My name was Shaiful.
I was the eldest son and heir of the House of Baron League in the Demon Kingdom.
Though we were a Baronial house, we possessed neither tradition nor history. We were the very definition of upstarts, having only ascended to the nobility through our exploits over the last fifty years or so. To be blunt, our business was thriving, and my family’s true sentiment was that we had no real desire to join the ranks of the aristocracy.
However, we were granted our title as a reward for our efforts during a time when the lands of a certain Marquis were plagued by food shortages. We had transported massive quantities of supplies to his people, and thus, we became nobles.
Or rather, we were forced into the nobility.
The Marquis had been unable to pay for the food our family delivered, so we were granted the title of Baron in lieu of payment. While having the title certainly made conducting business easier, rumors persisted behind our backs that we had simply bought our way into our status.
It was utterly loathsome.
Loathsome as it was, I did manage to gain a friend who didn’t care about such things in the slightest, so perhaps it wasn't all bad. Currently, I am putting my best effort into "class-changing" that friend into a lover.
...Well, I suspect I still have a long way to go.
Now, as for me...
I have one hobby—or perhaps it's more of a vice. I am a gourmet.
I love delicious food. I went so far as to headhunt a chef from a famous restaurant in the Royal Capital to work for my family. I believed with all my heart that the dishes he prepared were the pinnacle of culinary art.
That belief was shaken when I stopped in Shashato City.
It happened when I stayed at the finest hotel in the city and sampled the fare provided there. For a long time, I had heard rumors of the cuisine in Shashato City. They said it was incredible, that it was divine. As someone who had never tasted true cooking, I had laughed to myself, thinking they were exaggerating.
As it turned out, I was the one who had never tasted true cuisine.
I learned that in this world, there is always a higher peak to climb. My first instinct was to headhunt the hotel’s chef, but I restrained myself.
A friend of mine once said, "Give them your respect, not just your money."
I used to think the greatest compliment one could give a chef was to hire them for a high salary. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The greatest compliment for a chef is to return to their table to eat again.
I was scheduled to be in the city for two more days. However, a major martial arts tournament was about to be held, so I decided to extend my stay under the guise of spectating. My father likely wouldn't be too angry with me.
That was the day my world was transformed.
I was enjoying the most expensive meal the hotel offered. I had tried various things, but I found this particular dish to be the most exquisite. A man from the Beastman Race sitting at the table next to mine was eating the same thing.
Ah, he has good taste, I thought.
Wait.
Was the portion of meat on his plate larger than mine?
Now hold on, hotel chef. It is poor form to show favoritism among your guests, is it not? No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t show favoritism—I’m saying that if you do, shouldn't the larger portion be on my plate?
...No, no. That's the talk of a "bad noble." Stay cool. Think coolly.
I had eaten here several times, and the portions were always consistent. That meant the chef had intentionally made a distinction this time.
...Could it be that the quality of that specific cut of meat was slightly lacking, and he increased the portion as a silent apology? Yes, that seemed plausible.
The beastman took a bite and furrowed his brow. If my reasoning was correct, he must have noticed the drop in quality. He was quite the gourmet himself, wasn't he?
...Hm?
What did he just take out? What was he adding to his food?
...He was eating with an expression of pure, unadulterated bliss!
What was it? What did he put on that meat? What was that substance?!
"S-Sell... sell that to me!"
No, that wasn't right!
"Let me have a bite too!" I begged.
After some negotiation, he allowed me a single piece of meat with a small amount of the substance on it. When I tasted it, the shock was physical.
What had I been eating all my life? The flavors I once considered the pinnacle of taste now felt thin and hollow. They were flat. But this seasoning... it made the flavor three-dimensional. The tastes were layered and complex.
It was incredible. It was far too incredible.
In truth, I used to imagine how I would react if I ever encountered truly world-changing food. Would I clap my hands? Strip off my clothes? Leap into the air? Ah, what a fool I had been. When a person encounters something truly delicious, they simply become possessed by the act of eating.
Wait! The meat was gone! When did that happen? Had someone stolen it? Who was it? I'll kill them!
...Oh. It was me. I was the one who ate it.
Phew... cool your head. Stay cool. Yes, be cool.
The beastman was... still there. Good.
"Just a little more! Please, just a little more!"
The beastman turned out to be a wonderful fellow. He shared a small amount of the three seasonings he possessed: Soy Sauce, Miso, and Mayonnaise.
Ah, they were all so delicious. I had to resist the urge to simply lick them off the plate; they would be gone in an instant. I had to treasure them.
From that night on, chatting with him during dinner became my daily routine. He seemed a bit bothered by my persistence, but he was the only one I could share this profound emotion with.
I was careless, though. I never realized just how thoughtless I could be.
The beastman was an adventurer. He entered the tournament in Shashato City and won the entire thing. He was magnificent, though he never let on just how powerful he was while we were dining. And anyone with a lick of sense would have realized that once his goal—the tournament—was finished, he would likely move on.
I hadn't thought that far ahead. Was I an idiot?
I searched for him desperately after that. While I wanted more of his seasonings, I also had unfinished business with the man himself. He had given me those precious seasonings for free. I had thanked him hundreds of times, but I couldn't rest until I had given him something in return.
Blast it, still no sign of him? I even submitted a formal request to the Adventurer Guild.
Months passed. I caught wind that some of those seasonings were circulating among the upper echelons of the Demon Kingdom and immediately entered negotiations. Since the politically neutral Count Chrome was the one managing the distribution, it made things much easier. I made sure to attend every dinner party I could.
My father gave me his permission. Apparently, even the House of Leg was purchasing the seasonings. I made sure to attend their banquets as well.
Then, I was struck by another bolt of lightning. It happened back in Shashato City. I suppose I have a destiny with that place.
The dish placed before me was Curry.
It was a soup served in a small bowl, eaten with Bread.
...It was delicious. It was far too delicious. I found myself weeping.
While I was lost in my emotions, the shop was thrown into an uproar. From there, everything happened in a blur.
Let me just give you the highlights.
I reunited with that beastman, Galf.
Karaage is life-changing. Mayonnaise is the greatest invention in history. Ah, Lemon is quite a nice touch as well. And Pepper... Pepper? They used it so casually here? I wanted to buy the shop's entire stock.
When some boorish nobles tried to cause trouble, I provided a little support with my Magic. Bowling is an excellent pastime. Ring Toss is deceptively difficult. The Shooting Gallery... hmph. It seems I have no talent for the Bow.
But above all else, the staff meals at this shop were supreme. There were prototypes with varying spices for the Curry, of course, but there were also croquettes, cutlets, Tempura, and simmered dishes...
Oh, yes. I suppose I am late in reporting this.
I am now working at Curry Shop Maruura.
"Acting Shop Manager Marcos. Today's prep is finished. Please check my work."
"Hmm... you've got a good hand for this. It's an OK from me. Next, go keep an eye on the Pot."
"Understood."
A noble? Ah, the nobleman I once was is dead. In his place stands a man reborn.
I should write a letter to my friend. I wonder if they will lose interest in me now that I am no longer a noble? Even if they do, I want them to come and eat at this shop.
The Curry I make is still too unrefined to serve to the customers. But I can serve my friend the staff meals I've learned to prepare.
I don't even mind if it's after they've finished their Curry.