CH 64

“It’s dragon cuisine.” 

When Ian opened the lid of the dish, everyone’s eyes widened. 

All present in the place peered inside with trepidation.  

It was only natural.

‘Did he really cook dragon meat?’ 

‘With that… that dragon?’

They still hadn’t erased the image of the dragon that appeared in the royal castle from their minds.

The royal guards, who usually boasted that they could even catch dragons, were quiet for the moment.

‘What, it can’t even be compared to a Lesser Dragon.’

It was the first time for a man to lose his will to fight just from a single roar. That’s why they were surprised that the Seventh Prince even brought such a fellow. 

‘I can’t believe you’re going to cook with it.’ 

‘We may be punished.’

They never dared do that.  

So the aristocrats and the royal guards secretly trembled. 

But regardless, Ian smiled for a purpose.  

“Hurry up and try it. Here’s the soup.” 

Ian kindly explained how to enjoy the dish, but the envoy’s hands only trembled and could not hold the spoon. 

The soup was transparent enough that the bottom of the bowl could be seen.

And it turned out to be an excellent royal hors d’oeuvre, but the content was…

‘T, that dragon earlier.’

The envoy’s face hardened. 

Ian deliberately made a bewildered expression seeing the envoy’s frightened appearance and quickly retracted his smile.  

“I’m sorry. They say the Cantum Empire doesn’t touch any food unless it’s fresh dragon meat.” 

The envoys of this Cantum Empire did not have a good reputation.  

There were several large and small countries around Kaistein, all of which were poor countries where dragon meat couldn’t be served every time.  

Still, Kaistein was a powerful country, so they were fine, but the neighboring countries were greatly humiliated.

Anyway, those countries were better than the eastern empire that took away Kaistein’s land in the past. 

Cantum, who had recently been riding the tide and playing empire, had their nose too high in the air. 

However, Ian pretended to be clueless and made an apologetic look to the envoy. 

“He’s an energetic guy specially airlifted for the Cantum Empire’s envoy. Maybe it’s just that the previous appearance terrified you…”

“Oh, no! No way! I’m so thankful to receive this kind of hospitality from you, Your Highness!” 

Finally, the envoy lifted the spoon. While everyone else held their breaths, only Ian smiled.  

*** 

Of course, cooking a dragon didn’t work that quickly. 

Therefore, a few hours ago.  

Ian had no choice but to say this to the king and the envoy.  

“I will cook the dragon dish until dinner time.”

And Ian thought he would hear bad things for keeping them waiting.

Rather, the people who were there were astonished. 

He unexpectedly could make it that quickly. 

This was only possible because of the words of the envoy who ate the dishes of the First and Second Princesses. 

“Dragon meat needs to be cured. But can it cure that quickly?” 

“There is no need for curing. The likes of wyverns and drakes may have to be cured due to their unpalatable taste. They say that the dragon meat itself is excellent.” 

“Who said that?” 

“Dragon.” 

“…!?” 

It wasn’t the only thing. 

“I’m going to cook two dishes for you. I want to give the envoy various things to enjoy. Please look forward to it.” 

In the end, the nobles from other factions had no choice but to give Ian a frightened look.  

They came to watch Ian make a mistake, but it seemed like they would collapse again at the sound of the dragon roaring next to them.

But regardless, Ian went into the kitchen, and it was this transparent soup that was served.

And at the present. 

The envoy eventually put Ian’s soup in his mouth with his eyes closed tightly.  

He even felt like he was being punished, but at that very moment.

“…!” 

After swallowing the soup, the envoy flinched at the taste he had never had before. Ian creased his brows seeing the expression of the envoy. 

“Do you not like it?” 

But the envoy shook his head in amazement. 

“No…! It tastes very fresh! It’s delicious. There seems to be a strange power springing out of it!”

He didn’t lie. 

The soup was transparent enough to look like water, but the taste was not as simple. 

It tasted like a whole dragon concentrated. 

He could feel a deep lingering aftertaste passing through the throat and heading to the stomach.

It was natural for the envoy to be intrigued. 

The nobles were stirred at his remarks, and even the king, queen, princes, and princess opened their eyes wide in surprise.  

‘Di, did he really use dragon meat?’ 

The envoy was the man who had accurately identified wyvern or drake meat. 

‘There’s no way the envoy won’t notice unless it’s a dragon.’ 

They might not know, but there was a unique smell that could only be found in dragon dishes.

It also came to their mind that people from the western empire ridiculed the Kaistein people for their ignorance. 

That was why they had no choice but to look at the food that Ian had served with bewildered eyes.

‘There’s no way he’d drug the thing he put out to the envoy.’ 

There was a high probability that it was genuine dragon meat. 

It was then. 

There were some people watching the scene as if they had butterflies in their stomachs.

They were none other than the chefs standing behind Ian. Well, they had no choice but to do so.

‘That’s not dragon soup no matter how you look at it!’

It was because the chefs knew the production process. 

Regardless, Ian dragged those chefs out. 

“Then I’ll serve the next dish right away.” 

The place Ian headed for was none other than the back garden of Opal Palace. 

And Ian’s precious dragon was there, under the thorough surveillance of the knights.  

“Well, Rio. Is everything well as you want?”

[Of course. It’s very nice here, young human.] 

Rio Banzaim looked truly content. 

How could he not? 

Splash splash.

It was because he was taking a foot bath now. 

That was also why the human chefs put great effort into washing his body and feet.

Of course, Rio Banzaim was not without any complaints. 

[It’s been a hundred years since I’ve been washing, so I’d like my whole body to go into it.]

“It won’t take a day or two to get such a big barrel.” 

Besides, how much water would they need to heat up that much water? 

However, the chefs and knights, who listened to the conversation between the two, were disgusted. 

