86 – A gift is a must

A letter came from Orcus.

The content was to say that I was sorry that I couldn’t go to the engagement ceremony and to ask if there was anything I needed as a gift.

In order to enter the academy next year, I had to go up to Luden, so I thought it would be better to find out about this in advance through a local person. For some reason, it seemed that Elena already knew everything about the last dessert shop she had written down, but maybe she didn’t know.

A hidden restaurant known only to the imperial family. Well, maybe something like that.

“By the way, it’s Luden…”

As I pictured in my head the image of Luden, the capital of this empire and known as ‘the safest city in the world’, I thought about what would happen there.

The place where the most incidents occurred in the original work was none other than Luden, the ‘safest city in the world’, so it was a place where you couldn’t help but worry. And to think that half of those incidents happen at the academy, where they are supposed to enter next year, that’s worrying as well.

I can’t imagine what the hell will happen in Luden, seeing that events similar to those in the original work occur regardless of time zone in the Legion this time.

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Maybe nothing will happen the opposite of what you worry about.

The incident in Legion this time. The demonic demons’ attack in the south originally happened when the pagan influence was at its peak, so in the original work, there was no power enough to completely eradicate the ringleaders of this incident.

It was because so many incidents had occurred before that the power of the imperial family had been dispersed, and the empire as a whole was in a state of darkness.

But now things have gone in a very different direction from the original.

For some reason, the church, which should still be recovering, moved, and thanks to that, we were able to subdue them more easily than in the original. As far as I know, a considerable number of pagans were wiped out because the imperial family cleaned the entire empire in the manner of a fisherman.

Needless to say, the borders of the ecliptic have been further strengthened, so there is a possibility that nothing will really happen while Elena and I are living in Luden.

It’s not very high, it’s just that it could be. To be honest, it was half of the sound that came out of personal hope.

I took out a book that I had put in a drawer for a long time and hadn’t opened for a while. The book, which was bound in light green leather, had not been touched for a long time, and a lot of dust had settled on it. Before, I had read whenever I had free time, but since I met Elena, I hadn’t taken it out, so that’s understandable.

Once I shake off the dust and open the book, familiar letters catch my eye. After reading the settings organized in crooked letters, I turned the pages backwards. It’s only the first half, but the rest is written neatly, so my eyes didn’t hurt.

The place where my hand stopped was the future activity plan I wrote down in the past.

The beginning of the schedule was the breakup with Elena, but that part was so tattered that the paper was almost torn, probably because I had crossed out the line the day before. I think I was very embarrassed because it didn’t go as planned from the beginning.

I recalled the past for a while and read the untouched letters under it.

These were the rules of action that roughly matched the time period in the novel, but now that I look at them, nothing fits with the current situation, so I just laughed. At that time, I think I had a lot of faith in this information that came out of my memory, but now I came back and looked it over again like this, and I didn’t feel anything.

Why did I always believe that the story would flow as it was in the novel?

Even if he broke off his engagement to Elena that day, that too would flow differently from the story in the novel.

He raised an aura from his hand and set the book on fire. The book, engulfed in black fire, disappeared from the world without a trace, like an object that was not there originally.

It was just the setting I had written down in the book anyway, since I had already memorized it in my head for a long time, so the value of that thing was as if it had disappeared the moment I met her.

Even so, the reason I didn’t get rid of it and left it was because the future flowed as I wrote down in that book, and I felt relieved that I knew the future.

Seeing the book completely burnt away made me feel a bit refreshed. It wasn’t really a headache or anything like that, but I just felt that way.

“I’m going to have to do what I have to do today.”

Looking at the clock hanging on the wall, the time I had promised with the chef had run out.

I got up, opened the door and left the room.

***

“You’re here. Master. I’ve prepared all the preparations, so all you have to do is wash your hands clean.”

When I opened the kitchen door, a man with a short mustache in a clean-looking pure white cooking uniform greeted me.

Since lunch had just been eaten, the cutlery hanging in the kitchen was still wet. I went to the sink, washed my hands, and put on the gloves he handed me.

The man’s name is Hans Pillow.

Like my butler, Ken, he is an employee employed by Krauss, and he is the chef of Krauss, who has been in charge of our family table for a long time. He is a person with a generous impression and clear eyes, but as you can see, he is a very good-hearted person.

From what I heard, the servants of the lord’s castle said that Hans was their favorite. If Ken was popular for his kindness and skill, Hans had a knack for captivating people’s stomachs along with Ken’s kindness. I also like the food he cooks very much.

As he guided me, I put on the prepared cooking clothes and stood in front of the kitchen counter.

“It’s clean.”

“Because the kitchen should always be clean. I always clean it, but some tools have a magic to keep them clean. The cook’s clothes you are wearing right now are one of those things.”

There were no traces of contamination or any scent in the completely pure white cooking clothes. Looking at the clean clothes, I thought that there would be a pleasant scent without even realizing it, but it was completely odorless, not even the scent I found when I found the clothes I left at the laundry.

