TLIMD 10

Chapter: 10

For a week, I conducted health checkups on every servant in the Karseido mansion.

I measured their height and weight, and with the support of the hospital, I even conducted simple blood tests. It was quite a thorough examination.

And so, time passed busily.

“Teacher, the things you ordered have finally arrived!”

Kellen finally announced the arrival of the ingredients.

I headed toward the kitchen with him and the Duke. In the kitchen were the newly hired chef, Hans, and three representatives of the servants who had been chosen as taste testers.

“You want me to make chicken? I’ll preheat the oven.”

“No. This chicken is a little different.”

I stopped Hans from preparing to cook it in the oven and handed him the recipe I had prepared in advance.

The chef’s eyes widened as he read my note.

“Wait, you mean you’re going to fry the entire chicken? I’ve fried plenty of chicken legs, but this is the first time I’ve ever fried a whole chicken!”

“Trust me and give it a try, Chef. Make cuts like this so the inside cooks thoroughly, then drop it into oil preheated to 180 degrees.”

Though he was doubtful, the chef followed my instructions and fried the chicken in a large pot.

At the sizzling sound of the boiling oil, one of the servant representatives, Siwoo, the stable keeper, licked his lips.

“My goodness, that looks delicious. We could just dip it in salt and eat it like this.”

“Salt is good too. But we’re going to make ‘seasoning.’”

While the chicken was frying, the chef followed the recipe I had given him and made the seasoning with butter and honey.

Then, just as he added a pinch of minced garlic—

“Add more.”

The chef looked puzzled at my instruction.

“Excuse me? But it says here, ‘Add a little garlic.’”

“You don’t understand, Chef.”

I picked up the ladle sitting on the counter and scooped up a handful of minced garlic.

“This…”

Then I dumped it mercilessly into the stainless-steel bowl with a loud clank.

“…is ‘a little’ garlic.”

“……”

The chef looked around with an expression that seemed to beg someone to save him.

However, everyone, overwhelmed by my quiet madness, refused to help him.

I vigorously stirred the seasoning so there would be no way to remove the garlic.

“Now, coat the fried chicken with this seasoning.”

The chef lost his will to resist and did exactly as I instructed.

But I was confident.

This was the devil’s recipe that had gifted me ten kilograms of weight during my internship.

And shortly afterward—

“My goodness… What on earth is this flavor?”

That was the first impression of Lily, the maid, as she cautiously bit into a chicken leg.

Peakrang, the servant, also sniffed suspiciously at first, but after taking one bite, he let out an exclamation.

“T-This spicy yet sweet, salty yet rich flavor… What in the world is this?! I’ve lived for 33 years, but I’ve never eaten anything like this before!”

“It’s absolutely delicious! I could easily eat this entire chicken by myself!”

“Duke, you should try it too. It’s really delicious.”

I handed a chicken leg to the Duke, who was standing there motionless.

I expected him to take a bite immediately at the tempting smell, but the Duke merely stared quietly at the chicken.

‘A handsome man and chicken. Adding something good to something good…’

Thinking that, I urged him on.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“It’s just… such an unfamiliar food.”

Perhaps it was too stimulating for someone who had been eating so little for 300 years.

If he doesn’t eat it like this, my accelerated-aging plan will go to waste…

Growing anxious, I said to the Duke,

“Duke. You said you trusted me and would follow me completely. I think this is the first step in building our trust. Please, try it.”

As I watched anxiously, the Duke slowly brought the chicken to his mouth…

And took a big bite.

“…It’s delicious.”

“Right?! I told you it was delicious!”

Why did hearing him say that chicken was delicious make me this happy?

Gaining confidence, I gave the chef another instruction.

“Now, let’s make the next menu. We still have a long way to go!”

After tasting the garlic chicken, the chef no longer objected to anything and simply followed my instructions.

As expected of someone who had spent his entire life making food, he became my hands and feet, quickly producing whatever I asked for.

Donuts covered in chocolate, malatang packed with glass noodles, glossy tanghulu…

Every time a food no one had ever seen or even heard of before was completed, everyone cheered.

I also enjoyed the stimulating foods together with them, feeling quite proud of myself.

Of course, every time a new dish came out, I never forgot to diligently feed it to the Duke.

