by Funa
Success! So glad I got that 18,000 yen Excalibur in Akihabara! Mitsuha thought as she watched them. Adelaide had liked the prop blade so much that she’d asked to keep it, and Mitsuha had been just fine with that. It couldn’t cut, but it was made of real metal. The heaviness probably made it a good exercise tool.
Adelaide was changing costumes yet again. This dress would be a normal one, since she needed to move around and mingle with her guests. It didn’t take long for her to come out. She was wearing a cute pink dress perfect for a girl her age.
The dressmaker had worked extremely hard on this one. Material, design, sewing—every aspect was filled with her soul... maybe even too much of it. She’d determined she would never receive a job of this caliber ever again. It was literally the work of a lifetime, and she’d treated it as such.
“As of today, I’m no longer a fairy,” said Adelaide. “I shall now do my best as a member of high society. I hope we get along!” She walked off the stage and toward the crowd, welcomed by a storm of applause. The young nobles banded around her and made a real commotion.
Done! What a show! Mitsuha thought in satisfaction. Good work, Adelaide! All that was left now was to complement their mingling with some good food.
Mitsuha gripped her microphone tightly. “Now, please relax and enjoy your evening. While your tables hold the standard fare, at the back, you will find exotic foods from a distant land. If you’re feeling daring, be sure to give them a try! There is also a selection of foreign beverages. Each drink’s potency is marked. You should try them with the appropriate amount of water or ice.”
Oh, so that’s why the tables are a bit sparse, Count Bader thought. Foreign food isn’t for everyone, after all. Well thought-out...
Knowing he could eat the standard courses at any time, he went to try the exotic food before he got lost in conversation. But the dishes on the table made him stop in his tracks.
Wh-Wh-What?! Is that... fish?! Not dried, but fresh fish? And those bits on the ice look raw... But that’s impossible!
The other nobles were also staring at the plates in disbelief and nervousness. After all, it was something that just shouldn’t have been here. No one wanted to touch it, and everyone knew why.
Are they even edible? What if they’re rotten? Count Bader wondered, but he’d seen enough fish to know these were fresh.
Still, the collective doubt was too strong, and no one was willing to try them. Count Bader, however, saw this as an opportunity to do the Ryners a small favor.
Here I go! It’s your time to shine, Albert von Bader! He mustered up his courage as he reached for an empty plate. He took a small sample of all the seafood he could find, including fried fish, boiled fish, and rice topped with raw fish, and brought the first piece to his lips. His heroism earned him some praise from his fellow nobles.
“Delicious...” the count uttered in astonishment, then rushed to take even more. The rest of the pack, having seen one of their members survive the ordeal, edged forward to try it for themselves.
“It truly is...”
“Superb!”
It only escalated from there. The food—fish or otherwise—began to vanish like it was going out of style, only for the servants to bring replacements. They were soon noticed and joined by the youth surrounding Adelaide, as well as the ladies idly chatting.
Sweet, it’s all going well! Mitsuha thought. Too well, actually. I can’t shake the feeling something bad is about to ha—
Out of nowhere, a hand latched onto her shoulder, freezing her in place.
“Just what are you doing in this dump...?” The voice was as strong and fierce as its owner’s grip.
Sweating bullets, Mitsuha turned around and saw none other than Countess Iris Bozes. Oh, right... This is a party! That means the ballroom season they mentioned has already started! Crap, I completely forgot!
Not giving Mitsuha a chance to speak, Lady Iris dragged her to the Bozes’ table. “Mitsuha. Might I ask what’s going on here? You refused to live with us, didn’t you? So why are you here, of all places?”
Y-Your eyes are freaking me out, Mitsuha thought.
“I went to your shop countless times, only to find it closed! Do you have any idea how worried I was?! And now I find you in this dump! What’s the meaning of this?!”
Mitsuha would’ve liked it if she stopped calling this place a “dump”. It wasn’t good for the Ryners’ reputation, although their status wouldn’t have allowed them to complain to a countess. Mitsuha made calming Lady Iris her number one priority.
