The Power of the Saint is All Around (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter SS3

Scrambling for a Taste of Autumn

I WAS WALKING DOWN the hallway heading toward the institute’s kitchen when a cold wind softly glided across my cheek. It must have come from a window that had been left open. The temperature outdoors was still a bit warm, but the wind felt autumnal.

As if to welcome the coming season, the food being brought into the kitchen consisted exclusively of the sort that was available only during this time of year.

“There’s so much,” I said in admiration at the sight of the mountain of lustrously brown nuts.

“We had a good harvest this year,” the chef standing next to me said cheerfully.

On the table was a basket that overflowed with chestnuts. They had been a gift from the company we usually bought our ingredients from. Because of the good harvest, the company had acquired a large quantity of chestnuts, so they had distributed some to us for free since we were a regular customer.

However, I doubted that was the whole story. The company was run by Jude’s family, so I was sure that had something to do with it.

Since we had received so many chestnuts, I decided to make some preserved treats. I was going to candy some of the nuts, boil others, and make a sweet chestnut paste with the rest. It would have been impossible to do it all by myself, but the chefs were powerful allies. With our powers combined, there was nothing we couldn’t do.

“Let’s get started then,” I said.

“Okay!” came the simultaneous response from all five chefs.

I began by taking a chestnut out of the basket, peeling it with a knife, and cutting it up.

My job was going to be the chestnut paste. The people assigned to making candied and boiled chestnuts were working on peeling the chestnuts that had been poured into a pot filled with water.

That’s right—we had received more than that one basket. There was such a ridiculous amount of chestnuts that it made me want to laugh. It took an entire day of work to get through them all, even with the whole crew on board. Luckily, I had permission from Johan to spend the day in the kitchen. From that smile he had worn on his face when I asked, he was probably looking forward to our cooking plans. At least, that was my guess.

“How are things going in here?” Johan asked when he popped in.

“I’m just about done. I’m jarring them now.”

He walked over to where I was working and nabbed one of the candied chestnuts to pop into his mouth. “Mm. That’s good.”

“No snitching, Johan!”

“It’ll be longer before they’re ready, right? Just one bite isn’t that big of a deal,” he said as he reached for the boiled chestnuts next.

I knew this would happen.

His eyes had sparkled when I told him I was planning to make paste and candied chestnuts out of our haul. I had known from the start that he was going to come here to steal bites before they were ready. 

I chuckled with resignation as I watched him eat just as Jude made his entrance.

“Hey, not fair if Johan’s the only one who gets to have some!” Jude cried out upon seeing Johan chewing away.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Jude.”

He had definitely come to snitch a few bites too.

“No snacks allowed for those who come snitching,” I announced.

“What?!”

I showed them the plate I had prepared in advance, and they both froze. Enshrined on the plate were sandwiches made with the chestnut paste mixed with crushed walnuts. I couldn’t make complex desserts, but snacks like this were simple enough.

“Woo-hoo!” Jude reached out and grabbed both sandwiches off the plate.

“Hey, Jude, don’t take from my portion too!” Johan wailed.

“But you already had some, didn’t you?”

I laughed at the struggle unfolding before me, but it would’ve been hypocritical to scold them. After all, the chefs and I had been sampling our work before Johan arrived.

I mentally licked my lips as I finished up jarring the paste. 

And after all that, I decided it was time to have some tea.