The Cooking Princess - Chapter 70

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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 70

Chloe asked with joy at Shurya’s favorable reaction.

“Really?”

Shurya stared intently at the empty bowl that had contained the freshwater snail soybean paste soup, as if reluctant to let it go, while answering Chloe’s question.

“Yes. I’d love it if you could tell me how to make it… but that would be a bit rude, wouldn’t it?”

To know that asking a chef for their recipe could be rude. Chloe was deeply moved by Shurya, who even had such good manners.

“I’ll give you the recipe right away. But this has a distinctive smell that might be polarizing – is that okay with you?”

Telling her to have another bowl first, Chloe ladled out more freshwater snail soybean paste soup and even refilled her rice.

Shurya’s eyes sparkled as she watched the delicious food being served again.

“Of course. I’m sorry for being mean to you for no reason.”

Chloe felt that Shurya’s words were sincere and completely accepted her as a new foodie companion. She generously provided homemade soybean paste, peppers, freshwater snails, and even shared the complete recipe for the soybean paste soup.

She resolved that if the taste of soybean paste spread to the Temple thanks to Shurya, she would also teach her how to make fermented pastes.

Even after finishing their meal, the two continued talking for a while before returning to their respective manor and temple, and Chloe felt immense satisfaction.

***

After making fermented paste, Chloe’s culinary world expanded far beyond what it had been before.

Although she had introduced countless dishes to the Luzhiere Empire, her roots were still in family restaurants, so being able to create Korean cuisine based on fermented pastes greatly increased the variety of dishes she could make.

After making soybean paste, she went through many trials and errors to create soy sauce, red pepper paste, and even seasoned soybean paste.

Thanks to this, the people of the Garnet Estate were able to enjoy various dishes including bulgogi, spicy braised chicken, stir-fried pork, and pork belly lettuce wraps.

Shuel and Shurya were likewise treated to the new dishes Chloe developed, and before long they had grown so accustomed to Chloe’s cooking that other food no longer satisfied them.

And as Chloe had planned, the ingredients she discovered spread rapidly among commoners, centered around the servants of the Garnet Estate.

Fish, seafood, and chicken in particular became wildly popular among both nobles and commoners alike.

Chloe worked hard to promote refrigerators, but for commoners who were struggling just to make ends meet, refrigerators were luxury items.

However, fish could be preserved with salt or dried like dried pollack or croaker for distribution.

Therefore, they could serve as good protein sources for commoners too.

And nobles or wealthy commoners who could use refrigerators and freezers enjoyed fresh fish and seafood, and also distributed them conveniently by freezing.

‘It wasn’t that they didn’t want to eat it, they just couldn’t because it wasn’t available.’

Chickens were also quickly domesticated. They were easier to raise than pigs and cattle, laid eggs quickly and abundantly, and chicken eggs were much better quality than lizard eggs.

Whether for cooking or baking, using chicken eggs noticeably improved the quality of food.

While Chloe’s ingredients spread to commoners through the servants of the Garnet Estate, spreading among nobles was much easier.

Once Chloe hosted parties or gatherings to serve food and share recipes, changes appeared on nobles’ dining tables from the very next day.

Since Chloe consistently served food to Shuel, the Imperial Palace also learned Chloe’s recipes.

She also taught various recipes at the Temple’s Volunteer Service, and since Shurya also loved Chloe’s cooking, recipes spread rapidly at the Temple among both nobles and commoners.

Trade with the Southern Continent also became more active.

The ‘exchange’ between Chloe and the Southern Continent merchant guilds continued unchanged, but the Imperial Court also began conducting full-scale trade.

This was because when it became known that Chloe used many ingredients from the Southern and Eastern Continents in her cooking, demand from others surged as well.

Around the time Chloe’s influence was spreading throughout the Luzhiere Empire.

Chloe turned eighteen.

It was the age to formally have her debutante ball.

During this time, Claude had participated in every war there was, raising his stock. Thanks to this, Chloe was able to avoid encountering Claude frequently during sword training.

