Volume 4 Interlude 6 (1/2)

Translator

Corner

Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!

Another chapter. Will finish another one by

this week.

DISCLAIMER: There is no

guarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I was

wrong.

Author:

Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)

Translator:

Yukkuri Oniisan

Editor:

Online Grammar

Editor

Enlightenment Arc

Interlude 6 – A Certain Research Investigation

The academic inst.i.tution 『Ginger’s

Training School』 located in the

former slums of Parnam, the capital city of the Kingdom of Friedonia, was

started under the sponsors.h.i.+p of King Souma as a part of the plan to secure

talented people and to diminish the slavery system. Nowadays it had its size and

scope upgraded into what is now called 『Ginger’s Vocational Academy』.

While still retaining its primary education inst.i.tution, various faculties had been

created for the study of various specialized academic disciplines. The faculties

that were deemed as successful in this place would be established on the other vocational

school in the other cities.

There were already several faculties

that had become independent and began to be established on the vocational school

in the other cities, but the 『Agriculture』 and 『Medical』 faculties still remained in this vocational academy. This was because the Minister

of Agriculture and Forestry Poncho Is.h.i.+dzuka ​​Pannacotta, and the physicians Hilde

Nouge and Brad Joker took their residence in Parnam. This displayed how Souma,

who aware that the improvement in food supply and medical care are directly

linked to the improvement and growth of the population, highly regarded these

two fields.

Now two couples of men and women were

facing each other across the main gate 『Ginger's Vocational Academy』.

One couple was a combination of a almost-thirty years old man with a round stomach

and an elegant and intelligent beautiful woman. The other couple was a

combination of a gentle-looking boy who look like a girl on first glance and a slightly

older, impressive strong willed eyes and beautiful Racc.o.o.n Tribe girl who had.

The queer thing would be that both women were wearing a cla.s.sic long skirt's maid

dress.

The men and women who are about

to enter the Academy’s premise were the current Kingdom’s Minister of

Agriculture and Forestry – Poncho, and the Chief Maid of the Parnam Castle and the

Personal Maid of Princess Liscia – Serina. The pair who greeted them on the

premises was the Princ.i.p.al of this 『Ginger’s Vocational Academy』 -

Ginger Camus and his Secretary plus Maid – Sandria. Poncho and Ginger shook each

other’s hands while smiling.

「We welcome

your visit to our place, Poncho-dono.」(Ginger)

「Gi-Ginger-dono

also seems to be in good health, yes.」(Poncho)

「Um……

There is no need to speak that formally with me. Aren’t Poncho-dono more senior

than me and also a minister of this country?」(Ginger)

「Th-this

is a habit, so I can’t do anything about this, yes.」(Poncho)

「I am

a fainthearted person, so please refrain from that way of speech.」(Ginger)

When Poncho was fl.u.s.tering sweat in

that conversation, Serina interjected.

「Good

grief…… Despite your knowledge have saved the lives of countless people, why

don’t you have a little more confidence in yourself already.」(Serina)

「Umm,

you are?」(Ginger)

「Pardon

me for interjecting. I am employed as the Chief Maid of the Castle. My name is Serina.」(Serina)

While introducing herself, Serina

bowed with a refined gesture.

「S-so

courteous. I am the one who had been entrusted with the position of the

princ.i.p.al of this academy, Ginger.」(Ginger)

When Serina bowed to him, this

time it was Ginger who in a panic. Seeing Ginger’s reaction, Serina slipped out

a smile.

「Because

Ginger-sama is the princ.i.p.al of this academic inst.i.tution, there is no need to speak

that formal with a mere maid like me, don’t it?」(Serina)

「Well,

that is……」(Ginger)

「So Master

is weak against a beautiful onee-sama.」(Sandria)

This time, Sandria interjected.

「San-san!?

What are you suddenly spoke like that!?」(Ginger)

「Since

that is a fact. Aren’t you always being nervous in front of a beautiful person

like Hilde-sama?」(Sandria)

Sandria picked up the hem of the

ap.r.o.n dress and bowed while spouting a rude remark at Ginger.

「Nice

to meet you. My name is Sandria, the secretary, maid, and cherished love-slave

of Ginger-sama.」(Sandria)

「Stop!

That will hurt my reputation! I only employed you as the secretary. Isn’t the

maid work something that San-san did on your own, right? Also, what do you mean

by the last one!?」(Ginger)

Ginger protested like this, but

Sandria brushed it like a wind unbothered.

「I

presume you are Poncho-dono? I had heard a lot of rumors about you. I heard

that the resolution of the severe famine of my comrades is all thanks to your

action. On behalf of everybody, please let me express our grat.i.tude.」(Sandria)

「T-there’s

no need! Please don’t mention it, yes!」(Poncho)

Poncho hastily replied as Sandria

bowed towards him. Seeing his actions, Serina stared at him with rather cold

eyes.

