The Cooking Princess - Chapter 99

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chloe thought of Western Christmas tables,

and began pondering deeply about how to arrange food to commemorate Shurya’s papal inauguration.

‘It may not be completely splendid or luxurious, but I should make it with sincerity.’

After contemplating what would make people admire its appearance and usefulness without giving a luxurious feeling, Chloe finally reached a conclusion.

“Now it’s time to start using vanilla and chocolate from other continents.”

Until now, chocolate was relatively bitter, tasteless, and most people couldn’t understand why anyone would eat it.

Actually, cacao was quite bitter, and since most 21st-century chocolates contained sugar, it was natural that the taste would be different.

‘And the only edible chocolate developed so far is in liquid form.’

Developing chocolate into solid form in the current situation would take too much time, so for now she had to make do with what she had.

“First, I’ll spread chocolate loaded with sugar between bread… Hmm.”

Although it was a luxurious ingredient, unless one had great interest in cooking, people of the Luzhiere Empire had little interest in chocolate.

‘Since it’s a material that’s hard to obtain and difficult to process, it would be good for enhancing Shurya’s image at the inauguration.’

After much deliberation, Chloe finalized the menu.

Mashed potatoes and cranberry jam, with simple breads to spread them on.

‘Turkey is just large in quantity but too tasteless. Let’s replace it with chicken.’

Along with Bûche de Noël (* Christmas cake shaped like a log) and Croquembouche (* Christmas cake made by stacking choux in a cone shape), it would be perfect.

Having finished her planning, Chloe immediately started making practice versions.

To properly sculpt the Bûche de Noël, she needed delicious chocolate cream with a creamy texture rather than liquid, but she gave up on that.

Instead, she put fruit jam and a little chocolate cream inside cake sheets that had been pre-made in log shapes.

She shaped it well into a log form and poured chocolate over it.

Although it was liquid, it was basically thick chocolate, so it stuck viscously to the cake sheet. Chloe decorated it with whipped cream on top as if snow had accumulated.

“Even though I made it myself, it’s really pretty.”

Nodding her head, Chloe then quickly gathered butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and cake flour to start making choux.

After quickly boiling a certain amount of water with salt, sugar, and butter,

she sifted cake flour and put it in.

Then she slowly sautéed it until it became glossy, gradually adding beaten eggs little by little several times.

After finishing the dough, she filled it into a piping bag and piped it while controlling the desired amount.

Then she put it in the oven and made the filling while waiting for it to puff up beautifully.

She mixed egg yolks with sugar, then added sifted cake flour and mixed without lumps.

Then she cut half a vanilla bean into milk and slowly boiled it.

After straining it, she poured it little by little several times into the mixture of egg yolks and sugar, mixed it, let it cool a bit, then put it in a piping bag.

She made small holes in the well-puffed choux, filled them with custard cream filling, and tried one.

“Really sweet and delicious.”

Since filling them too much would make them too sweet, Chloe decided to fill them moderately.

After making several choux and fixing them lightly with caramel to create a tree shape that wouldn’t collapse,

“Done!”

Chloe quickly instructed her household cooks and close associates to make many of these cakes, busily directing the kitchen.

Finally, the day of the inauguration arrived.

The Pope’s inauguration had a solemn atmosphere, but the dining table was charming and beautiful.

However, rather than luxurious, it truly had a strong meaning of welcome.

Even those who had intended to mock Chloe became quiet after tasting the food, and in such a situation, Chloe calmly explained the new cakes that needed explanation.

“This is Croquembouche. I portioned the food to minimize waste as much as possible.”

While explaining the Croquembouche, Chloe took off one choux to show how to eat it, then pointed to the Bûche de Noël and added,

“This is Bûche de Noël. I used precious ingredients brought from other continents to celebrate His Holiness the Pope’s inauguration. I hope everyone enjoys it deliciously.”

The nobles and priests nodded readily at Chloe’s food explanation, then began tasting the simple bread with cranberry jam, large chicken, and cakes.

Now there was no one who doubted the taste of food Chloe made just because she tried slightly unusual designs.

After tasting one Croquembouche, Shurya’s beautiful violet eyes sparkled as she grasped both of Chloe’s hands tightly with genuine joy and whispered,

“It’s truly fantastic, Chloe.”

Although many people were displeased with Shurya’s inauguration, they could still finish without finding any fault with the food.

***

Chloe rested at the Garnet Estate with a beaming face, quietly thinking.

‘The situation is much better than in the original. Shurya even became Pope instead of Saint.’

She had succeeded in sitting in the position of Pope from the position of fake Saint who could be cast out at any time.

‘Now the remaining concern is Claude.’

Since Claude had the status of Grand Duke and was even under the Empress’s protection, Chloe, who was merely a Duchess, couldn’t interfere with him carelessly.

So she was in a situation where she sent people to gather only information about Claude.

And that information commonly warned that Claude’s methods were becoming increasingly cruel.

Hearing how cruel he was, Chloe frowned.

‘Acting so cruelly toward the northern barbarians and then later gaining their cooperation?’

He must have forcibly gained cooperation by implementing a reign of terror. Seeing his excessive actions, one thought came to mind.

‘Is Shuel about to become Crown Prince?’

Claude’s sudden frenzied rampage was probably because he felt a sense of crisis.

If things continued like this, would Shuel naturally become Emperor?

‘In the original, Claude joined hands with northern barbarians who could handle monsters and invaded the Luzhiere Empire, right?’

In this situation where Shuel’s power was growing and Chloe’s close ‘friends’ were taking positions, it seemed Claude couldn’t achieve much no matter how desperately he struggled, so Chloe felt a bit relaxed.

And not many days later, Claude summoned Chloe.

Receiving the invitation, Chloe thought with distaste.

‘What kind of person does this?’

To deliberately call the Prince’s fiancée for a one-on-one meeting.

Chloe thought it wasn’t even worth reconsidering and sent a refusal reply.

And exactly one day later, Claude suddenly barged into the Garnet Estate.

Chloe naturally didn’t come out, making excuses about being sick.

Because there was no need to meet Claude and create unnecessary trouble during this time when Shuel was doing so well.

When she wouldn’t meet him, Claude began following Chloe to every party she attended, just like he had done before.

‘Sigh… This is really tiresome.’

Finally, at the fifth party where she was forced to face him, Chloe couldn’t hide her weary expression and asked Claude,

“So why did you want to meet?”

Deliberately speaking at the party hall meant she wanted him to say what he had to say appropriately in front of others and then disappear.

When Chloe stopped avoiding him, Claude first asked what he had been most curious about.

“Why do you keep avoiding meeting me? I’m the Duchess’s swordsmanship instructor.”

Chloe had only learned very basic swordsmanship and had no intention of learning more.

“Avoiding? I was just a bit sick. So why were you trying to meet me?”

“Did we have to have business to meet each other?”

His words, as if he and Chloe were in an intimate relationship, were shameless.

If she handled this wrong, the ridiculous scandal that had barely been patched up could surface again, so Chloe carefully chose her words.

“Of course we need business to meet. I’m engaged to His Highness the Prince.”

This wasn’t just words for Claude, but also for everyone in the party hall listening to this conversation.

It was also Chloe’s declaration that she would never let it slide if they spread false rumors about Claude and her again.

Perhaps sensing that resolve, Claude narrowed his eyes and said,

“Well, what if I do have business as the Duchess said?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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