Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Unveiling of the New Cake

Tina and Chloe praised the honey cake I made with Pinaru.

Recently, their discerning palates have started to become satisfied. There’s no doubt that both the residents and the people of Eclava will also enjoy it.

“Tina, are you alright? If you’re tired, we can save the rest for tomorrow.”

“I’m fine. I can still go on!”

Tina, the fox-eared beauty, raised her voice with determination while extending her silver fox tail.

As for what we’re doing now, we’ve finished the tasting for family members, so now we’re making it for the residents.

Even though the Pinaru honey cake doesn’t require much effort, it becomes laborious when the quantity increases.

Especially for Tina, who is in charge of baking, the burden is significant.

She practiced baking alone repeatedly to be able to handle it by herself.

“All right, do your best. Probably, once the shop opens, we’ll have to make this much every day.”

“Yes! Leave it to me!”

That’s a good response. Reliable. After that, Tina and I baked cakes one after another.

I’m also teaching the elf Chloe how to make the dough. Since she’s good at water magic, she can intuitively understand the optimal state of the dough, and she has a good sense to begin with. She has a knack for making sweets.

“Kurt, it’s surprisingly difficult, isn’t it? But with practice, it seems like it’s achievable.”

“Yeah, if it’s just making it, I think I can do it after two or three more times. But if we want to make it delicious, we’ll need much more practice.”

“The road ahead is long, huh? But I’ll show you. I’m getting fired up.”

It’s still awkward, but after baking a hundred times together, we’ll become first-rate.

“All right, I’ll do my best. When we return to the Spirit Village, I’ll surprise everyone. They’ll be amazed when I make delicious sweets.”

Chloe pats my cheek.

Seeing that, I give a wry smile.

“What’s wrong, Kurt? You’re making a strange face. It’s kind of a lonely, sad expression.”

“I’m jealous of you, Chloe. I’ve never really thought about making sweets for my family.”

Chloe’s straightforward desire to make sweets for her family back home was dazzling.

Until recently, despite being so close, I never thought about making sweets for my family. Maybe that’s why I ended up so estranged from my younger brother, Jorg.

“If you’re jealous, you can start making cakes for your family now. They’ll definitely be thrilled with your sweets.”

Chloe casually mutters. She says it so easily.

But it’s the truth. I should stop fretting and just take action.

“That’s true. Yeah, let’s do it. These cakes last long enough, so maybe I’ll give some to Jorg and the Baron who have been taking care of me.”

After all, I now have the endorsement of Duke Lenaril, so it wouldn’t be disrespectful to give sweets to nobles.

I glance over at Tina. She’s intensely focused on the fire, baking the cakes.

As expected of Tina. She has a genius sense when it comes to handling fire.

She’s already mastering the baking process of the cakes I taught her, so she’ll soon be able to handle the entire baking process herself.

“All right, let’s give it our all. Let’s finish baking these cakes!”

“Yes, Kurt-sama!”

“Okay. Leave it to Kurt!”

And so, we finished baking a large quantity of cakes.

There’s a mountain of Pinaru honey cakes stacked up.

On the morning of the event, all it takes is slicing them in half and sandwiching Pinaru in between to complete them.

◇

Finally, the day of the unveiling of the products to be sold at the Eclava store has arrived.

The villagers have gathered in the square.

Although it was announced that the tasting event would start in the afternoon, almost everyone had already gathered.

It seems like they’re really looking forward to it.

When I appear, I hear murmurs of excitement.

Being anticipated like this by everyone isn’t bad at all.

Everyone has brought their own plates.

I don’t have enough dishes for everyone here, and it feels awkward to hand them out individually.

So, I set up a workstation and line up rectangular cakes on the table.

I’ll cut and serve them in front of everyone.

As I’m getting ready, a small group gathers in front of the workstation.

“Big bro Kurt, it smells amazing!”

“Yeah, just the smell alone is satisfying.”

“Then I’ll eat yours too.”

“I’ll eat it!”

“Is it ready yet? Is it ready yet?”

