A Dwarven Lady's Specialty

Tee hee, what nice weather today! It's a good day to come up with some new recipes!

Ooh, new recipes!

I can make some for you too, Aldo!

I'm looking forward to it! You know, I get so sleepy whenever I eat your cooking.

It looked so tasty, too... It's such a waste that I can't remember it. This time, I'll try my best to stay awake.

Tee hee! I hope you will, Aldo!

Mama! That guy's food was so yummy!

Huh?

Wasn't it just? Dwarves are such good cooks!

Excuse me?! You mentioned a dwarven cook?!

Was the dwarf called Samolyn, by any chance?

Hmm... Yes, I believe it was Samo...something...

He was a little scary at first, but he ended up being a funny old fellow! He had braided hair, even at his age!

Tee hee! Yep, that's Samolyn all right!

This Samolyn is the guy you're looking for?

Yep! It's quite embarrassing to say out loud, but...

I love him with all my heart!

Oh no! I said it!

With all your heart?

Yes! I really really love him!

He left one day to collect ingredients just like always, but he never came back...

I've looked forward to our reunion ever since! Oh, Samolyn...

I see... Why don't we go try talking to him?

Hey, you guys? That dwarf chef you were talking about. Any idea where he went?

Well, I believe he's headed to the Palsifal Palace Dining Hall.

Thanks a lot! Let's get going then!

OK! Next stop, Palsifal Palace!

He's here... He's really here! I can't believe he's here!

Yep. Let's hurry and find him.

*pant* I'll finally get to see him! *pant*

That was delightful! Just as I thought, your cooking is truly the best around, sir!

Hmph. That was luck, and nothing more.

Hmph. That was luck, and nothing more.

No, no! It was thanks to you that my wife could enjoy her birthday with such a fine banquet! Thank you so much, Mr. Samora!

Well, you must've enjoyed it to be in such high spirits. I shall be staying here for a while longer. If you desire more of my food, do not hesitate to come find me again.

Absolutely!

Now, I shall return to my training.

So that was Samora just now. Samora... Samolyn... That's the guy you've been looking for!

Did he call that dwarf Samora? Which must mean that... He's this Samolyn guy you've been looking for!

Huh? Hey Lovely! Where'd you go?

Aldo! Help!

What the... What happened?!

*sigh* That was horrible...

You had me worried. To find you trapped under your bag like that...

You saw that? *sigh* This always happens at such crucial moments...

Now, now. Samolyn is just through those doors. There's no need to hurry.

He's so close!

H-Hey! Lovely, wait up! Watch out for the...

*pant* Samolyn is just through those doors!!

What do you think, Aldo? Is there anything off about me?

Off?

You know, like my hair, my clothes, my smell. Stuff that's important for a girl!

Well I'm no expert, but... Now that I think of it... It's not really a big deal, but... Well, if you forced me to say it... You do smell a little bit...dirty... It might just be me, though?

Oink?

Oh, no! How can I reunite with my beloved Samolyn smelling like this!

W-Wait! It might just be my imagination! You don't really smell all that much!

You don't understand, Aldo... If I do not smell then that is a problem! At such a crucial moment, a dwarven girl should always smell wonderful!

I-I didn't know...

Yep! And it's not just the smell, either!

Girls always want people to see the best side of them!

I see...

Samolyn said he'd be here for a while, right?

Yeah.

I'm going to have to freshen up, so I'm not embarrassed when we reunite!

Freshen up? What exactly will you do?

First off is perfume! I have just the thing in mind!

Hurry up, Aldo! Let's get on over to the Derismo Highroad!

So, that grass can be made into a perfume?

That's right!

But it doesn't smell as much as I thought it would. I can barely smell anything.

Very sharp Aldo. You're absolutely right. This alone isn't enough to make a nice scent!

But if we mix it with other ingredients, we can make something that smells wonderful!

Well I never...So it changes when mixed with other ingredients? It's just like cooking!

That's right, Aldy! You're a clever boy!

A-Aldy? ...Do you mean me?

Oh, my mistake! I always give people I'm close to nicknames like that!

You've been helping me back since the incident with that monster... You're such a good boy!

Isn't that right, Aldy?

W-Wait, don't you think Aldy is a little childish for me? I think I'm a little too old for that kind of nickname...

Oh, that's a shame... Oh well, I guess I'll just call you Aldo, then!

(Phew, glad I nipped that in the bud...)

Anyway, where can we find the other perfume ingredients?

It's time for...

Oink!

Hmm, looks like Bukulyn's onto something! Fetch, boy!

