I Picked Up the Fallen Earth

Chapter 12. The Duke Langton (2)

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Jeron was finally making proper use of a clock.

He hadn’t used one before due to a lack of mercury batteries, but during one of his farming excursions, he had managed to find a few batteries.

It was then, after 18 years, that he discovered a day in the Karen Continent lasts 26 hours.

Having acquired the clock, it would greatly aid his daily life from now on.

For now, he was using this precious clock for something as trivial as cooking 3-minute meals, but even if he were to return to Earth to farm, acquiring instant food for four would still be a daunting task.

On the Karen Continent?

Such food was unprecedented.

The dish Jeron was about to introduce was “3-Minute Spaghetti.”

Normally, one would use a microwave for convenience, but in this era, such modern conveniences were non-existent. Therefore, following the instructions to boil it for about 5 minutes was the best approach.

Additionally, he planned to reveal a bottle of cheap wine found in a corner cabinet during farming, which was his killer move among killer moves.

Was there ever a man who disliked liquor, regardless of the era?

Especially someone powerful would have tasted many kinds of liquor. However, wine brewed with Earth’s technology was incomparable to anything from this era. How fantastic would a sweet, cheap wine taste in an era without even sugar?

The headache the next day was none of Jeron’s concern.

When the lord himself entered the kitchen, the maids couldn’t hide their astonishment, but Violet was the only one to complain.

“Milord! You cooking by yourself? Cooking is something us servants should take care of.”

‘Are you insane? Entrust this precious thing to you?’

Jeron clicked his tongue.

Here, instead of a proper chef, the food was haphazardly prepared by the maids.

To entrust them with the precious 3-minute meal, when they thought of cooking merely as a means to sustaining life, without any sense of culinary passion, was unthinkable.

“Oh, this is an heirloom. How could I entrust such a precious dish to a maid?”

“Oh, is that so?”

“So stop your nagging. You might not feel it, but the guest in the dining room is the kingdom’s highest authority. A single wrong sneeze from him could erase our family without a trace. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, not just cooking.”

“I had a feeling… The smell was too savory and sweet to be from this world!”

“…”

Upon plating the 3-minute spaghetti, the unique scent of tomatoes mixed with the sweetness, and the creamy, cheesy aroma spread all around.

It was a scent that was undoubtedly not of this world, making everyone salivate.

Bubble, bubble!

The smell was almost unbearable.

“Wow… What is this?”

Violet pushed her nose closer to the boiling pot of pasta. She did this because she was close to Jeron, but everyone else likely felt the same.

Jeron naturally pushed her head back with the ladle.

“You’ll burn yourself.”

“So-sorry. I’ve never smelled anything so enchanting before.”

“If there’s a chance, I might cook it for you one day.”

“Really!?”

“If there’s a chance,” I said.

“I can wait forever!”

Jeron, feeling like he might have misspoken, instructed the butlers to carry the dish to the table.

Inside the dining room, Ark Farrow and the Duke Langton were conversing.

“Oh! Had I known you were coming, I would have greeted you myself.”

“Ah, well, how could I impose that on a sick man? You should just focus on recovering. It’s a miracle you’re even alive… Hm?”

“Sniff, sniff, what on earth is that smell…?”

The duke and Ark Farrow stopped their conversation abruptly.

Even the mother and sister, who were politely listening to the men’s conversation, sniffed toward the pot.

One might mistake humans for having a gene for a dog’s sense of smell.

The sight of all four turning their heads and looking at the plate was quite amusing.

“Today, in honor of our esteemed guest, I’ve decided to share our family’s heirloom.”

“Heirloom!? Really?”

Baron Ark looked at Jeron as if he was spouting nonsense but then winked.

‘This is all a setup.’

‘Is that so? Then I shall play along.’

“I hope you enjoyed the flavor.”

“Now, where were we….”

Overwhelmed by the strong scent, the Duke forgot all about maintaining appearances.

Everyone else felt the same.

It was a bit regrettable, but in truth, spaghetti wasn’t Jeron’s favorite dish. After the world fell apart, he ate whatever he could farm, and after his reincarnation, while foods from Earth carried a premium, they didn’t quite match up to instant noodles.

The ‘Noggle’ was still safe.

Even for a guest as honored as the Duke, Jeron couldn’t casually bring out the king of instant noodles, Noggle. He was a bit worried that the intense flavor of ramen wouldn’t suit the palates of this era. Compared to that, pasta was relatively mainstream. The taste couldn’t be guaranteed, though.

Just like the 3-minute meal, it was a pity to consume it at any time, but finally, that day had arrived.

He was about to receive the 3-minute meal for the first time in 18 years.

“Slurp!”

The Duke coiled the pasta around his fork, took a bite, and then, with eyes widened, began to devour it voraciously.

Jeron also tasted the pasta, and the sweetness and richness made every cell in his body leap with joy.

“This, this is the taste!”

It was a reward to himself for enduring this primitive society for 18 years.

The pinnacle of all modern Earth’s seasoning techniques.

If a 3-minute meal could cause such a shock, what would the taste of ‘Noggle’ be like?

It would be no surprise if one passed out while eating it.

Memories of his past life brought him to the brink of tears.

People were almost licking the sauce off their plates.

“Ahem, milord. In celebration of today, allow me to offer a toast with wine.”

“Wine?”

