Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 94

Chapter 94: The Ingredients of Sweets are Black Jewels

I successfully completed my new cake, the Rotweinkuchen, which uses plenty of red wine and chocolate.

Recently, Tina and Chloe, whose tastes have become refined, also liked it, so I felt relieved.

However, Tina and Chloe were taken away by the servants of this mansion.

Since they would be going to the royal capital as my servants, it seems they will teach them various things so I won’t be embarrassed.

Left alone, I was about to wrap the Rotweinkuchen, which had cooled down.

The wonderful aroma of red wine and chocolate wafted through the air.

I decided to taste it myself. A slice of the cake that Tina and the others had sampled was left, so I took a bite.

“Yeah, yeast is definitely necessary. A cake needs to be fluffy.”

In this world, fluffy bread and cakes are hard to come by because there is no baking powder.

As a pastry chef, it was unsatisfactory, so I created my own yeast and used it to bake this time. Thanks to that, the dough was nicely infused with air.

This fluffy texture is my weapon. No one else in this world can make it.

However, there are also drawbacks to the yeast. Since it is naturally made by soaking fruits in water to ferment, the taste and aroma of the fruits used in the yeast liquid will transfer to the dough.

This time, the cake is fine because it pairs well with the flavor of cranberries, but if I use yeast without thinking, the balance of taste and aroma can break down.

Depending on the fruit used to make the yeast, the dough may not rise properly.

I’m considering making yeast liquids from various fruits and differentiating their uses, but it’s quite difficult to find the right balance.

However, it’s also enjoyable to think about. I suppose that’s the essence of being a pastry chef.

“Now, let’s wrap it up.”

I wrapped the Rotweinkuchen in the packaging I created for the confectionery shop that opened in Eclava.

From now on, all the sweets I make, regardless of their purpose, will be wrapped in packages with the store’s name and handed over to the recipients.

This will be an effective means of advertising.

Nobles love to boast. When they eat something delicious, they will spread the word without being asked. If the store’s name appears in the package presented to the people they introduce it to, it could turn them into new customers.

“Kurt-sama, I have brought what you requested!”

While I was wrapping the cake, Farne rushed into the kitchen, out of breath.

“Thank you, Farne. That really helps. This is something I absolutely needed for the cakes I’ll make in the royal capital.”

Farne was holding a wooden box carefully in his arms.

Even from here, I could tell it was high-quality.

This is an ingredient with a very strong aroma; even when packed in a wooden box, its presence is undeniable.

While this ingredient is more commonly used in cooking rather than in sweets, it can also be utilized in desserts. In France, which is at the forefront of confectionery, it has recently started to be used in desserts seriously.

The ultimate fragrance that intoxicates adults can only be produced with this.

I never thought such a high-end ingredient, referred to as a black jewel in another world, would exist, and I was surprised when I found it.

When I went to the market, the only options available were second-rate products—small and with a weak aroma. I bought those and brought them back, asking Farne to obtain larger ones with a stronger fragrance.

“The first-rate ones must have been expensive. Please bill me later. The banquet for the four great dukes was a request via the Baron Fernande, but I can’t rely on that for the sweets for the royal family this time.”

This matter is something I took upon myself.

While I can use Farne’s strength as my fiancée, I cannot borrow Fernande’s financial power.

…Though I may be borrowing clothes, connections, and various other things, I can’t rely on him for this.

“Please don’t worry about it. It was incredibly cheap. Let’s see… about enough money to buy five apples.”

“First-rate ones like this!? It seems they’re not highly valued around here.”

I opened the wooden box.

The size and aroma were first-rate.

If I were to obtain something like this in Japan, I would need at least 100,000 yen.

“I don’t think it’s that great. I’ve tried it before. The aroma is nice, but it doesn’t have much flavor, and I’m not fond of the texture.”

“It’s a matter of how you cook it. It’s a tricky ingredient to handle.”

