The Unreasonable Request For Mapo Tofu - Part Three

I am Tebis Niewbist—the top gourmet in all of Niewbist, and also the first princess of the Niewbist family. I turned ten years old this year.

The land where I live, Niewbist, is a rich territory embracing a sacred forest region. Grateful for the forest teeming with wildlife, food, and medicinal ingredients, we revere it as a gift from God and a forest where the divine resides.

Because it is such a land, our agricultural techniques and cooking skills are quite high. We can eat delicious food all year round. We of the royal family were deeply thankful for this as well.

However, the neighboring country of Yuyubi suddenly approached us with a marriage proposal between myself and their prince.

In this territory, which is abundant in forest resources but scarce in mineral resources, we had been obtaining mineral resources by trading with Yuyubi. We had managed well until now, and I believed we would continue to do so in the future.

However, Yuyubi began to see the exhaustion of its mineral resources. That became the trigger that shattered our friendly relationship.

Yuyubi’s soldiers are robust, and the quality of their weapons and armor is high. If it came to war, we would likely not stand a chance in a straightforward fight.

Father realized the resource crisis in the neighboring country and tried to refuse, but he was troubled by the disparity in military force.

In the first place, I do not like the prince of Yuyubi. We met several times at banquets, but I detested his arrogant attitude and overbearing personality.

However, there are times when royalty must stifle personal feelings and marry off. I was prepared for it. I thought I would simply have to do my best as a good wife.

While we held back our answer, the council was embroiled in heated debate over this issue day after day. Refusing the marriage meant war; going to war meant we could not win.

Yet accepting the marriage meant being exploited. It would be better to keep things ambiguous while making adjustments to trade.

Then one day, Yuyubi suddenly declared war on us.

Their reason was that although they proposed a marriage, leaving it on hold was an insult that brought them shame.

How could there be such a ridiculous claim? While wars caused by broken engagements certainly exist, we had not even agreed to a marriage yet. It was complete nonsense.

In truth, this might have been Yuyubi’s objective from the very start.

Either way, it was a plot to seize the sacred forest. The moment they brought up the marriage proposal, we were already checkmated.

Once again, the council erupted in debate over our stance toward the war. Should we fight to the bitter end, or surrender? Some wanted to manage it while the damage was shallow, while others demanded no mercy for the enemy.

In the end, the conclusion Father reached was…

Total war.

He declared that we would fight off the mountain monkeys of the mines who sought to defile our forest.

For that reason, temporary conscription and tax increases were levied on the populace for this year alone. Fortunately, no riots broke out, but our chances of winning were thirty percent at best.

Father told me to take the maids and close aides to flee.

“No! I will not flee!”

“We do not even know if we can win this war! Escape into the forest while I lead the army! That way, even in the worst-case scenario, you can survive!”

“I cannot abandon the people, the key ministers, or the soldiers! I cannot abandon you either, Father!”

“You fool…!”

Until now, I have been supported by Father, my subordinates, and the people.

There was no way a person like me could abandon everyone and run away.

In the end, I remained in the castle and offered my prayers.

Praying that we would win the war, and that Father and the others would return safely.

I could not bring myself to swallow food, and the hollow castle felt lonely and cold. My hands and feet grew chilly.

Even so, I continued to offer my prayers.

Three days later, a maid entered the sanctuary with a joyful expression on her face.

“Princess! Wonderful news!”

“Did we win the war!?”

“No, that is not it, but…”

The maid looked slightly troubled, but a smile instantly broke across her face.

“We were able to hire three mercenary bands.”

“Mercenary bands? I heard we had hired two.”

How was that good news?

Those two mercenary bands had jacked up their rewards upon learning of our distress.

Although we managed to hire them, it was a fact that our finances took a heavy hit.

I could never bring myself to like such people!

“The remaining one is that mercenary band, Princess!”

“That one? Which one is it?”

“It is the Gungrave Mercenary Band, Princess! Upon learning of our plight, their commander accepted the battle for only the absolute minimum reward!”

The Gungrave Mercenary Band, you say!?

The Gungrave Mercenary Band is the strongest mercenary band right now, having grown rapidly over the past year.

Originally a small group of merely fifty men, their commanders all gained immense strength at once, and each individual is said to possess the prowess of a warrior match for a thousand.

