Chapter 113

Chapter 113
Chapter 113: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Typically, when preparing fermented rice, a cook introduces a spoonful or two of sugar.

This addition serves to accelerate the malt’s enzymatic activity, enabling a steady and rapid fermentation process.

Yet, Lion intentionally omitted sugar from this particular batch.

This choice stemmed partly from his possession of the Accelerated Fermentation skill.

“Nature.”

“Ppi.”

“Could you heat this pot moderately? Not too high, just a little lower than when cooking sausage.”

He needed assistance from Nature.

Acting as though it finally had a purpose, Nature, which had been lingering about due to idleness, darted up excitedly into the rafters of the kitchen before beginning to project flames from its beak like a mythical dragon.

Pooooo…….

A diminutive spark issued from Nature’s bill.

It was an unusual flame that lacked any intense heat to the touch, as if the temperature was being meticulously regulated.

‘Or perhaps it feels cool simply because I am the master?’

“Wow~ Cool! Nature!”

“Ppippi.”

Flaunting an even more puffed-up demeanor, Nature made a complete circuit around the vessel.

Before long, the pot attained a warmth that proved difficult to grasp with bare hands.

The temperature matched the exact keep-warm setting of an ordinary electric rice cooker.

‘Had I included sugar, even a mere six minutes would have proven more than sufficient….’

Since sugar was left out, he opted to extend the duration slightly.

Lion offered words of praise to Nature while silently keeping track of the seconds in his mind.

Roughly two minutes later, he lifted the cover briefly to give the contents a turn, repeating the action before the six-minute mark arrived.

This measure guaranteed an even and thorough fermentation.

“Now I just have to wait.”

Lion replaced the lid and passed the remaining time.

Once the designated six minutes had elapsed, he uncovered the pot to inspect the contents…

“Oh.”

Despite his initial fears that the process might fail, the sikhye had turned out exceptionally well!

Several rice grains floated near the top, and the liquid bore the characteristic cloudy hue of traditional sikhye.

“Good.”

He had worried over-fermentation might ruin it, but the results were entirely successful!

With the fermentation stage complete, the most critical phase of the preparation drew to a close.

‘Now I just need to adjust the concentration and sweetness.’

Lion hoisted the pot, transferred the sikhye concentrate into a larger vessel set nearby, and applied heat.

As the liquid began to simmer, he strained out any sediment and sampled the flavor.

‘It tastes good already?’

Naturally, it lacked the intense sweetness that added sugar would have provided, yet for an unsweetened brew, it carried a remarkable depth of flavor.

“This is amazing.”

Could it be the inherent sweetness of the grain itself?

The taste felt considerably richer and more refined than standard refined sugar.

‘If I incorporate sugar into this, will it develop complex layers of sweetness?’

A smile crossed Lion’s face as he poured in more water, filtered out impurities a few additional times, and dropped freshly washed, minced ginger into the pot.

An excessive amount would introduce unwanted spice, but a measured touch would subdue the heavy fermented aroma of the sikhye and leave a refreshing aftertaste.

‘The elderly gentleman at the rice shop shared this tip with me.’

At the time, he had paid little attention, never suspecting the advice would prove useful down the road.

The moment the scent of ginger began to pervade the room, Lion extracted the pieces using a slotted spoon.

And at last!

He retrieved a quantity of cotton candy, scooped a portion into a ladle, and sprinkled it into the liquid.

Ssssarurururu-

True to its appearance, the material felt as light as handling soft fabric.

It possessed a delicate texture, with particles finer than ordinary granulated sugar.

He tasted a small amount—it offered more than the flat sweetness of white sugar, carrying a subtle, complex profile reminiscent of raw, unrefined sugar.

‘So this explains why the nobility go to such lengths for this ingredient.’

The quality was so striking that he grasped the appeal instantly.

Lion stirred the sweetener into the liquid with a ladle to ensure complete integration, and upon seeing it fully dissolved, extinguished the flame and promptly pulled the pot aside.

Continued boiling alongside sugar would cause the color to darken into a syrup-like brown.

“Nature, can you cool this down?”

“Ppippi.”

