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Time passed quickly. After Code, the butler, had finished preparing for the banquet, the two guests arrived together at the Merlin Family's newly established manor, which had lain dormant for decades.
It was the first time Dark Night Manor had been presented to outsiders, so Donald naturally went out to greet them in person.
As it happened, the two nobles' carriages had met on the road. After exchanging polite greetings, they discovered they were headed to the same destination and continued on together.
Baron of Red Maple had observed Dark Night Manor from afar during the ride. Now, standing before the newly built white stone gate with its carved decorations, he looked at the thriving scene inside the manor and couldn't help praising it with a sigh.
"Donald, you're truly a genius! Not only did you become a formal mage at such a young age, you also managed to make this cursed land—once feared by everyone—flourish so beautifully. And with Moonlight Wine as such a precious product, I imagine your profits this year will be substantial. Even the estates of the Kingdom's great nobles can't compare with yours!"
Donald wasn't at all surprised that Baron of Red Maple knew Moonlight Wine was his product. His news had probably spread among the nobles throughout North Shire by now.
Donald was about to reply modestly when Sir Jesse spoke beside him, his face full of admiration and envy.
"It's truly enviable, Donald. You've already built up such a fortune at such a young age! Your Moonlight Wine has become the talk of the nobility. The nobles lucky enough to have tasted it all praise it, saying it's even better than the finest wines Celt exports to other countries on the continent. It's a pity there's so little of it and it isn't for sale yet. Otherwise, I'd gladly pay a hundred Gold Sol for a glass just to try it!"
Donald smiled at his words.
"That's easily arranged. Although Moonlight Wine is scarce, I've kept some for myself as its owner. The wine served with the meal at today's banquet will be Moonlight Red Wine. You're both welcome to enjoy as much as you like!"
Sir Jesse was delighted to hear this, and even the dignified Ernest was moved. Donald's promised share of twenty bottles of Moonlight Wine had already been delivered to Giant Stone City, but the Mage Association had yet to begin selling it. Most nobles hadn't even laid eyes on it, let alone tasted it.
Even Baron of Red Maple had never tasted the fine wine so highly praised by the nobles. Naturally, he was pleased to have the chance now. If Moonlight Wine really was as wonderful as the rumors claimed, he also planned to ask its owner for a share of the sales. It could bring him a hefty income!
As they chatted, the three nobles, whose ages varied, entered the manor together and made their way to the living room of the farmhouse where Donald was temporarily staying. Since the villa wasn't finished, he had to use this place to entertain guests.
Fortunately, the farm buildings were modeled after the European farmhouses of his previous life. Their exteriors were plain but not shabby, and the butler had decorated the interior with enough refinement to suit their host's status.
Since it was already noon and there were only two guests, Donald had nothing else planned. Once they had all arrived, he ordered the food to be served.
The three nobles took their seats around the rectangular dining table. Fine silver tableware and spotless white silk napkins had been laid out.
The newly hired servants weren't particularly graceful, but under the butler's and William's guidance, they served their master and guests attentively and with great humility.
The appetizers soon arrived. For this banquet, Donald had drawn on some of the novel ideas from his previous life and combined them with local cuisine to create a menu. He had carefully selected several dishes that could be made to the required standard for the occasion.
The first appetizer was a Golden Pancake, filled with pork and a local edible plant resembling an onion. All the fragrance was trapped inside the golden, pan-fried crust. One bite released a mouthwatering aroma from the savory filling and whetted the appetite.
Next came the two main courses: Red Braised Beef and Maple Glazed Ribs. The first perfectly blended the rich taste of wine into the meat juices, making the beef tender and delicious. The second used maple syrup from Baron of Red Maple's territory instead of honey for the honey-glazed ribs, creating a distinctive flavor that won lavish praise even from Ernest, the owner of the maple-producing lands.
The main courses were followed by a side dish and a soup. Both were essential.
