Chapter 92

Natalie and Kate each baked ten crepe bases. Kate, looking at the crepe bases on the plate, had a troubled expression.

"I managed to bake them somehow... But most of them are torn. If the servants see them, they might make awkward faces."

"Don't worry. If you do this, they'll look better."

Lucien, with perfect timing, brought the prepared ingredients. He spread the crepe bases he had baked on the plate. He placed cream on top and spread it evenly.

Crepe, cream, crepe, cream, crepe...

They were layered, forming layers. On the seventh crepe, instead of cream, he thinly spread strawberry jam. He intended to share some with Icchan later.

"Finally, place the most beautifully baked crepe on top to complete it. This is called a mille-feuille."

"Oh...!! What a cute dessert!"

"From the side, it looks like stripes, which is nice."

It seems Kate liked the appearance of the mille-feuille. Her tail was wagging happily.

"Do you like stripes, Kate?"

"Yes, I do. They remind me of my companion animal's tail."

"!! So, your companion animal's cat has a striped tail!!"

Natalie perked up. Her love for fluffy things was evident. Kate, surprised by Natalie's enthusiasm, blinked and smiled.

"Do you like cats, Natalie?"

"I do. I love them. I would love to pet one."

"My companion animal? I don't mind, but she's quite whimsical. Today, she's just lounging in the sun at my palace, a perfect example of a cat's temperament."

As she spoke, Kate didn't seem entirely displeased. Beastfolk treat their companion animals like family. Being interested in her companion animal didn't seem to bother her.

After a lively discussion about Kate's companion animal, they got back to making the mille-feuille. Even if the crepe bases were torn, they would be less noticeable with the cream. For their portions, they used only cream, not jam, as they were beginners.

They layered them in turn, placed the unbroken crepe on top, and shaped it to complete the mille-feuille. The two were slightly amazed by the finished mille-feuille.

"Those torn crepes turned into such a beautiful cake...!!"

"We did it! We accomplished it!! Let's cut and eat it right away!!"

"Wait a moment. The mille-feuille is for a gift. First, let's eat the leftover crepe bases."

Out of the ten crepe bases each, they used eight for the mille-feuille. The remaining two crepes were for eating on the spot. While they were focused on making the mille-feuille, Lucien had arranged additional ingredients.

Small pieces of orange and blueberries, candied apricots, honey-sweetened whipped cream, various jams, and finely chopped cookies. There were also sliced boiled eggs, sausages, and leafy vegetables.

They chose a few of the arranged ingredients and placed them on the plate. In this country, it's common to serve crepes with toppings on a plate. The type of crepe wrapped in paper, often seen in Japan, doesn't seem to be popular here.

"What should I add to the candied apricots and cream...?"

"How about the crushed cookies?"

Natalie and Kate were discussing which toppings to choose. Selecting the toppings is one of the joys of cooking. Thanks to this, Natalie seemed more relaxed and was sharing her thoughts more openly.

What about this? No, that's also hard to give up...

Enjoying the dilemma, they placed the toppings on the crepe bases.

Kate generously added her favorite candied apricots to both of her crepes. Natalie, on the other hand, balanced her choices, with one crepe topped with sweet jam and the other with sausages. It was interesting to see how their preferences and personalities were reflected in their choices.

"The crepes are chewy and good."

"I've never wrapped sausages in crepes before, but the saltiness is delicious."

Both seemed satisfied as they cut and ate the crepes. They seemed to find them even more delicious because they had made them and chosen the toppings themselves. They finished eating the crepes while exchanging comments.

"Phew, that was delicious... It was nerve-wracking while we were making them, but it was worth it."

"I agree. I think I understand why Lady Letitia enjoys cooking."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. If you like, would you like to cook together again sometime?"

"Sure, I'd love to!!"

"...I would also like to."

I smiled at their responses. They had become much closer in just one day, and the awkwardness had faded. Both seemed to want to get along, and cooking had helped them do so.

It was a small interaction through baking, but it seemed to have started a change in the relationship between the two, who had been rivals as candidates for the empress.

Thank you for reading.

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