01.22 - Freshly Baked!!

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Stellaris estate kitchen.

Vega stood by the countertop, her sleeves rolled neatly to her elbows. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail, and her blue eyes surveyed the neatly laid-out ingredients.

The sound of footsteps broke the quiet.

Moments later, a maid opened the door to the kitchen, and the two guests she had escorted stepped inside.

Merope Pleiades burst into the kitchen, her brunette curls bouncing as she skipped toward Vega. Her brown eyes sparkled with excitement.

Kass Aeneidis followed at a casual pace, adjusting her long black hair as her black eyes scanned the room. The corners of her lips lifted in a small smile as she casually waved to Vega.

Merope, on the other hand, did not hold back for even a second and embraced Vega in a long hug.

Their cheeks pressed against each other, their noses rubbed, and moments later, Merope leaned in for a short kiss on the lips.

“I really missed you,” said Merope. “I can’t believe we haven’t met once since the end of middle school. First, you went on that family trip, and then my folks kept me busy.”

Vega joined her in another hug. “I’ve missed you too, Mero-Mero.”

Kass just smiled at the two from a distance, then surveyed the kitchen. “Shouldn’t we leave this to your chef? Or the maids?” she asked.

Vega slowly parted from Merope, placing her hands on her hips. “It’s not just about the baking, Kass,” she said, her voice carrying an edge of playful reproach. “It’s about the intent. Anyone can have something baked for them, but when you do it yourself, it shows care. Besides, I’ve gotten better; our chef even gave me a few tips.”

Vega picked up a puff pastry sheet and rolled it out. “Actually, it’s a lot like strategy,” she said, her gaze flicking between the two with a glimmer of amusement. “You have to analyze your opponent. Understand them. Then, you prepare the right ingredients, combine them in a way that enhances their effects, and execute the preparation at the right time.”

Merope raised an eyebrow. “Leave it to you to make pastries sound like a battle plan.”

Kass smirked as she pulled on an apron. “At least the stakes are lower. Worst-case scenario, we just eat a failed batch.”

“So, what’s your attack plan?” Merope asked.

“Our main flavor troops are four kinds of berries,” Vega said as she pointed toward the large kitchen counter with all the ingredients. “Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Troop support consists of honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, almonds, lemon zest, orange zest, cardamom, balsamic glaze, black pepper, and ginger.”

“Half of those don’t sound like they belong in sweets,” said Kass, with a hint of doubt in her voice.

“I’d have said the same not too long ago,” said Vega. “But they can enhance the effectiveness of our main troops if used carefully. Just don’t add too much. If you do, even the normal ingredients like honey or sugar can ruin the dish. I’ll explain the details as we go.”

The three began their work.

Merope carefully sliced the strawberries and then grabbed the other ingredients from the counter. “You said those are supposed to go with black pepper and balsamic glaze, right?”

“Careful with them,” said Vega. “Just a tiny hint to contrast the sweetness of the strawberries.”

“Are you sure?” asked Merope. “Like this?”

“Yes,” Vega said. “It’s supposed to be a sweet and savory combination for our picky eaters.”

Kass prepared a bowl of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries with a bit of brown sugar and ground cinnamon. “This is supposed to be a more classic combination, right?”

“Yes.” Vega tasted a spoonful. “Could use a bit more cinnamon. The amount of sugar is about right.” Then she got back to her own work, roasted some almonds, and added them to a mix of raspberries and honey. “Luc and Cuddles are both incorrigible sweet tooths. I bet they will love this.”

Meanwhile, Kass had gone on to mix the remaining blueberries with a carefully calculated amount of cardamom and lemon zest, while Merope mixed the blackberries with a tiny amount of ginger and some orange zest. Vega adjusted their portions slightly with each round of taste testing.

The girls folded the puff pastry squares around the fillings, their hands brushing lightly against the soft dough. The egg wash gave the pastries a glossy sheen, catching the light as they arranged them on the baking trays. Vega slid the trays into the preheated ovens, the warm heat wafting out briefly before the doors shut.

“And now?” asked Merope.

“Now we wait,” said Vega. “We need to get the timing just right.”

Merope looked around the kitchen, now filled with used bowls and remnants of the ingredients. “Instead of waiting, I think we should use the time to clean up this mess. But before that…” Merope eyed Vega from the side.

“What’s the matter?” Vega asked. “Is something wrong with my…”

Before she could finish the sentence, Merope closed in on Vega’s left cheek and licked off the remnants of the raspberries-honey mix that had stuck to it.

“…face?” Vega blushed slightly after finishing her question.

So did Merope, with a bright smile on her face.

Kass viewed the scene in amusement, then argued with the two about how they could leave the cleanup to the staff.

After having Kass’s suggestion rejected in a two-to-one vote, the three of them began to clean up the mess they had made.

Soon, the aroma of baking pastry filled the kitchen, mixing with the smell of berries, cinnamon, and other ingredients. The three leaned toward the ovens, peeking through the glass as the pastries turned golden brown, their edges flaking perfectly.

Once they were done, Vega pulled the trays out. They let the pastries cool before dusting the golden treats with powdered sugar.

Later, with baskets of pastries carefully wrapped and ready, the trio stepped outside to where an elegant Automobilis awaited near the estate’s entrance.