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shivalriesArea 2-3: Me, Beyond the Fairy Tale
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Ritsu: Huh? Where's Secchan and Tsukipi~?
Arashi: Good morning, Ritsu-chan. They went out already. Apparently they had somewhere they wanted to go.
Ritsu: I see... And what are you guys doing?
Tsukasa: We are planning a concert. We've been discussing how we could get the people of this land to understand the magnificence of Knights.
Ritsu: What, we can't do it the usual way?
Tsukasa: Normally, we create our performances with our fans in mind.
However, the people here do not appear to even know what idols are, let alone who Knights are.
You could say we lack the basic knowledge of how to make our performances enjoyable to a general audience.
In order to gain lasting love and support, we cannot simply put on concerts and hope for the best.
We must also build up a fanbase.
Arashi: Plus, we have literally zero reputation in this world, right?
Just singing and dancing might not leave a lasting impression...
So we were thinking we should add a special something to our live performances to make them memorable.
Ritsu: Oh, you've got me interested. What kind of thing would that be?
Tsukasa: Uh, well... we haven't hit upon a good idea yet...
Ritsu: Oh boy, so you guys are stuck too? Then maybe we should take a breather. Wanna come help me out, Su~chan?
Tsukasa: Do you have some business somewhere?
Ritsu: Yeah, the second round of taste testing. You wanna have some yummy stuff, don't you?
—-
Arashi: Mmnn... The cookies came out good, but the cake... I feel like the flavors are competing with each other somehow.
Ritsu: It's a very simple recipe, after all. One little mistake can change the whole flavor.
Tsukasa: Is that so...? It seems alright to me...
Arashi: That's just the thing—it's fine as it is. Anything further is up to the pastry chef's perfectionism...
Ritsu: Normally, there comes a point where you have to give up and just sell what you have. With that in mind, I'd say this vague weirdness in the flavor probably comes from the ingredients, not your technique.
Hansel: They're the same ingredients that Gretel has been using, though?
Ritsu: I'm guessing the recipe you're using was written during that time of the year when strawberries are the tastiest.
But strawberries aren't in season right now. Doesn't seem like you have greenhouse technology in this world either, so flavors will subtly change with the time of year.
You can't change the sponge cake or the cream to match the strawberries, so I think that's why the taste seems a little off.
Hansel: (I always thought Gretel was just stealing a bite of fruit every morning... but maybe she was actually testing the flavor?)
Then it sounds like it might be good to start with finding the right combinations for the fruit that's in season.
(I never thought that the little intuitive adjustments Gretel did outside the recipe would change the flavor this much...)
(I really don't know anything about making sweets, do I...)
Arashi: ...How about you join us on our break, Hansel-chan? Let's cleanse our palates with a little tea, shall we?
Ritsu: I'm down. If we try to force it, we might end up losing track of our goal, anyway.
Hansel: R... Right... I suppose I'll join you, then.
I'll start boiling a new pot. Does anyone want another cup?
Arashi: Sure, I’d love some.
✵✵✵✵✵
Ritsu: Hey Hansel, you're pretty good at making tea. Did you learn that from your master too?
Hansel: Oh no, I learned it on my own.
My sister doesn't like bitter flavors, so I tried my hand at making a smoother brew. Before I knew it, I was really enjoying myself.
Arashi: You really care for your sister, don't you? You're even taking care of this whole shop for her.
Hansel: Yes, she's always dreamed of having a shop of her own. And since she wanted it so badly, I wanted to see her dream become a reality.
Arashi: Oooh, I'm so jealous! Pretty much everybody wants to have a cute little cake shop at some point in their life.
Ritsu: Most of them only want to do it so they can have cake every day, though.
Tsukasa: Why are you looking at me?
Arashi: Why did you want to be a pastry chef, Hansel-chan?
Hansel: I don't think I ever really wanted to be, myself. I just had to help out the Mistress with her work.
Ritsu: So your family's in the cake business?
Hansel: Not really... Gretel and I were actually born to a very poor family. We barely had enough money to eat.
Then one day, ten years ago, I learned that my parents were trying to sell Gretel off somewhere while she was still a little girl...
Arashi: Like, actual slavery?!
Hansel: Well, yeah... I guess so.
Arashi: That's horrible! I can't believe they'd sell their own children for money!
Hansel: It's not uncommon in these lands. There are a lot of kids who are abandoned, too.
Arashi: You've been through so much, Hansel-chan, and while you were still so young...
Hansel: Oh, but... fortunately, we managed to run away into the forest before Gretel was sold. At first we were just wandering aimlessly through the trees...
That's when the Mistress found us and took us in.
To return the favor, we started to help her out with her cake business.
Turned out Gretel had a knack for it. She had a great time soaking up all the knowledge the Mistress imparted to us.