In the Siege of Yanan-Gan, Rir, the “Heretic of Invention,” used new weaponry to conquer a castle deemed impregnable in just three days.

In the Salt Road Defense Line, Kuuga, the “Demon God of a Hundred Slayings,” routed the enemy force single-handedly.

In the Snow Mountain Crossing Battle, Arius, the “Witch of Fiery Flames,” displayed the extraordinary feat of melting all the snow on the mountain with new magic.

Teg, the “Bow Saint,” is said to eliminate enemy commanders one after another with skills that strike targets from an immense distance.

Just having the Gungrave Mercenary Band present has allowed castles destined to fall to successfully defend themselves, making them known as the mercenary band one least wants to meet on the battlefield.

“Why would they help us? A mercenary band like that could easily be hired by Yuyubi for a vast sum of gold.”

“Well, the exact reason is not quite clear.”

Not clear?

“Yes. Supposedly, their objective was to secure a food supply route and coordinate negotiations with merchants…

However, he muttered in a low voice, ‘This will expand my repertoire.’ What could that mean?“

Repertoire.

Does he mean a culinary repertoire?

No, there is no way such an elite force would participate in a war just to expand their cooking repertoire.

In that case, does it refer to tactics?

I do not know. There are far too few clues to judge.

“At any rate, Princess. With the Gungrave Mercenary Band, there is no need to worry.”

“Y-Yes, indeed. If it is that mercenary band, they might somehow handle it.”

The military force possessed by that mercenary band was just that ridiculously absurd.

Five individuals, each capable of turning the tide of a battlefield on their own, were assembled together.

I could not even imagine them losing.

A few days later, we won the war.

It was truly a dramatic comeback. The Gungrave Band launched a flank ambush on the battlefield where our army and the other mercenary bands were struggling.

They reportedly employed a strategy of splitting the enemy detachment in two and annihilating them piece by piece as they became isolated.

At that time, Commander Gungrave himself was the one leading the cavalry force.

After that, like crushing ants, the individual destruction succeeded, and the enemy broke into a rout.

We pursued the enemy and wiped them out.

The war ended in complete victory. Bringing us a flawless triumph, they even captured the enemy commanders and general as prisoners.

The people lined up waving their hands to welcome the army returning from war.

A grand victory parade was held, and the soldiers returning to the castle shared their triumph with the comrades who had stayed behind.

The commanders and generals looked delighted as they received rewards and medals from the King.

Father said to me,

“In this battle, had it not been for the Gungrave Mercenary Band, I likely would not be standing here.”

“Did they truly possess such power?”

“Indeed. Their movement from the flank ambush to the individual destruction of enemy units was terrifyingly smooth. Even the individual destruction appeared to be carried out methodically before the peerless might of their unit commanders. Above all, the subsequent pursuit ended in an instant. Teg-dono’s bow reached across a terrifying distance. There was not even a need for deep pursuit.”

Rather than the joy of being alive, Father’s face seemed to show a greater sense of relief at having taken the Grim Reaper onto our side.

However, a problem also arose.

We had to pay the bonus reward to the mercenary bands, but we lacked the funds.

Since the ministers had also heard the reports from the generals and commanders, to be honest, I felt we only needed to pay Gungrave-dono.

The other mercenary bands were honestly useless filler to make up numbers. The generals did not hold a favorable impression of them either.

What should we do? Just as I thought that…

Tummy rumbbbble.

My stomach let out a loud growl.

I lowered my head as my face flushed red, but Father and the ministers looked relieved for some reason.

“It seems the Princess can finally enjoy a meal with peace of mind.”

“Indeed. One truly realizes that peace is best only at the very moment peace arrives.”

Hearing that, Father smiled at me.

“What if we pay the reward to whichever band can prepare a delicious dish for my daughter?”

“That sounds fine. That way, we can simply pay Gungrave-dono.”

Is that really alright? I honestly wondered, but thinking it was fine either way, I stayed silent.

Then, the mercenary commander and his aide were summoned to speak in the audience chamber.

While the other mercenary bands had only their commanders present, Gungrave-dono brought a peculiar man alongside him.

Black hair, black eyes, a slender frame, and a delicate, gentle face.

What is this guy doing here? I honestly wondered.

Once the talk began, Father started explaining what had been decided.

Namely, we would pay a bonus reward.

Namely, we would pay only one mercenary band.

