Chapter Ten: The Truly Irresistible Hero

The blade of Altote trembled slightly.

“How is this possible? I clearly have no sense of smell, yet… it smells so fragrant!”

It gazed at the golden fried rice lifted from the pot and placed into the bowl, involuntarily imagining the rich flavors contained within.

No, this won’t do… once I truly taste it, there’s no turning back.

“Master Hero, don’t give up!!!”

Yet, Mino smiled.

“Heh, don’t worry, Altote. I am your master after all; you’re underestimating me far too much…”

There was no tremor or wavering in his calm tone, despite the devil’s temptation. Cletina opened her mouth in astonishment.

What’s going on… Fim’s power isn’t working?!

Amidst Cletina’s stunned expression, Mino declared resolutely:

“I refuse!”

His voice echoed through the prison cell…

He refused… Cletina’s resolve wavered. She had expected Mino to comply easily, just like before, but not only did he resist Fim’s interrogation, his tone was so firm!

How could this be?!

“Nothing is impossible, Altote. Haven’t you always wondered why I never comment when tasting royal cuisine?”

Mino turned his head, smiling at the Holy Sword.

Altote’s blade vibrated slightly, suddenly recalling something.

Whether royal delicacies, feasts for adventurers, or even the lunch personally prepared by Princess Kalia, Mino never lingered on the taste.

This was unlike a hero who had only eaten rye bread. Unless—

“Could it be…”

The Holy Sword trembled, finally understanding.

“That’s right.” Mino lifted the corner of his mouth:

“After eating rye bread for so many years, I have… lost my sense of taste!”

“So, no matter how fragrant that fried rice smells, to me, who has lost his taste, it simply has no flavor!”

“This interrogation is futile!”

Mino raised his head high, and at that moment, the radiance of humanity’s strongest hero enveloped him.

A tempting aroma accompanied by steam wafted toward him.

Mino lowered his gaze.

Fim held a steaming bowl of fried rice carefully before Mino.

The zombie-like Fim shook her head slightly, a lively, gentle smile appearing on her pale, youthful face.

Her once hollow eyes now shone brightly, as if glowing.

“Mino is pitiful. Fim can feel it.”

“Fim also has no sense of taste, so she has been making delicious food.”

“Hopefully one day, she can taste something good.”

“It is not interrogation; just wanting to make it for you to eat.”

Mino looked at the adorable zombie maid before him, then at the glistening grains in the bowl, closing his eyes slightly.

His throat gave a soft gulp, barely perceptible.

“Can I really eat this?”

“Mm!” Fim nodded vigorously.

She bent gently, scooping a small spoonful of fried rice from the bowl, blowing on it cautiously before bringing it to Mino’s lips.

“Mino, eat.”

Mino glanced quietly at the spoonful, then chuckled. After all, his taste was gone, so eating anything was the same... with a casual expression, he ate the fried rice.

Chew, swallow.

Suddenly, he widened his eyes.

…

“Your Highness, you haven’t eaten all day.”

“This isn’t good for your health.”

“Shall I have the royal kitchen prepare some pumpkin porridge for you?”

At the dining table, Kalia, dressed in pristine white, shook her head.

Her hands, clad in pure white silk gloves, were folded over her chest. A diamond necklace glimmered faintly, accentuating her delicate, fair collarbones.

“Don’t worry, I just have no appetite…”

Though she said this, Kalia’s frail body swayed slightly, like a fragile white flower about to be blown away by the wind.

The head maid sighed, about to persuade her further, when Princess Kalia spoke softly:

“If you insist, prepare a piece of rye bread for me. Just a small piece.”

“Rye bread?”

The head maid was stunned. Such poorly fermented, under-seasoned bread made from the cheapest ingredients—how could the princess be asked to eat it?

“Yes, rye bread.” Kalia’s voice was inexplicably gentle, as if recalling something.

It was six or seven years ago, when she was still a lively, clingy, tearful child.

In the garden, Kalia waited for the king and her brother to finish a council meeting.

“Heave-ho—”

Suddenly, from the other side of the garden wall, a grimy boy in simple cloth clothes climbed over.

“Is the other side of the wall the hero candidate training camp?” Kalia blinked, remembering something her brother had said.

So, this boy was also a hero candidate? Why was he sneaking food?

Curious, Kalia approached, only to see young Mino glancing around nervously, then making a “shush” gesture.

“Don’t let the instructors find out. Keep it a secret!” Mino showed the half-eaten rye bread in his hand, a trace of reluctance on his face. Yet he tore off a small piece and handed it to Kalia: “Here, half for you. That way, we’re comrades.”

Under the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, the boy’s radiant smile was endlessly beautified by years of memory…

“You know? It tastes better when you mix big torn pieces of rye bread with small torn ones!”

A whole dry rye bread rested on a golden-patterned plate, placed before Kalia.

Removing the silk glove from her right hand, she gently tore off a small piece and, without the accompanying creamy soup, softly placed it in her mouth.

Just like in her memory, dry and rough.

It was then that Kalia realized how difficult it was for the kingdom’s impoverished citizens to eat.

And it was then she understood:

Her usual adorable, exquisite clothes, delicious dishes and desserts, and spacious, splendid residence all came at a cost—

A responsibility of the royal family to protect all citizens.

And that boy who had never enjoyed such comforts, a hero candidate.

Yet after enduring hardship and becoming a hero, he bore the same responsibility as she did.

“Brother Mino…”

Kalia finished the rye bread on the plate without waste, a flicker of sorrow crossing her sapphire-like eyes.

“He must not even have access to such coarse food in the Demon King’s castle…”

…

The grains of rice in the bowl diminished at a whirlwind pace.

What initially tasted like dry sawdust, after repeated chewing, erupted into an unprecedented fragrance.

Mino felt the long-sealed taste buds throughout his body awaken instantly, the soul of a hearty eater blazing within!

His chopsticks moved like a sacred sword, swiftly devouring the food.

In the blink of an eye, the bowl of fried rice vanished completely, leaving only a smooth oily film reflecting faint light.

The voracious hero looked up from the bowl, rice grains clinging to the corner of his mouth, and sighed with satisfaction:

“Ah! So fragrant!”