Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: A Sweet Future Embedded in Sweets

The banquet was lively.

With plenty of delicacies and fine wine, coupled with the hope of becoming even more prosperous in the future, there was no way it wouldn’t be lively.

Talented individuals played music with their instruments, while other subjects sang and laughed along in harmony.

It truly was a wonderful festival.

I savored this atmosphere with every fiber of my being.

“Kurt-sama, are you really listening to me?”

“Of course, Farne-sama, I’m listening.”

Farne brought my attention back to the conversation.

Since the festival began, I had been caught up with Count Fernande and Farne.

The main topics of discussion were supplementary explanations regarding the improvements being made in my fiefdom, which I had submitted earlier, and interpretations of books I had translated in the past.

Both topics delved quite deeply, so I couldn’t let my guard down.

But seeing both of them enjoying themselves put me at ease.

Tina poured wine into my empty cup. She had been devotedly attending to us since earlier.

Just having her nearby made me feel at ease, so I was grateful.

After chatting for a while, I glanced around the venue and noticed that both the food and wine were running low.

Now was the time to act.

“Count Fernande, Farne-sama, I would like to offer some sweets now.”

Count Fernande nodded, and Farne spoke up.

“It’s a shame we’ll stop chatting, but I’m looking forward to the sweets.”
“I’ll personally serve the sweets to both of you, so I’ll be back shortly.”

“Well, splendid. It’s a promise.”

“Yes.”

I stood up.

“Tina, let’s go.”

“Yes, let’s deliver Kurt-sama’s sweets to everyone!”

And so, Tina and I walked over to the table where the sweets were placed.

◇

On the table were madeleines in a basket and hollandaise sauce in a small pot.

“Tina, I’m counting on you.”

“I’ll warm it up slowly!”

With Tina’s help, the hollandaise sauce was reheated to 60 degrees Celsius, the optimal temperature to activate the flavor of the eggs. I wanted everyone to enjoy the sweets in their best condition.

Several small pots were prepared, each containing a portion of hollandaise sauce.

Servants carried baskets of madeleines and small pots to each table.

The people began to stir with excitement.

The servants opened the baskets, releasing a sweet aroma. As they realized the contents were homemade sweets, everyone’s expressions softened.

Tina and I also moved. We approached Count Fernande and Farne.

As the next head of the Arnoldt family, I wanted to personally serve them the sweets.

◇

“Oh, are the sweets being distributed now yours?”

As soon as I returned, Count Fernande addressed me.

“Yes, these are my sweets. Would you like to try them?”

“Of course.”

Tina opened the basket, and I plated the madeleines onto the dishes.

“Baked goods, huh? They smell fantastic. A fragrant forest scent. And they look good too. Vibrant fox-colored, with the Arnoldt family crest carved on them? This is excellent. Perfect for the end of the festival.”

“They look fluffy and delicious. And as Father said, they have such a nice scent. What’s the secret behind it?”

“It’s the scent of honey and walnuts. When baked, it creates this wonderful aroma.”

Both of them looked at the madeleines with interest.

“And my sweets aren’t complete yet. Allow me to finish them.”

I took the pot from Tina and poured hollandaise sauce with a ladle.

The temperature was just right. As soon as I opened the pot, a sweet and sour scent of salsify spread.

It was a refreshing scent, different from walnuts.

“Oh, you’re pouring that sauce over it?”

“Yes, exactly.”

I poured the sauce onto the family crest.

The golden Arnoldt family crest emerged on the madeleine.

“Wow, a golden crest on a sweet. How beautiful! It’s lovely.”

“My, I’m amazed. So when you said ‘golden sweets,’ you meant this. It’s beautiful, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s almost too beautiful to eat.”

Both of them exclaimed in admiration.

Especially Farne seemed impatient, as his hand holding the fork was trembling with anticipation.

“Now, it’s complete. I present to you the sweets I’ve created, named Arnoldt’s Madeleine. Please, enjoy.”

Looking around, I saw the servants still pouring warm sauce over the madeleines and distributing them to the people.

“Kurt-kun, you’ve attached the name Arnoldt to the sweets. But if the appearance doesn’t match the substance, it would tarnish the family name. Are you prepared for that?”

“Yes, I can confidently say that these are the best sweets worthy of the Arnoldt name and history.”

I answered without any hesitation.

Count Fernande cut into the Arnoldt’s Madeleine with a knife and brought it to his mouth.

As he chewed, his eyes widened.

“This…!? Such rich egg flavor!”

And rightfully so. The sauce was made from egg yolks with the sweetness of honey and the acidity of fruits.

Using only egg yolks and keeping them at the optimal temperature of 60 degrees Celsius activated the flavor to its fullest. Compared to custard cream and others, it offered an unparalleled richness of egg flavor.

“Not only does it taste like Father’s, but the texture is also lovely. The fluffy and soft dough, yet moist. And when combined with the rich golden sauce, the texture becomes even smoother, creating a truly dreamy sweet.”

The dough, leavened with meringue and baked, tends to be fluffy but can dry out easily. However, the addition of grated yam and ample walnut oil retains moisture in the dough, making it moist. When combined with the smooth hollandaise sauce, it creates a sensual texture.

Different textures between the parts with and without sauce prevent monotony in eating.

And the flavor pairing is excellent as well. Except for eggs, all other ingredients are from the Arnoldt territory. There’s no way they wouldn’t complement each other.