The ones who have come closer are Johann and other orphaned children.

They seem to be especially looking forward to the cakes among the villagers.

“Just wait a little longer. We’ll start when it’s time.”

“Big bro Kurt, looking forward to it!”

“I promise it won’t disappoint.”

As I say this, the children cheer and scatter.

In my heart, I decide to cut the cakes a little thicker for those kids.

That much favoritism should be forgiven.

By the time all the preparations are done, it’s the perfect time, and finally, the unveiling of the Pinaru honey cakes to be sold in Eclava begins.

◇

“Here you go.”

“Thank you kindly, boss.”

Solte, a big man who doesn’t seem to suit sweet things… He’s my right-hand man who manages the village in my absence, and he gives a rugged smile.

“You’re eating sweets?”

“Are there people who don’t like sweet things?”

That’s true too.

Humans instinctively crave sweetness. Those who dislike sweet things probably emerge precisely because the world is full of sweetness.

There aren’t many who would miss the chance to enjoy precious sweetness.

I continue cutting the cakes one after another, and they disappear as I cut.

Even with the orphans, the population of this village doesn’t reach a hundred.

The line moves fairly quickly.

Everyone has a plate with cake in hand.

“Now, let the tasting begin. Don’t be shy, dig in.”

As I say this, everyone’s eyes light up.

And so, the tasting began.

◇

“Sweet!”

“The texture of this dough is lovely, with a gentle sweetness and a moistness.”

“The fresh fruit sandwiched inside is great.”

“The scent of caramelized honey is also wonderful.”

Everyone enjoys the cake with enchanted expressions.

I also eat my portion.

Thanks to using the honey from the soaked Pinaru as a sweetener, the dough is moist, and it pairs excellently with the Pinaru in between.

The jam and scattered cranberries also add nice accents, keeping the taste fresh.

This will sell well.

However, there are some issues.

While there’s enough honey, Pinaru, and wheat, the stock of walnuts for walnut oil, an ingredient, is low.

We only have the walnuts stocked up from last autumn, which will run out sooner or later.

As a substitute, olive oil would be desirable. Butter would make it too heavy.

Olive production is thriving in the Lenaril territory, and it’s quite cheap in the market. But whether it’s available in Eclava is uncertain. Even if it is, the price might be a concern.

And there’s one more significant problem.

“Hey, hey, big bro Kurt, there’s still cake left, right?”

While I was lost in thought, Johann comes over.

He seems to have keenly spotted the remaining uncut Pinaru honey cakes on the table used for cutting.

There’s only one left.

Actually, this cake was prepared as a backup for emergencies, so it’s natural that there’s some left.

“There’s some left. What should we do? If we say we can have seconds, it’ll probably lead to a fight.”

Yes, a single pound cake is cut into eight pieces.

Only eight people can have seconds.

It’s inevitable that a bloody dispute will break out among adults and children alike over the precious sweetness.

“Then let’s decide with a Kampala! I’ll gather volunteers. I’ll take the lead.”

“That sounds good.”

Kampala is like rock-paper-scissors in this world.

It determines the outcome without using tools. It’s quite a convenient custom.

“All right, then Johann, gather the volunteers…”

I was about to say that.

A carriage arrives at an incredible speed. It brakes suddenly, and the door opens.

“Wait, please. I haven’t had any yet.”

Emerging from inside is a beautiful girl with fluffy pink hair… it’s Farne, the daughter of Count Fernande and my fiancée.

“Kurt-sama, you’re being mean. Starting something interesting like this without waiting for my return.”

With puffed-up cheeks, she walks over, leaning against me.

She seems to know that some kind of tasting event is happening, as she’s not fazed by the sight.

“I felt bad, but the conversation led to serving sweets, so I had to.”

I didn’t mean to neglect Farne. I explained to the villagers that I wanted to use wheat for the store opening in Eclava, but in that situation, I had to quickly start a tasting event to entertain everyone.

“Lady, it’s not proper to pant and shout loudly like that.”

“Whose side are you on, Volg?”

“I guide the young lady as her educator. That’s all.”

