“Oh, I almost forgot. I can’t just eat it all myself; I need to share with everyone.”

When I offered some to Herbert and the others, who were staring intensely at the maître d’hôtel butter, they all closed their eyes to savor the meat.

“It’s already amazing since it’s Golden Beef, but this taste takes it to the next level… This could easily be served in the royal palace.”

“The butter is exquisite, but this spice is just perfect. Can it be harvested from that garden too?”

After Herbert and Zeke devoured their meat with incredible speed, they leaned forward almost simultaneously.

Seeing them like this, I realized how much they looked alike as brothers.

Alex, the other brother, was absorbed in getting a second helping of the meat.

“Is pepper not available around here?”

“It’s a spice I’ve never heard of before.”

Oh, right. Pepper, as I recall, grows in places like India. I know enough to grind those little round black seeds with a pepper mill, but I have no idea if they grow directly on trees.

Well, if they can savor the taste, they might be able to find it. After all, that’s what adventurers are for! Probably.

“It’s got a sharp kick to it; I can’t get enough. If I had this pepper stuff, I could go for as many helpings as I wanted.”

On his third helping, Alex, who was told this would be the last, speared his meat with a fork, looking a bit forlorn.

“It pairs well with so many dishes.”

“What does it look like?”

“All I know is that it’s a round seed.”

If only we could get our hands on the seeds…

“If it’s pepper you need, just ask Koko.”

Ermine, who seemed satisfied after enjoying the rare steak, elegantly wiped his mouth with a white napkin.

“Is that so?”

“Yep. I think Koko’s… er, disciple? Or something like that could bring it.”

Does this mean Koko has other underlings like Persio? Given Koko’s connections, it wouldn’t be surprising if she had followers worldwide.

“Still, it might be best to establish our own pepper cultivation methods. That garden wouldn’t be able to support global distribution.”

“That’s true,” Zeke agreed, having seen the garden himself.

“We’ll put out a request to the Merchant’s Guild as well.”

As Herbert said this, Victor nodded emphatically. He seemed ready to take on the task with the full prestige of the Merchant’s Guild.

“The dessert is a fruit platter.”

At the end, the chef brought a colorful assortment of fruits. Apples, grapes, oranges—all fruits I recognized. They tasted just as I remembered.

The fruits were juicy and delicious. Still, I would’ve preferred a cake. A chocolate one, if possible.

“Hey, Ermine, is there any way to make chocolate?”

“Chocolate? You mean, like chocolate?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“The ingredients would be cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk.”

I knew chocolate was made from cocoa beans, but what’s cocoa mass or cocoa butter?

“What’s cocoa mass?”

“It’s the nib of the cocoa bean that’s fermented, dried, roasted, and ground. The outer shell and germ are removed during processing. The liquid is called cocoa liquor, and when it cools and solidifies, it becomes cocoa mass.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that.”

So they’re not just grinding beans to make chocolate.

“And cocoa butter is made by pressing the cocoa liquor, separating it into cocoa powder and cocoa butter.”

“That’s incredible. I didn’t know chocolate had such a process. You’re really knowledgeable, Ermine.”

I clapped my hands in admiration, and Ermine’s tail swayed back and forth, his whiskers gently fluttering.

Chocolate is made in such an intricate way.

Maybe Ermine really does know everything. I wonder if he’s hiding a little cat-shaped robot inside.

“You’re indeed well-informed. Where did you learn all this?”

Herbert asked, clearly impressed, and Ermine scratched his cheek with a grin. “To guide Mei, I need to know all sorts of things.”

“As expected of my ‘Guide.’”

When I applauded even louder, Ermine’s tail started swishing more vigorously.

“It would be wonderful if you could share just a bit of that knowledge with us.”

To Herbert’s request, Ermine shook his head.

“I can’t. I’m Mei’s Guide and only Mei’s. The knowledge granted by the World-Travelling Witch is for Mei alone, the only alchemist in this world.”

Oh, right. Since it’s knowledge passed down from the World-Travelling Witch, Ermine might have information not only from this world but even from my world.

Maybe there’s even knowledge from other worlds too. Will he teach me someday?

“So, as long as we have cocoa beans, we can make chocolate?”

With sugar and milk already available, all we’d need are cocoa beans! Or so I thought…

“Unfortunately, they don’t exist in this world.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I don’t lie.”

No way! There’s no chocolate in this world?

Does that mean I’ll never get to eat chocolate again?

“Couldn’t you make it with alchemy?”

“It’s tough… But if Mei wished for it, maybe a migratory bird could bring a seed.”

“Wait, they don’t exist in this world, right?”

“Occasionally, a ‘World-Travelling Bird’ appears.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s just a bird, but while flying, it somehow crosses worlds without realizing it. It usually returns to its original world before long. Golden feathers, red wings… I think it’s called a ‘Garuda.’”

Hold on.

That’s no ordinary bird!

It’s a divine bird from India! Being a deity, of course it’d be capable of crossing worlds!