Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Growth of the Disciple and Departure to the Capital

Upon hearing from Farne about the schedule for the baron’s investiture ceremony, two emotions swirled in my chest.

One was joy.

To become a viscount was not true nobility in the strictest sense; it was more like pseudo-nobility. Becoming a baron and achieving true nobility was the longstanding wish of the Arnold family.

The joy of this being fulfilled was immense.

The other emotion was frustration.

Firstly, two weeks was an incredibly tight schedule.

My territory was at the farthest edge of this country. The capital city in the center was even farther ahead of the Duke of Lenaril’s territory.

Even rushing, it would take at least ten days just for travel. The schedule was so tight that if I didn’t leave by tomorrow, I wouldn’t make it in time.

Of course, I couldn’t just head straight to the capital. As a noble, I needed to make various greetings before the investiture ceremony.

At the very least, I had to visit Count Fernande as his vassal. Furthermore, I would need to greet Duke Lenaril, who was above him.

I also had my own preparations to make.

I had to decide how to handle Eclava’s confectionery shop in my absence and handle the transition of duties in my territory.

… To be blunt, I also didn’t have clothes to wear to the investiture ceremony.

When I headed towards Duke Lenaril’s territory, there were clothes prepared for me by Count Fernande.

Those clothes were certainly splendid, but because there would be many higher-ranking individuals there than myself, they were designed modestly so that I, of lower status, wouldn’t stand out more than the nobles.

They were well-made and of good quality, but for a grand stage like the investiture ceremony, where confidence would be the main stage, I needed different attire.

And then the issue that came up was time.

The clothes suitable for the investiture ceremony would definitely need to be custom-made. No matter how hard I try, there’s no way they’ll be ready in time.

“Farne, I need you to work tirelessly from now until tomorrow evening to get to Eclava. That’s the plan, so I hope you’re ready to move.”

I said.

“Understood. If there’s anything I can assist with, please let me know.”

Farne replied.

“Yeah, I’ll think about it… By the way, why would someone from the royal family be interested in my pastries?”

I asked.

Farne responded with a wry smile to my question, which only fueled my anxiety.

“It seems Prince Granta, the third son, is causing a stir.”

Farne explained.

“I figured. The other princes and princesses seem to be making progress in their lives. They wouldn’t be making such unreasonable demands.”

I said.

In the Federal Kingdom of Fedelar, there were three princes and two princesses. The eldest and second sons excelled in domestic and military affairs and were well-regarded for their personalities. One of the two princesses had already married, and the other was beloved as a saintly figure with exceptional beauty and a siren-like singing voice.

Furthermore, these four siblings got along well, and it was said that Fedelar’s future was secure with them.

However, the youngest, Prince Granta, had a poor reputation. He wasn’t particularly skilled in anything and behaved arrogantly, using the authority of the royal family as he pleased, earning himself a bad reputation.

It was quite something for rumors about a minor noble like me to reach that level.

“I suspect someone has influenced him. With this sudden schedule, it might be an attempt to burden Kurt-sama, who’s already dealing with a lot, with the prince’s whims and perhaps even sabotage him. There are quite a few nobles who envy Kurt-sama.”

Farne speculated.

That line of thought was entirely plausible.

Lately, I’ve been drawing quite a bit of attention.

I got engaged to the daughter of Count Fernande, successfully impressed her at a dinner hosted by Duke Lenaril, one of the four dukes, and was appointed as a baron at this young age.

It wouldn’t be surprising if some nobles found it displeasing.

“I wouldn’t mind those cute folks just tripping over their own jealousy.”

I muttered.

“Kurt-sama, what do you mean by that?”

Farne inquired.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

I quickly dismissed it.

I had been about to share my thoughts with Farne, but I stopped myself.

I must be worrying too much.

What concerned me wasn’t just petty jealousy tripping people up—it was something deeper and more sinister, calculated and lurking in the shadows.

I recalled Duke Heltring, one of the four dukes alongside Duke Lenaril.

