The Ultimate Dish

Every dish needs to be drowning in spices! Anything mild makes me gag!

Is this really that mild? I didn't think it was that bad...

Elizabeth, I know you've been through a lot, always out in the wilderness fighting,

but did you lose your tongue out there? Look at this sauce, no depth of flavor at all.

L-Lose m-my tongue...?

Just take my advice and dump in more spices! And add more meat while you're at it!

The issue isn't the spice. It's the ingredients.

This stew is completely lacking. It's a straight path to malnutrition.

But... we don't have enough supplies to add more...

A proper cook pours their heart into the dish, and considers nutrition.

What are you even talking about?

Food is meant to be enjoyed, not analyzed for nutrition, old lady.

W-What did you just call me?! You little pipsqueak!

P-Pipsqueak?!

You heard me! Your chest is flatter than a cutting board!

What you need isn't stew, it's baby formula!

Gah!!! You done yapping, you fat granny?!

H-Hey! Everyone, calm down!

This stew is for the soldiers and refugees. We're already low on supplies...

Shouldn't this be enough? Honestly, it doesn't even taste that bad...

Soldiers and refugees?

No way, sis. We need something bold, something that'll smack them awake!

And definitely more meat, yeah, that's the ticket!

Over my dead body! This stew's already a nutritional nightmare! What we need are more vegetables!

Stay out of this, grandma!

Shut it, infant!

Grr... Hey!!!

Morgana!

M-Morgana?!

Ugh!!! Can you all shut up already?! Go squeal somewhere else, you filthy swine!

I didn't even notice her sleeping in the grass... A Fairy Queen through and through...

Whatever. Judging by the smell, that stew's the root of all this nonsense.

Hand it over! I'll consume it myself and purge this chaos once and for all!

W-Wait, Morgana! That's not what...

I see.

Alright then! You're all going to have a cooking competition! And I, your honorable Fairy Queen, will be the judge.

A... cooking contest? Is that really necessary?

Of course it is. It's the only way to put an end to this ridiculous bickering!

Now, who's the best cook? I'll just assume anyone who backs out is hopeless.

...If that's how you view it, then I shall compete.

Me too! There's no way I'm losing!

W-Will it be... the same dish?

There must've been a village around here. There's a wide variety of crops, but it all looks poorly maintained.

You never stop complaining, do you? This is plenty!

Besides, it's chicken stew. Who cares about vegetables? Just pile on the meat!

There you go again. A dish needs balanced nutrition.

Tch... fine. I'll go find some carrots.

You'd better, otherwise I'm taking them all for myself.

U-Um... I need some, too...

But... is it really okay to take these?

It should be. This place has been abandoned since the war.

I see...

I just wish... there was a time where everyone could eat in peace again.

Stop bringing down the mood! Move it or I'm leaving you behind!

C-Coming!

It's a troll!

Looks like all that noise attracted it, we must've made quite the commotion.

Let's take it down!

Who's making all this racket?!

...?

Ran?!

Ran...?

S-She's the legendary swordmaster?

Hmm? Let's see... Princess Elizabeth? And... huh. That's quite the odd bunch you've got there.

We're trying to come up with a simple, tasty dish using chicken, something easy to find, especially with how bad the famine's gotten.

Even the allied soldiers aren't getting proper rations... so we really need something nutritious.

But... since we all have different ideas of what the "best" dish is, Lady Morgana proposed a cooking competition...

Oh! That sounds fun. Mind if I join in?

Huh? But the cooking roles are already filled with the three of us...

Who said I was going to cook? I'll be the judge!

You're offering me free snacks that pair well with booze, what's not to love?

Ran, ma'am, have you... done much cooking before?

Of course! Eating, sleeping, and swinging a sword, I don't lose to anyone at any of those.

R-Right...

I don't mind. Morgana's been traveling with Elizabeth for a long time anyway, so I was a little worried.

