Chapter 114: Intruding on Family Time
“Jean!”
The voices of three children called out my name in unison.
“Hello!”
“Welcome! Thank you for the other day; your knife was a great help!”
I caught each of the children as they rushed to hug me, and finally embraced their mother. If we were outside on the farm, I would have lifted the kids and spun them around, but I couldn’t do that inside the house.
“Wait. What do you mean it was a great help?”
“It’s just your imagination, just your imagination.”
“Hehe.”
I exchanged a light hug with Dinoss, who looked a bit suspicious. I wonder if the reason this family loves hugging comes from Dinoss or Shiva.
I had handed over the knife I had crafted to the mother. Well, it wasn’t really me; the butler had quietly negotiated for it, so the first item to leave the house is on the butler’s shoulders!
I had given it to her as a simple courtesy.
“Are you staying for dinner? Dinoss brought back a deer.”
“Yes, please!”
It’s been a while since I’ve had a meal prepared by her.
“Deer meat!”
“Finally, we can eat!”
Saying that, the twins suddenly charged at Dinoss for some reason.
They had marinated the deer meat in a mix of Naps, a distilled liquor made from herbs, and Juniper Berries, then roasted it. When I saw the dried Juniper Berries, they looked a bit dark. Were they originally a color like blueberries?
When I appraised them, it turned out they were used to flavor gin. Shiva even makes tea with them.
Juniper Berries have a very unique flavor. Despite having “berry” in their name, they taste nothing like strawberries or blueberries; there’s no sweetness or sourness. They have a strong aroma, a moderate bitterness, and a hint of spiciness. I’ve never had gin, but I imagine it tastes something like this.
“My wife’s cooking is delicious!”
As I said that, it was Dinoss’s job to grill the meat.
The living room’s fireplace is larger than mine since there are more family members. I don’t know its official name, but it has a grate for burning firewood, and the glowing coals that fall beneath are spread out with a poker before the meat is set on it. It’s that rotating thing.
When the meat is shaped like a steak, we sometimes place a grill on top of a trivet, but when it comes to roasting meat in the fireplace, we use a large iron skewer to spin it around!
Dinoss sat in front of the fireplace, grilling the meat while entertaining the children. Meanwhile, Shiva was preparing other things, and I was carrying plates.
Shiva took out the iron tray that caught the meat’s juices and mixed in cream to make the sauce. Is everything ready? The meat seems to be cooked just right.
“Here.”
I handed the carving knife to Dinoss; distributing the meat is the head of the household’s duty in this world.
“Hey. Wait, this…”
“You know the kids can’t wait!”
Shiva smiled brightly, not letting him finish.
In normal circumstances, the one with the most authority in the house is the wife. Just give up.
After Dinoss carved the meat, we said our thanks. The flavors of Naps and Juniper Berries blended perfectly, making it delicious.
“It’s delicious!”
The tender deer meat fell apart like muscle fibers, pairing wonderfully with the cream sauce. The side dish was baked broad beans with cheese? The boiled broad beans were sautéed with garlic and olive oil, seasoned with salt, and topped with goat cheese.
“The broad beans are a bit early for the season, but it’s the first harvest.”
As Shiva said, they seemed a bit small, probably because it’s still too cold for them to grow. But they were a beautiful jade color.
Apparently, cheese is generally made from winter milk. Summer milk has less fat and more bacteria, making it unsuitable for cheese production. The cheese from this time of year is fresh and still soft.
I’m not usually a fan of goat cheese, but this one is delicious. Maybe I could add some chili pepper to spice it up a bit, or black pepper… I should bring various spices to Shiva.
Food made by someone else is always delicious.
“Being here makes me want a family of my own.”
“Tina can be my wife!”
“I want a wife too!”
“Then I’ll be the husband!”
“No! No! No! Dad says no!”
Dinoss immediately protested.
“Eh?!”
“Ehh?!”
“Ehhh?!”
“Why?!”
“Why, why?!”
“Why, why, why?!”
The usual banter between Dinoss and the children began. I think they enjoy this exchange with Dinoss (Dad) more than anything else. The twins probably don’t even understand what’s going on.
“Oh dear.”
The children, having finished their meal, clung to Dinoss, who was still sipping the wine I brought.
“By the way, Ash is a woman, huh? Is that outfit Jean’s doing?”
“Yeah.”
I had altered Ash’s pants and tailored the shirt to cinch at the waist, making the hem longer. But since Ash tucks the shirt into her pants, I also made a vest.
From behind, she might look like a woman in disguise, but from the front, she resembles a slender man. I need to figure out how to fix that. Maybe it’s her chest or her intimidating expression that needs adjusting.
Will she become more feminine from now on? With her dignified demeanor and that personality, I can’t help but feel a bit anxious.