Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 0

Prologue: Kurt’s Everyday Life

I want to become the world’s greatest pastry chef.

That’s my dream. Even if I die, that feeling won’t change.

I thought that way… but I never thought I’d remain unchanged even after being reincarnated.

I died and was reborn as the son of a poor noble in another world. Yet, even now, I aim to become a pastry chef.

◇

Under the morning sun’s rays, I swung a spear in an open area.

With each thrust, I put forth a clear intention.

I refined the flow of power, my breath, stripping away all unnecessary movements and honing them.

I always think that training is similar to sharpening a sword. Sharpening oneself to be sharper and more flexible, relentlessly honing oneself.

Training with the spear is the destiny of being born into the Arnoldt family.

“Lord Kurt! I have brought breakfast.”

As my morning training came to a close, a girl approached.

She is a servant who serves me.

She is a distinctive girl with silver hair, fox ears, and a fox tail of the same color. I thought of her as a child until just recently, but she has been becoming more and more womanly lately, which surprises me.

“Thank you. I appreciate it, Tina.”

I accepted the sandwich in a basket from Tina.

The sandwich is a simple one with cheese between rye bread, but it’s delicious with small attentions to detail.

Making simple dishes taste delicious is the most difficult thing.

Just as I thought my throat was a little dry, Tina took out a water bottle and poured tea into a wooden cup, offering it to me.

The cold tea feels refreshing against my overheated body.

“Yeah, today’s meal was wonderful too. Thanks to Tina’s cooking, I always feel motivated.”

I pat her head. The sensation of her silky hair and fox ears feels pleasant.

“Oh, Kurt-sama! Stop treating me like a child!”

“But you’re still a child, aren’t you?”

“Beastfolk mature quickly!”

I’m fifteen, and Tina is thirteen.

As she says, beastfolk grow up quickly. So even at thirteen, she has a certain charm.

“I’ve known Tina since she was little. I can’t help but treat her like a child.”

When we first met, she was only ten years old, and she was truly a child back then. After various circumstances, I ended up taking care of her in our mansion for three years. When I picked her up, I never imagined she would grow into such a beautiful girl.

“Well then, shall we go? Everyone’s waiting.”

“Yes, Kurt-sama, please wait!”

As I start walking briskly, Tina follows along in a flustered manner.

Let’s do our best at work today too.

◇

I am Kurt Arnoldt, the eldest son of the Arnoldt Viscount family.

The Arnoldt family is a noble family serving the Federal Empire.

The Arnoldt Viscount family’s territory is at the northernmost tip of the Federal Empire, vast but filled with undeveloped mountainous land.

The Arnoldt family’s livelihood involves defending the Federal Empire from enemies and monsters in the north, while also cultivating the undeveloped land and increasing harvest yields.

The population is roughly around 500, spread across five villages. I’ve been entrusted with the newest village and lead about fifty people in the settlement’s development.

Last year, the development finally reached a milestone, and I crossed through fields where crops could now grow. A girl who had been tending to the wheat waved at me, so I turned back.

And then, I reached my destination. It was still a wild, untamed land. Weeds grew thick, and stones were scattered about. Trees had been cut down, leaving stumps everywhere. This was to be turned into farmland.

Already, sturdy men had gathered and begun working. My beloved subjects.

“Hey, youngster, good of you to come!”

“You saved us, youngster! There’s a troublesome stump here that we just can’t seem to pull out!”

“Forget about that, we have injured people to tend to first! I apologize, Kurt-sama. Abel here got his arm cut off, could you take a look?”

As soon as they saw me, they rushed over, out of breath.

This was the forefront of our settlement. While women and children tended to the already cleared land, men worked to open up new territory.

I listened carefully to each person’s story and prioritized.

“I’m the only one who can handle that stump, so tie a rope around it and in the meantime, I’ll tend to the injured.”

“You can count on me, youngster!”

“As expected, we can rely on you, youngster.”

One by one, the strong men praised me and entrusted me with the troublesome stumps. Me, a slender fifteen-year-old.

There was a secret to that.

“Where are the injured?”

“They’re resting in the shade over there.”

“Let’s go there right away.”

I was guided by one of the settlers to a young man leaning against a large tree.

He was pressing a cloth against his hand, which was stained with blood.

“Are you okay, Abel?”

“Kurt-sama, I’m sorry. I messed up a bit.”

“It’s fine. This is the kind of work you’re doing. Injuries are inevitable. Let me see the wound.”

Abel peeled away the cloth covering his arm, revealing the wound.

It was deeper than I had imagined.

“This needs stitches. I’ll do it here.”

“I’m truly sorry…”

I opened the first aid kit that had been prepared.

First, I moistened a clean cloth and instructed him to bite down on it to prevent biting his tongue, then I cleaned the wound with high-proof alcohol.

I stitched up the wound with a needle and wrapped it with a bandage, completing the procedure.

“Abel, you can go home today. Rest for three days until the wound heals. Don’t work during that time, or the wound might reopen. I’ll remove the stitches in about a week and check on it again.”

“Thank you, Kurt-sama.”

Abel bowed his head.

Before I knew it, the surrounding settlers were watching my hands with keen interest, as if it were unusual for me to be sewing up wounds.

As soon as the procedure was over, everyone started talking at once.

“That was impressive. Despite how deep the wound was, the bleeding stopped in no time.”

“You’re amazing, youngster. You give clear instructions for settlement work, and you even have medical skills like this.”

“We’re eating because of the taxes everyone’s paying. It’s the least I can do.”

I blushed and scratched my cheek, feeling embarrassed by their praise.

Doctors rarely come to such dangerous and remote borderlands.

Yet, due to our location and the nature of our work, there are often many injured people.

I study on my own to be of any help to everyone, and it’s prideful to see it paying off.

“Only youngsters like you would say something like that. The others just take and take, without doing anything in return.”

“It’s not like the youngster here is going to inherit the lord’s title, though.”

“Hey, now!”

Another settler scolded the one who casually muttered those words, and the settler who had asked me to inherit looked as if they regretted speaking up.

I chuckled.

…Probably, it’s my younger brother who will inherit the Arnoldt Viscount’s territory, not me.

I lack fundamentally essential qualities, and it’s beyond my reach. That’s probably why the last settler felt the need to admonish me.

But I haven’t given up.

“Don’t worry about it. I understand the most.”

“But, youngster…”

“Don’t say anymore. Let’s just get back to work.”

The settlers seemed embarrassed, which in turn made me feel down.

It’s an unpleasant atmosphere.

To clear the air, I head towards the problematic tree root.

The rope was securely tied around it.

I gently closed my eyes.

I circulate magic power… Magic, it’s a power that only a chosen few possess. Just circulating it can enhance physical abilities and increase self-healing.

Among the chosen, only a few seem to manifest magic, but unfortunately, I haven’t reached that level yet.

Confirming the flow of magic, I take hold of the rope and pull with all my strength.

I feel strong resistance, but I exert even more force.

Finally, the tree comes out.

Around me, there’s thunderous applause.

I proudly smile, and the settlers respond in kind.

Today, too, the settlement work went smoothly.