Let's Start A Bakery!

Chapter 69

"Lionel, what's your favorite subject in class right now?"

"Sword fighting," he replied, "magic as well, but mostly sword fighting."

"Do you think if I ask Commander Landon to let Kai and Kira train with us, he'll let them?"

"Why would those two be joining?" Lionel asked, leaning back against the counter to take a break from using the pestle.

"Kai said he was interested in sword fighting too. Maybe he can learn from his older brothers," I replied.

"What about Kira? Does she want to learn sword fighting too?"

I shrugged. "She didn't say she did, but maybe she'll end up liking it. And exercise is important for staying healthy, so she should do it anyway."

"Maybe she can try something else instead of sword fighting," he pondered, picking up the pestle to start mushing the rice again.

"What else is there?" I stirred around the strawberries again to keep the bottom from burning.

"You could try learning archery," Lionel suggested. "Bows are as heavy to lift as swords are. And you should start as early as possible with archery. In my opinion, it takes longer to perfect than using a sword."

"Archery would be cool. I could shoot people from a distance instead of getting up close,"

Lionel gave me a weird look when I said that, "Or maybe you shouldn't learn how to use any kind of weapon. I don't think you can be trusted with one."

I continued stirring the strawberries, shutting off the stove since they were about finished.

"I think learning archery is a good idea. But I think I'll still be more excited to learn potions,"

"Why are you so interested in potions anyways?" Lionel asked, curious.

"Sir Leonard told me that potions taste really bad, so I was thinking about combining potions with desserts," I explained. "Like healing potions, or potions that provide a boost of energy. Those kinds of beneficial ones that might help soldiers and knights when fighting in a battlefield. But no one likes eating things that taste bad, so masking the taste of those foods in a dessert would make them more appealing."

"What are you making with this?" he asked, gesturing to the mortar and the pots.

"The rice is pounded to make glutinous rice dough, which is then wrapped around a filling," I told him.

Pointing at the pot with strawberries, I said, "This is a strawberry filling." I pointed at the pot of red beans, "And this one is red bean filling, but I'm going to crush the beans to make it into a paste."

"I'm getting bored of this," Lionel complained.

"Maybe I could find a book and read it out loud?" I suggested. "It would help pass the time, since we might be here a while."

"Choose an interesting one!" he yelled as I walked out the kitchen door to head to the library.

What kind of book should I even read? I thought as I stared at the shelves.

I pulled a random novel out of the shelf from the romance section.

This is probably one of those old romance novels. Like Pride and Prejudice or something. I guess it might be a good choice.

I brought it back to the room, but not before grabbing another book as a backup in case the first one was too boring.

Hopefully this can keep us entertained until the beans are done boiling. I can't believe there was a time when people actually survived without the internet.