The Rome Gelato Mystery | Contents | The Vienna Sachertorte Mystery
For some reason, let’s assume that I was caught by an English assassin. He is cold and ruthless, and tries to kill me because he thinks I’m a nuisance, even though I wasn’t his original target. While cleaning his gun, he asks me.
“Japanese boy, have you ever baked scones?”
As I sit in a chair with my hands tied behind me, trembling in fear, I desperately try not to smile in a cowardly way and answer.
“I have. In high school class.”
The assassin laughs in surprise and asks again.
“I see. Did you spread the jam first? Or the cream?”
Now, this is the moment of life and death. What should I say to survive? If I tell the truth, it will be like this.
“I wasn’t provided with cream in Japanese high school.”
The assassin might feel sorry for me and spare my life.
Right after entering the second year, we had a cooking class held during the fifth and sixth periods, where we were to make snacks. The menu was predetermined, and we were instructed to make three things. One was cucumber sandwiches, one was boiled egg canapés, and the last one was scones. We also brewed black tea with tea bags. Basically, it was a class on preparing afternoon tea.
Our class was divided into six groups in the Home Economics Classroom, and one countertop was assigned to each group. The snacks our group made were far from excellent. It would not be an exaggeration to say they were terrible. The cucumber sandwiches were soggy due to moisture, the canapés looked fine but were incredibly salty, and the scones were burnt. I scraped off the charred parts and ate them, but it was hard to have any impression beyond that of burnt, hard bread. We were to write a report as homework, and the group that failed was instructed to write down the reasons for the failure. I wanted to write “Everything was in vain,” but I couldn’t, so I briefly wrote about how overestimating the moisture content of cucumbers led to a disastrous result and submitted it.
Until I took this class, I had never eaten a scone and thought I wouldn’t have the chance to eat one for a while, but the second opportunity came surprisingly quickly. The day after the cooking class, I received a message from Osanai-san during lunchtime.
“I need help.”
I felt a little relieved. Osanai-san and I promised to watch over and help each other. But recently, I’d racked up too many debts with her.
I wrote, “What should I do?”
The reply was quick.
“After school?”
She was asking if I had the time.
“OK.”
“Let’s see scones.”
It seemed like her reply didn’t match the conversation, but Osanai-san’s messages were often so concise that it was easy to lose track of the context. Thinking that she would contact me again if she wanted to give me more details, I didn’t reply any further and took my afternoon classes. After school, I checked my phone again and, as expected, there was a message from Osanai-san.
“At the school gate. It should take about two hours.”
I was puzzled by the number two hours at first. If Osanai-san was consulting me, it meant that a situation had arisen that she couldn’t resolve on her own, or that she needed a person, even if it was just a mannequin. If it were the latter, Osanai-san would have written “I need a person” without hesitation, so this time it was probably the former.
Could we resolve a situation she couldn’t handle on her own in two hours?
As I thought about it, I began to feel that it might somehow work out. That was usually the case whenever both of us were involved.
I packed my things and headed towards the school gate. Many shouts bounced around the athletic grounds, done by clubs trying to attract new members.
It was a little past mid-April, and the weather had warmed up considerably. However, since Osanai-san disliked the cold, I expected she would at least be wearing a scarf, so I started looking around for a girl with a scarf after leaving the entranceway. But the girls I occasionally saw wearing scarves were not of her height. If she was nowhere to be found, she must be hiding in the shadow of the school gate. I had been surprised like that before. I couldn’t fall for the same trick twice. Just as I thought that and stepped right in front of the school gate, a voice came from behind me.
“Kobato-kun.”
Because the voice was closer than I expected, I flinched in surprise. When I turned around, Osanai-san was standing right behind me, frowning in displeasure.
“There’s no need to be that surprised.”
I had been looking for her and couldn’t find her. I asked honestly.
“Where were you?”
“Me? Right behind you.”
Mary-san?1
“I didn’t see you.”
“As I said, I was behind you. I called out to you, but you didn’t turn around.”
She looked very displeased. I asked her to confirm.
“Did you really call ou to me?”
“In my mind.”
So she didn’t actually do it.
I did get just one thing right; Osanai-san was wearing a scarf, a voluminous gray affair. I posed a question to her.
“I sent you a message to meet at the school gate, so I thought you’d be waiting there.”
Osanai-san nodded.
“I arrived first, but it was cold, so I went back to the classroom. I saw Kobato-kun changing shoes and leaving the classroom, so I followed you.”