We wouldn't want the judging to be... unfair, right?

Princess Elizabeth wouldn't stoop that low. She's not like you.

What?

Hey, come on now, let's cool it and head back.

If Ran agrees to be the judge, that'll help settle this more clearly... I'm in favor.

Hmm... in that case, me too.

Heh, this is going to be fun. Let's see what you've all got.

Oooh...! Just the smell is making my mouth water!

Hmph! Hmph! Hooo... What a glorious sight...!

My dish speaks for itself. Chicken stew, packed with vegetables and mushrooms, nutritious and balanced.

Hmm...

Yeah, it's got that healthy feel.

It feels like a proper, hearty meal.

The ingredients are perfectly balanced. I think it's clear who's winning.

Hold on! It's my turn now!

I loaded mine with meat. Cut it thick for texture, and even made a separate broth for the sauce!

Hooh... that savory aroma. My stomach's rumbling already!

Let's see here...

...! Ohh yeah~ That's the stuff. It pairs perfectly with booze!

If it's got lots of meat, I'm a fan!

After all, in ancient times, fairies always ended their day by gnawing on meat.

That... doesn't sound historically accurate...

Now then, Elizabeth. It's your turn. Bring it over!

I'm curious, too!

H-Here it is...

Alright, let's see... slurp...!

Let me try too. nom...

...?

Hmmmm...

Um... is it bad?

No, well... I wouldn't say it's bad, exactly... just kind of... plain?

It doesn't hit you with flavor, nor is it rich and filling like the others...

There's nothing special about it. Feels like something I've eaten a thousand times.

That's because you've been traveling with me, Lady Morgana!

Anyway! That means I win, right? Huh?

Ahem, ahem! The winner is...

W-Wait just a second! This isn't fair.

Just because something's rich or flavorful doesn't mean it's the best! Shouldn't the best dish be realistic, something everyone can actually eat?

What are you talking about, sis? The meat's the most important part!

It's nutrition!

Sniff... Sniff... Something smells absolutely glorious...

Sarah...?

Princess Elizabeth? Oh, and Morgana, everyone!

Hehe, I was checking out some local food spots when the smell led me here.

But to find you all gathered like this... what's going on?

Well...

Then you have to let a connoisseur like me join a contest this important!

Hold on, since when do you get to just invite yourself?

Why not? She's a total foodie, and probably great at recommending dishes that pair well with booze.

Now! Bring on the food! I'm ready!

Can't be helped, I guess...

Hmph... well, not like I'd lose anyway.

Then, I'll start with this one...

Ooh, this is delicious. But for mass production... the ingredients might be hard to come by, especially right now.

Nngh...

This one's got way too much meat. And it's over-seasoned...!

Ugh...

Oooh...! This chicken stew has the best balance. Good flavor, decent nutrition, and scalable for big batches!

Really?

W-Wait a sec! That's not fair! You just show up out of nowhere and...

Give it some more thought!

Um... I don't think there's a need to get so worked up.

Sarah...

People who are starving... soldiers forced to fight while hungry...

I know exactly how that feels.

When I was held captive by the Tiamat cultists, dying slowly... even a sip of water or a bite of bread felt like salvation.

Compared to that, this is paradise. We're eating food this delicious... do we really need to name a winner?

Hmm...

...

I just picked the stew that would be best to share with others. But honestly... every dish was great.

R-Really?

Hmph! At least you've got taste.

In that case, how about we all make our own dishes and serve them together?

It's more fun to have a variety, and it fits the spirit of the event.

That's true... That's a great idea, Sarah!

If it's food meant to feed the hungry... then no matter how it's made, it's already the best dish.

Heh, I'm in. Sampling a bunch of dishes sounds perfect to me.

Well... if there's plenty of food, I won't complain. Eating a ton and taking a nap afterward, that's real bliss.

Alright! Then I'll whip up more in no time!

Me too!

Hehe, let's do it!