Jin was making the rounds within Avalon, accompanied by Reiko.
While peeking into the lounge, a voice called out to him.
"Ah, Jin-sama, it has been quite some time."
"Um... Rianna-san?"
"Yes. I have been placed in charge of Avalon for this occasion."
Rianna was the unit leader of the Royal Secret Maids 2nd Squad and a master of self-defense.
"Would you call that... a promotion?"
"Most certainly. Our entire 2nd Squad is scheduled to transfer here permanently."
"The 2nd Squad... if I recall..."
They were the Royal Secret Maids Jin had met during his previous visit to the Kingdom of Egerea.
"Yes, that would be Mary, Kate, and Leeza. I am the only one permitted to accompany the delegation this time."
"I believe Lyla was assigned to the Prince, wasn't she?"
The other member, Lyla Soluce, who had once been assigned to Jin, was now serving the Third Prince and would not be coming to Avalon.
"Indeed. Furthermore, His Highness expressed a strong desire to accompany the delegation for this conference, but permission was not granted. He entrusted me with a message for you, Jin-sama: 'My regards.'"
"I see. That is very kind of him."
Jin then spotted another familiar face further back in the room.
"Jin-dono. It has been a while."
It was Pascoe Rush.
He was the third son of House Rush, the man who had worked alongside Lishia to transport the cure for the magical consumption fever that had once plagued the Klein Kingdom.
"I have been promoted from an apprentice to a ritter. Regarding our previous encounter... please accept my apologies for my rudeness back then."
As Pascoe lowered his head slightly, Jin noticed how much he had changed. In the past, he had carried the typical arrogance of a noble in the worst way, but now his sense of etiquette far outweighed that. Perhaps as he learned more about Jin’s true nature, he had come to realize that Jin was not a man to be treated lightly.
"I have heard that you and Maquina-dono were responsible for the maintenance and preparation of Avalon. I wish to express my deepest respect for your craftsmanship."
"Thank you very much."
Jin responded with equal courtesy to the polite words.
Just then, Safi 1 made an announcement.
"Dinner has been prepared."
The guests in the lounge rose all at once, catching Jin slightly off guard.
In truth, the reputation of the food served during the previous World Conference had been so high that expectations were soaring for this event as well. Both the returning attendees and the first-timers—who had heard the rumors through word of mouth—were eagerly looking forward to the meal.
"Oh?"
"What is this?"
"What on earth could it be...?"
One of the main dishes served this time was "processed fish paste."
It was a food made by mincing fish meat, adding salt, kneading it into various shapes, and then heating it until it solidified.
"These were made by processing fish," Jin, the provider of the meal, explained.
In reality, Perido and the domestic golems on Hourai Island had gone through extensive trial and error to select the best fish species. They primarily used saltwater whitefish, which developed a natural elasticity when kneaded with salt. A small amount of starch was added to fine-tune the texture.
The selection included grilled chikuwa, tsumire, kamaboko, and kaga-age. Each had undergone a different heating process—grilling, boiling, steaming, or frying—after the kneading phase.
As Jin explained the preparation, murmurs of admiration rose from all corners of the room.
Then, the second main dish was presented.
"T-This is...?"
"The aroma is incredible."
"What kind of meat is this...?"
A new delicacy was laid out before them.
"This is called kabayaki. It is the meat of juvenile dragonic eels from the Klein Kingdom."
"What!"
Adult dragonic eels exceeded three meters in length, and their meat was too tough to enjoy, but the meat of the juveniles—those under a meter long—was remarkably delicious and very similar to the eels of Earth. Perido and her team had struggled to recreate the kabayaki sauce, and this was its grand debut.
"Juvenile dragonic eels can be caught in large quantities. As long as we are careful not to overfish them, they can become an excellent food resource."
"Mmm, I must take my hat off to you."
Even Alois III, who was fond of raw river fish, was deeply impressed by the dragonic eel kabayaki and smacked his lips in delight. Naturally, the other guests followed suit, savoring the flavor.
"This scent really whets the appetite."
"If you like, it becomes even more flavorful if you sprinkle this on top."
Jin demonstrated by shaking a powder from a small container.
"It is called hajikami."
It was sansho powder.
"Oh, this has a wonderful fragrance as well."
"It’s quite different from pepper."
"I would like to try this with other dishes, too."
The assembled guests thoroughly enjoyed the kabayaki and the fish paste products.
"Now then, please try this beverage with your meal."
The drink offered was Japanese sake. It paired exceptionally well with fish.
"I thought this sake was quite sweet on its own, but when combined with the food, it is exquisite."
This was a variety that Reinhard, a wine lover, had already tested and given his seal of approval. It was no surprise that the other guests took a liking to it as well.
"I wouldn't call it a 'divine' flavor, per se, but it has a very 'gentle taste,'" one guest remarked while sampling the fish paste.
"One could eat this every day without growing tired of it. Truly delicious things often lose their charm over time, but this remains pleasant."
Continuing the success from the last conference, the white rice was also a hit.
"Hmm, is the cooking method different? It never turns out like this at my home."
"It might help to polish the rice immediately before cooking," Jin suggested.
The number of nobles who preferred white rice was steadily increasing. The rice harvest had apparently doubled over the past two years, which was a point of great satisfaction for Jin. Of course, he also welcomed the delicious breads and noodles made from wheat.
"Oh, here it comes! I haven't been able to forget this since the last time I had it!"
This guest was a fan of the miso soup.
"I am so happy to be able to eat this again."
The Meat-Topopo was also a crowd favorite.
The dinner party continued in a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.