Casual Heroing

“So, you fold the dough like this and this.”

We had to put the dough on multiple tables. I made an insane amount of it, and it simply didn’t fit on one table. Thank God we had cleaned them before.

“Ok, after folding the cooled butter sheets in the dough, we cut them into triangles.”

They still have no idea what’s happening.

After using a rolling pin to make the dough-cum-butter into a sheet of its own, we start cutting it into triangles.

“Ok, look at me, now you fold the triangle like this, and we put it on those trays. Once the yeast has done its job, we move them onto a preservation Rune. That’s peachy. Usually, you have to coordinate the time for proofing with the time you want to bake them. If you don’t and they rise too much, they become gummy – and that’s bad. They are supposed to be flaky and buttery.”

“Can you tell us the name, now?” Camilla whines.

“Oh, yeah. These are croissants.”

“What? How do you spell that?” Flaminia is tired from folding all those croissants. Honestly, I might have overdone it.

While they folded, cut corners, flattened and whatnot, I made a quick jam and some crème patissière. They are now stored in a cupboard with some preservation runes. I need those for the filling.

Because yes, we are making croissants.

They are the most famous pieces of baking in the world. I’d argue they’re even more popular than bread, in a way. Bread, you need to live. Croissants, you need them to enjoy living.

And it’s unfortunate I still don’t have a lead on chocolate. Yet. I’m going to make some goddamn chocolate and hazelnut crème — sort of like Nutella, pal.

Croissants filled with Nutella? That’s my jam.

Was that a lame joke?

I don’t know.

“So, this is how you roll the triangle,” I show to the hesitant Camilla and Flaminia. Being two professional [Bakers], they learn pretty quickly.

“Wow, Joey, you look like a different person when you work,” Camilla says while wiping some sweat off with her forearm. “I did not expect this. And that yeast. That’s… insane.”

Flaminia looks around, worried.

“Do you have much other secret stuff like this?” she raises a non-proofed croissant.

“Oh, so many,” I smile.

“Well…” she’s looking a bit pale.

“We should marry, Joey, you know. We would work much better like that together,” Camilla winks at me and gives me a bright smile.

Flaminia throws some flour in the shorter Elf’s face, making a mess of her face.

“You, flat-eared piece of—”

Flaminia throws more flour, this time in her mouth.

Camilla starts coughing and making very unkind gestures toward Flaminia.

“Ladies, no need to fight. This bad boy here,” I slap my ass, “is taken.”

“Joey, why would you show us this recipe if it’s not in the contract?” Flaminia asks me seriously.

“You, Flam, it’s fine. I trust you. I’m not interested in competing with you two. Really, I want to have my little operation running. Make some money to buy a cozy place, and that’s it.”

“He’s really confident in his baking skills, isn’t he?” Camilla says after jugging some water.

“He seems able to back up his wild claims,” Flaminia nods. “But I still don’t understand why you would give away something so valuable. It makes no sense.”

“Your awe is worth it. By the way, any updates on Clodia and Amelia?” I enter my gossiping mode.

“They went to Clodia’s place, I think. To talk.”

Hehe.

To talk.

Hehe.

This is my favorite part of being a baker—the gossip.

“Camilla, I need the details of what happens. You too, Flaminia. We have an operation going here. I need help.”

“I can’t just go around telling people stuff about my own employer, Joey,” Flaminia says. She hesitates a second, though.

“You keep showing me stuff, Human-boy, and I’ll tell you whatever you want,” Camilla doesn’t even flinch.

“Great. Well, now we have to wait until tonight, and then we open up a little stall in front of the building to sell the croissants to people. Lucillus, did you fetch the piping bags?”

My bodyguard just came back from his trip.

“Yes, I also told the [Woodworkers] to build the stand in front of the building. You will need a permit for that, though. I also submitted that and expedited it. It will be valid in a couple of hours.”

“Man, look, I should marry you, Lucillus.”

The man gives me a terrified expression in response.

“Well, that’s rude. I’m an excellent prospect; I’ll have you know. If I wasn’t taken, you should be bringing me flowers at every time of the day and night to woo me.”

Lucillus goes a bit pale just at the thought of that.

Unbelievable.

“Anyway, we are pretty much done for now.”

“I’m going to take a nap upstairs. We’ve got some rooms with this place. It’s like an inn. Lucillus, you can rest too. Wake me up in two hours if you don’t see me coming down.”

The man nods and goes for a rest himself.

It has been a long day.

“I’ll come back. I need to check on Clodia and fix a few orders at Happy’s.”

“Same, but I need to check on my witch of a sister,” Camilla says with a frown.