Volume 1 - CH 16

The Cheat Meal

I had excused myself for a bit from the table, and when I got back in the dining room, Natalie, the Little Sage, was impatiently waiting with her fork raised.

I sighed at this behaviour and set the plate of food in front of her.

「What is this? It’s just pieces of meat! Don’t think you can trick me with different kinds」

「Just eat. Complain afterwards! 」

「Mm… Well I won’t give you the books if I’m not satisfied with it! 」

I sat down to face Natalie and watched her as she stuck her fork in the meat and cut off a bite-sized piece with her knife.

「What…. It’s easily cut! And these juices spilling out of it, what are they? 」

Natalie’s eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets after gobbling it up. I made a guts pose under the table.

「What kind of meat is this? The meat should be chewier. But…. This is definitely meat. What are these other ones? 」

This is a dish called “mixed grill”. A hamburger steak, teriyaki chicken and sausage, with potatoes and corn on cob as a garnish. The game had a hunger gauge, this is an item used to restore it.

In front of the meat-obsessed Natalie, there are also two pieces of bread. The bread is another hunger recovery item. It’s not very restorative, but it’s still better than any bread found in the city.

There are only a few of these items left, but as long as it is this much for today, it should not be a problem.

「Eat the bread as well. All right? 」

「I thought it was all meat 」

My stomach growled. Watching her eat has made me hungry. I took out the same dish for myself.

「Delicious..…. 」

This is the taste of modern Japanese cuisine, seasoned with a variety of spices.

I silently ate my meal until I was finished. Natalie on the other hand was muttering to herself as she stuffed her face.

She was wriggling her tiny mouth like a little girl, putting her title of Sage to shame.

Having finished my meal, I took a sip of my drink and waited for her to be done.

「—You got me. I’ve never eaten anything like this before… I am satisfied! 」

Natalie breathed heavily as she admitted her defeat and took out the three spell books from her Dimensional Storage and placed them on the table.

I took the spell books and put them away in my Dimensional Storage and placed a plate in front of Natalie in their stead.

「This is a gift from me. Consider it my way of thanking you for the spell books 」

「What’s this white and red stuff? 」

「Just try it, it’s very good 」

I grinned at her as I passed her a new fork. She looks at me curiously as she receives the fork, and takes a bite-sized piece of the shortcake.

The moment she puts the cake into her mouth, she looks overwhelmed, but gradually her mouth forms a dopey smile.

Her tenacious hand zooms back and forth from the plate to her mouth, and in a few seconds the cake is gone. Natalie looks at the now empty plate with sadness in her eyes.

She stares at me with a pleading look for a refill, but in this world where I am uncertain if I can recreate them, I cannot freely serve the limited items I have.

「—You’ve had enough 」

At my refusal, she slumps her shoulders disappointingly and looks desperate and relentless.

I shake my head.

「I have to have it….. If I have something to trade you for it, will you give me? 」

「I don’t think that’s a good idea…… Besides there is not much left….. And there is a chance I won’t be able to remake it」

「Anything, I’ll give you anything! I’ll give you another higher-ranked spell book as well. So……. Let me eat the thing you gave me again…. 」

「No no no no. Don’t you hear what I am saying? 」

When I stick to my refusal, Natalie crosses her arms and comes up with a plan. She then blindsided me with an offer.

「—Okay. All right, I’ll put in the book and this house. How about it? 」

I’ll be grateful just for the spell book, but she’s offering me the mansion as well!?

–I still have 98 left of shortcake……

「Okay. You have a deal. Just one 」

I’m the one who appreciates it…..

I brought out another plate of shortcake and held it out to Natalie.

「This is the one! The sweetness of the white, the softness of the dough, and the sourness of the red stuff is the best thing about it 」

Natalie began to eat the shortcake, only this time slowly to savour it. I watched her in amusement.

I have Ferris here, and I like living here…… Someday, I’ll live in this mansion with my wife…… I let my imagination run wild in my head and while I was building up my fantasy, Natalie had finished her cake.

「I’m satisfied. I will give you the house as promised. I didn’t bring it with me today, but I’ll give you the book tomorrow. The Merchant Guild will take care of the name change of this house. I’ll be there tomorrow before noon」

「Okay, well I’ll be grateful for the use of this house 」

Natalie ate and left, satisfied, and I went for a bath and got into bed.

I spoke looking up at the ceiling in the empty room.

「Ferris, I’ll be getting the house tomorrow. Keep up the good work 」

I closed my heavy eyelids and fell into a dream.