Dantalian no Shoka:Volume1 Chapter1

A deserted ground at dusk.

Powder snow was falling silently through the spaces between the tree branches.

In front of a newly built grave, a girl was standing alone.

A little girl wearing a mourning dress.

"Please... teach me..."

The girl cried out with a hoarse voice.

She was looking at a carriage.

A brougham dyed in a deep black, stopped at the corner of the ground.

There was a single doll placed by the window. A beautiful porcelain doll dressed in a jet black dress.

The little girl kneed down on the withered lawn - as if to pray to this doll.

"Please, grant me knowledge. The ability to fulfil the desire of this man... please... somehow"

Her faintly quivering voice was blown away by the cold wind.

The moment the girl hanged her head in realization that her wish wouldn't be granted, the door of the carriage quietly opened.

A single book was presented to her through the door.

Besides the title written in relief, there was a plain crest drawn on the cover. The beautiful binding gave off the impression of a newly printed book and at the same time an impression of a centuries-old tome.

"The Phantom Book has chosen you."

A man's voice resounded from within the carriage.

The little girl raised her tear-stained face and received the book with wavering hands.

"I shall entrust you with this. May you be the owner of this phantom book until the day of the return date. However, remember one thing on any account."

"Remember... what...?"

The girl asked back frightened.

The man's answer was short. He replied in a hoarse voice that felt as if resounding from far away.

"There exist things in this world, that are not meant to be known to mankind..."

After the door was closed again, the carriage started to go away restfully. Disappearing in the dark of the night, leaving only back the sound of heavy hoofs.

A single girl in a mourning dress, carrying a book, remained.

The crimson shining moon was beholding this scene expressionlessly from high above in the sky.

Episode 01: Meditations de Gastronomie

On a rough mountain far outside the gates of the capital, there was a car stopped.

It was an old car once used by the army. A common type of automobile that was sold cheaply to the citizens during the post-war years.

There was no roof to the dimmed silver body of the car, so the two seats were exposed directly to the exterior.

A rolled up blanket and already read books were placed carelessly on the leather-coated seats.

The driver was a young man wearing a leather frock coat.

His age could not be determined exactly, but probably he was about twenty years old. Still, a boyish impression remained on his face, covered by a hat.

He was curently crouching on the side of the car, tampering with the back wheel bearing.

Although his gentle features implied a good upbringing, his hands were strangely accustomed to the use of tools.

Movements like a soldier that had received a special training.

"I am bored."

A girl was seating on the load platform and spoke to the man.

Her age was no more than about 12, 13 years. Her white skin seemed almost transparent and was wrapped in a jet black dress.

Her hip-length hair was jet black as well and her eyes were colored in the deep black of the night.

The black dress was bulged with countless laces and frills. These outlines of her were enfolded by metallic protectors on her back hands and a rustic tasset. Her looks made one remember the ceremonial robes of medieval knights; an odd mixture that couldn't be called dress nor armor. And finally, in place of a ribbon, she was wearing an old, metallic chest.

A big lock, tied to her with silver chains.

"I am hungry. Just how long do you plan on making me wait? First you got lost and then you even made the car break down. Tell me Hughy, are you a good-for-nothing?"

Laying the book she was reading on her lap, she criticized the driver.

The young man called "Hughy" smiled sarcastically to her snappy tongue that didn't fit at all to her lovely appearance.

"Oh, I thought we got lost because you completely misread the map...?"

"Ugh..."

The girl groaned once and fell silent. She poutedly chewed on her lips while her cheeks were getting red and turned away.

My, my. The young man merely shrugged his shoulders while changing his gloves that had become dirty with oil.

"But we certainly are in an unpleasant situation. I'd like to repair the car, but there aren't enough parts. We'll have to go borrow some proper tools and material."

"...you are noticing this now?"

The girl breathed a dumbfounded sigh.

Their car was currently being stopped on a narrow land way that had only recently been hardened.

Wherever one would turn around, there was just plain wasteland covered with weed. A blacksmith or harness shop? There was not a single building far and wide!

"Please do take a look around. Do you really think, you can obtain those in this region? You are about the only foolish driver all over the world, who does lose his way to a place like this in this cold season."

"Well, I admit your point about the season."

