Read Novel Full Vol 21 Chapter 13
Vol 21 Chapter 13
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Chapter 13 – Hot Sandwich Party
The item I ordered from the rude blacksmith was finished. As the master of the merchant guild had said, he was quite skilled, and I was very pleased with the cast metal products. The orichalcum bread knife was of such high quality that it seemed almost divine. I returned to the southeastern island after receiving the requested item, and it was finally time to hold the hot sandwich party.
I’m in a state of extreme nervousness right now.
I put the hot sandwich maker on the grill with the classic ham and cheese inside and said that I was going to have a fun hot sandwich party and show Rimu and Pent how it’s done.
Not only Rimu and Pent but the women looked at me with happy expressions. I was so proud of myself and was about to concentrate on the hot sandwiches… when I suddenly realized something.
How long should I grill them?
I’ve used electric hot sandwich makers many times before, so I know roughly how to cook them.
This time, however, I’m using a custom hot sandwich maker from another world. On top of that, it’s my first time using a charcoal hot sandwich maker, so I’m in a very reckless situation.
Why did I say something so arrogant as to show them an example of how to do it with such confidence in such a vague situation? I’m filled with regret.
I should have at least set aside some time to practice beforehand or at least prepared some kind of excuse like “I’m not going to make a model; I’m just going to experiment with the degree of doneness because it’s my first time.”
What if I serve a burnt or undercooked hot sandwich in such a situation? Everyone’s nice, so they probably won’t say anything, but my heart will die.
I have to make a golden brown hot sandwich this time.
Concentrate… concentrate… sharpen all my senses and feel the breath of the hot sandwich. Don’t miss the slightest change.
…The hot sandwich maker is heating up, and I can feel the bread inside.
Is this a hallucination? No, I’ve felt this sensation before…that’s right, it’s the zone. Being cornered and concentrating has opened the door to the zone again.
This is going to work.
I can feel what’s happening inside the hot sandwich maker through the look in my eyes and the feel of the handle.
I can feel everything: the moisture draining from the outside of the bread, the way the bread is lightly browning, the way the cheese inside is slowly starting to melt as it heats up.
Not yet, not yet. It’s too early to turn.
…Now!
Phew, it’s the perfect golden brown. I don’t have to look at it to know.
But I can’t lose my concentration now. Even if one side is perfect, it’s no good if the other side is a disaster. It’s only a hot sandwich if both sides are perfect.
…Okay, this moment is the best!
I quickly remove the hot sandwich maker from the heat and open it. What comes out is a golden brown hot sandwich, but it’s not done yet.
One of the joys of a hot sandwich is the beautiful cross-section. Only when you reveal that cross-section can you say that the hot sandwich is complete.
I quickly grab the orichalcum bread knife… Wait a minute? Is this it? Is this the kind of joke where the orichalcum is so sharp that it cuts through the cutting board and even the table?
My brain cells, which are in a zone, are spinning rapidly.
As someone who has enjoyed various otaku cultures in the past, I also really like that kind of joke.
Even though I know what’s going to happen, I still feel the urge to go for it.
But no. Everyone is looking at me with excited expressions, and there is a hot sandwich that I am proud of, perfectly toasted.
I can’t ruin that for the sake of a joke. Because I’m not a comedian.
Oh no, I didn’t order the orichalcum cutting board. I’m sure I’ll order one the next time I’m in Southern City, but for now, the important thing is how to cut the hot sandwich in front of me. If I don’t hurry, it’s going to get cold.
Ah, it was easy when I thought about it. I ran into the tent and summoned a rubber boat. I took two ingots of orichalcum and purified them.
If I don’t have an orichalcum chopping board, I can use the ingot as a substitute. (By Wataru)
Everyone looked at me with concern when I suddenly started running, but when they saw the orichalcum ingot I was holding, the women’s eyes turned to disappointment.
I know what they’re thinking, but there’s no way around it since I don’t have an orichalcum cutting board.
I put a hot sandwich on the ingot and put the orichalcum bread knife next to it.
“Huh?”
I had only moved the bread knife a little, but when I looked, the blade had made contact with the ingot.
I didn’t even feel it cut. I liked the feeling of cutting through something with a bread knife, but the blade was probably sharp enough that the bread could be cut just by the weight of the knife.
…In conclusion, since most things can be cut cleanly with an orichalcum blade, there is no need for a bread knife.
Despite coming to such a blunt conclusion, I’ve decided to complete the orichalcum knife set, and my resolve is unshakable. I’ll definitely order a cutting board, too.
For now, though, the hot sandwich is more important.
I put down the bread knife and picked up the hot sandwich to check the cross-section.