So Farne has tried it before.

Hearing her opinion helped me understand why its evaluation is low.

In short, the people in this world aren’t able to make the most of this ingredient.

It was the same in Japan. While it’s treated like a gem abroad, its evaluation is low there as well. The reasons are the availability of only second-rate products and poor cooking and storage methods.

However, if you serve the real thing to those people, they will understand why it is loved overseas.

The same likely applies to the people in this world.

“If you say so, Kurt-sama, I’m looking forward to it. When the sweets are finished, please let me have a taste.”

“I’m counting on you too. Your palate is reliable, Farne.”

She has had a taste for gourmet food since she was young and possesses a noble’s refined palate.

Having her sample my creations is reassuring, especially when the recipients are renowned nobles or royalty; she would notice things I might miss.

“By the way, Kurt-sama, could I have that sweet you’re wrapping up?”

“Actually, that one is off-limits.”

When I said that, Farne’s face visibly fell in disappointment.

“Kurt-sama, you’re being so mean.”

“I don’t mind, but the Baron Fernande said it’s unfair for him to get a taste of my new sweets before Duke Lenaril does. So, Baron Fernande decided that if he couldn’t have a taste, then neither could you. I’ve heard he’s hosting a tea party for the Lenaril family, so I want you to wait until then.”

At that, Farne puffed up her cheeks.

She had every right to be annoyed, having been dragged into Baron Fernande’s childish prank.

“Understood. I’ll save it for then. Please make sure to cut it into larger pieces at the tea party, Kurt-sama.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Farne’s modest request.

“Sure, leave it to me. I believe we’re leaving for the Lenaril family tomorrow afternoon, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“In that case, let’s head to the market now. Farne, will you accompany me?”

“Yes, I’d be delighted!”

Farne linked her arm with mine.

I felt a bit guilty leaving Tina and Chloe behind during their training, but I wanted to do everything I could to make sure the royal family could enjoy the best sweets I could create.

Two weeks earlier, in a room in the royal castle…

“This course is amazing! Is this what was served at Duke Lenaril’s dinner party? It’s delicious, innovative, and exciting! I’ve never had a course this impressive, even in my wildest dreams!”

A boy with darkened blonde hair, in his mid-teens, was shoveling the food into his mouth with remarkable speed.

Normally, a course meal is served one dish at a time, but this boy insisted on having everything brought out at once, as he found it bothersome.

And he was receiving large servings on a big platter.

“Especially this eel wrapped in pastry and the whole roasted jade duck! How dare you eat such delicious food without telling me!”

“Prince Granta, my apologies. I never expected such dishes would be served at a dinner party of those rural nobles.”

Present in the room were Granta, the third prince of the Federal Empire, and Duke Heltring, one of the four great dukes who governs the west. Duke Heltring was an ambitious and beautiful young man, holding considerable influence among the nobles.

The dishes being served today were recreated from the menu prepared by Duke Lenaril for the future Baron Arnoldt.

“Delicious, delicious! I want seconds! Bring me more!”

Prince Granta devoured the food like a pig.

Duke Heltring simply observed him.

Internally, he was mocking Prince Granta.

In terms of the line of succession, Prince Granta ranked fourth, following the first and second sons and the eldest daughter.

While his rank was high, it was unlikely he would ever grasp real power.

This was because the other princes and princesses were capable and acted for the sake of the country without being consumed by their desires. Only Prince Granta was incompetent and loyal only to his own cravings. He was infamous for his bad reputation and was despised by the people, his vassals, the king, and even his siblings.

That was precisely why Duke Heltring had ingratiated himself with him.

Other princes and princesses would easily see through his ulterior motives, making them difficult to manipulate.

Duke Heltring thought of it this way: ingratiate himself with the foolish pig while skillfully controlling him. He hoped the capable but troublesome older brother and sister, who ranked higher in the line of succession than the pig, would disappear.

