Volume 5 Chapter 2 This Year, Everyone Is Having A New Year's Crab Party
I was peeling the shell off a frozen crab when Sir Ciel and Mr. Lucian showed up.
Then, Sir Rail, Sir Roxas, and Sir Stefan came by.
After that, Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi arrived too.
They all brought a lot of snacks.
"Today, we're peeling crabs, making crab claw fries, and cooking rice with crab and salmon roe. Also, we'll have grilled crab, boiled crab, and crab hot pot."
While I was getting the crab meat out of the shell with my wet hands, everyone offered to help.
But Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi were already sitting at the counter, drinking their usual drinks. I served them baked crab shells filled with crab miso and shredded crab meat first.
"Lyd-Lyd, this is so good! It really feels like New Year's with crab!"
"Eating crab makes it feel like the year is ending. You guys had a tough year, so enjoy the crab. Lydia, eat the sea urchin I brought too. I also caught some octopus and sea bream."
"Thank you! It's like a seafood festival!"
Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi were enjoying the baked crab shells.
Mr. Lucian had made some tender braised pork at home, and Sir Ciel magically warmed it up and served it to Mx. Margaret and the others.
"Ciel's magic is so handy. Adjusting magic just to warm up food isn't something you can usually do."
"...I'd like to use my magic just for warming up food from now on."
"What are you saying? Are you tired from work, oh mysterious demon king?"
"Just kidding."
"You're joking, Ciel? That's surprising."
"...I've tried a few times, but I'm not very good at jokes."
"That's not something you need to practice."
Mr. Lucian placed the beautifully served braised pork in front of Mx. Margaret and the others, and also in front of Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine, who were sitting cutely at the counter.
Eir-Eir started eating messily, while Ms. Famine was eating elegantly.
Dad was trying to get some drinks from Mr. Tsukuyomi, saying, "Dogs shouldn't drink..." "I'm not a dog, I'm your dad." "In the Kingdom of Bernard, even dogs can talk," he said, impressed.
While my hands were still wet from peeling crab, Mr. Lucian fed me some braised pork.
"In Kirschtein, we're more used to meat dishes than fish. I eat salmon sometimes, but not much else. I'm sorry for always having meat dishes..."
"This is delicious, Mr. Lucian. The pork is soft and melts in my mouth..."
The meat is so tender it just melts. It's really good.
"Glad to hear that."
Mr. Lucian's eyes turned a bit red, and he looked shy.
He's really good at cooking. It takes a long time to make the pork tender and flavorful.
He must have cooked it slowly. I usually rush things and ask Sir Roxas to help me cut down the cooking time.
Mr. Lucian is so careful and perfect.
I really admire him.
"Always having meat dishes...!? What do you mean, Lucian? It sounds like you've cooked for Lydia many times. ...Why are you casually feeding Lydia meat?"
Sir Roxas seems grumpy even at the end of the year. Maybe he's upset because I politely declined his offer to help with peeling the crab.
I mean, I could get hurt, Sir Roxas.
Later, Sir Roxas tried to help Sir Rail organize the snacks everyone brought and ended up getting poked by the sea urchin spines, so Sir Rail told him, "Roxas, just sit down. Listen to your older brother," and he obediently sat in a chair.
"Sir Roxas, do you want to eat some meat? Yes, go ahead."
Mr. Lucian didn't seem to care much about Sir Roxas being grumpy. He poked a piece of braised pork with his fork and held it up to Sir Roxas's mouth.
"I can eat it myself."
"Roxas, you might get your clothes dirty with the sauce..."
"Your Highness, I'm not a 5-year-old!"
Sir Roxas took the plate with the braised pork from Mr. Lucian.
Then he glared at the worried Sir Stefan.
"Roxas, come over here. If you're not going to help, let's drink together. Just like the useless adults."
"Yeah, Roxas. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Some people aren't good at cooking, so come over and drink."
Called by Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi, Sir Roxas reluctantly headed to the counter seats.
Then he got some drinks from Mr. Tsukuyomi and started eating the braised pork and grilled crab shells.
"Um, Sir Roxas, Mr. Lucian fed me the meat because my hands are all wet right now..."
Peeling the crab makes your hands really wet.
When I lifted my hands, dripping with crab juice and water, to show Sir Roxas, he dropped the piece of braised pork he was about to eat.
Brown sauce splattered on his fancy clothes.
"Sir Roxas... you got sauce on your clothes..."
"N-no, that's not it, it's just..."
"Roxas, I think it's a bit weird to get excited watching a woman peel crab."
"...Roxas, are you okay? You should put a napkin around your neck. I had a feeling you might need it."
"Brother, don't say things that can be misunderstood. Your Highness, don't act like my brother. Don't try to put on a napkin. Don't wipe it off."
Sir Rail smiled awkwardly while Sir Stefan wiped the stain off Sir Roxas's clothes and tried to wrap a white napkin around his neck. Sir Roxas looked happy.
"Lydia... why are you laughing so much?"
"Um, I was just thinking that Sir Stefan and Sir Rail have always taken care of Sir Roxas like this. It's cute... I'm sorry, saying a guy is cute is weird, right?"
