Is this being cruel?
“Huh?”
"What did you just say? … An aphrodisiac?"
Shin and the Head Chef reacted to the words that slipped out of my mouth.
"Eh? A-awawa. It’s nothing, nothing at all!"
I hurried to stash it in my inventory, but before I could, they peeked inside the bag.
"... This dried fruit is an aphrodisiac?"
Shin casually picked a cocoa pod from the bag, inspecting it closely as he spoke.
Ah, since it’s already roasted, I guess it does look kind of dried out.
"Oh, this is the fruit of the Kaka tree. As Cristea-sama mentioned, it started trending among the nobility a few years ago as an aphrodisiac from the Samonar Kingdom. But it’s just a light drink meant to spice up a romantic meeting between lovers... Oh, pardon me. Still, Cristea-sama, how did you know this was an aphrodisiac?"
The Head Chef looked at me suspiciously. Oh no.
"Ah~ well, I learned it at... school?"
"Oh, so you studied it in herbology? I see, does the current curriculum at Adelia Academy cover things like this so early?"
"Haha..."
There's no way that’s true.
Teaching kids around ten years old about aphrodisiacs... no, that can’t be right? Even if fifteen is the age of adulthood here and early marriages are common, there’s no way they’d teach about aphrodisiacs, right?
Please tell me they don’t?
"Umm, is this really an aphrodisiac?"
Shin sniffed the cocoa he was holding, looking skeptical.
Hey, stop sniffing something suspected to be an aphrodisiac so carelessly.
What if you suddenly get aroused? I mean, I doubt it, but still.
"They call it an aphrodisiac, but it’s actually quite subtle. I think people unfamiliar with it find the flavor strong and mistake it for having an aphrodisiac effect."
When I answered, the Head Chef looked at me, impressed.
"Is that so? I’ve heard some people feel the effects while others don’t, but..."
So someone has tried it... Maybe those who felt the effects were just experiencing a placebo or were easily fooled?
Wait a minute, now that I think about it...
"Whether or not it's a real aphrodisiac, this fruit is very nutritious. It could increase magic power, leading to an excited state."
If a drop in magic power can cause physical exhaustion, then what would happen in reverse? You can kind of imagine, right?
"... I see. If that’s the case, it’s possible. If this fruit amplifies magic power, then a sudden surge in magic might cause temporary excitement, which could be mistaken for arousal... Oh, my apologies for speaking out of turn."
No, no, it's fine. I’m the one who brought it up.
Normally, servants wouldn’t talk about such topics in front of a noble lady.
But with my previous life’s memories and knowledge, and after enduring workplace harassment from my old boss, my tolerance for such talk is maxed out.
The Head Chef’s slip of the tongue is nothing (though, honestly, I can’t even laugh about it).
"Don’t worry about it. I got this fruit as a bonus when I bought some spices. If it helps with magic recovery, I’d like to make use of it."
"Huh?"
"Wait, you mean... you're going to include it in the banquet menu?"
Both of them looked at me in disbelief. Well, it’s supposed to be an aphrodisiac, so I understand how they feel.
"Yes. Depending on how it’s used, I think it could work well in sweets."
… Besides, in my previous life, it was used in desserts.
If I could have taken it back unnoticed, I would have quietly made chocolate in the special dorm with Mariel-chan, even if it meant being misunderstood as making an aphrodisiac...
But now that Shin and the Head Chef know about the cocoa fruit, they might get suspicious and wonder, "What are you planning to do with it?" Or worse, they could report it to my father, and he could confiscate it.
In that case, isn’t it better to involve the Head Chef and complete the chocolate together?
Because making chocolate is physically demanding.
We have strong helpers (the Sacred Beasts) at the special dorm, but they’re all such gluttons that we’d probably only end up with a tiny bit for ourselves.
Wouldn't it be better to reintroduce the cocoa fruit as a sweet rather than an aphrodisiac, and secure a future supply of it?
Heh, I’m so clever!
"Kaka fruit, which is said to be an aphrodisiac, turned into a sweet..."
The Head Chef looked at the cocoa fruit... or rather, cocoa nibs in my hand with a troubled expression.
"For now, could you coarsely crush these, and cleanly remove the shells? It will affect the final product, so please be thorough."
"Understood! Alright, men, it's your time to shine!"
"””Yes, sir!””"
The apprentices took the cocoa fruit from the Head Chef and quickly got to work.
Even though they were apprentices, their skill was top-notch, as expected from those working in the kitchen of the Ellisfeed household.
In no time, they finished the task and brought the coarsely crushed cocoa... the cocoa nibs... to the Head Chef, who inspected them.
"There’s still some shell left here and here. Go through it again from the bottom!"
At his command, the apprentices worked together to remove the remaining shells. Strict!
"... Hmm, this looks good... Cristea-sama, is this acceptable?"
The thoroughly cleaned cocoa nibs had passed the Head Chef's strict inspection and looked perfect.
"Wow, thank you! Now, could you crush this into a fine, smooth paste?"
"Of course!"
At the Head Chef’s reply, the apprentices immediately set to work, moving with precision. Wow, such discipline.
After that, they ground and ground, swapping out as necessary, grinding away endlessly...
By the end, they were so focused it was like they’d entered a meditative state. Sorry for making you go through that.
But if we’d done this ourselves in the special dorm, it would’ve been us in their place...
Thank you, apprentices.
Thanks to your noble sacrifice, we will enjoy that chocolate!
… Am I being cruel?
What do you think about this chapter?
