Chapter 68 – Making Sweets
Three months have pa.s.sed since I’ve arrived in this world.
It was only June when I arrived in this world, but already, it will be October from tomorrow. The heat during the day has eased up too, and the feeling of the morning and evening breezes have become chilly.
Oh yes, thinking about it now, it’s about this world’s calendar.
One month has thirty days, and one year has twelve months. There are six days in one week and five weeks in one month.
And so one year has 365 days. Although thirty days × twelve months equals to 360 days, December alone has thirty-five days.
Because the 31st to 35th of December is like a preparatory period for the purpose of welcoming the New Year, most businesses at this period of time will be on vacation, and everyone will be doing preparations to enter the New Year.
And so, once January begins, there will be a festival to welcome the New Year for a period of three days from the 1st of January.
From what I know, it’s the same in every country and there will be large crowds everywhere during this period.
And, the three day period from the 4th to the 6th of January will be tidying up the festival and such, and celebrations of the New Year with relatives.
Shops and so forth basically open after the 7th.
Also, this world, rather, this country has exactly four seasons. Although I say that, it’s not as refined as it is in j.a.pan though.1
If you roughly look at it, there isn’t a great difference from j.a.pan. Spring brings a gentle climate while gradually warming up, and summer brings harsh sunlight that makes people sweat every day. Autumn brings abundant harvests in the hills and fields, and winter also snows.
However, different from j.a.pan, although it’s summer, because the level of humidity isn’t that high, it isn’t as unpleasant.
……But on the other hand, there are days where the highest temperature goes over 40°c though. (104°f)
Snow piles up considerably in winter. The coldest days drops down to -10°c, I think. (14°f) In the area I lived in j.a.pan, even if it snowed, it rarely piles up, for arguments sake, even if it did piles up, it would be around several centimetres in an area. Because of that, the winter in this country sure is somewhat enjoyable.
……Who was it? The one who thought ‘similar to a child’ just now?
Sensing that sort of autumn, today, I’ll be diligently making sweets inside my house.
No, it’s not as a hobby, you know? Well I’m sampling them as well, but… This is a commission. I was requested by name, it’s a commission that wants me to make sweets. And the client was, surprisingly, the First Prince, Prince Edwill.
If we’re to speak of why the sudden commission to make sweets appeared, I was told that it was because Prince Edwill’s fiancée was coming and she wants to eat delicious sweets, is what it seems.2
If it’s making sweets, isn’t there an exclusive patissier in the royal castle? -Was what I thought, but according to Prince Edwill, 「From what I know, the one who makes the tastiest sweets is you.」 is what it seems.
On the day I heard that sort of thing, even I felt the heat, you know? Right, it’s me who’s answering the expectations, isn’t it!
So right now, I’m thinking about various things to make.
If I calmly think about it, would someone of royalty of a foreign country eat something that was made by someone like me? There’s that problem, but most likely since it’s
regarding that person of royalty, I’m sure he hasn’t considered it either ne.
Don’t I usually feed the Prince, you say? The royalty of this country is fine, you see. Since the King goes to the town’s bars and drinks until morning ne. Even the Prince comes on his own accord to eat, so even if anything happens, it’s not my responsibility. ……It’s not, right?
Surprisingly, when I asked about Prince Edwill’s fiancée, he praised her about things like the kind of personality she had, or the kinds of hobby she had, or how cute she was, while slightly blushing. No, I only wanted to hear about what kinds of sweets she likes though…. He’s madly in love ne. Rather, it’s gross for an adult man to be embarra.s.sed like that, you know? Since it’s pleasing to the eyes, shall I take a picture? But three hours for just that was surely unnecessary, right?
So because of that, I’m currently using apples to bake an apple pie.
As for the other seasonal fruits, there are grapes, pears and chestnuts, I could also use things like sweet potatoes to make sweets.
U~n, perhaps I should make jelly with the grapes ne… If I’m not mistaken, there should be gelatine…
Let’s make the chestnuts into a mousse and have it become a cake.
Would the pears be good as a compote? Because I’ve heard it goes well with alcohol.
As for sweet potatoes, there’s glazed sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes fries, so you could say I major in sweet potatoes… (note: a bad pun, explanation at the bottom) As for me, I like roasted sweet potatoes the most ne. Eh? My preferences don’t matter?
Well, you see, there’s no time you know? The commission was received yesterday evening and the deadline is tomorrow morning, what’s going on with this, I wonder?3 No, the reward is good though, okay? If it’s just an apple pie then there isn’t a problem, but… The contents of the commission were 「Over five types of sweets made with seasonal fruits」 you know… In addition to that, it’s portions for ten people. Thanks to that, I’ve been very busy since this morning you see.
「Nya~」
「Aah, I’m sorry. Are you hungry? I get you some food immediately, okay?」
Eru, my pet cat, clung around by my feet.
I picked up this cat around one month ago, she’s a white kitten with light brown patches on its tail and on one of its ears.