“I really, really enjoyed the meal! But Teacher, can we have this food again next time?”

“Of course, Lily. Whenever you want to eat it, just ask the chef. That’s okay, right, Duke?”

“No problem.”

“Then I want to eat it again tomorrow!”

This time, Peakrang suddenly joined in.

I smiled awkwardly.

“…Tomorrow too? Wouldn’t that be too stimulating?”

“You say that because you don’t know how much we suffered in dried-meat hell. I honestly think I could eat this every day.”

The three of them kept pressing me, so I looked at the Duke with a troubled expression.

The Duke looked at us with interest and spoke.

“Then we should all follow the accelerated-aging diet together.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“If I and ordinary people eat the same meals, wouldn’t comparing the changes in each of our bodies give us more accurate results?”

I once again looked at all the food spread across the table.

Chicken, malatang, donuts, tanghulu.

And sweet juice on top of that.

A famous writer once said that we cannot travel at the speed of light.

But I was certain.

If we ate this at every meal, we could go out at a speed faster than light.

“…If that is what the Duke thinks, then shall we try it?”

“Wow! Then we can eat this again tomorrow? Thank you!”

The three members of the tasting group, who had no idea what was really going on, simply cheered at the fact that they could eat chicken again tomorrow.

Avoiding their eyes, Kellen carefully spoke to me.

“Teacher, are you sure this is okay? I understand the Duke, but feeding the servants such stimulating food every day seems a little…”

“Don’t worry, Assistant.”

I whispered quietly in response to Kellen’s whisper.

“It won’t last long anyway.”

Two weeks passed.

“Duke!! Duke!!”

The office door flew open, and Kellen came running inside.

Blasion, who had been sitting at his desk and was about to put a piece of chocolate into his mouth, stopped.

“Duke… I can’t take it anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean Teacher Frencia! I can’t stand her treatment… No, her torment anymore! How can a person survive eating nothing but rye bread and broccoli?”

On the evening of the day I created the accelerated-aging diet, Lionel declared that meals would be served according to the menu from then on, and that she would prescribe appropriate treatments based on the results of the health examinations.

At first glance, it seemed like a truly wonderful plan.

Kellen had thought so too.

If only she hadn’t diagnosed me with prediabetes that day.

“According to your blood test results, Assistant, you’re in a prediabetic state. If you leave it like this, you could develop diabetes. You also have some anemia.”

It was the first time in his life he had ever received such a diagnosis, and Kellen became extremely tense.

“Is it serious?”

“No. It can be improved as long as you manage it properly. So please follow my instructions carefully. Understood?”

“Of course. I’ll trust you completely and follow your instructions!”

Starting the very next day, Kellen’s diet was strictly restricted.

The personal physician began lecturing him in an incredibly natural instructor-like tone.

“Assistant. I told you, didn’t I? Eat the broccoli first, then the eggs, and then the bread.”

“It’s so dry. Could I put just a little strawberry jam on it…?”

“Do you really need to have your hand chopped off by a complication before you come to your senses?”

Good heavens.

How could she make such demonic threats with such an innocent-looking face?

Kellen trembled in fear as he chewed his rye bread.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

Kellen tearfully complained about another hardship.

“Because of the iron supplements Teacher prescribed for me… I can’t even have a satisfying bowel movement!”

Blasion had no desire to know about such personal circumstances of his subordinate.

Without saying a word, he placed the chocolate he had just unwrapped back on the table.

“Teacher said that iron can cause constipation, but treating your anemia and diabetes comes first.”

“T-That…”

“You should give up, Kellen. You’re already in the palm of Teacher’s hand anyway. Give up and obediently eat your broccoli and take your iron supplements properly.”

Kellen left the office with a miserable expression.

Blasion put the chocolate he had set down into his mouth and checked the clock.

“Is it already lunchtime?”

I wonder what food there will be today.

Thinking that, Blasion got up from his seat.

A month ago, the concept of mealtime had not existed for him.

But now, his body moved on its own.

Blasion admitted that he was actually enjoying his meals quite a bit.

It wasn’t simply about tasting and enjoying food.

There was another pleasure that came from going to the dining room at a set time and enjoying a meal there.

“Welcome, Duke.”

When he opened the door, the personal physician sitting at the table immediately stood up.