From behind her, Volg, Farne’s butler and my martial arts master, appears.

He’s a young man with a muscular yet slender body clad in a butler’s uniform.

“Ugh, Volg. But you understand my feelings, right?”

“Yes, I also want to enjoy Kurt-sama’s new sweets. However, the young lady intervened, so let’s quietly enjoy ourselves. And you there, young man, you’re Johann, correct? Start the Kampala with six winners.”

“Got it, yeah.”

As expected of Volg. He smoothly moves the conversation along without hesitation.

Prompted by him, Johann starts the fight for seconds.

“Now, my lady, shall we indulge?”

“Yes, let’s. Thank you, Kurt-sama.”

“Yes, please enjoy.”

I regain my composure and cut the cake for the two of them.

“Oh, what a lovely aroma. It reminds me of the Imperial Torte we had the other day.”

“You have a keen sense. It’s made with the fruit from the Spirit Village, Pinaru. It’s a delicious and wonderfully fragrant fruit.”

“That’s amazing. It’s a treat that can only be enjoyed at your shop, Kurt-sama! Here goes!”

Farne takes a bite-sized piece of cake with her fork and brings it to her mouth.

Then, she happily presses both cheeks.

“The aroma is delightful, and the taste is as well. It’s moist with an elegant sweetness. The acidity is also nice.”

“Yes, my lady. We must definitely serve this at the Fernande Tea Party. The guests will surely appreciate it. A cake with such elegance, made with fruit, is unparalleled.”

“Kurt-sama, do you plan to sell this to the public? What’s the price?”

I state the price per slice and the price for a whole cake.

“That price!? If you sell it to nobles, you could find buyers at ten times that price.”

“I want many people to enjoy sweets. That’s why I won’t make it a luxury item. That’s why I keep the cost of ingredients low.”

This is why this pastry exists.

If I were to add nuts to this cake, it would be even more delicious. However, doing so would inevitably increase the price. Nuts are expensive.

Because it’s aimed at the general public, I prioritize cost-effectiveness over taste.

“It’s an admirable aspiration. However, what concerns me is how you’ll sell it. If you plan to sell it as a souvenir, you’ll need packaging, but I don’t think there’s a shop in this village capable of making such sophisticated packaging.”

“That’s something I’m pondering. If we’re going to sell it as a sweet souvenir, I’d like to package it in decent wrapping. I’d outsource it in town, but I don’t have any connections there.”

“…In that case, I’ll arrange it. I’ll have it made cheaply for you.”

I want to jump at those words.

But I deliberately shake my head.

“I don’t want to force a bargain with the power of Count Fernande’s territory. I don’t like that kind of thing.”

“That’s not it.”

“Huh?”

I instinctively ask for clarification.

“This cake will definitely be a hit. There’s no doubt about it. Not only for enjoying at home, but as souvenirs for important people, orders from merchants and wealthy individuals will flood in. It may not be your intention, Kurt-sama, but it’s unavoidable. In other words, it will be gifted to decent people as the best souvenir. This is the perfect opportunity for packaging companies as it’s the best advertisement. And even if the profit per unit is low due to the quantity, it’s fine. Medium-sized companies will jump at the chance and happily negotiate lower prices, depending on the deal.”

It’s like scales falling from my eyes.

This is a perspective I never considered.

I underestimated Farne.

She’s truly a product of the commercial city of Eclava. Her sense of economy is far superior to mine.

“Farne, I’m going to inspect the shop next week. I want to leave the selection of the vendor to you. Are you up for it?”

“Of course. It’s for my husband, after all. It’s a wife’s duty.”

“I’m counting on you, Farne.”

With this, the biggest concern is resolved.

Now, the only thing left is to find a substitute for walnut oil before our stock runs out.

I’ll think about it while peeking into Eclava’s market.

The product is ready. Now, let’s move forward with the preparations.

If the shop in Eclava is a big success, Arnoldt’s territory will become wealthy in one fell swoop, and we’ll even have the means to gather ingredients for sweets. I’m looking forward to it.