Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 90

Chapter 90

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The next day.

I took the cookbook and visited the Deste mansion's kitchen.

This time, Uncle Pofina—once my fellow overweight comrade but now becoming the village's finest beauty—came along.

"Why do you keep getting prettier, Uncle?"

"My wife asks me that same question every morning with an annoyed look."

"And what do you tell her?"

"It's natural talent. I just neglected my appearance before."

"That's just asking for a beating, isn't it?"

But he still called her his wife.

Aunt Sesol, who had joined the gang to divorce Uncle Pofina, said she got a headache every morning watching her husband shave his scalp clean in front of the mirror.

'Still, they still call each other husband and wife...'

There are all kinds of couples in the world.

In the kitchen surrounded by undead employees, we prepared the food to serve the Grand Duchess of Stria.

Well, technically, Uncle Pofina did all the work.

"This cookbook looks simple, but the recipes are actually well-structured."

"Really?"

"It has lots of recipes that are easy on the stomach—perfect for reference. Older women often have weaker digestion."

"Oho."

"Lady Poppy and Lord Chuchu also enjoy this kind of diet."

"Ah, it's instantly been downgraded to dog food."

While Uncle Pofina cooked diligently from the book.

I stood guard beside him.

The undead employees were focused on their own tasks and ignored us, but accidents can happen when you least expect them.

While keeping watch, I also looked around the kitchen.

'As expected, there isn't one.'

A pepper grinder.

I watched a freckled, golden-haired young employee laboriously grinding peppercorns.

'With a grinder, he wouldn't have to work so hard.'

Having that thought while looking at a body that had become an eternal boy made me flinch, feeling like a monster myself.

'I'm sorry...'

Please forgive me. I will surely avenge you.

After apologizing inwardly.

I hardened my heart and returned to my business plans.

'First-aid kits are easy for latecomers to copy. It's hard to get a patent for this kind of product anyway.'

So I need to establish the Ixel Trading Company with the next product.

'To do that, it needs to be a life-friendly product.'

I found that in the kitchen. Appetite is one of the three fundamental human desires, so it's bound to draw attention.

'The Empire has a rich variety of spices.'

So I was confident that a grinder—which allows you to enjoy spices freshly ground in various ways—would sell well.

In fact, when I explained what a grinder was and its benefits to Uncle Pofina, he responded positively.

"Spices like pepper and coriander seeds are best ground fresh. The aroma doesn't dissipate and remains strong."

"Would you be willing to buy one if we made it?"

"If I were a head chef? I'd buy twice as many as the number of tables!"

"Yahoo!"

Just then, Uncle Pofina finished cooking.

All the dishes on the table were either gently cooked vegetables or tender meat slowly simmered at low temperatures.

"Wow, this is really delicious!"

"Of course it is."

Uncle Pofina's voluntarily bald head gleamed under the light.

He looked relieved, having finally been able to show off his skills after so long.

"It's so light that every bite makes me feel healthier. And when you dip it in this fruit sauce, the refreshing sweetness blends in, making it taste like a whole new dish!"

"Wow, our village chief's evaluation skills rival a professional's!"

"Where's this professional? Come here and let me slap your face!"

"Hahahaha!"

After tasting a bit, I put the remaining food into my subspace pocket.

Thanks to consistent training, the subspace had expanded slightly.

From 30×30 to 35×35!

'Ah, the volume went from 27 liters to roughly 43 liters!'

I would take the leftovers home to share with Ian and Libby.

Actually, I'd get scolded if I didn't.

"Did Uncle Pofina cook with dedication?"

"I want to try some! Make sure you bring the leftovers!"

"But I already took a bite..."

"What's wrong with leftovers from a little sister?"

"Besides, if we worried about that, we'd have starved to death in the exile camp already."

I don't know why, but those words made me happy.

"Hehe..."

My stomach—and my heart—felt full.

"Oh, Uncle."

"Yeah?"

I asked Uncle Pofina, who was cleaning the kitchen.

"Is a subspace pocket impressive?"

"Of course it is."

"But the adults in the village didn't seem that surprised."

When I tattled about being treated like a saintess after using the subspace at the temple, Uncle Pofina laughed heartily.

"That's because..."

He looked into the distance, his eyes turning wistful.

"We've experienced so much that such things no longer surprise us..."

"......"

"So we've just become numb to most things."

"That's just life."

I consoled him lightly.

Uncle Pofina sniffled.

---

Just in case, I also asked other villagers with cooking experience for their opinions on the grinder.

"Oh my, this looks great!"

Aunt Sesol, Uncle Pofina's wife and also a former chef, showed great interest.

