After cooking the potato stew for a full hour, the rich aroma filled the entire kitchen.
Alexander nodded approvingly as he inhaled the savory scent. "Perfect. Fetch the wooden bowls—it's ready to serve."
Fritz also caught the delicious smell and nodded, though he remained hesitant about the root vegetables. He retrieved wooden bowls and began ladling out the stew, but Alexander reminded him firmly, "Make sure to include plenty of those root vegetables for both of us."
The head chef had no choice but to comply. He scooped generous portions of the cooked potatoes into both Alexander's bowl and his own.
After all, if only the young lord ate the cursed food and suffered some terrible fate, Fritz would surely be blamed for preparing it. By eating the tainted meal alongside his lord, at least they would face whatever curse awaited them together.
Oh, my poor soul! Fritz thought desperately, trembling as he stared at the innocuous-looking potato chunks. Just the sight of them made him quiver with dread.
Seeing the chef's terror, Alexander decided to demonstrate. He scooped up a generous spoonful of stew, making sure to include several pieces of potato, then brought it to his mouth without hesitation.
Yes! It's absolutely delicious! The potatoes taste wonderful and complement all the other ingredients perfectly! His cheeks flushed with pleasure as he savored each bite, completely absorbed in the meal's rich flavors.
Fritz gaped in astonishment as he watched his young lord consume the cursed food without the slightest fear. By the saints! How can he eat it so calmly? The young lord seemed to be genuinely enjoying every mouthful!
With a trembling hand, Fritz filled his own spoon with stew, ensuring it contained potato pieces. Though terrified, curiosity overcame him as he watched Alexander's obvious delight. Finally, he brought the spoon to his lips.
The moment the warm, fragrant stew touched his tongue, Fritz's world changed. The rich broth enveloped his palate with savory depth, while herbs and onions provided aromatic complexity. But it was the potato that truly amazed him—creamy yet substantial, with an earthy sweetness that absorbed and enhanced all the other flavors.
The texture was perfect: tender enough to melt in his mouth yet firm enough to provide satisfying substance. Rather than the bitter, poisonous taste he'd expected, the root vegetable was mild, comforting, and incredibly filling.
"What is this?!" His eyes widened in shock, cheeks flushing with unexpected pleasure. "This is..."
Alexander chuckled knowingly. "Delicious, isn't it?"
Fritz nodded vigorously and immediately took another large spoonful, then another, unable to stop himself from devouring the entire bowl. When he finally finished, he found Alexander watching him with an amused, knowing expression.
"Uh... what can I say? It's beyond anything I expected," Fritz admitted, embarrassed by his enthusiasm.
"I told you. That root vegetable is simply misunderstood. It's not cursed or evil—it's food that will help our people survive and thrive."
Fritz felt ashamed of his earlier fears but nodded with genuine conviction. "My lord, as a cook who has worked with ingredients for over twenty years, I must say—this root vegetable is extraordinary.
The broth has wonderful depth, yes, but these root vegetables—they're nothing like I imagined. They have this gentle, almost buttery flavor that makes everything else taste richer. The texture is so satisfying—not mushy like porridge, but substantial and filling. And the way they absorb the herbs and seasonings..."
He paused in amazement. "I can tell this single ingredient could transform how we feed people. One bowl of this stew could satisfy a man's hunger far longer than bread or gruel ever could!"
As head chef, Fritz wasn't exaggerating in his assessment—everything he'd said was absolutely true.
Fritz would never have imagined that one day he'd eat pig fodder and declare it delicious.
"You're right. This root vegetable will sustain our common folk and help them survive even the harshest winters," Alexander smiled. "From now on, as young lord of Eisenfurt, I declare that this so-called 'cursed food' will become a valuable staple crop, far too precious to waste on pigs."
"And I'm giving it a proper name: potato," Alexander announced, his smile widening with satisfaction.
Fritz looked at his young lord thoughtfully. "Forgive me for saying so, my lord, but we're the only ones who think these root vegetables—"
"Call them potatoes," Alexander corrected firmly.
