Fluffy Bread
The next morning, six hours before dawn.
Even though I went to bed later than usual, I still woke up early as always. The internal clock of an old soul is truly remarkable.
Yesterday was so much fun—eating, drinking, and enjoying time with everyone. It’d be nice to have meals together like that regularly.
Alright, let’s head out for my usual walk around the estate. The destination, of course, is the kitchen. Today, I’ll be baking bread, so I need to prepare myself.
When I step out of my room, everyone is already busy cleaning.
“Good morning! Thank you for your hard work.”
“”””Good morning, Miss Joan.””””
Hearing my name called directly feels so nice. I’ve asked them not to add “Miss,” but they said that wasn’t possible, so I’ve accepted it for now.
“Good morning, Miss Joan. Off to the kitchen for your walk?”
Nancy greets me as well.
“Good morning, Nancy. Yes, I’m on my way to the kitchen. Today, I’m making fluffy bread.”
“Fluffy bread...?”
“Yes, you can look forward to it!”
With that, I continue to the kitchen. Quietly, I open the kitchen door—this time, gently.
No one has noticed me yet.
“Good morning!”
“Whoa!”
Mr. Abe, Mr. Arthur, and Master all jump in surprise.
“Hey, Missy, don’t scare us like that!”
“Ehehe, but I opened the door quietly.”
“That’s not the point, Miss Joane.”
“Yes, sir.”
I reply, pretending to sound repentant, though my tone betrays me. The three of them laugh wryly.
“Anyway, we’re making fluffy bread today!”
“I have no idea how that ties into this conversation, but I see you’re finally getting started.”
“Yes! The natural yeast is finally ready.”
I show them the water infused with ripple fruit.
“That’s the key to making the bread fluffy? Just water soaked with ripple fruit?”
“Not just fluffy—super fluffy! Just watch, Mr. Abe.”
They chuckle at my enthusiasm.
“Now, let’s mix strong flour, butter, sugar, and the natural yeast in a bowl. Once it comes together, move it to the table and knead for about 15 minutes. Then cover it with a cloth and let it rise in the oven for the first fermentation. Keep the temperature low until it doubles or triples in size. Master, could you prepare the oven, please?”
“Got it!”
“In the meantime, let’s deal with the chicken bones saved from yesterday.”
“Chicken bones? You mean the leftovers?”
“Yes, they make excellent broth.”
“Broth...?”
“It’s like a soup base that makes dishes much tastier!”
“For real?”
“Absolutely!”
“First, clean the chicken bones, removing any leftover organs or blood. Then place them in a pot with water, green onion tops, and ginger, and simmer. That’s it.”
“That’s all?”
“Yes, that’s all. Start with high heat, skim off any brown foam when it boils, then reduce to medium heat, and finally let it simmer on low for three hours.”
“Three hours? That’s quite a while.”
“It takes time, but the broth will be worth it!”
Later, we move on to shaping the dough.
“Now, divide the dough into portions and shape it, pressing out any air bubbles.”
The four of us work together, rolling the dough into balls.
“Once done, cover it again with a cloth and put it back in the oven for the second rise at a low temperature.”
Mr. Arthur wiped his brow. “This is more time-consuming than I expected.”
“It’s a necessary process.”
After some time, the dough rises beautifully.
“It’s ready! Now we bake it as usual, and we’re done!”
“Finally.”
While the bread bakes, I take out some iced tea from storage.
“Here’s some iced tea for a break. Ta-da!”
Arthur laughed. “What’s with the ‘ta-da’?”
“Don’t mind it. Just felt like saying it!”
Soon, the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the room.
“It smells amazing!”
“It’s done! Let’s taste it!”
We cut two pieces and share among the four of us.
“...!!!”
“Well? It’s super fluffy, right?”
“This is incredible!”
Mr. Abe exclaimed.
Master, amazed by the texture, addsed, “What were we even eating before? Rocks?”
Arthur, finally breaking away from his formal tone, nods enthusiastically.
“I’ll store all of this bread in my storage so we can enjoy it fresh and warm whenever we eat it.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“Yes! Fresh bread tastes so much better, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely!”
And so, it was unanimously decided that I’d keep the bread in storage.
“Miss Joane, there you are! Time to... Oh no, you’re covered in flour again! Let’s go get you cleaned up!”
“Awww!”
As always, Sarah dragged me off to change.
“And she’s gone.”
“I should’ve used Clean on her earlier.”
“Bit late for that, huh?”
“She really surprised me. Who knew ripple water alone could make bread this fluffy?”
“Not just fluffy—super fluffy.”
The three men laugh again, savoring the thought of more fluffy bread in the future.
What do you think about this chapter?
