It Turns Out I Had Talent After All
Time flowed, and finally the first day of the Academy's autumn festival arrived.
From yesterday, the Academy grounds were filled with various booths and unfamiliar sights.
The once lively place had reached its peak and was almost about to explode.
“From the baking club booth, we’re selling freshly baked, piping hot bread!”
“Starting the shooting booth competition! The prize is a cute doll that both of you will die for!”
“Hey, student! Come get a portrait!”
It was an academy festival, but secretly expecting something grand, it was just like a university festival.
So much the better. After all, that’s what a festival is supposed to be. No need for a ballroom-like atmosphere.
One day I’ll become a noble and join the political scene, but for now, I’m just a student.
The awkwardness of youth gathers into passion and enthusiasm that only they can show.
And that heat stirred the hearts of our four protagonists even more.
“Ah, Karl! Look at this! The atmosphere is amazing! At a time like this, our super luxurious cooking booth could have been useful, but why did you change it to this?!”
What is this guy saying? If you have a conscience, you wouldn’t say that.
“It’s not just luxurious cooking. If you try it, you’d know it’s an ultra-strong explosive bomb, Schlippen.”
“Bomb? That’s too much, really!”
“Admit it, Schlippen. Honestly, your food is truly awful. You should be grateful that Karl turned it into something edible.”
“Then what about you, Wilhelm! You were the same!”
“…Hmph.”
These bastards. I hadn’t just turned it into taiyaki and hotteok.
I had already checked. Whether they could actually do it properly.
Whether a booth could produce something that a skilled chef would make.
And the result was… as expected, a horrific biological weapon.
“This is cooking. Yeah. What should I name it? Twisted Demon Excrement of Twilight?”
“Too much, Karl.”
“I think your cooking is even worse, Schlippen. Next!”
Even though they kept begging me to try it, I never ate it.
They said pretty food is good to eat. How am I supposed to eat that.
“…Wilhelm. What did you put in instead of seasoning?”
“I said seasoning is bad for the body.”
“Putting no seasoning in cooking is grounds for disqualification. Next.”
Why did spicy X-men lose to non-spicy X-men?
They kept doing weird things while saying “I don’t like seasoning~” and got beaten.
Why not use seasoning? Cooking is meant to be eaten because it’s tasty.
“Hey. Alexander, come over here for a bit.”
“Why? Is it tasty? …Cough.”
“Why aren’t you looking at the taste while cooking? Huh? Next!!”
Everyone knows. How salty military rations are.
Think of eating a day’s worth of salt in one meal.
Even I, who trained for three years, couldn’t cover the extreme saltiness.
One guy put no salt, another did salt carpet bombing.
How did these guys become the most popular four at the academy.
…Ah. Face. Yeah. I get it. Damn. Got it!
“Finally, Joachim. You.”
“How is it?”
“Hmm.”
I immediately entered the famous (profanity) British chef reincarnation.
“This damn thing! This chicken is undercooked and might come back to life! Idiot sandwich!”
“Hiiik!”
“Everyone fails! Just do what I say quietly!”
At this point, I started to worry. Would they be able to make taiyaki and hotteok well?
This much, it’s not because the cooking they chose was difficult, but that they just couldn’t do it.
I was only after the snacks from my memories, not wanting to be subjected to biological terrorism!
“Everyone be quiet. We’ll push forward as planned. If you want to object, make something edible to bring. Otherwise, shut your mouths!”
“Okay.”
Still, they had some conscience, and after trying their own cooking, they all shut up.
After that, they obediently agreed to my ‘taiyaki and hotteok booth’ plan.
Honestly, that was right. As long as it’s not loss of taste, it should be.
“Karl.”
“Yeah, I’m here. Selena?”
I turned my head while preparing the booth…
Oh my god. What is that. A white dress. A dress you absolutely shouldn’t wear in front of food, right?
It’s pretty. Yeah, pretty, but… what am I supposed to say? I’m about to get scared.
Why come wearing that if something splashes and doesn’t wash off.
“…Selena?”
“Uh, yeah. Karl.”
Selena looking at me with a lot of expectation in her eyes.
Thanks to that, I hesitated for a moment, but then said what I was going to say.
“There’s an apron over there. Just in case, put it on. If I ask, throw away the clothes.”
Honestly, it’s just taiyaki and hotteok. Moreover, the four guys who prepared it would do it all, so what could splash? But still, just in case.
If something splashes on white clothes, the person who splashed it is uncomfortable, but the observer would be even more uncomfortable and die from it.
Selena, who had been staring at me silently, picked up the apron.
Then, with quite skillful hands, she whipped it around and put it on over the dress.
“Wait, turn around. I’ll tie the back strings.”
“Eh… t-thank you. Karl.”
“It’s nothing special.”
Whether to say the next words or not. Honestly, it might be better not to, but…
But thinking about it, it seems like I should do it anyway.
