Chapter 237: Parul Cooks
I hadn’t heard of this God of Deceitful Ways, a deity who delighted in schemes and tricks, but considering his believers had outmaneuvered two major churches, it was a shocking revelation.
“Anyway, since they were conned, both major churches lost credibility. Even the mainstream churches are now viewed with suspicion. The result is a surge of various underground cults, taking root among ignorant people in villages and the lower levels,” Lorna sighed.
I hadn’t expected such a consequence. It was a religious scandal, yet it seemed to have made religious influence more complex and deeply entrenched.
Of course, Lorna’s perspective was subjective. I believed she considered anything not of Christianity to be a cult, and even within Christianity, most factions would likely be deemed heretical by her.
I already knew what happened next, so I didn’t discuss it further with Lorna. Soon, we returned to the apartment building.
Lorna looked at the apartment we rented with surprise, asking with a sigh, “Are you living in a place like this for asceticism, or to purify the darkness here?”
Was this her way of being polite? A less tactful person might have asked, “Why are you living in such a dump?”
“If you just want to spread the gospel or purify evil, I advise you to give up. The darkness in the world is endless. You should focus your missionary efforts on more valuable goals,” Lorna said earnestly.
So, she genuinely believed that, not mocking us.
“No, I genuinely live here,” Jayad said, a vein throbbing in his forehead. He hadn’t joined any religion and had no intention of doing so. If Lorna knew about the cesspool we used to live in, I wondered what she would think.
“Uh, well, asceticism is a virtue. You should continue to cultivate it. That’s good. I’ll find another place to stay and come find you tomorrow to rendezvous and take you for training,” Lorna said, turning to leave as if she didn’t want to linger here any longer.
“So, what kind of person is she?” I watched Lorna disappear into the crowd, appearing and leaving as abruptly as she arrived. We still didn’t know where she and that mysterious Grand Tutor came from.
“I don’t know. But Parul, I finally have a chance to learn Holy Light. I will learn the strength to protect you,” Jayad said with earnest determination.
“Mhm, I believe in you, Older Brother Jayad. Go for it!” I smiled.
That evening, to ensure Jayad had enough energy for the rigorous training with the demanding Lorna the next day, I decided to cook for him to replenish his nutrients.
Another reason was that the delicious ingredients we tasted at the tavern today reminded me of normal people’s food. I wanted to cook myself to avoid getting rusty.
The biggest problem with me cooking has always been that I can’t resist eating all the ingredients mid-way through cooking. So, I not only need to prepare a lot more ingredients but also forcibly restrain my appetite.
My experience at the tavern today gave me a clue on how to control my appetite. After eating delicious and highly nutritious high-end food until I was somewhat satisfied, I could restrain my appetite to a certain degree.
The problem is that those ingredients usually mean they cost several times more than ordinary bread or cheese. If there’s no special need, I think it’s quicker to just stuff myself with junk food.
Today, I made a replicated beef stew with potatoes for Jayad. I bought potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, intending to make a stew similar to curry. To restore the flavor, I also added fennel, black pepper, basil, turmeric, tarragon, and a bottle of brandy as the soup base. I felt the aroma should be sufficient.
Then, I chopped the potatoes, onions, and carrots and threw them into the soup. During this process, I raw-ate three potatoes, one onion, half a carrot, and five pre-prepared baguettes and black bread.
With the soup finally simmering, I breathed a sigh of relief. All that was left was the meat. This time, I extravagantly bought chicken, beef, and pork. For someone with gold coins, these weren’t too expensive. In fact, the spices I used earlier were even more costly.
I handed the job of cutting the meat to Jayad. If I cut it, I would directly put the raw meat into my mouth. Anyway, the crucial part was the soup’s seasoning. Once the meat was cut, it could just be thrown into the pot.
“It really is! The kitchen knife Parul bought is very useful,” Jayad said, twirling the knife in his hand. While that short sword was incredibly sharp, there was a specialization for each task. A kitchen knife was indeed more convenient for cutting vegetables.
The pile of daily necessities I bought today surprisingly wasn’t lost during combat and was brought back by Jayad and me. I hadn’t expected it. They were now arranged throughout the apartment, things like towels, scissors, and cutlery, adding a touch of home to the room.
As the pot lid trembled with boiling steam and made a crisp sound, the aroma of the meat filled the entire room, making my stomach involuntarily rumble.
I directed Jayad to bring the entire pot to the table and then took out the rice that was cooking in the fireplace. After so long in this other world, I could finally eat cooked rice. I was moved.
Also, this rice was quite expensive. I heard that only the Apennine Peninsula and the Iberian Peninsula in Europe were suitable for growing rice, and now it even had to be shipped from plantations in America.
“Older Brother Jayad, pour the sauce over the rice and eat it together. It’s very fragrant,” I said, scooping a spoonful of the thick soup. The soup had already been stewed to a viscous consistency. Pouring it over the steaming rice, I took a mouthful. So good!
“Whoa! So hot!” Jayad, like me, grabbed a spoonful and ate greedily. Children from the Slums always ate like this. He ended up burning his mouth. He didn’t have my iron mouth and tongue.
But even though he was burned, Jayad eagerly continued to eat, his mouth stuffed full. “Mmm! It’s so delicious! This is the first time I’ve eaten something so good, even better than what they made at that tavern.”
“Don’t be like that. Eat slowly, there’s plenty more,” I said. To satisfy my perverted appetite, I had cooked enough for at least seven or eight people. It was enough for Jayad to eat until he was stuffed, and then I could eat slowly, without worrying about waste, because I could eat it all.
Even so, Jayad ate very quickly. After all, we usually didn’t get to eat much meat. It was mostly black bread, flour paste, or flatbread. Being able to steal some dried meat was considered good. This pot of meat was like a delicacy from Heaven for Jayad.
The seafood feast at the tavern today was delicious, but nothing beats eating meat heartily. And I dare say the cost of this meal was no cheaper than the tavern’s seafood feast, possibly even more expensive. I had used a lot of expensive spices; that pepper counted by the grain, basil by the leaf.
Just as we were enjoying our meal, a small head suddenly popped out from next door, looking at our dinner table.