Oink! Oink!

All right, that ought to be the last of them.

Well done Aldo! Well done Bukulyn! With this, I can make the perfume!

Great! I can't wait to see what it'll smell like!

Tee hee! I'll certainly make something I can be proud of! Each dwarven maiden is different and makes their own perfume, you see!

Really? So it's like a dwarven custom?

Yep! Dwarven men work in the mines. They always come home covered in dust and coal!

So us girls have to smell nice for them!

Not only that, but girls who smell the nicest are often super popular!

I see! I guess this is all standard for dwarves.

With this scent, I'll be sure to win over Samolyn's heart! Tee hee!

Now then, a little of this from Aldo... A little of that from Bukulyn...

Next, I add my super secret ingredient... La-la-la Lovelyn's Perfume! Now pour it carefully...

How's it looking?

I did it! Do you want to take a sniff, Aldo?

Sure! *sniff* *sniff* Woah! This smell... I can almost picture it! The succulent meat sizzling on the stove! The aromatic scent of the spices! They go together so well!

...Wait! This smells like food!

That's right...? Is something wrong?

I mean... It's just...Doesn't perfume normally smell of flowers, or something?

Flowers? Well, they certainly are lovely, but us dwarves, we don't use them in perfumes.

When they catch a whiff of food, they'll want to come home! That's dwarven men for ya!

Oh, I see! I guess that's the dwarf way...

So that's it for the perfume. Let's move on to the next thing on our list.

Now that the perfumes out of the way, why not cut your hair?

Eek?! Cut my...?

Yeah. Trim your hair up to your neckline... I think they call it reinventing yourself? I heard about it from my friend, Ashtear.

Hahaha! Aldo, you really are a funny guy! There's no way I can cut my hair!

Huh? But your hair isn't that short, right?

Yep! I usually have it braided like this. But if I let it down, it'll drag along the floor. It's super long!

It's that long?!

Yep! I've never cut my hair, not once! I'm so proud of it!

It's not just me! Dwarves don't cut their hair unless they absolutely have to! It's why Humans sometimes say "Long Haired Dwarves", just like they say "Long Eared Elves." The difference is, the elves need their long ears, because they love to talk so much!

So that's why... There sure are a lot of different people out there.

Why don't you grow your hair, Aldo? It would definitely look good on you! Can't say the same for Samolyn, though!

Grow my hair? I'll have to pass, I'm afraid. That seems like way too much work.

Oh, but I thought I could braid your hair. It would've been so cute! What a shame...

Haha... Well, what else do you need?

Next, we need... A present! Something that shows my true feelings!

Definitely! What do you have in mind?

Isn't it obvious?! My special cooking!

Oh yeah! Of course! He'll definitely be happy with that!

Tee hee! Thanks Aldo!

So? What are you planning to make him?

Well... Samolyn's favorite food is Hamburger Steak, so...

Then our next stop is to gather the ingredients. Where can we find them?

What are you talking about? Those ingredients...

Oink...?!

You... You don't mean?!

I can't deny that it's a little ahead of schedule, but this has always been his fate.

You understand don't you? It's all for my beloved Samolyn.

H-Hold on! I've got a better idea!

Oh? You do?

Let me see...that's it! Since you're already covered in the scent of delicious meat, maybe the present should be something different. Perhaps something sweet!

Something sweet, huh? ......

Hmm...

It's no use...

Oink...

No, that's a good idea! Dessert comes after the main dish, after all! Let's do it!

So, Bukulyn...

We've got bigger things to worry about. Well then, if we're agreed, let's start looking for those ingredients!

Phew...

Oink!

Come on you two, let's get going! The ingredients are on the Keruri Highroad!

That's it! There's the ingredients I want!

That? But isn't that a monster?

Oh, don't you know? You can make some of the sweetest dishes using Izzak!

So many choices! Perhaps I'll make a custard cream tart!

Or maybe... A chocolate and whipped cream parfait!

Or perhaps I'll take full advantage of these ingredients and make a sherbet!

Hmm, I just can't decide!

Which one will you go for? It seems like you're leaning towards the sherbet, but...

I got it! I'm going to make...

The tart!

...No, wait. Instead I'll make...

The parfait!

...No, not that either...

It has to be...

(Here it comes! This has to be the sherbet, right...?!)

The tart! I was right the first time!

What?!

L-Look out! I don't think it's a fan of your decision!

Oh, but I'm sure he'd be happy to know that he'd taste great in a tart!

Well then, shall we? Let's do this, Aldo!

