The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 48

Cream Choux

The time that came once in 7 days was a valuable comfort for Adelheide.

[Well, such a thing…]

[Ee. Onii-sama, to stand on the front line, wasn't it a bit reckless?]

[…It was no such thing. That was necessary to encourage the soldiers. You ought to let father handle the command from the back.]

[But is it necessary for you to do so? I heard that the soldiers of Sand Country are excellent.]

While drinking a warm drink called "café au lait" (as coffee was recently received by her parents, people could even drink it at the imperial garrison) and filling her belly with sweet cold dessert and plenty of cow's milk, she was interested in talking.

With her was the half-elf Victoria who had the wisdom of a magician and a sense of serenity while she was admiring Sharif and Lana who were n.o.ble siblings from a foreign country.

They were Adelheide's new friends that she met in this "restaurant".

The wonderful creation "parfait" that could only be eaten in this restaurant and their talks were irreplaceable for Adelheide who lived a lonely life in her abode, and it was one of her fun pastimes.

However, such time couldn't last long.

[…N. I have to return soon.]

The half-elf magician considered the time that had pa.s.sed since she entered the restaurant and whispered so.

[Ara. Is it the time already?]

[Unfortunately we have no choice. Lana, we have to go too.]

Saying so, Sharif raised his hand and called Aletta.

[Sorry but I would like the bill. I'll pay for Adelheide's portion too. Also, the usual ice cream takeaway please.]

[…Same for me. And the usual pudding for takeaway.]

[Yes! Please wait a moment!]

Aletta nodded and retreated to tell the owner.

Shortly, the owner came out.

[Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's your takeaway of ice cream and pudding. Please finish it as soon as possible.]

While watching Lana and Victoria receiving it, Adelheide suddenly thought.

(Takeaway, sounds nice…)

Unfortunately, none of the parfaits that Adelheide loved could be takeaway.

She could understand without asking why.

The parfait was so fragile that it melted in a short time it was not eaten.

Nonetheless it could only be eaten once in 7 days. It's not possible otherwise.

[Um, owner, is there something full of cream like parfait that can be takeaway?]

Such an idea jumped out of Adelheide's mouth.

If there wasn't any, she would even take the Fruit Sandwich that she had eaten before.

While she was thinking that way.

[Un? A pastry full of cream that's suitable for takeaway… that's right.]

The owner thought a bit.

Speaking of cream-based dessert, most cakes were made of fresh cream, but when the cream was similar to those in parfait, it's quite limited.

[…In that case, cream choux seem to be the best case.]

It was Victoria who helped the owner who had thought for a moment.

She had eaten all the sweets in this restaurant. When asked for a cream dessert, she immediately came up what was applicable.

[Cream choux… aa.]

The owner was convinced.

Certainly cream was the main character.

[Well then, would you like to takeaway cream choux? Certainly… no, there's custard and whipped cream filling.]

[Yes, please. First… for two.]

She gave an additional order.

[For two?]

She nodded shyly to the owner's question.

[Yes. In any case, I thought I would like to share it with Hannah.]

It was a delicious pastry.

Rather than enjoying it on her own, she would like Hannah who had accompanied her from the Imperial Palace to share it with her.

Built for the royal family's summer retreat, in a place away from the Capital City, the so-called "Wilheim Villa".

There was a cute princess living there now.

Her name was Adelheid.

She was given the same name as the Emperor's mother and first daughter, now she was living there for recuperation of a pulmonary disease called "poor killer" that infected her.

The disease was different from injury and couldn't be healed by praying to G.o.d.

Even if a human's ability "to heal" was enhanced by the miraculous ability of priests who were said to be able to revive the dead by utilizing strong magical power and precise ritual, it simply became stronger and made no sense.

And among that many diseases that was particularly troubling was a disease commonly known as "poor killer".

It was a lung disease, it caused coughs that won't stop and the patient's strength was gradually deprived. It was also occasionally transmitted to other people.

The story that families who took care of the patient for the whole time became infected with the disease were wide spread, but it was said that it's not possible to be infected by the disease only by being near with the patient for a short while.

Besides, the cure method was not to do anything for a few years and wait for the disease to lose power simply by having a lifestyle with plenty nutrition and rest.

(Those that could not afford to do so couldn't be healed for life, and it was the reason they would eventually die of "poor killer".)

The disease caused the poor people to die and cost the rich a few years of their youth.

It was a terrible disease for everyone in the world.

Due to such disease, searching for a new maid for Adelheid (after knowing the original one had retired on the next day) was difficult.

Although Adelheid was infected by poor killer, she was a princess.

She was also not a princess of a small country.

She was the princess of the great Empire that boasted the greatest power in the Eastern Continent.

Of course, to become an accompanying maid, a certain amount of standard was required; commoners could not be hired as it was similar to selling one's self to reduce the number of mouths to be fed.

