Chapter 60

While making the original croquettes at home, Yuriko tightly held the letter containing the secret given to her by her mother.

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In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

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Yakko stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

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While boiling a large amount of potatoes, Yakko asked Yuriko with a puzzled look, "…Hey, Yuriko, what you're making now, it's croquettes, right?"

"Sure is."

Yakko, while boiling the potatoes, asked Yuriko with a puzzled look. As expected, today's dinner was croquettes. By the way, croquettes often appeared on the menu. Since they could be made in large quantities and served as a light meal, they were quite popular. After all, with 80% of the content being potatoes, it was bound to be filling.

By the way, Yakko loved croquettes.

Perhaps it was because the first impression was so strong. However, Yakko, who grew up in a rural area, was familiar with potatoes, and he loved croquettes, which transformed familiar potatoes into the main dish. Therefore, when it was Yakko's turn to cook, croquettes often appeared. The first time he made them, they were just potatoes and minced meat, but he had experimented with adding finely chopped onions and changing the ratio of the minced meat, enjoying various flavors. He had also tried adding more pepper for adults and experimenting with herbs, enjoying croquettes in various ways.

Therefore, Yakko had memorized the recipe for croquettes. He knew the ingredients used. Despite this, all the ingredients in front of him now were things he didn't usually use for croquettes. It was no wonder Yakko was puzzled.

"…Why do we need mayonnaise to make croquettes?"

"Hmm? We need it for today's croquettes."

"…And why have I been peeling boiled corn all this time?"

"Because it's hard to use if it's not broken down?"

"…And one more thing. Why is there a large amount of fish in oil prepared instead of minced meat!?"

The third question was shouted.

Indeed, the biggest question Yakko had was about this. They were supposed to be making croquettes, but there was no meat. There was no minced meat. In Yakko's mind, croquettes were made with potatoes, minced meat, and onions. That's why he shouted. However, Yuriko tilted her head in confusion.

"Because we're using it?"

Yuriko had no other way to respond. For her, this was normal. Yakko didn't know that there were various types of croquettes. He had only ever made the most basic, orthodox version. However, this difference in understanding was quite significant.

Yakko looked at the fish in oil on the table, the corn he was peeling, and tilted his head. He couldn't understand. He had no idea how these ingredients would turn into croquettes.

By the way, the fish in oil was tuna. Since it was a large fish, a lot of meat could be obtained, but it was difficult to keep fresh, so it was mainly treated as oil-packed. Fresh tuna could only be eaten near the sea. The oil-packed tuna in front of them was ordinary tuna, but sometimes oil-packed tuna from monster fish was also available. Like meat, fish from monster ingredients was also delicious.

However, both ordinary fish and monster fish were available for consumption. Unlike meat, monster fish ingredients were rarer and more expensive. The reason was that it was more difficult to defeat monsters at sea than on land. After all, they were in the water, making it harder to hit them.

"Hey, Yuriko, are these really croquettes?"

"They will be croquettes."

Yuriko threw the oil-packed tuna, known as tuna, into the mashed potatoes, along with the broken-down corn. She mixed them carefully and seasoned with mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Watching Yuriko mix them with practiced movements, Yakko's puzzled expression didn't change. It looked like she was making a unconventional potato salad. ...Well, that was mostly correct.

Less mayonnaise was used than when making potato salad. She was careful not to make it too sticky but made sure the flavor was well-distributed. Tuna, corn, and potatoes, seasoned with mayonnaise. Even if it wasn't Yakko, it would look like potato salad.

"If we eat it as it is, it's potato salad, but if we shape it, coat it in breadcrumbs, and fry it, it becomes croquettes."

"…Yuriko, are these croquettes going to taste like mayonnaise?"

"They'll be smooth and delicious. And, Yakko."

"Uh?"

"Croquettes come in many varieties."

"Huh!?"

Yakko, who was stunned, listened as Yuriko counted off the types of croquettes on her fingers.

"First, the most common type uses potatoes. But you can also make them with pumpkin or sweet potatoes. There are also cream croquettes. And you can change the seasoning to add your own original touch."

"…What? What? Croquettes come in different types!?"

"Sure do. They're all croquettes, just called different names."

"Then, are these going to be croquettes?"

"Sure are."

"I don't get it, croquettes!!!"

For Yakko, who thought there was only one type of croquette, this was a bolt from the blue. The idea that his favorite dish had countless possibilities was, in a way, very fortunate. It was fortunate, but it was beyond his comprehension, and he didn't know how to react.

To Yakko, Yuriko said one thing.

"But, whatever the type, bread is still bread, right? It's the same thing."

"That's easy to understand, but hard to accept!"

"Well, if you have complaints... Can you help me shape them?"

"...Got it."

They shaped the mixture, seasoned with just enough mayonnaise to prevent it from sticking to their hands. The key when shaping was to make sure the corn didn't stick out. If the corn was on the outside, it would burst when fried. Bursting corn made a loud noise, which was undesirable. Croquettes were already prone to breaking, even without the corn.

