Shu Cream Bungeoppang and Sudden Unease
Smoothness and unease—Shu cream. It's a dessert I've always loved. A small pastry known for its soft, sweet flavor. The taste doubles when you freeze it cold. Some people think "Shu cream" refers to the cream itself, but strictly speaking, it's the custard cream stuffed inside a "Shu" pastry that earns the name. So the heart of Shu cream is really the custard. The outer shell is basically just an edible cone to hold the cream. That means what I'm about to make—"Shu cream bungeoppang"—is technically a misnomer. If I had to correct it, "custard cream bungeoppang" would be more accurate. Still, I'll stick with the familiar name and just call it Shu bungeoppang, or Shu bun for short.
"Red bean buns are great, but Shu buns are delicious too, right?" Maybe it's the cold weather, but the thought keeps coming back. The crispy, piping-hot exterior of a fresh bungeoppang, contrasted with the moist, sweet white cream inside. Gulp...! The nostalgic filter that comes with cold days makes my mouth water on its own.
I like Shu cream bungeoppang, but that doesn't mean I look down on red bean buns. No one can argue that red bean paste is the original. Cheap, tasty, and quick to eat—the perfect snack that hits all three marks. It ranks among the top three winter street foods. Ah, though prices have gone up so much lately that it's not as easy to grab one on impulse anymore...
Tsk, cold frozen custard cream is good, but that warm, sweet flavor inside a Shu bun is strangely addictive. Just thinking about that nostalgic street-side taste makes me swallow again.
Tap, crack...! Once I decided to make bungeoppang, I cracked some eggs right away. The red bean paste was already prepared, so I focused on the custard cream. The key to custard is the yolks. I didn't need many—three or four would be plenty for this group.
Swish, swish, swish... I separated the whites by pouring the eggs back and forth between the shell halves, letting only the yolks drop into the bowl. Then...
"Mix this too."
「Nyoro-long......」
I barely had to wiggle my fingers before the wraith that had been stirring the batter floated over, still holding the whisk in midair. How could a wraith even grab objects? If anyone saw this, they'd think it was a poltergeist... Oh, right, it is a wraith, so that makes sense. Anyway...!
Whisk, whisk, whisk! The wraith beat the yolks smooth. Pour, pour, pour...! I dumped in a generous amount of sugar—more than strictly necessary. Sweetness comes from sugar, after all.
「Nyoro-long......?」
The wraith girl stopped and turned when I poured the sugar over the yolks, as if asking what I was doing.
"What do you think? New task."
"Mix that in too, would you?"
「......」
Whisk, whisk, whisk...! She followed my order without complaint. This was incredibly convenient. Having a servant to handle chores? It almost felt like I'd become a Death Dragon myself. Even without Derke around, I could still get help from the wraiths. Dealing with the girls at the lounge was going to be much easier from now on.
Is this the power of the Wraith Legion...? Right now it was limited to cooking, but it still seemed like the best skill I'd ever seen. Far more convenient and versatile than any other SSR skill. No activation conditions or cooldowns either.
Might as well make full use of the help while I have it.
Shake, shake, shake, shake...! I poured the last of the flour into the bowl, emptying the nearly depleted bag Derke had left behind.
"Good thing we didn't run out completely..."
There was only about twenty grams left. 「Nyoru-rung......」 The wraith let out a tired sound when I added the flour, like she was saying I'd overworked her. Her sheet-like face crumpled in clear displeasure.
Oh? A wraith throwing a tantrum? Even after receiving a Dragon Heart, she still hadn't fully accepted me. Since this wasn't Derke's direct order, she found it annoying. It was the same as how soldiers feel when a new, unproven platoon leader shows up.
"We're almost done, so just hang in there a little longer. Once this is finished, I won't ask for anything else. I really appreciate it."
「Nyoro-long......」
At my thanks, the wraith reluctantly agreed and resumed whisking with renewed vigor.
Should've done that from the start. Who would've thought I'd end up coaxing and soothing a wraith? As a new commander, there were two ways to handle subordinates: assert power and authority to keep them in line, or meet them halfway. The first method often bred resentment. If an unproven superior just pushed their subordinates around, it was no different from bullying—and in a real battle, that could get you killed before the enemy even had a chance.
That was why I chose the second approach. I decided to gradually get closer to the wraith. She was high-grade labor I might rely on for a long time, so she deserved proper treatment.
By the way, I wonder how many more I can summon?
Whoosh, whoosh...! To test the Wraith Legion's ability, I stretched out my fingers and made the same gesture Derke always used. I remembered that doing so would call the wraiths over. But the result was...
