He scooped out a small portion with a spoon, ignited it, and began his experiment anew. To his surprise, a brilliant blue flame of extraordinarily high temperature erupted at first, but it did not last long before it dwindled into a dark red flame of lower intensity. Meanwhile, the previously intact fat quickly began to char, releasing an aroma reminiscent of burning feathers.
Richard recognized well that this peculiar smell was the result of protein combustion, likely caused by impurities within the fat.
"Well, it seems that this red fat is not pure magical substance; rather, the magical essence is merely concealed within. To obtain pure magical material, it must first be extracted from the fat, after which I can pursue my desired endeavors," Richard muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing into slits.
Just then, a rhythmic series of knocks sounded on the laboratory's closed door: "Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock!"
"Come in," Richard replied, already knowing who it was.
With a soft "squeak," the door opened, and the timid maid Lucy peeked inside, her voice quivering, "Master..."
"What is it?" Richard asked, glancing at the maid while continuing his work to prepare for the extraction of the pure magical substance.
"There's something…," Lucy swallowed hard and said, "Lord Baron has returned from inspecting the territory."
Richard did not pause his work, merely shrugged slightly, "So what?"
He was aware that his somewhat wealthy father, Baron Leo, had set out several days earlier to survey the land, and according to plan, he should be returning around this time—there was nothing to be surprised about.
"But... Lord Baron said he wants to have dinner with you," Lucy continued.
"Hmm?" Richard's hand hesitated ever so slightly before resuming its task, speaking in a flat tone, "Tell Baron Leo that I am busy and don't have time to accompany him. He can eat alone."
After saying this, Richard placed the pound of blood-red fat into a ceramic jar, then set the jar into a basin of water. Next, he pulled out various bottles and containers, attempting to assemble them into a complete set of instruments.
At that moment, Lucy observed Richard's flurry of activity, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find her words. After some time, she timidly said, "But... Master, Lord Baron insists on dining with you. He is waiting for you in the main hall of the castle, and he said he won't serve the dishes until you arrive."
The timid Lucy's voice grew softer until it was barely audible.
Richard frowned and lifted his gaze to Lucy. Their eyes met, and Lucy's face was filled with apprehension as she softly asked, "Master... are you going?"
"Ha," Richard exhaled, his eyes flickering momentarily before he turned to wash his hands, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Of course I'll go! The esteemed Baron is so 'sincere' in inviting me to dinner; how can I refuse? That would be terribly disrespectful!"
"Uh..."
"Alright then, let's go," Richard declared, pushing the door open and stepping out of the attic, descending into the side keep.
At the heart of the castle stood the main keep where Baron Leo resided, constructed entirely of blue stones, towering over twenty meters high. To the left and right were adjacent lower keeps; the right one housed Richard, while the left accommodated the knights, their squires, and higher-ranking servants.
The remainder of the staff resided in the simple dwellings behind the main keep, adjacent to the stables, which were dark, damp, and foul-smelling.
As Richard walked down the side keep, he cast a glance toward the direction of the simple dwellings before turning toward the main keep.
Upon entering, the spacious main hall of the keep greeted him.
The floor was paved with large stone slabs, some of which were already chipped and carefully repaired. The surface of the slabs was incredibly smooth from years of foot traffic.
In the center of the hall stood a long dining table made of black walnut, over four meters long and one meter wide. The tall and slender Baron Leo Angrel was seated at one end, facing the door, his back straight as an arrow. Upon seeing Richard arrive, he spoke, "You've come, my son..."
Richard remained silent, sitting at the opposite end of the table, meeting Baron Leo's gaze. He understood well that his father, Baron Leo, was not simply inviting him for dinner out of the goodness of his heart; this dinner was merely a pretext, behind which lay some unknown agenda.
Sensing Richard's scrutinizing gaze, Baron Leo chuckled a few times, an awkward rippling laughter that seemed to convey his mood.
Yet, the atmosphere was palpably tense.
To alleviate the discomfort, Baron Leo clapped his hands and called out, "Begin dinner, serve the dishes!"
"Yes, my lord," came the reply, followed by a stream of maids entering with trays, quickly laying out the food before Baron Leo and Richard.
Richard glanced over the meal and felt his appetite lost—despite having lived in this world for a full fifteen years, he still struggled to adapt to the dismal medieval cuisine.
Insufficient seasoning and a lack of culinary variety rendered the food nearly inedible. The soup was sour, the steak burnt, and the cabbage was yellowed...
The bread, the main staple, was even worse. Unlike the modern Earth, bread in the medieval world was often unleavened, resembling hard, dry crackers more than actual bread. The flour used for the bread was typically unrefined, mixed with a large amount of bran, yielding an unpleasant texture.
Some unscrupulous bakers even added sand or gravel to their flour, producing hard black bread that could arguably serve as a weapon—medieval chronicles recorded multiple instances of inept thieves meeting their demise at the hands of a housewife wielding such black bread. During domestic disputes, many men similarly fell victim to attacks by their wives' black bread—a flavor one could only imagine.
Of course, the bread served to Richard and Baron Leo could not be that atrocious. The flour was carefully sifted multiple times, yielding a soft white bread with a faint wheat aroma, yet still tasted dreadful in Richard's opinion.
He tore the white bread into small pieces, submerged them in the meat broth until softened, and then used his knife and fork to deliver the mushy morsels to his mouth. After swallowing the bread soaked in broth, he chewed on the terribly overcooked steak and hastily swallowed some of the yellowed cabbage, barely managing to fill his stomach.
At that moment, Baron Leo across from him had also finished his meal, wiping his mouth with a napkin, drinking the remnants of his wine, and looking over with an expression that indicated he wanted to speak.
Richard knew the main course had only just begun.