Section 4: Let's Try Making Eggs Benedict!

...Okay. That should do it.

Now we just add this special dressing, and...

Our special Chaldea salad is done!

These tomato things are so nice. I had no idea vegetables could be so juicy!

But it's the Japanese-style dressing you all taught me to prepare that really brings this salad together.

It goes well with the leafy veggies, the cucumber, and the tomatoes, and it really brings out the flavor in all the other ingredients, too.

Also, the...soy sauce, was it? It was interesting using it in the dressing; I learned so much today!

All right, now that it's done, let's keep it in the fridge and use some magecraft to make sure it stays fresh until it's time to serve.

There's a good bit more than I was expecting, though... Would you mind helping us out, Madam Beni?

Not at all, chirp.

Compared to running an inn with customers constantly coming and going, this will be a cinch, chirp.

Thanks, Madam. We appreciate it. (All that aside, running an inn, huh... I'd love to try that myself someday...)

Now, what should we do for the next dish, Martha?

Hmmm... I feel like it's still too early to start working on the entrees.

I think I'd like another side dish to go with the salad. But what should it be...?

How about an egg dish?

An egg dish! That sounds delightfully fancy!

I don't know. Eggs are pretty common nowadays, so it might not be as fancy as you think.

Hmm. Omelets and scrambled eggs are pretty standard staples at breakfast, so we'd probably want something special for a Christmas party.

Eggs, huh. I used to love eating eggs when I was alive.

Whenever the chickens in our coop laid a enough eggs, I'd toss the eggs in a big pot and boil them all together.

Or sometimes, I'd just crack them all open and guzzle them raw!

Of course. Eggs are perfect for helping you grow up big and strong. Each one is like a little nutrient bomb!

Although, thinking back on it now, I might've been the only one who ever had them raw...

Does it? Well, I'm sure we knights aren't the only ones who like to down eggs by the dozen.

？！

So, what would be an egg dish fancy enough for a party? I don't think galettes would be quite up to the task.

I've got it! Eggs Benedict! You know they've gotta be tough cookies with a name like that!

Hey, yeah, that could work great!

Eggs Benedict?

It's a dish where poached eggs, ham, bacon, and sauce are all served together on top of an English muffin.

Oh, and a poached egg is an egg that's been cooked outside of its shell.

Oh, I know what you mean. That's where you crack open a raw egg and boil it in hot water, right?

Hmm... (Imagining)

...What kind of sauce does it use?

Hollandaise.

You make it with whipped egg yolk, melted butter, and a little salt and lemon juice. It goes with just about anything.

Hmmmmmm... (Imagining)

...That sounds delicious!

So you've never had them before either, Master? Then we'll have to taste them for the first time together!

So they're one of your favorite foods, Master? All the more reason to include them in the party!

？！

Hehehe, you can't fool me. A good big sister pays attention to her younger siblings' reactions.

And I should know!

Then it's settled! You hear that, my fellow kitchen warriors!?

Agreed! We're going to make eggs Benedict!

I think we still have some eggs in the fridge.

Yeah, but not nearly enough. We're going to need a whole lot more!

Hmm. This is starting to become a pattern, isn't it...

Yup. Another pack of frozen enemies. Almost feels like an unnecessary rite of passage at this point.

Or maybe...these frozen enemies have a deeper meaning we're not seeing yet...

D-don't worry! I'll support you all by cooking up a storm again!

I just love how wholesome your fighting style is! Not only is it fun to watch, but the food you serve is yummy, too!

I know you don't feel like a saint right now, but it's still just what I'd expect from one.

Hmm. I guess you're right, but...

...is cooking like this really the sort of thing a saint would usually do?

I suppose.

And what does it mean to be a kitchen!?

？！

There they are! The freezing cold ice enemies, woof!

I could crush them with my frying pan, or I could use my claws to slash them into icy ribbons!

Wouldn't that make them shaved ice instead?

Yes, it would. Which is why I'm afraid I'll have to sit this one out, woof...

Hey now, cheer up! We don't mind picking up the slack! And I'm sure I can make crushed ice just as well as anyone!

Here they come, Master!

？！

You guys crushed it! And they're delicious, too! (Leisurely snacking on the enemies' remains)

Hm?

N-no way...

Don't tell me these ice enemies haven't been dropping ingredients just because Cat's been eating them all!

