The Cooking Princess - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Princess Who Cooks

Episode 11

“I’m so curious about the spices from the Conpa Kingdom. As long as they’re ingredients used for cooking in the Conpa Kingdom, I don’t mind what kind they are, so could I perhaps take a look?”

This wasn’t the time to be picky about hot or cold water. Whether the imported spices would be liked or disliked could be dealt with later.

‘Right now, increasing the variety of ingredients is the priority.’

After saying that, Chloe quickly added:

“Of course, I’m young and have no title, so it might be hard to trust me… but if you’d like, I can show you a few more dishes.”

She was already thinking of making various dishes with ingredients that could be found in this country.

“Hmm.”

The Merchant Prince seemed to ponder briefly before saying something, and Count Blair translated for him.

“He says he’d like to hear briefly about what kinds of examples there might be.”

“Among the food you served us, I’m talking about that red vegetable that was in the bean soup.”

“You mean tomatoes?”

“Yes. Those tomatoes would go well with meat and wine. If you cook them together, they’d make a delicious sauce or stew.”

Tomatoes.

With just tomatoes alone, the variety of dishes she could make would increase tremendously.

Though right now the wheat didn’t match 21st century quality and she’d have to improve various things.

‘To think there are tomatoes with almost the same taste as 21st century ones on the Eastern Continent. This alone is already a sufficient harvest.’

It didn’t matter whether the Merchant Prince accepted her proposal or not. Now that she knew there was a place to obtain ingredients, she could find ways to establish connections with the Southern and Eastern Continents through other opportunities.

Of course, if she succeeded this time it would be much easier in many ways, so Chloe enthusiastically proposed her ideas.

Count Blair tilted his head at the cooking method he was hearing for the first time, but still translated for the Merchant Prince.

After hearing the translation, the Merchant Prince grinned and nodded.

“Amazing idea. We cook with spices. We make alcohol from barley or wheat.”

The Merchant Prince spoke directly to Chloe in clumsy Imperial language without relying on translation.

“Luzhiere Empire wine is very expensive in our Conpa Kingdom.”

The Merchant Prince continued speaking slowly but clearly, taking breaks for difficult pronunciations.

“So expensive, we never thought to boil it with our spices.”

The Merchant Prince paused as if organizing his thoughts, then looked directly into Chloe’s eyes and smiled broadly.

“Princess, you are young. But very smart.”

“Ah, thank you…”

Chloe smiled awkwardly at the sudden compliment.

“No need to make new dishes. The drink from earlier was already delicious.”

“…!”

“Princess’s smart ideas, our ingredients. Add together, wonderful cooking comes out. I look forward to it.”

Having said that much, the Merchant Prince grinned and added:

“Deal is good. But don’t know how much yet.”

“Then…”

“I introduce trading companies. But only two.”

Being a practical man, he immediately called someone in the Conpa Kingdom’s language.

After having a long conversation with Count Blair in their language, the Count stood up from his seat.

“Haha, this fellow won’t let me listen either. I was curious about what amazing story he was telling.”

When Chloe stood up in confusion as well, Count Blair waved his hand.

“Stay seated. Since it’s a private deal there shouldn’t be any problems, but I still need to inform Her Majesty the Empress. I’ll speak tactfully about it though.”

“Ah, thank you!”

Indeed, Count Blair seemed to have noticed Chloe’s scheme. Still, seeing how he generously categorized it as a ‘private deal,’ it didn’t seem like it would be a big problem.

But the Merchant Prince seemed to take this deal seriously. Seeing how he even sent out Count Blair, an outsider, despite the language barrier.

And not long after, two men entered.

The men in exotic attire bowed their heads toward the Merchant Prince, and the good-natured Merchant Prince introduced the man standing on the right to Chloe.

“Ruseppe. Vice president of our Panna Trading Company. Our company is biggest in Conpa Kingdom. Has many spices.”

Vice President Ruseppe bowed his head toward Chloe and greeted her in clumsy Luzhiere language.

“Hello, Lady Chloe Garnet.”

“Hello.”

