Some time had passed since Berta-sensei began her lessons.
My training with the wand continued. In parallel, I had started practicing how to release mana from various parts of my body without using a wand at all—my fingertips, my palms, my arms. It was training to output the mana I had compressed and shaped with the Outputter into points as precise as possible. It was tedious work, but I enjoyed the sensation of my capabilities gradually expanding.
But today, there was something else I wanted to do.
It was my first time entering the kitchen.
"Um, I’d like to make some sweets."
The Head Chef, an older man, knelt down and peered into my face.
"Young Master. If you desire sweets, we would be happy to prepare them for you."
"I want to make them myself. Could you help me?"
He looked troubled. Even so, he didn't refuse. While maintaining the air of someone humoring a young master’s whim, he brought over a stool for me.
The ingredients I needed were eggs, honey, and flour. I also asked for some crushed nuts. They were all common staples in the kitchen.
First, I cracked the eggs and began to whisk them. This was the most important step; the eggs had to be beaten incessantly. Ideally, I would have used a water bath, but since they were already at room temperature, it would likely work out.
"Young Master, you should be a bit lighter with the eggs..."
"No, this is fine. I have to whisk them more and more."
I kept going until they turned pale and thick. I’d known it would be difficult, but the task was brutal on a five-year-old’s arms. Halfway through, my hands began to throb, and I reached the point where I could no longer lift the whisk.
"...I’m sorry. Could you take over from here? Please whisk it further, until it’s thick enough to leave a trail when you lift the whisk."
The Head Chef took over. With an adult’s strength, the process was fast. The eggs fluffed up in no time.
"Please mix in the honey bit by bit. If you add it all at once, the air bubbles will collapse."
"L-like this?"
"Yes. Next, we add the flour. Don't stir it in circles; fold it in as if you’re cutting through it. Gently."
The Head Chef clearly looked dubious. He had likely never seen such a method before. Nevertheless, he followed my instructions to the letter.
I borrowed a bread tin, lined the bottom with crushed nuts instead of coarse sugar, and poured in the batter. All that was left was to bake it. I left the heat and timing to the Head Chef. As expected, I was forbidden from standing in front of the kiln myself.
While waiting for it to bake, I went to find my siblings. I asked them to come to the gazebo in the garden, telling them I had prepared some sweets for everyone.
Father and Mother were still working. I returned to the kitchen and asked the staff to set aside three portions for them.
When I stepped back into the kitchen, a wonderful aroma filled the air.
Despite the golden-brown crust, the cake pulled from the mold was fluffy and soft. It was elastic to the touch. When sliced, the interior was filled with countless tiny air bubbles. I placed the slices nut-side up and drizzled extra honey over the top. My fake Castella was complete.
"...Young Master, what on earth is this?"
The Head Chef’s eyes went wide as he examined the cross-section.
"It’s from the air in the eggs. If you fold in the flour without collapsing the bubbles, the cake expands when baked."
"Even though the ingredients are so familiar... I have never seen a sweet like this. Young Master, where did you learn this method?"
"I saw it in a dream."
It wasn't a lie. In that long dream, there had been a recipe for this kind of sweet.
It seemed that person had enjoyed making things like this as a hobby.
The Head Chef made a strange face, but he didn't press the matter further. The nuts were fragrant and paired perfectly with the sweetness of the honey. After taking a sample, the Head Chef remained silent for a long moment.
"...Young Master, could you teach me the details of this method later?"
"Of course."
I sliced the cake and arranged the pieces on plates. Entrusting the portions for Father and Mother to the Head Chef, I placed the rest on a tray and headed for the gazebo.
When I arrived, my Elder Brother was already waiting.
A tall boy with messy, spiky red hair, my ten-year-old brother—Elder Brother Albrecht—raised a hand when he spotted me.
"Oh, Rein! I smell something sweet!"
"I made some snacks. I thought we could all eat together."
"You? In the kitchen?"
Just as Elder Brother Albrecht let out an amused laugh, my Elder Sister arrived.
A slender girl with flowing, light purple hair, Elder Sister Heide resembled Mother. Despite being only eight, she possessed a remarkably calm demeanor.
"Rein made sweets?"
"Yeah."
"I’m looking forward to it."
Immediately after Elder Sister Heide smiled, the sound of frantic footsteps echoed from across the garden.
"Big Brother Rein!"
"Sweets!"