He looked up to the branches of the trees dryed by the coldness of the winter and then shook his head exaggeratedly.

"But Dalian... it seems we're not the only ones who took this route."

After having spoken, he narrowed his eyes to look in the distance.

A carriage was drawing closer to them while raising white dust.

It was a big two-horse cart.

To be more exact, a high-class carriage equipped with suspension, one usually only seen at the mansion's of nobles. A middle-aged man wearing an expensive looking coat was holding the reins at the driver seat. In the drawing room, a young woman could be seen.

Putting the tools he was holding on the ground, the young driver, Hughy, stood up.

The black dressed girl called Dalian jumped down from the loading platform and quickly took position behind Hughy.

Her anxious state made one remember little animals that weren't accustomed to humans. Hiding part of her head with the book she was hugging, she looked up carefully to the arriving carriage.

The young womand said something to the chauffeur, whereupon he drew the reins skillfully.

The carriage came slowly to a stop.

After she opened the door of the drawing room, the woman sticked out her head and smiled softly.

"Please forgive my rudneess, but are you having troubles?" the woman asked seriously. She was tall and was wearing a deep green cloak.

She didn't look like just a servant.　More like the personal teacher of a noble child or the maid of a landlady.

Hughy smiled sociably.

"I guess so. We were just about losing our way when the car suddenly stopped..."

"You lost... your way?" she asked back bewildered.

Their car was being stopped at the center of a wastelend with clear view on the surroundings. Also there wasn't any fog nor was the road they took complicated or branched. It was a road, one could only get lost by making a big mistake.

"Err, well... it's a bit embarassing but you see, a lot happened underway..."

The young man smiled bitterly and sighed, while the black dressed girl behind him was puffing up her face.

"To tell the truth, we were searching for the mansion of Graham Atkinson... do you happen to know him?"

"The mansion of Mr. Graham...?" the woman asked surprised.

She exchanged glances with the chauffeur and then nervously straightened herself.

"Well then, could it be you're guests of tonight's dinner party...?"

"Yes. We were invited by Mr. Graham. My name is Hugh Anthony Disward - you may call me Hughy. And her name's Dalian."

"...Sir Disward? Don't tell me you're..."

For some reason she was taken aback and frowned.

Then she came to her senses again and bowed deeply with the words "Please forgive my rudeness!".

"I'm called Lesley and am a servant at Mr. Graham's mansion. If you'd like you could ride with this carriage to the mansion. And naturally, we will arrange workers for the repair of your car."

"Ah, that would be a big help. Just..."

Saying so, Hughy looked behind his back.

The shoulders of the black dressed girl hiding behind him were quivering faintly.

Being cautious about unknown adults, she took the attitude of a shy young child.

Lesley frowned worriedly, but then seemed to be struck with an idea.

"Miss Dalian... Err, to tell the truth there are some snacks inside the carriage..."

Dalian reacted with a twitch on the sound of "snacks".

The black dressed girl then peeked out behind Hughy and looked up to Lesley.

"Snacks... of what sort?"

She asked lastly with a voice one could barely hear.

Lesley smiled relieved.

"Hm, let's see. Nothing too exceptional, but there's fried bread and..."

She started to count with her fingers but Dalian answered instantly even before Lesley could finish. "We ride...", while tugging at Hughy's sleeves.

"My, my" Hughy sighed faintly.

The loading platform was loaded with piled up ingredients. Vegetables and fruits, fish and meat as well as manufactured food like cheese. All of it was clearly high class and fresh.

"Were you just returning from shopping? The ingredients for tonight's dinner party, I suppose?"

Hughy was lightly surprised after glancing into the loading platform and said so.

"No" Lesley shook her head.

"The pre-cooking for the dinner party is already done. What you're seeing there are the ingredients for lord's dinner tonight."

"All this for Mr. Graham alone? But he certainly didn't have a family, I heard..."

"Yes, all of it will be presented to the lord. Stocking goods is strictly prohibited, since what's rounding out the quality of the cooking is the freshness and the quality of the ingredients. In the past, just because slightly injured ingredients were used, the head cook got fired on that day.

"Aah..."

Hughy smiled a bit amazed.

"Mr. Graham seems to be a gourmet as I've heard in the rumours. Are you working in the kitchen of his mansion?"

