Bulldeer, Cervidian Fowl, Striped Bison, Zebra Crab, and Snapping Lobsters. After hunting down a Bulldeer, Kris and Grey managed to hunt a few other delicacies. It was a good hunt considering it only lasted a few hours.
When the two came back to the mansion, the girls were nowhere to be found. The only ones in the mansion were the servants. Rhodes was enthusiastically waiting in the kitchen for Grey and Kris' return.
After breakfast, Gustav went back to the prison to facilitate the situation and help out Fritz who has been working nonstop. Because of that, the mansion was much quieter and peaceful than usual.
"Lord Grey, is this cooked enough?" ［Rhodes］
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Mister Rhodes." ［Grey］
"No need to thank me, Lord Grey. I'm also curious about this pizza thing. Rather, it's a pleasure to be learning from you." ［Rhodes］
Just as Kris and Grey arrived, Grey was suddenly dragged into the kitchen by the excited Rhodes, leaving behind Kris to his own discretion.
Currently, Rhodes and Grey are preparing the ingredients for the pizza. Rhodes prepared the meat by cutting it into small and thin pieces, and then pre-cooking it. As for Grey, he was creating the tomato sauce for the pizza.
The pizza dough was settled with the use of ready-made dough which was usually used for preparing bread during breakfast. There was quite the surplus from the morning so there was no need to make more.
As Grey tasted the tomato sauce, nostalgic memories from Earth came flooding inside his mind. It was as if he was revisiting the past where he ate spaghetti during his birthdays.
"Perfect..." ［Grey］
"Lord Grey, let me have a taste as well." ［Rhodes］
"Uh, sure." ［Grey］
With Grey's permission, Rhodes grabbed a small spoon, took a little tomato sauce from the pan, and tried out the sauce's taste. When he had a taste of the sauce, for some reason, his eyes widened in shock.
"Lord Grey! This is an amazing creation!" ［Rhodes］
Rhodes yelled on the top of his lungs as tears of joy trickled on his face like an uncontrollable flood. His eyes were even sparkling as a large smile extending from ear to ear appeared on his face.
Grey who was witnessing Rhodes' exaggerated expression was filled with confusion, or rather, he didn't know how to react to Rhodes who looked at him as if he was worshiping him.
"Umm... Is it really amazing? it's just tomato sauce, you know? Is there really a need to act that way?" ［Grey］
"It is! This is a revolutionary creation! With this, the world will be able to create new delectable dishes!" ［Rhodes］
Rhodes declared with a heart full of excitement and pride. While it was the first time he had tasted the tomato sauce, he could already see the potential within it. He was already excited just imagining the dishes he could create with it.
Back on Earth, there were also quite a number of dishes which used tomato sauce, and its close relative, the tomato paste. The dishes spanned from pasta to a variety of stews and soups.
"Lord Grey, if you will, please teach this humble one how to make this magnificent creation!" ［Rhodes］
Out of nowhere, Rhodes pleaded as he prostrated before Grey, making the recipient of his actions feel uncomfortable and awkward as it was the first time he had seen someone beg so passionately to be taught.
After all, to Grey's eyes, tomato sauce is just a common ingredient back on Earth which could easily be purchased in any convenience store. It was also quite easy to make with just the use of a few ingredients.
"Um... Mister Rhodes, please stand up. I'll teach you about it later." ［Grey］
"T-Truly?!" ［Rhodes］
"Yes, but first, we must finish cooking the pizza." ［Grey］
"O-Of course!" ［Rhodes］
After that weird scene, Rhodes and Grey kneaded the pizza dough into flat circular shapes, with only the crust slightly elevated. They then poured in the tomato sauce and layered the cheese. Lastly, they placed the toppings on top of the pizza and grated cheese all over it.
In total, Rhodes and Grey made 5 pizzas, each topped with different kinds of meat that Kris and Grey just a few moments ago. The size was about 18", good enough for a few adults.
"It looks strange but appetizing at the same time..." ［Rhodes］
"Oh? Is this what you call pizza?" ［Kris］
Just as Grey and Rhodes finished making the pizza, Kris walked in on the kitchen, with a face clearly bored from waiting for both the ladies to return and the cooks to finish cooking the pizza.
"That's right, this is pizza. But well, we still need to bake it before we can eat it." ［Grey］
In the kitchen, there were a total of three large ovens, two of them were ready to be used. With the size of the pizzas, it would take less than half an hour for all the pizzas to finish cooking.
