Slave Harem in the Labyrinth of the Other World (LN)

Volume 6 - Ch 3.05

And quite understandably, if the nobles have some kind of desserts that they exclusively get to enjoy, then there is no way that they would ever get to share that dessert with some lowly commoners, but when I remember how pleased Roxanne was when I bought that honeycomb toffee for her, I think that making something like that once more would be well and truly worth it.

First we went back home to leave all of the things that we managed to buy there, and the we went out to do some grocery shopping, mainly to buy milk, eggs and some sugar. Thankfully, sugar itself is reasonably priced in this world, most likely because it is being made form a rare Drop Items form the Kobold enemies: Kobold Sucrose.

The only thing that I am slightly worried about is the fact that I have never made more advanced desserts before, so I have absolutely no idea how the thing that I want to try making is going to turn out. Theoretically, I could try making crepes with the usage of milk, flour, eggs and sugar, but I never tried making them back in Japan, so naturally I was hesitant about trying to make them here as well. But now that I bought this pseudo steamer, I should be able to whip out something really nice, or at least nicer than the honeycomb toffee.

Also, just like wit crepes, I have never tried making pudding before in my life, but right now, I suddenly find myself developing quite a craving for it. In order to make pudding, I am going to need milk, eggs and sugar. While it would be a nice addition to it, I think that it would be impossible to get my hand on some vanilla essence or extract, but I might as well try substituting it with caramel, which can be obtained by boiling down the sugar and being careful not to accidentally burn it, so I think that I should be able to somehow manage without the vanilla extract, so the only things that I have to be mindful of now would be the quantity of the ingredients and the actual steaming time.

Perhaps I will have to try it several times before I actually succeed, or perhaps I am going to succeed immediately? Whatever the case is going to be, this is going to be a good learning experience for me nonetheless. And in the worst-case scenario, I could always go for some steamed bread. I have made it in Home Economics classes before, so if I managed to prepare it properly back then, then I am sure that I could do so here as well, since the entire process of making steamed bread is not actually as difficult as it might initially sound.

The raw ingredients that I would need in order to make such a bread are flour, sugar, milk, eggs and baking soda respectively. In order to actually get baking soda, I can use the very same shell powder that I used in order to make soap. If I add this to the steamed bread, it will ensure that the whole thing is going to turn out soft and fluffy instead of being hardened and difficult to chew, and since this would be my very first time making something like this here in this world, then I am going to start with the smaller portions for today, just to be on the safe side.

First things first, I have to make the dough and then let it like down for a while. In the meantime, I used the occasion that Sherry was not around in order to have some fun with Roxanne.

When the dough lied down enough, it was time to start preparing the steamed bread properly, and as I was getting about doing it, Roxanne was watching me work in the kitchen through every step of the way.

I boiled the water in one of the woks that we had in the kitchen, and then placed the steamer over the boiling water itself. I then wrapped the dough up in a cloth and put it in a cup, placed another cover on it upside down and closed the entire thing with wooden boards. When the steam began to show up, I reduced the flame under the wok with water to the low one, and then had Roxanne watch over it it in order to make sure that the temperature was going to be properly maintained. While she was doing that for me, I went and warped myself to the Imperial City so that I could go and fetch Sherry from the Library.

*Sniff Sniff* This smell. It is so sweet and nice.

Roxanne commented on the fact that apparently Sherry was giving off the sweet smell alcohol around her entire person. As for me, it was something that I was unable to smell, but apparently alcohol has a sweet smell, so maybe that is something worth remembering for the future. That, and I guess that just proves exactly how sensitive Roxannes sense of smell is, not only in the Labyrinths but also outside of them.

I guess members of the Wolfkin race are really something else when it comes to their noses.

When I took off the lid and looked inside of the steamer later, it looked like the steamed bread was coming along quite nicely. However, since this one was just the prototype to see how the things done in this makeshift steamer would turn out, but when I will be attempting making it in earnest, the entire process is going to be quite different. Well, the most important issues for me right now were whether I would be able to mix the dough properly and if it would get steamed the way it was supposed to be steamed, so now that I had these questions answered quite nicely, the next thing that I am going to make by using this should turn out fine.

After finishing dinner that was made mostly by Roxanne and Sherry, I took the bread out of the steamer and tasted it.

When I took it out of the cup it was soft and fluffy, while the inside of it was arguably stull a little bit moist, which probably means that I managed to steam it rather well.

All right then.. Let us eat.

Yes!

Time to dig in!

When I have bitten into it after grabbing it, I felt that it had a chewy, yet springy texture. Honestly, for something that was done as my first ever attempt at steaming something in this world, this is really not bad. The only complain that I have it that it is probably a little bit too sweet for my liking, which means that I might have used a little bit too much sugar in the process of making it.

Ohhhhh, it is delicious, master!

This is great! I have never eaten something like that!

It seems to me like the final product of this steamer test run has managed to score high notes from both Sherry and Roxanne. They smile widely and just continued to do so as they were putting more and more pieces of the steamed bread into their mouths.

I will increase the number of my harem members, and not just by one or two, but many more, so this might just prove to be the thing that is going to allow me appease Roxanne, Sherry and all of the harem members that I have yet to meet, making it possible for me to atone for the sin of lying to them about getting more and more Party Members just for the purpose of increasing our battle potential.

Yes, if doing something so relatively simple as that means being able to do that and make them happy at the same time, then maybe I should continue to make things like that on a regular basis from now on? However, the only drawback to this steamed bread is that its calorie count is relatively high, so maybe it would do me better to just stay silent about this particular detail and allow the girls to continue to live in blissful ignorance?

Well then, master, once again, this is a gift from me. Please continue to look after me in the future, and thank you for your support and everything that you have done for me up until now.

After our meal has ended, Roxanne handed me the clothes that she bought for me today during our shopping trip, so I stood up and received them with gratitude.

Thank you. Please continue to look after me as well.

Yes, I most definitely will. Next, this is a present for you from me as well, Sherry.

Ahh, thank you very much, Miss Roxanne. I promise to always treasure it no matter what!