Chapter 65

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 65

Chapter Title: Chocolate Mousse Cake

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Eventually, things moved forward smoothly with the association.

Surprisingly, the online counseling system they mentioned was already nearly complete—just one button press away from launch.

The Baek Si-eun incident had simply accelerated its rollout.

It was ready to go anytime.

So, the discussion wrapped up with plans to start a trial run tomorrow and send official notices to all guilds.

I replied that I understood and left the place.

The staff offered to drive me home, but I turned them down for now.

I was heading home... but with a detour to the department store first.

Resting at home wasn't the plan.

I wanted to prepare a gift as a token of gratitude.

For Jin Sea and Jahwa-yeon.

If Jahwa-yeon hadn't come to me, if Jin Sea hadn't saved me, I would've been in serious danger.

They'd prevented what could have been a horrific outcome.

So, I wanted to give them the best thank-you I could manage.

Fancy gifts or expensive dinners might be nice... but they were already more than well-off financially.

Even if they might not love it, I wanted to give them something heartfelt from me.

I headed to the department store's basement food section.

"What would be good?"

I asked the air.

"Didn't I give her a ton of those already?"

No imagination, huh.

Well, I'll take the advice anyway.

A rich, fudgy chocolate mousse cake.

Dusted with powdered sugar to give it a snowy look.

Topped with raspberries for a clean finish.

Making it a bit brownie-style should satisfy her, since she loved brownies.

"What about Sea?"

I asked the air again.

Yeah, me neither.

I've made her so many things already.

Jin Sea always devoured everything I made with the same delight.

So, this time, something fitting.

I'll go with what I want to give her.

I bought the ingredients and returned home.

I spread them out on the kitchen counter.

Cheesecake and chocolate mousse cake.

Both are labor-intensive.

They need at least overnight to set.

I preheated the oven first.

Then started crushing firm whole-wheat cookies.

These are notoriously calorie bombs.

- Crunch

The nutty aroma of the crumbled cookies filled my nose.

I mixed the crumbs with room-temperature melted butter and pressed them firmly into the cake pan base.

The crust for the cheesecake bottom.

It's different from regular cakes.

They call it New York-style... but I just think it's tastier.

Next, a thin sheet for the chocolate mousse.

I mixed the melted chocolate (double-boiler style) with fully melted butter.

Added sugar, eggs, and a bit of flour, then spread it thin.

This makes a brownie sheet.

Brownie and mousse cake in one.

I'd planned dark chocolate, but Jahwa-yeon seemed to prefer much sweeter flavors than expected.

So, I leaned sweeter over sophisticated.

Milk chocolate it is.

Generous sugar.

She's still young, so a little extra sweet is fine.

I slid both batters into the oven.

Bases done—now for the main layers.

This part gets tedious.

I dumped softened cream cheese into a large glass bowl.

Sprinkled sugar on top and started mixing.

Added eggs one by one carefully once smooth.

The filling—this becomes the cheesecake body.

On the other side, I soaked gelatin in cold water and melted rich chocolate over a double boiler.

- Ding

The oven signaled it was ready.

I pulled out the two hot bases and let them cool by the window.

While the sheets cooled, time for the mousse base.

Melted gelatin into cold heavy cream and milk, whipped vigorously.

It started firming up nicely.

Mousse done.

Now, finish the cheesecake.

Baked the filling in the oven.

All set.

Both cakes head to the deep fridge for aging.

Now, just wait?

"Ah, my back hurts."

I stretched my stiff back and glanced out the window.

"...What the heck."

The sun was high when I entered the kitchen.

Now it was already night outside.

The whole day was gone.

Luna tossed and turned all night.

She ended up wearing the "clothes" Elise gave her.

Hardly clothes—just scraps of black fabric.

Luna was half-forced into it.

Elise hauled her up and dragged her to the full-length mirror.

- "Sis, open your eyes and look properly..."

She propped Luna up and made her face the mirror.

Then started showering her with praise.

Something about her figure being national treasure material...

We're built the same—why's she doing this to me?

- "Teacher would probably love it too..."

- Smack!

That, she couldn't let slide.

Luna's hand shot out like lightning, landing a perfect flick on Elise's forehead with a crisp snap.

A flawless knuckle rap.

"Ow!"

She'd been so startled.

Her heart had skipped at those words.

Anyway, she gave Elise a little scolding.

But those words kept her chest pounding hot all night.

Luna ended up pulling an all-nighter.

Early morning: mandatory guild morale training for all members.

The lounge's big screen showed a boring instructor droning on about last night's gate incidents.

Maybe catch a nap during this...

She was drifting off.

"Sis."

"Hm...?"

Luna woke to a whisper.

The instructor was explaining something up front.

"Now, you can receive counseling without even visiting in person..."

Huh?

The instructor's words caught her interest.

Luna perked up her ears.

Sleep vanished instantly.

Elise nodded toward the lounge's big screen.

There, with the association's official logo, was an announcement.

Luna's red eyes widened.

"?!"

Elise whispered to her thrilled sister.

"Now you can talk to Teacher from home."

Luna was overjoyed.

Honestly, lately things had felt stagnant.

Meeting Teacher had given her courage, but she didn't know the next step.

She feared slipping back into that old darkness.

Plus, Teacher had been so busy lately, dealing with bad stuff too—requesting a session felt guilty.

But this opportunity...

Luna's cheeks flushed faintly.

She could talk to Teacher again.

That was enough.

Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Demon Hall.

On the jade throne sat Jahwa-yeon, looking disheveled as if just woken.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was a guild too.

They'd received the remote counseling notice as well.

"So. When does it start?"

Jahwa-yeon asked lowly of Geumgang, who was reporting from her throne perch.

Geumgang bowed his head.

"Per the association's notice, trial operations begin this morning immediately."

"As a registered official guild, the Divine Cult can join anytime if you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wish..."

Before he finished, Jahwa-yeon cleared her throat.

"Ahem."

Geumgang swiftly pulled a pre-prepared black tablet from his robes and offered it politely to the throne.

Jahwa-yeon took it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wordlessly.

Turned it on with familiar ease.

A girlish smile graced her lips for the first time in ages.

A bit nervous.

10 a.m.

The remote counseling platform's trial was set to begin.

I sat at my study computer, watching the monitor clock tick down.

For this trial period, I'd switched to work-from-home.

Meeting clients from home felt oddly fresh.

One minute left...

But now it felt kinda silly.

No guarantee a session would pop up right at 10.

There were two session types.

First: fully anonymous for hunters wanting to hide their identity.

Second: standard remote with identity verification, like before.

The anonymity option was the big perk.

Even anonymous sessions verify identity internally for safety.

10 a.m. hit.

I opened the message window right away.

- Ding.

"!"

Already?

It arrived instantly.

I hurriedly opened the message.

First remote client: an anonymous hunter.

Makes sense—probably too awkward for in-person.

Thank goodness for this feature...

The chat activated.

"?"

I paused, hand hovering over the keyboard.

"......"

Hmm...

I think I know who this is.

- Screech.

I scooted my chair back and headed to the fridge.

- Click.

I snapped a photo of the finished cake inside.

A mouthwatering chocolate mousse cake blanketed in snowy powdered sugar.

Back at my desk, I typed away.

- Tap tap.

A brief silence in the messages.

I smiled at the reply.

Sure enough, the little sovereign loves sweets.