Elena didn’t know why the elven lady beside Lady Liv had been wearing a sour expression the entire time.
‘Are all elves like Lady Liv, the only approachable sweetheart among them?’
Thinking this, Elena unconsciously nudged closer to Liv.
They strolled side by side along the street, heading toward the market on Seaside Avenue.
Yes, Elena had invited Lady Liv and Princess Tes to her apartment as guests and offered to cook a sumptuous dinner for them.
Tes had been very reluctant to go, but she couldn’t resist Liv’s eager agreement and had no choice but to follow along.
The market on Seaside Avenue was close to the docks.
One could find the briny scent of seafood, the earthy aroma of vegetables from nearby farms, various processed foods from distant ports, Dwarven pickled turnips and mushrooms, Elven candied fruits and beets, and even pickled cucumbers and sour cabbage from the Kingdom of Frostweave.
Fish from rivers, lakes, and coastal waters were usually cheap.
After all, homemade soups made from bream or pike were the main dinner staple for most commoners in Landingset.
Fish caught from the deep ocean were more expensive, with noticeably richer fats, but given Landingset’s massive fishing fleet, they weren’t prohibitively expensive either.
What was truly expensive was beef and mutton, with beef being the most costly.
Most dairy cows raised in nearby towns were used for milk to supply the capital.
Only aged, disabled cows or bull calves that couldn’t produce milk were slaughtered and sent to Landingset.
A regular calf could sell for around 20 Ducats, which was simply unaffordable for ordinary people.
Of course, salted beef imported from the Dwarven kingdom or live cattle transported from the Southern Isles could replace the Republic’s dairy cows. Overall, Elena could still afford it.
Elena pulled out the cloth bag tucked into her waistband and shook it.
Dirt from her last grocery trip seemed to scatter out as she enthusiastically began picking ingredients for tonight’s meal.
She first bought a dozen eggs and had the old woman wrap them in cabbage leaves before putting them in her bag to prevent them from breaking.
It cost 2 Grossos.
Then, she looked around and spotted a piece of salt pork.
It had a good color and wasn’t some scrap cut off by someone else.
She had the shopkeeper wrap the meat and tucked it sideways into her bag to avoid crushing the eggs.
It cost 8 Grossos. Cured meat was indeed much more expensive than fresh meat in Landingset.
However, this meant she wouldn’t need to add many seasonings for the stew to smell wonderful.
Following behind, Liv’s head was spinning.
To her shame, she hadn’t known how to cook in her previous life, mostly relying on food delivery.
In this life, she also just bought bread and side dishes to get by, occasionally eating out to improve her diet.
Plus, renting a liveable room on Dusk Street meant she could never save any money.
That was why she had been so desperate when she first became a girl.
If she knew how to cook, she could just stew whatever and spread it on bread every day.
Who knew how much money she could have saved!
Her previous room actually had a communal kitchen.
Aunt Susie cooked there every day and would sometimes invite the then-Loren to eat if she made too much.
Looking at Elena with envy and admiration, Liv tiptoed behind her like a kitten, studying how she shopped and haggled.
Teis followed at the very back, warily watching the puddles on the ground to prevent Liv from stepping into one.
Elena walked to the fish stall and said skillfully to the owner, “Pack a basket of seafood for a stew.”
The owner expertly picked through the stall, selecting several fish, shellfish, shrimp, and small squid, then placed them in a wicker basket and handed it to Elena.
Elena glanced at it and complained, “Owner, is there only one bream? Throw another one or two in for me.”
The owner apologized profusely and placed another plump one into the basket.
Elena thought for a moment and realized it would take too long to clean them herself, which might make the elven ladies wait too long.
So, she asked the owner to help clean them, offering a small processing fee.
It cost 7 Grossos.
After finishing her shopping, Elena said proudly, “Hehe, that’s about everything. I have onions, beans, and parsley stored at home, and I haven’t finished a lot of the seasonings yet, so there’s no need to buy more. This meal only costs around 15 Grossos, and it’ll be enough for the three of us to eat very well.”
Miraculous — it was simply miraculous.
Liv had never done this kind of math.
If that was the case, eating such a luxurious meal every day would only cost a few Grossos per person.
She could have eaten like this many times a month.
Instead, like before, she had been forced to gnaw on black bread by the end of every month.
Elena really knew how to live.
Elena carried the small basket in her left hand and the cloth bag in her right, leading the two elves to her home.
It was an alley on Dusk Street.
However, it seemed different this time.
The alley had been swept and appeared less cluttered.
“I felt bad about Lady Lief seeing such a messy place last time, so I mobilized my neighbors to clean it up. I told them that even if we’re poor, we still represent the face of the Republic. We can’t let Hobrick lose face.”
Soon, they entered Elena’s home.
She also lived on the first floor, and the room was cleaned until it was spotless.
“I rented this apartment because the kitchen is connected to the backyard. I can cook very conveniently, and both the street and the landlord allow open flames. It’s perfect for me.”
“Ehehe. Tonight, we’re having salt pork and bean ragout, plus our favorite Landingset fish soup. There will also be an onion omelet. It’ll definitely be enough for the three of us.”
She had her two distinguished guests sit at the round table in the backyard. Then, she briskly brewed a pot of tea.
“I’m going to cook now. Lady Liv, Princess Teis, please have some tea first.”
Elena first chopped and prepared all the ingredients on the cutting board.
Then, she skillfully started a fire, stuffing dry firewood into the stove and adjusting the flame.
Once the fire was steady and no longer crackling, she waited for the pot to heat up.
Once it was hot, she scooped a spoonful of olive oil into the pot and added chopped onions, garlic, and minced rosemary to sauté.
The aroma instantly triggered Lief’s hunger.
‘Eating these seasonings directly must be delicious!’
As the diced salt pork was tossed in to release its fragrance, Liv could no longer stay calm.
Holding her teacup, she couldn’t stop glancing over at Elena.
Next, the soaked white beans and water were poured into the large pot, and the stew began to bubble.
There were two large pots in the kitchen.
Naturally, the other one was used for the mixed fish soup.
She also tossed a huge amount of onions, garlic, celery, and carrots into the pot to sauté until fragrant.
She added extra seasonings to balance the briny smell of the seafood.
The seafood was also fried until golden brown before a large amount of water was added to simmer.
To make the fish soup even more delicious, Elena broke her rule and added a bit more pepper.
Lief actually knew that pepper in Landingset wasn’t as expensive as she had imagined.
Commoners could afford it, but only to the extent of adding a bit occasionally.
Once everything was ready, Elena washed her hands and ran over to sit beside Liv, reporting happily.
“We’ll let it stew slowly. Once the aroma can’t even be blocked by the wooden lid, it’ll be ready to eat.”