] "Ya got a problem with that? !"

[Assistant] "I mean… We may be young, but we’re still proud chefs of the empire. So yes, I do have a problem with it."

[User] "Did ya not watch the cook-off?"

[Assistant] "No, I did. But from what I could tell, you didn’t really lose in terms of cooking skill but in terms of theme, right?"

[User] "Well, yeah…"


[User] "What do we have to learn from them, then? When it comes to the empire’s cuisine, we know far more than these outsiders."

[Assistant] "That is wrong." A voice suddenly said from the entrance.

[User] "Y-Your Majesty?! And Lady Philine." With the appearance of the Empress and the imperial princess, the chefs all dropped to a knee and bowed, starting with the head chef.

[Assistant] "As you were. I care not for formalities."

[User] "Has everyone been well?"

[Assistant] "You insist you have nothing to learn from this young girl, but that is wrong. The head chef and the other experienced chefs will handle improving the empire’s formal cuisine. You greener chefs will instead focus on introducing new dishes to the empire. Aleah here is Rae Taylor’s student and is well versed in a variety of new dishes." The young chefs looked at Aleah again, who was standing as imposingly as she could with her arms crossed, chin raised, and a smug look on her face.

[User] "But surely Miss Rae would be a better teacher?"

[Assistant] "Rae is busy with other matters… Or do you mean to say you are dissatisfied with my decision?"

[User] "N-no, not at all!"

[Assistant] "I realize you have your pride, but you must swallow that pride for the sake of the empire’s future. Philine and I shall join you as well."

[User] "Your Majesty?!"

[Assistant] Dorothea ignored the shocked chefs and walked over to Aleah. Philine followed behind, a bit flustered. "Aleah. Your performance at the cook-off was exceptional. I look forward to your lesson."

[User] "As do I." The two bowed their heads to the girl only half their height, further confounding the chefs.

[Assistant] "Understood. But your dress is unacceptable."

[User] "Hm? Is there a problem?"

[Assistant] "Yes. In what world do people cook while wearing armor?"

[User] "I see. I shall take it off then." Dorothea touched the imperial crest on her pitch-black armor, causing it to disappear.

[Assistant] "Wha—Your Majesty?!"

[User] "Your Majesty, that is unbecoming of a lady. Please put this on at once."

[Assistant] "I doubt my body is anything to look at, but I suppose you are right." Dorothea put on the chef uniform Philine had brought with her, allowing us to finally continue.


[User] "As I said, Philine and I shall learn to cook with you all. I once considered cooking a useless pursuit, but the cook-off has me thinking otherwise. Good food is good."

[Assistant] The chefs cheered.

[User] "I personally chose Aleah as my instructor. I will brook no objections. Learn what you can from her," Dorothea said with a tone of finality.

[Assistant] The chefs still seemed a little reluctant, but they accepted Aleah’s position.

[User] "I shall now begin my cooking lesson. But first, one thing." Aleah cleared her throat, then sternly stated, "You must call me Ms. Aleah from now on. And when you address me, you must start and end with Ms. Aleah."

[Assistant] Oh dear. I buried my face in my hands. This was definitely my fault—and Lene’s. You might recall that when Lene was at the Royal Academy, she taught us something called the Way of the Maid in preparation for the cross-dressing café, during which some ominous switch was flipped within herself. It seemed Aleah had flipped a similar switch just now. Before we’d come that day, Lene and I had crammed as many new recipes from Frater and Broumet as we could into Aleah’s head. At that time, however, Lene had completely reverted to the strict “Ms. Lene.” My guess was that Aleah now believed this was the standard approach to teaching.

[User] "Is such a thing necessary?"

[Assistant] "At the start and end, Your Majesty."

[User] "Ms. Aleah, is such a thing necessary, Ms. Aleah?"

[Assistant] "It is in order to uphold mutual respect between teacher and student."

[User] "Ms. Aleah, I see, Ms. Aleah." Dorothea seemed to find it amusing and played along.

[Assistant] Everyone else wore looks of protest, but how could they object when the Empress herself obeyed?

[User] "I shall now begin my cooking class. What do you say?"