Chloe also warmly accepted the Merchant Prince’s introduction. To bring people to introduce right away like this. Perhaps the Merchant Prince hadn’t just intended to treat her to a meal from the beginning.

After that, the Merchant Prince chuckled heartily and introduced the man on the left to Chloe.

“Cassel. President of Rosettia Trading Company. Has many foreign goods.”

“Nice to meet you, Princess.”

The neatly dressed man greeted her. Perhaps because he traded frequently with foreign countries, he spoke Imperial language more fluently than the two people from Panna Trading Company.

“I mainly handle goods from the Eastern Continent. Since the Luzhiere Empire and Eastern Continent are far apart, if you’re interested in Eastern Continent goods, I’ll introduce them to you.”

“Rosettia Trading Company has many tomatoes.”

It was the Merchant Prince’s thoughtful consideration, quickly realizing that she had great interest in tomatoes.

That consideration was certainly effective!

Because the Luzhiere Empire and Eastern Continent were indeed very far apart and didn’t interact with each other.

In this situation, for Chloe to obtain tomatoes, she would have had to go through a truly arduous journey.

Rather than that, it would be easier to buy them all at once when importing goods from the Southern Continent, even if it was a bit more expensive.

Chloe promised to trade with Panna Trading Company and Rosettia Trading Company. Of course, it wasn’t official trade between nations, but personal activity for the Princess’s hobby of cooking.

Chloe established connections with the top trading companies of the Conpa Kingdom, and the trading companies also found new sales channels without Imperial intervention, even if the trade volume was small. It was a satisfactory deal for both sides.

***

‘Now I can go home, right?’

Just today alone, she had already met the Empress and even the delegation from the Conpa Kingdom, having tremendously long conversations. And she had cooked in between all that.

‘I wonder if Mother is waiting well.’

Thinking of the Duchess who would be waiting to go to Garnet Manor together after the audience ended, she felt anxious.

Before leaving, she entered the Empress’s Reception Room to give her final greetings to the Empress.

And there, instead of the Empress, Shuel was sitting.

“Ah, Princess Garnet.”

Seeing Chloe, Shuel’s face brightened.

“What were you doing here, Your Highness?”

“I was waiting for you, Princess.”

“Pardon?”

When Chloe blinked in confusion, Shuel smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

“The food you made today was really delicious too. You said you couldn’t make other dishes, but that must have been modesty. You’re really amazing, Princess.”

Feeling good from the child’s pure goodwill, Chloe smiled bashfully.

“I’m rather grateful to Your Highness.”

“To me? Why?”

To Shuel, who tilted his head as if he truly didn’t understand, Chloe answered without hesitation.

“Thanks to you speaking well of me to Her Majesty the Empress, I was able to come to the Imperial Palace and meet the delegation from the Conpa Kingdom to get a good opportunity.”

Hearing those words, Shuel pondered for a long time, even tilting his head as if he truly couldn’t understand, before answering her words.

“You’re joking, aren’t you, Princess? It was simply that your talent was amazing. I didn’t help at all, so there’s no need to thank me.”

Shuel seemed to simply think that Chloe was making modest remarks, but.

‘I’m being sincere. He doesn’t believe it.’

It wasn’t just that he didn’t believe it, but perhaps thinking that Chloe was intentionally covering for him, Shuel’s expression was sullen.

In the first place, it was a position she came to because Shuel had spoken well of her.

It was Chloe who had arbitrarily interfered when the Empress spoke badly about the Prince in such a position.

“If Your Highness hadn’t spoken well of me, it would have taken much longer just to come this far.”

Saying that, Chloe firmly grasped both of Shuel’s hands.

And facing him directly, she conveyed what she wanted to say clearly.

“I should have thanked you first, but I’m sorry for doing it late.”

Chloe’s intelligent and bright green eyes met Shuel’s clear golden eyes directly.

Flustered by this, Shuel’s pupils wandered here and there.

“…Y-yes. I’ll try to work as hard as you do, Princess.”

Unable to meet Chloe’s gaze, he answered in a voice that seemed to shrink.

Shuel’s ears had already turned bright red long ago.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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