Namely, make a delicious dish.

The mercenary commanders bore dissatisfied expressions, but if you asked me, I wanted to tell them that I hated paying people like them who merely survived and tried to jack up prices by taking advantage of our plight.

Therefore, I decided to present them with a mean challenge.

“What I wish to eat is a delicious dish that is sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter. Bring it to me.”

At this, the expressions of the mercenary commanders darkened. Beside me, Father also looked as if he wanted to say it was impossible, though he did not let it show on his face.

However, saying this much should be enough. In the first place, I did not expect such a dish to exist.

Having eaten every delicacy in this country, I had confidence in my palate. As long as the Gungrave Band produced something decent, the other bands would have no room to complain.

In reality, the dishes brought by the other bands were terrible. They were not things fit for consumption.

Even though I was the one who demanded it, I was on the verge of snapping.

“Disgusting!”

It truly tasted terrible, so it could not be helped. There was no way I could eat such grotesque concoctions.

As the other bands trudged away dejectedly, Gungrave-dono finally stepped forward at the very end.

Since the man beside him was holding a plate, it seemed that man was actually the cook.

“Your Highness. Our cook, Shuri, has prepared a meal. Please partake of it.”

“Are you the last one…”

My anger flared up from continuously eating awful food, but I suppressed it as I spoke. I was already exhausted as well.

However, what the man named Shuri presented was a strange dish. I had never seen anything like it.

It was reddish-black. I could recognize the ingredients like finely chopped meat, scallions, and something called tofu.

However, I could not identify the rest. Even my nose could not distinguish the components.

“What is this?”

“It is Mapo Tofu.”

Mapo Tofu?

I have never heard of such a dish.

“Ma… what did you say?”

“Please give it a try. It is delicious.”

Sounds suspicious. I cannot believe such a mysterious soup could be delicious.

However, if I do not eat it here, we cannot pay the bonus reward to the Gungrave Mercenary Band.

With a resolve prepared for the worst, I put it into my mouth.

…Spicy!!

My mouth burned as if on fire!

“Ngh, ngh… Spicy, it’s spicy!”

It is far too spicy! Where is the delicious part in this!

“Princess, please savor it carefully.”

Savor it, you say!? In the middle of this torture!?

He even addressed me with ‘-san’, should I have this man executed!?

However, when I tried to endure it, a strange sensation spread throughout my mouth.

“…Sweet?”

It is sweet. Amidst the spiciness, there is sweetness.

Lightly crumbling and spreading in my mouth, it was a familiar sweetness I had felt before.

Yes, this is bean.

The subtle sweetness of beans. That filled my entire mouth.

“That is the sweetness of the tofu.”

Tofu.

I have heard it is a food made from beans that has recently spread through the streets.

Tracing back, it retains no shape of raw beans, and it can be eaten raw, grilled, or simmered.

And whether served hot or cold, it retains its deliciousness—a mysterious foodstuff.

Indeed, it was a food that began spreading from somewhere about six months ago.

So this dish contained that ingredient.

“And sour too.”

A slight acidity. This moderately balanced the spiciness and sweetness.

Unless I paid close attention, I would not notice it, but it was certainly there.

“That is one of the flavors of the chili bean paste.”

Chili bean paste?

I have never heard of that.

Even as the top gourmet in the nation, I did not have the slightest inkling that such a thing existed.

“It is… bitter as well.”

However, this bitterness was different from that of ordinary food.

It was a taste added later through some method, yet added naturally.

“Because it has been thoroughly cooked over high heat in the pan.”

Is this a dish made by frying?

While being thoroughly cooked through, there was not a single burnt part.

Yet it possessed the distinct bitterness unique to frying.

It was not the bitterness of bad food.

It was a unique bitterness born from thorough, proper cooking.

“Finally, spicy.”

“That comes from the peppercorn and chili bean paste.”

I see, a refreshing flavor and a piercing heat amidst the spiciness.

Is that because peppercorn is included in it!

Once I realized that, I understood it was not merely a spicy dish, but a magnificent creation made with complex flavors and techniques in every single aspect.

Even with so many flavors coexisting, they did not clash in the slightest.

Even the court chefs in this castle could likely not create a dish of this caliber.

I could not help but wonder why such a magnificent chef belonged to a mere mercenary band.