「Poncho-dono.

Even if you are praised by an “underage girl” you so fond of, please don’t lose

your composure like this.」(Serina)

「P-please

don’t put that strange label on me, yes!」(Poncho)

「A

strange label?…… But, I am aware of it, you know?」(Sandria)

Serina replied while smiling, but

her eyes weren’t laughing at all.

「The

food “Hot sandwich”[1] that

you developed with His Majesty not long ago; you only share it with Tomoe-sama,

isn’t it? You never spoke nary a word about it with me.」(Sandria)

「Is

this perhaps, the cause of your bad mood these days!?」(Poncho)

If anyone was asked “Who is the

most glutton person in Parnam Castle?”, they would answer, “Without any doubt, it

would be Aisha”. Then if they were asked, “Who is the second place?”, the

answer will be, “Serina”. However, there was a subtle difference in their glutton

t.i.tle. Unlike Aisha who more like, 「I’ll eat anything if it’s delicious (especially if it’s

sweet)!」, 「Please more food!」, Serina

didn’t request for quant.i.ty, rather she expressed strong interest, especially, in

the so-called junk food or B-cla.s.s gourmet cuisine[2]

made by Souma and Poncho.

Souma and Poncho had invented many

dishes until now. Though accurately, the dishes were only a reproduction of the

cuisine from Souma’s world, amongst those dishes, there were dishes that couldn’t

be found in a luxurious restaurant such as Napolitan bread or yakisoba bread,

which completely captivated Serina.

Actually, Serina's House was a

famous House that had produced many personal butlers and maids for the Royal

Families. For that reason, they received ethic and esthetic education from

childhood so as to not disgraceful in front of the Royal Family. Even in the table

manner, they would always pursue to eat good food in a good manner. Of course, buying

and eating food from a mere streetside stall won’t be deemed as acceptable. For

Serina who was brought in such environment, the dishes that were made by Souma

and Poncho were shocking.

(To put a staple food on top of a staple food!)[3]

Serina, who was exposed to the Napolitan

bread for the first time, felt that such notion that she had so far were completely

broken the moment she had a taste a bit. How can this vulgar food taste so delicious?

Ever since then, Serina often accompanied Poncho. After all, if she hanging around

him, she could partic.i.p.ate in the trial eating of delicious prototype dishes. The

dishes made by Poncho was the only thing Serina interested at– other than cute

girls –…… Hence the reason why she held a grudge at Poncho due to him excluded

her from eating new dishes.

「Th-that

is still a sample dish, so its quant.i.ty wasn’t much……」(Poncho)

「I had

received an order from His Majesty and Princess to accompany you who aren’t that

accustomed in dealing with the public, so I endeavored to wholeheartedly a.s.sist

you. Even so, you didn’t give me a chance to sample the food, is it because I

am already an adult woman?」(Serina)

「When

we return! When we return, I will you properly treat you with food, yes!」(Poncho)

Poncho panicked when Serina made a

sad expression. Then,

「It’s

a promise.」(Serina)

Serina said that with a completely nonchalant face.

Apparently, she was just acting to obtain Poncho’s promise. Poncho dropped his

chest crestfallenly. Seeing these two’s interaction, Ginger was dumbfounded,

but Sandria repeatedly nodding for some reason.

「It

looks like their relations.h.i.+p is similar like the one between Master and me.」(Sandria)

「? My

employer is the Princess, however.」(Serina)

「Not

in that meaning……」(Sandria)

Sandria showed a troubled smile at

Serina who t.i.tled her neck in confusion. Meanwhile, both of the men were

watching these their conversation while question mark floating over their head.

◇ ◇ ◇

After the greeting finished, Ginger

took Sandria, Poncho, and Serina and leave 『Ginger's

Vocational Academy』 to head towards “Outside”.

In the 『Vocational Academy』,

there was a research building for the agricultural technology, where research about

crops and compost or selective breeding were conducted. However, there was no

field inside the Vocational Academy where those research result could be seen.

The former slum was located close to the City Walls, so they established the

field beyond the City Wall. The research building and the field were separated

by the castle wall, but the distance was really short that it was easy to

travel between the building and the field.

Pa.s.sing through the city gate, Ginger

guided Poncho and the others to the field owned by the 『Vocational

Academy』. While greeting the Guards who watched the field, the

four people arrived in front of two fields. It seemed that none of the two

fields had planted with crops, but the first field’s soil looked like a normal

black soil[4],

while the second field’s surface was dried up and cracked. After showing these field,

Ginger then asked Poncho.

「The

reason for Poncho-dono’s visit today is related to the research of “that”,

correct?」(Ginger)

「Yes.

Since His Majesty and I too have great expectations for the “that” research

result.」(Poncho)

After hearing Poncho reply, Ginger

shook his head with an apologetic expression.