Chapter 36

Convenience store sweets are so well-made that I hardly go to cake shops anymore.

"Hey, what are you going to do with the burnt sugar!?"

Prince Egiedilus was surprised as Rina started to burn sugar in a small pot. Sugar is already precious, and it would be a problem if it were ruined by burning.

"Oh, I'm making caramel sauce."

Rina said it in a carefree tone, as if she were whistling a tune.

"Caramel sauce?"

"The star of sweet puddings."

"………?"

He furrowed his brow, not understanding what was being highlighted.

"It tastes better with it, you know?"

Besides, most puddings come with caramel sauce. Puddings without caramel sauce are boring.

Rina, glancing at Prince Egiedilus, who seemed to not fully understand, poured the caramel sauce into a heat-resistant glass and put it in the refrigerator for now. Then, she started making the pudding mixture again.

"Hey, are you making the same thing as before?"

"It's similar, but different."

"But the ingredients are the same, right?"

"Because the basics are the same."

Both French toast and pudding have the same basics. If you soak bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, and sugar and then bake it, you get French toast. If you steam it without the bread, you get pudding.

While they were talking, she took out the caramel sauce that had cooled and solidified. Then, she slowly poured the pudding mixture over it. All that was left was to steam it, cool it, and let it set. She could also bake it in the oven, but she personally preferred the smooth texture of steamed pudding. If she could use more sugar, she would like to caramelize the top for a fun texture...

"…Why are you filling the pot with water?"

Rick was very interested. He seemed to be asking questions without getting in Rina's way.

"Rick, you don't have to use formal language... I'm going to steam it by soaking it in the hot water."

Rina explained with a wry smile to Rick, who was using formal language despite being younger and new. She was already bad at using formal language, and it was even harder with someone a decade older.

"Formal language is a given. To me, you are a master."

He said it as if it were obvious.

"Master...!?"

"…Yes!"

"No, no, no! Stop it!! Stop with the master and the formal language!!"

She hated formal language, and being called a master was the worst.

"…But…"

To Rick, who was still hesitant,

"Let's both drop the formal language!! Let's do it!!"

Rina decided.

If they didn't, she would be called a master. It would be like taking a hundred steps back instead of moving closer. That wouldn't be fun at all.

"…O, okay…"

"Yay!!"

Somehow, Rick's way of saying it reminded her of his wife, Rana. It made her feel warm to think they were a well-matched couple.

"Hey, Ed… can you use ice magic?"

She thought of it just as the pudding was about to be done.

"You're really abrupt… but yeah, I can."

He laughed at her lack of context.

"Then, make some fine ice here."

She placed a flat pan. She wanted him to put the ice there.

"Sure… but what are you going to do with it?"

He frowned but piled up fine ice like shaved ice on the pan.

"Thanks… I needed this to cool it down quickly."

Rina placed the steamed pudding, still in its container, on the ice. This way, it would cool down faster than in the refrigerator.

"…What do you think magic is for?"

Prince Egiedilus was exasperated by the use.

"A handy tool."

"…I can't believe you're using it to cool food."

"What are you talking about? Isn't a refrigerator also magic?"

"Magic stone."

"Isn't it the same?"

"It's different."

Prince Egiedilus said it was different, but to Rina, it was the same.

Magic stones and magic are the same. They seemed to be the same in origin.

"By the way, there's a 'refrigerator' but no 'freezer,' right?"

She had been looking around, but there was nothing like a freezer.

If there were a freezer, it would cool things down even faster.

Do they not use ice?

"What's a 'freezer'…?"

Prince Egiedilus, who didn't know, asked.

"If a refrigerator is a box that cools things, a freezer is a box that freezes things."

This explanation should be fine.

"…What are you going to freeze?"

"On hot days, you can freeze water and put it in tea… or black tea? And, well, you can make ice cream, sherbet, and other frozen treats."

"Really!!"

"Really!?"

Prince Egiedilus was surprised, and for some reason, Monica also let out a joyful exclamation.

Hello? Even if we make them, there's no guarantee they'll end up in Monica's mouth?