"Yes...... that's about right. I'm entrusted with work like the one of a kitchen maid."

Lesley answered with an ambiguous smile.

Kitchen maids are people working under the head cook. Or in other words cooks following his example. The fact, that she's entrusted with something important like purchasing the ingredients means that she's remarkable even amongst the kitchen maids.

"I see. Quite a big deal, I guess. After all, the cuisine of Mr. Graham's mansion is famous in the capital. The original cooking style he developed is introduced in the newspaper from time to time and I've heard that the invitations to the head cook coming from the representatives of the House of Lords or wealthy people on the mainland, aren't stopping."

"I've heard such rumours as well."

She shook her head with a serious expression.

"But as long the lord is alive, it's absolutely unthinkable that the head cook would ever ride on such an offer. That is because the only purpose in life the head cook has, is to let the lord savor the most delicious cuisine."

"...is the treatment at Graham's that good?"

Hughy asked back amused.

Thereupon Lesley thought about it for a moment and said:

"Of course, Mr. Graham is treating the kitchen staff very well. But much more than this, it's because the kitchen at his mansion is the perfect environment for cooks. They may freely use the best and the rarest ingredients, and also all the other ingredients are of best quality and freshness. Furthermore, the crops on this land are of good quality, as well and there's a wealthy forest."

"Forest?"

"Yes. You can hunt in the nearby forest. There are pheasants, rabbits or even wild boars..."

"Aah... that's the point. I see."

Hughy muttered looking at the thick forest expanding before the carriage.

"Could it be that this is also the reason, why Mr. Graham is living on the countryside rather than the capital...?"

"Of course. 'To succeed in making the best cooking, one must use the best ingredients.' is the favorite phrase of Mr. Graham."

"...I see"

Hughy grumbled as if to brood about it

In the meanwhile, the black dressed girl has been sitting all the time beside Hughy and had her cheeks innocently stuffed with the fried bread that was wrapped up in oil paper. From time to time she also licked her fingers that were smeared　with sugar and looked entranced everytime she did so.

"You seem to like, don't you, Dalian?"

"...correct."

After having answered with a single word, Dalian bit again into the bread. Her cautious attitude against Lesley at first seemed like a lie.

Lesley watched her warmly while saying.

"If it's according your taste then that's above all else."

She narrowed her eyes pleasantly.

"As soon we arrive at the mansion I can provide you with something finer, but for now that's all we have. Those are the remains of the goods we presented an orphonage."

"Presents?"

Hughy asked back doubtfully.

"Yes... I always send them the remaining breads of everyday's breakfast when I go purchasing goods. It's a pleasure to watch the children happily eat the food I made."

"So, the person that baked this was...?"

"I baked it. You see... I lost my parents early on and made the experience of being constantly hungry."

The expression that flashed over Lesley's face was a bit strange. An unclear expression that looked sad, yet smiling at the same time.

2

The mansion of the gourmet was on a high ground with a view on the thick forest.

Long ago it was the castle of the feudal lord and was surprising wide. Dining tables were lined up in the dining hall, decorated with beautiful candlesticks and sterling cutlery.

The hall was alive with wealthy people, landlords and others talking.

And their topic was devoted to tonight's dinner.

"Why are there so much people? Getting sultry in here."

Dalian was hiding herself in the shadows of the posts and complained quietly.

While adjusting his brand new necktie, Hughy answered laid-back

"You see, Mr. Graham is a wealthy person who built up a fortune in his young years by doing forward trading with corn. Even now, when he's retired, he gathers people in this hall and arranges a dinner party. And because of the very special cooking, getting invited can be something to be proud about."

"...what a miserable bunch."

Dalian said rudely, gotten in a bad mood because of her shyness of people.

Her exotic black dress was eye-catching even within all the dressed up other guests. Being starred on by the curious gazes of the people seems to be another reason of her bad mood.

Even so there were quite a lot who came talking to her out of curiosity.

"Good evening, young lady. Is this your first time here?"

Being addressed by a young noble-looking man, she stiffened and tried to sham being not aware of him.

