Chapter Text
Asta rushed into the base, carrying an armful of pot potatoes. He was just out training in the new area the Black Bulls base was stationed, when he spotted a very familiar plant. He confirmed his suspicions by digging the plant out.
After finding one, he found several others, so of course he unearthed them and brought them back to attempt to cook them.
He ran into the kitchen and dropped the potatoes into the sink to start getting them clean. He was going to cook up a great meal for everyone in the base!
“Asta, la!” Charmy’s voice came.
“Miz Charmy!” Asta greeted.
“Whatcha got there?” Charmy asked, floating towards the sink.
“I found pot potatoes outside!” Asta said. “I’m gonna cook them!”
“Cook?” Charmy lit up, “Sounds good, la! I’ll help you!”
“Really?!” Asta gasped, “Thanks!”
Charmy nodded with a smile and summoned her sheep chefs. “Grilled meat will go great with potatoes!” She turned to Asta, “How are you going to cook them? Mashed? Baked? In wedges?”
Asta blinked at her, then rubbed the back of his neck, “Ah well, I was going to boil them.”
“Ooh!” Charmy grinned, “Also very nummy!”
Asta smiled. “But… maybe I could try something else today… can you show me how?”
“Of course, la!” Charmy joined him in washing the potatoes. “How would you like to make them?”
“Um…” Asta thought about it. “How about a mashed pot potato?”
“Sounds good, la! Let’s start by boiling them!”
Asta nodded, “I can do that!”
The two proceeded by setting the potatoes in a large pot of water on a high flame on the stove.
Charmy turned to Asta. “After the potatoes are boiled, we’ll peel them and mash them.”
“That’s easy enough!” Asta said.
Charmy nodded, “Indeed! But it’ll be better if we add more to it! Follow me!”
Asta blinked at her as she walked out of the kitchen. He shrugged it off and followed her though the base until they reached a door. Charmy pushed the door open to reveal a room with large windows full of plants.
“Woah!” Asta gasped. “Is this a garden?”
“Yup! Welcome to Charmy’s secret ingredient garden, la!” Charmy proclaimed and went to a plant area. “Here are some herbs that’ll make our mash pot potatoes taste even more nummy!”
Asta joined her and peered at the plants.
Charmy started plucking leaves from the stems. “This one is parsley!” She held the leaves and moved to the one next to it, “And this one is oregano! They are both nummy in potatoes!”
She turned to get a basket from a shelf and put her herbs in it. Asta helped her pick several more leaves.
“Perfect!” Charmy nodded. “One more thing that’ll be great for our recipe is garlic!” She went to another plant and started digging in the dirt until she found a bulb. She passed it to Asta to put it in the basket.
“Cool!”
Charmy looked around the room, “I think that’s it– wait!”
Asta jumped, “What else?”
“Asta, pass me the scissors, please!”
Asta complied, and Charmy went to a plant with tall skinny stalks. “Green onion goes great as a garnish!” Charmy said with a smile. She put the stalks in the basket Asta held and nodded at him. “Now that should be it! Our pot potatoes should be done boiling about now!”
“Let’s go!” Asta said, leading the way back to the kitchen.
They peeled the skin from the pot potatoes and set them aside.
“Now what do we do?” Asta asked.
“We first need to chop up our herbs,” Charmy said. She demonstrated how to chop the parsley for Asta, and watched him give it a go.
“Asta, you’re a natural with the knife, la!” Charmy cheered.
Asta grinned, “Hehe, it’s because Miz Charmy’s a good teacher!”
“Oh you,” Charmy blushed cheekily and nudged him in the side. “Then, we’ll take our herbs and garlic and add it to the empty pot with the butter and milk.”
They followed the task, letting the butter melt through and milk get hot.
Charmy turned back to the pot potatoes and started dicing them.
“Why are you cutting them?” Asta asked.
“It’ll make mashing them in the pot easier!” Charmy answered. She dumped the potatoes into the pot of milk and butter after turning off the heat. “Now we can mash it!”
“Allow me!” Asta said, taking the mashing tool. He vigorously smashed the potatoes. “They’re so soft!”
Charmy clapped her hands, “Mash them as much as you want! Depending on how chunky or smooth you want the potatoes to end up.”
“Got it!” After a minute of quick worth, due to Asta’s strength and speed, he stopped. “I think I like this!”
Charmy stood over the pot and gave it a good stir. “It’s done, la!”
“Awesome!” Asta cheered.
A sheep chef held up a dish for Charmy to scoop the mashed potatoes in. She took the final pieces of chopped green onion and sprinkled it all on top of it.
“And, done!” Charmy announced. She handed the dish to Asta, “You can have the honors of putting it on the table!”
“Thanks!” Asta took the dish and placed it on the table, where the center was cleared and surrounded by the other dishes that Charmy’s sheep chefs cooked. He grinned at the display, “I can’t wait for dinner!”
Charmy tapped him on the side, holding a plate with a cheeky grin, “Sometimes we don’t have to wait for everyone else to dig into our own creations.” She passed a plate piled high with their mashed potatoes to Asta.
Asta’s eyes sparkled, “Really?!”
Charmy nodded with a happy smile. She passed a spoon to him and held her own. “Let’s dig in!”
Dig in they did.
“‘Ish ish sho ‘ood!!” Asta said with a mouthful.
“‘Ummy!” Charmy agreed with a mouthful.
They downed the potatoes right as some of the other Black Bull members started arriving.
“What’s for eats, Charmy?” Magna greeted.
Charmy disposed of their empty plate into the sink with a spin and swirled into her seat. “Asta made mashed pot potatoes for everyone!”
“Asta did?” Vanessa asked, looking over the food.
“That’s right!”
Asta smiled as he sat down, “Charmy helped me out a lot!”
“I bet it’ll taste great with the meat!” Luck said.
“Wow Asta,” Finral smiled, “On your way to becoming a master chef, huh?”
Asta laughed, “I still have a long way to go before I’m as good as Charmy!”
“I suppose I’ll give it a try,” Noelle said, taking a serving of the potatoes served to her by the sheep chefs.
“I hope you all like it!” Asta said as the members collected their meals and took a bite of the potatoes.
Charmy smiled at Asta at the moment that all the members called out their verdict on the dish.
“ Delicious !”