—Thus, everything was perfectly prepared.
I headed upstairs to the private room ahead of time to greet Her Highness Yunia and her entourage.
As we chatted, filled with anticipation, a knock sounded at the door.
The first course had arrived.
「Welcome to Skylark Pavilion today. My name is Tomoe, and I will be in charge of cooking and serving. …I am but an unrefined country girl, yet I ask for your kind indulgence, Your Highness.」
Though her nervousness showed in her expression, Tomoe-san’s posture remained poised and dignified.
And then, Princess Yunia did something unexpected.
She rose from her seat, walked over to Tomoe-san, and gently took both of her hands.
「I am Yunia. …Please, be at ease, Tomoe-san. Today, I have come to learn from you. Let us fully experience the flavors of your town.」
「…Yes! It would be my pleasure!」
For a brief moment, Tomoe-san’s eyes widened in surprise. But she quickly broke into a radiant smile, nodding enthusiastically.
—Now that I thought about it, people from Sidera, including Tomoe-san, were already comfortable around Noah and Parker-san. And since Yunia was Noah’s oneesan, there really wasn’t any reason to be that nervous.
「For our first course, I’ve prepared a light meal. A lunch consisting solely of sweets would be unbalanced, after all. This is called a sandwich.」
Just like yesterday, the maids, butlers, and knights were seated at their own table.
Though they dined separately from Princess Yunia, the Prime Minister, and the two Witches, I still wanted them to enjoy good food as well.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, Chocola was finally indulging in his long-awaited milk, happily lapping it up from his dish. …Manners? What manners?
Thankfully, no one minded having a dog at the table.
That alone spoke volumes about the kindness of these people.
Karen wheeled in a cart carrying the sandwiches.
Seeing them, Eidel-sama furrowed her brows, tilting her head slightly.
「Bread with ingredients in between…? It has no crusts…」
「The bread is baked in a square metal mold. The crust—called the ‘ears’ in Japan—is trimmed off to enhance the texture. However, these cut-off pieces can be fried with sugar to make a simple treat. I’ll prepare some as a parting gift later.」
「I see. The culture of another world is fascinating. …In any case, let us partake.」
「It may seem improper, but please, eat with your hands.」
Princess Yunia, unable to wait any longer, gave a signal, and everyone brought their sandwiches to their mouths. Their reactions were… moderate, at best.
The method of slicing bread open and filling it with vegetables and meat was nothing new to this world. The difference lay in the shape of the bread and whether or not the crusts were removed.
Without the crust, the texture became smoother, and cutting it into triangles made it more visually appealing and easier to hold. The question was whether they would notice these advantages. Sure enough, Eidel smirked.
「This seems quite suitable for a quick meal during a busy workday.」
It was an observation eerily similar to the legend of the Count Sandwich. …Although, wasn’t that story possibly fabricated? And wasn’t it gambling, not work, that he was too busy with?
「Why not give it a try when you’re pressed for time?」
「The refined texture is a nice touch as well. It doesn’t interfere with concentration… Yes, I rather like this.」
The next to offer an opinion on the sandwich was 『Continuous Rain』—Karsch-san.
「Delicious! And if manners aren’t an issue, this would be perfect for a quick bite between training sessions. …You mentioned something about the crusts being fried with sugar. What does that taste like?」
She asked as she took a hearty bite of her sandwich.
「It has a nice crunch and makes for a simple yet enjoyable snack. It’s the kind of taste children love.」
「Oh, many in the knight order have young children. If they brought some home after work, I’m sure their kids would be thrilled. Good to know! I’ll look forward to trying it later!」
Just moments ago, she had looked dejected after being scolded by the princess, but now her expression was all smiles.
「Now then, from here on, we’ll be indulging in a series of sweets. To balance things out, I’ve prepared a particularly bitter tea—brace yourselves.」
「This is a chiffon cake. It may be a common confection, but I take great pride in it.」
With graceful, confident movements, Tomoe placed the plates before everyone, neither boasting nor downplaying her creation.
