Chapter 7: Fromage (Cheese Course)

“Here is the fromage.”
On a small silver plate, two small pieces of cheese were quietly arranged side by side.

“And here we have an Italian white wine—Moscato d’Asti.”

“Oh, it’s so cute. What kind of cheese is this?”
Yuka pierced the cheese with a small fork and stared at it intently, as if she were looking at a gem.

“These are blue cheese and chèvre. The blue cheese contains blue mold, and the chèvre is a cheese made from goat’s milk.”

“Chèvre… I don’t think I’ve heard of that before.”
Saying that, Yuka casually popped the chèvre into her mouth. After chewing a few times, she furrowed her brows and muttered,

“…Huh? There’s something kind of squishy in here.”
At her words, Misaki broke apart the cheese in her hand. Then, from inside, something pale and thin slowly poked its face out.

“…Um.”

Misaki’s voice carried a note of hesitation. She gently poked it with her fork and leaned in closer to look.
What lay at the end of her gaze was something that resembled a tiny insect.

“It is tapioca.”

The man explained calmly, his gentle smile unchanged.
“We have mixed it in to add a variation in texture. Rest assured, it’s safe to eat.”

Misaki held her breath for just a moment, then gave a small nod.
Now that she looked more closely, they were translucent beads. Not a living thing—once she understood that, a faint wry smile slipped out.

“…It didn’t have to be made this elaborate.”
Even as she thought that, she accepted that it was probably the craftsman’s personal touch.
She took a bite of the cheese, then followed it with a sip of wine. “…It’s delicious.”

At the smile that spilled across Misaki’s face, the man’s eyes softened gently as well.

At the same time—
When I bring out the final dessert, what kind of expressions will the two of them show?

That kind of anticipation swelled deep in his chest.

“I will be bringing out the dessert.”

After saying that, the man quietly headed back toward the kitchen.
The two of their impressions did not reach him as he walked away—but that was fine.
Now, it would be his turn to surprise them even more.