The side dish was Marinated Lettuce, crisp, fresh, and sweet, its refreshing taste cutting through the richness of the meal. The soup was Pepper Vegetable Soup, made with a spicy seasoning similar to the pepper of his previous life. It stimulated the palate and aided digestion.
According to the customs of this world, a formal banquet generally required three to five appetizers alone, with the side dishes and other courses being equally elaborate. But unless the occasion was especially important, most ordinary nobles kept their banquets simple, serving only one or two appetizers and leaving out most of the nonessential preparations.
Nowadays, such elaborate formal meals were usually seen only at royal banquets or noble weddings. Not every noble could afford the expense, and the long duration of such banquets also meant having to worry about keeping the food at the right temperature and preventing it from spoiling.
The manor was newly established and its resources were limited. Besides, this was only a private banquet. Donald had prepared a simple but generous meal that met the usual standards for a noble's gathering.
After enjoying every dish, both guests praised them without reservation. Then they took a sip of the intoxicating Moonlight Red Wine. It was an experience fit for a true god.
By the end of the banquet, the two guests could hardly find words to describe it. The Moonlight Wine, in particular, was the finest drink they had ever tasted.
Sir Jesse came from a powerful noble family in the Royal Capital. Though he was merely an illegitimate son who received little attention, he had attended all sorts of banquets. He noticed that the dishes looked somewhat rough, and guessed that Donald's cook wasn't a professional noble chef. But their flavor was truly unforgettable.
Donald, their host, had carefully chosen and prepared every dish. Overall, the food suited the tastes of this world while also incorporating some of the best qualities of the cuisine from his previous life. Though the menu was simple, the dishes could rival those served at a royal banquet—and their novelty even made them seem better.
After the banquet, the three nobles sat down to rest in a parlor that had been hastily prepared. A maid brought in dessert and drinks, then bowed and left.
Clearly more relaxed after enjoying such delicious food, Baron of Red Maple rubbed his stomach, forgetting a little about noble etiquette.
"Donald, you're not only a master at making fine wine; I never expected you to be so particular about food, too. I may have to send my household's cook over to learn from you one day!"
Sir Jesse joined in the praise.
"That's right! This is the best meal I've had since coming to North Shire. It's every bit as good as a royal banquet!"
Donald replied with modest courtesy. "It's my greatest honor that you both enjoyed the meal. Now, please try the tea and desserts I've prepared. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!"
The desserts Donald had prepared were also specially made. They were probably unlike anything found elsewhere in this world.
There were two desserts: Milk Pastry and Candied Wild Berry. The Milk Pastry was a genuine dessert from his previous life. Its rich flavor and unusual preparation were deeply satisfying, but the other dessert caught the two guests' eyes even more.
"This is... a wild berry? How can it taste so delicious?"
In response to Sir Jesse's question, Donald smiled and replied.
"That's right, it's a wild berry. It just isn't prepared in the usual pickled way, so the flavor is different!"
Candied Wild Berry was a very ordinary dessert in Donald's home country in his previous life: candied hawthorn skewers. He had simply replaced the hawthorn with an ingredient from this world. Donald had always felt that salting such fresh, sweet berries ruined their natural flavor. But eating them after simply washing them was something only commoners did, and his guests, proud of their noble status, probably wouldn't accept that. So he had come up with this compromise.
The wild berries were a little smaller than lychees and a little larger than grapes. Their appearance was much like the cherry tomatoes of his previous life, but their flavor was closer to blueberries: sweet and tart. The pale red maple syrup was heated and boiled down into a glaze, then poured over the berries and chilled with magic, forming smooth, beautiful beads like polished gems.
The two guests, already full from the meal, devoured every last bit of the beautiful, appetite-stimulating dessert that also aided digestion. The drinks before them, which they had ignored while admiring the dessert, now caught Sir Jesse's and Baron of Red Maple's attention with their unique fragrance.
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