"We're back～!!" ［Elia］
Just shortly after Grey put two of the pizzas in the oven, Eliza's lively voice echoed throughout the whole mansion. A few moments later, she, Yuna, and Aria entered the kitchen at the same time.
Eliza's crestfallen expression was nowhere to be seen. All that could be seen on her face was a big smile which has a very strong contrast to her previous expression where she barely made a sound.
"Elder Brother Grey! Elder Brother Grey! Hear me out! Hear me out!" ［Eliza］
As soon as she entered the kitchen and laid her eyes on Grey, Eliza came rushing towards the latter. Excited could be clearly traced on her face and voice as she hugged Grey tightly.
"Are you feeling better now, Liz?" ［Grey］
"Un! Elder Sister Yuna and Miss Aria cheered me up. Also, I have something to tell you, Elder Brother Grey!" ［Eliza］
"Hm? What is it?" ［Grey］
"Listen, Elder Sister Yuna hasmhpfhmahmfpsm." ［Eliza］
Eliza tried to say something to Grey, but before she could finish her sentence, Yuna covered her mouth immediately, making her words intangible.
It was also worth noting that Yuna was wearing a smile which also wasn't a smile. Her lips were smiling but her eyes weren't as she tried her best to prevent Eliza from saying whatever she was going to say.
"Forget it Grey, it was nothing. Right, Liz?" ［Yuna］
"Phfmsofmhahm." ［Eliza］
"Right...?" ［Yuna］
Eliza tried to retort but in the end, she was forced to nod in silence by Yuna. That short exchange with them left the others puzzled. Only Aria knew what was actually happening and what Eliza was trying to say.
While she was covering Eliza's mouth, Yuna was also trying her best to avoid eye contact with Grey. She could still remember what she and Aria were talking about and was embarrassed now that the topic of their conversation was in front of her.
"Hm? What is that smell?" ［Aria］
A few moments after Yuna and Elia settled down, an appetizing smell drifted inside the kitchen, catching everyone's attention. It was the smell of the pizzas which had started to cook.
The girls, who didn't know what was cooking, tried to find where the origin of the scent was, and when they did, they saw the two large topping-filled circular doughs being baked inside the oven.
"Elder Brother Grey, is this the pizza!?" ［Eliza］
Eloza asked with enthusiasm in her eyes, making Grey smile as she was now back to her usual energetic smell. There was just one thing which bothered Grey. It was that he doesn't remember mentioning pizza towards Eliza.
Grey tried to look for the one who told it to Eliza, and when his eyes landed on Yuna, she quickly evaded his glance as her eyes swam towards the window outside, clearly guilty of her own doings.
'Ahh... So it was Yuna...' ［Grey］
Moments later, the pizzas were finally done baking and it was time to serve it. Since there were no pizza cutters in Merusia, Grey just borrowed a knife from the kitchen and skillfully sliced each of the pizzas into 8 equal slices.
With the pizza being 18" in diameter, the slices were also quite large. Each slice of the pizza was larger than anyone's hands. It was especially large when compared to Eliza's small hands.
"Everyone, take a slice each, but be careful, it's still hot." ［Grey］
""""Yes!""""
With Grey's announcement, everyone took a slice from the pizzas. Some of them chose the Bulldeer pizza, while the others chose the Zebra Crab one. Either way, both of them were delicious.
""""Thank you for the food!""""
After biting onto the pizza, rich and nostalgic flavors flooded Grey's mouth. It was a sensation that he hasn't had for more than 3 years, the only difference was that the meat was much more delicious.
The flavor of the Bulldeer meat was very rich yet goes along with the other ingredients in the pizza. It was also very juicy and tender, much better than any expensive premium meat back on Earth.
"Yummy!" ［Eliza］
"Amazing～!!" ［Yuna］
"Oh, my..." ［Aria］
"Oh, this is good stuff!" ［Kris］
"As expected of Lord Grey!" ［Rhodes］
There were various reactions after tasting the pizza, but all of them were positive ones, though one of them is a little off. It was Rhodes who has started to revere Grey as if he was a God of cooking.
"Ewder Brosher Greiy, I wansh anower one!" ［Eliza］
Even though Eliza was still eating a slice of pizza, she has started to request for another one, making her words a little hard to understand.
"Huh? But you haven't finished yours yet." ［Grey］
"Bush ish sho dewishosh!" ［Eliza］
"Alright, alright, I'll give you another one, but finish your slice first." ［Grey］
When Grey said that, Eliza hurriedly ate her slice, stuffing her mouth even though it was still full. At that moment, she looked like a cute little hamster. Thankfully, she didn't choke herself on the process.