Meaning that Osanai-san had tried to minimize the time spent waiting in the wind. I should have predicted that, I thought, as I stood next to her.
“So, where are we going?”
“It’s not far. It’s a place called Yashinoki2.”
“Is it a place that sells coconut milk?”
As if pleased that I showed interest in the store, Osanai-san smiled brightly.
“You think so? No, it’s a tea shop.”
Is a tea shop the same as a cafe? But since Osanai-san had written in the message, “Let’s see scones,” I could make a guess.
“It’s a place that serves afternoon tea.”
Osanai-san nodded and said in a low voice.
“It’s refreshing to hear the words ‘afternoon tea’ come from your mouth, Kobato-kun.”
“I may not know much about sweets, but don’t underestimate me.”
“So, where did you hear about it?”
“Yesterday’s cooking class.”
Instead of saying, “That’s what I thought,” Osanai-san smiled perfunctorily.
According to her, Yashinoki was a store renovated from an old house in an alley lined with other old houses on the way to the station from school, started by a British and Japanese couple. It was said to have a reputation for offering afternoon tea at the level of its home country. There were apparently no other branches of Yashinoki.
“I don’t know much about tea culture either, but…”
After that preface, she continued.
“At Yashinoki, they serve a set of black tea and scones, and the scones come with jam and clotted cream. It seems that such a set is called cream tea.”
“It’s a name that sounds like black tea with cream.”
“Even if you tell me…”
Fair point.
A spring breeze stirred. Osanai-san led the way, saying it was a shortcut, and we walked along the riverbank. The cherry blossoms near the embankment were already starting to fall. I asked.
“So, what happened?”
I thought she would only tell me after we arrived at our destination, but Osanai-san started talking while looking at her feet.
“The scones were bad.”
“Oh no. That’s too bad.”
“Thank you for your heartfelt words. Can I continue a bit more?”
“Of course.”
Not caring about my interruption, Osanai-san continued speaking.
“Just like you, my class had a cooking lesson today. It was during the third and fourth periods. The theme was afternoon tea, which is probably the same as yours. What did you all make, Kobato-kun?”
“Cucumber and tomato sandwiches, boiled egg and basil sauce canapés, and scones.”
“Then it’s completely the same.”
I noticed Osanai-san’s dissatisfaction. The scones baked during the cooking class were only spread with strawberry jam from a disposable plastic container. I learned in the class before the cooking that scones are often spread with clotted cream in addition to jam. Additionally, it was conveyed that cream would not be used in the class. It was not difficult to imagine that a rich budget would not be allocated for the cooking class.
“You should forgive them for not giving us cream. I think it’s unreasonable to expect a perfect afternoon tea from a cooking class.”
Osanai-san blinked in confusion. She then waved her hands repeatedly in a flustered manner.
“Oh, no, no. I wasn’t sad about the lack of clotted cream. Um… to be precise, I was sad, but I don’t think that was the problem.”
“Is it something else?”
“Yeah. What I’m complaining about is, as I said earlier, that the scones were bad.”
The wind brushed over the river. Elementary school students were playing soccer in the riverside park. I thought for a moment.
Even Osanai-san wouldn’t expect a professional level of taste from the scones made in the cooking class. She said the lack of clotted cream wasn’t a problem either. Then, what was so problematic about the scones being bad? Only one thing came to mind.
“So you’re saying that they should have been delicious, right?”
Osanai-san’s broke into a satisfied smile. It seemed that she’d been testing me, and I had passed.
“Since I was making canapés, I didn’t get involved with the scones. But I watched the process, and there were no mistakes in the order or skill. The scones should have turned out delicious, but for some reason, they were bad.”
I don’t know much about sweets, but I’d learned a few things while being with Osanai-san. One of them is that making sweets is a science and follows the principle of reproducibility. If you make it in the wrong order, it will fail. There is no chance of success if the order is wrong. While it’s true that unexpected flavors or textures can result from failure, it doesn’t change the fact that it falls under the category of failure when viewed from the original recipe.
In contrast, it cannot be definitively stated that following the right steps will always result in the sweets being delectable. When hydrochloric acid is dropped onto aluminum, hydrogen is produced without fail, but in a science lab experiment, the aluminum foil might shake in the wind, or one might sneeze at the wrong time while dropping the acid, or the classroom might be too cold, causing the reaction to end before hydrogen is produced.
