Outside, Richard emerged, the evening sky nearing descent.
Tuku and another member of the guard were waiting outside, Tuku chewing on a pie as he glanced up upon Richard's exit. "How did it go, my lord?"
"Nothing much," Richard waved a hand, instructing Tuku, "Once you finish your food, go inside and clean up the body."
"Uh." Tuku nodded, then inquired, "My lord, may I take her head? After all, her actions were despicable—she dared attempt to assassinate you!"
"Do as you please if you find corpses intriguing," Richard affected an indifference, turning to exit.
At that moment, young maid Lucy emerged from the kitchen, holding something in her hands as she called out to Richard, "Master, Alyssa made lots of delicious food! Would you like to try some?"
"Perhaps later," Richard waved her off, continuing his way outside.
"May I ask what you are planning to do now?" Lucy's curiosity broke through.
"Nothing much; merely taking a stroll," Richard stated, already half stepping out the door. For whatever reason, an assassination attempt was never a pleasant experience, and even now, having resolved the situation with the assassin, Richard still felt a cloud of discomfort lingering, and sought to clear his mind with a walk.
A few of the guards eager to accompany him promptly moved to follow; however, Richard gestured them to halt. "There's no need for you to accompany me. I'm just going for a walk in the village vicinity, and won't encounter any dangers. I shall return shortly; you remain here."
"Uh." The guards, crestfallen, halted their steps.
But young maid Lucy piped up, declaring loudly, "Master, if you're going for a walk, I shall too! I shall accompany you!"
Saying this, she promptly followed Richard without allowing for refusal, leaving him to smile ruefully, conceding to her company.
Richard took Lucy out through the door, following the road until they reached the outskirts of the village, finally stopping by a gentle stream.
By this time, the sun had mostly dipped below the horizon, casting the skies into a dull shade, while the last filament of sunlight shimmered on the surface of the water, flickering like flames in the dusk.
Richard sat upon a flat stone by the riverbank, casting a glance at young maid Lucy before asking unexpectedly, "Lucy, today I took a life; do you think I was wrong for it?"
"Hmm?" Lucy blinked, momentarily taken aback, before shaking her head vigorously. "No, my lord, you could never be wrong."
"Why so?"
"Because…" Lucy replied earnestly, "because that individual sought to kill you. Killing is wrong, so it is only right that you ended their life."
"But in a certain sense, am I not also a killer?" Richard mused, his tone tinged with mirth.
"Then…" Lucy furrowed her brow, evidently conflicted. After a moment, she sobered and declared, "Though both involve killing, they are different!"
"In what way?"
"Because you are the master! When the master kills, it is right, and when another seeks to harm the master, it is always wrong!"
"Ah, well then." Richard chuckled at her blatant double standards and smiled, "I suppose your logic holds weight."
As she saw Richard smile, Lucy beamed in return. Though she understood her master likely required no comfort, in that moment she felt she fulfilled a modicum of her duties as a maid.
In the next moment, Lucy eagerly extended something toward Richard. "Master, do try this."
"Hm? What is it?" Richard glanced at the charred "onion ring" before raising an eyebrow in inquiry.
"This is an onion ring baked by sister Alyssa! It's crispy and fragrant, absolutely delightful!" Lucy enthused, thrusting it into Richard's hands and urging, "Please, do try it! You will surely find it delicious!"
Faced with the maid's expectant gaze, Richard felt compelled to indulge her, begrudgingly bringing the so-called baked onion ring to his lips.
He opened his mouth, took a bite, chewed, and swallowed.
As the flavors registered on his palate, Richard couldn't help but shake his head within.
Was this truly an onion ring? It was merely a layer of flour smeared on the onion and tossed over an open flame—lacking any saltiness and, due to overcooking, carried a bitter undertone. The onion itself had been rendered limp, utterly devoid of its natural flavor.
If this constituted what could be considered "delicious," then there were no treats worth savouring in this world.
Observing Richard consume the entire onion ring with no discernible change in his expression, Lucy seemed to sense something and tentatively asked, "My lord, was the onion ring not to your liking?"
"Indeed, it was far from pleasant; not only did it taste poor, but the method was all wrong; it was utterly atrocious," Richard disclosed.
"The method was wrong?" Lucy blinked in surprise, instinctively questioning, "Then what is the correct way to prepare it?"
"The proper method should involve peeling the onion, slicing it into rings, removing the center membranes, sprinkling it with salt and black pepper, and allowing it to marinate for approximately ten minutes. Once marinated, one should evenly coat the rings in fine flour. After this, an egg white should be spread over the flour-coated rings. Finally, they should be rolled in breadcrumbs, and placed in hot oil to fry until golden. That is the correct approach."
Lucy's expression shifted noticeably; her astonishment reflected an unexpected depth of understanding regarding the simple onion ring. Not only flour was required, but egg and oil as well—all the while incorporating expensive black pepper!
Let it be known, in this world, black pepper was a spice comparable in value to gold. In certain large cities, whole peppercorns could even serve as currency, referred to as "pepper coins." When purchasing pepper, it was weighed not by pounds but grams! Apothecaries would secure their doors and windows, tightly wrapping their mouths and noses in layers of cloth to prevent any precious pepper from being lost.
Ordinarily, commoners would never taste the richness of black pepper; it was a privilege reserved for nobility. Only the most extravagant and wasteful of grandees could afford to spice their meals with it daily. There were even tales of a king who had a voracious obsession with pepper, consuming at least two pounds daily: sprinkling it into dishes, mixing it into soups, even dousing his wine in pepper-flavored concoctions. Ultimately, within mere years, his kingdom was drained and defeated by enemies.
But here now, her own master sought to use such extravagant spice merely for an onion ring. This was beyond belief…