[Assistant] "Ms. Aleah, yes, Ms. Aleah!"

[User] "I can’t hear you!"

[Assistant] "Ms. Aleah, yes, Ms. Aleah!"

[User] "Good. Let’s start with the most basic of basics: how to cook rice." And with that, the young chefs of the empire began their lesson with Aleah.


[Assistant] "Do you sincerely believe you can make fondant au chocolat like that? Measuring your ingredients perfectly is of utmost importance in confectionery work! Measure that chocolate like your life depends on it!"

[User] "Ms. Aleah, yes, Ms. Aleah!"

[Assistant] "You mustn’t cut bread with an ordinary knife! Cut it with a bread knife after warming it over a flame!"

[User] "Ms. Aleah, yes, Ms. Aleah!"

[Assistant] "Use more fresh cream for the crème brûlée! Are you trying to make pudding?!"

[User] "Ms. Aleah, yes, Ms. Aleah!"

[Assistant] Aleah’s lesson involved a lot of shouting, but it progressed smoothly. Dorothea and Philine both tried their best to follow along. Dorothea seemed to be enjoying herself—Philine, not so much. She occasionally glanced at me as though to complain. Oh dear… The lessons went on for a few days.


[User] By the last one, the light had faded from everyone’s eyes as they droned, “Ms. Aleah…yes…Ms. Aleah…” I decided to pretend I wasn’t seeing any of it. Dorothea seemed unaffected. “Hmm… Perhaps Aleah has brainwashing magic that exceeds mine?” she mused. My ears just so happened to fail me as well.

[Assistant] “One, two, three. One, two, three—ow!”

[User] “I’m so sorry, Miss Claire!” I hurriedly apologized, having stepped on Claire’s foot. How many times did that make? I felt terrible.

[Assistant] “It’s fine, Rae. You’ll get the hang of it soon enough.” She said with a bright smile.

[User] We were in the Imperial Academy’s dance hall. A spacious room with sakura wood flooring and mirrors lining each of the four walls, it was typically reserved for dance classes. Presently, it was open for students to practice in after school, in preparation for the ball. Lana, Eve, and Philine were also with us. Philine watched with envious eyes as Claire taught me.

[Assistant] Don’t you know how to dance? You’ve been an imperial princess all your life!

[User] “Perhaps I should just be a wallflower at the ball.” I said, thoroughly demoralized. Even Claire’s instruction couldn’t salvage my horrendous dance skills.

[Assistant] “What are you saying? Do you intend for me to dance alone?” she replied.

[User] “Well, no…” I did want to dance with her, but at this rate, I would just be stomping Claire’s feet flat.

[Assistant] “Why not dance with me instead, Claire? !” Philine’s hand shot up as though to say ‘Pick me, pick me!’

[User] “I wouldn’t mind dancing with you after Rae.”

[Assistant] “No fair…”

[User] “Forgive me, Philine, but Rae is my significant other, you see.” Claire accompanied these words with a dazzling smile. That confirmed it—she was an angel, no doubt about it.

[Assistant] “Hey, Rae? How do I make Claire fall for me?” Philine asked.

[User] “I feel like that’s not something you should ask Miss Claire’s lover.” I answered. What made her think I would answer such a question?

[Assistant] “Why not? Who better to ask than somebody who has already succeeded in winning Claire’s heart?”

[User] “I can’t tell if you’re being logical or just plain stupid…” Philine should have been a lot smarter than this, but it seemed whenever Claire got involved, she became something of a ditz.

[Assistant] “Is it breasts?” she asked.

[User] “Just who do you think Miss Claire is? A perverted old man?”

[Assistant] “There isn’t a soul in this world who hates a beautiful bosom, male or female. Oh, I see. It can’t be breasts…mm-hmm, nope.”

[User] “Where were you looking just now?”

[Assistant] “Whatever do you mean?”

[User] “Oh, so we’re doing this, then?” If it was a fight she wanted, it was a fight she would get! Kidding, of course.


[User] “Haven’t you two been getting along rather well without me lately?” Claire said, a bit glassy-eyed.

[Assistant] “My, are you perhaps jelly, Miss Claire?”