They divided the work and shaped the croquettes, being careful not to let the corn stick out. The mixture looked and tasted like potato salad, and Yakko seemed worried about whether it would transform into croquettes. However, it would be fine. After coating them in flour, dipping them in egg, and covering them in breadcrumbs, they would be proper croquettes. Since they used potatoes, they would be croquettes.

"Let's try frying one. The flavor will change when it's fried."

"Got it."

Yakko had already tasted the mixture. In his mind, it was still potato salad. After all, it looked like potato salad to anyone. Tuna, mayonnaise, and corn with potatoes—no matter how you looked at it, it was potato salad. But Yuriko was turning it into croquettes.

By the way, using mayonnaise for flavoring didn't mean it had to be potato salad. However, using mayonnaise meant you didn't need to add anything when eating. While it was common to add soy sauce or sauce to croquettes, this made the crispy coating less crispy. Also, adding too much could lead to excessive salt intake, which is bad for your health.

For these reasons, Yuriko preferred to season them beforehand. Using tuna and corn not only made the flavors blend well but also resulted from her initial search for a meatless, less meaty croquette. While the calorie content wasn't lower, the meatiness was reduced, making it easier to eat. The mayonnaise made it smooth and creamy, and the popular tuna and corn made it a hit with children.

"Here you go."

Yuriko cut a golden-brown croquette in half on a small plate and offered one to Yakko. Yakko, who was still hot, took a bite and his eyes widened in surprise.

It was indeed different from the croquettes he knew. There was no meat juice from the minced meat, no sweetness from the onions, and no umami from the potatoes. However, it was smoother than usual. The oil-packed fish, which he usually found bland, had a rich flavor. The corn provided a different texture and sweetness. Most of all, the subtle taste of mayonnaise captivated Yakko.

"Yuriko, this is delicious!"

"I thought it would be, since the potato salad was popular. Fried, it's even better."

Eating hot croquettes while saying "hmm, hmm" was part of the charm. Yuriko's face lit up with a smile as she enjoyed the tuna-mayonnaise-corn croquettes she hadn't had in a while. While orthodox croquettes were delicious, sometimes you wanted to try something different. Since the potato salad was well-received, she thought this would be fine too. Judging from Yakko's reaction, it seemed to be a success.

By the way, the reason she suddenly made this was that she found oil-packed tuna at the market. She hadn't expected tuna to exist in this world, so she ended up buying a lot. Tuna was versatile, and she planned to use the extra mayonnaise to make tuna-mayonnaise sandwiches for breakfast the next day. While egg sandwiches were delicious, tuna-mayonnaise sandwiches were also great.

"Hey, isn't the potato softer than usual?"

"Probably because we mixed in mayonnaise, making it smoother."

"Also, I didn't know you could use oil-packed fish like this."

"Actually, tuna and mayonnaise go really well together. Look forward to the sandwiches tomorrow."

"I want to eat it now!"

"It's for breakfast tomorrow."

Yakko, who tried to jump on the new menu, was cut off with a smile. Yuriko, in such moments, wouldn't budge, even with a smile. Yakko, who wanted to try it, grumbled but couldn't resist when told to wait until morning. So, he obediently started frying the croquettes.

As the smell of frying croquettes spread, a few people appeared, even though it wasn't dinner time yet. The familiar faces reacted with, "Oh, croquettes again?" Yakko secretly smiled. The difference from the usual croquettes couldn't be judged from the breaded state. He thought it would be fun to surprise them when they ate it. It was a bit of a mischievous thought.

"Yuriko, can I have a taste?"

"No."

"Any that got misshapen?"

"Yakko and I will eat those, so no."

"Can you bend the rules?"

"Nope. Dinner is coming soon, so wait patiently."

Kuresh, peering into the kitchen from the counter, and Rerei, waiting with sparkling eyes, were the usual suspects. Yakko chuckled. When they were in the hideout, these two always teased Yuriko. Being close in age, they had a close relationship. Yuriko, who usually called older people with honorifics, called these two by their names.

"So, is today's dinner croquettes?"

"Croquettes."

Yakko thought, "He's not going to explain in detail, is he?" He had a bit of a mischievous thought, but what about Yuriko? Watching Yuriko continue to fry the croquettes, Yakko realized she wasn't thinking about it at all. When she didn't explain to Yakko and just lined up different ingredients, saying she was making croquettes, it was the same. In Yuriko's mind, croquettes were croquettes, so she didn't think to explain that the contents were different.

Yakko thought, "Everyone will be surprised when they eat it," and indeed, that's exactly what happened. People were exclaiming, "Croquettes come in different types!?"

By the way, since they always had canned tuna and corn, it was relatively easy to make. The only risk was that before they became croquettes, someone might say, "This is potato salad, right? It's delicious as it is!" and try to steal it.

While not as creamy as cream croquettes, they were smooth and quite delicious. Munch, munch.

I look forward to your comments and feedback.