"Ice cream…?" She looked at me with a confused expression and then looked at her partners.
They nodded with no hesitation, so she, too, nodded and gave her permission.
The guards were once again on edge, but when it came to food, she was the expert. They could only taste the food to know if there was poison, but her mere senses were enough to analyze all the ingredients the food was made of.
She could tell about the quality of the food from the smell of the food item alone, so she was looking forward to what I was doing.
So, though I only had a few of these, I took out a gold plate covered by a transparent crystal round dish covering this plate.
The appearance of the plate and the one covering it were amazing and eye-pleasing, and the same was true for the thing visible inside it.
"Beautiful…"
Empress Madeline was the only one to exclaim those words with surprise, as the others were almost speechless for a moment.
Inside the transparent crystal round dish covering this golden plate, there was almost an island.
There was sea blue liquid with white salt-like sparkles, and in the center of it was a small island full of greenery, tree-like very small mint decorations were planted.
The island, the ice cream, was shaped like a pyramid and this pyramid itself was three-layered.
The first base layers had a yellow area, the second middle part was bright red. So red it seemed like real blood. And the tip was a green land with trees. And above these trees, there were clouds. Clouds that one can eat.
That was the best I could describe that amazing ice cream my master made herself. And also the one that was the inspiration for the menu item the nobles had today.
The best chef of the continent was amazed by just the way the creator had used the plating, the elements of color, angle, and reference.
It was ice cream, and this was an island. It was cool how whoever created this thing made it so vividly.
This was my master's creation, something that seemed as amazing to me as the first time I saw, smelled, felt, and tasted it.
It was amazing, and empress Madeline understood my reason to not call her amazing food the best just after she opened the round crystal plate of the dish, and an aroma incomparable to any food item present in this room filled the entire room.
"Empress Madeline, the best chef of the continent, I humbly present to you one of the last remaining delicacies from my late master.
Some of the few things she loved making again and again, an ice cream that was more than just some cream or ice, more than just a cold, creamy, and smooth edible liquid, or a mixture of crystalized water, milk, and sugar.
She gave this one the name: A warm morning.
Please, have some starting from the blue base and slowly going up layer by layer.
Taste each one individually and after that, as a whole.
I hope… it is to your liking, too."
She was looking at me as if I was a ghost now.
I knew she would know just what amazing of food that is just from its smell and if the smell was that stimulating that even the guards were looking at this thing, so mesmerized by this ineffable aroma that they had definitely forgotten their duties.
Her eyes were wide open, her mouth shuddering, her throat dry, and her lips cold. The other three didn't have as strong reactions, but their reactions were strong. Very strong.
Both other empresses were looking at this ice cream like zombies hungry for flesh. They both were special and close to nature than us, so this thing made by a being so close to nature was naturally like an electromagnet for them.
The Emperor was observing this thing unlike anything he had done in this whole meeting of ours, and the shocked look on his face was new and strange.
I wasted today's 'question' for this thing and Lucy said it was fine with this particular ice cream, so it was fine.
They were looking at it as if it was some alien object and after they were finished with their observations; they picked up their spoons and started eating it as I told them to.
Their eyes were closed, but I could tell just what kind of thoughts, feelings, and emotions would be bubbling inside them.
Each passing second that flavor stayed in their mouth would feel like an eternity, and they would be in a state of trance for that eternity.
But for me and the guards, these long moments of silence were awkward, bad, and uncomfortable.
They weren't moving after just one bite and there was a solid chance that something was wrong, so they were looking at me. Celes didn't like it, so it was more difficult to calm Celes than ignore those bastards.
But I somehow survived the difficult situation as I talked with Rein through Celes's connection.
She was envious of these people who were enjoying that delicious thing, but it was alright for now. We can eat that in the future while they won't.
Time passed, and the four people slowly finished the whole ice cream without a single word and the most blessed expression.
They were happy. And that happiness was visible in their eyes.
"What kind of person was this master of yours? To make something so… good? How's this even possible?"
The best chef on the continent was speechless from the cooking of my master. Zoe must be smiling right now.
"She was an amazing person. The most amazing I have ever met."
I was smiling, and they were smart people with abundant experience in life, so maybe they knew the sad-happy look in my eyes.
"She must be…" freewebnovel.(c)om
Emperor August nodded and patted my back.