[User] “I am indeed.”

[Assistant] “Huh? You’re just up and admitting it?”

[User] “I see no reason to hide my jealousy when I love you so.” Gah, so precious.

[Assistant] “Are you doing this to me intentionally?” Philine asked mournfully.

[User] “Ah! Forgive me, Lady Philine.”

[Assistant] “It’s all right. It must’ve taken Rae a while to earn your love to such an extent. I just need to take my time and do the same.”

[User] “Um, no. Like I’ve said, I’m not looking for a second partner.”

[Assistant] “I’m. Not. Listening!” Philine covered her ears and shook her head. She’d definitely been ditzier than usual of late.

[User] “I think your dancing’s, like, loads better than when you first started, Ms. Rae! I’m sure you’ll learn to dance before Ms. Claire’s feet are squashed totally flat!” Lana joked.

[Assistant] "Are you not going to practice?" When I looked over toward her, I saw Eve practicing dance steps alone—without Lana.

[User] “Hm? Me? I’m…not good at this kinda stuff.” Lana’s expression clouded slightly, but she still smiled.

[Assistant] I wanted to ask what was wrong, but she continued before I could. "I may not be dancing, but I at least get to see Ms. Rae in a dress!”

[User] “Oh, so you’re not dancing at the ball?”

[Assistant] "No plans to. Oh, but maaaybe if you were to teach me, I might?”

[User] “Sorry, but I’ve got my hands full trying to learn myself.”

[Assistant] “Aha! No kiddin’!” Lana seemed to be her usual self. So what was with that brief change in her expression just then?

[User] “Eve’s fine practicing on her own. Even a know-nothin’ like me can tell she’s good.”

[Assistant] “Thanks.” She still seemed to hate me. I really would have preferred to be on her good side than her bad, but there hadn’t yet been a chance to clear up the misunderstanding between us.

[User] “Hey, Eve—”

[Assistant] “Focus, Rae. From the top again.”

[User] “Oh, yes.” Another opportunity to clear up our misunderstanding, gone with the wind. Alas.

[Assistant] “You’ve been practicing the first movement for a while now, but didn’t you two take dance lessons at all in Bauer?”

[User] "I figured Claire would be experienced, as she’s a noble.”

[Assistant] “I do have a wealth of experience with dancing, but the dances of the Nur Empire are slightly different from Bauer’s.”

[User] “Specifically, there are different roles for same-sex pairs.”

[Assistant] “Ah, I see.” As I’ve mentioned previously, the empire recognized same-sex marriage. Naturally, this meant they had dancing roles for same-sex pairs that differed from the traditional mixed-sex ones. What Claire and I were practicing right now was the one for two women.


[User] Since Bauer didn’t have such dances, we were both learning everything from scratch.

[Assistant] “That said, there’s quite a gap between you two. Claire is already accustomed to it, but Rae looks like she’s dancing for the first time.”

[User] “Miss Claire has far better motor control and more training than me.”

[Assistant] “I’m really nothing special, but dancing is certainly not a strong point of yours, Rae.”

[User] I’ve mentioned this before—around the time we practiced for the ceremonial dance—but this body was unbelievably awful at dancing. Even more so than my previous life’s body! That was simply how the protagonist of the original Revolution was written. My body was otherwise superb though, so I had no complaints.

[Assistant] “I see… But I’m a little envious of Rae getting to take lessons with such a lovely partner.”

[User] “Oh, but I’m sure you had a splendid teacher as well.”

[Assistant] “Yes, but they were very strict. Your teaching has far more love.”

[User] “You hear that, Miss Claire?”

[Assistant] “Yes. I teach with plenty of love, but I also remember to crack the whip sometimes.”

[User] Claire with a whip—could there be a better combination? Just putting it out there. But I’m not a masochist. Probably.

[Assistant] “Still, I’m happy to hear there’s an official same-sex dance.”

[User] “A lot of foreigners say the same thing.”

[Assistant] “If this were Bauer, we’d be met with strange looks.” I’d had a terrible impression of the empire during the revolution in Bauer, but now that I’d actually seen it for myself, I realized it wasn’t all that bad. I’d have to accept Dorothea’s offer, but if we lived in the empire, I could even marry Claire.

