Chapter 92

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his 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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"Hey, Yurikun, what's this?"

"I got it as a souvenir."

"A souvenir... This is a cockatrice egg, right?"

"Yes."

Lucia, wide-eyed with surprise, smiled at Yurikun. They were at Lucia's family restaurant, *Paradise of Food*. Lucia usually made desserts for the monthly sweets buffet, as well as for the set courses and tea-time cake sets. However, she wasn't the only one making them, and *Paradise of Food* had regular days off and staff vacations. Today was one of Lucia's days off.

Despite it being her day off, Lucia was experimenting with new dessert recipes. That's when Yurikun came to visit, bringing a cockatrice egg that the clan members had brought back as leftovers from a job.

A cockatrice is a bird-like monster, resembling a giant chicken with a snake attached to its tail. The snake, which is alive, can turn anything it bites to stone, making the cockatrice a terrifying creature. It can fly, is very agile, has a sharp beak, and strong legs, making it extremely dangerous. The cockatrice's egg is not only delicious but also very difficult to obtain, making it a rare ingredient.

In other words, it's not something you can casually say, "I got it as a souvenir." Yurikun, however, brought it over as if it were a regular souvenir. After using the *Divine Eye* to appraise it, the result said, "Extremely delicious and highly nutritious. It can be used in any dish, but it works best in puddings or steamed custards, which turn out smooth." So, Yurikun decided to make pudding with Lucia. He was determined.

The cockatrice egg was large, as befitting an egg from a giant bird. It was about the size of Yurikun's head, large enough to make an omelet for several people. The shell was naturally very hard, so they would need tools to crack it.

However, the problem wasn't just the size.

"Yurikun, what do you plan to do with this egg?"

"Huh? I want to make pudding for everyone, so can you help me?"

"Pudding?"

"Yes. The *Divine Eye* said it would be delicious as pudding!"

"Pudding with a cockatrice egg?!"

"Um, yes?"

Lucia's scream, still in shock, made Yurikun tilt his head in confusion. His face said, "What's the problem?" For Yurikun, since the *Divine Eye* said it was good for pudding, he simply wanted to make it with Lucia's help. That was all.

However, a cockatrice egg was a high-end ingredient. Among the eggs of bird-like monsters suitable for eating, the cockatrice egg was the most luxurious. This was partly because cockatrices are strong and hard to catch, but also because cockatrice eggs are rare. Even if you managed to get one, it would be sold as a high-end ingredient to the wealthy.

So, when Yurikun casually said, "I want to make pudding for everyone, so can you help me?" Lucia was utterly shocked. "Sorry, Lucia. Don't expect Yurikun to have common sense. He just wants to eat something delicious, make something delicious, and share it."

"Yurikun, a cockatrice egg is a high-end ingredient, you know?"

"Really? But the *Divine Eye* said it would be delicious as pudding, so can you help me make it?"

"Yurikun..."

Lucia, hanging her head in defeat, made Yurikun look puzzled. Despite being told it was a high-end ingredient, his reaction was the same. Yurikun was always so laid-back. No matter what, he was determined.

Lucia, realizing that trying to change his mind was futile, sighed and led Yurikun to the kitchen. She was still confused about making pudding with a cockatrice egg, but she knew Yurikun wouldn't give up. She was right.

Lucia, a professional pastry chef, quickly switched her mindset and started preparing. Yurikun, wearing his favorite apron, washed his hands and got ready.

Normally, they would make puddings one by one, but since they were using a cockatrice egg, they needed larger pudding molds. Yurikun was fascinated by the large molds.

"Wow, you have such big pudding molds!"

"They're for when making them one by one would take too long."

Lucia smiled, and Yurikun nodded in understanding. From the outside, they looked like a sister and her younger brother, a heartwarming sight. However, both were skilled in cooking, so their hands moved incredibly fast.

While Lucia used a tool to crack the cockatrice egg, Yurikun started making the caramel sauce. Caramel sauce is made by boiling sugar. To prevent it from becoming too hard, you add water or hot water as it boils. Yurikun, humming a tune, stirred the sauce with a spoon to check its consistency.

The hot caramel sauce was then poured into the pudding molds. Yurikun and Lucia, who both preferred pudding with caramel, were careful not to spill it. Of course, there are many types of puddings, so it's a matter of personal preference.

The contents of the cockatrice egg were carefully poured into a bowl. The yolk was large and firm, indicating its richness. It was dark in color and had a strong texture. Even when poked with a whisk, it bounced back with elasticity.