"Yes, of course. These potatoes," Fritz continued, "I doubt it will be easy to change people's perception of them. For generations, they've believed potatoes are cursed and evil, fit only for swine consumption. How do you plan to overcome such deeply rooted beliefs?"
Alexander smiled confidently at Fritz. "Changing people's minds about potatoes may be difficult, but it's far from impossible." He pointed directly at the chef. "Take yourself, for example. Just an hour ago, you believed potatoes were cursed and evil. Yet now you're singing their praises."
Fritz blushed at the accurate observation. "That's... quite true."
Alexander's eyes lit up with inspiration. "So why don't we gather the servants in the Servant's Hall? We'll serve them Potato Stew, and from there we can gradually spread the wonderful magic of potatoes throughout the castle!"
Fritz looked troubled. "But young lord, the midday meal at Sext has already been served. The next meal won't be until Vespers."
Since precise timekeeping devices hadn't been invented yet, people described time through natural observations—something that gave Alexander yet another idea for future innovation. But that could wait.
"That's no obstacle," Alexander declared. "Simply tell them that I, their young lord, am feeling generous and want to reward their faithful service with a special treat. I can say I'm grateful for how well they've maintained the castle during my father's recent worries, and I want to show my appreciation with this new dish I've discovered."
Fritz nodded slowly, understanding the logic. Such generosity from a young noble, while unusual, wouldn't be questioned by grateful servants.
---
It was mid-afternoon—the hour of None—when castle servants and guards typically enjoyed a brief respite from their duties. Fritz realized this was the perfect time to gather his fellow castle staff: cook assistants, kitchen helpers, chamber maids, stable hands, gatekeepers, and mess boys.
About twenty servants assembled in the Servant's Hall, the stone-walled chamber where they normally took their meals. Within moments, the hall buzzed with excited conversation.
"Did you hear? The young lord has invited us for a special meal! Such generosity!" exclaimed a young maid, her face bright with joy.
"Truly?" her friend replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "I've been hauling water from the well all morning—my back is killing me. A kind gesture from our lord is exactly what I needed."
"I heard he prepared something special himself," whispered one of the kitchen boys. "Must be important if the young lord took time from his studies."
The bustling conversations caught the attention of guards in the nearby Guard's Hall, who were glumly chewing on hard bread during their rest period. The two halls sat adjacent to each other but remained separate—tradition dictated that guards ranked higher than servants and received different treatment accordingly.
"What's all that commotion? Sounds like they're already celebrating Vespers over there," grumbled one guard, tearing off another piece of stale bread.
"No idea," his companion replied, equally puzzled. "But they sound awfully cheerful for a work day."
Only four guards remained in their hall, the others having drawn duty assignments elsewhere in the castle.
Just then, Fritz entered the Servant's Hall accompanied by Alexander. The young lord's presence immediately quieted the room.
"Greetings, everyone," Alexander began with a warm smile. Though he tried to project authority, his six-year-old features made him appear endearingly earnest rather than imposing. "Today I feel particularly generous and wish to reward your faithful service to our household. Master Fritz and I have prepared a special dish that I promise will satisfy your hunger."
The servants erupted in appreciative cheers.
"Your lordship is too kind!" called out an elderly kitchen woman.
"Such grace from one so young—truly the mark of noble blood!" added a stable hand.
"We are honored by your generosity, young lord!" several voices chimed in unison.
"May the Lord bless your kind heart!" proclaimed one of the chamber maids.
Alexander beamed at their enthusiasm and gestured for Fritz and the mess boys to begin serving. The servants formed an orderly line, each holding their wooden bowls expectantly.
In the Guard's Hall, envious glances were cast toward the celebration next door. "The young lord's actually giving them a free meal? What about us?" one guard complained, his voice tinged with jealousy.
They could only watch longingly as servants settled at tables with their filled bowls. The rich, savory aroma of the potato stew wafted through the air, reaching even their quarters.
"By the saints, that smells incredible!" another guard muttered. "Whatever they're eating, it's certainly better than this rock-hard bread."