Likewise, if one doesn’t have the skills to perform the recipe, the cooking cannot succeed. That’s obvious. But Osanai-san asserted that there were no mistakes by the person in charge of cooking. It was a contradiction, like saying one plus one does not equal two.
…But still, I feel like saying, “Wasn’t there a mistake somewhere?”
Osanai-san did not really oppose my curt response.
“So that’s what you think. I want to think so too.”
“How bad were the scones?”
Osanai-san had used the word “bad” to describe it, but the types of mistake can range from nonsensical ones like confusing salt and sugar to common mistakes like burning it due to poor heat control, or even mistakes where the cooking was successful but got mixed with the sauce of another dish during plating.
Her answer was clear.
“They were undercooked. The teacher said not to eat them.”
“Undercooked flour is not something you should eat?”
“No. You’ll get a stomachache.”
Then it was not just a matter of being bad. If the scones became inedible, it was a really big mistake. A car approached from the front. There were no guardrails on the embankment road, so I stepped aside to let it pass. As we started walking again, I asked.
“When does undercooking happen?”
Asking questions one-sidedly was boring, so I started listing what came to mind myself.
“Simply put, I think the oven’s heat was weak or the baking time was short.”
Then I recalled how my cooking class went.
“I think it would be like that if the preheating wasn’t sufficient.”
Osanai-san nodded.
“Yes. And the heat shouldn’t be too strong.”
I was about to say, “I see,” but then I tilted my head.
“…Why?”
“Because the outside burns before the inside cooks.”
I see. So strength does not make up for weakness.
“And what commonly happens is that the oven door is opened several times. If you’re worried about how well it’s baking and open the door, the temperature inside the oven drops. It won’t go well if you put too much sugar in either. The sugar traps moisture in the dough.”
“So there are various factors.”
“But the sugar was the right amount.”
There seemed to be various causes for undercooking. However, the most suspicious one was still the oven.
“Just in case, was there a problem with the oven settings?”
Osanai-san seemed to want to say something, but she carefully uttered a preface.
“I didn’t see what the initial settings were. But the baking time was according to the recipe, and later I checked that the temperature setting was also as instructed.”
“Was there a possibility of machine malfunction?”
“I’m not sure… but I don’t think so. The same class was probably held in other classes, and they would have used the same oven. Did anything happen in your class where the scones were undercooked, Kobato-kun?”
“I don’t think so.”
The possibility that the oven suddenly broke down between the end of the sixth period yesterday and the third period today is not zero, but I think it’s safe to exclude it from consideration for now.
“Is there anything else that comes to mind?”
“If the dough has too much moisture or if you put in a lot of ingredients that retain moisture, it can also be undercooked.”
“If the cooking class recipe is the same, there are no ingredients in scones. What about the possibility of too much moisture?”
“I saw the person in charge of scones measuring the milk. It was the right amount, and they didn’t add any liquid other than the milk.”
Osanai-san seemed to have been watching the cooking process closely. I could trust that there were no mistakes in the order or skill. They made it according to the usual standards and baked it according to the usual standards, yet the scone failed for some reason. It was definitely strange. I clasped my hands behind my head.
“So, what are you going to do by figuring out the cause of the failure? Do you just want to know?”
Osanai-san shook her head.
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have called you.”
“I see.”
“There’s a problem.”
We left the embankment road and entered an old deserted residential area. As we walked, Osanai-san raised her index finger beside her face.
“First. The scones were made by a girl named Sawami-san, all by herself.”
After her index finger, Osanai-san raised her middle finger.
“Second. A report assignment was given. We have to write down the cause of the failure and submit it to the teacher. Also, there’s no guarantee that the report won’t be disclosed in front of the whole class.”
She then raised her ring finger.
“Third. The scones were made by Sawami-san, and since the scones failed, if we write it as it is, it will become a report saying that Sawami-san failed. But I know that there were no mistakes in Sawami-san’s process. And the real problem is that if I write a report saying that it was Sawami-san’s fault and that report gets disclosed in front of the whole class…”
This would mean that the human relationships in her class might become a bit complicated. This Sawami-san seemed to have a big ego. Osanai-san clenched her three fingers for now and then opened her palm, an act that made me think of a flower blooming.
“I have no idea what to do.”
“I see.”
I don’t want to cause a stir in the class. I want to go through my days peacefully without harshly criticizing anyone.
Osanai-san’s wish was very much like what a little citizen would desire, and we were indeed in a reciprocal relationship to achieve that.
“I’ll listen carefully.”