Wow, the cross-section is perfectly flat. It’s so beautiful that I feel like it might stick together if I put it back together again.
The beautiful, almost frightening cross-section slowly begins to melt, as if time has begun to move. It’s a wonderful sight.
I give the hot sandwich, which has turned deliciously, to Rimu and Pent.
Oh, they’ll just bite into it as it is. I would have liked them to enjoy the beauty of the cross-section a little more, but… well, I’ll settle for the thought that they’ll find it delicious.
“It’s like this. It looks like two minutes on each side is just right, so let’s enjoy the rest of it.”
I’ve checked the baking time, so everyone should be able to make a decent hot sandwich even if they’re not in the zone.
The girls start to move at my words. Or rather, Carla-san has already started, struggling to shove the pile of ingredients into the hot sandwich maker. I wonder if that’s okay?
Well, I’m hungry too, so let’s make the next hot sandwich.
Next time… maybe a luxury steak?
I ordered a thick, rare fillet steak from the steakhouse on the luxury liner. I’ll put it on a bun, and, oh, the condiments are important too.
Wasabi soy sauce and garlic soy sauce are tempting, but since it’s a hot sandwich, I think a Western-style condiment would be good to start with. I’ll use the red wine sauce I got from the same steak shop.
No cheese this time – let’s enjoy a hot sandwich with lots of meat.
“How about it, Wataru?”
Claretta-san was the first to finish.
“An egg sandwich? It’s a classic, but it looks delicious, and the lettuce in between really makes it stand out.”
A classic egg sandwich is delicious even when made into a hot sandwich. As you’d expect from someone who loves to cook, she’s also paid attention to how it looks, and the lettuce as a decorative touch really adds something.
“Claretta’s sandwich looks healthy. Master, is this the right way to make a hot sandwich?”
Next was Ines’ sandwich. This is… a visual assault. It could certainly be called the perfect hot sandwich.
“The thick chicken and the cheese almost spilled out of the sandwich… it looks absolutely delicious!”
“I know, right?!”
Ines nodded confidently. The cheese almost spilling out of the sandwich is both the classic way to make a hot sandwich and a bit of a cheat. You don’t have to think about it – it’s delicious.
“Marina-san, is that layered roast beef?”
“Yes, with an onion sauce in between, and the cooking time was a little shorter.”
I see; the bread is only lightly browned. In order to maintain the rare-like texture of the roast beef in the first dish, the cooking time was shortened. It’s not to be underestimated. And it looks really good.
My steak is also rare, but I’m going to shorten the grilling time a bit with the intention of cooking it through in the hot sandwich. It will definitely taste better that way.
Felicia put shrimp, avocado, and cheese in her hot sandwich. It looks like a hot sandwich with a pretentious feel, but it also looks delicious.
Oops, my hot sandwich is almost done. When I take it out and cut it, the rare cross-section of the thick filet steak is beautiful.
When I bite into it, I get a crunchy sensation followed by the softness of the fillet. It’s crisp and chewy. When I chewed it, the fillet’s deliciousness and the red wine’s flavor spread in my mouth.
If you’re looking for the perfect balance, the fillet would probably be better if it were a little thinner, but the deliciousness of the thick meat alone makes up for the imbalance.
Simply put, it’s the best. What is this? It’s delicious. The bread doesn’t feel like it’s losing out, but the meat is so delicious that it satisfies a strong, fundamental desire to eat meat.
I can’t stop eating this, and I have to make the other half as well… Oh, Rimu and Pent are eating together. Well, I’ll just make some more. But first…
“Carla, how about reducing the ingredients a bit?”
She doesn’t want to reduce the amount of ingredients, so I give her some advice. Carla-san, who just puffed up a bit, is cute.
“Listen, Carla. It’s exciting to have a hot sandwich with lots of ingredients, but it’s meaningless if you can’t make it. Just make lots of them and eat lots of them.”
“!!!”
When I say something that seems obvious, Carla-san looks as if she’s received a divine revelation.
After nodding slowly, she started making hot sandwiches with a drastically reduced amount of ingredients.
From now on, Carla-san will probably be making and eating a lot of hot sandwiches.
＊＊＊
Hot sandwich party. It was so much fun.
And I won the contest.
I tried my best to win at the end, but I had planned my winning strategy from the beginning.
My winning menu was a chocolate banana hot sandwich. Yes, a dessert hot sandwich.
The whole roasted apple was a big hit at the barbecue the other day, and as the end of the party approached, the women couldn’t resist the chocolate banana, so I won the competition, even though people said it was unfair.
I feel like I’ve been really active since I came to this southeastern island.
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