Two girls with emerald green hair tied in side-tails came running at full speed. Liese had hers tied on the right, and Rose on the left. The daughters of my other mother—Mother Sophie—the three-year-old twin sisters were faster than anyone when they heard the word "sweets."
"Liese, you'll fall if you run like that."
"I won't fall!"
Rose didn't say a word, staring intently at the tray in my hands. Her amber eyes were deadly serious.
Once all five of us were gathered, I handed out the plates. Mira brought herb tea to the gazebo to accompany the snack.
"Mira, I left a test batch in the kitchen. Please share it with everyone."
"Ah... Actually, I heard about it from the Head Chef and already had some."
Mira gave a mischievous smile, leaned close to my ear, and added in a whisper, "It was absolutely delicious."
Elder Brother Albrecht took a bite, and his eyes practically bulged.
"What is this? It's so fluffy! This is great!"
He finished one slice in an instant and was already reaching for a second.
Elder Sister Heide ate slowly, savoring every mouthful.
"...It’s a mysterious texture. It’s light, yet substantial. The sweet aroma of the drizzled honey pairs beautifully with the fragrance of the nuts. It goes very well with the herb tea."
The twins were far past the point of conversation.
"Liese, it's yummy!"
"Rose too! Another one!"
Both of them were eating with single-minded focus, bits of nut stuck to their cheeks.
"By the way, Rein, how are your lessons with Berta-sensei going?"
Elder Brother Albrecht asked while working on his second slice.
"Right now, it’s mostly control training. Releasing mana in thin streams or from different parts of my body."
"Sounds dull. I can already produce this much Fire."
Elder Brother Albrecht turned his palm upward and briefly conjured a pillar of flames, looking quite proud of himself. Using magic inside the gazebo was a recipe for disaster.
"Elder Brother, that's dangerous. Besides, you're just showing off," Elder Sister Heide chided him quietly.
"I-I'm not showing off," he muttered, turning his face away in embarrassment.
"So, what about your attribute? Was it Fire like Father’s after all?"
"Yeah, it was Fire. But Water came out too."
Elder Brother Albrecht’s hand froze. Elder Sister Heide looked up sharply.
"...Water as well?"
"I’ve heard that Fire and Water are opposing attributes. You manifested both?"
"Apparently. Sensei was surprised, too."
Elder Brother Albrecht suddenly stood up.
"That’s amazing! Your Fire is the same as mine! Alright, as soon as you can use attack magic, you have to show me first!"
He was a person entirely devoid of jealousy. Knowing his younger brother shared his attribute seemed to make him genuinely happy.
"The Water is the same as mine. You’ve inherited both Father’s and Mother’s attributes..." Elder Sister Heide said softly. Her voice was calm as always, but her eyes were gentler than usual. "I’ve never heard of someone using both opposing attributes. It’s a wonderful thing, Rein."
"Is it?"
"Yes. It’s very rare."
Elder Sister Heide gently stroked my head.
"Big Brother Rein, more."
Rose tugged on my sleeve. Liese was busy collecting crumbs from her plate with her fingers.
"Alright, alright. There’s still more."
I split the last slice in half and gave it to the twins. Their faces lit up instantly. Whether I had opposing attributes or not meant nothing to them. To three-year-olds, sweets were far more important.
Having finished his tea, Elder Brother Albrecht dashed out of the gazebo.
"Alright, I’m going to practice too! I can’t let Rein beat me!"
Elder Sister Heide sighed at his retreating back.
"...Attributes aren't a matter of winning or losing."
Still, she didn't look displeased.
After a while, the twins began to doze off. The warm sunlight and full bellies had clearly made them sleepy. Liese leaned against my right arm, and Rose slumped against my left. I was pinned.
"They’ve fallen asleep," Elder Sister Heide whispered with a small smile.
Just then, Mother Sophie arrived. Her deep green hair swayed softly in the breeze.
"Oh dear, leaning on Rein again. I’m sorry about that."
"No, it’s okay."
"I had some of the sweets earlier. They were delicious. I hope these two didn't behave poorly?"
"They both ate quietly."
"I’m glad to hear it."
Mother Sophie knelt down and gently scooped up Liese. Her movements were practiced and fluid. Liese mumbled something incoherently as she clung to her mother’s neck. Elder Sister Heide picked up Rose, and the two of them carried the twins out of the gazebo.
It was a warm day. An afternoon where we all ate something sweet, talked about nothing in particular, and simply enjoyed the moment.
—Days like this were nice, every once in a while.