Acting as though questioning why such a request was necessary, Nature hopped closer and nudged the side of the pot with its beak.

“Hold on. Not completely frozen, just enough to form a thin crust of ice.”

“……Tsk.”

“Once it’s done, you get the first share.”

“Ppi~!”

Nature conveyed an amusing array of emotions through a minimalist expression before tapping against the pot.

Tok-tok! Tok!

Miraculously, with every impact against the metallic surface, the ambient heat dissipated, and a chill steadily permeated the mixture.

“Thank you.”

True to his word, Lion poured a portion of the sikhye into a diminutive saucer and a cup.

He set them before Nature before turning his gaze toward the beverage with an expression of deep satisfaction.

『Sikhye of Memory (★★)』

-Could the taste surpass even cherished memories?

-It bears a deeper flavor, likely stemming from its artisanal preparation.

『Added personal opinion to Memory.』

『Cooking Experience Points increased by 15 percent.』

“To think he actually pulled this off.”

Lion reflected on the completed sikhye and reviewed the arduous path he had traveled to reach this point.

The journey leading to a single cup had been quite extensive!

The initial batch of barley had ended up inside Barg’s stomach.

Along the way, discovering that Barg exhibited Eclipse symptoms ultimately led him to cultivate flowers deep within the Labyrinth.

‘That reminds me, will he appreciate this sikhye as well?’

Learning that Barg had regained his faculties, he resolved to pay him a visit while carrying the beverage.

So thinking, Lion took a deep draught of the chilled sikhye, which featured a delicate layer of ice crystals floating on the surface.

“Keeu! This is precisely it.”

Accompanied by the comforting aroma of toasted rice, a sophisticated and layered sweetness cascaded across his palate in rapid succession!

Furthermore, the faint hint of ginger worked effectively to rein in any potentially overwhelming sweetness!

“How is it? Worth the effort of helping me, correct?”

Nature had already emptied its portion and was now happily pecking at the remaining grains of rice.

Indeed. Those grains tasted exceptionally good as well.

Lion gave his own glass a gentle swirl and took another sip alongside the rice kernels, which offered a dry, satisfying crunch as they released their stored starch as sweetness.

A number of individuals held a distinct aversion to these suspended rice grains.

He had even heard reports that visitors from distant lands exhibited strong resistance toward them.

Consequently, many commercially produced varieties omitted the grains entirely.

Naturally, Lion firmly belonged to the faction that cherished them!

‘Regardless of differing preferences, sikhye simply ceases to be sikhye without the rice grains.’

Having finished his cold beverage, Lion distributed the remainder into appropriately sized individual glass bottles.

“I need to share these without delay.”

Sikhye possessed a notoriously brief window for consumption.

It spoiled within a mere three days if left at room temperature and lasted barely a week even when stored inside a refrigerator.

‘They say freezing extends the lifespan to one or two months, though…’

Even so, freshly prepared and properly chilled sikhye offered the finest taste experience, making prompt delivery a necessity.

Lion stepped out of the kitchen carrying the cool bottles.

“Young Master. Have you finished already?”

Alex stood waiting just outside the threshold, having clearly prepared to intervene should any mishap occur.

“Yes. The drink turned out wonderfully. Try this.”

Lion pressed a bottle of sikhye into Alex’s hands before stepping swiftly past him toward the courtyard.

“Pardon? It’s cold?”

Alex stared down at the condensation-covered bottle.

Visible ice was absent. Besides, the standard process of boiling and subsequent chilling required a considerable span of time, did it not?

‘And furthermore…’

Alex observed the settled layer of rice grains resting at the base of the glass container.

Achieving this degree of expansion in the grain would demand at least an hour of preparation prior to any cooling process.

Unable to suppress his growing curiosity, Alex unsealed the container and took a tentative sip.

“Hmm? Ughhmm?!”

At first, a peculiar, earthy grain flavor hit his tongue.

It resembled drinking a liquefied version of rice bread.

Yet… the sensation proved strangely compelling.

A single taste naturally prompted a second.

It served as an exceptional thirst quencher, and the subtle, unfolding sweetness indicated an immense amount of care had been invested into its creation.