There was also the inauguration of the next Merchant Prince, but busy Chloe didn’t have the capacity to attend and only sent a congratulatory wreath.

Chloe agonized greatly over who to choose as her first debutante partner.

‘But among my peers, there’s no young man close enough to me to be my partner.’

On the other hand, casually asking Shuel, who was a prince, for such a thing seemed rude.

And someone like Shuel probably already had his partner decided.

Claude?

Not even worth considering. She’d rather enter alone or debut holding her father’s hand than go with him, Chloe thought as she suffered from a headache.

‘What am I really going to do.’

Her worries about a debutante partner only grew longer.

Chloe’s concerns continued even when she met Shuel.

As time passed, it wasn’t just Shuel visiting the Garnet Manor, but Chloe also began frequently visiting the Imperial Palace to see Shuel.

The war-obsessed Claude wasn’t often at the Imperial Palace anyway, and now Chloe didn’t need to just endure the tyranny of Claude or the Empress.

So while having tea time alone with Shuel in the Imperial Palace garden.

The conversation topic naturally flowed to the approaching first debutante ball.

Shuel asked Chloe with an unreadable expression.

“Since there have been many who courted the Duchess before, you must have already decided on your debutante partner?”

Unable to read Shuel’s intentions, Chloe couldn’t hide her awkwardness and answered honestly.

“No. I haven’t decided on a partner yet.”

When she grumbled that the date was approaching but she had no suitable partner, only then did Shuel’s face brighten a little.

“You haven’t? Why? With the Garnet Family’s authority and your reputation, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a partner.”

Chloe saw no reason to lie to Shuel, so she answered this honestly too.

“I want to postpone engagement or marriage for a while, so I’ve barely interacted properly with any men.”

At her frank reply, Shuel couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“If it wouldn’t be rude to you, I’d like to be your debutante partner.”

“Pardon?”

At Chloe’s questioning response, Shuel answered as gently as possible.

“I also haven’t decided on a partner yet.”

No matter how strong Claude and the Empress’s faction might be, Shuel was the only prince of the Luzhiere Empire.

That such a Shuel still had no partner left Chloe flabbergasted.

Whatever the reason, she couldn’t miss this good opportunity, so she quickly accepted Shuel’s proposal.

“Great! Then we need to coordinate our dress code properly, right? What color outfits should we wear together?”

At Chloe’s excited tone, Shuel also smiled contentedly and suggested.

“I think all colors suit you well, Duchess… but navy-colored clothes with bright white would be nice.”

Just hearing the color combination made her think of an elegant swan.

‘As expected of the original male protagonist, he’s really good at everything.’

She had a strange feeling that Shuel had been obsessed with white things from before, but she dismissed it as just her imagination.

“How about getting the dress fitted right away then.”

At that moment, Chloe was startled by Shuel’s sudden suggestion and asked back.

“Huh, what?”

“The Imperial Palace has fashion designers in residence, so I think it would be better for you to choose something you like here.”

Shuel’s suggestion to use the Imperial Palace designers rather than bothering to visit a dress shop or call in a designer made sense, but the sudden idea of getting a dress fitted right away made Chloe hesitate to decide.

Shuel, carefully observing Chloe’s flustered expression, added.

“I don’t plan to have anyone other than you as my debutante partner.”

“Ah…”

“It would be troublesome if you canceled on me.”

Logically speaking, even if Shuel later notified her that he couldn’t be her partner, Chloe would have nothing to say about it, yet he was showing such consideration.

‘How touching.’

He was deliberately being playful like this to put Chloe at ease.

‘Mother and Father would be happy if I told them I’m having the debutante ball with His Highness the Prince, right?’

Her parents, who had been deeply worried about not finding a suitable debutante partner for Chloe, would surely be very pleased to hear that she had become debutante partners with Shuel, who had always been kind.

“Alright! I’ll look at dresses here with Your Highness the Prince.”

“It’s my honor, Duchess.”

At that playful reply, Chloe also laughed a bit shyly.

“Not at all.”

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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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