"Here's your meal, Yukari. Sorry for the wait."
Yuto placed the fried chicken meatballs he'd prepared for Yakumo Yukari in front of her.
Despite her aristocratic appearance, she always ordered simple, down-to-earth dishes.
This contrast surprised Yuto.
Nearby, the fox girl had finished her fried tofu, while Chen was still nibbling on her cat food.
"Thank you, Boss," Yakumo Yukari said with a smile.
Before she could take a bite, Yuyuko beside her gazed at her with a mixture of longing and coyness, like a child begging for candy.
Yukari sighed indulgently and picked up a meatball, feeding it to Yuyuko.
Yuyuko closed her eyes blissfully, like a contented pet being hand-fed, her cheeks puffed as she chewed.
Yuto remained calm.
From where he stood, he could see Reimu at the nearby bar, yanking at the wings of a certain youkai journalist girl while shouting loudly.
"Shameimaru Aya! Hurry up and hand over that notebook you were writing in!"
"Yaaah! No way!"
Beside Reimu, Marisa cheered her on loudly. No one knew who Marisa was cheering for, but she was making a lot of noise.
Beside her, the oni girl clutched her wine gourd, laughing heartily as she gulped down the liquor.
The commotion in the restaurant mainly originated from this scene.
Yuto smiled with a hint of helplessness.
When Yukari noticed his expression, her gaze flickered.
"Boss, isn't it too noisy?"
"It's fine. They seem to be having fun."
Yukari had assumed Yuto was annoyed by the boisterous atmosphere, but that wasn't the case. Perhaps influenced by the lively mood, Yuto wasn't frustrated or angry at the commotion.
Instead, he felt a small sense of happiness and amusement. The noisy girls were quite adorable after all.
"I'll continue cooking. Take your time chatting." Yuto left them with a smile and withdrew.
Now only Marisa and Yuyuko's dishes remained. Yuyuko's dish was simple enough, though preparing ten portions was a bit tedious.
In contrast, Marisa's request was peculiar.
"Make me something really intense and explosive!" That was Marisa's request.
'Really intense, really explosive...'
Yuto decided it was time to show off his signature spicy dishes! Since arriving in this world, he'd barely made any truly spicy dishes.
The few times he'd dabbed with spiciness were when he made braised dishes earlier.
He hadn't made any in the past few days, planning to resume when he had time.
But those were just dabbling with spiciness.
They weren't truly spicy dishes.
In his previous life, while studying at the Culinary Institute, "spiciness" was taught as a separate subject.
This flavor was special compared to others because "spicy" is a pain sensation, not a normal taste.
Those who could get used to this painful flavor would be hooked on spiciness for life. Those who couldn't would avoid it like the plague, not out of disdain or disgust, but out of fear.
Their tender tongues and taste buds simply couldn't handle such fiery emotions and flavors.
Tears, snot, flushed faces, and tongue-licking.
These humiliating scenes are all consequences of the spice.
Even so, countless people flock to it.
This is the chili pepper: both coveted and feared by the people!
Yuto took out a withered red pepper.
He sighed slightly.
Perhaps because the people of this country didn't like spicy food, there were very few varieties of peppers available. Even the simplest, shriveled red peppers went unsold in supermarkets.
He sliced the dried pepper into small pieces with a knife. The dryness made the knife click with each cut, sending shriveled seeds flying in all directions.
The rhythmic clicking continued as Yuto swept the chopped pepper segments into a bowl with his knife.
Just under half a bowl of red pepper.
Next, he took out long, slender green peppers. For the dish he was preparing, the dry red pepper alone wouldn't suffice.
The dry red pepper was for aroma.
The green pepper was for heat.
After a few chops, he had another half bowl of green pepper. Now he had two types of peppers. But it still wasn't enough.
Finally, he took out small, tender red peppers—Thai chilies. Their vibrant color was meant to enhance the dish's visual appeal.
Three types of chili peppers, each responsible for color, aroma, and flavor.
Yuto recalled Marisa's earlier words: "Because all the mushroom soup I've ever made has been poisonous, you know!"
'If she's willing to drink poisonous mushroom soup, she must have a strong palate and can probably handle spicy food.'
Still, to be safe, Yuto asked, "Marisa, can you handle spicy food?"
"Hmph! Don't underestimate a witch! A mere spice? Bring it on, I dare you!"
