novelAfter the Festival
| ← Ch.040 | Ch.042 → |
Volume 1 — The Temporary Snow Country Life of the Northern Nobleman and the Raptor Wife
Today, from early in the morning, I went out to the shop to buy ingredients for baking. Because of that Ruruporon's blueberry pie I had recently, I really wanted to eat confectionaries.
I bought flour, sour cream, butter, milk and chocolate bars. I have sugar, eggs and fresh berries at home so I don't have to buy those.
I learned how to make them from the madam. It's quite simple, just mixing the ingredients and baking.
It's only during this period, from spring to autumn, that I can buy these various ingredients. Thus, I did not hold back splurged on the ingredients.
Upon returning home, I picked up a basket full of berries, got eggs from the coop and went to the outdoors kitchen behind the house.
The berries I used this time were redcurrants and blackcurrants. It's a kind that is quite sour, and is also called 'the grapes of the north'.
Blackcurrant — also known as Cassis — is also used as medicine. They say it's good to have blackcurrant jam when one has a sore throat. The leaves also have good substances, so they are dried, powdered and roasted into tea.
I decided to make today's desert with such berries good for health.
First, I put in juniper powder and sugar into milk as I heated it in a pot.
Next, I mixed sour cream, milk, eggs and butter in a bowl and once the mixture was ready I poured it into the pot.
I applied plenty of butter on the cake mould, put in chocolate and berries, then poured the dough in. As I watched it bake on the stove, the berries floated to the top.
Later, I put a rod through it to check if it's done. It was ready.
It was quite good for being my first time. The contrast of the red and black colours of the currants were pretty too. A sweet scent hung about, making me get this indescribable feeling.
I wanted to eat the freshly made cake right away, but I heard that it tastes better if it becomes a little moist so I left it in a cool place.
However, today, cake was not the most important thing. I was going out to someplace with Sieg after a long time.
I was baking from the morning to relieve myself of this anxiety I had.
Well, even though I said going out, I'm not going anywhere too fancy.
If I wear something special, I would be noticed by people in the port where I knew many people, so I wore my usual clothes.
As I waited while sitting on the wooden crate, my wife came out.
"!"
For the first time, she wore traditional women's clothing. She always wore the unisex one that reached to her knees, or when she had to move a lot, like when we went out hunting, she wore men's clothing.
This one was made recently. When I was making summer clothes, I made some long ones out of whim.
"Uwa! Really cute! You look really good in it, Sieglinde!"
"......"
Her straight shoulder-length hair were tied and let down behind her. She also put on make up, having a light red shade on her cheeks and a tint on her lips.
The traditional clothing had a skirt length that reached to just a little higher than the ankles. The hems were decorated with vivid stripes, giving it a colourful look.
"Good, really good. I should have made these sooner."
"......"
I walked in a circle around Sieg, slowly savouring the sight.
"Let's go quickly, or we'll be late for the carriage."
"Right. Can I hold your hand?"
"......"
She didn't answer, but regardless I grabbed her hand.
I went out in this excited state, but we were just heading to the port where the 'Sausage (Wurst) and Beer festival' was taking place.
This festival happened once a year, when a merchant vessel came over. This year, coincidentally, I could enjoy Sieg's homeland's specialties.
Even as we rode the carriage to the port, my loosened expression did not return to normal.
After some time, we arrived at the port.
The square was already full of people.
"They're selling sausages at the street stall, and beer is available in the tents."
"I see. Then, let's go."
Since the place was overcrowded, I locked her arms with mine.
There were about thirty different kinds of sausages in the square, and there were also many stalls selling various foreign goods. First, I pondered on which sausage I would buy.
"There's quite a variety, just for the sausages."
"In my homeland, I heard that there are more than thousand varieties of sausages."
"Hehh~!"
Grilled ones, boiled ones, deep fried ones, there were many different ways that they were cooked in.
"Uwa, the sausage is white! Why's that!?"
"That's 'Münchner weisswurst', a veal sausage. It's white because there's egg white and cream in it."
"I see~"
It means 'white sausage' in Sieg's homeland's language, and it's peeled before it's eaten. I got curious, so I bought two: one for me and one for Sieg. The sausages were parboiled and then put int a bag. Looks like everything is uncooked. Thus, the ones made in the morning have to be eaten in the morning. Also, they say that 'Weisswurst should be eaten before hearing the noon bell'.
Other than that, there were sausages that were about to burst from grilling, dried chewy ones, ones with cheese. I also bought one from Sieg's hometown, a long one grilled with charcoal, called 'Thüringer'.
After buying up enough sausage to be satisfied, we moved to the tents and ordered beer.
"Ah, should I buy potato fries too~, what should I do."
"You should get what you want. You've been doing your best every day. You can spoil yourself a bit, you won't receive divine punishment from that."
I became happy. I didn't think that she would praise me here.
"Anything you recommend for the beer?"
"Let's see."
There were quite a lot of kinds of beers. I frowned since I didn't know any of them.
"There are three ways that beer is made."
Brewed in high temperature, 'ale'. Brewed in low temperature, 'lager'. Brewed using natural yeast in the atmosphere, 'lambic'.