"If we'd had this back when I was a rookie, I wouldn't have had to grind peppercorns until my fingers were black..."

The cooks in our house also responded positively.

"Oh man, if I'd had this when I was working at a restaurant, I wouldn't have had to grind peppercorns until my nails were stained!"

"All kitchen rookies grind spices..."

"Also peel potatoes and carrots like crazy!"

"Being a rookie means being worked to the bone."

I comforted the indignant Libby by laying out the food from my subspace on the table.

"Sniff."

"Sniff."

Attracted by the smell, Poppy and Chuchu approached, wagging their tails.

"Wow, they really have an incredible nose."

"A dog's nose is a dog's nose..."

"Grrrr!"

"Growl! Woof!"

"Eek, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Oppa! I told you not to say 'dog' in front of them. You two, stop tormenting Ian oppa."

When I sternly told them I'd fight them on all fours if they didn't, the dogs finally calmed down.

Libby put only the clean parts of the food into the dogs' bowls.

"Here, you two first."

As soon as she set them down, the dogs ran over and began eating.

We ate the remaining food for dinner.

Thanks to being stored in the subspace, the dishes were still warm, as if freshly made. Ian and Libby were impressed and enjoyed their meal.

"By the way, where's Lord Verity?"

Libby asked, taking a big bite of the cabbage-wrapped meat.

"At the Deste mansion."

"He's probably checking and repairing the mansion before the Grand Duchess arrives tomorrow."

Ian added.

"Since the Grand Duchess arrives tomorrow afternoon, he said he'd inspect the mansion's safety and make repairs."

"Right, you're staying there from tomorrow too, Habi?"

"Yeah."

I nodded, chewing on a pancake made with potatoes and yams.

"I'm going to try and win over the Grand Duchess."

"Ooh, living the high life?"

"Wait and see, unnie. I'll become the Grand Duchess's favorite and make sure you never have to work a day in your life."

"Oh my, my heart is really pounding...!"

"Hey, what about me?"

"I'll give you the position of Knight Commander of the Stria Knights."

"Hahaha! Having a good little sister really pays off!"

We joked like this.

But.

'It's not really funny.'

Rather, I can't let my guard down.

The Grand Duchess of Stria would be staying at Deste for a full fifteen days.

During that long yet short period, I planned to use the Grand Duchess and those around her to quietly pry the Deste Territory from the Emperor's grasp.

'I need to widen the rift between the Stria family and the imperial family even further.'

To do that, I'd be staying at the Deste mansion for a while.

On the surface, I'd be posing as the niece of Molle Livus's lover.

Of course, Molle Livus would be played by Uncle Modi, and his lover by his wife, Aunt Prellia, using magical tools to disguise themselves.

'I'm sorry to the Grand Duchess, but I have no choice.'

With the Interdimensional Alliance lurking behind the Emperor, we couldn't keep lying low like this forever.

"I hope nothing happens, but..."

Libby stirred her chicken soup with her spoon.

Then she chuckled.

"...That's unlikely, isn't it?"

"Of course."

Ian swallowed a bitter smile and gestured toward me with his chin.

"Look who our village chief is."

"Exactly."

I shrugged at the praise.

"I'm going to cause a huge commotion."

---

After a three-day train journey to the Empire's northernmost reaches.

The Deste Territory.

The birthplace of magical engineering, now revered as a new holy land—Grand Duchess Touri Stria already regretted setting foot here.

'There are too many people.'

She'd deliberately waited until all the other passengers had disembarked, but the massive crowd still made her head throb.

She hadn't even walked a few steps before feeling nauseous.

"Grandmother, are you alright?"

Crown Prince Pereus helped her to a nearby bench.

"Someone go get some water. And some medicine for nausea..."

"I'm fine."

The Grand Duchess raised her hand to refuse.

"The Viscount of Deste should have sent a carriage to the station. Let's take it and leave quickly, so we don't inconvenience anyone else."

"Then I'll go check if the carriage has arrived."

Pereus headed to the station entrance with his guards.

'Tch, does old age make you this weak?'

The genuine concern he'd shown for his grandmother just moments ago vanished instantly, replaced by a bored, impatient expression.

'I shouldn't have come.'

The Crown Prince had no desire to accompany his grandmother on her recuperation trip.

He also disliked having to humble himself so much before his maternal relatives. It was beneath his dignity as Crown Prince.

'However...'

The Stria family hates the imperial family.

"Do you want to become Crown Prince?"

"Uncle?"

"I won't stop you, but..."

"......"

"I... no, never mind."

So much so that they'd be reluctant to leave their bloodline in the imperial family.

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