“Certainly not an ordinary one.”

“Goodness! This old man is living in luxury today.”

It was undoubtedly a wine loaded with sugar.

On Earth, it was considered a cooking wine, but the sweet taste, refined with cutting-edge (?) technology, was unmatched in this world.

Jeron elegantly filled four glasses with wine.

As soon as the wine was poured, a sweet aroma filled the air.

Considering the amount of sugar and the aging process, it might suit Jeron’s taste after all.

Upon tasting it:

“Ah! Truly like the tears of a goddess. How can there be such sweetness?”

“Such an unbelievable flavor.”

“Brother!”

Even Sharon, who usually did not show much emotion, gave a thumbs up.

It seemed the dinner was a success.

Time flew like a gale.

The wine, served as a palate cleanser, disappeared as if by magic.

Everyone dined with gusto, and the Duke expressed his deep gratitude for being so well-treated.

“Thank you! Truly, it’s a heritage worthy of our ancestors. I consider myself lucky to have tasted such flavors before I die. Having been served such precious food, I cannot remain indifferent.”

That was precisely the response Jeron had hoped for.

The nobles of this era had a very sharp aspect.

If they received something, they always sought to provide something of equal value in return.

Of course, if a grudge was held, they wouldn’t forget it until death, so one should not easily make enemies with a noble.

Jeron had prepared his response.

“Your grace, it’s I who should be thankful for your happiness. I just wish for a private audience to ask a few questions.”

“Hahaha! Let it be so!”

The Duke readily nodded.

This was a success.

Having won the Duke’s favor, it was now time to subtly begin the real work.

***

His parents returned to the house by the lake.

The Duke had been offered the best guest room in the lord’s castle, guarded steadfastly by the White Knights.

“Halt!”The knights placed their hands on their waists. It was only natural for them to be on guard, bringing forth an odd box during these ambitious hours. From inside, the voice of the duke was heard.

“Let him in. I have a private meeting scheduled with the lord.”

“However, milord, they have brought a strange box.”

“Have you forgotten who I am? Let him in.”

“My apologies.”

Duke Langton was known across the kingdom as its premier knight, bearing the title of the kingdom’s greatest swordsman and a knight who, albeit weakly, could wield mana. Known as the Sword Master.

Of course, he wasn’t truly capable of emitting an aura strong enough to slash through his enemies effortlessly, but he could manifest a faint blue glow. In a novel, Duke Langton’s skills might only be equivalent to that of a newly knighted or an apprentice knight.

However, in the land of Karen, where mana was scarce and magic was on the decline, the ability to emit even a faint amount of mana was considered a remarkable skill. Jeron presented the box to Langton.

“This is a gift for your excellency.”

“Ha, I have been treated too well today. To think there is even a gift. It’s almost becoming a burden.”

It was the instinctive reflex of a noble, feeling obliged to reciprocate a received favor. Upon opening the box, the duke reacted as if he were having a seizure.

“Gu, gah!”

“Your excellency!”

Hearing his scream, the knights rushed in. Jeron simply sat opposite the duke, doing nothing. Yet, he was full of concerns, unable to grasp the tastes of the people here.

It was uncertain if a ‘grandma sword’ adorned with cubic zirconia, considering dragon rings as treasures, would be well-received.

Fortunately, it seemed the gamble paid off. The duke was astonished, and the knights who rushed in could not hide their surprise. ‘Thankfully, the rustic grandma sword was indeed the top item in this area.’

With trembling hands, the duke drew the dagger. It was a piece found amongst a pile of scrap in the forge, so embarrassing that its previous owner had hidden it in the deepest corner.

However, the eye for artifacts varies with time. More importantly, the craftsmanship technology between Earth and this world differed by over a thousand years.

Unlike Earth, where mechanical workmanship was possible, the artisans here worked entirely by hand. Detailed cutting of gems?

Absolutely not. In an era where even the concept of imitation gems didn’t exist, embedding cubic zirconia to this extent might have been challenging even for dwarves.

“What in the world is this? It appears to be an artifact.”

After marveling for a while, the duke finally spoke.

“You have seen accurately. It is a sword believed to have been bestowed by the ancestral dragon as a treasure of our family, and a protector of our lineage. Of course, this is based on stories passed down within our family, so it’s unclear if it truly is a dragon’s relic. Nor do we know what power it may contain.”

“Ha, it’s indeed a marvelous item. Saying it contains some sort of power might not be an exaggeration.”

Jeron pushed hard on his sales pitch, and the duke’s eyes became serious. From an Earthling’s perspective, no matter how one looked, it was merely a ‘grandma sword’, making it almost necessary to suppress laughter nearly a dozen times to avoid bursting out loud at the duke’s serious demeanor.

Ping!

The duke flicked the blade’s edge with his finger, producing a clear, melodious sound.

“Truly exceptional.”

He could only express his admiration. The duke straightened his posture.

“A treasure among treasures. Presenting a dragon artifact, what exactly do you seek in return?”

Jeron stood up and bowed deeply.

“Your excellency, I humbly request that you grant the Farrow household trading rights.”

“Trading rights?”

As Langton responded, Jeron bowed even deeper, barely holding back the laughter threatening to burst forth. But soon, he composed himself.

‘Now, Duke. It’s your move. Will you trade the supposed legacy of a dragon for trading rights?’