Chapter 24

The effective use of the crusts left over from sandwiches.

Yuri was in the kitchen, humming a tune. It was just before 3 PM. Tea time was approaching, so she was preparing some sweets for everyone.

However, today only Frau and Tiphana, the two female staff, were staying late. Since Ali had just returned, there were only four people for tea time, including Yuri. In such a case, there was no need to prepare a large amount of sweets. Therefore, Yuri decided to make just enough for the number of people and save the rest for the underfed children who would return in the evening.

With a pleasant sound, the eggs were mixed with chopsticks. After mixing the eggs in the bowl with practiced hands, she added milk and sugar. Although granulated sugar would have been better, she decided to use regular sugar since it wasn't available.

After confirming that the mixture was well blended, Yuri started throwing in the crusts, which she had cut into bite-sized pieces. These were the crusts left over from making sandwiches for bento boxes. When people commented that only the crusts were left, Yuri had said, "I have a use for them, so don't throw them away." Crusts can be delicious if cooked properly. It would be wasteful to throw away something that can be eaten.

...Yuri may be a delicate young man, but perhaps his essence is closer to that of a rural auntie.

The crusts soaked in the egg mixture. While they absorbed the flavor, Yuri heated the frying pan. Once it was hot, she took out some butter, cut it into appropriate sizes, and dropped it into the pan. The butter melted with a sizzling sound, and its pleasant aroma filled the kitchen.

After confirming this, she picked up the crusts with chopsticks and arranged them in the frying pan. They sizzled, making a sound that stimulated the appetite. What Yuri was making was French toast using the leftover crusts.

She had considered making rusks, but decided on fluffy French toast. What to make was always up to Yuri, so she chose French toast based on her preference.

Of course, normally one would use regular bread. French toast made with crusts is often said to be not very tasty. However, it wasn't bad at all. It had a simple, rustic flavor. If she wanted to indulge a bit, she could top the French toast with custard cream and bake it in the oven for a more luxurious treat. However, since such ingredients weren't available, it would be a simple French toast.

When one side was cooked, she flipped it over. After confirming that the other side was also cooked, she placed them on a large plate. She decided to serve them on a large plate and let everyone take as much as they wanted on smaller plates. There weren't enough people to cause a fight, and they weren't the type to act immaturely.

However, if there were four perennially underfed children like the apprentices, it would be a bit of a problem. At least, if the portions weren't divided properly, a fight would break out. This had happened before when she made simple cookies. When she placed a mountain of cookies on a large plate, they fought over them. Although Yuri thought it was a bit much for just cookies, the cookies were exceptionally delicious due to her cooking skill level 50. ...The person herself was completely unaware of this.

"Taste test~"

Yuri popped a piece of the freshly cooked French toast into her mouth. It was hot, so she blew on it while eating. The rich flavor of the butter and the seasoning of the egg mixture were perfect, making it incredibly delicious. This was good enough to be a dessert without adding sugar or honey. She was relieved, as she was frugal and believed that using too many seasonings was not good. Sugar was one thing, but honey was a bit expensive.

In this world, food tasted very good to Yuri. The flavors of the ingredients seemed stronger compared to modern Japan. As a result, it seemed that the people in this world lived with simple cooking methods like grilling or boiling. Especially the common people.

There were various seasonings and ingredients available, and the tools needed for cooking were not lacking. There were many magical devices powered by magic stones. Although not as perfect as in modern Japan, there were various convenient tools. Rice cookers, refrigerators, washing machines, and even ovens existed. The fact that there were stoves with adjustable heat and that hot water was available indicated a fairly advanced level of development.

The only thing missing was a high level of interest in cooking or the lack of visible improvement in cooking skills.

Indeed, the meat of monsters, when simply grilled with salt, was very delicious. Even plain milk and eggs were much tastier than what Yuri knew. Therefore, it seemed that the common people didn't put much effort into cooking because they could enjoy decent meals without much effort. Yuri thought it was a waste.

"Well, I heard that vegetables in the past in Japan were more nutritious than they are now, so maybe it's something like that...?"

In modern Japan, various vegetables are available year-round thanks to breeding and greenhouse cultivation. However, as a result, the nutritional value has decreased. This means that modern people need to consume more vegetables, Yuri thought. A plate of salad today would have less nutritional value than one made with vegetables from the past, so the quantity needed would be greater. Convenience has its pros and cons, she thought leisurely.

...She was supposed to be reminiscing about her possibly unreturnable homeland, but Yuri didn't seem to care at all. Truly, she was laid-back.

