Chapter 26.1 – Meeting Princess Mere – part 2

Nozomu jolted when the Guild Master pinched his right arm, and he made a deep bow and spoke as he stood straight again, "I am deeply sorry if I made you feel that way, Princess, it was not my intention. I was just surprised. I was imagining you completely different from what I am seeing."

"And may I ask how you were imagining me? I am rather curious, and I am not like this very often."

Nozomu made a slight smile and spoke while looking around the room, "In such a big and pretty room like this, I was expecting a Princess with a bored look on her face, or one that was making a tantrum because of the tiniest thing, shouting ‘off with his head!’, just to hear her voice echoing in the walls. Instead, I see a fire in your eyes and the Magic around you that you are trying to disguise among the sun rays. I have been around a bunch of Adventurers these last few days, and you have the same determination and fire they have."

The Princess leaned back on her throne and dispersed her Magic. She intertwined her fingers over her lap and made a slight smile, "Well, I am called the Warrior Princess for a reason… Who are you, and why did you come here today? And while we are at it, why are you carrying that box in your hands, as if it was an exquisite gift?"

"I am no one important, Princess. I am a mere cook’s helper at the Guild. My name is Nozomu Shinchaku, and this is a new type of food I created, called pizza. It’s very tasty, but it has a strange side effect on Beast-kind. I thought you might like to taste it."

The Princess asked while signalling a Royal Guard to get the package that Nozomu was carrying, "What side effect? Something dangerous?"

"Not really, but it works as an aphrodisiac. They lose most of their inhibitions and become bolder. On the first day that we served these at the Guild, a bunch of new couples were formed among the Adventurers. It seems many of them were holding their feelings for far too long, and the pizza released them from their restraints. The next morning there was a line of people waiting to buy pizzas, and this morning as well, but the line today was even bigger."

The Princess looked at the strange round and unknown food that the Royal Guard unwrapped and asked, "It does look interesting, and the smell is divine. Does it have any effect on Humans?"

"On Humans, none whatsoever, Princess. Pizzas are best eaten hot, that was why I carefully wrapped that one, I was hoping it didn’t get too cold. Pizzas are also good when they are cold, but fresh from the oven, they are really something."

The Princess grabbed a slice that she carefully separated from the rest, and approached it from her nose, taking a good sniff. The old servant spoke with a worried look, "My Princess, perhaps it would be better if a servant tasted it first. We can’t ever be too careful."

The Princess raised one eyebrow, "Are you sure you want to accuse a Guild Master of bringing someone to poison me? Especially Mister Udo Eskola, once my training Captain in the army?"

The old servant made a deep bow, feeling embarrassed, "I deeply apologize, My Princess! I wasn’t aware!"

Princess Mere smirked and took a bite of the pizza. She munched it, pure delight across her face. She took another bite and asked after swallowing, "You weren’t kidding! This food is divine! How did you make this?"

"It’s just a thin circle of bread dough, a special seasoned red tomato sauce, ham and cheese, and cooked in a hot oven for some minutes."

The Princess lifted a piece of cheese from the pizza she was holding and looked at the red sauce, "I see it. Interesting, no one uses red tomatoes for anything, because they taste weird. Everyone likes green tomatoes, the red ones are given to ‘Skaraars’ or thrown into the garbage. You said you are selling this at the Guild? Are you perhaps willing to teach my Royal Cooks how to do this?"

"Perhaps if we could reach some sort of agreement, Princess. I wouldn’t mind licensing this recipe and my method. I mean, I could teach a cook how to do this if I gain a small percentage of every pizza sold. Maybe a copper coin for every twenty pizzas? As for the Royal Cooks, the agreement should be different."

The Princess ate the last bit and spoke after licking her fingers, "You know, I could order you to teach my Royal Cooks…"

"You could if you wouldn’t mind losing the chance to try another interesting food we brought. Along with several of your Royal Guards and Mages, that is. It’s never a good idea to underestimate someone you just met, Princess."

The Royal Guards took one step forward, already squeezing the hilt of their swords, but the Princess’ voice made them return to their position, "Calm down, everyone, we are just testing each other. It seems you are not as unknowledgeable as you seem, young Nozomu Shinchaku. You are used to transactions, and you know all the right words. I see several applications for this 'pizza', as you called it, and that side effect over Beast-kind is extremely useful. What is the other food you brought?"

Taisetsuna slowly raised the bag she was carrying, "It's here, Princess Mere. I am Taisetsuna Kawa. Nozo called this chocolate. It has roasted 'crackers' inside and it’s made from the powdered cocoa seeds that are left behind when we make cocoa butter. Nozo devised a weird recipe to use it, and we had to wait for him to finish so that we could travel here because he cooked this for a few hours. According to him, more hours on the stove equals a different flavour, and he said he will keep on improving the recipe to create as many variants as he can. It seems that depending on the number of hours on the stove and the ingredients used, the flavour gets different."