“H-how on earth did you manage to complete this so swiftly?”

Hotteok preparation at least involved a brief cooking duration.

That factor explained how he managed to sample and recreate the dish.

However, according to Alex’s established understanding, producing such a complex flavor profile within such a compressed timeframe defied logic.

“Damn it… Young Master. How do you pull off feats like this every single time…!”

Alex muttered a weak complaint toward Lion’s retreating form, which was already vanishing into the distance.

“Sigh. Where should I even begin? Right. Let’s try cultivating some barley.”

Clutching the precious new food source—or rather, the sikhye crafted by his Young Master—closely against his chest, Alex turned and walked away.

—

The first recipient selected by Lion to receive the sikhye was none other than Elvia.

“You’ve concocted yet another intriguing dish, haven’t you?”

“Indeed. It’s called sikhye. Have a drink.”

Elvia cast her gaze toward the milky liquid contained within the glass.

She had wondered what purpose he intended for the harvested barley sprouts, yet an entirely unprecedented creation had materialized instead.

‘His capacity for originality remains truly remarkable.’

Elvia uncapped the bottle and sampled a measured amount of the sikhye.

“Hoo.”

The taste struck a balance between unfamiliarity and a strange sense of nostalgia.

“How do you find it?”

“It appears exceptionally effective at banishing thirst. This differs entirely from that Spirit Water. Might I inquire how you engineered such a distinct beverage?”

“The inspiration came to me while at the hot spring.”

“The hot spring?”

“Yes. The one I constructed.”

Lion launched into an explanation.

He recalled how, upon stepping out of the thermal waters while still radiating warmth, a solitary sip had effortlessly spread sweetness and quenched his thirst.

“I also figured it would pair exceptionally well with roasted eggs.”

Elvia offered a nod of agreement in response to Lion’s observation.

She could easily picture how well it would complement a dry, savory egg yolk.

“So, Elvia.”

Lion produced a second bottle of sikhye and continued.

“I intend to remain stationed at the mansion moving forward, so I must insist you take some time to enjoy the hot spring.”

“……”

Elvia finally discerned Lion’s underlying motivation.

‘He had been worrying over my routine.’

Even within the broader Baidantis Territory, Lion alone made regular use of the thermal springs.

A similar dynamic applied to the springs tucked away within Mimir Forest.

Such an arrangement was entirely natural, was it not?

Consequently, she had never felt any personal sense of deprivation… yet their remarkably thoughtful young master had taken notice on her behalf.

‘How should I phrase this.’

In truth, Elvia derived far more fulfillment from monitoring Lion’s endeavors and safeguarding his well-being than she ever would from soaking in hot water.

How best to describe it.

A profound sense of professional satisfaction?

It represented a vastly superior existence compared to her mundane and uneventful past.

Even so.

‘He certainly wouldn’t appreciate a flat refusal on my part.’

Lion Asteri. This young master, possessing a charm akin to a beloved grandchild, placed immense value on proper rest.

‘In that case, I ought to accept his kind intentions with gratitude.’

Elvia prepared to offer her consent… when a sudden, mischievous notion occurred to her.

“That sounds delightful. However, visiting alone might prove somewhat solitary, so I shall take your disciple along with me.”

“Pardon?”

“Human nature being what it is, one occasionally experiences bouts of unnecessary loneliness.”

“Ah… yes. If Freya raises no objections, by all means.”

In reality, one of the sikhye bottles had been designated for Freya anyway.

After all, she had contributed her efforts toward establishing the hot spring facility.

Furthermore, the girl had displayed a clear curiosity regarding the project.

“In that case, would you mind taking this portion as well? Oh, and it tastes best when thoroughly chilled.”

“Understood.”

Elvia accepted Freya’s share as well, offered a polite, shallow bow, and dissolved smoothly into the shadows.

‘Did he perhaps hold a greater fondness for Freya than I initially realized?’

Even though the girl invariably acted somewhat intimidated in his presence.

Lion tilted his head in mild confusion before resuming his walk.

After all, several other individuals remained on his delivery list.

Regrettably, no one was present to witness Freya’s startled shriek upon seeing Elvia materialize out of thin air beside her.