SWNOVELXO Chapter 390
“So, you guys really are the ones who spent five days in detention for being in cahoots with the heretics?”
When a new figure stepped into the inn, I couldn’t help but turn my gaze toward her.
The woman with long, straight hair surveyed the people inside the inn with a lackadaisical yet somehow sharp gaze.
She blended in like an ordinary traveler, but the moment I laid eyes on her, I could tell she was a considerable powerhouse.
And at that moment, when her gaze finally landed on us—
She turned her eyes away and flashed a barely-there smile.
“Oh? You guys, huh? The ones who were locked up for five days in the detention center for being in league with the heretics?”
“And who might you be?”
This woman seemed to know Daria and Aila’s names the instant she laid eyes on us, as if she was already familiar with us.
All of us tensed up at the unexpected appearance of this stranger who knew about our recent troubles.
However, the black-haired woman showed no signs of tension. Instead, she wore a sardonic smile as she scrutinized us with a rather mocking expression.
“Who am I? That’s not really important. First, I need to test what kind of fools you are.”
Though I couldn’t decipher the exact meaning behind her words, the menacing vibe they carried made everyone on edge.
I too began to brace myself, thinking I might have to prepare for a fight.
And then, in that moment—
“Hmm…? Hmph. Hmph.”
She paused mid-sentence, suddenly wrinkling her nose as if sensing something.
Before long, she spotted the empty bowls that my companions had just cleaned out and stared at them with wide eyes.
“….”
“W-What’s happening? Why stop your sentence all of a sudden?”
“….”
Grumble—
At that moment, a loud growl echoed from somewhere.
It certainly couldn’t have come from my companions, who had just finished their meal.
No matter how much Mari loves food, it couldn’t be that loud.
The noise’s source was, of course, the recently arrived mysterious woman’s stomach.
“Cough, cough…!”
Everyone was left speechless by the tension-breaking sound, and the black-haired woman seemed rather embarrassed, clearing her throat awkwardly.
Seeing this, I silently headed to the kitchen to start frying the pork cutlets I had prepared just in case.
. . .
As soon as Kurt brought out the katsudon from the kitchen, the black-haired woman accepted it without a hint of hesitation.
‘Hmm. Now that I think about it, didn’t they say they tried to use food to bribe the guards in the detention center? They mentioned the food was extraordinary. Back then, I thought that was utter nonsense, but if it smells this good…’
Even the aroma wafting from the bowl of katsudon was alluring, but the scent emanating from the freshly made dish was on another level.
She seemed to completely forget her earlier intention of sizing up Kurt’s group as she raised her fork.
Crunch.
When she poked the cutlet with her fork as a test, it shattered perfectly with a satisfying resistance that was firm but not overly tough.
‘I haven’t even put the cutlet in my mouth yet, and I can already tell it’s delicious just by this feeling on my fingertips!’
With a light squeeze, the fork penetrated through the crisp, dry batter and into the moist meat.
The simple act of piercing the cutlet sent a thrilling sensation surging through her.
Feeling exhilarated even before it touched her lips, she eventually stuffed a whole piece of cutlet into her mouth.
Crunch.
And just as expected, the cutlet’s crispy outer layer crumbled in her mouth.
It was as if the texture was reminiscent of dried autumn leaves that had maintained their crunch all the way until winter.
While crispy was the usual image for fried food, in reality, poorly fried dishes often soaked up grease and turned soggy, oozing oil with every bite.
But this cutlet Kurt served didn’t just lack that greasy sensation; it was crisp with a level of definition that was entirely different.
This was frying done right, yielding a lightweight texture while still delivering robust flavor.
Yet, the cutlet’s flavor didn’t end there.
‘Whoa! This is…!’
Before she could even register her joy over the superior quality of the fried dish she hadn’t tasted in a long time, the juicy umami of the perfectly cooked pork entered her mouth!
Having expunged the greasiness, the rich umami contrasted delightfully with the crispy cutlet.
She could only focus on not getting swept away by the flavor flooding her senses as she chewed.
“…Mmm!?”
But ultimately, she couldn’t keep her focus.
Because what Kurt had served her wasn’t just cutlet but katsudon.
Next came a delightful explosion of the sweet and salty flavor of the tsuyu, which burst in her mouth.
She couldn’t see it anymore with the cutlet in her mouth, but the expertly dehydrated batter acted like a sponge, soaking up the various seasonings.
If one could describe a simple steak as being slathered in sauce, fried food could be described as having the sauce seeped thoroughly into it.
Gulp.
It was a perfect union.
That’s the only way to put it.
When she had only tasted the batter, her thoughts were limited to how long it had been since she’d had such delicious fried food.
But now, at this moment, after fully consuming a piece of katsudon soaked in tsuyu sauce, she had no choice but to drastically reevaluate her earlier opinion.
“This is amazing!!”
It was delicious.
So much so that I could say I’d never had food this good before.
With that, she moved her fork mechanically, scooping up the contents of the bowl once more.
This time, it wasn’t a cutlet but rice.
Steamed not long ago, the glossy rice, much like the cutlet, had absorbed some of the tsuyu sauce, shining a soft brown.
Lost in thought, she accidentally scooped up rice instead of cutlet, and when she noticed, she initially looked disappointed and considered dropping it to go for the cutlet again. But she thought, ‘Why not just eat it anyway since I’m going to put it back?’ and lightheartedly tossed a mouthful of rice into her mouth.
And—
“This is good too!”
…
The black-haired woman thoroughly enjoyed the katsudon served by Kurt.
“You really know how to eat, don’t you?”
Mari, not pleased with the sight, shot a sarcastic remark at her.
“Kurt, what on earth are you thinking? That woman clearly tried to pick a fight with us, and now you’re serving her food?”
Her tone had undertones of scolding as she questioned Kurt.
“Considering what she said when she approached us, it’s clear she already knows about us. But we do not know who she is. If we can’t tell if she bears hostility or goodwill toward us, then there’s no harm in serving her a meal. If she harbors hostility, responding to her provocations would be like walking into a trap. Conversely, if she came with goodwill, treating her to a meal wouldn’t be a big deal.”
Only then did Mari, who had been glaring at the black-haired woman, finally relax her expression and understand.
“R-Right. I almost made a mistake… I thought that surely Kurt just wanted to share food with her, like he would with a stray cat or something.”
“…Well, that’s not entirely wrong.”
“….”
During their exchange, the black-haired woman had finished her meal and let out a satisfied sigh as she approached Kurt.
“Phew, it’s been a while since I had such a delightful meal. My students weren’t lying when they said it was worth praising.”
“I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it.”
“A student? But who are you? You just suddenly showed up and tried to pick a fight with us.”
Kurt smiled at her compliment but Mari maintained her wary stance, asking again who she was. In response, the woman smiled as if it were no big deal.
“Pick a fight? Oh, that? That was just a test. You can easily gauge a person’s character by seeing how they respond when fists meet. But, I suppose a test isn’t needed. Anyone who knows how to serve up delicious food to others can’t be that bad.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
Kurt nodded in agreement with her words.
Mari looked incredulously at Kurt for so readily accepting the words of this unexplained woman before turning back to her and asking,
“So, who are you, and how do you know about us?”
The woman laughed heartily at Mari’s question and replied.
“Lynette. You can just call me Lynette. It signifies the name of the one who has decided to believe in you and offer her help.”