Although she didn’t have a name in the beginning, because it seems pitiful to just be called ‘cat’ forever, I named her 「Eru」. Though at first, I thought: ‘let’s called her 「Rice Cake」’. Well, it might’ve been by chance, but this child curls up into a ball when she takes a nap, you see. At that moment, when I saw her pure white and round body with a small light brown ear attached to it, I thought she resembled a rice cake that were sold in stores. The brown part looked like a shop’s branding… But as expected, because I felt sorry for her, I tried calling her 「Elizabeth」, but this child disliked it very much… Because of that, I chose 「Eru」. Eh? Its meaning? There isn’t particularly one, you know? ……
I had a slightly late lunch together with my only roommate, no, roomcat?
「Nya~」
「Ah, hey. That’s no good, you know? Because it’ll be bad for Eru’s body if you eat this.」
I chided Eru, who approached the baked apple pie with her nose.
Although she’s a cat, Eru is intelligent. It’s as if she understands the things I say. Even now, with just a warning, she obediently parted from the apple pie.
「Since I’ve still got things to do, please go take a stroll or something, Eru.」
After saying that, Eru left with a meow and briskly trotted away.
「Now then, let’s quickly start making.」
While rolling up my sleeves, I resumed making the sweets.
Sweets were being made together with the sounds of utensils clattering and the engulfing heat of the stove and oven.
While smoothly boiling the grapes, the sponge for the cake was made at the same time, and the preparations for the chestnuts and pears were done in my spare time.
Since it’s a portion for ten people, just the ingredients are a considerable amount items.
Aah, I have neither the sufficient time or hands or utensils! This is indeed a situation where I would even like the help from a cat. (note: a saying which means extremely busy.)
Well, though it’s impossible to have Eru a.s.sist ne.
……Nn? A guest, is it? Good grief, at this hectic time…
「Ye~s, I’m coming now!」
Who is it, I wonder?
「Yes, who is it?」
「Me me, it’s me.」
……This voice is…
「Me me-san, is it? I’m sorry, but because I don’t know anyone like that, please leave.」
Even if I wasn’t busy and running out of time, I don’t have the time to go along with this malignant joke. (note: explained at the bottom)
「Wait! It’s Takahashi! I’m acting as His Highness Prince Edwill’s messenger!」
「Then please say that from the beginning. I’m busy with that Prince’s commission over here. I don’t have the time for stupid jokes.」
The person who visited was the former self-proclaimed Hero, Takahashi-san. Currently, he should be in the Chivalric Order.
「There shouldn’t be any ‘me me’ scams nowadays. So, what business do you have?」
「Aah, I was told to come and ask about the progress with the sweets.」
「You especially came here for something like that…? Please report this to Prince Edwill: according to the commission, come take them tomorrow morning. Therefore, please don’t make me go through any unnecessary troubles. Aah, also, please relay this to Prince Sedrim: please don’t come today. Because I don’t have the time to play around with the Prince.」
「Alright. I’ll convey it to them. ……Is really it that difficult?」
「Yes, it’s difficult that even the time I’m spending here is precious. Therefore, please don’t take up my time with trivial matters.」
I unconsciously put on a severe tone, but it’s a fact that I’m busy. Even if I do it well, everything will be over if its late, don’t you think? When I think about the cleaning afterwards…
I let out a sigh.
Although the troubles don’t mean anything if it’s for myself to eat, that doesn’t include when it comes to commissions. Besides, this time it’s for a princess of a foreign country to eat. My spirit changes too depending on how it’s used.4
……I respect all the patissiers who does this as a job. Making them just as a hobby is plenty enough for me.
I bid farewell to the former self-proclaimed Hero, Takahashi-san, and once again resumed making sweets.
「Whew… For now, I’ve done all I can do for today with this, yeah?」
Saying that, I wiped off the sweat from my forehead.
The current time is just before 10 o’clock in the evening. Should I say as expected? Or rather, just like I thought, it had taken a considerable amount of time.
In particular, it was the cake which took time.
The sponge cake was baked and cooled, it was then cut it into two while chestnut cream and boiled chestnuts were placed between them, furthermore, fresh cream was spread on the exterior and chestnut mousse was added on top…
A whole two of them were prepared, you know? Entirely hand made…
Well, together with those hardships, the sweets which were made today are lined up on top of the table.5
Three apple pies with cinnamon, two whole chestnut mousse cakes, and ten people’s portions of pear compote and sweet potatoes.
Taking this opportunity, I also tried making a little bit of plum brandy jelly as an experiment for summer. Well, since this isn’t a seasonal item, it’s just a bonus ne. Once I place them into boxes later, tomorrow morning I’ll just need to pack the jelly and the preparations will be done.
I carefully placed them one by one into boxes. I then placed those into a preservation magic tool.
After I finished packing everything, I finally took a breather.
……After that is, the cleaning up of the large amount of dirty kitchen utensils ne.
It seems I won’t be able to go to bed for a little while…