"It was the best thing I have ever had in my life, Axion. It was the best, and Madeline, sorry, but it was the best.
I'm happy and honored to have such a blessed meal that I don't think I will ever get the chance to have in the future… I won't, right?"
He paused and looked at me, and I just gave him a silent smile.
There was no way I was going to give him something grandma made again in normal circumstances, but this silent smile was enough of an answer.
He understood it and continued his talk.
"It was amazing. And even though it was supposed to be ice cream, I am feeling a strange warmth after eating it. A warmth that is far warmer than eating the spiciest food or being before the hottest flames.
It's strange but warm. It's mysterious. And it's amazing. Thanks, Axion."
He was laughing, but there was no way I was falling for that simple smile.
But the smiles of his three partners were good.
"I felt like I was back to my childhood in my hometown, playing in the cool meadows. It was really mysterious, but it was amazing~!" Empress Aina's long ears were fluttering, so she was genuinely too excited right now.
"For me, it was like eating the hot soup full of countless flavors that mom and master used to make! I remembered those times, those textures, flavors, everything perfectly.
It was something I thought I forgot long ago, but no… I remembered it again today thanks to this thing. It was… trigenaeasta."
'Wow…'
That was maybe too effective, but she just used a unique word related to old witches signifying things that are out of this reality.
It was mostly used to refer to bad things, but maybe she didn't know it, so I didn't want to say anything about it.
So we looked at empress Madeline, and she nodded in agreement.
"It was the best. The best thing. Really… the best…
But, I will reach this level someday.
I will practice, study, learn, practice, and do my best.
I thought becoming the best here was enough, but now it doesn't seem like it. The world is wide and there are things I have no idea about… so I will become better.
And when I do, I will make you say my food is the best thing you ever had, so prepare yourself, young Eon."
There were tears in her eyes, but she was smiling and that much was enough.
The dinner was done, and the ice cream was finished, so… it was time for me to take my leave too.
So I looked at them and said my last goodbyes, I wanted to go to that ball with my Rein and do that amazing dance we had been practicing for so long.
But as soon as I got ready to leave, the emperor spoke up… free(w)ebnov(e)l
"Axion. Please accept this as a fragment of my unmeasurable gratitude for today. It's my direct symbol, so you can use it in any place belonging to me or the empire."
He was holding a locket with a crystal pendant with the empire's mark on one side and a magical blazing golden flame on the other side.
It… was shocking. I didn't know how to respond to that, but having that thing could be helpful in many things.
It could grant access to almost any place in the empire and places affiliated with the empire and as the insignia was given directly by the emperor, it was more effective.
So… well, why not?
"I'm honored to receive such-"
"Axion! Take this too~!"
Empress Aina held out a leaf-shaped locket, too. It was easy to understand it was her insignia that would be useful in the elven kingdom of Elvigia.
"Ohh! Two pendants! Then I will give you a ring~!"
This was empress Vera, and her gift wasn't an insignia.
This was a calling ring. A special artifact of witches and wizards that can summon the owner of the artifact to the person having it.
It can only be used a few times, but giving it to me was more absurd than giving me those insignias.
But empress Madeline also couldn't fall behind so she took out a weird platinum crystal card and handed it to me first.
"If you go to any high-class restaurant, just show them this and you will receive VIP treatment!"
This was a special ID that said I was a helper of chef Madeline. And this really was a special gift to give just because I gave her something my master made.
I would naturally accept it with open arms, but this competitive reaction of these four people definitely resembled my family.
And if I was right, as soon as I leave this place, first they will fight, then calm down and seriously talk about this entire dinner, and after that, go back to their fighting and laughing.
But I wasn't going to be there for this, so I don't know about that. What I know for sure, though, is the fact that I was going to my first ever and amazing official ball with the best date.
She was already excited about the dance and all the other things we had planned and I was, too.
I just wanted to go out and hold her hand, take her to the carriage, help her climb down the carriage, and enter a banquet hall full of people while holding her hand.
She was excited about this one, too. More than me, actually.
This was going to be her first time in something like this, so she was nervous and restless.
'So… let's do this.'
I was nervous too, but I believed in my heart as I walked out of the dining room, walked down, and saw her gorgeous figure standing there waiting for me with a smile.
She was gorgeous. And yeah… she was the one.
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