Now that I think about it, I don’t think that just because clothes smell good doesn’t have a good effect on cooking.

When it comes to enjoying food, the scent of food also plays an important role in the taste, so I thought that too much of anything could harm the original taste. Is it true that professional tools are different from clothes?

As I was sniffing my clothes, Hans looked at me as if he saw something interesting. Seeing his gaze, I hurriedly pulled my sleeves down.

Like Ken, maybe it’s because they’re people I’ve seen since I was young, so I’m very sensitive to their gaze. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up not like a child, but in the case of Ken, Maria, and Hans, who are older among the servants of the lord’s castle, when I sometimes act stupidly, they like it and rush at it.

I said this to Hans, who didn’t look away.

“It’s the first time I’ve worn clothes like this.”

“If the size doesn’t fit, please tell me. Out of the extra clothes, I brought the one that fits the boy’s body type to the public. Even if it’s uncomfortable, please wear that outfit today. I’ll try to get one for you.”

“Oh, I don’t even need to do that…”

When I said this with a shy face, Hans smiled softly and spoke to me.

“You will definitely need it later.”

I nodded my head at the words of Hans who spoke to me with a lot of confidence.

It seems that this incident is intended to make cooking fun for me, but will that be true? Cooking this time was meant to be like a little event, but in Hans’s mind, it seems that I will continue to cook.

Originally, at this time of day, I should be walking around the gymnasium doing physical training or doing my duties as Count So, but I left my schedule blank for today to come here. It was to learn how to make sweets from him.

The reason why I, who can’t eat sweets, learned how to make refreshments from Hans, who was famous as a patissier in the past. What else could there be?

What I was doing now was preparing my own engagement gift.

Usually, when it comes to gifts, we prepare something like a ring or jewelry, but of course I also handed over the ring and necklace I had prepared after the engagement ceremony to Elena. She didn’t have a very good eye for accessories, so at least she had chosen the one that seemed to suit her the most after much thought.

Fortunately, Elena liked what I had picked out, and the very next day, she took me to town to pay me back.

“I think Damian only wears his family uniform too much. All the other clothes he has are dark and similar in style, and he needs to broaden the range a bit. Could you prepare one suit for my body type?”

“Huh? Eh, Elena, that much…”

“Come to think of it, new clothes also need matching accessories. The next store would be better to go to the store where Damian picked out the necklace and ring. Ehehehe.”

That day, for the first time, I could feel that Elena was the son of only three dukes in the empire.

I didn’t expect to see with my own eyes the moment I received the catalog and asked for everything written on it.

I knew in my head that Krauss was also a prestigious family who was not inferior to Edelweiss, and that he had no shortage of wealth, power, and lack of anything, but the economic concept of going out and buying something on my own was still following that of my previous life.

As Count So, while doing paperwork for the family, it is easy to see money moving in excess of 100 million won, but since I have never seen it in action in the field, it seems that the sense of reality has fallen. Even with the checkbook I was carrying right now, it was possible to reproduce Elena’s actions.

Anyway, this was the reason I’m preparing the second present now.

It is said that the most important virtue in a gift is the heart of the giver, but I couldn’t erase the feeling that I had lost something because I received a considerable amount of gift compared to what I gave yesterday. However, I thought that if I competed with financial strength, it would simply become an extravagance, so after thinking about it, the path I chose was to give her a snack I made myself.

Whatever it is, receiving a gift made by oneself has a different meaning for the recipient, so thinking about it again, I think it was a good idea.

I moved my wrist around and picked up one of the whisks on the countertop.

In front of your eyes, you can see the ingredients stacked in layers in a round bowl. I always just watched someone do it, but thinking that I was doing it myself made my heart pound even though it was a simple task.

“Well, then, can I make dough with this from now on?”

“Yes. It’s quite a lot of work, but if you’re a young boy, there’s no need to worry. Just watch what I’m doing and stir accordingly.”

As Hans’ hand moves, the ingredients in the bowl begin to mix. I looked at Hans’ hand and copied it the same way. It required a lot of strength because the ingredients were piled up and stiff, but I had to be careful not to let the dough jump out of the bowl.

Because there was a good training material in front of my eyes, I was able to make the dough without difficulty controlling the power.

The thickened dough was put into a piping bag and panned on a plate at regular intervals to suit the size. I’m not proud of it, but I finished the panning with a very skillful skill because I had a high level of control over my body.

The size of the raised dough was also almost similar, giving the impression that it was made by a machine.

As soon as Hans saw this, he even applauded and praised my skills.

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Maybe I have some talent?

“You’re doing very well. Master, you have a talent. This time it will end with a simple macaron, but next time…”

“Hans. I can see the inside.”

At my words, Hans smiled as if he had stopped.

I almost fell for Hans’ lip service. After looking around the dough on the plate once again, I thought about it again, and it was clear that all I had done so far was making and kneading the dough. It wasn’t without a sense of accomplishment though, but it’s too much lip service to talk about talent like this.

