Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 1014: Food Tasting

Chapter 1014: Chapter 1014: Food Tasting

He was happy to be relied on even in matters like this.

"Then, let’s go look for more games!" Arabella said excitedly and chose the games where there’s a prize she loves to have.

She tried them first and when she did not win anything, she had Ferdinand win them for her.

The prizes were not pricey things but they were good souvenirs to commemorate the time they spent here today.

The merchants had no complaints either since they were paid in gold and they were even told to keep the change.

Further, it’s not like they got all the prizes. There were prizes for everyone who could win so it was the merchants who were most delighted with their visit to their stalls.

After playing around for more than an hour, they finally stopped joining games and began choosing souvenirs seriously.

Arabella recalled getting some for Clarisse and her kids, and Dimo.

Now that she thought about it, Dimo, Raymart, and Alice would have enjoyed the games here if they had been here with them.

It’s a pity that they were busy with their lessons right now.

But then again, this was a part of her date with Ferdinand so it was best that it was just the two of them.

Alwin and Rendell were with them but they were here as their guards so they could push through with their dates without being too wary of possible risks.

It had been hours since they were here so when Arabella kept getting a whiff of the food from the stalls, she felt hungry.

"Ferdinand, can we try the food here as well?" Arabella inquired.

[I’m sure I’ll be fine. But Arabella is used to food prepared with utmost cleanliness. What if she got a stomach ache? The foods sold here seem to be freshly made but it’s out in the open. Some dust and other particles may have gotten onto the food...]

Ferdinand silently contemplated it seriously before he asked, "Have you ever tried eating food not prepared by your chefs in Lobelius?"

"I did!" Arabella beamed proudly.

She ate some in her past life too with Dimo when they went around Riva or other areas. She was alright those times so it should be fine.

"You did not get sick after?" Ferdinand inquired.

"I didn’t. I was perfectly fine," Arabella assured him.

"Will you be alright eating while standing or should we buy some of each of the foods here and eat somewhere?"

[She’s used to table manners and all the etiquette that must be followed. She might need a plate, a knife, and a fork for most of the foods here.]

Ferdinand was worried Arabella would not know how to eat the foods here or she would not like to eat the way commoners here did.

Arabella looked around and the people were eating while standing and just biting the food from the sticks or picking up the food with their hands.

’Haha. He’s so adorable,’ Arabella kissed him on the cheek.

She was touched and delighted with how considerate he was about what she was used to.

"!!!"

Ferdinand was wide-eyed. He liked it but he was puzzled about what it was for.

[She usually kisses me on the cheek when she’s praising me. Did I do something worthy of praise?]

"Thank you for considering everything. I’ll be fine. I have tried eating the way they do. I might not be good at it but it should be fine," Arabella said.

"I see, alright then," Ferdinand said, and gestured at Rendell.

This time, Rendell was their food taster.

They went to the nearest food stall that sold something round impaled on sticks then dipped into a sauce before it was handed out.

Rendell was the first to try and the seller asked, "Which sauce would you like, Sir? We have spicy, sweet, sweet and spicy, sweet and sour, and sour."

The appearance of Rendell’s clothes magically transformed into that of a local knight. Thus, the seller concluded he was their personal knight.

"Spicy," Rendell said and the seller dipped the food into the spicy sauce before handing it to him.

Rendell ate two from the stick in one go and gave a thumbs up.

[It tastes good and it’s not poisonous.]

Ferdinand tried it next and also went for the spicy sauce. When he did not pick up any sign of poison either, he finally nodded to her.

"Sweet and spicy please," Arabella said excitedly.

"Are you sure?" Ferdinand worried that she might not be able to take the spicy flavor even if it was mixed with the sweet one.

"Yes," Arabella smiled and waited for her order.

{Be ready with some milk or water.} Ferdinand said to Alwin as Arabella took a bite of her food.

"Mm~ It tastes good, indeed!" Arabella praised and the seller beamed in delight.

The spicy bite on her tongue followed by the sweetness that calmed it made the perfect combination with the circular food that seemed to be made from minced seafood and vegetables mixed with flour and seasoned with salt and other flavorings. The smooth sauce made a perfect blend.

The mixture of the ingredients in this food was quite a lot. It showed that this part of Valeria is indeed blessed and prosperous. Even commoners could make dishes with salt and sugar plus seafood and vegetables and still sell it for cheap.

’It must be because all of these ingredients are widely available here.’

She had seen both harvested and unharvested sugarcane. Sugar is indeed one of the products here so it was much cheaper here.

Salt too. Mines were prohibited here so she figured it was sea salt.

Southern Valerian territories were close to the seas so it was understandable why salt would also be readily available and much cheaper here. Seafood too.

Everything related to food here was much cheaper.

Of course, it was a good thing since it meant the people here are eating and living well.

The most basic needs are most important after all. With all of it met, no wonder the people here looked very much happier and carefree compared to other territories she had seen.

Arabella wished all normal people in Valeria could experience this as well.