But the man didn't even mind and continued:

"I've been attending several times since last year. The cooking here, it's even better than in the rumours! To say that Mr. Grahams's company flourished just because of this party is perfectly reasonable. I'm sure you'll also love it. The cooking method he developed is of course splendid, but as is the skill of the cooks that carry it out."

"...Cooks?"

Hughy came asking subdued.

An expression of being saved flashed over the face of the man that was being ignored by Dalian.

"Yes, exactly. Did you know? The head cook seems to be able to cook animals alive, without letting them feel any pain. I've heard that birds and beasts continue to sleep comfortably even when their head rolled, or that fishes continue to swim in the fish tank even when being reduced to head and bones---"

"...why does he do such a strange thing?"

Hughy raised his eyebrows and asked back, upon which the noble-looking man exaggeratedly extended his arms and shooked his head.

"That's again a story beyong belief. He seems to be seeking for the perfect flavor by doing so." Adrenalin... as you call it. Animals emit adrenalin when they're died in pain. Because of this the meat gets chewy and the flavour weakens. Well, but of course that's a subtle difference a common man can't perceive."

"So... just to prevent this effect...?"

"Exactly. A splendid fixationl, don't you think? Seems like he mastered his knife technique and even learned acupuncture and moxibustion of the orient or the use of medicines - just to prevent the animals from suffering. Mind you, he has now worked for several years for Mr. Graham."

"...quite hard to believe, isn't it?"

Hughy expressed his indifferent thoughts.

The man nodded several times.

"Surely! But I think you'll agree with me when you've tasted the cooking her."

After having explained them, busting like it was about himself, the man parted in high spirits.

When he went out of view, Dalian relaxed again.

"...how do you think about what he told us?"

Until now he preserved a sociable smile, but now Hughy looked earnest at once and asked her.

"It's an absurd story. That's not something a common man could accomplish."

Dalian said coldly.

Hughy keeped being serious.

"But what if it's the truth?"

The black-dressed girl gazed at the fire burning above a candlestick and muttered in an even voice:

"This would mean... the power of a non-human being is involved."

"I see."

Hughy shrugged casually his shoulders.

He took a pocket-watch out of his coat and, as if been shoken up, said briefly:

"It's time. Let's go."

Graham Atkinson's workroom was at a silent place, a bit apart the dinner party.

Outside the window one could see the huge forest behind the mansion and the wheat fields. Bookshelfs that reached to the ceiling were placed on both sides of the room, packed with expensive books.

There were some comfortable-looking seats in the center of the room, in which one a man was already sitting.

His age was probably over 50 years.

He was a bit short, but had muscles on his body. Far off the chubby body one would expect from the rumours of a gourmet. Rather than a retired wealthy person, he looked like a soldat in employment.

"---this is quite a impressive library."

Even before greeting him, Hughy first sighed a breath of admiration after being led to the room while looking up on the wall. Also Dalian couldn't suppress her eyes from widening.

"'De re coquinaria' by the gourmand Acipius of the old Rome, 'Le Viandier' written by Charles VI's highy valued head cook Taillevent, 'The Physiology of Taste' by Brillat-Savarin - the greatest gourmet of modern history and the 'Qí mín yào shù' of the Ancient China - not just recipes, there even are natural history and physic books... probably you could count the amount of other gourmet libraries of this level on a single hand."

"Ho-..."

The owner of the workroom gazed at Hughy as if to rate him and then laughed lightly.

"I see. As the grandchild of Viscount Wesley Disward, you seem to have an eye for books."

"Are you acquainted with my grandfather?"

Hughy stared surprised back at the gourmet.

Graham nodded deeply with an expression hard to judge. He signified Hughy and Dalian to take seat in the seats in front of him and ordered the butler to prepare some tea.

"There's no one who's at least a bit active in the background of the country who does not know about this Bibliomania! And also about the bibliotheca the Viscount owns."

"What do you mean?"

Hughy kept a straight face and asked back.

"Playing dumb won't help you, Sir Disward. The greatest proof is this girl you're taking with you, 'the black Yomihime'. You've inherited 'that' from the Viscount, haven't you? The Bibliotheca of Dantalian!"

"...I wonder?"

Hughy smiled sarcastically and tilted his head. Dalian was without change tugging at his sleeves while looking downwards. Her expressionless profile looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.