Ales are tastier when warmer, and lagers and lambics are better drunk cold.
"Ales taste a bit like fruit, and is smooth. Lagers are clean. They didn't sell lambic that much back home, so I don't know very well about the taste, but I heard they tasted quite sour."
To Sieg's clear explanations, I nodded.
I bought 'white beer (weizenbier)' which was good for those who were weak to alcohol.
Sieg bought 'black beer (schwarzbier)' which had a strong flavour.
After i waited a while, beer was served in large wooden cups. They were so big, so I was surprised. I was amazed at how this was normal in Sieg's country.
The white beer (weizenbier) I ordered wasn't all that white. On the other had, Sieg's black beer (schwarzbier) was really black.
After toasting to each other's hard work, we drank.
The beer was kept warm, but it was surprisingly delicious. I had thought that beer was supposed to be kept cold up until now, but now I changed my mind.
The ale had a citric flavour and subtle sour touch, and had a smooth texture. I think I could drink this anytime. I also tasted Sieg's black beer, but it was an adult's taste.
Eating the sausage with the beer brought forth even happier times.
The white sausage that are peeled were soft because of the egg whites, and the spices went well with the citric flavour of the drink.
The sausages that were grilled crisply tasted really good with the potato fries. The chewing and the spiciness combined well, making the drink really easy to down.
"Ah, should I go buy some more?"
"No, no need."
"I have something I want, so I'll be going."
"Wait, me too."
"It's fine~"
I said that and left.
I don't know how much I drank. I'm walking straight, but I could tell that I was drunk. I had even caressed Sieg's hand while saying, "Ain't it good~ ain't it good". It's an unimaginable thing to do if I was sober.
Sieg looked at me with a troubled expression, but then I ended up saying that her expression was unbearable.
The worst drinking habits ever.
When I was going to the sausage market, I was talked to by a shop owner.
"Hey mister, how would you like some metal ornaments!?"
"......"
He talked to me from the thought that I am a Lapp. We are famous for liking metal ornaments. I was about to leave, but the owner said something that grabbed my attention.
"It's a rare platinum ornament. How about giving it to your wife or girlfriend?"
It was an earring in the shape of a snow flake. It was one that had a blue gem in the shape of a water drop surrounded by platinum decorations.
It was for one ear, sold on its own.
It was one that was in the colours Sieg liked, white and blue, in the shape of winter.
I thought that it was one that existed for her.
Of course, it was expensive. Since it was made out of platinum. When I told him that I did not have enough cash with me, he told me that I could pay the rest later. It seemed that he was going to set up shop in our village tomorrow.
"Then, I'd like that."
I bought it up.
I had some spare money since I made wooden carvings during the tourist season.
Without buying any more sausages, I went back to the tent where Sieg was.
Sieg looked relieved as she greeted me.
I called someone over and paid up.
We then got back on a carriage to take us home and returned quietly.
◇◇◇
After returning home, I suggested to take it slowly because I couldn't work due to the alcohol in my system.
I was drunk, so bathing was dangerous. I just wiped myself off with medicinal water. I also washed my face, so I felt better.
Sieg bathed with Miruporon.
There was a possibility of drowning in the bath when one is drunk, so I asked someone to go in with Sieg.
I went over to Sieg, who was sitting at the chair by the window.
"Sieg, here."
"!"
Seeing the earring I held out to her, she looked surprised.
"......What's this?"
"Well, I have to mark my belonging, right?"
Saying that, I drew her hair back and held the earring up next to her.
It was a clean ear. She might be stolen if I didn't mark her.
"What do you mean."
"The same thing with the reindeers."
"!"
Reindeers are important. If they're not marked down, they might be stolen.
After saying that, I also whispered words of persuasion into her ears.
Of course, I was executing the plan grandfather suggested.
A while later, she nodded and accepted my gift.
I felt satisfied and placed the earring on her hands. Then I went to my room and went off the sleep.
I came back to my sense the next morning.
"——!"
I was dreaming. It was definitely a dream. It was a dream without a doubt.
As I was thinking of my stupidity yesterday, I could feel my face heating up from embarrassment.
When I went to living room, Sieg was not yet back from her morning stroll, so I let out a sigh of relief.
After I calmed down a bit, I placed the cake I made yesterday on the table.
Then, after a while, my wife came back.
"I'm back."
"!?"
Seeing her having pierced her ears, I was at a loss for words.
When I saw the shining object on her left ear, I almost tripped over the chair behind me.
"Sieglinde-san, that, ear."
"I got it pierced from the shop lady."
I felt a surge of regret. I wrapped my head in my arms.
"It hurt, right?"
"No, not that much."
"This."
"......"
"Wasn't it unpleasant?"
"Why?"
"Well, marking like a reindeer."
I could no longer look straight at her.
However, Sieg kneeled down beside where I was sitting. Then, I have no choice but to look at her.
There, Sieg said something unexpected.
"I didn't dislike it. I know that Ritz treasures his reindeers like no other."
"!"
"I felt happy. Thank you."
"Sieg."
Her smile was blindingly bright that I had to close my eyes halfway.
I really am in love with her, I thought.
| ← Ch. 040 | Ch. 042 → |