This chapter is from the King's POV, so don't get confused 😛
Every day was just a bore.
I, who lived inside the gilded cage known as nobility, hated the power dispute that happened everyday, the ball that degenerated to a place to show off one's power, I hated it all. Thus I became an adventurer.
My parents didn't oppose my decision, instead they felt relieved that the only existence that can snatch away their power away from them was leaving.
And then, I, who was an adventurer for several years, one day got chosen to be the king.
It seems that I was chosen solely due to the guidance of the god 『Klan』.
It's definitely quite ironic for someone like me who became an adventurer due to my hatred for authority, to become the one to hold the most authority in the entire kingdom. If God does really exist, I wonder if he's laughing at me from heaven right now.
After that, the tedious days continues onward.
Everyday, they come with flowery words, often standing in long lines to meet me. Because of my position, they often try to curry favor, in the hopes of getting close to me. On top of that, there was someone who even tried to offer their own daughter.
I hate women who try to curry favor.
I simply loathe that attitude; I can't understand what their thought concept was for doing so.
And thus, including the one who presented their daughter, I rejected all their offers.
At one point, when I was already exhausted from the daily meetings with rotten nobles, I was amazed with what a certain noble presented to me that day.
It was a simple offering of 『Bread』.
The 『Bread』 that was presented to me in the middle of my audience was carried to my waiting room and was laid out for me.
After a little hesitation, I decided to eat the bread, as I started to feel a little hungry. However..
—-
[Is there anyone there?]
[Yes, I am right here. Is there anything wrong?]
Sebas the head butler silently appeared before me as he responded to my call.
[Ah, I'm feeling a bit peckish at the moment, and the bread was a gift, you see? I thinking about eating it, but you know..]
[Understood. We should test for poison before anything else. Please wait a moment.]
Though I don't mind eating without a poison test, Sebas once lectured me saying that it was too dangerous for a king to eat anything offered by nobles without tasting for poison first. And so, he has always prevented me from eating without doing so. Since that time, I have always called for him to do a poison test.
It pains my heart whenever the poison test is conducted; the person in charge of taste testing is a fifteen-year old girl.
A pang of guilt runs through me whenever this test happens. After all, there is always a chance that the girl could die.
[Then, try to eat it.]
Sebas said to the girl, as he presented the bread to her.
The girl received the bread with a grim face, and slowly put a morsel into her mouth.
…
....
…
....
I wonder, who was the first to realize that something weird is going on with the girl?
The girl slowly chewed on the piece of bread. After a little pause, her face started to brighten and she then proceeded to devour the bread vigorously.
[It would seem that there is no poison.. But what is the meaning of this?]
[I too, don't understand. Whatever it is, is it alright if I send the girl back now?]
[Yes. After all, the poison test was completed with no problems. Instead of any complications, she ate the bread with vigor, gazing at the other bread with desire, you know?]
[That's true. Well then, excuse me.]
After the girl finished eating her bread, she was dragged out by Sebas, still looking greedily at the other bread.
[That reaction made me really curious about the taste. Well then, let's try this out.]
*Chomp* After putting a piece of the bread into my mouth, I was caught off guard due to its taste.
[Woah! It's delicious, too delicious!!]
Upon that one bite, I immediately understood why the girl reacted that way
First of all, it's 'soft'.
I always thought that bread comes out very stiff and hard, no matter how skilled one is at making it.
In fact, it was common to dip bread into soup to try and soften it up. It was so bad, that people only ate bread to decrease the size of their stomach, or when food is really lacking, and therefore needed to be consumed in small amounts.
Furthermore, while bread is usually as hard as iron when cold, this bread is still soft even though it was clearly made a while ago. This changed my perception of the bread that I have eaten all my life.
And then, it's 'faintly sweet'.
Even though it's just plain old bread, it contains a hint of sweetness.
Although there is no need to chew on the bread so much because of its softness, I still chewed on it solely due to the sensation I was feeling. I was able to feel the flavor deepening every time I chew on it.
No matter how you look at it, this bread differed from the other bread, with just the wheat flavor, regardless of how you grew it.
This novel experience that spread inside my mouth, spoiled me to the extent that the bread I ate till now tastes like dirt.
[Who was the one that made this bread! I want him to come to the castle!]
[W-What is wrong, your highness!?]
The nearby guards panickingly rushed over due to my shouting.
[Call over the noble who gave me this bread! Immediately!]
[Yes! Certainly!]
As they responded, I looked over the guards while mopping up the rest of this delicious treat.
—-
The audience hall was covered with a gloomy atmosphere.
I questioned the noble who presented me the bread, and discovered that it wasn't one of his servants who made it, but was rather purchased off a merchant.
The merchant did not reveal how they were acquired, so even the nobles didn't know where the bread came from.
All they knew, was that the bread was made inside the country.
[What should I do..]
[It's just bread, right? Is this something that needs to be worried about so much?]
The prime minister said that after hearing my muttering.
[Don't say such stupid things! I will never eat any other bread after eating that one! I have to find who made this, or else..]
The strangest order in the history of the kingdom was issued at the time. It was even an imperial command under the name of the king, at that.
—-
[What!? Did you just say that you found the creator!? Who is it!? Quickly, tell me!]
[My king, please calm yourself.]
[Who can calm himself in this situation! The creator of 'that' bread shows up now, after a half of month had passed, with nothing turning up!? It's gotten up to the point where I will personally go to the person's place, and invite them to work in my castle, you know!]
The prime minister was confused because of my excitement.
[Leave that thing alone. Just quickly tell me about it!]
[Well then, while it may be insolent of me to do so, but let me say the report.]
The knight leader said that as he stepped forward.
[The name of the one who made the bread is 『Carla – Grace 』. A woman who manages the 『Dragon Emperor's Mistletoe』 Inn all by herself, which has recently become popularly discussed.]
—
(Author's Note) - Original
Yup, something like that happened. (EN: Of course, I ruined it :P)
I think everyone understands whose inner monologue, this is.
I will continue this idle talk a little bit more, so please treat me well.