"Hohawa~? What are you doing halfway through, Whitey? Want Noona to help?"
"......"
Nothing happened. I'd just waved my hand uselessly in the air. Raylin, who had been quietly watching from behind, tilted her head in confusion.
"Ahem...! Then, could you heat up some milk for me?"
I quickly lowered my hand with a cough and gave Raylin a task instead, trying to shake off the embarrassment.
Glug, glug...! I poured a generous amount of milk into a glass cup.
"That's easy! Just heat this much?"
"Yes, we don't need a lot."
We were only making a small batch of bungeoppang. This would be enough—assuming we weren't planning to fill up on bungeoppang alone.
"Then give it here. I'll warm it up real quick."
Grab! Raylin snatched the glass and wrapped her palm around it. Moments later...
Bubble, bubble...!
"It starts boiling the second you touch it?"
"How's that? The hot flames of a Fire Dragon?"
"That's amazing!"
"Hehe, if I push a little harder—"
"That's enough. It'll be a problem if it boils too vigorously."
"Oh, really? That's a shame. My blood's still boiling hot, though... When's my turn going to come~?"
Raylin set the cup down and shot me a sideways glance, white steam rising from her. How high had her body temperature climbed? What was she thinking? The look in her eyes as she stared at me was intense—her face flushed red, pupils gleaming. It felt dangerous. I didn't know the details, but I needed to calm her down first. If she pounced now, there'd be no saving the situation.
"Um, Noona...? We still need to calm Sofia down too, and it's getting late. How about we set aside some time once we get back to the dorm?"
Whisper, whisper...... I deliberately used the word "Noona" while murmuring near Raylin's ear. I hadn't promised a kiss every day, but today definitely called for a reward. If I didn't give her a chance, I might end up roasted someday.
"Hohawa♡ You suddenly called me Noona...! And then tell me to hold back?!"
"I'll call you that as much as you want later. The timing's just a bit off right now, isn't it?"
"W-well, that's true...! Then can I come find you in the night-duty room tonight?"
"Yes, I'll give you today's kiss then—"
Whoosh...!
"...Huh? Raylin?"
The moment I agreed, Raylin collapsed backward with a nosebleed. Reacting that strongly to just the word "kiss"... I might not get any sleep until dawn at this rate.
That's that, but I need to finish the urgent task first. Like last time, Raylin would probably get up on her own soon enough.
Drip, drip...! I slowly poured the warmed milk into the bowl, adding it gradually so the egg yolks in the batter wouldn't cook.
Stir, stir, stir...! If I kept mixing while heating it slowly, the moisture would evaporate, the sugar would dissolve, and the mixture would thicken.
Plop, plop, plop...! A thick, yellow cream took shape. It was almost done. Just keep stirring until it reached the right consistency.
"There we go."
Once I took it off the heat and let it cool, the delicious custard cream would be complete.
"...Hey, Sonya? Could you cool this down for me?"
"Huh? Ah, yes! Understood, sir!"
Sonya, who had been poking the collapsed Raylin with her finger, came over.
"...Should I just freeze it like this?"
"No, no—just cool it until it's slightly chilled. We'll need to heat it again anyway."
"If that's all, I can do it just like Raylin-senpai! Leave it to me!"
"Yes, please do."
This time Sonya took the bowl of cream in both hands.
Crackle...! Frost formed around the bowl, making it look like it had just come out of liquid nitrogen. She was basically a walking refrigerator. Was it really okay to use the dragons' powers just to make dessert?
Well, why not? Everyone agreed to it. I shrugged and let it go. What mattered right now was finishing the bungeoppang. The top priority was making delicious bungeoppang to dispel Sofia's suspicions—no matter what methods I used.
Anyway, all that was left was to fill the pre-made batter with red bean paste and Shu cream, then bake it into nice shapes. But to make the bungeoppang mold, I'd need Derke's help...
"Oh? Come to think of it, Sonya? Has Derke still not come back?"
"No, she hasn't returned since she went out to clear the snow earlier."
"Huh? That can't be right. She only went to clear some snow—why isn't she back yet...?"
A strange sense of unease passed through me. No matter how I looked at it, something was off. Derke wasn't the type to wander off...
A bad feeling slowly crept up. It was as if something had happened to Derke...
「Nyoro-long—?!」
At that moment, the wraith suddenly cried out and shot toward the outside of the guard post, even tossing aside the whisk she had been holding.
What...? Did something happen to Derke? I should follow her just in case...