“I-I don’t live or work here or anything! I’m just here to represent my store! I did a couple odd jobs for them, made some deliveries... That’s it, I swear!”
Lady Iris was still glaring, but the response had been enough to stop her from chewing the girl out. Count Bozes shot Mitsuha an awkward smile.
“Wait, where’s Alexis?” Mitsuha asked, quick to change the subject. The only ones at the table were Lady Iris, Count Bozes, and Theodore. Beatrice, still too young to make her own debut, was absent.
“Oh, he’s over there with Lady Adelaide” Theodore said. “Hmph. He never changes...”
“Ohh, I see the eldest son knows how it works,” Mitsuha said, prompting a bewildered look from him. “I mean, this is Lady Adelaide’s debut party, isn’t it? Men who ignore the star of the show to talk with other girls are the absolute worst, don’t you think? Even if they end up disliking her, they should at least talk to her. It’s the polite thing to do.”
“E-Excuse me for a second!” the boy said, then sprung up from his chair and ran off. Count Bozes smiled yet again.
“ANYWAY!” Lady Iris raised her voice again. “You are to visit us as soon as possible!”
“Okay,” Mitsuha replied meekly. A moment later, someone grabbed her by the shoulder again.
Jeez, what now?! And why do I have such a bad feeling about this?
She turned and saw Marcel’s second-in-command, a sister-in-arms who’d braved the hellish days of training at her side.
“W-We have a problem! Th-There...”
Huh? She’s stuttering?! It’s gotta be bad!
“There’s not enough food!”
“HUUUUHHHH?! Didn’t we make enough?! You and Marcel both said we’d even have leftovers! What happened?!” As Mitsuha pressed her for answers, the chef looked like she was about to cry.
“That’s how it would normally go, but for some reason, no one is leaving! Also, they’re chatting around the food now, so there’s less and less of it by the minute...”
Usually, the nobles who’d shown up out of courtesy would leave as soon as the main event was over. Meanwhile, those who stayed merely nibbled the food they’d grown tired of long ago, and instead mingled with alcohol in hand. The latter saw these events as networking opportunities rather than diversions, as they presented a chance to acquire important information and connections. Here, that was simply not the case. Everyone was eating and loitering to their hearts’ desire.
Of course we’d run out of food like this. I really overdid it...
The play had been so well-received that everyone wanted to talk about it, and there wasn’t a single soul who’d left right away. Some even thought there might be something more in store, to say nothing of all the exotic food and drink keeping them around.
The kitchen staff had made enough food for a usual affair. It was actually double the amount they expected guests to consume, but that was standard for any noble event. There was also the rule of thumb that any food eaten absolutely had to be replaced. Empty plates were basically a sin. Even plates with only a quarter of the food left were impermissible, as it would give the guests the impression that the hosts didn’t make enough food, which was tantamount to an insult. If such an affront happened here, the Ryners would be branded as nobles so poor they couldn’t prepare enough food for a single party.
I can’t let that happen! Mitsuha thought. No noble’s gonna tolerate something like this. And besides, this is
Adelaide’s debut party—her future depends on it!
To prevent something like this from happening, nobles tended to prepare obscene amounts of food prior to the event. They didn’t want to waste money, but it was a safety measure put in place to prevent a lifetime of embarrassment. This meant that anyone who failed to provide on this front was subpar as a noble, no matter the reason.
This is an emergency. I’ve gotta do something!
“Excuse me for a moment!” Mitsuha said to the Bozes, then ran off to the kitchen.
The chefs in the kitchen were bereft of life, and had they not been in the middle of cooking, they’d no doubt be pushing up daisies. Thankfully, there was still time. They’d run out of food if things went on as they did, but they hadn’t run out yet.
Mitusha looked around, examining her options, and noticed a box half-filled with potatoes. She’d memorized the menu and knew that there were no plans to use them, meaning that they were extras.
“Can you get some oil boiling?” she asked Marcel.
His reply was lifeless. “Yesh...”
