"Tasting Session"
Autumn had arrived, and the trees across the academy grounds were shifting their colors.
Thirty minutes had already passed since Ren, summoned by Chronoa, had arrived at the Academy Principal’s Office and been served tea. From outside the open window, the voices of students drifted in as they enjoyed their after-school hours.
"Autumn is really here, isn’t it?"
"Indeed it is..."
The two sat facing each other. Chronoa, seated across from Ren, wore a lovely, radiant smile that seemed to sparkle even today. That smile, emanating from her exceptionally beautiful features—often described as mystical—quickly shifted into a mischievous grin.
"You’ve invited me just to chat before, but I feel like your atmosphere is a bit different today, Chronoa-san."
"In what way, for example?"
"Like... you’re itching to do something."
Chronoa chuckled, letting out a playful "He-he-he."
"Ding-dong! You got it!" she said with a bounce in her voice. "Lately, I haven’t been able to hold many prominent events, so I decided I wanted to do something this autumn. I’ve already run it by the Board of Directors, by the way."
"Does that mean you’ll be taking the lead on something?"
"Yep. Since it’s the season for it, I’m planning to use the Harvest Festival as an excuse to hold an event everyone can enjoy!"
With that, Chronoa showed Ren the project proposal she had prepared. It was handwritten by Chronoa herself, with cute notes jotted down here and there, like "Make this part stand out!" or "Consider which one is better!"
"I want to use magic to decorate the school buildings and create a different atmosphere than usual."
"That sounds nice. But won’t they object because of the school’s prestige or something?"
"Fufun. Didn’t I tell you I was the one who negotiated that?"
"I see... To think you’d gone that far with the Board of Directors."
True to the student-focused Chronoa, it seemed the decision was already nearly final. Apparently, she had been a bit short on sleep lately while putting the proposal together.
"By the way, why did you call me here specifically?"
"Huh? I just wanted to brag."
"About this project?"
"Exactly! I worked hard on it, so I just had to show someone."
Before the Witch who smiled as if begging to be praised, Ren didn’t tease her. He simply stated, "It’s impressive."
Hearing this, Chronoa beamed, her cheeks relaxing even further.
"Yay!" she cheered. Sparkling particles of light began to float into the air from her pointed witch’s hat, which sat on the sofa beside her. She admitted she had accidentally made it glow because she was so happy.
"Since we’re doing this, it might be a good idea to have a special menu in the cafeteria as well," Ren suggested casually.
Chronoa’s eyes lit up. "The cafeteria?"
"Don’t you think it would fit a Harvest Festival event? A special menu made with ingredients from various regions would make the students happy, and it would also serve as a way to give back to the involved merchant companies—"
"Yeah! That might be great!" Chronoa agreed with sudden intensity. She pulled out her wand and gave it a light wave. The drawer of the desk by the window slid open on its own, and paper and pens came floating over.
Immediately starting to take notes, Chronoa asked, "Ren-kun, what kind of dishes do you think would be good?"
"I can’t think of anything right away, but... apparently, dishes using autumn vegetables and fruit cakes are popular at the restaurants on the Main Boulevard."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes. It feels like those kinds of shops are increasing every day."
Licia and Fiona had mentioned being interested in them as well.
The next day happened to be an academy holiday, so they continued the conversation.
Licia and Fiona, who had come to the academy with Ren, were far more familiar with the shops in the city than he was. Chronoa listened with great interest as they explained the popular menus and which new autumn releases were standing out.
Eventually, they decided to borrow the Academy Kitchen to try making a few things. Since Chronoa was curious about the flavors, they decided to start with some simple items. They had considered just going to the Main Boulevard to buy some, but since it was a holiday and likely crowded, they decided to try their hand at baking first. They could always visit the shops on a weekday.
The cafeteria was empty, without a single student or staff member in sight; the four of them had the place to themselves. Stepping into the kitchen seen from across the counter, Ren felt a strange sensation looking at the side where he usually placed his orders.
"I’ve already prepared the ingredients."
The lid of a wooden box in a corner of the cafeteria was open. These were the items Chronoa had ordered immediately after hearing from Ren the previous day. As Ren looked at the autumn bounties inside the wooden box with a quiet hum of curiosity, the women gathered around a metal table in the center of the kitchen.
