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Volume 2, Chapter 4: Risa is also troubled.

The next day after Royce came to talk about establishing the Culinary Department.

After a long time, Risa went to visit the royal kitchen to meet with the Head Chef Ian McKinnies.

Royce had approached him first about the Culinary Department, and McKinnies had coached many royal chefs over the years. Risa believed he was much more suitable for being the consultant for the Culinary Department.

“Hello!”

Risa peeked into the kitchen, and several chefs who recognized her replied to her energetically.

“Miss Risa, what did you come here today for?”

One of the chefs, surprised at her sudden appearance, asked her in surprise. In his eyes were also a small glint of hope.

“I just have a question for the Head Chef. The café is opening soon, so I can’t stay long.”

“I see…”

Risa couldn’t help but laugh in guilt and mirth at his disappointed reply. He immediately cheered up and left the kitchen, leaving “I’ll go call the Head Chef!!” behind him. Risa only laughed harder.

After a little while, he returned with a more elderly chef.

“Long time no see! I knew you would come.”

“Long time no see, Mister McKinnies.”

The man, who would not look like he was a cook if he hadn’t worn chef clothes, was the Head Chef Ian McKinnies.

He told his subordinates he would leave the kitchen for a while, and accompanied Risa outside.

“Sorry I don’t have a room for you.”

“It’s okay. The café will be opening soon, so I wouldn’t be able to sit and relax anyways.”

McKinnies and Risa sat down on the haphazardly stacked boxes next to the staff entrance.

“You’re here about that right? The talks about the Culinary Department.”

“Yes. I heard you turned down the proposal, Mister McKinnies?”

“Yeah. I feel that you’re more suitable for the job than me, Lady Risa.”

“I believe the contrary. You have many years of experience in coaching rookies as the Head Chef.”

“Well, in the royal kitchen, yeah. But all the guys here have already come of age. The program in the academy is for kids at least three years younger than that, right? I’ve never taught anyone that young, and they’ll only piss their pants when they see me.”

He shrugged his shoulders, and Risa couldn’t help but chuckle.

Not only did McKinnies have a stronger build, but he also looked perpetually unimpressed. His eyebrows seemed to have been drawn with a thick marker, and he had a sharp glare. If he roared in his naturally low voice, the children would be helpless in their fear.

He sighed, relating how his recently born grandson had also burst into tears upon meeting him, and Risa couldn’t stop laughing.

“Well, leaving aside my looks, I still think you’ll do better. Of course, I’ll help any way I can. You probably need to hire more employees for the café. It’ll be fine as long as you start preparing now.”

Risa smiled and changed the subject after hearing his warning.

Both had their work to do so they did not talk for long, but Risa felt lighter afterwards. She was still troubled by it, though, and she went to work with a heavy heart.

_______________________________________________________________

“Miss Risa, it’s overflowing.”

At Zeke’s voice, Risa was pulled back down to earth.

The pot she was filling was overflowing with water. Risa hurried to turn off the water, and wondered regretfully how much she had wasted.

“Are you all right? First it was Helena, and today it’s you, Miss Risa.”

“Ahaha, sorry.”

Risa laughed drily at Zeke’s concerned gaze.

Just then, Helena brought some empty plates into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?”

She stared at the two who had stopped cooking.

“Miss Risa’s head was in the clouds like you were a while back, so I was wondering if she was okay.”

“What! Miss Risa, are you in love?!”

Helena jumped over to Risa, her eyes shining with excitement.

“What!”

Before Risa could deny it, Zeke exclaimed in surprise.

“… No, it’s not like that…”

Risa said slowly. Both Helena and Zeke heaved a sigh, to which Risa tilted her head in confusion.

“Whaaat, it wasn’t love?” Helena said in disappointment as she left the kitchen.

“What’s wrong, Zeke?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

With that, Zeke immediately returned to his work.

… What is up with these two…

Risa tilted her head again. She shook it off and returned to the work at hand.