Keep it together, man! Mitsuha thought, then switched to giving orders. “All right! Peel those potatoes! Cut them up and fry them in oil! We scrapped some stuff from the menu, right?! Make that! We’ll have lots of good food, and fast! You remember how, right?! Get to it!”
“Y-Yesh...”
“Stop dragging your feet! Didn’t you promise you wouldn’t bring shame to the viscount and his daughter?! Don’t act like there’s anything more terrifying than messing that up!” Her harsh words instantly woke him out of his stupor, and soon his eyes were gleaming with vigor.
“We don’t have time to get new ingredients, so use what we have! Empty the pantry! Take all the ingredients you didn’t plan to use and bring them to the table! See what you can make with them! Think simple, fast, and large amounts!
“Even commoner dishes are fine! Nobles probably don’t know the difference, so just tell them it’s foreign cooking! Use potato peels or pumpkin seeds if you have to—just make something! I’ll buy some time, so don’t waste it! And bring out the biggest plates you’ve got!”
Mitsuha fetched a big cardboard box from the corner of the kitchen. It was three feet on all sides. While large, the box was lighter than it looked.
“I had this stuff saved for the afterparty, but I’ll use it now!”
She started emptying the box, one bag after another. Fried squid, peanuts, roasted almonds, peanut and rice cracker mixes, squid-flavored peanuts, crispy fried cutlets with sauce, chocolates, rice crackers, potato chips... She opened them all, poured them onto plates, and had them sent out to the hall.
“It’s a bit early, but screw it—we’re bringing out the dessert right this instant!”
The guests who’d brought their children often stayed until the end, so they hadn’t brought out the dessert yet. Doing it too early could distract the youths from Adelaide and all the other food, but given the circumstances, there was no other option.
Mitsuha had supplied most of the desserts. She’d cut no corners trying to capture the hearts of the children and impress the Ryners. Eat this! My ultimate weapon!
She went back to the hall and took the mic.
“Ladies and gentlemen, pardon me for the interruption. I want to inform you that we’ve prepared more exotic foods. This time, there are snacks, drinks, and desserts.”
Well, that sure got their attention, she thought.
“Try pairing the snacks with different drinks to excite your palate. The dessert, however, goes best with juice. I believe the gentlemen here will enjoy this course just as much as the ladies and children.”
The crowd stampeded to the snacks and dessert.
All right. If they’re too busy drinking, they won’t eat as much food. Getting blitzed makes it harder to eat, too, and a good dessert paired with some juice fills you up in seconds.
For dessert, there was cake, shortcake, fruit, chocolate pastries, cookies, pudding, mousse, cream puffs, ice cream—just about anything, really. The ladies, children, and adolescents were floored by the selection.
Yes... Let the power of Japan’s sweets industry flow through you!
After a good deal of stalling, the servants brought in the deep-fried potatoes, as well as the impromptu meals. They were followed by courses that had actually been a part of the plan. Somehow, they succeeded in reaching the end of the party without embarrassing themselves with any empty plates.
What? You’re wondering if the party was a success? Is that even a question?
◇ ◇ ◇
What a stupendous night that was, Albert von Bader thought as he walked to his carriage. His mind was consumed with thoughts of the party. It started out with a play... Although brief, it was nothing short of excellent, and I still can’t wrap my head around how those pictures worked.
The girl herself was beautiful, and her stunning dresses only added to her charm. Their materials were so high quality and the designs so elaborate that I couldn’t even guess their price. And the foreign food and drink was excellent beyond compare!
I can’t imagine the wealth and connections it must have taken to construct such an affair. A lady’s coming-of-age may be important, but who would lavish such resources without a second thought? Just how powerful are these Ryners?
Hmm, perhaps I’m not close enough with them. Fixing that will no doubt be beneficial, and if possible, I would love to have that charming maiden as a daughter. I’ll have to light a fire under my sons...
The horses cantered off, taking the count to the Bader capital mansion. He ruminated about what had just happened, as did all the other guests who’d attended the party. Most were merely blown away, but the ones with daughters who would soon debut were absolutely distraught.