Having a reasonable family status, at the same time it wouldn't be troublesome if infected by the poor killer by any chance.

Hannah was chosen under such conditions.

Hannah who served Adelheid at Wilheim Villa was the daughter of a lower n.o.ble family originating at the Capital City.

Having two older brothers, two younger brothers and two younger sisters, she was the eldest daughter of the family, her parents had missed the turbulent time of 50 years ago since the Empire's foundation. They were not rich and their strict family circ.u.mstances caused them to rely on Hannah's income from working at the Imperial Palace.

Also, considering the probability that she couldn't get married before working at the palace, she had trained as a priestess for several years in the temple of the most common Earth G.o.d to earn a job, as even farmers with the ability to perform a simple healing prayer were able to earn a copper sacred mark.

The family had old and venerable pedigree, with the power of a low grade priestess, and the family circ.u.mstances that made sure that it wouldn't be troublesome if she was by any chance infected with the disease.

Hannah accepted the job because the current emperor thought that she was the best possible caretaker of his beloved daughter.

That was six months ago.

The job as Adelheid's maid was an easy task, if anything.

Speaking of work, she was quite happy with cleaning the room and providing adequate care of Adelheid's personal belonging.

Even so, she was not given an employee's room and lived in a guestroom of the villa (although it had a meaning to isolate her from other servants). The money was also quite good.

Apart from Adelheid's care, Hannah was not entrusted with any work as there were other employees that took care of the household.

Since Adelheid was sick, she did not wear luxurious dresses and wore clothes with plain designs that were easy to wear and relax in.

Her mistress, Adelheid herself, was a n.o.blewoman with no selfishness and sarcasm.

Her only danger was the fear of being infected with poor killer if her luck was bad.

(It is said that there is a responsibility of braving the risk of being infected for the Empire. Even if I can undergo medical care for several years, I would definitely miss my marriage because I'm working in a detached household. But in that case, I'll go back to the temple and become a priestess.)

Thus, Hannah had full accustomed to living and working at the villa.

[Excuse me, Your Highness.]

With a reverent bow, she stepped into Adelheid's bedroom.

(…Yos.h.i.+. It seems that she's going out for a walk.)

Hannah confirmed that Adelheid was not there as usual.

(I'm a little late, so I have to tidy up quickly.)

She quickly cleaned the room with a wiping cloth and a broom.

Once every 7 days, in this period of time, her mistress, Adelheid went out for a long walk.

Since she disappeared away quickly, it was a secret loophole not informed to the royal family.

However, the guards that guarded the entrance of the villa never saw Adelheid.

Either way, she always came back at sunset so Hannah was convinced that it was alright.

It was convenient.

After all, Adelheid who came to this residence for medical recuperation usually did not go out too much.

As long there was no need to change the sheets, full-fledged cleaning was satisfying.

So she used the once in 7 day opportunities to do so.

'Chirinchirin', Hannah looked back hearing the sound of a bell coming from behind her.

[Ara, Hannah. Thank you for your good work.]

[Hee!? Your Highness!?]

Hannah shouted in surprise seeing Adelheid who appeared suddenly as if she used transference magic.

Adelheid came out of a black door attached to a place in the room.

It seemed like it was hidden by magic, as soon as Adelheid closed the door, it suddenly disappeared.

And Adelheid, who came out from it, brought a small box.

A rectangular box with the drawing of a winged dog monster.

[Please keep this somewhere cold and dry. And please bring it to me tomorrow afternoon.]

She was handed the box.

It seemed to be made of paper, a mysterious box with a precise drawing.

[Your Highness, what on earth is this box?]

Hannah who had no idea what this is asked about its content.

With respect to Hannah, Adelheid did not show a discontent face and answered her.

[It's a confectionary using cream called "cream choux".]

[A confectionary, you say?]

[Yes, Victoria-sama said that it was "a confectionary that one can enjoy the taste of cream the most" of the restaurant.]

Adelheid answered with a smile.

(Who is Victoria-sama? And what kind of restaurant is that!?)

Hannah felt like honestly asking various questions to that sentence, but the other person was the imperial princess.

Any further questions would be rude.

[…I understand. Well, I'll take care of it for you.]

Swallowing her questions, Hannah received the box.

[Please. Aa, and when you bring it tomorrow, please bring along kaffa with plenty of milk and sugar.]

[Very well.]

The box was surprisingly light and the questions that she wanted to ask increased.

The next day.

[Your Highness, I brought kaffa and yesterday's box.]

On a silver tray, she brought the box and a ceramic jar of kaffa with matching cups that had pretty flower design given from the Sand Country.

[Ee. Good work. Please pour the kaffa.]

[Yes.]

Hannah prepared the kaffa according to Adelheid's instruction.

Meanwhile, Adelheid opened the box and took out the content.

[…So this is cream choux?]