He was the first person in my life whom I genuinely feared. I didn’t want anything to do with him. The inner depths of that noble scion were something utterly grotesque that should never be witnessed.

My instincts screamed at me to stay away.

And now, I couldn’t shake the delusion that he might be behind this incident.

He had once told me directly that he would acquire me. I couldn’t help but read this as part of his scheme.

“At any rate, let’s get started on the preparations. We can’t oppose anything the royal family decides, so all we can do is give it our all.”

I said.

Do the best we can right now.

That’s all I should focus on.

“Indeed, Kurt-sama. I will do my best as well.”

Farne responded.

With that determination, I began preparations as thoroughly as possible.

For both Eclava’s shop in my absence and my territory, I needed to take action by tomorrow morning.

“I’ve been causing Solte trouble all this time. Maybe it’s about time I formally appoint him as the village chief and succeed my father as lord.”

I thought.

“If it’s Solte, he’ll manage this village properly.”

After the investiture ceremony, if the village runs smoothly in my absence, I’ll seriously consider appointing Solte as the village chief.

Today, although it wasn’t originally a day for making sweets, I had called in one of those responsible for making sweets.

“Kurt-niisama, I’m here! Are we having another special training session today? I’m excited!”

She exclaimed.

“Thank you for coming, Mil.”

Her name was Mil. She was one of the orphans who had immigrated from Eclava, still only thirteen years old, but already showing a genius sense in making sweets.

I had been teaching her various aspects of sweet-making whenever I had time. She was capable of succeeding me.

She had that much potential.

“Mil, I’ll be away for about two weeks starting today.”

I informed her.

“Kurt-niisama!? Oh no, what will we do? We won’t be able to make sweets during that time.”

She worried.

“That’s right. That’s why I have something to ask of you. I need you to decide on the ratio of ingredients for the berry cookies and the pinaru honey cake that I’ve been handling, and make minor adjustments to the baking time while I’m away. During my absence, it will be your responsibility, Mil.”

I explained.

The most crucial aspect of sweet-making is the recipe.

Everyone in this village who makes sweets knows how to follow a recipe precisely.

However, the recipe itself is tricky. Even with the same ingredients, there can be variations in quality, and the temperature and humidity of the day can also affect the outcome. That’s why slight adjustments in ingredient proportions and baking times are necessary, depending on the quality of ingredients and environmental changes each day.

That specific task has always been my responsibility.

Now, I entrusted it to Mil.

“It’s impossible. I’ve gotten better, but I’m still far behind Kurt-niisama.”

Mil shook her head vigorously, waving her hands.

“It’s because you can admit that you’re still improving that I trust you. Your sweets are more than good enough. I can confidently put them on display in my shop.”

I assured her.

Indeed, Mil had been improving at an incredible pace.

For our staple items like the berry cookies and pinaru honey cake, she could produce something close to my level.

Only those with a refined palate could taste the difference between her sweets and mine. Recognizing that distinction showed Mil’s true genius—she could perceive differences where others might not even realize they existed.

“Are you sure? My sweets aren’t as good as yours.”

Mil asked earnestly.

“Yes, I’m sure. I’m counting on you. If you can recognize where you fall short, someday you’ll catch up. From here on, it’s all about your artistic sense. Your sweets will be on display in the shop as they are. This experience is crucial for your growth, so I want you to grow here.”

I explained.

What she lacked was simply experience.

This time, if she pushes herself, it will surely become a source of strength for her.

“Got it. I’ll do my best!”

Mil nodded with determination.

“I’m rooting for you. Look forward to the best souvenir I can bring back for you, to celebrate your hard work.”

I encouraged.

“Yay, a souvenir! That’s motivating!”

Mil exclaimed enthusiastically.

With this, things should work out fine for Eclava’s shop.

With Mil’s palate and skill, there’s no chance she’ll make any subpar sweets that would tarnish our reputation.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I need to ask. It’s for the weekly rotating menu. Please try this.”

I said, taking out the new menu item starting next week.

“It’s Papuru Bavarian cream.”

