After Tomato and Tofu Stew, Not Even the Emperor, the King of Torumekia, Could Compare to Me
It's not the light fragrance of vegetable porridge, nor the caramelized aroma of baked flatbread or bread.
It has an enticing aroma with a tangy and fresh taste, and a subtle hint of caramelized oil.
Everyone's noses twitched involuntarily, and their stomachs rumbled.
After a period of intense training, the small amount of wheat cakes and porridge eaten in the morning had long been digested.
Upon smelling the aroma of food, everyone's stomachs immediately began to protest.
Several carts were pushed to the edge of the training field, and the canteen staff smiled as they lifted the lids.
Several of the large earthenware jars still contained vegetable porridge, mashed potatoes, and today's staple food, black bread.
But in the last tank, there were some different things.
It was a bright red broth made from stewed tomatoes and onions, in which neatly cut, snow-white, tender square objects were soaking.
Steam rises, carrying a sweet, sour, and savory aroma that wafts towards you.
"Line up, get your food!"
The complaints vanished instantly, and the recruits quickly formed a crooked line.
Of all things under heaven, eating is the most important.
When it was Mog's turn, he was rewarded with a large spoonful of bright red stew, served separately in a wooden bowl.
"Here you go, for your extra meal," the farmer's wife said with a smile.
Mog carefully carried the three wooden bowls and sat down in the open space to the side.
He first looked at the "extra meal".
The stew was steaming hot, with snow-white cubes soaking in the rosy broth, their surfaces tinged with a light red hue.
(The author made the same stewed tofu at home; it's really delicious with rice! ^_^)
He couldn't wait to scoop up a spoonful, ignoring the heat, and put it directly into his mouth.
"Ugh!"
The first sensation is the interplay and explosion of two flavors in the mouth.
The rich, appetizing sourness comes from the tomatoes, followed by the sweetness released by the onions after stir-frying and stewing.
Next came the unprecedented taste brought by those snow-white cubes.
It didn't have the expected chewiness, but rather an incredibly soft and delicate texture.
It melts in your mouth with a gentle sip, the refreshing bean aroma blending perfectly with the sour, sweet, salty, and umami flavors.
Almost all the new recruits wore similar expressions to Mog.
He took a few big bites, then stared wide-eyed at the food in his bowl, his face full of disbelief.
This novel texture and flavor were unlike anything they had ever eaten before.
"What... what is this?"
"This dish is called 'Tomato Stew with Tofu.' It was specially made for you by the elders of Beruto. It's very nutritious and a stew designed to replenish your energy."
Mito had anticipated the question and had prepared his answer in advance.
"By the way, tofu is made from soybeans."
beans?
Those beans used to feed horned cattle, which are completely unpalatable?
How can they be transformed into these delicious cubes, soaked in savory broth, melting in your mouth and bursting with aroma?
The new recruits looked at the snow-white, tender tofu in the bowl with suspicion in their eyes.
But soon, the doubts vanished under the weight of the delicious taste.
Mog ate the stew with bread, one bite after another, temporarily ignoring even the porridge and mashed potatoes, his attention completely drawn to the tomato stew.
He simply felt it was worth it.
The pain and exhaustion from standing for thirty minutes and running back and forth five times seemed to be quietly soothed by this delicious food.
If I could eat this every day, even if the training was a little tougher... it doesn't seem so unacceptable, does it?
The moment the thought popped into his head, Mog was startled.
But as he carefully wiped away the remaining soup with bread and put it in his mouth, savoring the wonderful aftertaste unfolding on his tongue—
No, I need to get another bowl!
Mu En's senses swept across the training ground, taking in the recruits' journey from complaining to being shocked, then to burying their heads in their food and scrambling for the last bit of stew.
It seems these new recruits have already been captivated by this "otherworldly dish".
Even the well-informed veteran Mito gave the tofu a very high rating after tasting it.
"That Beruto kid, with the help of the Divine Tree, has really managed to create something incredible."
He complained about Beruto while still managing to eat a few more bites.
"This is just the beginning. From now on, we must strictly follow the training plan."
During lunch break, Mu En gave Mito some instructions.
The training plan he devised for the soldiers went far beyond simple physical training.
Running and military posture are just introductory courses for honing willpower and improving physical fitness.
Strength, endurance, explosive power, flexibility, coordination... these are all part of the subsequent training.
In addition, soldiers must practice hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship, marksmanship, improve teamwork, and learn more.
Mu En had already repeatedly reviewed and confirmed the details of the previous training content with Yupa and Mito.
There was only one last point that Mito still had some questions about.
"Learning? Isn't having basic literacy and numeracy skills enough?"
In Mito's view, those who could understand instructions and read maps were already the elite of the elite.
After all, even those arrogant officers in Tolmekia only had about this level of education.
"Simply learning to recognize characters is not enough."
"Organize the books in the castle's study, including those on geography, history, and basic mechanical principles, and compile suitable sections into simple teaching materials."
"The training plan must include at least one hour of academic classes every day."
"What I need are soldiers who have truly learned to read and understand books and who have the ability to think independently."
A team that excels in combat is inevitably a team with a strong cultural foundation.
Only by understanding why we are fighting and how to fight effectively can we win a battle.
This is an experience learned from history.
"Yes, I will arrange for someone to do it as soon as possible." Mito did not raise any further questions.
His task is to operate; even if he can't understand it, it only shows his limited knowledge.
In his view, compared to the great Erdtree, his own intelligence was nothing short of a firefly's brilliance.
After the meal.
It's not advisable to engage in strenuous exercise right after eating, and these new recruits also need time to recover from the morning's fatigue.
They made no attempt to maintain their composure, sitting or lying on the training field to rest, but many were still licking their lips, seemingly unsatisfied.
At this moment, Por clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention to himself.
"It's rest time now. We'll continue training this afternoon."
He grinned, a smile that, in the eyes of the new recruits, was the epitome of malice.
"Just to let you know in advance, the afternoon's training program consists of push-ups and sit-ups."
"Same old rules, those who complete the required number will have a surprise at dinner."
The new recruits looked at each other, wondering if it was some new, torturous trick.
But the words "there's a surprise at dinner" hooked their attention like a hook.
The flavor of tomato stewed tofu is still lingering on my tongue, so what delicious surprise awaits?
This feeling is probably called --
It smells so good!