430-200 million PV breakthrough commemorative reader questionnaire SS 2





 My name is Bartolo. I'm the cook of the House of Slowlet.

 My job is to prepare meals for the Norse, Elna, and the monks of Alfried, and to cook for the maids.

 I've been cooking for the monks today, and there's something that's been bothering me lately.

 That is because, since the arrival of a high ranking person called Viscount Dole, Meena's requests for snacks have decreased drastically.

 In the past, she would insist on baking cookies every two days or pressuring me to make hamburgers for her to eat.

 But in the past week or so, he has stopped doing that.

 This is clearly an unusual situation. I've worked for the Rowlett family for a long time and this has never happened to me.

 Could it be that Meena's health is not well?

 No, that's why I'm afraid to ask a woman rudely about her health condition.

 When I asked Meena, who was looking haggard before, if she was not feeling well, Meena and Saara told me that it was just a woman's day and that she was not delicately dressed.

 Really, I've always been bad at that kind of concern and I don't know what to do about it.

'Bartolo, I'll take your juice!

 As I was thinking about this, it seems that the monk had entered the kitchen before I knew it, and he was grabbing Libra's juice from the fridge.

 ........Even with this, I've gone on adventures with Nord and Erna, and I've dived through numerous death lines, but I can't catch the monk's presence.

 It's as if he's moved in an instant.

 I wonder if my instincts have been dulled by spending time as a cook in this mansion.

 But since I don't think I'm that bad, I must have become a lot more rounded than I used to be.

'Hey, kid. Can I ask you a question?

What's up, Bartolo?

 Maybe Monk would know why Meena wasn't prompting me for sweets.

 Thinking that, I decided to ask the monk about Meena's uncomfortable behavior.

I see," he said, "that Meena has stopped prompting me for sweets and hamburgers.

 It's awkward to ask a seven year old kid about these things and gather information, but the boy has a strange dignity that doesn't make him feel his age difference.

'That meena, you know? Absolutely crazy, right? Do you know what the boy is?

'Oh, I overheard Saara warning me that something about Bartolo being too busy and bothering her with his hands~. Maybe that's why Meena is refraining from doing this?

It's kind of easy to imagine the scene.

 It was easy to imagine Meena being warned by her junior, Saara.

'It's not like you're in such bad shape that you don't seem to want to eat, is it?

'Yes. When I make Erna's sweets, I can sense a hint of that near the entrance to the kitchen, and I make sure to refill my mantle.

Well that's just being stubborn, isn't it?

 I agree with the boy.

 Even though he was warned by Saara, who is a junior, he'll be warned again if he immediately urges her to get a snack.

''Meena tries to play big sister sometimes in a strange way.

That's Bartolo. You're looking good, aren't you?

 I couldn't help but mention it, and the monk gave me a meaningful look as he nimble-eyed me.

 It's as if he's looking at Nord and Erna with a lukewarm gaze.

''What's that look?''

No, no?

 When I ask him a question, the boy laughs dismissively and shrugs it off.

 It's like he's got a lot of ideas, but he's keeping a lid on it and not talking.

 I wonder. Now you know why the monk gets beaten up so often by Miss Elinora.

 I'm confident I'd be shivering if I wasn't a cook, too.

'That said, Bartolo wouldn't be comfortable with this either.

Well. It's unsettling to stop making things you've always made.

 I'm a chef, not a pastry maker, but I don't hate making pastries.

 In fact, I like it.

 The people who live in this house all have a good reaction to good food, and Meena in particular has a good reaction.

 I just hand her a cookie and she puts on a happy face.

I know you're busy, but if you can see someone's face when they're happy, then a little bit of work is nothing to sneeze at.

'Bartolo, the rewards don't go into your paycheck, do they? If you're busy, you should negotiate with Dad Nord for more cooks or negotiate a salary. You don't want to look like a company man, do you?

 I thought I said a good line, but the boy was terribly worried about me.

 I don't understand the word "company man" that sometimes comes out of the monk's mouth, but it doesn't sound like a good word because it gives off a livestock-like vibe.

 I thought I was being ridiculed, but I could tell he was really worried about me by the seriousness on his face.

'I don't understand what he's saying subtly, but I know he's worried about me. It's true that I'm busy at times, but I'm fine now.