[User] “Miss Claire, do you want to marry me?”

[Assistant] “Pfft! Wh-wh-wh-wh-what are you saying all of a sudden?! Ah, I beg your pardon.” Claire made her first mistake, treading on my foot. Granted, my proposal had been a bit sudden.

[User] “Sorry, I was just thinking that if we became citizens of the empire, we could get married.”

[Assistant] “Are you the type to care about such formalities?”

[User] “Well, no. I guess not.”

[Assistant] “Then we can just stay as we are. No matter what the law might say, we’re partners. As long as we both agree on that and those close to us acknowledge it, I have no problem.”

[User] “Neither do I.” Thank goodness. We both felt the same way.

[Assistant] “Besides…”

[User] “Hm?”

[Assistant] “We promised May and Aleah we would return to that house, didn’t we?” She was right. Both we and the kids had promised the house we would “be back soon.” We couldn’t be getting too comfortable in the empire.

[User] “Thank you, Miss Claire.”

[Assistant] “You’re very welcome, Rae. Now, let’s continue.” We resumed our dance practice. I even felt as though I had improved somewhat.

[User] “To borrow your words, Rae… Get a room, you normies…”

[Assistant] I pretended not to hear Philine’s grumblings.


[User] "Uh, which way was it again?"

[Assistant] "Right, Rae. After turning right here, it should be soon to the left."

[User] "Aha ha, I didn’t know Ms. Rae was so directionally challenged!"

[Assistant] "What am I doing here?" Claire, Lana, Eve and I were on our way to pick out dresses for the ball. As always, the imperial capital was flooded with people moving hither and thither, with shops on all sides brimming with clientele.

[User] "I’m not directionally challenged; I just haven’t had time to look around and get my bearings."

[Assistant] "But didn’t Philine draw us a map?"

[User] "We just need to go past this and we’re there."

[Assistant] "Look, I never claimed to be directionally gifted." Wasn’t directionally challenged a bit harsh though?

[User] "Aha, you wouldn’t think it, but I’m actually pretty good with directions."

[Assistant] "Never been lost in my life, not even as a kid!"

[User] "Impressive."

[Assistant] "How are you with directions, Eve?"

[User] "Fine." She replied, cold as ever. She was always the impassive sort, but my presence seemed to make her even crabbier than usual. She normally never even consented to walk with me, but our circumstances had forced her hand. The cost of our dresses would be covered by Bauer, as attending the ball was considered one of our responsibilities as exchange students. While the others had already bought their formal wear for the ball, the four of us hadn’t, having been too busy with the cook-off. As a result, the treasurer of the exchange student group had pestered us to go shopping, bringing us to the present moment.

[Assistant] "A dress, huh?" Rae said sadly.

[User] "Why do you sound so depressed about it?"

[Assistant] "We’re shopping for dresses. Surely that’s a joyous thing?"

[User] "Yeah, yeah! And, while there’s a limit, it’s on somebody else’s dime! It doesn’t get better than this!" Lana crowed.

[Assistant] "You’re awful."

[User] "Huh? !" Lana protested.

[Assistant] It wasn’t that I didn’t get where they were coming from. Even I liked buying clothes, especially when I wasn’t paying for them. The problem was that I had to buy a dress. "I went with it at the time because you agreed to dance with me, but I really don’t like wearing skirts that much."

[User] "You’ve mentioned that before, but I just don’t understand why."

[Assistant] "Aren’t women who don’t wear skirts a minority?" With this world’s values so closely resembling that of medieval Europe’s, the standard lower garment for women was a skirt. Some artisans and farmers wore trousers, but in general, skirts were the norm.

[User] "Skirts are so breezy…" Rae complained.

[Assistant] "Well, aren’t trousers too tight?" Claire asked. Perhaps it came down to preference.

[User] "Could this perhaps…have something to do with your sexual orientation?"

[Assistant] "Huh? Uh, I really doubt that."

[User] "Really? But don’t men detest wearing skirts?"

[Assistant] "Er, perhaps, but I’m a woman." Oh, I saw what was going on.