Laughter is Born From Madness

Chapter 56

"Can that old guy really catch whoever did this!?" Bard exclaimed.

"That concerns me too, but doing something about today's dinner comes first, it does." Mey-Rin nodded. "We have run out of any meat or fish that would be suitable for the main course!"

A knock sounded throughout the kitchen, scaring the trio from where they sat.

"Hey, c'mon, don't tell me it's that dude in white again." Bard grumbled in a whisper.

"We haven't any food left!" Finny whispered in worry.

"Let's pretend no one's here..." Mey-Rin suggested.

"Mey-Rin, Finny, Bard? Are you three in there?" Red's voice sounded through the door. "It's only Mister Jeremy and I, may you please open the door?"

"Miss Red? Mister Jeremy?" Finny wondered as he walked over to the door and opened it to reveal both Red and Jeremy standing there and let them in. "What can we do for you, Miss Red, Vicar?"

"If you've come lookin' for somethin' to nosh on, you'll find none here, you two." Bard said as he crossed his arms.

"Bard!" Mey-Rin shouted.

"Oh no, that's not why we're here." Red shook her head as she was hugging a semi-crying Finny who hadn't seen her earlier that day.

"What do you mean to say you have none?" Jeremy questioned.

"I-It is most mortifying to have to tell you this, Vicar...you too, Miss Red...but you see, this and that, and such and such happened, and so..."

"Yes, I do see. So now you are at a loss for what to make for the evening meal."

"Yes..."

"I gotta say, that fella in white eats like a horse!" Bard stated. "We've only got a buncha beans and flour. All that's good for is maybe bean soup. But if we serve that as the main dish, the young master'd completely lose face."

"You have an herb garden here, don't you?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes. Mister Sebastian grew lots of herbs..." Finny nodded.

"Excellent! Herbs would prove a great help!"

"It's not like herbs bear fruit, so how'd that fill a belly?" asked Bard.

"Well, from what my uncle taught me, each herb not only has its own taste and unique flavour, but medicinal properties as well. And among them are many that control appetite." Red explained. "An herb such as fennel is a prime example. By using it and its like to flavour the earlier courses, you can control the total amount of food consumed."