Hokuou Kizoku to Moukinzuma no Yukiguni Karigurashi Chapter 76

Additional Chapter: With Sieglinde!
Whimsy Additional Chapter

Today, I am going with out with Sieg after a long time.
I recently learned how to make alcohol from father-in-law’s friends, so I asked if she wanted to go get some ingredients.

According to mother-in-law, adequate exercise helps improve the pregnant woman’s mood. She went out on strolls to the garden or to the nearby forest, but it was the first time we went out to the streets like this.

In the morning, the market is crowded with people so we headed for the less crowded shopping district.

Today the weather is good. The breeze brushes on the cheeks gently, perfect for taking a stroll.

“Hey.”
“What is it?”
“We’re finally alone together.”

For the past few days, I couldn’t be with Sieg. So it was nice that I could be with her without having to look out for her family.

I was walking with a loose smile while staring at Sieg, that I was scolded to look in front of me while walking. I apologised and shot sideway glances at her.

On the way, we took the carriage halfway through, getting off a small distance away from the shopping district to enjoy a relaxing stroll.

When I arrived, the shopping district just opened, that there weren’t many people. Since it looked like we would be able to enjoy our shopping trip slowly we walked while chatting.

“We’re buying ingredients for alcohol, yes?”
“Right. Though, I’m planning on buying things to make preserved food.”

Recently, I learned of a preserved food called ‘chutney’ from a friend of father-in-law’s. It’s something like a jam that is loved in the Middle East.
It is make by boiling fruits and vegetables with spices. It can be preserved for up to three months. It can be used as condiment for soup, or it can be just eaten as a spread on bread.

“I want to try making berry spreads and peanut spread.”

The peanut spread that was served for breakfast was delicious, so I wanted to try making it.

When we arrived at the street lined with many stores, mountains of various fruits and vegetables came into our sight.

“Ah, Sieg, there’s a strange fruit!”

I went over excitedly, but the price was not cheap. The colourful fruit was from Southern Europe, that it was relatively expensive.

The shopkeeper recommended cherries (kirsche) for this season. The round red fruits were s.h.i.+ning like gems.

“Cherry alcohol looks good as well, with that neat colour.”
“If you’re talking about about cherries, then there’s kirschwa.s.ser.”
“Ah, the thing in the black forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte).”

Kirschwa.s.ser is used in cakes. Called cherry water, it has a clear shade, but it is also referred to as ‘the fiery alcohol’ from its high alcohol content. I recall getting teary-eyed when I tried some from curiosity.

“Right, how about making cake.”

Sieg likes cherry cake, and the nieces also said that they preferred cakes made using fresh fruit than preserved fruit, so I thought that it would be a good idea.
Since the cherries were a local product in season, they were cheap. I bought large amounts and asked them to be delivered to the Count’s mansion.

Also, we received allowance from father-in-law for things such as berries, mushrooms, fruits and vegetables, so I bought up all the things I was curious about.

Then, we got a bit hungry, so I decided to buy some currywurst from a stall in the park.

“I’ll go buy something to drink! You can start eating first~.”

The currywurst stall only had beer. Since the people here drank that like water, they didn’t have other things. When I walked a bit, there was a stall selling cooled fruit juice so I bought two of them.

While I was walking back with quick steps, I was talked to.

“Mister, how about some flowers?”

An elderly lady selling flowers called me over. Then I saw a bright red flower. It seemed like they were grown in the shopkeeper’s garden.

“Your love will like it if you gift them these.”
“Then I’ll take ten.”

Since they were surprisingly cheap, I ended up buying them on impulse. The shopkeeper neatly trimmed the stalks and made a bouquet, tying a ribbon around.

With a bouquet in my hand, I jogged back to the bench where Sieg was waiting.

“Thanks for waiting!”
“Aa, sorry about that.”
“No, this is nothing~.”

I held out one of the juice I bought.

“Oh, you waited without eating.”
“I was watching children play.”

Nearby, little children were shouting about and playing. When I thought that I would be having new family like those children, I felt a warm sensation in my heart.

“Not too long to go.”

I squatted down in front of Sieg and talked to our child.