How can I compare to this? they thought. How can I make my daughter’s debut as impressive as this one? Please, help... Someone... Anyone...
Thus, a number of nobles asked for Viscount Ryner’s help and became indebted to him, and Mitsuha’s General Store profited immensely from this venture.
As for Mitsuha herself, she had officially retired from party planning. Sure, I’d be down to sell some ingredients, but never again with the whole hosting thing. No giving out complete dishes, either. I mean, it was a real pain, and I don’t even wanna think about what could’ve happened to me if I’d screwed up. No theatrical stuff, either. They can handle that all by themselves.
The Ryners were a special case. I only did it ’cause the viscount, his wife, and Marcel were referred to me by my first customers. Besides, they seemed like good people, and I desperately needed the publicity. With that out of the way, I just need some good ol’ R&R.
Cooking lessons? Oh, for the other noble families? Marcel can handle that.
There had also been a casual, makeshift afterparty for Mitsuha and the staff. Plenty of ingredients had gone unused, so the chefs had done some experimenting—boiling veggie peels in oil and such—and they’d all had a great time trying the results. Naturally, the servants and the viscount’s family joined in. The servants had been a bit sad they hadn’t gotten to try the foreign food or the snacks from Mitsuha, and those who were backstage or in the kitchen had been disappointed about missing the play.
I mean, they did see the rehearsals, and they tried the foreign food while Marcel and his team were training! Though, yeah, none of that was perfected yet...
There had also been a great deal of alcohol left over. While Mitsuha wasn’t yet of age, she saw no reason for abiding by Japanese law in another world. Even Adelaide had enjoyed her fair share of drinks... as tragic as it’d been.
I’m not drinking with her ever again, end of story! And don’t even ask about it!
In the end, Mitsuha made 260 gold coins. Apparently, it was normal for events like these to cost upwards of 300. Having seen luxury kimonos with obscene price tags, Mitsuha didn’t find it unusual that the same could happen with dresses. Some even had authentic gems sewed in, and the price
s could skyrocket from there depending on the gem’s type and quality.
Additionally, food was always gratuitously lavish. Not only did the nobles have to provide the best-quality meals from local ingredients, but they also had to bring something exciting to the table to stimulate their guests’ dulled tastes. The money involved there was a whole new brand of madness.
Though, that’s kinda understandable... Transporting and preserving food is hard work in this world, Mitusha thought, feeling smug about the fact that such problems didn’t affect her.
But let us return to the important part: the 260 gold coins. That was about 26 million yen in this world and 6.5 million back on Earth—an impressive figure even if you accounted for the equipment, ingredient, and dress expenses. Then again, the only food Mitsuha had actually brought with her were the complete meals and specialized items like fish and snacks. The Ryners had provided the lion’s share of the ingredients.
Mitsuha had also been paid separately for the fish and the other ingredients used during cooking training. After all, their practice versions had replaced all the meals in the household. Even the servants had eaten like royalty. It was a shame the servants would likely never feast so richly again. But Mitsuha’s primary focus was the hefty sum she’d earned from the affair. She still owed debts to the mercenary captain, however, so she wouldn’t be using her “deep pockets” just yet.
Of course, she hadn’t forgotten about the photography. She’d personally trained two servants to use cameras, and they’d dutifully taken both photos and videos of the event. Mitsuha couldn’t be bothered to pick and choose from them, so she sent them all to the dressmaker.
She’d edit and copy the stuff even if I didn’t ask her to. Then I’ll print out some stills and sell them to the viscount for even more money!
The modiste had requested prints, too, but she’d obviously make some herself. Probably life-sized. Hey, I should ask her to make the ones I’ll sell to the viscount. I’m guessing she’d make them for free.
The day after the party, Mitsuha was so tired that she spent the entire day lazing around the store. She was especially glad to have her private quarters on the second floor. With this, I don’t need to return to Japan all the time... I can relax here just fine. There’s even a bath! Well, I’d be lying if I said the bath back home wasn’t a whole lot better, but I’ve gotta get used to living here.