Recipe and Sentiment

As far back as Stark could remember, no matter how hard he trained, he had never received a word of praise from his father.

His older brother Stoltz, on the other hand, was the strongest warrior in Warrior Village, and his battles with monsters were always so effortless.

Even after a battle, not a single mark would mar Stoltz's white cape.

Their father always said that the white cape, never stained in battle, was proof that Stoltz was the strongest warrior in Warrior Village.

Stark, by contrast, was a failure in his father's eyes.

But Stoltz didn't seem to agree with their father. He didn't care at all that the cape was supposedly proof of the strongest warrior.

Even when Stark accidentally got the cape dirty, Stoltz would simply continue patiently guiding his training.

But when the demons attacked the village, Stark had been so afraid that, when Stoltz said nothing more than "Run," he abandoned his brother and fled alone.

"Thinking back, only my brother was different from the others. He took my training seriously and taught me."

"But when the demons attacked the village, I abandoned him and ran away alone."

"Maybe it's only natural that I didn't receive my family's blessings. After all, I'm a failure who does nothing but run away."

Looking at the dejected Stark, Fern didn't know exactly what had happened in the past, but during the time they had spent together, Stark had proved himself a warrior she could rely on.

"Lord Stark, let's go pick out a present."

"It doesn't matter what happened in the past. The warrior Stark I know has never run away, not even once."

In the light of the setting sun, the girl gently comforted the dejected boy.

Stark stared blankly at Fern, a feeling unlike any he had ever known spreading through his heart.

But he couldn't help saying, "Maybe I'll run away someday."

Fern replied without thinking, "I won't let you get away."

But she immediately realized what she had said and added, "I mean, Lady Frieren, Brother Rienta, and I won't let you run away."

At the inn.

After looking at Frieren's secret hamburger steak recipe, Rienta ultimately decided not to make longevity noodles.

If she followed the recipe exactly, the finished hamburger steak would be astonishingly large.

So he simply left the borrowed kitchen entirely to Frieren.

In Rienta's experience, warriors and knights always wore very cool capes.

As it happened, Stark didn't have one.

Rienta had spent a long time asking around the city before finally finding a shop that could make capes.

With a little financial incentive, the shopkeeper had managed to finish the cape by early evening.

Rienta hurried back to the inn and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Fern and Stark hadn't returned yet.

Seeing that Frieren was still busy in the kitchen, Rienta picked up an apron lying nearby and put it on, ready to help.

But Frieren stopped him and plated the two hamburger steaks from the pan.

"I'm already done. How's the present you prepared, Rienta?"

"I've got it ready too." Rienta took a wooden box out of his Personal Space. The shopkeeper had included it for free, and it was quite elegantly made.

As the two were talking, Fern and Stark returned.

Frieren put the hamburger steaks on the table and looked at them.

"Welcome back. You're late."

Rienta handed Stark the wooden box. "Here, a birthday present. You're going to love it."

"Thanks, Rienta."

While the two were talking, Fern's attention was drawn to the enormous hamburger steaks on the table.

She had just seen Frieren, rather than Rienta, come out of the kitchen wearing an apron, so she asked in confusion:

"Lady Frieren, why did you make hamburger steaks so big it's scary?"

Hearing that, Stark put away the wooden box and said to the puzzled Fern, "This is what you're supposed to eat on your birthday."

With that, he sat straight down in his seat.

Rienta and the others took their seats as well.

Besides the hamburger steaks, Frieren had also prepared bread and vegetable salad.

Stark picked up his knife and fork and said happily, "My master never gave me presents either, but he made me hamburger steak every birthday."

"..." Fern didn't particularly feel like talking to Stark just then.

She turned to Frieren, tonight's cook, and asked, "What's going on?"

Frieren hadn't expected Stark, a warrior himself, not to know what the oversized hamburger steak meant.

"Stark, didn't Eisen ever tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Looking at Stark, who had no idea, Frieren remarked, "Warriors really are awkward."

"You're one to talk, Lady Frieren." Fern mercilessly retorted to the elf before her.

Unexpectedly, Frieren didn't argue with her.

"Yes, I'm awkward too. That's exactly why I say warriors are awkward. Not just Stark, but Eisen too."

"Even though they know they can't convey their feelings without putting them into words, for all sorts of reasons, they still don't dare say them outright..."

During her travels with Himmel, whenever someone in the party had a birthday, Eisen would make an oversized hamburger steak like this.

Frieren herself had asked Eisen the same question Fern had.

"It's a custom from Eisen's hometown."

"It's a gift prepared to reward a hardworking warrior."

"And it's also the birthday present Eisen prepared."

Frieren's words reminded Stark that, back in Warrior Village, his brother had secretly made him the same oversized hamburger steak every birthday, without telling anyone else.

Stark silently cut off a piece of hamburger steak and put it in his mouth.

Seeing that Stark had started eating, Frieren held up the recipe and asked eagerly:

"I once asked Eisen for the recipe for this hamburger steak."

"Well? Is it good?"

"Yeah, it's delicious."

At his confirmation, Frieren's face was practically overflowing with pride.

She took out the bottle of "potion that only dissolves clothes" that Fern hadn't finished pouring out.

Fern gave the smug Frieren a hostile look.

"Be careful, or I'll pour it over your head again, Lady Frieren."

Rienta looked curiously at the partially filled bottle in Frieren's hand and asked, "What's that?"

Fern glared at Rienta. "It's none of your business, Brother Rienta."

Frieren said proudly, "It's a very precious potion."

Stark grew curious too. "What does it do?"

"Pervert!"

"Huh? What?"

"Pervert!!"

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms.

Rienta put away the dishes they had used and returned to his room as well.

Stark had already opened his present.

He had also put on the cape.

It was pure white with various golden patterns, and it suited Stark very well.

Seeing this, Rienta asked, "What do you think of the cape? I designed it myself."

Stark was silent for a moment before saying, "I really love this present. Thank you, Rienta."

"Haha, I'm glad you like it." Rienta relaxed as well.

Heaven knew how many brain cells and gold coins he had spent on that present.

Stark took off the cape and placed it solemnly in the wooden box.

Seeing Stark put it away, Rienta asked in confusion, "Why are you putting it away?"

Stark shook his head. "I'll wear it when I'm a little stronger."

Rienta: "???"

Stark had taken down a dragon solo and still didn't think he was strong enough. Rienta couldn't understand it, but he chose to respect his decision.

After all, he had already given Stark the cape, so it was up to him when to wear it.

"All right. By the way, what did Fern give you?"

"A bracelet."

"Let me see."

"What's there to see? It's just an ordinary bracelet."

"Let me see!!"