LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 36
What does a holiday mean to modern people?
For some, it’s a day spent with family.
For others, it’s a day to relieve accumulated fatigue.
And for some, it’s a day when they are forced to work overtime.
Each person has a different personality and circumstances, so even during a holiday, it’s impossible to expect everyone to spend the day in the same way.
Unlike today, when the meaning of holidays has slowly faded over time, in the past, holidays were extremely significant days for most people.
Religiously, it could be to honor a deity or to promote local specialties, and there are endless reasons. But, if we cut down to the bare essentials, it was simple.
Because they were bored.
The Middle Ages were fundamentally a boring time with no entertainment.
The fun activities for commoners included drinking, gambling, prostitution, fighting, and the occasional play or festival.
While the frequency varied, cities and villages were basically the same in that regard.
However, I suppose Iceland was somewhat less dull.
It wasn’t that there were things to enjoy, but…
If you didn’t want to see your house collapse, you had to wake up at dawn to clear the snow off the roof, and if hungry or crazed monsters or thieves attacked, you had to defend yourself.
If you excluded that, winter in Iceland typically meant staying indoors and finding ways to alleviate boredom, and because of that, holidays and festivals were precious to everyone, regardless of social class.
Perhaps that’s why Winterhome was bustling now.
They were clearing away snow piled like buildings, transporting carts and decorations, and numerous servants and workers were making and stringing things together.
Winterhome, which was usually busy, was now even more so, lively and vibrant amidst the solemn atmosphere.
“That’s why it’s so noisy from this morning. We’re tidying up the castle for guests recommended by Wintersend, hanging decorations for the festival, preparing food—there’s work overflowing. Because of that, I’ve received requests for cooperation too.”
“I see.”
Karem watched the servants busily clearing away snow piles and adorning the windows with splendid mistletoe and silk.
Winterhome was almost as large as a small town or even bigger.
It had all kinds of facilities inside, and even during ordinary times, Karem couldn’t imagine how many people would be needed on a day like today, during a festival.
“Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Karem, junior. How many times do you come out of the tower in a week?”
“Probably just a handful?”
“Then you wouldn’t have come out even if there were no eggs or oil.”
“Right. The regular order date hasn’t arrived yet, and I didn’t expect that the guests would enjoy mayonnaise this much.”
In the end, it was all because of Godwin and Viktor.
No matter how fancy or novel the ingredients were from a past life, the sauces they knew consisted mainly of fruit, meat juices, honey, and herb-based sauces.
Because of the rich and creamy mayonnaise, which was savory, salty, and had a tangy freshness that didn’t get tiresome, by the end, they couldn’t even tell if they were eating food or just mayonnaise.
They devoured more than a tray full of eggs used in the mayonnaise.
That afternoon, when they prepared snacks and dinner, it was no surprise that everything ran out completely.
“Anyway, don’t just hide in the tower—go outside and build some relationships.”
“…Are you worried about me right now?”
“Good. Karem, junior. I can tell how you looked at me with that statement.”
“No, it’s not that. Hm.”
Karem, feeling awkward, scratched the back of his neck.
A cold wind crept in between his collar, sending chills down his spine.
He hadn’t received a shred of concern after his reincarnation, and even in his past life, he rarely received such attention after reaching a certain age. It left Karem with a mix of thoughts and feelings he couldn’t quite explain.
Until Mary’s next words followed.
“I thought you were just a weird brownie obsessed with household chores and support. I… well, I understand now. Look forward to it.”
“No, I’ve never even thought that or said it.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just kidding.”
“I think distorting opinions through over-interpretation is bad!”
“Nevertheless, telling you to get out of the tower isn’t just idle talk either. Since you only go between the kitchen, your room, and the lounge, it’s so dreary that mushrooms might start growing.”
“Well, I do go out when ordering supplies.”
“H.”
Karem junior was instantly sunk under the intense gaze suggesting he knew the traces of his limited movements.
Was he really trapped to that extent?
The supply warehouse was busier than usual as it prepared for Wintersend.
Workers were bustling to and from with carts, two to three times busier than normal.
To avoid being a hindrance, Karem made his way around and entered the warehouse, where he soon spotted a familiar silhouette with pointed ears and shouted.
“Auger!”
The grocery warehouse keeper, Auger, turned his head.
Although there were more humans than anyone else at Winterhome, there were dwarves and elves as well.
But Auger stood out prominently among the elves.
His skin was so pale it almost resembled white paint, except for his green eyes, creating an almost unreal impression. However, that wasn’t the issue.
He was dressed completely differently from others who were bundled up in winter clothes.
Wearing just a short-sleeve shirt and long pants, as if he didn’t feel the cold.
When Karem first saw him, he thought it was strange, but upon hearing that he was of the snow elf lineage, which was a relative of elves that typically didn’t feel cold, he finally understood.
However, as a warehouse keeper, he was quite sturdy and taller than the average adult, making Karem question whether he had chosen the correct profession.
“Little Karem? And Mary too—”
“Yeah. You seem busier than usual?”
“Don’t even mention it. Winter came early, carts are stuck, and Wintersend is right around the corner.”
“I can see that.”
“So, what brings you here? You brought Mary along as well.”