"What should we start with?"
"How about this? I once ate a similar sweet with Sera, and it was delicious."
Chronoa nodded. "Yeah! I agree!"
They set to work, measuring out autumn vegetables, sugar, flour, and various other ingredients.
As for Ren...
I’ll probably just be in the way.
There seemed to be enough hands already. Even if he offered to help, he felt he might just be a nuisance. However, he also felt it wasn't right to just go wait in the Academy Library by himself. Hesitating, Ren stared at one of the recipes that hadn't been chosen.
"Ren-kun? Is something wrong?"
"There’s something I’m curious about. Is it alright if I try making something on my own?"
"Of course! Ah, but if you’re using a knife, be careful not to hurt yourself!"
"Thank you. Then, I’ll borrow that table over there."
Ren gathered a few borrowed cooking utensils and walked off. On the way, he took some vegetables from the wooden box and placed them on another table along with the rest of the supplies.
While looking over the instructions, he muttered, "...Cut this, boil it, then strain it—"
He was only curious because it looked delicious, but...
"—Into the appropriately browned butter—"
His cheeks twitched as he realized the instructions were more detailed than he had anticipated. However, he had no intention of backing down now. Ren’s heart, accustomed to challenges, did not waver.
Fortunately, there was also a slightly simpler recipe written down. Ren decided to try the simpler version first, picking up a knife and beginning to prep the vegetables.
"The Mithril Magic Sword is definitely sharper than this..."
Though he grumbled about the edge, he couldn’t very well pull out a Magic Sword here. Still, he was well-versed in handling blades. Despite his complaints, he sliced through the vegetables perfectly and proceeded exactly as the recipe dictated.
"Next, put it in the mold—no, wait, I have to preheat the oven first."
After several dozen minutes of reasonably efficient work, Ren closed the oven door. Once his work had settled, he returned to the others. They had also just reached a stopping point.
"How did it go, Ren?"
"I think I followed the recipe, but there’s a possibility a mysterious substance will be waiting when I open the oven."
"Oh, stop saying such weird things."
"No, really... I’m being quite serious."
He said it half-jokingly, but he was truly anxious. Since he had never baked before, he wasn't sure if his efforts would pay off. That said, since he had chosen a simple method, it shouldn’t turn into a total disaster—probably.
Licia, Fiona, and Chronoa all laughed at his deadpan concern.
When forty minutes had passed, the four of them went to check on the oven.
"How is it? I hope it baked properly..."
Chronoa opened the oven door and pulled out the tray. The baked treats were successfully finished in a perfectly recognizable shape.
"Great. It turned out fine."
"Fufu, what a lovely scent."
Fiona and Licia shared a light high-five of relief. All that was left was to taste them and decide whether to include them as seasonal items in the cafeteria.
Just as they were moving the freshly baked treats onto plates, Licia looked toward Ren's station.
"I wonder how Ren’s turned out."
Curious, she walked over to his side just as he was opening his oven. A sweet scent that Licia particularly favored wafted from it.
The sight of Ren wearing oven mitts and pulling a metal tray out of the oven suited him surprisingly well. While she loved his dignified appearance when wielding a sword, Licia found a different kind of charm in him during this moment.
"Licia, how was yours?"
"I think it took shape, at least. Now it’s just a matter of the taste..."
Licia’s gaze dropped from Ren’s eyes to his hands. Seeing the tray of freshly baked sweets, she spoke up.
"The sweets you made, Ren... they look delicious."
They weren’t overly elaborate, but as expected of someone as dexterous as Ren, they were shaped perfectly.
They carried the large plates of finished treats to a table in the cafeteria. Thinking it would be a bit plain with just the food, Ren brewed tea for everyone. As the four of them sampled the treats, they smacked their lips in delight, their faces lighting up with smiles.
Eventually, they reached for the sweets Ren had made.
"It’s delicious...!" Licia and Fiona exclaimed in unison.
"Mmm! It’s really good!" Chronoa added, clearly delighted.
Ren secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they were pleased.
By the time an hour had passed, the treats were gone. They spent a relaxing time engaged in idle chatter as the day began to fade. They cleaned up before the sun dipped too low, and by the time they left the cafeteria for the Courtyard, the sky was a deep, fiery red.
