Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 96

Chapter 96: The Sky, Cacao, and the Tea Party

I completely recovered thanks to Tina’s tail pillow.

I only slept for about thirty minutes, but my body feels much lighter.

If it were just physical fatigue, I could forcefully heal it with [Heal], but strangely, the exhaustion of my heart and mind doesn’t heal.

Being enveloped in Tina’s fluffy tail and having a deep sleep was the ultimate remedy for my mental and emotional fatigue.

I follow the servants who came to summon me.

They lead me to the audience chamber.

Upon entering, the exquisite taste is as impressive as ever. The finest furnishings are arranged in perfect harmony.

As expected of a place that prides itself on being at the forefront of art and culture.

“It’s been a while. Arnoldt, the next viscount, or should I call you Baron Arnoldt from now on?”

Duke Lenaril spoke to me with a playful tone.

“It’s good to see you again. Please reserve that title for after I officially become a baron. Otherwise, the joy of truly becoming a baron will feel diminished.”

“I’m glad to hear you can say something witty. I wasn’t worried about you, given who you are.”

Duke Lenaril was concerned about me.

I’ve heard that many nobles tend to become overly arrogant or, conversely, anxious, often losing their emotional balance.

But in her case, it seems to stem purely from her personality.

“The conferral of the baron title is due to Duke Lenaril’s efforts. Thank you very much. With this, I can finally fulfill Arnoldt’s long-held aspiration.”

I bow my head.

If I have various thoughts about this, my feelings are genuine.

“I’m just returning the favor for your hard work. Moreover, I feel the need to apologize for not being able to stop that man from imposing an unreasonable schedule on you.”

That man? At her words, one name came to mind.

Is he pulling strings behind the scenes?

As I ponder this, Duke Lenaril shifts the topic.

“Your shop’s sweets are wonderful. I’ve been sending a dragon carriage to buy them every time you release a new product.”

Given her status, it wouldn’t be surprising if she used her power to send a messenger to Arnoldt’s side to have the sweets delivered, yet she stands in line like an ordinary customer.

I appreciated that thoughtfulness.

“Thank you for your purchase. I just handed over a special cake that can’t be sold in the shop to a servant, so please enjoy that as well.”

“I definitely received it. In fact, I couldn’t resist and opened the box to check its appearance and smell, but I struggled to resist eating it. The aroma was simply too delightful. It’s such a waste not to offer it in the shop.”

“Since it uses cacao, it ends up being priced only for nobles. Also, whether we can obtain cacao depends on luck. In fact, the other day, I tried to buy cacao, but it wasn’t available in the market. It’s tough to turn that into a product.”

Acquiring cacao is difficult.

In the end, I couldn’t give up on making sweets with cacao in the royal capital.

I’ll keep searching for a way to obtain it until the last moment. Today, I plan to run around the market in this town.

Those fragrant black jewels. Since I’ll be using them, I need chocolate to declare that it’s the best confectionery without compromise.

“I see. Actually, ever since I tasted your Imperial Torte, I haven’t been able to forget that flavor. I arranged to ensure you can steadily obtain cacao after hearing it from you.”

Duke Lenaril snaps her fingers.

At that, the servants push a cart toward us.
On top of that is unmistakably cacao.

Moreover, it’s fresh, still in its shell. The quality is quite good.

“You managed to obtain cacao so easily.”

“If it’s ever been on the market, the source can be traced. Once you know that, it’s just a matter of going there with a dragon carriage. The high price is due to it coming across the sea from a distant continent, as it’s only produced inland and in small quantities. But if you go directly to the source with a dragon carriage, you can acquire it cheaply and safely.”

That makes sense.

The shipbuilding technology in this world is still quite underdeveloped, and accidents are common. While traveling short distances isn’t too risky, crossing the continent is a matter of life and death. Hence, the prices are high.

Moreover, if it’s grown inland, you’d have to pass through several checkpoints and pay taxes before reaching the port town.

The conditions for the high price were all too present.

However, dragon carriages are different.

They can cross continents at incredible speeds by air.

Furthermore, dragons are mythical creatures that don’t require food; they absorb mana from the atmosphere, allowing them to reach their destination without needing to refuel.

Being able to pass through numerous checkpoints by flying is full of advantages.

…Although, the dragons themselves are as expensive as a grand noble’s mansion.

“I’m envious. I’d give anything for some cacao right now.”

“Then shall we arrange for regular deliveries? The price would be this much.”