With his skills, he would surely be in high demand not only in this country, but in any nation.

However, right now I simply wanted to savor this dish.

“Delicious! Delicious!”

Ah, I could only feel that a supreme reward had arrived for me, who had endured so much since the war began.

Continuing to pray, unable to swallow food, thinking only of Father, the key ministers, and the people returning safely.

And then winning the war, taking prisoners, and finally securing the long-awaited peace.

It could only be described as a dish fit for that peace.

“Please wipe your sweat while eating. I thought it would be just right for a princess who tends to get cold easily.”

“What did you say?”

Indeed, my body temperature had risen enough to make me sweat. The coldness from earlier felt like a lie.

Before I realized it, the chill in my hands and feet was gone. It reached a point where this room felt comfortably cool.

“Ever since I arrived, I noticed you fidgeting with your feet as if you were cold, so I wondered if that was the case.”

This guy saw through my chill at a single glance!?

And then I arrived at an astonishing truth.

This dish not only fulfilled my challenge perfectly, but it was also a medicinal meal that cured my cold sensitivity!

Not only was it delicious, but it could also warm the body!

Could that have been his intention from the very beginning?

A dish that cleared the challenge, cured my chill, and left no room for complaints regarding the bonus reward.

Flawless. He is a flawless chef.

The inspiration to conceptualize the dish.

The technique to craft it.

The insight to discern his opponent’s physical condition.

The knowledge to combine ingredients.

This man is truly worthy of being my chef!

“I have taken a liking to you! Become my chef!”

“Ah, that is impossible.”

My recruitment offer was rejected in a matter of three seconds.

---

In the end, Shuri did not become my chef.

Even when I negotiated with Father and tried to welcome him by any means, Shuri stubbornly refused to nod. No matter how much we improved the treatment or the money, that man declined with a cool composure.

Gungrave-dono as well refused to yield him, no matter how high we raised the price.

No, I understand the feeling.

A chef with such resourcefulness and skill. He is an indispensable talent for the Gungrave Mercenary Band as it grows larger from here on out.

Therefore, I want him. The human named Shuri, who possesses such capability.

“Haah…”

I collapsed onto my bed and lamented.

After partaking of such supreme deliciousness, the evening banquet felt like mere haze.

Whether it existed or not made no difference.

Of course, I had no complaints about a banquet held to celebrate the victory.

How could I complain about rewarding the hard work of the generals, soldiers, and people?

However, compared to Mapo Tofu, I felt no charm in the banquet’s food.

“As expected, I must dispatch spies somewhere to secretly abduct him…”

I was seeking Shuri to the extent that I could nonchalantly utter such terrifying thoughts aloud.

Naturally, what I sought was the food that man prepared; it was by no means a romantic affair.

“Princess. It seems the castle chef has something he wants you to taste…”

The maid who entered bore a slightly troubled look.

Was I so lost in thought that I failed to notice the knock?

“What is it? I am busy pondering. Besides, the banquet is after this.”

“Yes, I told him as much, but he refused to listen…”

What is it? Is he asking me to sample a new dish for tonight?

When I sat up on the bed and raised my head, something unbelievable to me was right there.

“He reportedly made a trial version of this dish called Mapo Tofu… Stop!”

“Bring it here at once!”

“H-Yes!?”

The maid was startled, but I cared not!

I had her bring it hastily and put it into my mouth.

…While it fell far short of Shuri’s dish, it was certainly Mapo Tofu.

Perhaps the preparation was lacking or the seasonings were slightly different. It was not perfect like Shuri’s.

However, there was no doubt it was Mapo Tofu.

“Why do you have this?”

“Yes, actually, the cook of the Gungrave Mercenary Band left behind the recipe and a small amount of seasonings as thanks for letting him use the kitchen.”

“What!?”

He revealed the recipe of such a magnificent dish without holding anything back!?

“So when the chef tried making it as a test, everyone was amazed by the high level of technique and deliciousness used in that dish, and they wanted the Princess—who has tasted the original—to sample it and give her thoughts.”

“I see…”

To be honest, it was like night and day compared to Shuri’s.

However, if they could make this much on their first try, it could be considered a passing grade.

“I shall convey my thoughts directly.”

“Understood. Also, regarding the next tasting…”

…What did you say?

“Next? Is there something else?”

“Yes, actually, the recipe left by the cook was not just one.”