Unaware of Duke Heltring’s true intentions, Prince Granta, lost in his food, finally felt satisfied after a few helpings and called out to the servants for dessert.

“Phew, I’m satisfied. I want to eat more of the dishes made by the future Baron Arnoldt. Are there any other recipes he has made?”

Duke Heltring shook his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, but we don’t have anything like that.”

“I see, what a shame.”

“There’s one more thing I must apologize for. To tell the truth, the dishes served here are one or two levels below those made by the future Baron Arnoldt. We couldn’t manage to create anything that could match his cooking. Even though we bribed several cooks who assisted Baron Arnoldt during the dinner party to extract the recipes, and our prideful Heltring chefs aimed for a perfect reproduction and even tried to improve upon it, we still fell short.”

Upon hearing this, Prince Granta’s eyes widened.

“What? Is there something even better than this?”

“Yes, it’s frustrating, but Baron Arnoldt’s dishes are more delicious. Perhaps his cooking techniques are simply superior. Moreover, the dishes served today are only a fraction of his ability. His repertoire contains numerous exquisite delicacies that we are unaware of.”

Prince Granta was a gourmet, his heart swelling with anticipation for dishes he had yet to see.

At that moment, the dessert arrived.

“Finally, here is the concluding dessert of this course. It’s called Imperial Torte. I purchased it from the shop opened by Baron Arnoldt in Eclava. While we lost in the main course, this dessert is on a completely different level; we couldn’t even replicate a fake version… The only way to enjoy this is to buy it from his shop.”

Before Duke Heltring could finish his explanation, Prince Granta had already grabbed the cake with his bare hands and stuffed it into his mouth.

The instant the cake touched his tongue, his cheeks flushed, and his body trembled.

He ate mindlessly, forgetting everything except for the cake in that moment.

Once he finished, he was breathing heavily.

He had even forgotten to breathe.

“What is this? If this is what they call a cake, then what on earth have I been eating until now?”

“I had the same thought. It seems that man’s true calling isn’t cooking but rather pastry making.”

“What on earth is Baron Arnoldt? How can the son of a poor nobleman from the farthest reaches of the Empire create something so refined?”

“I don’t know. No matter how much I investigate, the only thing I’ve found out is that he had never left his impoverished, undeveloped village until this year. Ordinarily, someone like that would barely scrape by, without any education, and it’s questionable whether he could even write. Yet, what he produces surpasses even the forefront of our culture.”

Duke Heltring had gone to great lengths to investigate everything about him.

The more he searched, the less he understood.

His existence was inconceivable.

Not only was he advanced and capable as a cook and pastry chef, but he was also an outstanding lord, beloved by his people due to his excellent character. He excelled in the spear, a trademark of Arnoldt’s, and possessed rare magical abilities. Such a person shouldn’t have been born in Arnoldt’s circumstances.

“Duke Heltring, I want Baron Arnoldt. A man with such skills shouldn’t be cutting down forests in the farthest reaches. Do something about it!”

Duke Heltring grinned.

Just as he had anticipated, the prince had acted as expected.

If he dangled bait in front of a pig, it would surely bite.

Duke Heltring also wanted Arnoldt. He was useful. Depending on how they were used, the dishes and pastries could even serve as diplomatic cards.

Moreover, he had high hopes for Arnoldt’s other abilities.

However, he was already the favored servant of Duke Lenaril, another of the four great dukes. To take him would require more power than what the pig in front of him possessed.

“Understood. Then, let’s hear your wisdom. If we do this, he will become Prince Granta’s possession.”

Prince Granta laughed.

His mind was filled only with the thought of being able to eat even more exquisite dishes and pastries than now.

Why did Duke Heltring say such a thing? What was his purpose? Was he trying to use him? Any other prince would be on high alert, but Granta couldn’t muster that caution.

This was precisely the reason why Prince Granta was ridiculed behind his back as incompetent.