‘He said he would make the broth for the dish with that dragon, but no way…’ 

‘Of course, he said it was a footbath broth, but… a footbath, a dragon footbath.’

Even the unrivaled Nathan seemed unable to manage his expression this time.  

Their reactions were understandable.  

All the broth they were going to eat as the main dish today was simmered from the dragon. 

Of course, the soup that went out first as the appetizer was a little different, so the dragon was worried.  

[Was that really enough?] 

The dragon was munching on fodder. He did it because Ian told him to. 

He couldn’t believe Ian was going to use this for an appetizer. 

[I can’t believe it’s the food that I chewed. Have human eating habits changed without my knowledge? Isn’t this too much?] 

But Ian only curled up his lips instead of answering. He wasn’t going to do anything good for the empire in the first place.  

Hence he said. 

“It’s the same dish as a swallow’s nest made with swallow’s saliva. Rather, dragon’s saliva, also called dragon pond, is treated as much more precious than sperm whales in the west. It is something the gourmets will die for just from smelling the aroma.” 

[I see.] 

It was a normal dish in its own way.  

Well, it took a long time to boil it with various ingredients, but it was not a big deal. It was thanks to the help of Rio Banzaim. 

Fwooshh! 

The flames directly spewed by the dragon.

They were able to create a deep taste by boiling the dragon’s saliva with it. The mana of the dragon, like the flame, was mixed to bring forth a strong smoky flavor. 

Ian shrugged his shoulders. 

“Well, people will be satisfied just by it being related to dragons.” 

And seeing the laid-back Ian, the knights asked with concern.

“It’s a relief that we didn’t shed any blood, but are you sure this is okay, Prince?” 

“Yes, it doesn’t matter. Its content is the only problem, but the best royal chefs are confident to have brought out the dish’s taste.” 

“But…” 

“You should try it, too. It’s already a great dish on its own. Who knows, maybe it could be healthy food for knights who can use magical power.”

At those words, the three knights’ faces hardened. Was he telling them to try what they had seen so far?

“N, no. I still have motion sickness from the flight.” 

“M, me too…” 

Ian turned to the chefs as if it were okay.  

“Have you finished preparing the main dish?” 

“Of, of course. But can we really afford this?”

“Well, ignorance is bliss.” 

The chefs swallowed their saliva seeing the gleam in Ian’s eyes.  

The dragon might be excited to soak his feet in hot water, but they were different.  

In fact, the dragon also tilted his head. 

[Excuse me. Even though the broth is the same, why are my skins removed?] 

“We need some solid ingredients, too. We can’t make a clear soup twice, can we?” 

[What?] 

Ian smiled and served the main dish instead of answering. 

The food that Ian made this time. 

*** 

“This is knuckle bone soup.”

Everyone’s expression was worth seeing at Ian’s words. It was their first time seeing such a dish. 

Ian smiled inwardly.

‘It’s a dish you can’t see now. It will come out later when food becomes scarce due to the war with the Kingdom of Magicians.’

The ordinary knuckle bone soup was a soup made with one of the parts of a cow, or more specifically, the knee cartilage. 

But the current soup. 

“It’s a dish made by grilling the cartilage and shank of a dragon.” 

In reality, it was toenails that were thoroughly soaked. It could literally be called a pretend dragon soup. 

Of course, it wasn’t a lie. 

The broth was made after soaking the dragon’s feet for a long time. 

Ian said confidently. 

“I’m sure you’ll be satisfied.” 

The envoy, who had encountered almost all kinds of soup dishes, eyed curiously.  

But his interest was greatly piqued in whether the dish would be to his taste or not.  

So, the First Princess, who knew the taste of the envoy better than anyone else, frowned.  

It won’t be easy to match the taste of that envoy.  

‘There is no contact from the guys I sent to take a look.’

She ordered her subordinates to see what Ian did and where he was cooking.

But they were already being beaten by the knights. 

Of course, the answer was obvious if they didn’t come back, but the brothers glared at Ian. 

‘From the time he brought the dragon in the first place, the envoy’s attention was on the youngest.’ 

Now it was a matter that went beyond the scope of reception and food. 

Although the reason the envoy visited today was said to be celebrating the Seventh Prince’s legitimation ceremony…

‘The envoy came today for one purpose only.’ 

Ian, who couldn’t have known it, smiled and offered food to the nobles and brothers and sisters alike. 

“Try it. It’s a special dish that the youngest has worked hard to get.” 

Interested in the word ‘dragon meat,’ the nobles tasted the soup while glancing at each other, and the brothers and sisters stared at Ian with an indiscernible glint in their eyes.

The First and Second Princess bit their lips, the Fourth Prince looked in disgust, the Second Prince seemed like he would stab Ian to death, and the Third Prince appeared to be smiling but was clearly wary.  

It never occurred to their minds that the weak little boy would have served dragon meat so craftily. 

And finally, the brothers and sisters, who were keeping each other in check, put their mouths on the soup. 

“!” 

They flinched. They didn’t know what made it up, but it tasted better than they thought.  

And after some time passed.  

The nobles who tasted it all whispered in astonishment, and the envoy put down the empty bowl. 

“Thank you for the meal. Not only did I get to see a dragon in real life, but I was also treated to a meal.” 

The envoy thanked Ian as if this was beyond his expectations.  

In the first place, there was a saying that if it was a dragon above the Earth Dragon class, even the water in which the tail was soaked had a medicinal effect.

What wouldn’t make him pleased? 

“I heard rumors about you, Your Highness, but it was only the bad ones. I never imagined that you had the power to face a dragon.”

Ian smiled at the words. 

In fact, dragon meat was just a bait. Ian’s purpose was elsewhere. 

Sure enough.  

“Then we can get down to business from now on.” 

The envoy’s eyes turned to Ian.