Prologue: Starting with a Mushroom Stew
“Ooh… Ooooh…”
The sound of a pot cooking. The softening of vegetables over time. The delicious smell of chicken that has been well-cooked. The base of the dish is Ambermoon tomato soup. All of these were great, but none of them could compare to the beautiful little caps sticking out of the middle of the pot.
These were mushrooms, and there were many different kinds.
There were black ones with frills. They were white and have caps about the size of a small dish. They were small and grew in groups. There were mushrooms everywhere. There were a lot of mushrooms.
None of them were anything special. They weren’t “premium” mushrooms that smelled so good that they could draw a nose from across the room. These were the common types that forest hunters liked to use in their dinner stews. Perfect for Mia, in fact, because she liked the taste of these more homey kinds so much!
Now, Mia wasn’t a mushroom-ist (racist?). She knew that every mushroom was the same. There were no mycological classes, and no fungus was better than any other fungus by nature. She knew that premium mushrooms were tasty in their own premium way, and she liked that. But there were other mushrooms that made the stew taste better.
Mia’s food preferences have changed a lot since she tried the hare stew. Stews are now at the top of her list of favorite foods. In other words, what was in front of her wasn’t a pot of common mushrooms; it was a taste of heaven. She absolutely loved it!
As a side note, as she worked on her survival skills, she also learned about edible mountain plants. This meant that her taste buds were slowly becoming like those of…old country grandmas. Do what you want with that.
“Oh… Ooooh… Ooooooooh…”
Her hand shook as she put her fork over one of the delicious dishes that was still cooking. She took a deep breath and poked it with a pin. In the stew, the white form moved back and forth. She almost started drooling because the movement was so tempting.
With her eyes on the Belluga mushroom, she pushed the fork into its ivory flesh and pulled it up. It was shaking. She brought it to her mouth slowly, and then ate it all in one bite.
“Mmm… Mmmmmph…”
Belluga mushrooms were known for having a great taste, which she could taste now. She turned it around in her mouth while blowing hot breaths. Her taste buds were in heaven when the soup and drink went together so well.
She bit into it when it was cool. There was a chewiness that made it possible to eat it. It made the event better. As she took in the wonderful texture, she felt a deep feeling of satisfaction.
“Oh, this is so nice… So this is what it tastes like to eat mushroom stew. Just perfect!”
You’re right. Mia’s mushroom stew party, which she’d been planning for a long time, finally happened at the start of the new year. It was held at Anne’s old house, where she and her family still live.
Bel, the shrewd little thing, had tagged along on the trip and was now sitting next to Mia with the same look on her face and the same puffy cheeks.
Mia really wanted the student council members to help her throw the party, but they were all too busy. Sion, Abel, and Rafina all went back to where they lived.
“Really, it’s a shame… We couldn’t have a party during the Holy Eve Festival, so I was looking forward to this one to make up for it.”
Even so, the mushroom stew was still tasty. That didn’t change because some people didn’t show up to the party. Her pleasure, however, did.
However, today’s party wasn’t boring. Miabel and Anne’s family were there. Tiona and Lynsha were there, too. Lynsha was still wearing a bandage on her head. Chloe happened to be in town at the same time, so she was added to the list. There was plenty of fun at the party itself.
Marco Forkroad, Chloe’s dad, was in the capital to work on some wheat deals when he heard about Mia’s love of mushrooms. He sent Chloe a bunch of different kinds of mushrooms as a gift, which led to the mushroom stew party.
“My! A mushroom with some crunch is the best. It’s tough enough, but not too much.”
Bel imitated Mia’s one-bite-hot-breath method as she ate a mushroom. She said, “It really is, isn’t it, Gran? I mean, Mia-neesama?”
Mia looked at the happy faces around the pot and gave a satisfied nod.
“This is what a mushroom stew is all about.” There was more to mushroom stew than just the stew. It needed the laughter and the small talk, and the finishing touch was the joy. She gave Chloe a smile and turned to face her. “Thanks, Chloe. And please thank your dad for me. We all owe him a lot for this great present.”
“You don’t have to thank us! It’s our pleasure!” Chloe said with her hands held high.
Mia shook her head. “Chloe, I think that gratitude begets gratitude. Your dad did us a big favor, so I’d like to do something nice for him.”
“If you think about it that way, I owe you a lot too, so my dad’s gift should be seen as us paying you back. We’re even now, so don’t worry,” she said with a smile. “Also, I was treated so well here in the city, and I got to talk a lot about my favorite books. And…”
She stopped for a second and looked at Elise. “I got to meet your court author. My hands are still shaking. What an amazing experience!”
Mia giggled. “Wow, you must have talked to Elise for a long time. I’m glad you found a new book buddy.”
Mia knew how Chloe felt because she also liked to read. It was fun to hear Elise talk about books. Even if she didn’t have them written down, her ideas were enough to keep people interested. Most of them, at least. Mia had to give herself a second look when she read in an old romance book by Elise that a girl used “Operation Handkerchief Drop” to get a boy’s attention. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that yet. But that was not the norm. Most of the time, meeting an author was a priceless event that made book fans squeal with joy.
“Yes, I’m glad you’re having fun,” Mia said next. “But even so, thanks should be given where thanks are due. At the very least, let Sir Marco know that he can talk to me if he ever needs help. I’d be glad to lend a hand.”
After all, the wheat distribution routes that Forkroad & Co. controlled were Mia’s only way to stay alive. She definitely wanted to know as soon as possible if there was a problem with them. In all honesty, these political concerns were at best extra. She mostly wanted to thank him because she was so happy to get his mushroom basket, which made her feel like giving more than usual.
“Princess Mia…” Chloe said, moved by what Mia had said. “Okay, then. I’ll tell him.”
Just then…
“Uh, excuse me, Princess Mia,” Lynsha interrupted. “Have you got a minute? I’d like to talk to you about something.”
“My, Lynsha. Certainly. But I must say…” Mia had a small laugh at Lynsha’s serious face. “It will take some getting used to for you to act so formal around me.”
“Oh, Princess Mia, stop it already!” Lynsha let out a sigh, which helped her relax a little. She spoke in a tone that was just above a whisper. “It has to do with Lady Bel.
