Madam Ashdown sat with Viscountess Yuhwa, trying to keep her entertained by talking non-stop. Viscountess Yuhwa offered her some sugared cookies, but Madam Ashdown refused.
Her face made it clear she wasn't interested, but at the same time, she could barely wait to turn her attention to that brat of a noble boy who dared challenge her.
'Hmph! Who does he think he is?! My personal cook is one of the best in the empire. I eat foods that the average man wouldn't even dare dream of! And he dare say he could make something better?!'
They were sitting and waiting for Ji Hoon to prepare a dish. He had told them to wait a little while, promising to make something they had never seen before, and then he left.
Viscountess Yuhwa was worried. She trusted her son, but she wasn't sure if this was something he could really pull off.
He had surprised her before with that white, jiggly dish he made last time—and on top of that, he had just passed the preliminary round for the ICC. Maybe, if the heavens allowed, he could do it again.
But this was Madam Ashdown, a woman famous for her high standards and delicate taste. All Viscountess Yuhwa could do was sit beside her, make small talk to keep her entertained, and silently hope her son would get lucky this time too.
* * *
Meanwhile in the Ahn family kitchen...
Ji Hoon stood with his arms crossed, eyes closed, head bowed. Beatrice and Wood stood quietly behind him, watching. Both of them knew how serious this was—one misstep could affect the family's reputation—so they stayed silent, giving the genius dessert cook, their master, space to think of something they had never seen before, just like always.
But inside, Ji Hoon was a complete mess. He had no idea what to make.
'Ah! Seriously, why do I keep challenging people with my cooking every single time these days? That woman has probably tasted everything under the sun—what am I even supposed to make for her? And now she expects something she's never seen?! Why did I even say that?!'
Right now, for a professional like him, the problem wasn't how to make a dessert, it was what to make.
'No… I have to think of something. This is serious. I can't just let my mother—well, his mother—suffer like this. I spoke, so I have to take responsibility.'
Ji Hoon kept running through ideas. What could a woman like her possibly like? After a moment, a thought clicked.
'Yes… if I remember correctly, earlier when we were discussing, she didn't touch the sugared pastries. And she didn't even put sugar in her coffee. Hmm… she might have a bitter tooth… but what kind of dish can I make? Most desserts are sweet…'
Then, suddenly, it hit him—a perfect idea.
"I could make that!" Ji Hoon suddenly spoke out loud, making Wood smile.
"Young master, so… have you decided what to make?" Wood asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.
"Yes. I'll need a few ingredients first. Wood, can you bring me the coffee powder from last time? And Beatrice, boil some water for me," Ji Hoon instructed.
Both of them nodded quickly and hurried off to do exactly as he asked, moving with practiced efficiency.
Now that Ji Hoon was left alone, he turned his thoughts to the main ingredient of the day—his stored agar sheets.
The last time he had made the panna cotta, he carefully packed the sheets in storage boxes and kept them safe with his Infinite Void skill. Now it was time to retrieve them.
Ji Hoon closed his eyes, focusing, and slowly muttered, "Retrieve…"
======
[Retrieving the desired object…]
[Retrieving succeeded!]
======
The air around Ji Hoon began to swirl as the box's parts slowly materialized before him. There it was—the box, right in his hands as if it had simply appeared out of thin air. Ji Hoon smiled. This skill was invaluable. No matter when or what he had made, it would always be there once stored.
He could even store processed ingredients like this ahead of time, instead of starting everything from scratch. It was like buying from a supermarket—but better, because he had made it himself.
He set the box down and opened it. The agar sheets were exactly as he had left them, untouched. Carefully, he pulled out the sheets and placed them in cold water to soften and dissolve.
Just then, Beatrice and Wood returned. Wood carried a small pot-like container filled with coffee powder, while Beatrice came in carefully holding a kettle filled with water.
Beatrice immediately moved to set the kettle on the stove while Wood handed the coffee powder to Ji Hoon.
"Is there anything else we could do for you, young master?" Wood asked, standing at attention, clearly ready to assist.
"Oh, yes. Wood, can you make me some whipped cream? Try to keep it less sweet if you can," Ji Hoon said firmly.
Wood nodded, understanding the importance of balance in the dish, and hurried to another side of the kitchen to start whipping cream.
'Who could think of a dish with Coffee except for young master rather than a drink in this entire kingdom? Truly, he's a genius.' he thought as he went.
Ji Hoon allowed himself a small breath of relief.
'With the time crunch, I'll need all the help I can get… and since Wood is technically our family's cook, he should be skilled enough,' Ji Hoon thought, turning toward Beatrice, who was still waiting for instructions.
"What about me?" Beatrice asked, almost eagerly.
"Oh, no need. You should go and help the Lady. Stay by her side in case they need anything." Ji Hoon's tone was polite, but he was actually trying to get her out of the kitchen—he needed privacy to freely use his Transmutation Skill.
