9 - Horrible food

At this time, people thought fruit was cooling and eating it raw was bad for your health, so it had to be cooked. Only lower-class people ate raw fruit. Vegetables were the opposite.

Maria had eaten cooked fruit before—canned fruit, for example—but the cooking methods now were very different. She glanced at the bowl of soup on the table, and her sharp nose told her it was heavily spiced, with a strong scent of pepper.

The salad was a mix of raw cabbage, turnips, carrots, and onions. Honestly, she could handle raw cabbage, but raw carrots and onions were a challenge for Maria. She didn't even like cooked carrots, let alone raw ones.

As for the highly praised roast suckling pig, Maria had no interest in it. Sure, the meat was tender and the chef did a good job roasting it to a golden, crispy perfection, but he didn't seem to know how to remove the gamey smell. Wild boar has a stronger odor than domestic pigs, and despite the heavy use of spices to mask it, Maria's keen sense of smell still picked it up.

She realized that after switching bodies, she might have turned into a picky foodie.

"My keen sense of smell and taste would make me starve to death at this era."

'No, they won't. You've got the skills of a Michelin five-star chef now. If you don't like what others cook, you can make your own.'

Maria thought about it and agreed.

While she was contemplating, the servants had finished serving the food. Simon picked up his knife, signaling that dinner could begin.

Maria's table had knives and soup spoons, as did the four people at the head table, but the knights only had a shared knife, though they each had a spoon.

It seemed like her personal cutlery set wasn't necessary, but Maria still took it out.

She smiled apologetically at the curious onlookers. "Sorry, I'm just not used to the cutlery here. Can I use my own?"

It wasn't that she was being overly particular; she just didn't trust the hygiene here. The servant who brought the cutlery had blackened hands.

In fact, the food itself might not even be that clean.

No, she couldn't think about it any longer, or she really wouldn't be able to eat.

Simon found it a bit strange that she brought her own cutlery, but he nodded. "Of course, go ahead."

No one else reacted much either. They were used to noblewomen being particular, and besides, she was a noblewoman from across the sea. Who knew what customs the mysterious East had?

However, when Maria took out her cutlery from the long box, especially the silver fork with a ceramic handle, everyone looked amazed.

"What is this? I've never seen anything like it. They're so beautiful!"

"It's ceramic," Maria said without much explanation. She hesitated over the dishes and finally picked the cabbage from the salad.

The small fork and its delicate use surprised everyone.

Maria picked up the knife and fork, elegantly cutting a small piece of the roast suckling pig Simon had recommended. Despite the strong gamey smell, it was pretty good. She also forked some cabbage from the salad and managed to eat it with the hard bread, though she didn't touch the fruit soup at all.

She regretted letting the system take all her food away.

"You don't seem to have much of an appetite."

The soft voice came from beside her. Maria turned to see Simon's sister, Eleanor.

This young girl was a head shorter than Maria, looking quite young. But given that Westerners matured earlier, Maria wasn't sure if she was actually younger than she appeared.

Eleanor looked a lot like Simon, with blonde hair and blue eyes, a few cute freckles on her cheeks, and delicate features—definitely a beauty in the making.

But despite her noble status, she seemed timid and shy. She couldn't even make eye contact when Maria looked at her.

However, judging by her question, she seemed like a kind-hearted girl.

Maria glanced sideways at Simon, who was discussing something with Father Matthew, and smiled kindly at the young girl.

She whispered, "I'm not quite used to the food here, you know. Coming from across the sea, our cuisine is quite different."

Eleanor seemed to relax a bit under Maria's influence and spoke a little louder, "But you should still eat more. You look too thin."

The girl eyed Maria, focusing on her waistline.

Compared to the others, she did seem overly slender.

Maria smiled politely, "I think I just need some time to adjust."

Understandingly, Eleanor added, "You're our brother's guest, so feel free to ask the servants for anything you need. If you don't like the food, you can also let the kitchen know. The chefs are quite skilled and should be able to prepare something more to your liking."

Maria's interest was piqued, "Is that so? Then, if it's possible, may I go to the kitchen to cook for myself?"

"You want to cook for yourself?" The girl widened her eyes in disbelief. "Do noble ladies from your land cook for themselves too?"

Of course not.

"We have to learn many things, and cooking is one of our compulsory subjects." Maria smiled. "Though I don't cook often, girls like us should know how to prepare a few signature dishes. With the Earl's help, I'd like to prepare a meal to express my gratitude."

"You're too kind, Miss Maria," said Simon. "I haven't done anything."

Turning to Simon, Maria replied, "No, you not only helped me out of a difficult situation but also graciously provided shelter for me when I had nowhere else to go. I will always remember such kindness."

Her gaze was sincere and resolute, truly intending to remember the favor.

Simon paused for a moment, then smiled, "Then I look forward to your culinary skills."

"Of course."

After dinner, instead of spending time in the lounge with them, Maria stood up to prepare to retire to her room. She expressed her desire to bathe to the maids, who promptly went to prepare for her.