My Lady Chef { La Vita Series } - Volume 2

Chapter 5: Diplomats from Ming

A day after that steamy time at the stables.....

Ely's POV:

My husband started acting strange after our little tryst at the stables.

It was something I noticed after I had sent my answer back to the Kalderosian representative via enchanted letter.

Oh he does not avoid me nor did his lovemaking efforts stopped.

But the way he gazed at me seems even more tender and sometimes he would say things like "I love you so much." randomly or hugged me in silence for long periods of time.

And that is not the only thing weird.

I have been hearing things. Odd buzzing sounds or deep yet soft growls when I am with him.

Like I have some sort of weird hearing problem but I cannot pinpoint what it was.

In the end, I brushed it off as Ezran just being Ezran.

But my sprites seem to know something because they kept saying things like...

She is kinda dense this way, huh? Igneus smirked.

It is not our secret to spill. She will soon find out. Undine murmured.

I was at the culinary house, testing a few braising recipes when I overheard them.

"Seems like my sprites are not busy enough." I gave them a stuff smile. "Igneus, please tell me if the fire control goes off by even a bit and Undine, fetch me the bokchoy I blanched in ice water."

The sprites did as I asked of them.

Taking the cold bokchoy from the water sprite, I cut them in half and placed them beside the glistening braised thick cut pork belly that has the hue of a red brick.

I drizzled the reduced sauce over the jiggling pork and over the bokchoy and steamed beans proud lightly dressed with my homemade pepper paste and perilla oil sauce.

The aroma was good.

"Dig in, Igneus." I invited the fiery sprite who wasted no time in take a chunk of the braised pork belly.

Mmmm!? What is this sensation! The meat bounces....it just melted in my mouth! Delicious!! Ignis said happily as he took another bit of meat.

"Really?" I took a bite and the juicy pork fat just gushed into my throat as the flavorful fat melted. The meat was so tender that I did not even have to chew that well and the flavor of the soy sauces and cooking wine and the star anise and my special spice mix finally hit the spot.

After the 4th try. I nailed the golden ratio!

But what about the vegetables....

I took a bite of each and nodded. The bokchoy remained crispy and fresh, the slight bitterness added balance to the salty sweet pork dish. Then the hit of the pepper paste marinated bean sprouts added just the right kick of heat and freshness.

I started writing this on my notepad.

The morning food trials are off to a good start!

Now two more braised dishes to go.

-------------------------------------------------------

I was finishing up on cleaning up the kitchen when the door opened up and Linda appeared looking flushed.

"M-milady! The..the.."

"The?"

"The-the Crown Prince and the Duke came here with two diplomats from the Exotic Lands! Chef Jorge is urgently asking for you to reform the menu plan."