“We’ve arrived at the store.”
There was a sign with the word Yashinoki written in horizontal characters. The story would be continued with a cup of tea.
Yashinoki looked like a building that had been converted from a merchant house. The roof was covered with tiles, and although it was two stories tall, the building was short. As I pushed open the wooden lattice door and entered the store, a blond-haired, blue-eyed man wearing a light brown apron greeted us.
“Welcome. Please take any seat.”
It was fluent Japanese.
The interior was spacious, but perhaps due to the odd time, there weren’t many customers. There were wooden chairs and tables on the amber-colored floor. Osanai-san looked around the store and placed her school bag at a seat near the kitchen. I took a seat opposite Osanai-san.
The store was quiet, and somehow, there was an adult atmosphere that made me worry that uniformed students like us would ruin the mood. Osanai-san quickly flipped through the menu that sported a wooden cover and pointed it towards me.
“What should we order?”
The reason we came here was for Osanai-san to see the scones, and while I didn’t know exactly that meant, I thought it would be best for her to order what she needed. However, Osanai-san shook her head slightly.
“Order what you like, Kobato-kun. I’m sorry for making you join me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“It’s my treat.”
“You must be joking.”
If I let her pay for me here, I might have to treat her to something the next time I become indebted to her.
The waiter from earlier brought the water. Osanai-san urged me to order first with her hand, and I complied.
“Milk tea, please.”
That was at the top of the menu. Then Osanai-san spoke.
“Cream tea, please.”
“All right.”
“Can I ask for two freshly made scones?”
The waiter smiled.
“Of course. It will take a little time, is that okay?”
“Yes.”
Finally, the waiter repeated the order and left the table.
If we wanted to talk, we should do so after our orders were ready. However, since Osanai-san’s cream tea would take some time, I took a sip from my cup and spoke.
“So, what happened today?”
A woman in an apron was putting flour into a bowl in the kitchen. Osanai-san rested her chin on her hand and looked at the kitchen, not looking at me when she answered.
“I’m not sure where to start. I’m sorry for asking. How did your class go, Kobato-kun? Like, how did you decide who would knead the flour and who would cut the sandwich bread?”
I dredged up my memories.
“First, the class was split into six groups. The teacher decided the group divisions based on the arrangement of our desks in the classroom. Each group had either six or seven members.”
Osanai-san nodded while looking at the kitchen. I continued speaking.
“We were told to choose a group leader with cooking experience for each group. Fortunately, our group had such a student, so there was no problem, but I think there were some groups without any. We received the recipe a week before the cooking class and were told to create a cooking schedule.”
We decided who would do what on the schedule, but it was not followed.
“The work division was based on the group leader’s instructions, but the work division was not clear. The person with free hands would do the next task.”
“Then it probably didn’t go smoothly.”
“You’re right. For example, one person put the flour in the bowl but didn’t take the butter out of the fridge, or the timing for cutting the cucumber and egg overlapped but there was only one cutting board, so unnecessary waiting time occurred. It felt like that.”
The plan was clumsy, the work speed was slow, and the morale of the group members was low, so there were plenty of “failure causes” to write in the report. But well, that’s what the lesson was for.
In the kitchen, a black-haired woman was adding butter to flour. The butter was cold, and came in the shape of a cube. Our recipe was the same. A blue-eyed waiter placed a teapot and teacup in front of me. When I looked closely, the pot contained milk tea. I was a bit surprised because I thought they would pour black tea into the cup and add milk later.
Osanai-san said.
“We did almost the same. We were divided into groups, were assigned tasks, received the recipe, and created a cooking schedule during last week’s home economics class. What was a bit different was that when we made the schedule, we clearly defined the task assignments. Sawami-san was in charge of the scones. Kurai-san and I were in charge of the canapés. Kanou-kun and Aotagawa-kun were in charge of the sandwiches. Miyano-kun was the group leader and also did the dishes.”
“The group leader did the dishes?”
“I was also doubtful if it was okay, but the group leader had a lot of free time, and if the dishes were done quickly, the overall speed would increase. I thought it was quite good leadership.”
Thinking about it, it did seem like a good plan.
But the important part was this.
“…Why was Sawami-san in charge of the scones alone?”
I didn’t think it was bad to do it alone. Cooking with multiple people is unexpectedly difficult. However, the fact that only the scones were assigned to one person while the other menus were handled by two people was significant. Was it forced upon her?
Osanai-san answered.
“Sawami-san has been to London and has eaten scones.”