“Also,”
“?”

Taking this as an opportunity, I gave her the bouquet I had behind my back.

“This is my feelings for you. Please accept them.”

I was being serious, but Sieg laughed.

“Sieg……”
“But it’s like you’re asking my hand in marriage.”

It was embarra.s.sing for some reason, so I sat down on the bench and opened the wooden lid on the juice, handing one to Sieg and drinking one for myself.

From the sweet smell, my stomach complained that it was hungry. The sausage with the tingling spice, the currywurst went cold, but the food from its birthplace was still delicious. It did not compare to the one we ate at the festival back in my country.

The two of us ate silently.
I didn’t get full, but I wasn’t hungry anymore.

After that, we went further into the city.

“Here, there are many butcheries.”

I was surprised at the number of butcheries at the street. There were many butcheries here, sometimes lining on one side of a street.

“As I expected, there aren’t any places that have reindeer meat.”
“Indeed.”

I missed reindeer meat a little, so I went around, but no stores had them. The butcheries had beef and pork, but no meat that was loved in Northern European countries.

“Sieg, do you want to return quickly?”
“Yes. How about Ritz?”
“Hmm, I wonder. I quite like this place. However, I am worried about my parents so we have to return.”

I was happy that Sieg liked my homeland, so I returned those words.

The somewhat crowded park was no longer crowded since it was now lunchtime. The children playing in front of our eyes also went back home for lunch.

Next to me, Sieg was enjoying the smell of the rose.

“Hey, Sieglinde.”
“Hm?”
“Do you know the language of the flower for red roses?”
“No.”

I put an arm around Sieg’s shoulders and closed in, and whispered in her ears.

“I love you.”
“!”

When I said that, Sieg’s cheeks also dyed into a red shade like the roses.

While loving my wife who was being embarra.s.sed, I enjoyed the refres.h.i.+ng early summer afternoon.

When I returned home, the vegetables and fruits bought from the stores were already delivered. The butler asked what we wanted for lunch, but I told him that there was no need to prepare since I wanted to cook with Sieg.
As we talked together, we started missing the life in the remote land so we decided to cook after a long time.

We borrowed a corner of the kitchen and started cooking.

“Today we are making reindeer soup! Or so I want to say, but since we don’t have them we’re making sheep meatball soup.”
“Alright.”

For the meat, we are using sheep, which are the latest trend here at the County. I minced the meat with two knives. I asked Sieg to peel the vegetables.
In the pot, rolled barley, which is dried and crushed barley, were being boiled. The butcher told me that mixing them with meatb.a.l.l.s added a unique texture.
I added minced meat and spices to a bowl and kneaded until they became sticky. In the end, I added rolled barley and shaped them into round b.a.l.l.s.
While I made meatb.a.l.l.s, Sieg added root vegetables and herbs to the pot and boiled them. Once they boiled, she added powdered chilli peppers and small tomatoes and continued to boil.
Finally, we added in meatb.a.l.l.s and boiled them at a high temperature. I removed the sc.u.m and boiled the soup until it had pretty red shade. Then, ‘tomato sheep meatball with rolled barly soup’ is complete.

I got some bread to eat with the soup.

I glanced at Sieg as she sipped a bit with her finger. From her expression, I could tell that it was delicious.

“Ritz, you really do cook well.”
“Right~?”

Because I was praised, my cheeks went loose into a grin.
I wanted to stare at Sieg eating, but since I felt that I would be scolded again I decided to have a taste.

The meatball with rolled barley as the butcher recommended had a texture I never tasted before. The barley had a chewiness. The soup had seeped well into the soup, accenting the flavour of the meatb.a.l.l.s.
The fresh tomato and chilli soup was adequately sour and spicy, with an indescribable aftertaste. The root vegetables that were in season were also great.

We had about two bowls, filling ourselves until we were full, after a long time.

“I feel drowsy, somewhat.”
“How about a nap?”
“Is that really okay, getting this lax.”
“It’s okay. You worked plenty.”

I accepted her hospitality, spending rest of the afternoon lazing about in the room.

Today, Sieg went out after a long time and we even cooked together. Today was a very satisfying day.