READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 67
Three different kinds of desserts made from crepes.
It’s not that complicated, so I don’t have much to explain.
Still, with the approval of my superior and the requests of the guests, I suppose I should follow through.
Karem briefly organized his thoughts.
“They may differ in appearance and texture, but it’s a form of cream. I call it whipped cream.”
“What do you mean by…?”
“Yes?”
“Wait a minute—it’s cream? But its state is completely different!”
As the true nature of the unexpected item was revealed, Nepanek spoke with a slightly flustered tone.
Ah, this reaction! It reminded Karem of the different reactions he received when he first introduced whipped cream to Catherine and Mary.
Nepanek poked the cream on both the cake and the roll with a fork.
As the sharp tip moved, it slowly sank and pressed down, yet the fork conveyed no sensation—rather, it was so faint that one wouldn’t notice unless they were mindful.
Crisp!
“This does have texture, but it sounds akin to popping bubbles.”
“You have a sensitive palate. This cream has been whipped with plenty of sugar until it froths.”
“I’ve never seen cream firm up just by whisking it. Are you sure?”
With half skepticism and half curiosity, Nepanek inquired of the boy.
Karem had certainly anticipated this response.
I mean, it’s just physics at work! While the liquid does get soft, it definitely turns solid—a remarkable level of doubt already!
However, Karem didn’t know the intricate details either. Something about molecular bonds and physics?
But there was no way he could articulate such a crude explanation, so Karem decided to play the fool for a moment.
“Of course! I made it myself, and several people around witnessed it. Initially, I intended to bake bread with cream, but I accidentally only added sugar and kept whisking without flour. I was confused as to why the dough wasn’t forming, but at some point, it suddenly clumped together and changed to this texture.”
“Hmm, a foolish mistake leading to a new discovery, huh?”
“It turns out that whipping cream at cold temperatures makes it easier to turn into whipped cream.”
Even though it seemed like a ridiculous excuse, Karem thought there was no reason it wouldn’t pass.
Even brilliant people occasionally do silly things, and about one-third of culinary history is built on mistakes and foolishness.
Pretzel snacks were born from a double baking mistake, the notorious ‘Betiz’ candy made famous by stout and dwarf races due to their blunders, brownies came about because a housewife forgot an ingredient, and the very crepe Suzette before them was created when a chef accidentally spilled alcohol onto a dish, igniting it.
“…Indeed, even the palace geniuses sometimes make discoveries through silly mistakes.”
Nepanek nodded, having also made her share of silly yet beneficial errors in her life.
“I recommend finishing with the cake, roll, and Suzette. After all, strong flavors should be saved for last, right?”
“Sounds good. Then, let’s proceed.”
The crepe with syrup and cream.
As Nepanek moved her fork, the crepe cake revealed the layers of crepe and cream without any resistance.
The syrup-soaked crepe compressed like desert sand soaked in the morning dew, dissipating into nothingness with just a flick of the tongue.
The cream nestled between the crepes burst tiny bubbles that were nearly invisible, filling her mouth with a soft lemon scent that faded down her throat.
A sweet dessert from the desert, drenched in syrup and honey, exploded with flavor and maximized aroma.
It was different from the explosively sweet desserts she had consumed before.
Instead of spiking her tongue, the soft embrace was so unfamiliar that Nepanek felt slightly awkward.
Crepes soaked in fragrant syrup blended with flower water.
Gulab Jamun made from sugar, honey, and egg whites mixed with nuts.
Gaz, made from powdered nuts and sugar.
Marzipan shaped with nuts and sugar.
If the colorful and abundant Adobice desserts overflowing with honey, sugar, and dates resembled flamboyant dancers performing for the gods, then the crepe cake that had just been devoured felt more like a humble musician playing a lingering tune.
Immediately moving her fork beside it, the boy hurriedly explained.
“The adjacent crepe roll is wrapping peach preserves in cream and encasing it in a thin crepe.”
Nepanek could feel the hard work mixed in with Karem’s confident words.
Indeed, judging by the sensation on her tongue, wrapping it with just one thin layer was no easy feat.
If the crepe cake was a combination of crepe, cream, and lemon syrup, the roll was a solo of cream.
A single thin yellow crepe wrapped around a thick cream that housed ample peach preserves, and while it wasn’t flashy, its contrast drew the eye.
A new sensation compared to the layered delight.
The cream surrounded by the thin crepe crumbled like frozen clouds in her mouth, spreading the rich and soft taste of peaches.
While others enjoying the boy’s desserts looked astonished, dazed, or deeply serious in taste, their employer was in utter turmoil…
‘Damn it, there are too many competitors!’
‘…Kitty! Even so, you shouldn’t say that here—’
‘Well, I’m whispering, aren’t I? Old man! Everyone’s eyeing what I’m going to eat…!’