"N-no..."
Sir Roxas quickly looked away from me. Then he asked, "...Lydia, how much New Year's money do you want...?"
"Roxas, rumors will spread that Duke Girard walks around giving New Year's money to cute girls."
Sir Rail said worriedly.
"Forget what I just said, I just got carried away! The rumor about me finally paying to dress women in maid outfits and walk around town just disappeared!"
"These days, you're famous for breaking things and tripping in a corner of Lobelia."
"A Duke who walks around giving New Year's money to cute girls sounds interesting too."
Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi laughed happily.
"Don't find it funny."
"Roxas is loved by everyone in town. That's a good thing."
"Your Highness, don't smile so kindly."
I chuckled and went back to cooking the crab. Sir Stefan──he seems a bit happier since he talked with Elder Brother Chrisrain the other day.
He used to be careful and considerate of me, but now, taking care of Sir Roxas, he looks really lively.
"Ms. Lydia, should I take the meat out of the crab shell?"
"Are you going to help me, Sir Ciel?"
"Yes. I was just thinking about how to peel the shell nicely. It takes a bit of time to build the magic..."
Sir Ciel came over next to me, looking at the crab shell and the meat.
The crabs for the crab pot, boiled crabs, and grilled crabs are kept separate. The crabs for crab rice only use the meat, so I need to break it apart.
"I think I can do it, so I'll give it a try."
Sir Ciel said that and clapped his hands lightly, making a cheerful sound.
Just like that, a big pile of crab meat appeared on the plate.
The crab shells completely disappeared.
"Wow...!"
"The shells are gone..."
"That's a magic to make shells disappear. It has limited uses, but it's really handy."
Mr. Lucian and Sir Rail looked impressed as they stared at the vanished shells and the piled-up crab meat.
"Sir Ciel...! Amazing, the crab meat is so easy to get...!"
"I broke down the shells into tiny particles and removed just the meat. I think the taste is fine, but..."
Sir Ciel said while using purification magic to clean my hands, which were all sticky with crab meat. I looked up at Sir Ciel, surprised by the feeling of our hands touching.
"Sir Ciel, you can also warm up food and peel crab meat... can you do that with sea urchin too...?"
"Princess, please don't make the sea urchin disappear...! I was thinking of throwing it around later and playing with His Highness and Roxas..."
"Sir Rail, you can't throw sea urchins."
It's dangerous to throw sea urchins. Sir Roxas could get hurt.
"Is that not allowed?"
"No, at least make it a snowball fight."
"That sounds good! Then, after we eat, let's have a New Year's snowball fight!"
Sir Rail said cheerfully.
A New Year's snowball fight sounds fun, but I worry that Sir Roxas might slip and fall. I'm a bit anxious.
I mixed the freshly cooked rice with the crab meat and added the crab broth from the crab pot.
I placed the crab rice in a large deep dish and topped it with crab meat, salmon roe, sea urchin, chopped green onions, and seaweed.
Then, I coated the crab claws and fried them until crispy.
I filled the crab shell, which had a lot of crab miso, with crab meat and topped it with sea urchin to grill.
I boiled and grilled whole crabs and made a crab pot too.
"It's done! This year's feast is a luxurious crab spread!"
Thanks to everyone's help, the cooking was ready by evening.
We moved the tables from Lobelia's restaurant and pushed them together so everyone could sit around.
We brought the food over, poured tea, and prepared some drinks.
By the time we finished setting up, Mr. Tsukuyomi and the others had already emptied several bottles of alcohol.
Before I knew it, Sir Roxas and Sir Stefan were drinking with us too.
As we all sat around the table, Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine jumped onto my lap.
"Today, let's thank Lydia for cooking. I hope you stay happy and kind next year too."
Mr. Lucian said in a prayer-like way.
"Ms. Lydia, I'm grateful for the happiness of enjoying your cooking. May you always be able to smile every day."
Sir Ciel said quietly.
"Lydia, I'm always thankful. Thank you."
Sir Roxas said shyly.
"Being with the princess is always fun. Thanks for the food today. I'll still be your hero next year, so don't worry."
Sir Rail said with a smile, offering a prayer before the meal.
"I'm happy to be here with all of you. Lydia, thank you, everyone."
Sir Stefan said deeply, thanking everyone, while Mx. Margaret and Mr. Tsukuyomi teased him, calling him "serious" and "serious prince," poking him from both sides.
I put my hands together and smiled brightly.
"This is my first time celebrating the New Year with someone. I'm not alone... thank you..."
It's funny how you can feel like crying when you're happy.
Eir-Eir and Ms. Famine rubbed against my stomach, looking worried.
My dad quietly said, "I'm glad, Lydia." "Happy New Year, Lydia!" The next morning, Elder Brother Chrisrain brought a huge amount of beautiful Elgard shrimp.
He also delivered a secret recipe book from the Elgard Kingdom, so now my cooking includes Elgard dishes.
After the crab festival, it's the shrimp festival.
One of the Elgard dishes I make, Elgard shrimp ramen, is said to bring good luck, and soon there will be a line forming at Lobelia for it.
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