"I'm done!" ［Eliza］
"Liz, slow down, the food's not running anywhere. I won't give you another one if you finish this just like the last one." ［Grey］
"Uuu..." ［Eliza］
After Grey warned her, Eliza looked a little dejected, but that dejected look quickly disappeared as soon as she took another bite of the pizza. It was replaced with an expression of satisfaction.
After Eliza took another slice, Grey and Rhodes put the next set of pizzas in the oven, in preparation for the first set getting finished. With the rate everyone was eating them, they would finish just in time the next set gets cooked.
"Hey, why is it so noisy in here?" ［Fritz］
While Grey Rhodes started baking the next set of pizzas, Fritz, along with Gustav and Sebastian entered the kitchen after hearing the loud noise coming from it. All of them were wearing quite the tired expression.
"Fritz, did you finish with your job?" ［Grey］
"It was a bit hectic, but we still managed to finish without much trouble. Anyway, what is that thing you are eating?" ［Fritz］
Fritz asked as he saw everyone merrily enjoying the pizza. Of course, the one who answered his question was none other than his ever so energetic daughter, Eliza.
"Father, it's pizza!" ［Eliza］
"Pizza?" ［Fritz］
"Un, it's very delicious! Elder Brother Grey made it!" ［Eliza］
"It wasn't just me, Mister Rhodes also helped me with the making of it." ［Grey］
Grey stated as he heard Eliza's words. While it was true that he was the one who introduced the concept of pizzas to Merusia, he still didn't forget to give credit to where it's due. He also thanked the pizza's creator deep inside his heart.
"Lord Grey... Even though you are so talented, you didn't forget to be benevolent to those who are lower than you... Please take me as your disciple!" ［Rhodes］
Unfortunately, Rhodes did not take it that way. He was very touched by Grey's words that tears started to flow from his eyes. He even asked Grey quite the troublesome request the latter didn't know how to respond to.
"Rhodes, stop that, you're just making Grey uncomfortable." ［Fritz］
"Oh! Please forgive my rudeness!" ［Rhodes］
"Ah, no, it's alright." ［Grey］
Thankfully, Fritz was there to stop Rhodes' eccentric actions, saving Grey in the process. Grey wouldn't have been able to respond accordingly if Fritz wasn't there.
"Well, since Liz says it's delicious, I will ask for one." ［Fritz］
"Sure." ［Grey］
"I'll be having one as well." ［Gustav］
"I'll also have to intrude in your kindness." ［Sebastian］
With Fritz acting as a trigger, the three of them each took a slice of the Bulldeer pizza and took a bite out of it. Their reactions were also not that different from the others who tasted it before them.
"Oh... it really is tasty." ［Fritz］
"This is splendid!" ［Gustav］
"As expected of Lord Grey's skills," ［Sebastian］
The three were very satisfied with the pizza. Especially Fritz and Sebastian who haven't had the chance to eat breakfast with all the commotion. It filled up their empty stomachs with warmth and deliciousness.
"Grey, what kind of meat did you use in this?" ［Fritz］
"Ah, the one you're having now should be Bulldeer meat." ［Grey］
"Bulldeer!? But there still isn't stock on the market!" ［Fritz］
"Oh, is it already that season?" ［Gustav］
To Grey's answer, there were two contrasting responses. One was Fritz who was surprised to learn of the meat's identity, and the other was Gustav who just acted as if he remembered something trivial.
Fritz's expression reminded Grey of Gerd, Helen, and Selia's reactions when they learnt that Grey was serving them very high-quality meat. Although Fritz was able to compose himself much faster than the three.
"Well... Mister Kris and I hunted one down just a few hours ago. We wanted to cheer up Liz with it." ［Grey］
"Haah... So you just hunted one, and it's even an adolescent one... Just for the sake of my daughter's happiness, huh..." ［Fritz］
Fritz felt conflicted towards Grey's answer. While he was happy as a father that they cared for Eliza's wellbeing, as a normal person, it was just too absurd to fetch high quality meat just to cheer up a young girl.
