"Everyone, please raise your glasses... Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Rest raised his glass, and the invited guests followed suit.
And so, the party began as they welcomed a great number of guests.
Since it was a standing reception, the tables lined with dishes were laden with all manner of cuisine.
The maids and butlers dispatched from House Rosemary bustled about, carrying food and drinks to and fro.
"Oh my... Is this wyvern meat?"
"I see, I see. They've done well to bring this back."
The first thing to catch the guests' eyes was the wyvern.
By deliberately displaying the wyvern from the neck up on the table, it inevitably drew everyone's gaze.
On the plates arranged around the neck sat slices of roasted wyvern meat.
"Roasted wyvern? The seasoning isn't half bad either."
"I'd heard Count Clover was a first-rate magician, but his skills seem to be the real deal."
The guests smacked their lips over the roasted wyvern, their admiration evident.
Among them was Marquis Cattleya, who wore a complicated expression.
"So... Yuri saw something worthy of acknowledgment after all," Marquis Cattleya muttered under his breath with a grim face.
As a knight commander and one of the twin pillars of the kingdom, Marquis Cattleya could appreciate the truth of it.
This wyvern had been taken down in a remarkably short time. The quality of wyvern meat varied greatly depending on how much damage it sustained before death.
When multiple warriors or adventurers fought a wyvern over an extended period, inflicting damage along the way, the meat deteriorated and became coarse.
The wyvern meat melting in his mouth showed none of those tendencies whatsoever. It had been felled in a very short time—most likely, with a single blow.
"I know... I've lost. I've lost. If that's the case, then I have no choice but to acknowledge it..."
Yuri had run away from home some time ago and had been taken in by Count Clover's household.
For Marquis Cattleya, who doted on his daughter, this was hard to accept. He didn't want to see his daughter—who bore a striking resemblance to his late wife—leaning close to another man.
"...It's delicious."
Still, it was something he would have to accept eventually.
Marquis Cattleya's expression hardened as he swallowed the tender meat dish.
"This next one is quite strong, so please be careful."
"This liquor is...!"
"What depth and strength... Is it distilled?!"
Next to captivate the guests was the liquor that had been served.
A distilled spirit developed in a coastal town. While distilled liquor circulated in places like the Gaiselle Empire, it was virtually unheard of in the Kingdom of Aiwood.
"It's quite strong, so I'd recommend mixing it with water or juice."
"As if I'd dilute good liquor. I'll have it straight, thank you."
The one gulping down the liquor brought by the butler without hesitation was Duke Crocus, the prime minister.
It was well-known among certain nobles... Duke Crocus was an insatiable drinker.
Among the few hobbies of this serious, hardworking prime minister was the collection of rare spirits. There was no way he would pass up the distilled liquor served at this party.
"When it comes to distilled spirits, Imperial ones are the most famous, but... hmm, this is every bit their equal. The high-quality distilled liquors produced within the Empire are presented to the Imperial family. That leaves only a small quantity of inferior-grade spirits for trade. This, free of such off-flavors, is truly... Is that why my daughter said she was surprised?"
"Um... We also have wine available, so please enjoy yourself."
The attendant who served Duke Crocus as he lectured at length was slightly overwhelmed but maintained a smile throughout. A true professional.
"It'll be ready shortly, so please wait just a moment."
"Is this... a fish dish?"
"Oh, how interesting. How does it end up in such a round shape?"
At the fish dish corner, takoyaki was also entertaining the guests.
By performing the cooking process right in front of the guests, people watched the takoyaki sizzle on the iron griddle with great fascination.
The fillings weren't limited to octopus—fish sashimi and cheese were also available.
The chef had experimented extensively, perfecting the dashi, tenkasu, and bonito flakes, and had put his own twist on the Western-style sauce.
"Oh my... This is delightful. And the taste isn't bad either."
"You entertain the eyes as well, don't you? Not bad at all, son-in-law."
Lord and Lady Rosemary smacked their lips as they bit into the takoyaki.
Watching the chef deftly spin and complete the takoyaki right before their eyes was something even the most peculiar nobles could appreciate. The unique texture was also a huge hit.
"By the way, Albert—do you know what kind of creature an octopus is?"
"No, I don't. Do you, Irish?"
"It's a baby kraken."
"Pfft!"
"Here's the cheese-filled variety. Rest assured, there's no octopus in these."
In front of the couple chatting merrily, a fresh batch of takoyaki was completed.
The guests looked on with curious expressions as they speared them with forks and brought them to their mouths.
"Everyone, please direct your attention over here!"
And then, with perfect timing, came the introduction of the evening's main dish.
"For tonight's main course... Diamond Bear sauté!"
"......!"
The moment the butler made the announcement, a ripple of commotion swept through the venue.
"Diamond Bear?! That can't be...!"
"That's a legendary ingredient even royalty can hardly ever taste!"
"Is it real...? I've heard there are many counterfeits circulating!"
The murmur grew louder and louder, but when the butlers and maids carried the dish in, the room fell completely silent.
To prove its authenticity, the skull and pelt of the dissected Diamond Bear were brought alongside the dish. Rest was well aware of how many fakes of Diamond Bear existed, so rather than relying on words, he demonstrated its genuineness through action.
"There's no mistaking it. It's a real Diamond Bear."
In the silent hall, those words came from Count Walnut.
Count Walnut's eyes widened in astonishment, yet he stroked his beard and let out a sigh.
"Rest, Count Clover... As I suspected, you're no ordinary man."
The next instant, the venue erupted in excitement.
The guests swarmed around the legendary ingredient that even royalty could seldom hope to taste.