(Still munching away without a care in the world)

...It's possible, but let's not pry any further. We really don't need to be worried about ice right now.

There. The runes have decided to guide you once again.

That way leads to the third ingredient area. I know it's labeled "Cheese Cellar," but there should be high-quality eggs there as well.

Indeed, I suspect you will find something within that is truly emblematic of eggs as a whole.

Just please do watch your step.

Yes, please be careful, Senpai. And everyone else, too.

We've been looking into several different possibilities as to what could be leading to the ingredients' violent behavior, but we still don't have any strong leads.

Understood. See you later, Senpai!

...Thank you, Senpai. I won't.

Okay, once again, please be careful out there!

？！

Whoa there! No running around this time!

We're indoors now, and this might be some kind of dungeon. It's too dangerous to go alone. Okay?

Whaaat? Come on, Boudica, you're killing me here. Telling a cat not to run around is like telling a bird not to fly.

Hey, now, I'm just looking out for you. There, there. There's a good kitty.

Don't worry. Your big sister will warm them right up.

...Yipes, they really ARE cold. You do have a...snowsuit Mystic Code, don't you? That's what it's called, right?

Here, Master, Lady Martha, I'll lend you each one of my spare cloaks.

We can't have fair maidens catching their death of cold, can we?

Oh my, that's so chivalrous of you. Thank you, Sir Percival.

(Hmph. What about us? Don't we count as fair maidens?)

(Well, you're a warrior queen, so he probably sees you as a fellow knight. And he probably figures my fur keeps me warm enough. Which it does.)

(Oh, right, I see. That makes sense.)

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So we're in a warehouse this time, huh. I wonder if this place being indoors means something.

Sure looks that way.

However, while some types of cheese do require different temperatures and levels of humidity in their aging process...

...there's no reason I can think of to keep them all below freezing like this. Something's not right.

Processed cheese is usually chilled as part of the, uh, processing, but aside from that...

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Yeah, I know. It's really friggin' cold, right?

That's why you've gotta golden up your spirits to get through it!

Hey there, Boss!

Try as it may to oppress us, we will never succumb to this frosty environment. Isn't that right?

You're all here for ingredients, right? Well, we're here to lead the way!

Yup, we sure are.

I gotta hand it to you guys for braving this cold! We're gonna do our part to make sure you leave with all the ingredients you want.

？！

Oh my, you're both so big and strong! That's wonderful. You must have been such good eaters when you were growing up.

Come here, you two. Don't be shy.

...Huh???

Come on. It's okay.

There you go. You're such good boys.

What the heck?

This is...not oppression. And yet, there is still oppression here. Indeed, it seems to fill these very rooms!

Really, Spartacus? You're sensing that much?

If the queen's runes brought him here against his will, he'd certainly see that as oppression.

I didn't realize you could interpret oppression so broadly...

All that aside... Sakata Kintoki of Raikou's Four Heavenly Kings, and Spartacus, the Hero of Rebellion, huh.

You two make an unusual team, though certainly not one lacking in strength or dependability!

You think? Me and Spartacus here get along pretty well, you know.

So first, we had Gareth serving as our guide. Then it was Lady Kiichi and Lady Bradamante... And now, we have Lord Sakata Kintoki and Lord Spartacus.

I wonder if there's any deeper meaning to these personnel choices?

Oh? You just figure something out, Emiya?

No, I just had a thought.

In Gareth's area, the boss was an enemy who sought deeper understanding of his existence.

In Kiichi Hogen and Bradamante's area, the boss had a Lancer Spirit Origin.

Remember how Kiichi Hogen turned into a Lancer temporarily?

...So you're saying the bosses in these areas correspond to the guides?

I wouldn't go that far. It was just a thought, that's all.

Well, it sounds to me like you're on the right track.

And if you are, what do you think we'll see with Kintoki and Spartacus? A Berserker?

A Berserker? Nah, these cheese guys ain't Berserkers.

You guys're here for cheese, right? Some really special, super delicious golden cheese?

You're not?

Then you're here for oppression!?

No, not oppression. Definitely not oppression.

Eggs?

...I thought you were here for cheese.

Is this oppression!?

？！

Nah, Spartacus. You're in luck. If anything, I bet this is gonna be rebellion!

Huh? How does that work?

Does searching for eggs count as rebellion?