Phew... Quite a tenacious fellow, wasn't he?

I'm ready to start my tart! I have everything I need right here in my bag!

...... Izzak... That poor guy...

With this, my preparations are complete! I'm finally ready to see Samolyn!

It took a while, but you're finally done! Let's head back to Palsifal Palace!

Aaaaaaah! Samolyn!

Ugh?!

You silly thing! Where did you run off to?! I was so worried about you! You left me all by myself!

Argh! *gasp* Ugh!

Lovely! Maybe ease up a little? I think you're hurting him!

*gasp* Oh no! I couldn't control myself!

Are you okay, Samolyn?

Ouch... What the heck were you thinking! Coming at me all of a sudden...

*gasp*

Good for you, Lovely! You finally got to reunite with your beloved Samora!

Sa... Sa... Samo...!

Hey Lovely, are you really so happy that you can't speak?

...I thought it might be you. You haven't changed at all...

You know, there's quite the age difference between you guys...

...Well of course, that's only natural.

Huh...? So this is normal for dwarves?

Hm? This smell... It seems you're in full spirits today.

O-O-Of course I am! I dressed up all nice especially! Don't say such silly things...

Silly, silly, silly Samoran!

That's my line! You almost ruined my food, barging into me like that!

Hey, hey... Lovely, you shouldn't be fighting with your lover so soon after reuniting.

L-Lov...

Lover...?

What on earth are you talking about, Aldo? All this time, I've been looking for Samolyn. This here is Samoran!

Huh...?

Oh, never mind that. SAMORAN! How many times have I told you not to speak to your mother like that?!

Argh! Okay, okay! Please don't squeeze so hard, Mother!

...... M-Mother?! What do you mean?!

I'm Samoran's mother, silly!

Harrumph... Mother, please. I've asked you several times to stop calling me that..

Samoran... Samolyn... So you're really not Samolyn...?

Samolyn is my father, Samori. Well, only Mother calls him that...

No way, I don't believe you! However I look at it, Lovely looks way younger than you!

To you humans, I may look like the older one, but see here... The length of my hair is only half that of my mother's.

Your hair...?

I told you, remember? Dwarves don't cut their hair! Thanks to that, you can tell how old a dwarf is by the length of their hair!

Dwarven men age far faster than humans, while dwarven women always look like girls.

Now that you mention it, you did say something about that. But still...

I was surprised too! From behind, Samoran looks exactly like his father!

You've grown to become a fine man, Samoran! I'll get you a special treat for being a good boy!

Mother, please... I'm not a child anymore...

...Sorry for the ruckus. My parents are both fairly eccentric.

Ah, don't worry about it. So your father, this Samolyn. He's just like your mother, then?

...Would you understand if I told you he actually likes my mother's cooking?

What do you mean?

Samolyn loves my cooking! That's why Samolyn started cooking himself!

Cooking is a collaboration of our love!

...Mother, please. Saying all these things when your son is standing right here...

Huh...? Is it so strange to like Lovely's cooking...?

Ah! It's been too long since I treated you to a meal, Samoran!

I did make this for your father, but you can have it instead. My famous Lovelyn Tart!

Argh! Mother?! What in the world is this?!

You, you eat this in my stead! I won't touch it!

Wh-What's wrong? You don't want it? But it looks delicious...

You really don't know...?! My mother's cooking is catastrophic!

Catastrophic?! But doesn't the top dwarven chef, Samolyn, love her cooking?

He'll eat it, but only because he loves her so much! It's not my mother's food that my father loves, but her recipes!

If Father cooks one of Mother's recipes, it turns out to be a fine dish. If Mother cooks it... What she ends up with is a nightmare!

My father would always black out whenever he ate her cooking!

Black out?! So the fact that I can't remember how Lovely's food tastes isn't because it's so delicious?!

No, you fool! It's the complete opposite! It's so bad your body simply can't take it!

During my younger years, I had to eat it, so I built up some tolerance. But I will never forget such a poisonous taste!

So you expect me to eat it after telling me this?!

Come on Samoran! Open wide!

B-But mother, I've been eating your cooking since I way a boy, so it would be wasted on me. Perhaps we should let him enjoy it? Forgive me, young one...!

What...?!

Okay then! Open wide, Aldo!

N-No, Lovely, wait. Surely something made with so much motherly love could only be eaten by your son! Eat up, Samora!

Oh, you two! You're both such good boys! Since you're both so polite, you can both try some of Lovelyn's delicious tart. Here, open wide!

Huh?! Wait–

Argh...! *gulp*