It was not just one!!?

“What do you mean by that!”

“Yes, he left several repertoire variations, such as combining Mapo Tofu with other items or changing the seasonings. When leaving, the cook left a message saying, ‘Since eating the same thing gets boring, I hope you enjoy various kinds of Mapo Tofu.’”

What a turn of events! Does that bewitching dish exist in numerous varieties!?

Could it be that he anticipated spies being dispatched after him, and purposely directed my attention toward the food to divert me!?

Oh, just how many moves ahead is Shuri reading…?

I have come to want Shuri more and more.

However, I shall refrain from sending spies to abduct him.

For now, I shall enjoy those various kinds he spoke of.

“After the banquet is over, have the chefs make trial versions on a later date and let me sample them. This may be a wonderful opportunity for a new culture to be born in our country. Tell them to put their hearts into it.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the maid left the room, I remained alone and thought.

And I could not stop laughing.

“Kukuku. Shuri, no matter what you think, I will surely make you mine. To have captivated me to this extent, you should take pride in your skills. Kukuku. To think you could drive a gourmet like me to such lengths.”

Shuri’s cooking regulates the body’s condition and uplifts the spirits.

That will surely be useful not only in battle, but in diplomacy as well. I can tell.

That is likely why Gungrave-dono refuses to let go of Shuri.

Uniting the band with that cooking, while making negotiations and diplomacy work to his advantage.

What a shrewd man, Gungrave-dono.

As expected of the one called the “Demon of Schemes and Machinations.”

On a later date, I sampled the variations of Mapo Tofu.

Every single one was delicious. While I wished to eat the ones made by Shuri, this would suffice for now.

The recipes detailed everything meticulously, from how to prepare the seasonings to how to apply heat. The court chefs will surely master these techniques eventually. After all, even the method for making tofu was included.

I approached Father and advised him to take steps so that Shuri would not fall into the hands of other countries.

“If that cook is passed to another nation, it will surely become a detriment to Niewbist.”

“Is it truly that severe? I do not quite understand.”

“Father—no, my Lord. This is something I can say with certainty. The skill and resourcefulness of that cook, which I acquired through his food and my palate, are irreplaceable by anything else.”

“Then what would you have us do? Assassinate him in secret?”

“No, that is the worst possible move. If you do that, there is no doubt we will turn the entire Gungrave Mercenary Band into our enemy. That military force would strike at our territory without hesitating to commit night raids.”

“I-I wish to avoid that. Then, do you have any plan?”

“We must mark our claim on him, Your Majesty.”

What I came up with was sending a chef’s knife and a letter as a reward.

Furthermore, the knife would be a top-grade one bearing our national crest.

The letter would convey the highest respect a royal family could offer.

By doing so, even if other countries try to reach out to Shuri, we can intervene.

‘What does your country intend to do with the chef who is on friendly terms with our nation?’

It would serve to indirectly ask whether they are prepared for a diplomatic conflict by pulling away someone slated to serve my country.

Among other nations, some import Niewbist’s food supplies.

By bringing up our achievements from this war’s victory and our trade advantages, we can keep them in check.

Shuri. Let us meet again someday.

When that time comes, please let me savor even more varieties of your cooking.

---

The Duchy of Niewbist.

It was a vast food production region formed by absorbing most of Yuyubi—formerly a mining district—as large-scale agricultural land, combined with the food supply from its expansive forest.

It began after the war with Yuyubi, when negotiations using the Yuyubi prince as a hostage yielded enormous reparations and land.

The food produced here was all of high quality and popular in other countries as well.

Given such national characteristics, their culinary techniques were also advanced.

Walking through the streets, restaurants stood side by side, each serving delicious food.

Every tourist who visited this country savored its unique cuisine and returned home satisfied.

Furthermore, Niewbist possessed a regional dish enjoyed even by royalty.

Once released from the royal family to the populace, the recipe spread rapidly throughout the nation and established itself.

Tebis Niewbist—who would later become the top gourmet and Queen of the Duchy of Niewbist—deeply loved this dish, making it a favorite she ate at least once a week even in her old age.

It is said she favored the Mapo Tofu left behind by the “King of Food,” Shuri Azuma.

Furthermore, Mapo Tofu would continue to be passed down in legends as the very first dish “King of Food” Shuri Azuma introduced to this world.