As a Royal Guard was grabbing the bag that Taisetsuna had, Takanari took the other bag from her hand, and she quickly stuffed her mouth with a bunch of chocolates before Taisetsuna retrieved it, "Give me that! I told you to stop eating it! Geez!"

The Princess took one chocolate from the bag that the Guard gave her, and placed it on her palm, looking at it with visible interest, "This seems tasty, and the smell is amazing! Why this round shape? And I suppose you also want a license for this and an agreement to teach my Cooks?"

"Of course, Princess. I have already tasted them and I know they have no weird effect on Humans. As for Beast-kind, I am not so sure. Little Takanari here has been eating chocolates ever since we left the Guild, and her behaviour became a bit odd. She is normally very quiet and sweet, but with chocolates, she is acting like an annoying brat."

Takanari frowned while tapping her right foot on the floor and with both hands on her whips, "Who are you ...chomp… calling a brat ...chomp… you little Human? Not my fault ...chomp… if you are dumber ...chomp… than you look!"

Taisetsuna quickly shook both hands while facing the wrinkles on the Princess’ forehead, "Forgive her, Princess! She is not like this! I think the chocolates are influencing her! She seems to not be able to stop her mouth!"

The Princess signalled one of her Royal Guards to approach, a big and serious Cat-kind, "Here, eat this and let’s see what happens."

The Royal Guard nodded and took the chocolate that the Princess offered him, and as he was munching it, his eyes opened wide, and he smiled. The Princess took another chocolate from the bag and ate it. She placed her hand over her mouth as she spoke while munching, "This is so good and so sweet! How did you make this?"

"Like Suna said, with cocoa powder, but also with milk and ‘Ergy’ honey. I left the Guild before watching the reactions of the Adventurers, but I am sure they all liked it. I just fear for the side effects among the Beast-kind."

The Princess looked at the Cat-kind Royal Guard that was still enjoying the chocolate, "Do you feel anything different?"

"Besides the increasing will of getting out of this boring escort service? ...chomp… Not really."

The Princess made a slight smile and changed the position on the throne to face the Guard, "Is that so? What do you enjoy doing then, if being my escort here is so boring?"

"Drinking and playing dice with my comrades in the barracks ...chomp… Or sparring. I enjoy sparring a lot, it’s good for the muscles."

The Princess disguised a smile and continued her questioning while the whispering around coming from the Nobles increased, "I see. What about being with your family? Do you prefer being in the Castle with your comrades instead of being with your family?"

"My comrades are my family, Princess ...chomp... I joined the army as soon as I left my Orphanage because I didn’t want to be alone ...chomp... You for sure know what I mean, considering you are also the last one of your bloodline."

The noise from the Nobles increased, and the Princess signalled for them to be quiet without stopping smiling at her Guard, "That means you pity me, then."

"No, my Princess, I don’t pity you ...chomp… I admire you and consider you my dearest friend ...chomp… one that I would die for, if needed."

The Princess made a slow nod and faced Nozomu after quickly cleaning her eyes, "It seems your chocolates have different effects on Beast-kind, depending on their age. That little Cat-kind girl became a brat, but my Guard is telling the truth about everything without hiding anything from me. These chocolates are perhaps a bit too dangerous for Beast-kind, so it would be better if you keep on testing your recipe till the effects are the same for everyone, or there are none."

Nozomu spoke after glancing at the Royal Guard that was back to his post at the left of the throne, "It seems chocolates can be used like they are now. In the market, for instance, to question a seller about their products. By an inter-racial couple, if the wife wonders where her Beast-kind husband went to arrive so late at their home. It can cause some problems in the beginning, but as soon as everyone knows that secrets are not so secretive because of chocolates, things will probably be better."

"You may have a point, but let's wait a few days, considering you are testing this at the Guild and in the City of Ourelona, if the people hear about this and tomorrow there is a line to buy them. I suppose you didn’t come here just to give me food, because I was also told that you had a new Magical Item to show me."

The Guild Master signalled Takanari to approach, and she took one wand from her pocket. She lifted her tiny arm and spoke to the curious Princess in front of her, "It’s just a matter ...chomp… of coins, Princess Mere! This may look like a kid's toy ...chomp… but it can destroy this room if I want to ...chomp… so it’s probably a good idea not to annoy me!"

Nozomu quickly grabbed Takanari’s arm and took the wand from her hand. He then looked at her with his palm open, "Enough! Give me the others! No buts, no pouting, no nothing! Wands, now!"