Chapter 17: Melk

I arrive at my portable house and take a large steak out of storage. I season it with salt, pepper and powdered garlic shell. I never preserved antlers in my past life, but they probably need some kind of treatment? I’ll soak them in salt water and throw a little alcohol in, that’ll do something.

The steak has excellent marbling, I guess paddle horns eat good around here. Ah man I just named it a melk, but that girl shook my confidence. Whatever..

I’m reverse searing the steak, it spends a while in the smoker before being brought to the stovetop to develop a crust. It’s served with a lobster tail and breakfast style home fries.

I slice into the meat and reveal a perfect pink center. I’m literally drooling at the sight and smell, so I bring it to my mouth hurriedly.

Nom

This is truly a blessed animal, it’s melt in my mouth tender. And I’ve got a ton of it. I’m not cooking for that Princess, but I bet she’d like this.

Having meals with people was a great way to make friends in my last life, but Eric is too social and Princesses are trouble. I need to find some less intense nobles at school, or meet people somewhere else.

I think I miss Oliver and Shayna, but it’s fine, I’ll make friends.

I spend the rest of my trip scouting the area, gorging myself on paddle horn and pulling valuables from the mountains. A perfect weekend.

***
It’s my second week at the academy, and the start of a new mission. Operation make friends. I had plenty in my last life, but it was hard to keep up with them when I was always in the hospital, in their eyes I was probably a terrible friend.

The mandatory morning classes are still a drag, it’s like being in fifth grade. But I’ve started eating lunches on campus which lets me meet people. Eric mentioned that most noble families interact with each other regularly, so not being recognized led to a lot of people introducing themselves.

As expected, the Duke’s kids seem stuck up and follow the Princess around like dogs. I also met the kids of another Count, some Barons and a Viscount. I told them I started sword training young and a few of them want to hold mock fights over the weekend, I’m looking forward to it, you can really tell what someone’s about when you see them lose.

I see Eric at the front of the dining hall talking to a girl I don't recognize. I tune my magic enhanced hearing in to eavesdrop.

“Eric, the entire goal in being sent here is to get closer to the Princess, unless that count’s son is already close with her, you’re wasting time” she says.

“I know that Suzu, I’m in all her classes and we sit together in some. Alfred sits with us in a class we all have together and the Princess thinks highly of him” Eric responds, somewhat exasperated.

He looks pretty annoyed.

“Tch fine, but if you don’t act in time father won’t forgive you” the girl turns and storms off.

It’d be cool if they were secretly involved in a plot to overthrow the kingdom. Or if they’re trying to capture the Princess and start a war.

Hmm, but the girl looks a lot like Eric, they’re probably siblings. But what's this mission is to get close to the Princess? Maybe his dad has a hard on for royalty and wants to marry into it. It’s probably the boring answer.

Eric walks over and joins my table.

“Lady troubles?” I ask with a sympathetic smile.

“Huh what?” Eric looks surprised, he probably doesn’t realize I was watching, “I was just talking to my sister, she can be a pain” Eric shrugs.

“Right, that makes more sense, sorry I had the wrong idea” I reply.

“It’s fine, did you guys decide on where you’re doing the mock battles?” he asks.

“Yes, there’s a courtyard behind the next building where some of the swordsmanship classes are. It’ll be there on Saturday morning as a little tournament” I answer.

“Aha sounds fun, how are your chances as winning?” Eric asks with a smirk.

“Won’t know until we fight, but I started pretty young, so I shouldn’t embarrass myself” I say.

I could trounce them, but I’ll make it look close. It might even be better to throw the fight if one of the kids is good, but nah. I don’t like losing.

“Oh, Jen is here, I’m going to say hi and head out. Enjoy the meal Eric!” I say as I see my new favorite person on campus. Eric looks surprised at the abandonment, but there isn’t much he can do for me compared to Jen.

Jen isn’t a student, she’s something like an assistant chef in the dining hall. She looks a few years older than me, her hair is a shiny black and held up in a pony tail. Her eyes are almost purple and she has slight curves. Her job is to make bread, lots and lots of bread. And it’s really good bread.

“Hey good afternoon Jen, thanks for putting more bread out, I can’t get enough of it” I say.

“You know it’s the entirety of my job Alfred, you don’t have to act so grateful” she sounds annoyed, but she’s smiling. Noble kids are polite to each other, but lunch ladies don’t get enough love. They probably didn’t in my last world either.

“You say that, but this bread is the best part of the academy” I say while throwing a portion into my bag, “I’m convinced you could have your own bakery” I add. Flattery works with most people, and I’m not lying, this bread does things to me.

“Hah well I’m glad you enjoy it, now go off and talk to your friends. They’ll think you're weird for always talking to the cooks” Jen says.

“I’m actually off to study, but let them think, it won’t bother me” I reply with a smile and a wave.

She’s a key piece of my perfect fantasy life. I’ve had a pizza oven for years and I’ve never once made a good pizza. Not having tomatoes is a significant hinderance, but the dough I make is awful. I couldn’t even make cookies in my last world without a packaged mix, and despite Ricardo’s best efforts, I didn’t improve much here.

My approach for now is slow and steady, butter her up and start to show my interest in cooking. Mention how I struggle with baking then try to enlist her help.

If that doesn’t work I might get her fired then hire her as a personal baking tutor, but that’s a bit dark.