I Reincarnated and Became Friends with the Black Lion Prince! I’ll Make Him Change His Unhealthy Eating Habits so I Won’t Get Eaten by Him - Chapter 2.2

With a huff, Faustelaude turned away while still holding my sleeve.

He must really hate it.

Or maybe he was being stubborn.

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“If you want to eat it, I will give it to you. I won’t eat it.”

“…”

In the face of this willful childish speech, I laughed and stood up.

Mbl vayu zlqv cu vbl clywvkqwz zyeu oyp rzynle yv y prsv zso ldswtb ps vbyv kv oyp lypu qsa nbkzeald vs alynb kv.

Ebld R alxshle vbl nzsvb vbyv oyp eayrle sd vsr, R qswde y nsdvykdla sq aknl, y qynl-esod aknl csoz, bsv vly, osseld nbsrpvknjp, yde ycswv vball jkdep sq vpwjlxsds.1

Rv zssjle zkjl vpwjlxsds cwv rascyczu vypvle xsal zkjl rknjzlp.

“Sknl” oyp yp R alxlxcla kv, cwv vbl alpv sq vbl qsse’p nwzvwal oyp hlau Owasrlyd.

Vknjzlp yal ralplahle qssep xyel okvb hkdltya, yde vpwjlxsds yal xyel okvb pyzv. Rq vblu olal vpwjlxsds, vblu oswze ts olzz okvb aknl.

“Zsw lyv kv.”

“…”

Wywpvlzywel oyp pwzjkdt, rlabyrp clnywpl R oyp pvyakdt vss kdvldvzu yv vbl vayu.

I could also understand his notion that white rice tastes bland. Because it has a faint flavor.

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I picked one of the tsukemono, or pickle-like things, without reservation.

It has a crunchy texture and a strong salty taste.

It felt strange because I’d never tasted anything like it while in this body, but these are tsukemono.

I looked into the tea and found that it was green tea, betraying my preconceived notion that this country resembled a European country.

Yes, yes.

This was a good sign.

My strategy was, “If it tastes weak, why not add flavor to it?”

I served the rice using the rice bowl.

There was only one set of chopsticks, so I had to use them. I used to use chopsticks regularly in my previous life, but this was the first time I’d used them since I became Theo.

2

I almost dropped some rice clumsily. It was nerve-wracking.

After serving the rice successfully, I added some tsukemono.

I’m glad the tea was still warm.

It was not refined food, but it would taste like something.

“Your Highness. I have seasoned it. Please eat.”

“…Humph.”

Faustelaude looked grumpy but he still took a sniff of it. His stomach was rumbling and his tail was flapping slowly.

I guessed that he was guarded against it, but he was so hungry that he couldn’t continue to be stubborn.

“Are you really okay with me eating it?”

“…It’s mine.”

I couldn’t help but smile as his not-so-honest hands reached out to the food.

The tea was warm, so the heated smell must have whetted the appetite.

“I’ve never seen tea being added to “rice”.”

“We often eat like that in my hometown.”

“I see.”

After stirring the food around with the chopsticks, he gingerly tried it.

His cautious appearance was like that of a wild cat, and somehow it was quite lovely. His round ears that stood up were cute.

“Hmm!”

After taking a mouthful, Faustelaude’s face lit up.

Oh, it was delicious.

I smiled with relief at his childlike honesty. It’s better to not be hungry. It’s unfortunate to be hungry. Everything becomes miserable.

I watched over him with a smile as, in front of me, Faustelaude gobbled it up with a vigor unbefitting of a prince.

He held out the empty rice bowl energetically.

“I am full. Shorty…no.”

“I am Theodore, Your Highness.”

“Then, it’s Theo! I will call you Theo. You, too, call me Faus.”

“…That is…”

I was taken aback by the sudden enforcement of nickname calling.

Six-year-old Theo couldn’t figure it out. Even if I mobilized the memories of my previous life, I didn’t know how to answer him.

“Theo. I’m hungry. Quick.”

“Guu” his stomach rumbled again.

Faustelaude licked his lips without feeling ashamed.

“I understand, Faus– Faus-sama.”

“Um.”

The prince nodded in satisfaction, and I made him a second bowl of ochazuke to satisfy his hunger.3Chazuke or ochazuke is a simple Japanese dish made by pouring green tea, dashi, or hot water over cooked rice. Chazuke provides a good way to use leftover rice as a quick snack because this dish is easy to make. In Kyoto, ochazuke is known as bubuzuke.

As His Highness began to eat, the beautiful ladies from earlier reappeared. They must have been watching from somewhere.

“Oh, my. Your Highness, you have eaten properly.”

Faus threw out his chest in a proud manner to the ladies, who were amazed.

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“Theo over there made it delicious. I can eat something like “rice”. It’s your cooking that’s bad.”

“What kind of magic did you use?”

“I just made ochazuke. I’m sorry. It’s not a refined way to eat.”

A lady was beaming in spite of the one-sided criticism.

I briefly explained how to make ochazuke to the lady, who seemed to be intrigued. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it cooking.

It’s also not something you’d feed to a prince.

While I was feeling ashamed, the lady also frowned, saying, “In front of His Holiness, it is a bit…”

That’s true, too.

I also understood that it was not something I could place in front of the head of the clergy.

“The salty taste is delicious. This is what I would like to have for lunch with my uncle.”

Only one person, Faus, was pleased.

“When His Holiness Simone is present, please properly eat the white rice.”

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“The head chef’s cooking is poor. Theo should be made the head chef.”

“Faus-sama, that’s troubling.”

You shouldn’t suddenly make it an issue of whether an employee should get to keep his position or not, just because I made ochazuke.

The lady smiled while looking at me, who was even smaller than Faus, as if she was in trouble.

Even if His Highness the Black Lion was serious, he knew it would not come true.

I noticed the golden-brown-haired lady also had round ears.

As expected from the country of the beastmen race, there are many beastmen in the ruling classes.

“The appointment of the head chef is under the authority of Her Majesty the Queen. Please, Your Highness. And studymate. His Majesty the King has instructed me to take His Highness to him when he finishes eating.”

“From father?”

“He is very angry that you ran away from His Holiness Simone’s sermon.”

“…That is…”

“And that you did not eat the holy “rice”. No, you properly ate this one.”

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“Mm. Because Theo is good at cooking.”

“Then, let’s tell His Majesty about your studymate so that he can praise him for his cooking skills.”

When the beautiful lady said this, Faus’ tail started wagging at high speed.

It was so cute because you could see that he’s in a good mood.

He seemed to be properly controlled by her, I wondered if this lady was Faus’ babysitter.

The lady led me and Faus by hand to the king’s study.

I was told at the time that, as I had expected, the beautiful lady was a noblewoman of the beastmen race, and was one of the group of court ladies responsible for babysitting Faus.

Due to my response, which was not like that of a child’s, I was told, “You are a very clever child. You are indeed the son of Doctor Medico.”

I am sorry.

I’m not that smart, I simply have the advantage of the memories of my previous life.

The king, who saw me and Faus as we were led in by the hand of the court lady, was, in a word, like an anthropomorphic lion. He looked big, strong, and a little scary.

The same sharp golden eyes as Faus’ were unexpectedly very gentle.

He just calmly compared us and said to me, “Get along with Faus.”

And with this one sentence, I became Faus’ official study mate.

Following in my father’s steps, I also got a job.