Na-Isekai Ako
Chapter 29: Academy’s Got Talent (But Does It Have Taste?) pt 3

Chapter 29: Academy’s Got Talent (But Does It Have Taste?) pt 3

Katherine took a deep breath as she stepped onto the stage. The applause for Princess Laura was just dying down, and the warmth of the lights overhead made her very aware of every gaze fixed on her. She wasn’t nervous—at least, that’s what she kept telling herself. After all, she had prepared for this moment.

As Katherine walked to the center of the stage, she heard whispers from the crowd. People were murmuring about her red hair and green eyes, like it was something rare. She realized she hadn’t seen anyone else with her features here. The comments made her a little uneasy, but she chose to ignore them.

"Lady Katherine of House Sylvaine," the announcer called, "will present a demonstration of... hmm?" He squinted at the paper in his hand. "Butterfly juice?"

Culinary arts—not exactly a common choice for a lady’s performance. Most of the previous female participants had stuck to singing, painting, or embroidery. But Katherine wasn’t from this world, and she didn’t have to follow its traditions.

Her thoughts briefly drifted to the name the announcer used. House Sylvaine? Oh, that’s Aunt Yevon’s last name, she realized. I just found out now. Katherine chuckled quietly to herself, amused by the discovery.

She glanced at the professors’ table and noticed something odd—Professor Antenor was gone. When did he leave? Is something wrong? Pushing the thought aside, she focused on the present.

Katherine looked at the princess, who gave her an encouraging nod. On the side of the stage, Florante stood with one hand resting casually on his sword’s hilt, his sharp gaze fixed on her. Adolfo, standing nearby, flashed her a confident smile. For some reason, that smile made her heart race. I wasn’t nervous earlier. What’s happening? she wondered.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," Katherine began, her voice steady despite the soft murmurs. "Today, I’d like to share something that combines both art and practicality—the Culinary Arts. This is something I learned while traveling. It’s not as dazzling as light magic," she added with a playful glance at Laura, who chuckled, "but I hope you’ll find it interesting."

Ariane, her loyal maid, entered with a few attendants to set up a table with Katherine’s tools. The crowd leaned forward, curious about the strange items being arranged. Silver trays gleamed under the light, holding various ingredients and equipment. A few nobles exchanged whispers, puzzled by the assortment. One young nobleman even leaned forward, trying to get a better view of the contraption on the table.

"This is one of my favorite drinks from my travels, and I’m excited to share it with you. I may not be a magic user, but some people do call this a magical drink."

Katherine placed a blender on the table—a custom-made device crafted by Zamir. She also brought out an ice cube tray, topped with ice magic stickers made by The Maestro as part of her refrigerator project.

"Young lady from House Sylvaine," a kind-looking middle-aged professor spoke up, eyeing the blender, "what is that device you’ve brought out?"

"This is called a blender. It helps grind fruits and vegetables quickly. It runs on wind stone and was specially crafted for me to use in the kitchen. I personally designed it."

"A young noble lady cooks?" the professor asked, surprised.

Katherine smiled. "I traveled a lot before, and I had to cook for myself. It became a fun hobby, dear sir."

The professor nodded approvingly. "And those blue cubes—what are they?"

"These are ice cubes made from butterfly pea flowers."

"Butterfly peas?" a female professor echoed. "The flowers? Are they edible?"

"Yes, they are. And they have a little magic of their own. Let me show you."

Katherine began her demonstration, placing the blue ice into the blender. She pulled out glasses of different shapes and sizes, each one crafted to her design by Zamir. The elegant designs drew admiring murmurs from the crowd. She took careful, deliberate movements as she poured the crushed ice into each glass, making sure every action was precise and graceful. The audience watched with rapt attention, intrigued by this unfamiliar craft.

After blending the ice, she poured it into the glasses. Then came the fun part—pouring liquids from two different pitchers. As the liquid touched the blue ice, the color shifted, turning purple in one glass and pink in the other. Finally, she added tiny umbrellas and colorful straws to complete the look.

Then came the moment she was waiting for. She took two glass pitchers filled with different liquids, lifting them high so that the audience could see. The golden hues of the liquids glowed in the light, contrasting beautifully with the deep blue of the crushed ice.

"Now, pay close attention," she said, pouring the first liquid into a glass. As soon as the liquid touched the ice, the deep blue color transformed into a vibrant purple. Gasps rippled through the audience. She then poured from the second pitcher into another glass, and the blue ice turned a brilliant shade of pink.