Atop the cake sat a dollop of fresh cream, accompanied by a grape sauce. Light as air, it seemed to dissolve the moment it touched the tongue, yet its flavor was strikingly rich. It was one of my personal favorites.
「…This is exquisite.」
The first to voice her admiration was Princess Yunia.
「The taste, aroma, texture, and mouthfeel—all are of the highest caliber.」
「Delicious. I doubt there is a shop in the royal capital that serves chiffon cake of this quality.」
「There isn’t. At least, not to my knowledge.」
In response to 『Witch of No Return』 Tinam-san’s inquiry, Princess Yunia answered without hesitation. Considering how thoroughly she must have sampled the capital’s confections, her 「to my knowledge」 was as good as an outright declaration of 「none exist」.
「This is… You used the yolk of a white duck egg and the whites of a Gigi bird egg, didn’t you? The white duck yolk provides a richer depth of flavor, while the Gigi bird whites are ideal for meringue. Combining the two is what allows for both this flavor and texture… Am I correct?」
「I am at a loss for words… That was supposed to be a closely guarded secret, yet you are the first to see through it so effortlessly.」
As expected of a renowned gourmet, her palate was as refined as her reputation suggested.
I, on the other hand, could only stare blankly in awe. Wait, Tomoe-san… You really went that far…?
「The fresh cream on top—is it from striped goats? The way it wraps around the bold yet delicate cake, melting in perfect harmony, is remarkable. And the grape sauce—it tempers the richness and leaves a clean finish… Of course, the concept itself is impressive, but your skill in perfecting this texture is truly exceptional. Tomoe-san, I am deeply impressed. I must thank you for opening my eyes. Until now, I had only considered Sui-sama’s cooking as something exotic from another world. But today, I have come to understand it as genuine artistry. To a chef of your caliber, I offer my utmost respect.」
「…T-Those words are far too generous.」
Receiving the highest praise from the princess of this kingdom, Tomoe-san’s voice caught in her throat. Yet, even as she bowed in humility, her hand, hidden behind the tray, clenched into a triumphant fist, as if declaring, “I did it!”
I couldn’t have been happier for her.
The chiffon cake had nothing to do with me. In fact, it was likely a staple dessert, something found both in Sidera and the royal capital without a second thought.
That made the princess’s praise all the more meaningful. It wasn’t my influence—this recognition belonged solely to Tomoe-san. It was the result of her dedication, her efforts to refine her craft, to elevate even the familiar into something exceptional. If Schnei-san were here to witness this, he would either turn red with embarrassment or be so moved that he’d pull her into a hug.
As Tomoe-san trembled with emotion, the princess smiled and continued.
「If I could, I would happily indulge in another plate… or two. But let us move on to the next dish. Also, Sui-san, it seems that Chocola’s milk has run empty.」
「Bark!」
「You… When did you…?」
Now that she mentioned it, the striped goat’s milk had been completely drained, and sitting beside the empty dish was my dog, wagging his tail eagerly with an expectant gaze.
「I shall bring out a fresh serving along with the next dish. Please wait just a moment, Chocola-chan.」
「Bark!」
Watching Chocola respond enthusiastically to Tomoe-san, I couldn’t help but chuckle before turning back to the princess.
「Thank you for looking after my family. The next dish is a dessert from another world—the land where I once lived, Japan. After the overwhelming praise for the chiffon cake, I can’t help but feel a bit nervous. But rest assured, Tomoe-san is handling the preparation, so there’s no need to worry about the execution.」
With mille crêpes, the menu had reached its halfway point.
Now then—would the everyday sweets of Japan be enough to satisfy this discerning palate?
——————————————————
Chiffon cake is actually a relatively recent creation on Earth, having been developed in America around 1927. It wasn’t introduced to Japan until the 1960s.
However, in this world, it has already become a common and widely beloved dessert throughout the kingdom.
Perhaps, at some point in history, someone who had been transported from Earth introduced it to this land.
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