My Food Stall Serves SSS-Grade Delicacies!

Uh...how many dessert recipes do I have again? I made a few for the Feast. Like the rose meringues, but they might be too light for people eating fried chicken in a rice ball.

"I don't… really have a lot of dessert recipes," Marron confessed, twisting the strap of her apron.

"But I've got more options than savory. A little."

Charity leaned forward, smirking. "More options than savory, huh? That's not saying much."

Marron puffed out her cheeks. "Hey! At least I watched dessert shows."

That got Balen's attention. "Shows?"

Marron nodded. "Back in my world, there were programs where you could follow simple recipes at home. I tried a few when I was feeling brave. One of them was ube beignets stuffed with melty cheese. Uh...square pastries, I guess."

She turned around and the chefs understood she was interacting with her system.

[What would you like to order from the Convenient Store?]

Let's see...oh, there's a tab for Earth food too! Excellent.

Ube...flour, sugar...and some nice mozzarella! I'll also get some Parmesan.

[Marron — Current XP: 1,500

XP Spent:

Cooking Skill Rank II: -200

Mokko's Knife Technique Passive Boost: -100

Food Cart Durability Upgrade: -200

Lucy's Slime Core Enhancement (Tier II): -500

Savoria's Convenient Store Unlock: -200

Short‑grain Mana Rice Purchase: -100

Current Tab: 300 XP

Would you like to continue this purchase?]

Oh! That's convenient.

Marron clicked YES, and the system informed her that she had 1,200 XP left.

After she paid using XP, the ingredients appeared in a box on her prep table.

Now it was time to get to work.

+

TV definitely makes things look easier than they actually are.

Her first batch of beignets came out… alright. The ube dough fried golden, but the cheese leaked out into the oil. A wasted, oily mess.

"Too hot," Balen muttered, arms crossed. "And you sealed too lightly."

The second batch was better. Marron pressed the edges tighter, fried slower. This time, when she tore the beignet open, the cheese stretched in a perfect, gooey ribbon.

The dwarves cheered. One child shouted, "It's like string magic!"

Charity grabbed one and bit in, her eyes lighting up. "Ohhh yes. This one's a winner."

Still, Marron tested alternatives.

Ube pudding: Too mushy. "Tastes fine, but it'd melt into soup before you sold two."

Ube shortbread: Too crumbly. One dwarf's beard turned purple from the dust. "Bit dry, lass."

Ube cake: Looked lovely, but collapsed before it cooled. "That's a sad pancake," Lucy chimed.

No matter what she tried, the beignets beat them all for taste, appearance, and sheer delight.

Balen leaned against the counter, watching her. "Seems you've found your dish, lass. But both your choices—the rice balls and these—are best fresh and hot. You'll need a way to package 'em for the road. Folks in Whetvale won't always sit down to eat."

Marron blinked. "Oh. I… didn't think about that."

"Exactly why you've got me," Charity said with a grin. She pulled a neat little roll of parchment from her bag and flicked it open. "For the rice balls, you want individual wraps. Something to keep the seaweed crisp and your hands clean."

Marron lit up and quickly ordered one from her Convenient Store—a clever triangular package that kept the rice fresh and tidy until unwrapped. The dwarves marveled at it like it was a magical artifact.

But the beignets were trickier. Too oily for parchment, too soft for plain bags.

Charity tapped her chin, thinking hard. Then her face broke into a sly smile. "Pretty boxes. Shallow trays with paper that absorbs oil but keeps the sugar dust intact. Presentation is everything in Whetvale. If it looks beautiful and keeps their fingers from getting sticky, people will pay extra."

Marron hesitated. "Wouldn't that… cost more?"

Charity winked. "Not if you sell them in sets. A half dozen in a box—perfect for sharing or gifting. Travelers love walking away with something that looks impressive."

Marron exhaled, half-excited, half-overwhelmed. "This is starting to feel… real."

"Good," Balen said simply. "Better to plan now than get crushed later."

Charity handed Marron a folded mock-up of the box, decorated with neat ink flourishes. "Don't worry. Leave the pretty part to me. You focus on flavor."

Marron clutched the paper box like it was treasure, her chest tight with both nerves and hope.

Charity pulled out a pair of spectacles and put them on. "So, we've got the savory rice balls. We've got the sweet beignets. Perfect pair."

Then she leaned closer to Marron, voice teasing. "But tell me, baker—are you ready to sell them?"

As if in answer, Marron heard the familiar ding! and the system showed her current status and quest.

"Oh, it looks like you don't have a choice on the matter." Charity commented, and Marron looked at her, eyebrow raised. "You can see the system windows?"

"Sometimes!" Charity grinned. "Every chef has one, but we can only see yours if you show us." She put her glasses away. "Or, I guess, if you're anxious enough, in your case."

Marron nodded. "Yeah...I thought there was no time limit, but it looks like my memory's wrong. I have three days, but since I never officially left for Whetvale, the timer hasn't started yet."

Systems are such fickle things. She thought she had the only System in the world, and it turned out that every chef had one.

Oh well. That doesn't mean I don't have a fighting chance against selling in the market. Even if we all have a System, mine has access to Earth ingredients, and...I still have my recipe knowledge.

"All right. Since the timer starts when I leave for Whetvale, I still have some time to perfect them."

Charity shook her head. "No, Marron. Now it's time to talk business!"

[Marron's Current Currency: 1,200 XP & 50 gold]

[Current Quest: Accumulate 100 gold in 3 days - Not yet started]

[Note: Funds must be earned directly from culinary and trade efforts.]

[Reward: Culinary Guild Recognition]