_______________________________________________________________

“A Culinary Department, huh.”

After the café closed, Risa told Helena and Zeke about the establishment of the Culinary Department.

McKinnies also suggested she talk to the two of them, and she also thought it wasn’t just her own problem.

“That’s amazing! Hasn’t it been a few decades since the National Academy last added a new program?”

“I don’t really know the specifics, but it seems so.”

“Mister Zeke graduated from the Chivalry Department there, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh, what about Helena?”

“I didn’t go to the Academy. I graduated from the Central Women’s School.”

“Wow, is that so? It’s a women’s school, so there were only girls there?”

“Yes. I only had my father growing up, so he told me to go and learn how to be a proper woman… Seriously, I would have preferred to go to the Academy.”

According to Helena, there were many schools other than Zeke’s alma mater, Feliformia National General Magic Academy, and Helena’s alma mater, Feliformia Central Women’s School. However, the National Academy was more prestigious than other schools and had a higher employment rate. Most of the people who held important positions in the country graduated from the Academy.

“What an amazing school…”

Hearing all this, Risa felt more and more like the responsibility was too heavy for her to bear this time.

“As I thought, it’s asking too much for me to be the consultant for the establishment…”

“What?!”

Helena and Zeke stared in shock at Risa, who held her head in her hands.

“That’s amazing, Miss Risa!”

“Heh?”

Helena said brightly, the complete opposite of the gloomy Risa.

“You contributed so much to the international royal conference last year, so it’s only natural, but that’s still so amazing! That means your cooking has been acknowledged, Miss Risa!”

Helena chattered excitedly as if it were she who had obtained the consultant position. However, Risa was taken aback by her reaction, completely caught off guard.

Zeke also nodded approvingly.

“Yes. Making a new department means that the country is attempting to improve its food as well. Since the purpose lines up with the reason Miss Risa opened this store, we couldn’t hope for better, right?”

What Zeke said was true. In the first place, Café Omusubi had opened because Risa was so shocked by the huge gap in food between worlds, so she set out to improve it.

“It’s a blessing that there will be a Culinary Department, but it doesn’t seem possible centered around me. My hands are full with just this store…”

Clearly it was way past her possible workload. Risa was not as great a person as the two were making her out to be. In Risa’s previous world, her culinary knowledge and skill were worthless.

Even so, she was lauded for her new flavors and new recipes in this world.

At first she had taken the compliments honestly and was glad to hear them. She was happy to make the food when she saw the people in the Claude mansion and the café customers eat so happily.

For a short while, she was even proud of herself, thinking, “what great work I’m doing for so many people to be happy about it.”

However, she was soon visited by fear as black as the abyss.

Once new things were released, what had originally been around would grow old. While a universal truth, Risa experienced that firsthand.

… One year after the café began.

She was fortunate to have regulars, who happily came to the café for the food. However, they soon grew tired of the existing menu.

The second they entered the store, they would ask if there were any new recipes. Risa was made acutely aware of their expectation for new flavors from her.

Heavy expectation and the pressure that accompanied it. How long and how far did she have to go?

Even if she turned her back on the problem, somewhere deep inside of her lamented her troubles.

Ignoring Risa’s long face, Helena raised her hand enthusiastically with an “ooh, me, pick me!”

“This is great timing! Shouldn’t we increase the number of employees now? See, I might marry and quit too.”

“Helena, you’re getting married?”

“One day, Zeke, one day! I was just dumped by my boyfriend so it won’t happen for a while, though.”

“That’s why you were spacing out a few days ago?”

To Zeke’s words, Helena laughed with no sign of the dark cloud from before on her face.

She had moved on, Risa thought in relief.

“Putting Helena’s marriage aside, I also agree that we should increase our employees. It would be difficult to go on with just us three. If someone were to fall sick, the store would not be able to open.”

“Hmm, you’re right.”

“What do you mean, putting my marriage aside!”

Helena exclaimed furiously. Risa laughed and calmed her down.

It was late at night, so they left to go home.