At Auger’s words, Mary greeted him with a nod.
Understanding he had something to say, Karem cut to the chase.
“Do you have any leftover eggs?”
“Huh? Eggs? Out of the blue?”
“Yeah. They ran out completely while serving guests.”
“Huh? Guests?”
“Surely you have some eggs available, right?”
Karem felt no need to worry.
Even though eggs were somewhat pricey groceries, it wouldn’t be a problem.
After all, Winterhome was a ducal residence.
Auger showed brief curiosity, but then shook his head as if he didn’t think it was worthy of his concern.
“Well, about the eggs.”
And the reply was far from satisfactory.
“Surely you don’t mean there are no eggs?”
“Not just eggs. At this point, all the eggs are completely gone.”
Karem blinked in shock at a situation he could never have predicted.
Mary, who had been listening, was equally flabbergasted and instinctively questioned Auger.
“Auger. This is Coldon and Winterhome. Does it even make sense for there to be no eggs in a ducal residence?”
“It sounds unbelievable, right? I think so too. Other than the quantity needed for the lord’s family meals and the banquet, everything else is completely gone.”
“Please, at least give us a reason.”
“Because of the head chef.”
“The head chef?”
Although Karem had never met him, he knew what kind of position the head chef held.
He was said to be an old dwarf responsible for overseeing the cooks directly hired by Winterhome and managing the kitchen and banquets.
So what could have happened?
Auger said.
“I don’t know.”
“Are you telling me you don’t know?”
“He told me not to ask.”
Auger shrugged his shoulders.
What an outrageous inconvenience!
Eggs were used in various ways daily at Winterhome, and the quantity must have been hundreds at the very least.
On top of that, he had swept away not just eggs but Snowrunners and all substitutes as well.
“Isn’t this a nuisance?”
“Anyway, I’m troubled by it as well. It’s reached a point where I can’t even complain to the head chef or his deputy because I’m too low in rank.”
“Sounds right.”
As Auger spoke, Karem spotted a group of irate people entering the grocery warehouse.
He quickly made his escape to avoid the noise before it got worse, with Mary following closely behind.
“Looks like we didn’t achieve our goal.”
“True. I never expected there would be no eggs at the ducal residence.”
“Are you heading back just like that?”
“What can we do if there’s nothing?”
Karem shrugged his shoulders.
Right, Mary felt the same. If there’s nothing, there’s nothing to be done.
It seemed Catherine would only be left disappointed and angry.
A small figure stealthily followed behind Karem and Mary as they turned to leave.
Anyone passing by would be aghast, but…
With the supply warehouse being so noisy due to the hustle and bustle, no one paid her any mind.
*
*
*
And indeed, just as Karem and Mary had anticipated.
“What? Are you still tired from overtime? I thought I heard nonsense.”
“They say there won’t be any eggs or similar items before the regular delivery date.”
“Don’t talk nonsense about ogres losing weight!”
As Catherine shouted in fury, Karem flinched.
They say when someone harbors murderous intent, you can feel an eerie sensation.
Though she didn’t appear at all intimidating, that killing aura radiated distinctly.
Wait, is she seriously getting this mad over a mere dessert?
Mary quickly explained the situation before Catherine’s anger could escalate any further.
Recognizing the reason, Catherine appeared to tone down her fury.
Still, her displeasure abided as she frowned and rubbed her temples.
“The head chef, huh? The head chef.”
“Do you know him?”
“Not at all.”
Catherine replied firmly.
Her head wasn’t cheap enough to remember someone subpar.
Sure, the head chef would be noteworthy enough to remember, but she’d never met him personally.
If she had participated in the evening meal at the estate, it would have been natural to see him.
However, dating back to her first day, she had been too engulfed in work to have the luxury of a dinner at the estate.
Rather, what was more important was…
The fact that there was no dessert.
Catherine’s expression turned serious as she asked.
“Are you saying there’s really no snack for today?”
“Um.”
Karem couldn’t help but feel frustrated over this concern for merely a snack, yet seeing such a desperate face, he steeled himself.
He thought he had grown used to it by now, but clearly, he had a long way to go.
Karem averted his gaze and quickly rummaged through the recipes in his mind.
Essential ingredients for dessert are eggs, sugar, and flour.
Of course, it wasn’t impossible to make something without them, but it would limit the recipes significantly.
‘But what else might I have?’
Thanks to a gift, he still had enough sugar left, but the nuts and fruits had long vanished into Catherine and Mary’s bellies, turned into candied treats.
That said, slapping some sweetener on a flour pancake wouldn’t satisfy Catherine.
As the dedicated chef, it wouldn’t be right to disappoint his employer.
‘What about Yackwa? I could make some Yackwa?’
But Karem immediately dismissed that thought.
While it was possible to make it without eggs, starting now would mean he could only finish by late dinner, so that was out of the question.
If he started now, it would definitely be confirmed to be late by the time it was done.
Anything else? As he contemplated, an idea suddenly struck Karem.
“I think I can make something.”
“You mean a pancake type thing drenched in syrup?”
“No, I really can. Trust me.”
Catherine’s expression turned peculiar.
Whenever he spoke like that, the outcome would always be favorable.