After stacking the French toast on a large plate, Yuri boiled water in a kettle. She was preparing tea to go with the French toast. Although coffee beans existed, the coffee in this world seemed to be overly bitter. In modern Japan, coffee was often a blend of various beans, but the coffee here was honestly only drinkable by those who liked bitter flavors. It was used more as a pick-me-up.

Today's tea had a faint floral aroma. She used whatever tea leaves were available in the kitchen. Everyone else used them casually as well. If she had the time, she wanted to appraise each type and, if possible, create her own blend. The reason was that she had once helped out in the back of a friend's café and found blending coffee beans and tea leaves to be fun.

Thus, the tea and French toast were ready. She wiped a spot at the table clean and arranged the placemats she had made as a hobby, then placed the large plate of French toast and small plates on the table. The tea was in a large teapot. This teapot was something Yuri had discovered. Until then, tea had been brewed in a kettle. While she didn't mind drinking green tea or roasted tea from a kettle, she preferred to drink black tea from a teapot.

"Hey, Yuri. The smell is so good, it's reaching outside."

"Frau."

"What are today's sweets? I've been looking forward to them."

"Tiphana, you've worked hard today."

The two women, Frau and Tiphana, appeared. They were the two beautiful women who had been left in charge today. Frau, with her dignified beauty, and Tiphana, who looked good with a gentle smile. Although they had different appearances and personalities, they seemed to get along well and often appeared together.

At Yuri's invitation, they sat down and looked curiously at the French toast in the center of the table. They probably understood that it was made from crusts, but they trusted Yuri's cooking skills. They believed that anything she made would be delicious.

Around the same time, Ali also appeared. Although he wasn't particularly interested in sweets, he seemed to like tea. Thanks to her cooking skill level 50, the tea Yuri made was better than anyone else's.

"Ali, you've worked hard today."

"Hey. ...What's this?"

"It's French toast made from crusts."

"...French toast?"

"It's crusts that have been soaked in a mixture of eggs, sugar, and milk and then fried."

Yuri offered cups of tea to the three of them. Small plates and forks were prepared, and each of them took a piece of the French toast. Expecting it to be hard, they were surprised when the forks easily pierced the crusts. Yuri, as usual, didn't notice.

Tiphana was the first to take a bite. She elegantly brought it to her mouth and took a small bite. Next to her, Frau and Ali unceremoniously popped the bite-sized pieces into their mouths. This probably reflected their personalities. The three of them chewed the sweet treat with various expressions of surprise on their faces.

The rich flavor of the butter and the sweetness of the sugar spread in their mouths. The crusts, which they had thought would be hard and difficult to eat, were unexpectedly soft and tender, thanks to the absorbed milk and egg. The three of them smiled, and Yuri also smiled warmly at their happiness.

"Yuri, this is a truly delicious dish."

"Thank you. I usually make it with regular bread, but I had some crusts left over."

"Turning leftover crusts into something this delicious is impressive."

"It's nothing special—"

Yuri smiled awkwardly at the praise from Frau and Tiphana. To her, it was just a snack made from a leftover recipe to make the crusts tasty. When bread gets hard, the only options are to make French toast or rusks. Or, if you sprinkle sugar and dry-fry it, it can be a delicious snack. She had felt like making French toast today.

"You can sprinkle a little sugar or add a bit of honey to the hot French toast for extra flavor."

"That does sound good, but this is perfect as it is."

"Anything Yuri makes turns out delicious."

Frau and Tiphana watched Yuri eat the French toast like a small animal, while Ali, who was mostly drinking tea, occasionally glanced at the large plate. The two women were eating gracefully, and the French toast was gradually disappearing.

Perhaps worried, Ali asked Yuri.

"Is there any left for the kids?"

"I've prepared some to just cook. A lot of crusts were left over. Also, I thought Yack might get upset if I didn't save any."

"Yack isn't the only one. If we eat it all, all four of them will make a fuss."

"True."

"That's right."

Perhaps recalling a similar scene, the four of them looked at each other and laughed. They could vividly imagine the four apprentices shouting, "What about our share!?" and clinging to Yuri.

After returning, the four apprentices, who were served French toast, all hugged Yuri in gratitude, moved to tears.

Making sweets is one of Yuri's hobbies, so she occasionally indulges in it.

Those present enjoy the snacks happily.

Even those who weren't there are delighted if there are leftovers. If not, they cry.

...The "Crimson Lynx" is gradually being conditioned to be fed by Yuri. 😄

I look forward to your comments and feedback.