MTLNOVEL Chapter 144.2
It’s A Bacon And Egg Bowl With A Soft-Boiled Egg
So, the knife Yuuri picked up to shred the cabbage was sharp as if freshly honed, and the cutting board beneath it absorbed impacts perfectly, offering just the right resistance without any weird rebounds. The rhythmic sound of the knife slicing through the cabbage echoed lightly, a testament to the quality of the tools.
Yuuri preferred his shredded cabbage on the thinner side, so today’s batch was finely cut. When making okonomiyaki, he’d cut it a bit thicker for texture, but for a cabbage bowl, thin was the way to go. Gurgal wasn’t the type to complain about how the cabbage was cut, so Yuuri didn’t worry about it.
Once the cabbage was shredded and set aside in a bowl, Yuuri moved on to preparing the tomatoes and cucumbers. He removed the stems from the tomatoes and trimmed any dirty parts at the base, then cut them into wedges for easy eating. The cucumbers were roughly chopped and salted, left to sit in a bowl for a while to draw out moisture before being plated.
“Next, the bacon and eggs.”
Yuuri heated a frying pan and laid out the bacon strips. As the sizzling sound and the aroma of cooking bacon filled the air, Yuuri served rice into two deep bowls. He piled the shredded cabbage on top of the rice, completing the base.
Once one side of the bacon was nicely browned, Yuuri flipped them over and cracked eggs into the pan. Using a large frying pan, he carefully cooked two bacon and eggs without letting them stick together. Watching the egg whites turn from transparent to white upon hitting the heat, Yuuri added a splash of water to the edge of the pan and covered it.
Steam billowed up, gently cooking the eggs. Yuuri waited with anticipation, knowing the timing was crucial. Too early, and the whites would be undercooked; too late, and the yolks would be fully set. Yuuri aimed for a soft, runny yolk, so overcooking was a no-go.
“Should be about ready, right?”
With a cheerful hum, Yuuri lifted the lid to reveal perfectly cooked egg whites with a faintly pink yolk in the center. Smiling at the sight, he turned off the heat and carefully slid the bacon and eggs onto the cabbage.
The heat from the bacon slightly wilted the cabbage, adding to the dish’s appeal. Yuuri didn’t mind—eating it fresh was the best. But he had one more task.
“Roo-chan’s portion~”
Using the leftover bacon grease, Yuuri quickly stir-fried some extra shredded cabbage. The bacon flavor infused the cabbage, so he went light on the salt and pepper. This was for Rooks, who preferred stir-fried veggies over raw ones. …And as usual, Rooks would handle the vegetable scraps and other food waste.
The stir-fried cabbage was plated next to the tomatoes and cucumbers meant for Yuuri and Gurgal. Yuuri also moved the salted cucumbers from the bowl to Rooks’ plate, adding a bit of the extra. Being an omnivorous slime, Rooks would eat just about anything.
Yuuri loaded all the dishes onto a large tray and carried it to the workshop. The workshop had several tables, one of which held drinks and snacks for when someone got peckish. Yuuri set the tray down, wiped the table with a cloth, and began setting up.
With lunch ready, Yuuri called out to Gurgal, who was still deeply engrossed in his work.
“Gurgal-saaan, lunch is ready!”
“Huh?”
“It’s lunchtime.”
Only when called did Gurgal realize what time it was—such was the life of a craftsman. He washed his hands at the small sink in the workshop and joined Yuuri. Rooks hopped along at his feet, apparently having figured out it was mealtime. The clever slime was as well-behaved as ever.
“Hmm. Sorry, Chick. Made you cook again.”
“No worries. I’m eating too.”
“You cleaned up as well? Thanks.”
“Kyui!”
Gurgal hadn’t even noticed Rooks cleaning the workshop. But then again, this was nothing out of the ordinary.
As Gurgal sat down, he tilted his head at the dishes on the table. The bacon and eggs, tomatoes, and cucumbers were familiar, but the presentation was not. Specifically, he couldn’t spot the main staple.
“Chick, where’s the bread or rice?”
“It’s under the eggs.”
“Huh?”
“I made it into a bowl~”
“…I see.”
Knowing it was pointless to nitpick with Yuuri, Gurgal accepted the explanation with a single word. He had tasted Yuuri’s cooking a few times before and knew there were no misses.
Yuuri murmured “Itadakimasu,” while Gurgal quietly offered a prayer to the mountain god he worshipped. Even though he lived in the royal capital far from the mountains, his faith remained strong. Beneath them, Rooks let out a small “Kyui” before diving into the stir-fried cabbage. The slime’s adorable “yum yum” sounds as it ate were endearing.
“Oh, feel free to add salt, pepper, or soy sauce to taste.”
“Got it.”
As Yuuri sprinkled pepper from a grinder, Gurgal took it from him once he was done. After generously coating his dish with pepper, Yuuri drizzled soy sauce over his bowl. He carefully lifted the edge of the yolk with his chopsticks, adding a bit more soy sauce without letting it overflow. Mixing the yolk and soy sauce, he smiled contentedly.
First, Yuuri cut the crispy bacon and firm egg white into bite-sized pieces, mixing them with the soy-soaked yolk before taking a bite. The sweetness of the egg, the savory bacon, and the soy sauce blended perfectly, making his face relax with satisfaction.
Next, he scooped up a mouthful of the slightly wilted cabbage along with the egg, bacon, and rice. The combination of textures and flavors—the egg, bacon, cabbage, and rice—was delicious. The cabbage, though softened, still had a bit of crunch here and there, adding a fun contrast.
“Mmm, so good!”
“Chick.”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t this the kind of dish that makes you eat more rice?”
“…There’s still plenty left in the rice cooker, though?”
Yuuri chuckled, and Gurgal sighed before digging into the bacon and egg bowl with gusto. It seemed he really liked it. But his appetite had been unexpectedly stimulated. Yuuri hadn’t expected it to be such a hit.
“Oh, if you want, I can make more bacon and eggs.”
“Please do.”
“Got it.”
The bacon and egg bowl had somehow won over the gruff old craftsman. Gurgal kept eating while responding to Yuuri’s offer, clearly enjoying it. Since it was easy to make, Yuuri figured Gurgal might start making it himself from now on.
By the way, when Yuuri returned to the hideout and mentioned, “I had a bacon and egg bowl for lunch today,” it was no surprise that requests for the same dish poured in for the next day’s breakfast.