Sugar was added and mixed well. A little vanilla essence was added for flavor. Once everything was well mixed, warm milk was gently added. The milk was heated to about 60 degrees to prevent the eggs from cooking. Yurikun and Lucia worked together, pouring the milk slowly and mixing carefully.

"Does it seem like the egg is overpowering?"

"The measurements are correct, so it should be fine."

"Okay."

Despite adding milk, the mixture was still a deep yellow, indicating the richness of the egg. It was indeed a cockatrice egg. However, the measurements for making pudding were correct, so it should be fine. With Lucia, a skilled pastry chef, it would be fine. However, this was her first time making pudding with a cockatrice egg, so she relied on her instincts.

The mixture was then strained through a fine sieve to make it smoother. This technique can also be used for making steamed custards. This step ensures a smooth texture. They worked hard to achieve this.

The strained mixture was poured into the molds with caramel sauce. Using the large molds, they made six puddings. The molds were placed on a baking sheet with water and baked in the oven. After baking, they were taken out to cool. Once cooled, they were refrigerated to complete the process. Of course, they could be eaten warm, but Yurikun preferred them cold.

"The puddings are done!"

"They're ready!"

"Lucia, how many do you want?"

"Um, what?"

Lucia was taken aback by Yurikun's casual question. Yurikun, looking at the freshly baked puddings, wondered how many he should take.

"Yurikun?"

"For everyone, so, um, Lucia, I'll take four, and you can have two, okay?"

"Wait a minute!"

"Okay?"

"Um, aren't you taking these back?"

"Yes, I am. Four of them."

Yurikun's face said, "What's the problem?" while Lucia was still confused. Lucia thought Yurikun was borrowing the kitchen and tools to make the puddings and would take them all back. Yurikun, however, thought they were making the puddings together and would share them. A classic misunderstanding.

"But, Yurikun, didn't you make these puddings for everyone?"

"Yes, but you provided the other ingredients."

"Come on! Compared to a cockatrice egg, those are nothing!"

"Then, since they turned out so well, let's share them with everyone."

"Yurikun..."

"Delicious things are even better when shared, right?"

Lucia, taken aback by Yurikun's smile, then smiled back. Her smile was as happy as Yurikun's.

In the end, Yurikun took four and Lucia took two. Yurikun put the four large puddings in his magic bag and headed back to the hideout. Luke, who had been quietly cleaning the floor during the cooking, followed him, a heartwarming sight.

Back at the hideout, Yurikun immediately put the puddings in the refrigerator to chill. Once they were cool, they would be ready for a snack. The cockatrice egg, which looked rich even in appearance, made Yurikun excited to taste the pudding.

At 3 PM, snack time, the puddings were ready. They served simple tea, assuming the puddings would be sweet. Sugar was not added, but everyone could add it to their taste.

"Yurikun, is this pudding?"

"Yep, pudding."

"Wow, it's huge!"

"Because the original egg was from a cockatrice and was large."

"\"A cockatrice egg?!\""

Everyone screamed when Yurikun casually mentioned it. Those who were about to eat their puddings froze with their spoons in hand. Yurikun, looking puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?"

Some were shocked by the high-end ingredient being used for a snack. Others were surprised that Yurikun had brought back a cockatrice egg. Their shock was immense, but Yurikun, as usual, was calmly serving the pudding.

Among them, only one person, Brook, was enjoying the pudding without any concern. Why? Because Brook was one of the people who had brought back the cockatrice egg as a souvenir. He had expected it to be used for a snack or meal, so he was already prepared.

"Hmm, as expected from a cockatrice egg. It's rich."

Brook nodded in satisfaction at the rich flavor. Despite his tough appearance, he was a sweet tooth. He was very pleased with the pudding made from such a high-quality egg.

It was richer than a regular egg but had a clean aftertaste. The egg's flavor was strong, so it didn't seem overly sweet. The smooth texture was very elegant. Brook even had a second helping while everyone else was still in shock.

"Cockatrice eggs are delicious."

"Yeah, they are, but Yurikun—"

"What, Kure?"

"Who would think to make pudding with a high-end ingredient?"

"Huh? The *Divine Eye* said it was good for pudding."

"...You really are laid-back, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

Kure's sigh, filled with resignation, echoed the feelings of most of the group. They all nodded in agreement.

Whether a cockatrice egg is delicious depends on the story!

In a world where monster meat is delicious, cockatrice eggs are delicious eggs!

I look forward to your comments and feedback.