Excited murmurs spread through the crowd, nobles leaning forward with widened eyes. Even some of the professors, who had remained skeptical, now looked genuinely intrigued.

"There we go!" Katherine clapped her hands together. "Now, I know you must have questions, so please have a taste while I explain. There are two types of drinks: the taller glass has a lighter taste for those who feel tired, while the shorter glass is for those feeling a little adventurous. No worries—there’s no alcohol."

Ariane and the attendants carried trays of drinks and snacks to the professors and nobles in the front rows. Some hesitated, but curiosity won, and they accepted the glasses.

"I made some snacks to go with the drinks," Katherine added, nodding to the trays of golden, crispy spirals. "They’re just potatoes, nothing fancy."

The first sip brought delighted reactions.

"What is this? It’s so refreshing!" one professor exclaimed.

"What’s this fizzy feeling?" asked another.

"I feel like my strength is coming back," murmured one of the male students, glancing at his half-empty glass.

Katherine noticed Florante had chosen the shorter glass, while Adolfo sipped from the taller one.

"Butterfly pea flowers react to acid," Katherine explained. "That’s why the colors change. The taller glass has lemon juice, while the shorter one has lemon soda."

"Soda?" a professor echoed.

"Yes, it’s water infused with carbon dioxide under pressure. The bubbles make the drink fizzy and refreshing. It also enhances the flavor, especially when paired with a bit of honey."

"Are you an alchemist, young lady?" another professor asked her.

"It’s just food science, dear sir."

"I’m sorry, but can I ask?" One of the knights, the same one who had dueled Florante earlier, stepped forward, looking baffled. "I heard you mention salt, but..."

"Yes, the one you’re holding is just a simple glass of lemon juice... with a pinch of salt," Katherine smiled. "Lemon provides vitamin C and natural sugars for quick energy. Honey adds another energy boost. And salt helps restore electrolytes, especially if you’ve been sweating. It’s simple science, not magic."

The knight stared at the drink, then grinned. "You’re impressive, my lady."

"Thank you," Katherine replied, genuinely pleased.

The crowd turned their attention to the potato snacks.

"These are just potatoes?" one noblewoman asked, biting into a crispy swirl.

Katherine nodded. "Yes, I mashed them, piped them into spirals, and fried them. Simple, but worth the effort."

The noblewoman nodded and seemed to enjoy the snack.

More nobles reached for the golden, crispy snacks. Murmurs of delight spread as they took their first bites.

"This is delightful! So light and crisp!"

"The texture is remarkable! How did you make them so airy?"

"I must have the recipe for my chefs!"

Katherine smiled as she saw the nobles enjoying her creation, their reactions a mix of amazement and pleasure. Some even began discussing where they might be able to purchase such treats in the future.

Katherine noticed Antenor returning to his seat. "Apologies, I saw the princess’s performance but had to step out halfway."

Another professor leaned over. "It’s fine—the palace can be unpredictable."

Palace? Is something happening during the Summer Symposium? Katherine wondered.

Antenor settled into his seat, glanced at Katherine, and suddenly froze. His eyes widened. "Jonathas?!"

Katherine blinked, startled. "Pardon?"

"Oh, sorry," Antenor muttered, rubbing his temple. "Must be my age. How could I mistake you for that man?"

The kind-looking professor chuckled. "Apologies, young lady. There’s another professor with the same red hair and green eyes. Unfortunately, he couldn’t attend today."

"That man gives me headaches," Antenor muttered. "I can’t believe there’s someone else with those features. It really threw me off."

"I was surprised to see her perform too," the other professor added. "She’s from House Sylvaine, Professor Antenor."

Antenor paused, then sighed as if something clicked into place. "I see. So you’re related. You even have the same knack for interesting gadgets."

"You’re quite impressive, Lady Katherine," the kind professor continued with a warm smile. "My name is Sophanes. I’m a good friend of Marquis Jonathas of House Sylvaine."

Marquis Jonathas? Must be Aunt Yevon’s husband, Katherine thought. "Pleasure to meet you, Sir Sophanes."

So he was the professor who kept asking about her cooking tools—and he knew her family in this world. The whole situation felt strange.

"Marquis Jonathas always brags about his bright and talented sister," Sophanes added thoughtfully. "That must be you."

"!!!"

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