Nah, not exactly. It's that this place is full of cheese enemies.

There's tons of cheese everywhere you look 'round here, right? Well, that's the case for the monsters, too.

But, if you're lookin' for special yummy eggs, that's a different story.

Just be warned that the really good egg here's especially golden!

See, there's a golden egg up past the countless wheels of cheese, and it's super-duper tough, too!

It's pretty much the ruler of this whole area!

Oppressiooon!

Huh!?

Yeah, that's right pal. It's definitely oppression. 'Cause to signal its domination...

...the egg goes around suckin' up all the warmth and magical energy from its surroundings! That's why it's so damn cold in here!

...An egg that absorbs heat and magical energy, huh.

That sounds formidable. I can't wait to face it in battle.

But first, it seems we must make our way through these countless throngs of cheese enemies! Here they come, Master!

Percival's right. There're a ton of magical energy signals all around us! Looks like they're really pulling out all the stops.

Hell yeah!

？！

We'll need to clear a path to the egg! Let's go!

I'll cook as fast as I can! Here, Tarasque!

...Hmm. That should do it.

It was a good fight to be sure, but I'd say we still chewed through them pretty easily. Possibly because they were made of cheese.

They were pretty tough for cheese, though! My hands are still a little numb.

(Great job, everyone.)

(How about some soup for a little pick-me-up?)

(Sluuurp...) Yum, this is great!

I can't believe how much and how quickly you've upped your kitchen game, woof! You're something else, Apron Saint!

You think so? I guess I have gotten a little more comfortable cooking like this.

And I think Tarasque and I are working even better together, too. Thanks, Tarasque!

(You said it!)

There you go. What a good boy you are.

(It'd be nice if she stayed in this Spirit Origin forever, never mind.)

Hm? Did you say something?

All right, we've covered a fair bit of ground. How close are we to the egg now, you two?

The spirit of rebellion burns in everyone's heart, and oppressors work tirelessly to drive it out.

A rebel's battle is arduous, and their path long. But do not lose heart, my comrades.

Does...that mean we're close, or...?

First one.

We're all done with the cheese now. I gotta say, I'm golden impressed you got through 'em this fast.

But this here's where the real battle begins.

Be ready to fight like your lives depend on it, 'cause this ain't no ordinary egg.

It's a golden egg! And a real hard-coreuh, hard-shell one at that!

Be ready for anythin' out there! Spartacus here'll back me up on that!

Do not lose heart, comrades!

？！

I'll egg you on!

Theeere it is! I knew something big was setting off my taildar!

Here it comes! All right, let's show this egg what rebels are really made of!

So, you would defeat me...

Humans.

Well done. Well done indeed.

My final request is that you take my ingredients...my pride and joy...

...and use them to make the greatest dish you can.

(Huff, gasp...)

All I did was stand here cooking beside you all, but I can still tell that was an incredible battle.

(You were doing plenty of damage yourself while you cooked, you know.)

I promise.

I'll make sure I use youno, ALL these wonderful ingredients...

...to make the absolute best dishes I possibly can. Thank you so much!

(Grin...)

D-did it just smile?

I guess this means it really did want to be eaten. That's quite a smile, though. Goes to show you can't judge an egg by its, uh, shell...

It may not be knightly chivalry, but there is something proud and noble in this egg all the same. I feel I could learn a great deal from it.

R-really?

Yes, really.

Then...farewell, everyone!

Make sure the eggs Benedict you make with me...turn out great!

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Whoa! The giant egg just transformed into hundreds of normal-sized eggs!

Oh my, an oppressor becoming sustenance for the masses. This is wonderful.

This may be the first time the oppressed will actually get to eat the rich... What a beautiful sight.

NOW all's well that ends well, woof!

Whoa, whoa, slow down. This was still just the third area, remember? And we haven't even decided on a main course yet.

Still, it's fantastic that we have so many eggs to work with now. We could cook one for every staff member and Servant and still have plenty to spare!

Let's see what kind of eggs we've got here...

Well? How are they?

The whites and the yolks are both perfect, and they're as fresh as if they'd just been laid.

Hooray!

Hehe, looks like our work here's done then. Good luck in the next area, Boss!

And hey, Santa Martha? I just wanna say I'm really lookin' forward to this Christmas party!

May your next rebellion be as fruitful as this one!

Thank you, you two! I promise the party will be worth the wait!