"I don't think I’ve had such a fun holiday in a long time," Chronoa remarked. She looked radiant, temporarily free from her heavy responsibilities as the Academy Principal.
Packages had arrived for the academy, so the four of them took the opportunity to check them. Inside the large wooden boxes were decorations for the festival. Chronoa intended to handle the major parts with magic, but she explained that these items were for the areas magic couldn't quite reach.
Chronoa pulled a large pumpkin out of a wooden box.
"Ahaha! This is big enough to wear!"
The pumpkin had been hollowed out, with eyes and a mouth carved into its face and a large hole in the bottom. It was large enough for an adult to wear or to hold a large candle.
"Oh, it really does look like it would fit."
"Do you want to hold it, Ren-kun?"
"I’d like to take a closer look, if I may?"
Ren took the pumpkin from Chronoa and checked the size of the hole.
"Steady now."
He tried putting it on. He wobbled for just a second, momentarily confused by the shift in balance. When Ren looked at Licia and the others from inside the pumpkin, they couldn't help but react.
"Oh, Ren."
"Fufu, are you alright?"
Finding Ren wearing a pumpkin to be charmingly cute in a way he usually wasn't, Licia and Fiona both shared a smile.
"Trick or Treat: Licia's Case"
One autumn day, Ren and Licia were walking through the Imperial Capital after a training session at the Lion Sanctum. Instead of taking the train from the nearest station, they chose to stroll home along the main streets, noticing that the city looked different than usual.
With the Harvest Festival approaching, decorations had been put up everywhere.
"At this time of year, everything really does feel different."
"The restaurants along the Main Boulevard have more autumn-limited menus too," Licia noted.
"Oh? What kind are they?"
"Dishes using autumn vegetables... and the fruit cakes look delicious, too—"
It wasn’t just food; even the general stores were decked out in autumn attire. Now that she mentioned it, Ren realized every shop they passed was the same. Looking at a small boutique illuminated by streetlamps, he could see how much effort had been put into the displays.
It was getting late, so stopping at a restaurant before going home might be difficult... but since the topic had come up, Licia felt a sudden impulse.
"Hey."
She spotted a stall selling candy and gently pinched the sleeve of Ren’s coat. She tugged at his wrist rhythmically to get him to turn around.
"Is something the matter?"
Occasionally, she felt it would be alright to act this way. Unlike her usual dignified self, Licia let her expression soften like a mischievous child.
"If you don't give me a treat, I might have to play a trick on you."
She spoke with a playful giggle, her voice carrying a slight, affectionate sweetness. Mixing a youthful girlishness with her innate elegance, Licia let the words slip from her lips.
"Trick or Treat: Fiona's Case"
After school, Fiona caught up with Ren to deliver a message from Ulysses. They were talking in the corridor, where the voices of students heading home echoed around them. Most of the conversation revolved around the upcoming Harvest Festival. The shop decorations and the limited-time menus were the talk of the academy.
"It seems lively this year as well, Ren-kun."
"Even in Erendil, shops with decorations are starting to stand out lately."
"Ah! I know! It looks so fun...!"
That’s right, Fiona thought as her expression softened. She had heard that people said certain things during this time of year. She felt like being a little playful herself.
They reached a quiet Connecting Corridor where no one else was around.
"Ren-kun."
When Ren stopped and turned toward her, Fiona leaned forward slightly, looking up at him from below.
"If you don't give me a treat, I’ll play a trick on you, okay?"
While blushing slightly and appearing embarrassed, she also tried to maintain her "older sister" air. Because she had been pushing herself to be more assertive, she had summoned a great deal of courage to say it.
And as for Ren—
"I'm sorry, I don't have any sweets on me right now..."
"...Eh?"
Thinking about it, there was no guarantee Ren would be carrying candy. As Fiona stood there surprised, Ren offered an alternative.
"So, why don't we stop by the cafeteria and buy some sweets before we go?"
Fiona had no intention of actually troubling him, but occasionally she found herself wanting to indulge in his kindness.
"N-No trick! I take it back!"
It was the desperate, adorable voice of a beet-red Fiona.