On that day, Viscount Julio Gerhardt let out a deep sigh, which he didn't know how many times today.
This was the residence of the Countess Salzberg family, which was set up in a corner of Piraeus, the royal capital of the Roserian kingdom.
　Or, to be more precise, it should be the former residence of Count Salzberg.
(Although I was watching the dinner party from a corner of the hall, it was moderately well-managed...there were probably some servants who have served since the days of the Count Salzberg, but they didn't seem to be upset. (Apparently, the effect of the Count's defeat is extremely small.
　When he said that, Duke Gerhardt sighed again.

　All the aristocrats with discerning taste buds are flocking to the table.
　A few days ago, you had criticized the court for not serving good food at a dinner party held by an upstart baron.

　Viscount Gerhardt didn't taste the food itself as he was watching from a corner of the hall, trying to keep an eye on the surroundings without being noticed.
　However, even from the perspective of Viscount Gerhardt, who has a reputation as a gourmet, it was easy to imagine the level of the food and drinks on the table by smelling the aromas wafting from them.
　The food and drinks served in a standing-room-only style are of the highest quality.　
　Spices that may have been imported from other continents are used sparingly.
　Some of the spices are said to be worth more than their weight in gold.
　That alone would be on a scale and standard comparable to a dinner party held by the Duke of Gerhardt when he was the head of the aristocracy.
　Moreover, the food served was creative.
　There were the common dishes of the earth world, such as baked goods and stewed soups, but the tables were also crammed with dishes such as fried foods, which are difficult to eat due to their high consumption of oil, and steamed foods, which tend to show off the chef's skills.
　The most eye-catching dish was the one in which live fish and shellfish were shucked on the spot and dressed with oil and spices.
　This is quite rare in the Land World, where, apart from fruits, basic ingredients are usually cooked through.
　Although I had heard of this kind of dish being eaten raw in the coastal areas of the Western Continent, this was the first time even Duke Gerhardt had ever tasted it.
　And then there's that stunning performance.
(I didn't expect them to prepare so many stunning fish........)
　Who would have thought of dropping a fish of such a splendid size in front of you, dropping it on the floor in front of you to make the nobles groan, and then having them bring you a replacement right away after you had disappointed them once?　
　Mikoshiba Ryoma showed his apologies by saying it was a servant's malfunction, but no matter how you look at it, you can see that they had a meeting beforehand.
　Moreover, as soon as a plate of food was empty, the next plate would be brought in.
If more than one plate was laid out at once, it could be seen as sarcasm, but if the reason was to keep the food hot, I don't think that would be the case.
　However, as far as tonight's dinner party is concerned, that excuse is vain.

　So Viscount Gerhardt shook his head slightly.
(It's true that the Woltenia peninsula, that man's territory, is surrounded by the sea. ) Since it has developed as a trading port with neighboring countries, there are probably more opportunities to obtain seafood compared to aristocrats like us who have territories inland. But...............)
　To begin with, it should be noted that the capital city of Piraeus is far from the coastal area.
　Naturally, most of the foodstuffs on the table are meat and potatoes and other grains.
　Fish dishes are not completely absent, but river fish and small shrimps are the mainstay of the diet.
　There are some influential people who are known as gourmands, and it is not uncommon for them to have fish and shellfish brought in from the sea, but most of the time it takes a long time for the fish to become less fresh.
　There is even a joke that a percentage of the reason why a nobleman dies every year is due to food poisoning.
　But the items lined up at today's dinner party were clearly not as fresh as they could be.
　From what I saw of the way the nobles ate, there should have been no fishy smell, nor should there have been any putrid odor.
　But that wasn't the only problem.
(The plates that were handed out to everyone, and the vessels holding the food...were pottery made by skilled craftsmen. The quality is not bad. The quality is not bad, and our family can use it to entertain guests at home. (But that's not the point...)
　Basically, the taste of food deteriorates with time.
　The hot ramen noodles become warm with time, and the taste changes just as well.
　However, if it is a dish that has been given a granting technique, it is a different story.
　By pouring the surgeon's vitality into the dish, it is possible to keep hot food warm and cold food cold for a long time.　
　However, it is not so easy to put into words.
　Even if you look around the entire Western Continent, the magicians who have mastered the Granting Technique are quite rare.
　In addition to requiring knowledge like the grammatical arts, it is necessary to carve a complex formula similar to a pattern into the target's tools.
　In addition, since technical training is also required, it takes more time than the martial arts and grammatical techniques to master it.
　In addition, many of the jutsu practitioners who use granting techniques are exclusive.
　Many of the techniques used in granting techniques are mostly passed down between relatives.
　The techniques that are often applied to weapons, such as hardening and lightening, are considered to be secret.　
　The only exception to this would be the compulsion techniques used in the management of slaves, also known as curse marks.
　But in either case, it is certain that there are few magicians who have mastered the art of granting a spell.
(And to think that it can be activated without the person holding the plate deliberately pouring out raw air... Perhaps the efficiency of the consumption of raw air is terribly high... The sorcerer who granted that is quite skilled. ........)
　The granting Dharma technique is a technique that activates a specific effect granted by feeding on the user's vitality.
　So basically, it can only be used by people who have mastered the Dharma technique that can control their animate energy.
　It is true that even an ordinary person who is not a sorcerer wears raw qi, but they cannot activate the jutsu with that level of possession.
　However, the dishes used at today's dinner party shattered such common sense of Duke Gerhardt.
　In fact, Viscount Gerhardt noticed that the glass of wine he was holding in his hand remained cold for hours without ice, so he became suspicious and examined it.
(I don't know what means Mikoshiba used, but I do know that he has the financial resources and resources to provide hundreds of people invited to tonight's dinner party with such a highly-skilled tableware. ...)
　Viscount Gerhardt understood what that meant.
　How lost in thought he was in thought.
　There was a light tap on the door and a woman's voice was heard.
''My master would like you to come to his office.
　At those words, Viscount Gerhardt gave a small nod and sat up from the sofa.
　He then picked up the glass on the table and drank it down in a breath of air as a way to boost his economy.