The price quoted was astonishingly low.

It was less than one-twentieth of what I paid for cacao last time.

Considering the procurement cost, it seems reasonable, but it could sell for a much higher price in the market.

“I’m happy about it, but I can’t help but think there’s something behind this.”

“There is. This is a negotiation, so it’s only natural.”

I knew it. However, since she mentioned a negotiation, the conditions offered should be within a range where I can see my own profit.

“Actually, I tried to get the chefs to make the chocolate you created with this cacao, but it just didn’t work out at all. The noble aroma, the bittersweet sweetness—everything is different.”

That’s only to be expected.

Making chocolate requires a certain level of knowledge.

The revolutionary extraction method for cocoa butter took a long time to be discovered, even on Earth.

And even if they learned the recipe, they could only make it; to make it “delicious,” skilled techniques are essential.

Conching, which smooths the particles of chocolate, would take a straight thirty hours without the aid of magic, and if done carelessly, it would ruin the whole batch—a task that requires continuous focus. Meanwhile, tempering the chocolate to stabilize its crystals requires years of experience and intuition.

At the very least, making top-quality chocolate would require several years of training.

“Are the conditions about the chocolate-making method?”

“I won’t ask for something so unreasonable. I just want to eat delicious chocolate confections. How about you serve me a new chocolate treat each time you deliver fresh cacao once a month?”

In truth, I would have been fine sharing the method. Even if I taught it, they could only make inferior-quality chocolate, so I wouldn’t lose my advantage.

However, there’s no need to force the recipe on them.

“If those are the conditions, I’d be happy to agree.”

With such good cacao available at this price, making a new confection once a month wouldn’t be a burden at all.

“Then the negotiation is settled. You wanted cacao, didn’t you? For now, feel free to use the cacao over there; it will be stored in the kitchen.”

Internally, I was doing a victory fist pump.

If I can use this cacao, I can start prototype confections for the royal capital.

There’s a fermentation process involved in making chocolate. I need to get started on it as soon as possible; it’s just in time. This is a huge help.

“I’m hosting a party tonight. First, I’ll introduce you to the nobles of my faction there, so be prepared for that.”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”

I had already heard about this plan from Baron Fernande, and although I had only a crash course in etiquette and appropriate conversation at Baron Fernande’s mansion, I was ready.

“That wraps up our business talk. We have some time until the party, so join me for tea. It’ll be a private gathering, so keep that in mind.”

I can’t take her words too literally, but I suppose I can relax just a little.

“Understood. I’m confident you’ll enjoy this cake as well.”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to hearing all about you.”

With that, I was invited to the garden, where I served the new cake, a red wine and chocolate Rotweinkuchen.

Baron Fernande and Farne were also present, and everyone praised it, so I felt relieved.

After savoring the aroma, I took a bite.

The richness of the red wine blended exquisitely with the bittersweetness of the chocolate.

Red wine and chocolate are one of the best combinations.

The yeast-based dough was fluffy—a texture I hadn’t experienced in a long time in this world, and for everyone else, it must be a pleasure they’d never had before.

“This cake is amazing! Isn’t this good enough for the royal capital?”

“This cake is delicious. It’s one of my favorites. But…”

I paused for a moment.

The Rotweinkuchen is my favorite, and I often made it for myself, which is why I’ve continuously improved upon it.

However, it has its shortcomings.

“It doesn’t have the prestige worthy of being offered to the king. I’ve put in a lot of effort to make it look good for Duke Lenaril, but it still lacks the beauty of something like the Imperial Torte, which captivates anyone who sees it.”

That’s something I can’t change.

Perhaps because it’s originally a popular German confection, no matter how much I adorn it, it still feels insufficient.

“That’s true; it’s really delicious. But it didn’t have the same impact as the Imperial Torte… Do your cakes made in the royal capital have that?”

“Of course. I’d love for you to try them. However, since the royal family requested something that no one has tasted before, I’ll serve it to Duke Lenaril only after the royals have had theirs.”

“That’s really unfortunate. But I’m looking forward to it.”

Duke Lenaril smiled.

The tea party passed peacefully.

From now on, it would be a storm of busyness. I was glad to have this time before the whirlwind began.

Many of the nobles I’d be introduced to would likely look down on me as a rural noble, and they would probably envy my rapid rise in status. Some would try to ingratiate themselves with me.

I felt uneasy about that.

I had a desire to escape, but I wanted to see it through to the end for the people who support me. That’s how I felt.