"Wait, Grey, don't tell me... Are the kinds of meat on the other pizzas also high quality ingredients?!" ［Fritz］
"Umm... The pizza Liz is eating right now has Zebra Crab meat. While the the other three have Cervidian Fowl, Snapping Lobster, and Striped Bison meat." ［Grey］
"Haah... As expected... And here I thought that you wouldn't surprise me anymore." ［Fritz］
"Hahahaha! To have a taste of such rare ingredients in a single meal, what incredible luck I have! Hahahaha!" ［Gustav］
While Fritz heaved a lengthy sigh, Gustav also laughed in a boisterous voice as he continued to enjoy the pizza before him. As for Grey, he decided to take their words as compliments.
Rhodes also reacted in a strange manner when he learnt of the ingredients Grey and Kris caught before they started cooking. He was so ecstatic to get his hands on those ingredients at that time.
After giving up on Grey, Fritz continued eating his slice of pizza in silence, and along with him, Gustav and Sebastian also became silent.
"Elder Brother Grey, I want to eat pudding!" ［Eliza］
Showing no care to the conversation that just concluded, Eliza asked Grey for some pudding, and hearing those words, everybody's attention also looked at him with eyes full of expectations.
Even Aria and Kris, who have yet to have a taste of pudding, have also looked at Grey. They just concluded it to be delicious, basing on how the pizza they were eating had tasted.
After having a taste of it, the engaged couple's eyes sparkled like stars as they enjoyed the sweet and cold dessert, complementing and contrasting the flavorful and hot pizza.
As the pizza ran out, another set had finished baking, and so, their merry pizza party continued without a hitch. But in the middle of it...
"Hey, Grey." ［Kris］
... Kris suddenly called Grey's attention by lightly hitting the latter's flank with his elbow, he then started whispering after that.
"Remember about what we talked about this morning?" ［Kris］
"This morning... Eh!? You mean now!?" ［Grey］
It took a few moments for Grey to understand what Kris was talking about, but when he did, his face instantly turned a little pale from nervousness and surprise. Especially when Yuna was in the same room.
"Well, if you're not going to do it today, then when will you?" ［Kris］
"But there's so many people." ［Grey］
"What are you, a child!? You're already an adult for God's sake!" ［Kris］
While Kris and Grey's expressions were on the intense side, the two still managed to avoid suspicion as they lowered their voices to the point only the two of them could hear their conversation.
Not being able to revolt against Kris' words, Grey had no other choice, followed his instructions and headed to where Yuna was. Grey's heartbeats became more and more erratic as he approached Yuna.
"Umm... Yuna..." ［Grey］
"G-Gwey!? W-Whash ish it!?" ［Yuna］
Yuna asked, panicking, while she hurriedly finished her slice of pizza. She then looked at Grey with eyes full of innocence and a face with a slightly red tint, clearly from suddenly seeing Grey up close.
Fortunately for Yuna, Grey only related her embarrassment as one which showed because she was seen eating pizza in a hurry. Nothing more, nothing less.
"I... I have something to tell you." ［Grey］
"E-Eh? S-Sure...?" ［Yuna］
Ba-dump Ba-dump Ba-dump
"I... I..." ［Grey］
Ba-dump Ba-dump Ba-dump
Grey's nervousness was off the charts and his heart was now beating uncontrollably. It also didn't help that Yuna stared at him with pure innocent eyes. What made it worse was that she suddenly became cuter in his vision as if some sort of filter was in effect.
Yuna, who was at the receiving end of Grey's words, was very puzzled as she tried her best to not look Grey directly in the eyes. Her face also felt hotter as Grey took his sweet time in trying to confess.
"I... Umm... I..." ［Grey］
Ba-dump Ba-dump Ba-dump
"I... Ummm... see some crumbs on your cheeks." ［Grey］
"R-Really?! S-Sorry, I must have looked really messy." ［Yuna］
Hearing Grey's words, Yuna hurriedly wiped away the crumbs on her cheeks with an embarrassed face. Though the redness on her face was mostly because of Grey and not from embarrassment.
In the end, Grey's nervousness triumphed over his resolve, making him fail splendidly. He was screaming inside as he messed up his chance which may not come again in the near future.
Kris' expression as he watched Grey fail was also a sight to behold. His eyes were full of pity and disappointment as he slapped his forehead with his palm.
No matter, the hurdle for confession was still too high for Grey. He would rather fight a horde of wyverns than confess to Yuna at this point in time. It was just impossible for his current self.
At the end of the day, Grey failed to confess to Yuna, and the pizza party finished. That night, Grey was despairing over that embarrassing moment and didn't even get a wink of sleep. There was still a rough road ahead of him.
CHAPTER 56 END