I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

As she straightened her index finger and waved it gently, he admired his wife’s workaholic aspect once again.

Cupping her chin with her hands and narrowing her eyes, Iellie mumbled softly to herself.

“I think if you can hold it in one hand and eat, it would be good and you can eat it with other foods as well.”

“….”

“And seafood should be the main thing.”

Zachary decided not to argue. It was what she wanted to do, so instead, he focused on the conversation with her.

“Seafood…”

“All I can think of right now is skewers, but that’s already common. Something unique…”

Something unique. Something to eat in the empire…

Iellie stopped thinking blankly and muttered unknowingly.

“…Fried squid? Oh, come to think of it, I want to eat fried squid.”

It was delicious to dip in soy sauce and chopped green onion. As she smacked her lips, Zachary was disgusted.

“Can you eat squid or octopus?”

“Of course, how delicious it is.”

She nodded her head at his words. In fact, squid and octopus were not consumed much in the empire, perhaps because of their shape. They said northern savages ate it, so that was why they were rather reluctant to eat it.

“Then, you fry the squid or octopus directly in oil?”

Iellie was momentarily speechless at his question.

‘…No, not like that. Fried squid isn’t that kind of food.’

“So, by coating it with batter…”

Iellie, who tried to explain somehow, bit her lip. It was also difficult to describe dishes that did not exist here. While she had somehow adapted to the imperial diet, she missed the dishes from her previous life.

‘…Ah, I want to eat fried food and tteokbokki.’

She thought so. To be honest, she couldn’t get rice and red pepper paste, so she couldn’t make tteokbokki.

‘There are foods that are fried by using ingredients and frying them in oil or by frying them directly…’

At the thought, she then narrowed her brows. As far as she knew, there was no ‘fried food’ that met her standards in the current empire—that was, food that was coated in a thick batter and deep-fried. She gave a look of surprise.

‘Wait… fried food?’

She paused before narrowing her eyes. She thought she had come up with something funny.

Fried food?

‘…Wouldn’t it be possible to recreate fried food?’

Although she had no talent for cooking, Iellie knew how to make fried food. Mix finely sieved flour with salt to make a batter, and cook it in oil.

She got a little serious.

‘That’s because it’s such a natural food for me…’

She didn’t think that other people wouldn’t know about the existence of fried food, which was deep-fried by coating it with batter. Zachary was looking at her with a still bewildered face. He called out to her, squinting his eyes.

“Len?”

“Oh, sorry.”

As she slipped out of her thoughts when she thought of the freshly fried, crispy batter, her mouth watered.

“By the way, Zachary, it’s fried food.”

“…Fried food?”

“We will be selling tempura at this festival.”

Iellie was so excited as she said that, while Zachary still looked puzzled. If she cut it into bite-sized pieces and fried it, it was easy to eat while watching the festival. Besides, there was one more advantage.

‘Seafood spoils easily.’

However, frying them at a high temperature lowers the risk of their spoiling deterioration. She forgot to even say a greeting to Zachary and ran outside.

Left behind, he stared at his wife’s back with a bewildered face.

* * *

From that day on, the Duchess lived in the Duke’s castle kitchen the whole time.

Under the her direction, the chef developed several dishes. Not only the people of the Duke’s castle, but also the administrators and fishermen all sampled the new dishes developed by the duchess, and they all gave favorable reviews.

Time passed, and the festival day approached.

The festival, which also served as a good catch festival, was not large in scale. Rather, it was more like a local festival. It was because of the Duchess’ judgment that it would be risky to make a large scale from the beginning.

Still, there were many visitors.

“I heard the Duchess planned it herself?”

“I don’t know what it is, but don’t you think it might be fun?”

The reason that the Duchess planned the festival was for one thing. Since her wedding, she has become popular in the North in many ways, and the Duchess was planning an event officially.

“Well, honestly, I didn’t know that it would get popular like that… but… well, it’s good when there are a lot of people.”

She said flatly.

The Ducal couple had visited the place where the festival was currently being held. The place they chose was a small town adjacent to the North Sea, barely labeled as a city.

“…Since this city was created, I’ve never seen so many people visit.”

As the organizer of the festival, Peter, who was standing by to accompany the Duchess, said that with a blank face. Inside the small town, tourists were crowding in. It was something he had never experienced before, even though they had held the big catch festival several times.

Iellie shrugged lightly.

“Well, I was just using a festival that already existed.”

“Duchess.”

“Although we already have such a good festival, it is rather regrettable that we have not been able to utilize it until now.”

Iellie was wearing an airy white dress with a blue ribbon tied around her wrist. The blue ribbon was said to symbolize courtesy to the god of the sea, to whom the fishermen prayed.

She smiled.

“Rather than that, the festival seems to be successful.”

“Yes. I think sales will probably be significant.”

“Really? That’s fortunate.”

Iellie nodded, satisfied.

The festival looked very lively. A blue flag in honor of the god of the sea was waving as if reaching for the white clouds, and the inside was full of tourists.

“Oh, and the food developed by the Duchy itself is also selling like hotcakes.”

Peter continued with a happy face. In fact, even without him saying anything, the food stalls were already crowded with long lines of people.

Watching it, she turned around.

“If so, shall we enjoy the festival?”

As she uttered so in a slightly excited voice, Zachary glanced down at Iellie and smiled.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Apparently, his wife seemed enthusiastic about the festival. He also wanted to look around.

“Before we enter.”

Gently pulling his wife’s shoulder, he said as he held her in his arms.

“Will you allow me to escort you so we don’t lose each other?”

“…Of course, Duke.”

As Iellie replied in an affectionate voice, the couple smiled at each other.

* * *

The Duke and his wife looked around while the chattering voices of the people spilled over their ears. Since the scale of the festival was small, carriage access was restricted. It was difficult to even walk, but people’s expressions were good.

“Everyone looks happy.”

“This is because of your hard work.”

“Even if you compliment like that, nothing will happen.”

“I really mean it.”

Zachary looked at her. Iellie made eye contact with him and scrunched her nose.

“I think my husband likes me too much.”

“Of course. How can I not like you?”

“No. I mean, really like me.”

His cheeks blushed slightly at her kind reply. But he knew it, Iellie was preoccupied with the festivities. Swept away by countless people, they trotted.

“Come here, Len. If something went wrong, you might go far.”

“Ah, yes.”

The two joined hands. Most of the ladies wore white dresses and blue ribbons. Since the Duchess first wore it to show respect for the festivals and customs of the region, people wore it with the same meaning.

“All the ladies are like white flowers, they are all so pretty.”

“Really?”

Zachary furrowed his brows. After a while, he stared into her face and replied playfully.

“I don’t know because I can only see you.”

“…Really, I can’t with you.”