"Mhph," Graham nosed amused.

"Books are good. You need to use your head to read them. If you use your head, you'll get hungry. Did you know? The weight of the brain is about 2% of the whole body, but it uses up 18% of the calories we need in our daily lives. And the more you get hungry, the tastier the dishes."

"You read books... for the sake of eating?"

Hughy asked in a jesting tone.

But the man nodded, taking this for granted.

"Right... and the same for muscles. If you increase your basal metabolism by training your muscles, the amount of food you need will also grow. And gourmet food is the greatest pleasure god has given to us. For this, I spare neither trouble nor expense."

"Haa..."

With a complicated expression, Hughy looked around in the workroom. There weren't just lots of books in Graham's workroom, but also countless instrument to train the body.

Also there wasn't a desk, but a personal dining table.

The sake cup or the bowls seemed to be made out of expensive porcelain. Only things one would expect to see in an art gallery. In a sense, this workroom also was a splendid and extravagant dining room.

After a short while of silence, Hughy asked "Won't you take part in the dinner party?"

Although the dinner party should have begun by now, Graham didn't seem to go.

"What a laughable event," Graham ranted.

"Are you telling me to spend the time of my holy dinner together with a bunch that won't stop talking about ridiculous rumours, their business and other nonsense? Me? Such a dinner party is worthless. I'm organizing this because I have no other choice for trading. You may call it apple-polishing of some incompetent trustees."

"That is... unexpected." Hughy muttered to himself.

"Why would you think so?"

"No, it's just, everyone praised the dishes presented at the dinner party so highly. So I thought you would make highest efforts..."

"Of course I'm making highest efforts. Isn't that self-evident? Or did you think I'd let my cooks slack off, just because the guests are ordinary people?"

The gourmet asked Hughy in a mean way, whereupon Hughy silently shaked his head.

Graham laughed deeply using his throat and

"Well but, to tell the truth... They might not be slacking off, but neither do they give their best. They rather reduce the grade of perfection of the cooking, so the taste buds of those common people are able to comprehend the taste. I wonder, do you know why?"

"No... why is that so?"

"In brief, not just the cooking has to be the best. Also the body of the one eating it has to be at least of the same quality. Everyone knows that the meat of a tight and healthy animal is tasty. But what about the one eating it? A fat body, or inner organs corroded by tabaco and wine... would you think such a person could ever comprehend the best cooking?"

Graham sighed as if to curse at the guests gathered at the dinner party.

"Caring about the health, putting the body in order, and, of course, never eating too much, but neither getting too hungry. Like this I've worked a long time on myself. In order to savour the best cooking. I'm different from those would-be gourmets!"

While saying so, he proudly threw out his chest and showed his muscles.

"I think I can understand what you mean," said Hughy with a calm smile and continued while smiling strained, "In this sense, we don't seem to have the capabilities to savour the best cooking you're talking about, as well. I am a person that neglects to live healthy and I'm quite dense to tastes... Thus may we gradually get into the main topic?"

"Main topic, huh?"

"Yes. Why did you invite us to this dinner party, and even to your workroom, Mr. Graham Atkinson? Us, that don't have any connection with your businness?"

Hughy looked at him with cold eyes.

Graham nodded pleased.

"Right... I don't have any interest in the bunch that comes to here with the cooking as their objective. But you are different, Sir Disward. And you, Yomihime... please, somehow, grant my wish!"

"Wish?"

Hughy asked with dubiousness on his face. Graham sunk his head deeply.

"I'm talking about the Phantom Book."

A light dark light flashed over his eyes. Dalian tightened her grip on Hughy's sleeves with a tensed up face.

"I merely wish that you lend me one Phantom Book - one of those countless Phantom Books you own. The Phantom Book, the chef of Valhalla, the pagan god Andhrímnir is said to have written. With prohibited cookery written in it."

The man continued to speak at ease.

"The book is called 'The Book of the Ultimate Contemplation of Cooking'. A book lost long ago that shouldn't exist anymore. But you should know its whereabouts. You that took over the Phantom Bibliotheca that is crowned by the name of the demon that possesses knowledge and books. The Bibliotheca of Dantalian!"

"...why?"

Hughy repeated his question. Graham frowned discontentedly.