Outside, Marisa stood with her arms crossed, speaking with pride and confidence.
Yuto nodded.
He knew what to do now.
Since she'd said that, he'd use all the chilis.
Yuto took out a small piece of pork belly. With the blade facing down, he raised and lowered his arm, slicing long strips of meat.
'Alright, let's get started! Heat the oil!'
In the kitchen, two stoves hummed.
On the other, Yuuka's floral cakes were steaming.
No more than two or three seconds after the oil was poured into the black iron wok, Yuto tossed in the dried red peppers. To preserve the peppers' fragrance without burning them, they must be added to cold oil. After a brief simmer, the oil transforms into a fragrant chili oil.
While grilling and frying are the most explosive methods to unleash a food's aroma, stir-frying peppers reigns supreme as a uniquely domineering technique.
Within seconds of hitting the wok, the pungent, fiery scent surged through the entire restaurant.
Instantly, Reimu and the others began coughing, while sensitive-nosed creatures like the fox girl sneezed repeatedly.
Yuto's expression flickered as he turned on the exhaust fan.
'Whoops, I forgot to turn on the exhaust fan for a moment. ╮(╯▽╰)╭'
Swish—
The restaurant door swung open, and the lively Goddess dragged Sakura, who was smiling faintly, inside.
"Kamisaka, Kamisaka! I brought Sakura— Ugh! What is that smell?!"
The cheerful Goddess's exclamation turned into a pained groan.
Hestia covered her nose and mouth, her face flushing crimson.
"It's so spicy!"
Sakura, still being pulled by Hestia, also seemed uncomfortable, though not as dramatically as Hestia.
"Hey! Hestia, take Sakura and sit down. I'll be out in a minute." Yuto's voice boomed from the kitchen.
Hestia's expression twisted in agony, tears welling in her eyes as she glanced at Sakura.
"Sakura, let's just leave."
"No way! Goddess-sama, don't be so cowardly! You were dying to see Yuto-nii when you worked at the tavern! How can we just leave now?!"
The little girl's words made Hestia's face stiffen.
She dropped her hand from her nose and mouth and clapped it over Sakura's.
The little girl struggled a bit, looking flustered.
"Sakura, don't say I want to see Kamisaka!" the goddess whispered urgently into the little girl's ear.
The little girl nodded solemnly, and only then did Hestia release her grip.
Whoosh!
After letting out a sigh of relief, Hestia took a deep breath—
'Ugh! So hot!'
...
In the kitchen, Yuto felt helpless.
'This exhaust fan just isn't powerful enough.'
It had never been this bad when cooking regular dishes, but the spiciness of this dish was too potent.
No, this wasn't the fan's fault.
Yuto's arms moved with fluidity, the spatula in his hand like a warrior's sword. Inside the black iron wok, chili peppers and meat were stir-frying together, creating an alluring aroma.
Yuto was making chili pepper stir-fry with meat.
In a certain region of his former homeland, this dish was the signature dish.
In that region, where locals loved to compete with their neighbors over who could handle the hottest food, chili pepper stir-fry was a renowned dish in every city.
As such, it was a must-learn dish for any aspiring chef. When Yuto first attempted to make chili pepper stir-fry, it was a painful experience.
The sting of the spice, eyes watering, taste buds numbed—those were the past hardships.
Fortunately, he had grown accustomed to it.
Clang! Clang!
The spatula clashed against the iron wok as the stir-fried spicy meat sizzled, glistening with oil droplets.
Amidst the overwhelming heat, an indescribable aroma clung to the air. For anyone who loves spicy food and meat, this was the ultimate temptation.
Time's up!
Yuto ladled a spoonful of fish soy sauce into the wok. After a quick stir, he turned off the heat. With practiced efficiency, he transferred the fiery stir-fry onto a plate, arranging it.
The dish now boasted a harmonious pattern of green and red, like a living painting.
The small Thai peppers, glistening with droplets, radiated a vibrant crimson that lifted the spirits.
Even the dried red peppers, tinged with a yellowish-orange hue, complemented the emerald slivers of green chili, like emeralds in a world dominated by red and orange.
But the true allure lay in the meat. Strands of meat, lightly gilded with oil, shimmered like fried tempura.
The natural meatiness, amplified by the peppers, became richer and purer, its aroma intensified.
Yuto mentally applauded himself with satisfaction.
'Today's chili pepper stir-fry is outstanding!'