‘No, the protagonist is Kitty, not you—ah, this is a disaster.’
With every dessert (specifically, the desserts made by Karem) disappearing from the table, Catherine’s gaze grew increasingly dangerous, while Olivier, who usually busied himself with teasing, looked utterly panic-stricken trying to intervene.
The shape of her mouth clearly betrayed what she meant. No, old man. Don’t give up!
‘Damn house fairy. Do you think your lord is indeed your master?’
‘At least she hasn’t crossed the final line yet.’
Fortunately, Mary, judging by the shape of her mouth, had not yet crossed the final line.
Those eyeing the three types of crepes included Nepanek and most Adobice folks—the guests and the protagonists of this gathering.
‘If only the guests didn’t all hail from Adobice!’
Since Mary’s gestures indicated that the final line had not been crossed, her silent fury was observable only to Karem, who responded by turning his head.
Alright, I saw nothing.
As Karem returned his focus to the guests, her fork was heading toward the last course he had suggested.
The surface of the crepe was immersed in butter syrup sauce filled with orange zest and juice, caramelized to a light brown as the sugar reacted to the flame.
Before Karem could offer any explanation, Nepanek had already folded the crepe Suzette with her fork and took a bite to savor it.
The simple yet luxurious sweetness showcased earlier felt like mere pretenses compared to the explosion of rich orange aroma now dancing in her mouth.
Contrasting with the previously smooth texture, every bite through the crepe now burst with citrus fragrance, offering a delightful variation that pleased her ears.
This was a flavor and aroma completely opposite to the other two desserts Karem had presented at the gathering.
Rather, adjusting to that softness made the sudden burst of flavor and aroma at the end all the more special.
“I see. That’s why it was recommended as the final course.”
“If you had started with this, the ones you had before, the cake and roll, would have seemed bland and unappetizing.”
“Of course! Oh, over there. A few more slices of cake, please.”
As the attendant added cake to Nepanek’s plate, she rinsed her mouth with water and subtly glanced at the boy.
The three types of desserts made from thin crepes could easily be considered the main feature of the latter part of this gathering.
It shaped new concepts into familiar forms, drawing more curiosity than rejection.
Even though it was familiar, the flaming performance sparked intrigue.
While eating the crepe cake brought in fresh bites, the three crepes played the role of the main attraction as the time progressed.
She asked Karem while savoring the freshly served crepe cake.
“So, you didn’t make all of these by yourself, did you?”
“Of course not. If I wanted to do it alone, I would have run out of time long ago.”
Even with not too many attendees at the lunch, there were easily over ten.
Meaning one cake and one roll, plus a few Suzette, wouldn’t suffice.
Hence, Karem had been able to secure help without being shy about it.
Actually, he had initially asked if anyone wanted to help first.
Karem happily accepted the assistance, agreeing to pay later.
Assistance with a later payment? Well, it was pretty obvious someone was looking to steal his recipes, but they were not family, so of course, he deserved some compensation.
Whether the cooks from Adobice and Obsidian Berry realized this, they had willingly accepted the offer.
And Nepanek picked up on Karem’s attitude regarding this.
“Young chef. Have you considered working at Adobice? I’ll match any conditions you’d like.”
Nepanek presented him with a blank check.
She was very much intrigued by this boy. A lot.
With skills that supported such aspirations and action, he was remarkably valuable even considering his youth.
Above all, new and delicious dishes hold value in themselves.
The synergy created by good food at an important contract meeting.
For someone who entered various contract negotiations according to the new king’s demands, the worth was undoubtedly higher than negotiation skills or practical know-how.
Moreover, she had ample funds. A lot.
If he wanted land, she could buy a prime oasis in the boy’s name. If he wanted people, she could buy loyal folks with money. If he wanted gold—
“Thank you for such a generous offer on my behalf, but it’s too heavy of a suggestion for me to accept.”
—It’s a great offer, but I’ll have to decline. I’m sorry.—
“Uh, huh?”
An unexpected response filled with euphemism.
Though surprised, Nepanek saw that Karem was serious.
Adobice is known for being a blazing desert save for a brief rainy season, so Karem certainly didn’t wish to willingly step into that hell on Earth.
He definitely found humidity worse than heat.
But simply enduring one season of humidity was easier than suffering through the heat for all four seasons—simple math made the better choice clear.
While the values, tangible and intangible, that the boy held in public service were plenty, it was also about forming bonds and, most importantly—
“I cannot breach my contract due to the grace received from my employer. I’m sorry.”
A bow—
Looking serious while bowing with his small body was amusing even to Karem himself, but he remained earnest.
However, Nepanek was not.
“…Boo—”
She puffed her cheeks.
Nepanek was pouty.