I came to help. If I think that way, isn’t it right to do at least that much?
“The clothes look pretty.”
Gyaah! My hands and feet! I don’t know. Up to here. I won’t say anymore!
Even if Selena said “Eh? W-what?! Say it again!” I wouldn’t listen.
No re-broadcast. If you didn’t hear it, that’s it. Selena.
“Is the dough ready? Schlippen.”
“Yeah. For now?”
“Wilhelm. If you do any weird things to the filling again, I’ll bury you.”
“…If you’re really going to bury me, let me stick my head out, Karl.”
Current time is 5 PM. I need to prepare and start before 7 PM at the latest.
During the day it’s hot, so look for cool things, but at night the air gets a bit cold, so look for warm ones.
“And originally, taiyaki and hotteok should be eaten at night to be proper.”
Now the problem is whether these four guys can produce proper works.
I told them to recall the memories and tastes from my previous life as much as possible. I had actually made them a few times.
In this world too, there were many similar snacks.
In a world where novels are the original, it was convenient. Also, who knows, there might be kimchi if I look.
How much time passed? With a savory smell, Schlippen yelled “It’s done!”
The glorious taiyaki No. 1 that appeared at the academy. Finally born.
“Karl! Look at this! The bread fish is done!”
“It’s not bread fish, it’s taiyaki.”
At least the shape was passable. The prepared mold fit very well.
Moreover, there was no sign of burning, which was probably the first time.
Was this luck? Or did Schlippen have hidden talent that even he didn’t know.
Well, the most important thing is, of course, the taste.
“…Hmm.”
“How is it, Karl? Is it edible?”
Would Schlippen make something that looks like garbage just because he reads ‘cooking’?
Schlippen was looking at me with a very worried expression.
Looking at this, the other three guys were also quietly watching my eyes.
“Schlippen.”
“Yeah. What’s the problem. Outer? Inner?”
I immediately pushed the remaining taiyaki into my mouth.
“Perfect.”
“Really?!”
Yeah. Really. It’s a truly amazing thing, and it’s really tasty.
No shortcomings. The outer is crispy, the inner is well filled, and the shape is pretty.
It looks like Schlippen mastered the taiyaki making.
“Karl! This one now! Hotteok?”
Schlippen, being praised, got competitive and Wilhelm brought out the hotteok.
Let’s see. This one, the shape was much better than expected.
It was evenly spread, not too thin, not too thick, perfect.
The outer was well cooked crispy. No place where the filling leaks.
To prepare for the mouth burning, I prepared a glass of cold water and took a bite.
“….”
“How is it? Is it better than Schlippen’s?”
Huu. Damn. Suddenly tears well up. Eating this.
“The two are neck and neck.”
“Is that good?”
“It’s saying perfect. Wilhelm. This one also came out very well.”
On my words, the four guys did “Ooo!” and high-fived each other.
I didn’t show it, but I guess I was tense inside.
Selena, who was helping with various things, smiled at the sight, which was quite interesting.
The guys who prepared hard also tasted the taiyaki and hotteok they made.
Then, the four guys said something like ‘Actually, aren’t we cooking geniuses?’
“Hey. That’s not it. Don’t get your hopes up.”
Selena, who couldn’t stand it anymore, spoke on my behalf.
Thank you, Selena. I thought I was the only one fighting alone.
“Then Karl! Here, this right away...”
“Wait. Stop. The experimental subjects are not for selling to customers.”
“Eh? But Karl, you said everything came out well, right?”
“Still no. Here, put it all in this. Since I asked you to do it, the remaining ones should be handled by me. Right?”
“It’s not remaining, it’s just to sell...”
Noisy, you guys. This is all mine. Don’t touch! My precious!
I stuffed them into envelopes and leisurely picked them up one by one.
Around that time, when I was enthusiastically directing and pushing the opening preparations.
From afar, someone who had been watching this way secretly sent a signal.
Hmm. It seems they found it earlier than expected.
“…Selena”
“Yeah? Did you call, Karl?”
I handed her the booklet I personally made.
“I’ll look at this while watching. Keep an eye on them as much as possible.”
“Me? Karl, what are you doing? You weren’t supposed to leave this to me?”
“Yeah, but there’s a sudden urgent matter. Please help a bit.”
It would be a somewhat embarrassing request. It was just asking for a little help.
But there’s no choice. If I can remove the uninvited guests right on the first day, there’s nothing better.
“I trust you. Selena. You’re the only one who can make this request now. Those humans over there, don’t do what they’re told and do weird things, please watch them carefully. That’s all.”
“Th-that… ugh… but…”
“I’ll definitely fulfill your request later. Even if this doesn’t work?”
After a while, I was able to leave the cooking booth with a somewhat light heart.
Ah, of course, holding a precious envelope with taiyaki and hotteok in one hand.
I should give one to the guy who is suffering in the somewhat cold weather.