After about ten minutes, the dough on the plate began to harden.

After that, put it in a magic tool that can control the temperature and bake the dough. After preheating it twice at different temperatures, well-baked cookies caught my eye with a savory smell.

Lastly, if you put Hans’s special cream on top of the cookies completed with a piping bag and stack the cookies on the other side, the macaron is complete.

I thought it was easier to make than I thought.

Bake the dough, add the cream, and stack it up.

It was not for nothing that Hans encouraged me to make macarons. The cream, which accounts for the largest part of the taste, was made by Hans, but the process of making it was very simple. To the point where I wondered if I could make it at least once when I had some free time.

“They’re all in good shape. Would you like to try them?”

“You know that I can’t eat sweets… But the person who made it should try it at least once.”

I took a bite of the macaron.

Because they had just been baked, the macarons were still warm. Just the right texture, not too hard and not too soft. The downside is that it is too sweet for my taste. not bad.

Hans also took a bite, nodded lightly, and gave an OK sign. It was a natural result since it was such a simple cookie that there was no big problem unless I made the mistake of setting the wrong temperature during the baking process.

“By the way, I think it’s too much for one person to eat.”

Could it be that the plate was too big? Or was it because I had too much fun kneading the dough? Anyone can see that it’s the latter, but after making all the things I originally intended to make, the number tripled. Still, leaving an empty space is a bad thing.

“hahahaha. Don’t you usually eat this much? It’s okay. As long as you’re a young lady.”

“Then, if you don’t do well, you’ll get sick. The six I originally intended to give to Elena will be handed over, so I’ll have to share the rest with others.”

Even if I subtracted the two that Hans and I just ate, the remaining number is 10.

3 for Alphonse and 1 for Dad. If Ken, Maria, and Hayley are given two each, the number is right. I received the bag from Hans, finished wrapping it, and walked over to the Icilia pavilion to hand over the macarons to Elena.

“Ah! Master Damian!”

I bumped into Hailey on the way.

Elena was most likely in the room now, as she was coming out of the direction I was heading.

Haley glanced at me for a moment before opening her mouth, wondering if she had found something.

“It’s a very bright color unlike usual! White, which is the complete opposite of black, suits you very well. Is this the outfit the lady chose yesterday?”

“That’s right. I’m glad it suits you well.”

“By the way, when I heard that it smelled delicious, it must have come from the bag the boy was holding. Even if it wasn’t, the lady asked me to visit the kitchen once, so I never thought this would happen. The tea is prepared in the room, so I just need to take him to the room.”

Haley was glad that she didn’t have to walk to the main building, as the Isilia building was a short distance from the main building’s kitchen. As I walked with Hayley to Elena’s room, I handed her a small bag that I was holding in my other hand.

“This?”

“This time, I made macarons for Elena, but I thought I made too many for one person to eat, so I wanted to share the rest with others. It’s up to Hailey.”

“Wow! You said you made it yourself?! That’s for the lady too!! This is a very precious item. Usually, you don’t make cookies yourself, do you?”

“Well, isn’t that the case?”

“Hmmm, the smell is perfect. But unlike the smell, the taste is just in case, so let’s check it out!”

And Hailey, with the macaron in her mouth, quietly raised her thumb. It’s like being examined by some kind of maid of honor.

After receiving an ok decision from Hayley, who could be said to be Elena’s closest aide, I headed for Elena’s room without hesitation, fueled by confidence. It wasn’t unusual for me to come to her room at this time of day, so Elena welcomed me as usual, without a hint of surprise.

“As expected, white suits you well too. Damian. But what about the bag you’re holding in your hand? It smells like something sweet.”

“It’s a gift.”

Elena opened the bag she handed me. Inside are two pink macaroons. Elena looked at me with a slightly bewildered expression, as it was the same as the macaron that she always brings out from the kitchen when we have tea time.

Then Haley, who was watching us from the side, spoke first.

“That macaron. Master Damian made it himself to give to the young lady!”

“Yes?”

“It’s true. I used the most important cream exactly as Hans made it, but I made the shell myself.”

“Um, did Damian really make this?!”

Upon hearing this, Elena’s face changed just like Hailey did when she first heard me. Could it be that I couldn’t believe it? Elena looked at me and the macaron for a while, then thanked me with a bright smile.

“Thank you so much, Damian. I’ll save it and eat it.”

“No, you can’t do that. You’ll get hurt if you do.”

“But! There are only six of these, so how can I eat all of these precious things!! If I put preservation magic on them, I can keep them for at least a year…”

Hearing Elena’s words dripping with regret reminded me of what Hans had said earlier. I wonder if I expected this situation when I was so confident that I would definitely need a cooking suit in the future.

Still, when I thought of Elena’s happy face when she first received the macarons, I guess it was going to be as he said.

“Then I can make it again later. So stop trying to enchant the macarons right away.”

It was only after making that promise that Elena was able to stop enchanting the macaroons. I had a hunch that it would not be only macarons that I would learn from Hans.