Hannah prepared the kaffa following the way of Sand Country (although that drink was not familiar in the Empire, Adelheid liked to drink it with sugar and milk, so Hannah remembered to mix them) and asked Adelheid.

It was plain at first sight.

Placed on a foil like silver thin paper, it did not have colourful fruits; it was brown and had sugar similar to white snow sprinkled on top.

It was an item that was more similar to a bread rather than confectionary.

[Yes. I had one yesterday. It was very tasty.]

Adelheid who "tasted" it yesterday remembered the sweetness and answered Hannah's question lightly.

Unintentionally, she wanted to eat two, but she held back.

Adelheid recently learned.

[Here's your kaffa.]

With the kaffa gently placed in front of her, Adelheid said.

[Ee. Thanks. Well then, Hannah, please sit.]

[Ha!?]

She urged Hannah to sit with a smile full of happiness.

With Hannah surprised with the unexpected words, Adelheid repeated herself.

[I recently learned about it. Rather than eating delicious food alone, it is more enjoyable to eat with a company.

…A, perhaps you don't like being with me?]

Her happy face fell and she tried to make a sad face.

A secret technique recently taught by her "friends" from the Western Continent.

[No!? No such thing!]

The effect is immediate. There was no way she found it detestable, so she hurriedly sat on the same table with Adelheid.

Ordinarily, it would be frowned upon and someone would stop her, but there were only two of them in that room.

There was no one that could scold them.

[Is that so, that's good. Well then, you also need this.]

With her sad face immediately changing back to her original smile, Adelheid handed it.

[Please try this. It's very pleasing in the mouth.]

With such a smile, Hannah couldn't help but to eat.

[We, well then. I thank the Earth G.o.d for the food today…]

Hannah easily dedicated her prayer for the unknown food.

(…Are? This confectionary is not that sweet…)

First bite. Hannah who gently nibbled the surface discreetly questioned the taste.

It was certainly sweet as there was sugar on top. However, she was unsatisfied.

There was nothing wrong with the slightly sweet light wheat flavor, but the sweetness was too weak for Hannah's "high-cla.s.s sweet".

(The weight is also somehow strange… well, the fact that Her Highness bought this is already strange… oo!?)

Hannah who took a second bite quickly while thinking was caught again by its unexpected taste.

(Swe, sweet!? What is this!? The content is different!?)

The confectionary seemed to be made like a leather bag filled with content.

The moment the skin was broken, the content overflowed in her mouth.

It was light and beyond soft, as if it was filled with white cloud.

The sweetness was still modest, but there was an extra taste of milk.

Until now, she, who was a n.o.ble though of lower strata, knew luxury goods but this was different from those.

But it was definitely…

[…Delicious.]

[Isn't it? I was also surprised when I first ate it.]

Adelheid's smile deepened after hearing Hannah's words.

It was good to eat delicious things by herself, but it's nice to see other person's face saying it was delicious.

That was good. In this lonely palace life, she was her caretaker who she saw face-to-face.

She did not notice that Adelheid was looking at her with a charming expression and further ate the cream choux.

(…Un. This skin. To match its content, its sweetness was made to be weak.)

She thought such.

The skin which was only slightly sweet by itself.

When its sweet content was added, the taste became more delicious.

It gave a chewy texture because its content alone was too soft, with its sweetness suppressed, it further elevated the taste of its content.

(Since Her Highness recommend this… a!?)

She was eating it when she noticed.

The taste… its content had changed.

Unexpectedly, Hannah peered at the tooth-shape profile that she had caused on the pastry.

It seemed that it was near the boundary of the content.

The part at the end was white; it was the part that she had eaten so far.

While the other part was yellow.

[These cream choux contains both whipped cream and custard.]

Adelheid told Hannah of its ident.i.ty.

[Custard…]

Hannah continued to eat.

The white content… unlike whipped cream, custard was heavier and sweeter.

Whipped cream with milk taste and custard with egg flavor.

Two different kinds of content were attached and covered in one skin, truly a luxurious dessert.

(This… is the most delicious sweet I have ever eaten…)

While thinking where the princess procured this, she finished the cream choux.

She sighed satisfactorily and blushed when she recalled where she was and the person in front of her.

[For, forgive me, Your Highness! I have…!]

[Please do not worry. I am happy that you enjoy it.]

Adelheid was extremely satisfied looking at the blus.h.i.+ng Hannah who had a smudge of whipped cream on the corner of her mouth.

And she started on her share.

(Ee. As I thought, cream choux is really… ara? Hannah?)

While enjoying the taste, Adelheid noticed… that Hannah was staring at the cream choux she was eating.

That kind of state.

(Next time it might be better to buy 3 or 4… I feel unsatisfied when I eat only one.)

Adelheid changed her schedule a bit after 6 days.

TN: Adelheid can be such a troll. And here I thought that she was a sweet and innocent princess. I applaud Hannah for her restraint. XD