Beatrice, though a little disappointed, nodded and left quickly. Once the door clicked shut, Ji Hoon moved into action.
He poured a portion of the kettle's water into a saucepan, leaving the rest to continue boiling. Then, taking the agar sheets he had dissolved earlier in cold water, he carefully added them to the saucepan.
The mixture was set to a gentle boil, Ji Hoon stirring constantly, making sure the agar fully dissolved.
Meanwhile, Wood was working quickly, moving around the kitchen with precision as he whipped the cream. The rhythmic sound of the whisk filled the background, and Ji Hoon allowed himself a small smile.
'Good. That saves me a bit of time.'
Now, it was time for the coffee mixture. Ji Hoon prepared several cups, adding measured scoops of coffee powder into each one.
He then poured the boiling water over them, the rich aroma of coffee filling the kitchen instantly. Steam rose in curling tendrils, the scent sharp and bold.
Closing his eyes, Ji Hoon activated his Transmutation Alchemy, channeling energy through his hands as he held the cups. With a faint hum of magic, the coffee transformed into espresso, rich and concentrated.
Since Wood was focused on his own work he didn't notice. Ji Hoon added a small touch of sugar—not too much, just enough to balance the bitterness of the strong expresso without making it cloyingly sweet for the Madam's taste.
The fragrance was intoxicating, earthy and deep. Ji Hoon let the espresso cool slightly before pouring it into the dissolved agar mixture, stirring constantly to blend them together smoothly.
He tasted a spoonful, nodding in satisfaction. Perfect balance. Without wasting a second, he poured the liquid into cup molds, then used his alchemy to rapidly chill the mixture, setting the coffee jelly almost instantly.
With a small knife, he carefully loosened the edges before transferring each delicate, black jiggly shape into individual serving bowls.
As he placed the last jelly into its bowl, Wood approached, holding the finished whipped cream.
"Oh, did you finish already?" Ji Hoon asked, glancing at him.
"Yes, master. It seems you did as well," Wood said, offering the bowl of cream with a slight bow.
"Yeah," Ji Hoon replied with a small grin. "Now for the final touch before serving."
He scooped the cream into a piping bag and began adding elegant swirls of whipped cream on top of each coffee jelly. Meanwhile, Wood, curious, poked one of the jellies lightly with a spoon, marveling at the smooth, slightly springy texture.
"Is this… the same as that dish you made last time? That white jiggly thing?" Wood asked, his brow furrowing as he tried to compare.
"The white jiggly thing?" Ji Hoon blinked, then chuckled. "Oh! You mean the panna cotta. Well, you could say it's similar. I used the same thickener, but this time…" Ji Hoon smirked as he added the final flourish of whipped cream. "I made it with Coffee."
Wood's eyes widened in admiration, silently impressed by his young master's skill yet again.
* * *
Back at the Study…
Time was running thin. Madam Ashdown sat rigidly on the couch, her foot tapping rapidly against the floor. The more time passed, the deeper her scowl became.
"This is taking far too long!" she snapped, rising halfway from her seat. "Is this boy making a dish or preparing for a royal banquet?! My time is valuable!"
Viscountess Yuhwa's heart skipped a beat as she forced a calm smile. "Madam Ashdown, please, just a little more patience. Cassian is very meticulous—"
"Meticulous?" Madam Ashdown scoffed, cutting her off. "It's been almost an hour! If he can't present something soon, I will take my leave. I don't wait around like some commoner!"
Viscountess Yuhwa reached out, gently urging her to sit back down. "Please, I promise it will be worth it."
But inside, her thoughts were frantic. 'Son, please… whatever you're doing, finish it quickly. If she storms out now, this could destroy our family's reputation!'
Beside her, Beatrice also tried to help, her own worry bubbling beneath her polite demeanor.
"Madam Ashdown, perhaps another cup of tea while you wait?" she offered, her voice soft and soothing.
But Madam Ashdown was having none of it. "Tea will not fix wasted time!" she snapped, her voice sharp. She stood up fully, glaring toward the door. "Enough! I've had it with this nonsense. I'm leaving now."
Beatrice's hands clenched against her apron as she bowed her head. 'Master Cassian… please hurry. If you don't come now, all of this will be for nothing!'
Viscountess Yuhwa also rose, panicked, trying desperately to calm the woman before disaster struck.
"Madam Ashdown, please reconsider—"
Just then, the heavy doors of the study swung open with a dramatic burst of air.
Ji Hoon stood in the doorway, framed by the light of the hall behind him.
In his hands, he carried a silver tray bearing the completed dessert, a Coffee Jello glistening like obsidian gems topped with perfect swirls of cream.
"Apologies for the wait," Ji Hoon said calmly, his voice steady but filled with quiet confidence. "The dish is ready."
The room fell silent, Madam Ashdown's anger momentarily forgotten as all eyes turned to the young man and the mysterious creation he held.