The Cooking Princess - Chapter 28

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

The Princess Who Cooks

Episode 28

At Chloe’s request, the merchants took out all the items they had brought and introduced them.

Among them, what caught Chloe’s eye was none other than garlic.

‘This is it. If you’re human, you must eat garlic!’

Chloe tried to calm her heart that was ready to leap with joy.

The garlic was brought by the Rosettia Trading Company, which had brought not only tomatoes from the Eastern Continent this time, but also garlic and various other spices and ingredients.

‘What is the Eastern Continent, some kind of magic pouch? Why do so many useful things keep coming out of it?’

Perhaps thinking she was pondering over the unfamiliar ingredients, Cassel, the merchant prince of the Rosettia Trading Company, spoke to her fluently in the Luzhiere Empire’s language.

“This is a spice called ‘garlic.’ Adding a small amount to food makes the flavor very rich. It has a spicy taste, so it might be a bit unfamiliar in the Empire, but I think Your Highness would utilize it well.”

Being a spice and an item that had traveled a long distance, the price wasn’t cheap. Considering that it wasn’t a taste and aroma commonly preferred in the Empire, even more so.

Knowing this, Cassel seemed a bit nervous.

However, to Chloe, the value of ‘garlic’ was worth paying that much for.

‘I can make up for it with the refrigerator profits too.’

More than anything, Chloe had no intention of haggling over prices in this transaction.

Because there was something more important than that.

“I’ll purchase all the ingredients you’ve brought today.”

Cassel, who understood Chloe’s words, was so shocked he couldn’t close his mouth. Following that, Ruseppe, the deputy merchant prince of the Panna Trading Company who heard Cassel’s translation, also seemed to doubt whether he had heard correctly.

“I’ll also match whatever price you propose. Instead, I have a favor to ask.”

The merchants who heard Chloe’s generous proposal gaped in amazement. They had never dreamed that this young princess would step forward to buy all the items.

And she would even match all the prices.

While this might be an opportunity to make a huge profit, the profit-minded merchants had enough wisdom not to kill the goose that lays golden eggs.

They proposed prices by adding appropriate profit to the cost of the goods, and Chloe bought all the items as promised.

Of course, Chloe didn’t say she would buy all this without thinking.

‘These are all necessary things.’

The merchants had brought quite carefully selected ingredients, all of which could provide Chloe some breathing room in this culinary wasteland that was the Luzhiere Empire.

And the important thing to gain from this transaction.

“What favor can we do for you?”

“Please teach me how to make ‘naan.’ Besides this, I’d like to know recipes for foods commonly eaten in the Eastern Continent.”

The merchants gladly agreed and introduced the chef who had accompanied them this time.

Thanks to Cassel’s translation, she was able to obtain not only naan but also several recipes for various dishes.

While they didn’t meet Chloe’s standards, there were many dishes more excellent than those of the Luzhiere Empire. Some even felt similar to foods from her previous life.

“Your Highness really loves cooking.”

Cassel found it fascinating to watch Chloe passionately write down the recipes.

“What do you plan to do with these recipes?”

“I’m thinking of creating my own recipes, like using Eastern Continent spices in Luzhiere Empire dishes, or adding the Empire’s wine to Eastern Continent foods.”

Cassel listened with interest and then made a suggestion.

“In that case, when I visit next time, I’ll try to find and bring a chef who’s interested in the Empire.”

“Really?”

Chloe’s eyes naturally sparkled at Cassel’s suggestion.

“If you find me a chef, I promise to give that chef the best treatment. And of course, I’ll pay you handsomely as well, Cassel.”

“Haha, payment isn’t necessary. Please think of it as my bribe asking for good future business relations.”

The transaction concluded satisfactorily for both Chloe and the Eastern Continent merchants.

***

The results of the transaction were substantial.

‘Tomatoes, garlic, cloves, pepper, basil, oregano, olive oil…’

Besides these, various other ingredients and spices filled the kitchen storage.

Chloe immediately challenged herself to make pizza.

She removed the stems and mashed the tomato flesh well, then generously chopped garlic and onions.

She put olive oil, garlic, and onions in a pot and stir-fried them without burning, then added tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, and pepper to boil it all together.

Simmering it on low heat, the tomato sauce that Chloe knew well was completed.

‘Actually, the recipe itself isn’t complicated. The problem was not having the ingredients.’

But now that she had a place to source those ingredients, everything proceeded smoothly.

Next, it was time to make the pizza dough.

‘For this, I learned how to make chewy bread without yeast.’

The secret was yogurt.

Since it was difficult to make yogurt immediately in the Empire, the merchants sold all the yogurt they had brought to Chloe. Cassel promised to help her make yogurt directly through the chef he would bring next time.

Anyway, using the yogurt secured this time, she planned to make pizza dough utilizing naan.

She mixed flour, water, salt, and plain yogurt into a dough, then divided the dough mass and shaped it into rounds.

After covering it with cloth and placing it in a warm place, even though it didn’t puff up as much as with yeast, it achieved a somewhat fermented appearance.

She rolled the dough thin, and if she spread butter on it, it would become naan, but.

‘What I’m making is pizza dough.’

She skipped the butter and rolled it to an appropriate thickness to complete the pizza dough.

Though it seemed somewhat crude, it was decent enough to insist it was dough.

She spread the sauce she had just made evenly on the dough, then added toppings like mushrooms, bacon, corn kernels, and onions. The improved potatoes were included as well, of course.

Finally, she grated the type of cheese from this place that was most similar to mozzarella cheese, sprinkled it generously on top, and baked it in the oven.

“It’s complete!”

Having succeeded in making pizza, Chloe calmed her pounding heart and wrote a letter to Shuel.

It was a somewhat bold letter asking when she could have an audience, saying that the return gift for him was complete.

While taking etiquette lessons and business-related classes, Chloe constantly thought about and looked forward to the dishes she would serve,

and since the Garnet Estate was close to the Imperial Palace, the reply arrived incredibly quickly.

[Shuel Siclamene]

The content wasn’t much.

[To the honorable Princess of Garnet.]

[I am waiting in anticipation of the Princess’s return gift, so I permit you to come to the audience chamber as soon as you receive this reply.]

Though it was brief content, Chloe couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the letter that clearly conveyed Shuel’s anticipation.

“Pfft.”

“Hm? What’s the content that makes you react like that?”

The Duchess, who had been tense because a letter came from the Imperial Palace, asked curiously about the content due to Chloe’s sudden laughter.

“Oh no. His Highness the Prince has accepted my proposal.”

At Chloe’s words, the Duchess’s expression darkened.

“Then you have to go to the Imperial Palace again.”

She seemed to have inwardly hoped that Chloe wouldn’t head to the dangerous Imperial Palace.

“Yes, yes. I’ll have to go and come back again.”

Chloe’s face looked incredibly excited, despite knowing the Duchess’s feelings, so the puzzled Duchess asked.

“Is there a reason you’re smiling?”

“Oh. It wasn’t anything special. Just because.”

It really wasn’t anything special.

She could feel the earnest longing typical of someone that age who wants to eat delicious food from Shuel’s letter.

At the same time, she laughed because she felt that what she was doing wasn’t entirely pointless.

Even if others considered it pointless, hadn’t the Prince of the Luzhiere Empire acknowledged her cooking?

Chloe prepared to leave with a joyful heart and now familiarly boarded the carriage heading to the Imperial Palace.

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