That's why I picked up hospitality, prep work, cleaning... anything to help her focus on her passions.
Now here I am, without any special skills of my own.
Arashi: You shouldn't put yourself down like that! You've worked so hard for your sister all this time.
Hansel: But now... I can't protect her dream by myself...
Ritsu: Okay, stop right there. No more negativity from you.
You should go to bed, Hansel. You stayed up all night, right?
The bad thoughts always start creeping up when you're tired.
Come on, off to the bedroom with you! I'll even lull you to sleep if you like.
Hansel: Wha— R-Ritsu-san! You don't have to push!
Arashi: ...Hey, Tsukasa-chan. Would it be okay if I helped Hansel-chan out with the shop?
Tsukasa: You may be attacked by Spirals if you do.
Arashi: I know, but see... I can't bring myself to pretend I don't see someone so overwhelmed by such an absurd situation, just because I'm scared I'll get hurt. [1]
That just wouldn't be me.
I know it's important to be able to get back to our world, too...
But there's no way I can just ignore a hardworking boy and think only about myself, right?
Tsukasa: ...Perhaps so. Shall we speak with Sena-senpai about it upon his return, then?
Izumi: Do I hear somebody talking smack about me?
Tsukasa: Welcome back, Sena-senpai. I see Levi-san is with you.
Arashi: Perfect timing, Izumi-chan. I've got something to ask you.
Izumi: You were talking about me behind my back, weren't you?
Arashi: We weren't, geez! Why do you always have to assume the worst?
Izumi: Hmph. Either way, I can't answer any questions, Naru-kun. My business comes first.
Arashi: You could at least hear me out. ...Ugh, fine. What is this "business", then?
Izumi: Let's make some sweets. We can draw out that Spiral that way.
Levi: I was against putting you all in danger, but Izumi-chan's a stubborn one. He wouldn't listen to a single thing I said.
So I got special permission to be your bodyguard instead.
Arashi: ...Oooh, that's fantastic! Two birds with one stone!
Tsukasa: Actually, we were just in the middle of asking Hansel to allow us to help as well.
Izumi: Oh yeah...? Well, I don't care as long as there are no objections.
Arashi: Alright, let's start up a strategy meeting, both for our return and for the cake shop's success!
---
[1] Nearly identical to a line that can be found in Pretty Mission (Pretty 5 gacha story). (Readable here @ allegiantheart) ↑
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Ritsu: Huh? Where's Secchan and Tsukipi~?
Arashi: Good morning, Ritsu-chan. They went out already. Apparently they had somewhere they wanted to go.
Ritsu: I see... And what are you guys doing?
Tsukasa: We are planning a concert. We've been discussing how we could get the people of this land to understand the magnificence of Knights.
Ritsu: What, we can't do it the usual way?
Tsukasa: Normally, we create our performances with our fans in mind.
However, the people here do not appear to even know what idols are, let alone who Knights are.
You could say we lack the basic knowledge of how to make our performances enjoyable to a general audience.
In order to gain lasting love and support, we cannot simply put on concerts and hope for the best.
We must also build up a fanbase.
Arashi: Plus, we have literally zero reputation in this world, right?
Just singing and dancing might not leave a lasting impression...
So we were thinking we should add a special something to our live performances to make them memorable.
Ritsu: Oh, you've got me interested. What kind of thing would that be?
Tsukasa: Uh, well... we haven't hit upon a good idea yet...
Ritsu: Oh boy, so you guys are stuck too? Then maybe we should take a breather. Wanna come help me out, Su~chan?
Tsukasa: Do you have some business somewhere?
Ritsu: Yeah, the second round of taste testing. You wanna have some yummy stuff, don't you?
—-
Arashi: Mmnn... The cookies came out good, but the cake... I feel like the flavors are competing with each other somehow.
Ritsu: It's a very simple recipe, after all. One little mistake can change the whole flavor.
Tsukasa: Is that so...? It seems alright to me...
Arashi: That's just the thing—it's fine as it is. Anything further is up to the pastry chef's perfectionism...
Ritsu: Normally, there comes a point where you have to give up and just sell what you have. With that in mind, I'd say this vague weirdness in the flavor probably comes from the ingredients, not your technique.
Hansel: They're the same ingredients that Gretel has been using, though?
Ritsu: I'm guessing the recipe you're using was written during that time of the year when strawberries are the tastiest.
But strawberries aren't in season right now. Doesn't seem like you have greenhouse technology in this world either, so flavors will subtly change with the time of year.
You can't change the sponge cake or the cream to match the strawberries, so I think that's why the taste seems a little off.
Hansel: (I always thought Gretel was just stealing a bite of fruit every morning... but maybe she was actually testing the flavor?)
