Side Story 5
The moment Lahan dropped a portion of the dough into the hot oil, a sharp sizzle rang out, and the delicious aroma spread in all directions. Everyone’s faces lit up with delight—but it wasn’t all pure joy.
“It’s hot…”
Frying bread in the middle of this sweltering summer only made the heat feel twice as intense. Even Akim, normally very patient, couldn’t help but frown.
“Aren’t you hot?”
“This isn’t bad at all.”
Lahan shrugged and motioned for Akim to step back. As Akim moved, he glanced to the side—and to his surprise, someone was sitting there calmly.
It was Eris.
“Duke of Ahen, are you alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
Akim couldn’t believe it. And why would he? Eris was wearing two layers of dresses. Her long hair was braided and pinned up, a weighty arrangement in itself.
On top of that, she was carrying a child—hardly a light burden.
“I don’t get hot easily,” Eris said with a shrug. Indeed, in this weather, she hadn’t broken a single drop of sweat. Akim tilted his head in curiosity but stepped back.
“If it gets too hot, let me know. There’s an ice cave nearby.”
“Oh! Even if I’m not hot, I’d really love to see that. Please show me later.”
In the usually cool Norwich March, there were a few storage facilities where ice frozen in winter was kept. Eris stroked the little pink lizard perched on her shoulder.
“Actually, Levi, it’s thanks to you, isn’t it?”
At her quiet whisper, Leviathan flicked his tongue. Indeed, Eris wasn’t feeling the heat thanks to Leviathan’s magic.
<If a nearby cleric had seen this, I might have been caught! Be grateful to me for taking the risk to protect Eris!>
“That’s ridiculous.”
Lahan, wiping sweat from his face, grumbled.
“You’re the one who gets hot so easily.”
<Humans… how do you endure this heat?>
Leviathan truly hated the heat. It seemed like a joke that a demon who had lived in the fires of hell would be sensitive to warmth, but it was true.
Eris, however, smiled.
“You wouldn’t have used magic if I weren’t here, right?”
The little lizard flicked its tongue in silence.
Eris knew the truth. Leviathan normally conserved energy unless it was truly necessary. But with her pregnant and carrying extra weight, it had done so out of consideration.
Lahan grumbled again.
“A demon, of all things…”
“Don’t be like that, Lahan. Levi likes me, that’s why.”
Eris reached out and wiped the sweat from Lahan’s brow. He laughed, flustered, and waved her off.
“If you come closer, you’ll get burned. I’ll do it myself.”
“Still… my hands are cold, so it feels nice, right?”
“Yeah.”
Lahan let Eris’s cool hands rest on the nape of his neck. Thanks to the demon’s help or not, they were indeed refreshing.
Still, they couldn’t linger in front of the oil for long, so he gently pushed Eris back.
“It’ll be ready soon. Just wait a bit.”
“Alright. Levi, do you want some too?”
Eris stepped back and broke off a small piece of the unbaked dough for Leviathan. The little lizard squinted at it and made a disgusted face.
<This lemon is way too sour!>
“Oh, right.”
Lemon was so sour that even demons supposedly spat it out. Eris laughed at seeing this play out in real life.
“All done.”
Lahan lifted the first perfectly fried malasada, wrapped it in a leaf, and handed it to Eris. She gasped in delight, but immediately felt the heat.
“Ah! It’s hot.”
“Are you okay?”
“Not hot enough to burn. Can I eat it now?”
“Let it cool a bit first. Hey! Bring a basket!”
Servants stepped forward, carrying a basket to collect the fried pastries. Eris bit into a slightly cooled one beside them.
“!”
Her eyes widened. The freshly fried malasada was warm, fluffy, and soft—like biting into a cloud. With sugar generously added, it was sweet and irresistible.
“This is so delicious!”
“Let me try.”
Lahan took a bite from Eris’s piece and smiled in satisfaction.
“Good, excellent. Everyone, try some!”
“Me too, me too!”
“Me as well!”
Everyone eagerly grabbed a piece. The taste of the deep-fried pastries left them amazed. Meanwhile, Eris tapped Akim’s shoulder impatiently.
“Count! Do we have cow’s milk? It would go so well!”
“Uh, we don’t have cow’s milk…”
Akim, distracted by the freshly handed pastries, looked puzzled. A nearby servant quickly ran to fetch goat milk from the kitchen.
“Wow, it goes perfectly!”
As Eris expected, goat milk paired wonderfully. Its rich, sweet flavor complemented the malasada perfectly. Akim sampled it and nodded in admiration.
“I’ve never tasted something so luxurious.”
As the servants and soldiers tasted the pastries, the knights of the March gradually approached, curious.
The courtyard was soon filled with everyone enjoying the freshly fried malasada.
“Are they good?”
Akim, noticing the knights’ timid glances, shooed them, then handed out pieces himself. With Lahan’s generous use of ingredients and the help of other servants, there was plenty for everyone.
There were sugar-coated, cinnamon-coated, and jam-filled varieties.
“Wow!”
“So good!”
The knights and maidservants all joined in, and soon Lahan didn’t even need to fry anymore. The flour and sugar from the courtyard were all turned into dough, and the oil continuously fried batch after batch.
“Can we eat this every day in the Duchy of Ahen?”
“Why?”
“It’s getting tiring following the March’s Lord around… maybe I should switch allegiance to the Duke of Ahen.”
“Those brats…”
Even the knights bickered playfully with Akim, and gradually, the villagers’ wary gazes toward the “child of the devil” softened.
By now, Norwich Castle’s courtyard was filled with people laughing and enjoying the pastries.
Some had even brought out beer. Lahan, noticing this, glanced at Akim, worried he may have overdone it.
“Is this okay?”
“Well, why not? It’s hot out. Let everyone laugh and enjoy themselves for a day. Hey! That dark beer—don’t drink it all yourselves. Bring it here! I’ve been saving it!”
With Akim’s permission, the atmosphere became even more cheerful.
There was more than enough fried malasada for everyone in Norwich Castle.
The sugar-high maidservants and tipsy soldiers danced in the evening glow. Thanks to Akim’s permission, the staff felt almost like they were at a festival.
“Even if they cool down, they’re delicious. Take one home, alright?”
“But these are so precious…”
Eris waved her hand.
“You can’t save them for later. They’ll go bad by tomorrow in this heat!”
“Thank you, Duke of Ahen!”
“No, thank Lahan instead. Understand?”
“Thank you, Lahan!”
At Eris’s words, everyone cheered. Lahan, laughing awkwardly while drinking with the knights, couldn’t help but grin.
Eris smiled at him, then discreetly glanced at a window somewhere on the east side of Norwich Castle.
A figure who had been looking back quickly ducked behind a tapestry.
Hmph. Foolish person.
Eris thought, and then quickly forgot.
