Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

Book 1: Chapter 18-2: Calm Before the Storm

Here its baked.

I took the bread out of the stone oven. It had expanded to two times its size.

I cut the bread and put dried cranberries in one half and venison in the other.

It really got bigger. Can I eat it Cyril?

Yeah of course.

I said and Lucy took the half filled with dried cranberries and took a bite.

Its so soft. Its so fluffy and tasty. Bread can be this yummy?

Lucy stuffed the bread in her mouth and looked like an adorable little squirrel. It made me want to pet her head.

Its much better than the usual bread we make in the village, but its lacking something.

Indeed dough made from water and wheat lacked impact. If only I had some eggs and butter I could make much more delicious thingsbut we didnt have any livestock in the village.

We had some horses that we used for transportation and farming, but they wouldnt produce enough milk and they didnt get pregnant easily.

In consideration of the future we needed a source of salt, reclaim our supply routes, and to obtain livestock.

In terms of cost performance goats would probably be best. We could get milk and butter from them.

Even so this is plenty delicious. Why does the bread get bigger when you put in this yeast thing Cyril? Does yeast make more wheat?

No of course it cant increase the wheat. It just lets a lot of air inside. Look when you tear the bread you can see all these little holes? When they get created they soften the bread and make it larger.

Is that so? But it seems annoying to make yeast every time. It takes a week of soaking the cranberries in water right?

Thats right. However, low temperatures wont allow the yeast to form so you need to be careful. Right now it should be fine but itll be more difficult come winter.

Awwwwhen winter comes we cant gather cranberries and Ill have to bid farewell to this soft bread..

Lucy looked at the bread with regret.

Dont worry about it. We dont need raw cranberries to make yeast. We can use preserved and dried cranberries. Plus we dont have to make it every time. You know what this is?

This is the bread dough before baking

Correct.

I smiled as I rolled the small piece of dough around in my hand.

Inside this little piece of dough is lots of yeast. So when we make bread next time we can take a small piece and knead it into the rest of the dough and itll make the bread light and fluffy again.

I get it. If we leave a small piece again the next time we make bread then well be able to continue making soft bread forever.

Correct. Well, sometimes well have to introduce a new source of yeast, but basically thats the principle.

But where did you learn something like this?

During my fathers time as Chief I followed him to another town. Thats where I learned.

Thatwas a lie.

It was only in the 19th century that the usage of yeast spread on earth. This world was still stuck in the 16th century so there was no way they would have developed this kind of technique.

Plus the usages of yeast didnt just stop at bread.

I see, then we should teach this to everyone else. This bread that uses a little wheat to make such a big yummy loaf is great.

I couldnt help but be a bit surprised. I was going to ask Lucy to spread this around to the other villagers, but she volunteered to do it herself.

Today our bread was more delicious than usual.

It was small but even this small improvement was enough to make people feel happy.

Unlike me Lucy wasnt calculative and simply wanted people to enjoy this more delicious bread out of the kindness of her heart.

Yeah of course. I have several containers of yeast liquid in the storehouse so you can go distribute it.

Un, leave it to me. Ill make some tomorrow and if it goes well Ill tell everyone that you came up with this method Cyril.

You dont even have to mention my name.

Uh-uh thats no good. Itll make me happy when everyone says that youre amazing Cyril.

Lucys carefree smile made my heart throb. I feel like when Im with her I cant help but fall deeper in love.

Thank you. Ill do my best so youre never hate me.

Theres no need to worry. After all Ive seen you at your worst Cyril. Theres no way Id hate you after this much.

I couldnt help but reach out my hand and roughly pat her head.

It feels like Cyrils been treating me like a kid lately

Thats not true. Ive been holding back by just doing things like thisin truth I want to do more adult things.

It was a serious desire, but I made sure to hold myself back properly. If we went too far Im worried my brakes would cease to function.

Adult things?

Huggingkissing.making kids.

Lucy retreated quickly with a blush as I said those words.

C-Cyril

Lucys eyes wandered as she let out a bewildered voice.

Is it weird? I feel like wanting to do things like that with the person you love is natural.

Umm, its not weirdbut when you say it so suddenly and casually I cant get used to it!

So its a matter of suddenness? Then instead of a greeting Ill tell you I love you when I see you.

I feel like thats off the mark.

Im sorry, I didnt think it would surprise you that much. But, once I save the village and if you accept me LucyIll do what I said every day.

Uu, so unfair. Why am I always the one who ends up all flustered

My heart is pounding too. It takes courage to say such pretentious lines.

I absolutely cant tell.

I want to act cool because Im in front of you Lucy.

I said with a smile. Even I was feeling embarrassed.

I wanted to quickly save the village and hear her response to my confession.

Umm Cyrilwill you really do it every day?

Of course. So take that into account when you consider your response.

And just like that we ate our lunch with lively and happy conversation.

I treasured these moments every second.

I knew that times like these would be in short supply soon.

This was simply the calm before the storm