Then it sounds like it might be good to start with finding the right combinations for the fruit that's in season.
(I never thought that the little intuitive adjustments Gretel did outside the recipe would change the flavor this much...)
(I really don't know anything about making sweets, do I...)
Arashi: ...How about you join us on our break, Hansel-chan? Let's cleanse our palates with a little tea, shall we?
Ritsu: I'm down. If we try to force it, we might end up losing track of our goal, anyway.
Hansel: R... Right... I suppose I'll join you, then.
I'll start boiling a new pot. Does anyone want another cup?
Arashi: Sure, I’d love some.
Ritsu: Hey Hansel, you're pretty good at making tea. Did you learn that from your master too?
Hansel: Oh no, I learned it on my own.
My sister doesn't like bitter flavors, so I tried my hand at making a smoother brew. Before I knew it, I was really enjoying myself.
Arashi: You really care for your sister, don't you? You're even taking care of this whole shop for her.
Hansel: Yes, she's always dreamed of having a shop of her own. And since she wanted it so badly, I wanted to see her dream become a reality.
Arashi: Oooh, I'm so jealous! Pretty much everybody wants to have a cute little cake shop at some point in their life.
Ritsu: Most of them only want to do it so they can have cake every day, though.
Tsukasa: Why are you looking at me?
Arashi: Why did you want to be a pastry chef, Hansel-chan?
Hansel: I don't think I ever really wanted to be, myself. I just had to help out the Mistress with her work.
Ritsu: So your family's in the cake business?
Hansel: Not really... Gretel and I were actually born to a very poor family. We barely had enough money to eat.
Then one day, ten years ago, I learned that my parents were trying to sell Gretel off somewhere while she was still a little girl...
Arashi: Like, actual slavery?!
Hansel: Well, yeah... I guess so.
Arashi: That's horrible! I can't believe they'd sell their own children for money!
Hansel: It's not uncommon in these lands. There are a lot of kids who are abandoned, too.
Arashi: You've been through so much, Hansel-chan, and while you were still so young...
Hansel: Oh, but... fortunately, we managed to run away into the forest before Gretel was sold. At first we were just wandering aimlessly through the trees...
That's when the Mistress found us and took us in.
To return the favor, we started to help her out with her cake business.
Turned out Gretel had a knack for it. She had a great time soaking up all the knowledge the Mistress imparted to us.
That's why I picked up hospitality, prep work, cleaning... anything to help her focus on her passions.
Now here I am, without any special skills of my own.
Arashi: You shouldn't put yourself down like that! You've worked so hard for your sister all this time.
Hansel: But now... I can't protect her dream by myself...
Ritsu: Okay, stop right there. No more negativity from you.
You should go to bed, Hansel. You stayed up all night, right?
The bad thoughts always start creeping up when you're tired.
Come on, off to the bedroom with you! I'll even lull you to sleep if you like.
Hansel: Wha— R-Ritsu-san! You don't have to push!
Arashi: ...Hey, Tsukasa-chan. Would it be okay if I helped Hansel-chan out with the shop?
Tsukasa: You may be attacked by Spirals if you do.
Arashi: I know, but see... I can't bring myself to pretend I don't see someone so overwhelmed by such an absurd situation, just because I'm scared I'll get hurt. [1]
That just wouldn't be me.
I know it's important to be able to get back to our world, too...
But there's no way I can just ignore a hardworking boy and think only about myself, right?
Tsukasa: ...Perhaps so. Shall we speak with Sena-senpai about it upon his return, then?
Izumi: Do I hear somebody talking smack about me?
Tsukasa: Welcome back, Sena-senpai. I see Levi-san is with you.
Arashi: Perfect timing, Izumi-chan. I've got something to ask you.
Izumi: You were talking about me behind my back, weren't you?
Arashi: We weren't, geez! Why do you always have to assume the worst?
Izumi: Hmph. Either way, I can't answer any questions, Naru-kun. My business comes first.
Arashi: You could at least hear me out. ...Ugh, fine. What is this "business", then?
Izumi: Let's make some sweets. We can draw out that Spiral that way.
Levi: I was against putting you all in danger, but Izumi-chan's a stubborn one. He wouldn't listen to a single thing I said.
So I got special permission to be your bodyguard instead.
Arashi: ...Oooh, that's fantastic! Two birds with one stone!
Tsukasa: Actually, we were just in the middle of asking Hansel to allow us to help as well.
Izumi: Oh yeah...? Well, I don't care as long as there are no objections.
Arashi: Alright, let's start up a strategy meeting, both for our return and for the cake shop's success!
---
[1] Nearly identical to a line that can be found in Pretty Mission (Pretty 5 gacha story). (Readable here @ allegiantheart) ↑
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