“I was surprised by the cookies before, but they had a rustic flavor. However, this is a luxurious and magnificent taste. I could confidently place this on my dining table. This is a nobleman’s sweet. Yet, it’s without impurities. I must say, I underestimated you. Despite the constraints of ingredients and time, you’ve done remarkably well.”

While Count Fernande continued to praise, he didn’t stop bringing the food to his mouth.

It seemed he liked it that much.

From the square, voices of the subjects could be heard one after another.

“This is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted!”

“It’s so sweet! I could die happy now!”

“Just by eating this sweet, I can see why Kurt-sama becoming the next head is a good thing.”

“Ah, I’ve finished eating already. I should have savored it more.”

“What a waste, I won’t ever get to eat something like this again.”

“If Kurt-sama remains as lord, maybe we’ll get to eat it again next year.”

“I hope so. I want to let my son, who couldn’t come with me, taste it too.”

It was a resounding success, and I felt relieved.

Everyone devoured the Arnoldt’s Madeleine eagerly.

Amidst this, after finishing the Arnoldt’s Madeleine, Farne spoke up.

“Kurt-sama, there’s a serious flaw in this sweet.”

Farne looked at me with a stern expression.

For a moment, I paled at his words.

Did I overlook something?

What could possibly be wrong?

“Yes, a flaw… what is it?”

She hesitated, creating suspense.

“The quantity is too little! There’s no refill!”

Upon hearing that, Count Fernande and I exchanged wry smiles… then burst into laughter.

◇

After everyone finished eating the sweets, I ascended the platform once again.

This was the closing speech.

And it was also a platform to convey my dreams.

“Everyone, I want you to listen.”

The surroundings fell silent.

All eyes were on me.

“Did you all enjoy the sweets I made?”

In response to my question, there were unanimous replies.

Relieved to hear such positive responses, it seemed everyone had thoroughly enjoyed them.

“That’s good. Those sweets are called Arnoldt’s Madeleine. As the name suggests, they represent the future of Arnoldt territory as I envision it.”

I didn’t name them Arnoldt out of vanity or whimsy.

There was a necessity for them to be Arnoldt.

“My dream is to make this territory a place where everyone can eat sweets every day as a matter of course.”

At those words, the subjects were surprised, some tilting their heads in confusion.

For them, it was truly a dream come true.

“You may not yet feel it. Arnoldt territory is poor, and many struggle even to have regular meals. Sweets are a distant dream. Sweet things are hard to come by. Besides, sweets are considered nobles’ food. You probably think that way.”

It’s harsh, but it’s the reality.

Sweets are a luxury, a pastime for nobles. That’s the common knowledge in this world.
“But you see, all the ingredients for these Arnoldt’s Madeleines are sourced from this territory. There’s no reason why we can’t enjoy such sweets together.”

The subjects murmured in disbelief, one after another.

“Shall I list the ingredients one by one? Wheat… everyone here grows it. Walnuts… plentiful in our forests. Yam… although it takes some effort to dig up, it’s easily obtainable. Salsify fruits… green fruits growing everywhere. Eggs… we’ll increase the chickens given to us by Count Fernande and eventually distribute them to each village. And the sweetness is from honey. This honey is harvested from my territory, from successful beekeeping. Once we refine the technique a bit more, I intend to share it with other villages. In the near future, everyone will be able to enjoy honey. That’s all the ingredients.”

The subjects listened to my words, astonished.

Finally, it seemed they realized that my dream was indeed achievable.

“Eggs and honey might take until next year, but the rest is available immediately. A future where everyone can make such sweets is just around the corner!”

When making today’s sweets, I insisted on using ingredients available in this territory.

To make them believe that dreams can become reality, I needed to make the best sweets with ordinary ingredients.

Clearing that hurdle, the sweets to make the subjects believe in dreams.

That’s what Arnoldt’s Madeleine represents. A sweet dream.

Understanding dawned on the faces of the subjects.

“My village might be more prosperous than others, as you may have heard from Father. I don’t intend to hide the secret. I, you see, if something new succeeds in my village, I want to spread it throughout the entire Arnoldt territory. That way, everyone can prosper together!”

Until now, there hasn’t been any technological exchange.

Although we’re in the same Arnoldt territory, each village clung to its own methods. I want to change that.

With rumors of my village’s success, Count Fernande’s recognition, and now the power of my sweets, perhaps these ideas will be accepted.

“And then, when we no longer struggle with daily meals, let’s enjoy sweets with ordinary ingredients, honey, and eggs. Sweets shouldn’t be reserved for nobles. They should be a simple pleasure of everyday life. I will make Arnoldt territory into such a place.”

That’s exactly my role as the lord.

And my dream as a pastry chef. It’s sad that only a few people can enjoy sweets, isn’t it? I want more people to eat sweets and feel happy.

“What I aim for is a territory overflowing with sweets and smiles. If you believe in that dream, please applaud. With this, I conclude my greetings as the next Viscount Arnoldt.”

I bow my head.

Any more words would be unnecessary.

Will my dream be accepted?

As I pondered that, a wave of sound came.

A tumultuous applause. Everyone in the room was clapping vigorously.

Among them were my father, Count Fernande, Farne… and Tina.

Everyone believed in me.

With such sweet and kind people, I want to liven up this land.

I smiled from the bottom of my heart, thinking so.