Editor: mii’s nonexisting writing skill
That day, Ilya’s father was trying to make a new dish. I wasn’t completely sure, but Ilya told me that the tavern was bustling with many new customers, so his father wanted to make something that would impress those customers to come again. The tavern’s cooks were Ilya’s father and brother, and they were in charge of making new recipes too. Usually, his father would make the new dish and his brother would give suggestions to improve the dish, but Ilya’s mother went to her friend’s son’s wedding ceremony and both of Ilya’s brothers went to the lake to fish. Since there was nobody else in the tavern, Ilya’s father asked Ilya and me to be the food tester.
“Okay, here’s the ‘Capital’s Special Beef Stew’! My son, have a bite! Hero Allen, you too!”
Ilya’s father brought out one big plate of his freshly cooked beef stew on the table. Other than beef, there were also carrot, potato, and some mushrooms.
Ilya told me before that his father was a good cook, and the beef in front of my eyes certainly looked good. With the delicious smell wafted from the plate, Ilya drooled a little, his eyes fixed on the plate.
Ilya’s father kept encouraging us to have a bite, so both of us took the spoon and had a bite. The stew was slightly sweet, and the rich beef gravy helped the hearty flavor of the potatoes and carrots to come through. Ilya’s face clearly showed that he was thoroughly enjoying the meal. He scooped the meat into his mouth energetically. His father laughed out loud and said, “How is it! Delicious, right?”
“Dad, it’s very delicious! This is already perfect, I don’t think you’ll need to change anything.” Ilya said with a smile, his brown eyes sparking. His father grumbled that Ilya always said that everything was delicious, but he didn’t seem to mind. Rather, he looked happy.
Ilya’s father turned his eyes to me at the next moment, still smiling wide. “How is it, Hero Allen? You don’t have to hold yourself, just tell me if there’s anything I need to change!” His tone friendly, encouraging. Ilya scolded him about not to call me ‘Hero Allen’ in case someone heard him, but my mind went into a daze.
The stew certainly tasted delicious, and I could see the dish becoming popular, but…
While chewing the meat, I suddenly felt like I wanted to eat the vegetable stew I ate before.
Tobol’s Vegetable Stew. It was a simple dish with no meat, but I really liked it. Allen used to make it for me and the kids in the orphanage. Although the vegetables were sometimes rotten, eating that stew together with Allen was something that could never compare with anything else.
While thinking so, I didn’t really want to eat the beef stew anymore. But I nodded and said, “It’s good.”
Ilya stared at me. I didn’t know if he knew what I was thinking, but he looked like he wanted to say something. But before he could open his mouth, Ilya’s father scratched his head and said, “Y’know what, I don’t know if it’s really delicious since you don’t look like you enjoyed the dish, but,” He beamed a smile before continuing, “I really want a dish that will make Hero Allen smile because it’s so delicious! Just wait for it!”
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“Riley! You’re back. …What happened? You look like you saw something weird.” Ilya welcomed me, but he suddenly stopped, gazing at my face. Everyone always said that I had an expresionless face, but Ilya always managed to know what I was feeling.
“Nothing.” I said, since what I just saw wasn’t something that I could explain well. The heat probably affected my mind, so everything that just happened was probably an illusion. I felt a bit complicated thinking so. “Here’s the radish.”
Ilya beamed. “Thank you.” He took the paper bag from me, then pulled my hand. “Err, can you come to the kitchen for a while?”
I was wondering what happened as we walked to the kitchen, but then Ilya released my hand and told me to take a seat at the bar-like counter adjacent to the kitchen. He went to the kitchen, opening a pot that was heating up in the stove.
The smell of stew filled the room, and my eyes sparkled. Eh…?
“I’m not as good as my father in cooking, but I tried making this as delicious as I can. Maybe I should use vegetables that taste better? How about putting the radish into the stew?”
I shook my head towards Ilya who looked worried.
What I wanted to eat wasn’t a stew with expensive vegetables. I just wanted to eat the simple dish we used to eat together at Tobol.
Ilya laughed and spooned the stew on a clean plate. He then served the stew in front of me, carefully putting spoon beside the plate.
I took the spoon, immediately taking a bite.
“How was it? Delicious?” Ilya asked, looking a bit worried.
It was even more delicious than the one I ate in this tavern before. Touched, tears spilled out from my eyes. Ilya looked troubled, but he still smiled as he gently patted my head to comfort me. His warmth really calmed me down. I could hear him calling me a crybaby, but it didn’t matter now.
It seemed like I finished the stew too fast since Ilya told me to slow down, but it was really the best.
When Ilya cleaned the table and I had calmed down, I asked him what had been bugging my mind until now. “By the way, why did you tell me to buy radish?”
“Ah? It’s nothing special. I’m just thinking of using this today.”
“…What?” Using what? For what?
“Why do you look so panicked? I’m just joking. Happy April Fools, Riley!” Ilya laughed, and at the next moment, the radish suddenly grew, becoming gigantic. I panicked at the strange occurence, trying to grab Ilya’s hand. But there was none. What I grabbed was a long leaf. When I looked at Ilya, he was now a radish.
I was on a bed inside a luxurious inn, where I stayed before the parade. My body was full of sweat. I realized that I was trembling.
Was Ilya also an April Fool’s lie?
(((This is written by this crazy translator for 2020’s April Fools! I decided to preserve this since many people asked me not to delete it, so here it is!)))
happy radish day! /what /stopmakingthingsup
why are you even reading this mess lmao… /whyareyouwritingthisthen
please overlook the grammar, spelling errors, and rushed ending and just think of this as me embarrasing myself!!!!! I’m just having fun muahahaha /bricked
anyway I’ll upload the real chapter when it’s 11PM GMT+8, okay? don’t be too mad, you won’t see this cursed thing in the internet anymore soon… I just want to do something for April Fools hohoho~~ if you’re reading this outside Chrysanthemum Garden, then shame on you!!! read this in the Chrysanthemum Garden to read the real chapter 6!!! yeah reposters, I’m looking at you…… >.> how dare you immortalize my typos! at least let me fix them grrr!!! oh but now this cursed story will be immortalized in the internet forever…… meh who cares, if you want to read the real chapter 6 read at CG yo! reposters bot won’t be that high tech and re-copy the real ch 6 yeah??? then at least fix my typos on nhad how dare u!!!!!!!! (((angrynoises)))
ugh so sleepy… life in quarantine is hard, you don’t make any money so you become free slave for family reeeeee!!! ughhh I’m going sleeping until tomorrow so wake me up at 11 PM!!!!!!!! /yousounddrunkmii
also guess why Ilya asked Riley to buy radish,,, there’s a real reason to it y’kno (((none)))
(((btw I’ll ping you guys with ICY role on CG’s discord server after I release the real ch 6 so join the server and use the role if you want to get ping-ed)))