'That's the most suspicious thing about it, that it's okay now, isn't it? You know, Bartolo, he thinks it's easier and quicker to take care of things on his own than to have a lazy junior chef, right?

''Well how do you know so much? On the contrary, it's weird!

 The monk brilliantly saw the main reason I hadn't asked for additional cooks before.

'I've seen a lot of people go under because I said so.

 The monk muttered sincerely while looking somewhat distant.

 It's not surprising that a seven year old boy would notice it when the Nord, who has been with him the longest, is only dimly aware of it.

It's a good thing that you're not going to be prompted by the other side to tell Meena about Bartolo.

'Yes. It's hard to say it straight.

 Instead, they might think we've given them a lot of attention, and Sarra could scold us for it.

'Then why don't you just catch him as a job? As I recall, we haven't had a long spoon made for the parfait yet, have we?

...I see. If you make a spoon for a parfait, you have to make sure it works properly, as part of your job.

That's what I mean.

 If it was a business cause, Saara and Meena would be happy to eat the parfait.

 This feeling of flat-out going behind the scenes of emotions and rules, it's just like Erna.

 Even when we were adventuring in the past, Erna used to make these suggestions.

'As usual, the monk is as wily as ever.

Please tell me I'm being tactful.



 You're not going to be able to do that.



 Even after getting advice from the monk, Meena never begged for sweets or hamburgers, as if she was trying not to bother me.

 When I was making cookies for Elna and the monk, though, she would look into the kitchen with an amazing look in her eyes. I guess my willpower and my instincts are clashing.

 This is a hard thing to do. It felt like I was constantly being watched by a predator.

 But that would probably end today.

 Because I had a blacksmith named Logan make spoons for the parfait as the monk had advised.

 I've been making cookies, muffins, puddings and milk gelato for Meena and her friends since morning, and the kitchen smells sweet.

 Sure enough, when the cookies are baked, Meena is at the kitchen entrance.

 I want to charge inside and get a cookie. But she has a conflicted expression on her face, as if she can't interfere.

 Meena makes up her mind and calls out to her just as she's about to leave.

'Meena, can you go get Saara for a minute?'

'What? Could it be that you're only tasting Saara!

 In Meena's mind, being called in the middle of making candy = tasting it? It was a little hard to read the thought process, but I knew that Meena wanted to eat anyway.

'No, not like that. Anyway, go get me.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it.

 Unceremoniously, Meena moved away from the entrance and went to call for Saara.

 Not long after that, Meena brought Saara with her.

'Oh, and Meena stay too,'

Me too?

 Meena was about to leave, as if she didn't think she had any use for me, so I stopped her.

 Meena then walked in, looking blatantly happy.

'Mr. Bartolo, what can I do for you and me?'

Actually, I had a parfait spoon made the other day. I want you to test it to see if it works properly.

"...you mean you want us to eat the parfait as a job?

 I'm not sure if the perceptive Saara understood my intentions, but she dared to use simple words to help me understand.

I want you to eat the parfait as a job. We have a duty to make sure that the boys are able to use it.

"...work! I mean, then we'll have to eat it, won't we?

 Hearing the words of Saara and I, Meena's expression brightens as she understands.

 The too obvious appearance of this makes my cheeks loose.

"If you have no choice, you don't have to eat, right, Meena?

'Oh, Sarra! Don't be mean to me!

 I crisply prepare the parfait while Meena pats Saara on the shoulder.

 Then Meena asks me at the same time.

"But, Mr. Bartolo. Do you have time to make parfaits? I heard that the dukes are coming soon and they're busy preparing for that....

I don't know what you've been holding back from, but if the food you've been making every day is suddenly gone, you won't feel comfortable. So, I'll make a little snack or a hamburger for you anytime.

Mr. Bartolo..........

 Meena was touched by my words and Saara shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "Oh dear.

 There's no fun in cooking for work every day, you know.

 Once in a while, I make snacks and develop dishes with the monk. There are many things that make it fun.

'Well, I'll need cookies again tomorrow! And my treat is a hamburger! I haven't eaten lately, so I'm trying to get it back!

 As expected, I'm not going to make cookies and hamburgers every day. I may have gotten carried away and said too much earlier.

I'm sorry, that was too much. I take back the word 'whenever'.

Why?



 The kitchen of the Sowlett family had been buzzing with activity all morning.