Chapter 21: Wurst
The business negotiations proceeded, and I was feeling quite pleased having obtained what seemed to be potatoes.
I bought the cursed items Benno brought and sold off the uncursed ones. He drove a hard bargain, and I sold them pretty cheap, but he’d gone to the trouble of coming all the way out to a remote place like this, practically an isolated island on land. I had to let him make at least a little profit. Merchants are sensitive to profit, after all.
Then, I ordered a few necessary items. The star of the next shipment will be chickens. I intend to start poultry farming here in the Baumgarten Territory. Well, truth be told, I’m mostly ordering them because I’ve got a craving for chicken and eggs. I’m sure Cornelia will like it too. Having eggs will expand our culinary repertoire, after all.
I was satisfied with our productive business discussion.
Then, I happened to glance to the side and saw Cornelia looking down, dangling her feet, clearly bored.
Damn it. I got too carried away. Letting Cornelia get bored like that… I’ve still got a long way to go.
“Ria, I’m sorry… Ngh…?!”
As I gently patted Cornelia’s head, she looked up and gave me a radiant, yet fleeting smile.
Guo?! Cornelia, you’re so cute, Cornelia!
Who was it?! Who was the fiend who neglected such an adorable girl?! What an utterly unbelievable act of folly! They’re definitely in for a stern lecture! No, that’s too lenient! Let’s just execute them!
…That would be me…
“Onii-sama, are you squirming…?”
“Pant, pant… Next, let’s buy something you like, Ria.”
“Really?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! Leave everything to your Onii-sama! It’s a bit sad I can’t say ‘anything you want,’ but let’s see what I can pick out for you from what’s available.”
“Okay!”
“Hohoho. You are a young yet capable Baron-sama, but it seems you have quite the soft spot for Cornelia-sama, don’t you?”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“Not at all. In fact, I am deeply moved to see a side of you that is so appropriate for your age.”
“Is that so…”
“Onii-sama, are you blushing?”
“Of course not. Now then, Benno. Do you have any wares suitable for Cornelia?”
Cornelia and Benno chuckled. What’s with them?
“Certainly, Baron-sama. However, while I do deal in items such as jewelry, I’m afraid I don’t have any with me today…”
There’s no way jewelry would sell in the Baumgarten Territory, which is famous for its poverty. So, I can understand his decision not to bring any in the first place.
But I see… I was thinking of gifting Cornelia some kind of accessory, so I feel like my enthusiasm has been dampened right at the outset.
“I hesitate to recommend this to the beautiful Cornelia-sama, but how about these?”
Saying that, what Benno took out were, surprisingly, preserved foods like sausages called Wurst, bacon, and cheese.
“I did wonder if food items would be appropriate, but since there are no cattle or pigs in this territory, perhaps these would be welcome as a delicacy?”
“Waaah!”
Though I’d had my doubts about food as a gift, Cornelia’s eyes were sparkling.
Cornelia is surprisingly a bit of a gourmand, you see. Benno’s skill in choosing food was admirable. Or perhaps, as the saying goes, ‘dumplings rather than flowers,’ Cornelia might not yet have developed an awareness of the opposite sex.
“Onii-sama! Which one should I pick? There are so many, I can’t decide!”
“Let’s see… In that case, we should just buy all of them. Benno, how much will it be?”
“There will be no charge. Please, accept all of them. Today has been a wonderful day, having made Cornelia-sama’s acquaintance, so please allow me to present these as a humble gift from myself.”
“Is that so? I’m grateful.”
“Benno-san, thank you—!”
“Not at all. The pleasure is all mine.”
Cornelia was beaming, a bright smile on her face.
Cornelia had eaten Wurst with such relish before, so she must be truly happy.
It wasn’t what I had planned, but if Cornelia is happy, then it’s all okay!
The bundled gift from Benno was almost as large as Cornelia herself. That was quite a lot. He probably threw in a little extra. Cornelia is delighted with it, so I’m very grateful.
“Yay, Onii-sama!”
“Yeah, that’s great, Ria.”
◇
“Waaah!!”
That evening at dinner, the Wurst promptly appeared on the table. What’s more, there were five whole Wurst, all of different varieties. It’s embarrassing to admit, but for our household, this was the most lavish meal we’d had, at least since I was born.
“It looks delicious, Onii-sama!”
“It does. Let’s dig in right away.”
“”Let’s eat!””
Unable to resist, I bit into a Wurst slathered with mustard. The casing snapped with a satisfying pop, and the rich, fatty juices instantly flooded my mouth.
It’s so delicious my tongue is practically tingling! I have Cornelia and Benno to thank for this!
“Delishush…!”
Cornelia’s face also lit up with joy.
I’ll have to work hard and earn enough so I can keep buying Wurst for Cornelia.
“Onii-sama, what’s this yellow stuff?”
“That’s mustard. It goes really well with Wurst, but it’s a bit sour and spicy. Try putting just a little on and see.”
“Okay!”
Cornelia, brimming with energy, is adorable, but her behavior isn’t quite fitting for a nobleman’s daughter.
I adore Cornelia, who’s as energetic and curious as a puppy, but if things continue this way, she’ll end up embarrassing herself.
Even Benno looked surprised by her today.
It makes me a little sad, but I should start her education on etiquette befitting a noble.
In that case, the teacher will have to be Anna, huh…
Ever since Cornelia received her Gift, Anna’s attitude towards her has changed conspicuously. For Anna, the presence or absence of a Gift must be the deciding factor in whether she considers someone a ‘person.’ Now that Cornelia has obtained a Gift, Anna acts as though Cornelia has finally joined the ranks of human beings.
And Anna’s attitude towards me has also changed considerably. I knew I was respected to some extent simply for being a noble, but now, it’s more than that—she treats me as if I were some kind of divine messenger.
At first, I thought she was just being deferential because she was afraid of being executed, but it seems that’s not it.
What is she thinking?
Before starting Cornelia’s education, it looks like I’ll need to figure out what Anna’s true intentions are.