"You are a Researcher of gourmet food everyone recognizes. You do have collected such a giant amount of cookbooks and even do have one of the best cooks in the country employed. What do you wish more than that?"

"To savour the best cooking - that's all I wish for."

Graham answered right away.

"For gourmet food is the greatest pleasure there is. It's the ultimate desire the human bases on. Furthermore it's the driving force that led to the advancement of our civilization. Or as Brillat-Savarin once said: The discovery of a new dish confers more happiness on humanity, than the discovery of a new star. And I've yet to find it! This happiness!"

"And for this you'd like to borrow the knowledge of the demons?"

Hughy looked at him with pity in his eyes. Graham nodded and continued:

"I've sacrificed my own lifetime in order to seek for the best cooking. Did you know? According to some statistics, true gourmet food does not harm the health, but rather lengthens life... however, I've not reached it. I don't have much time left. Ten, twenty years at most. But before this I want to savour the ultimate gorumet food! Even if I have to borrow the power of a book whose mere existence is prohibited."

Hughy listened patiently to Graham until he finished. Bewilderment could be clearly seen in Hughy's eyes. He shook his head not being able to comprehend Graham's words.

"...could you explain, Dalian?"

Dalian didn't answer the question Hughy whispered and instead kept being silent.

"Why are you hesitating, Sir Disward?"

Irritation was mixed in Graham's voice.

"Do you want money? In this case there's nothing to hesitate. Just write down as much as you want on a cheque."

"...you're mistaken, Mr. Atkinson. We don't want anything in change for a Phantom Book."

Hughy sighed annoyed.

"But sadly we're not able to hand out the Phantom Book to you - even if we, for argument's sake, would be the ownedr of this bilbiotheca."

"Why?"

He asked back in a hoarse voice, starting to be disturbed.

"Because this book - The Book of the Ultimate Contemplation of Cooking - is already lent to somebody. Since thirty years."

"What the...?"

Graham muttered compeletely dumbfounded.

Hughy continued still frowning out of incomprehension

"It was written in the diary of my grandfather, that he handed out the 'The Book of the Ultimate Contemplation of Cooking' on a whim to someone on today 30 years ago. That's why we came here thinking you'd be the one holding the book. There also was the fact, that you got widely famous as a gourmet just shortly after this date-"

"30 years ago...? Don't tell me...!"

He groaned deeply and sank down on his seat. Then after a long time of silence he muttered in a mournful voice:

"It's the chef..."

"Eh?"

"The chef is holding the Phantom Book. It seems all are thinking I'd thought out the recipes and the servants just realized them, but that is not true. The chef does think them out and realize them all on his own. It was right 30 years ago when I employed the chef... even so... what a... ooh...!"

Mumbling so he held his head.

He looked just that sovereign before, but now it seemed almost like he shrinked.

"What is this... irony of fate... so I've already been eating dishes cooked with this Phantom Book...? And even so I've not been able to savour the cooking I've been longing for...? Even by using the knowledges of the demons I'm not able to reach my ideal...? And I believed that my wish would come true if I just could get hold of it..."

Graham sighed in grief.

Hughy looked down at him silently. Then Dalian stood up without making a sound.

"Where is the chef?"

She asked breaking the silence.

"In the kitchen I guess... he should be preparing my dinner right now..."

"I do want to meet the chef. Immediately."

"Do as you please. There doesn't seem to be any merit for either of us in talking any more."

Graham said indifferently.

After Hughy gave her a nod, the two of them left the room. Her black dress softly widened like a large shadow.

Graham called out to their backs.

"Wait! ...Let me ask just one thing, Sir Disward. If you didn't come here to lend me the Phantom Book, then why? Now, after thirty years..."

"Books lent out by a bibliotheca do have return dates, Mr. Atkinson..."

Hughy said without turning around in a emotionless voice.

"Phantom Books are books that, originally, shouldn't even exist in this world. What kind of havoc could one of them wreak if it wasn't brought back within the time limit? We wouldn't know."

Graham looked at them in bewilderment.

The black dressed girl turned around quietly and proclaimed in a cold and clear voice.

"'The Book of the Ultimate Contemplation of Cooking' has been lent out with a time limit of thirty years. The return date is... tonight."