I revealed.

“Is it really okay for me to taste Kurt-niisama’s new menu?”

Mil asked eagerly.

“I need you to, otherwise I’ll be in trouble.” I replied.

“In that case, here goes.”

Mil exclaimed.

Mil savored the Papuru Bavarian cream with sparkling eyes—evaluating its appearance, aroma, texture, and taste. She immersed herself in every detail, simultaneously enjoying it and mentally dissecting how it was made.

She did this unconsciously, a testament to her talent.

“Bringing out the tartness and nobility of Papuru, with a rich and gentle flavor. The synergy between the two layers of texture is incredible. Truly, Kurt-niisama, it’s a wonderful sweet!”

Mil exclaimed.

“I’m glad you liked it. Here’s the recipe for this sweet.”

I said, handing her the recipe I had prepared the day before.

Mil could only read the minimum amount of text, but she could decipher the words in the recipe through her experience.

“Looks simple but actually quite challenging. Balancing the moisture content to achieve the contrast between the soft upper layer and the firm bottom layer must be quite difficult.”

Mil noted.

“Yeah, that’s the key point of this sweet. I want you to make it”

I explained.

“I can’t do it. Custard pudding is still a challenge for me, and a new menu item like this?”

Mil hesitated.

“It’s actually less difficult than custard pudding. In fact, I made a huge batch yesterday, and Tina froze them in the refrigerated storeroom. It should last us about five days, but after that, we’ll run out. Eclava’s rotating menu will be empty.”

I explained.

That was the main issue.

The rotating menu items were actually our bestsellers. We had many loyal customers, and we wanted to avoid selling out.

By the way, the refrigerated storeroom was created using earth magic, a completely sealed space. The Papuru Bavarian cream itself was frozen, along with a large amount of ice, allowing us to store the products in perfect condition.

However, despite staying up all night to make the Papuru Bavarian cream yesterday, it was ultimately just one night’s work. There was a limit to how many I could produce, and it wouldn’t cover the entire period of my absence.

“Mil, I want you to create Papuru Bavarian cream of a quality that approaches what I made, using that recipe and your palate, before our frozen stock runs out. And if possible, I’d like you to come up with your own twist on it, transforming it into a new menu item at the usual rotation time. This is both a request to you, Mil, and a challenge from your mentor.”

I explained.

It wasn’t about creating something entirely new but making minor changes. However, Papuru Bavarian cream was a highly refined sweet. It would be challenging to add an element of variation without compromising its quality, a task that required exceptional culinary sense. Yet, I couldn’t help but hope Mil might succeed.

Moreover, entrusting Mil with this was significant. It meant having someone else’s menu alongside mine under the name “Arnoldt”. It carried weighty implications. Mil was the only one I trusted enough to ask for this.

Mil’s expression turned serious, her mouth opening and closing as she considered my request. She understood the difficulty of what I was asking.

She was my greatest admirer when it came to my sweets. Therefore, she understood the significance of being entrusted with a menu.

After a moment’s pause, Mil spoke with determination.

“I’ll do it. I’ll give it my all to recreate Kurt-niisama’s Papuru Bavarian cream in five days and then create my own Bavarian cream within a week!”

I smiled. Well said. That’s my top disciple for you.

Whether she could overcome this challenge would determine whether she could break through her shell.

Mil’s determination gave me courage. It was heartening to see such a young disciple taking on challenges with such enthusiasm. If I couldn’t handle a little bit of unreasonable demand, then what was I good for?

“All right, Mil. We have thirty minutes for a question session starting now. Ask me anything you need to know.”

I said, as Mil took a bite of the Papuru Bavarian cream and started firing questions rapidly, gathering all the information she needed for her confectionery endeavors.

Encouraging.

Feeling that way, I answered Mil’s questions as gently as possible.

It’s enjoyable to see my disciple’s growth.

I’ll do my best not to lose to her. I’ll successfully get through the award ceremony and even create a menu that surpasses the Imperial Torte I made in the past.