“I see. So?”
“She said she knows about scones, so she asked to be in charge.”
Thinking about Sawami-san’s claim, I frowned.
“I’ve been to Nagoya and have eaten misokatsu3, but I’ve never thought I was good at making it.”
Osanai-san didn’t take her eyes off the kitchen.
“I know that Sawami-san’s statement is illogical. But do you think you can say no when a classmate confidently asks to be in charge?”
If this were a matter of life and death and the group leader had strong authority, the story might have been different. Of course, that wasn’t the case in reality.
“I think it would be difficult.”
“Exactly.”
In the kitchen, milk and eggs were being added to the dough. But there was one thing I was curious about in the current story.
“Sorry to put a damper on the story. It’s a very simple question, but are scones originally a London snack?”
Osanai-san, who had been focusing on the kitchen, turned her eyes to me and said in a hushed voice.
“Kobato-kun. Don’t ask scary questions all of a sudden. I’m not a pastry researcher.”
“I didn’t think it was a scary question. I’m sorry.”
“Scones seem to have originated in Scotland.”
Huh? Wasn’t she saying she didn’t know because she wasn’t a researcher?
“Then is it a specialty of Scotland?”
“I can’t say for sure. Cream tea, which is scones served with jam and clotted cream along with black tea, originated in the west of England.”
Hmm.
“So, modern scones are a specialty west England, then?”
“But including cream tea, the custom of having a snack in the afternoon originated from the English nobility in the Midlands.”
“…”
“However. the custom of drinking tea itself was passed down from Portugal and spread from the royal palace. In other words, it was from London.”
As if she found it amusing that I was flustered, Osanai-san tilted her head with a slightly playful expression.
“I think the combination of scones and tea is a custom that flexibly embraces wonderful things born here and there throughout England, and it gives off an ‘All British’ feel. For me, it’s hard to say where its original home is. I don’t know if it’s a suitable example, but wouldn’t it be difficult for us to answer the question, ‘Where did onigiri originate from?’”
That would certainly be a complicated story. Now I understood Osanai-san’s feelings when she said not to ask scary questions.
“But still, you know quite a bit. Impressive.”
This time, Osanai-san seemed to be a bit evasive.
“I just asked Kogi-san to see if Sawami-san’s claim was correct. I’m a bit embarrassed to be praised.”
Kogi-san referred Osanai-san’s friend, whose father was a patissier. Even though she got help, it was impressive that she went to verify Sawami-san’s words.
I sipped the milk tea. It had an amazing aroma.
Now, to summarize the current story.
“In other words, Sawami-san’s statement that she asked to be in charge of the scones because she had been to London is not completely wrong, but it’s not very valid either.”
Osanai-san hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Not really. There is such a thing as London-style scones, and what we made in the class was close to that.”
“London-style scones?”
“Yes… You’ll probably find out soon.”
Saying that, Osanai-san looked at the kitchen. Dough was being kneaded on the counter.
Osanai-san said, “Let’s get back to the story.”
“So, Sawami-san ended up baking the scones, but to be honest, I wanted to bake them too. However, it wasn’t to the extent that I had to do it, and the other kids in the group were even more indifferent. If someone wanted to do it, I would let them, and I felt grateful that my burden was reduced.”
It was just a lesson, anyway. If there was a student in my group who wanted to make scones, I would have gladly let them do it.
“The cooking class started from the third period today, right?”
“Yes.”
“Just in case, what about the first and second periods?”
Osanai-san frowned a bit but didn’t ask what it had to do with anything.
“The first period was… English. The second period was PE.”
“Was PE in the gym or on the field?”
“In the gym.”
I thought for a moment.
“I think it would be a bit rushed to change into the school uniform and move to the kitchen after PE.”
“Oh, that’s fine. We did PE and home economics in gym clothes.”
Speaking of which, we did the same. It was probably due to the possibility of getting oil stains onto our uniforms.
“I’ll start from the beginning of what happened today. I’ll take questions later.”
Osanai-san started with a preamble. That was probably for the best.
“You don’t me to tell you what the Home Economics Classroom looks like, right?”
I nodded. I’d taken classes there, so I knew every nook and cranny.
The Home Economics Classroom was on the first floor of the school building. In front of the classroom, there was a teacher’s desk, and on the wall, a whiteboard and a clock. The floor was linoleum, and there were six cooking counters arranged in two rows of three. The counters were rectangular when viewed from above, with a sink on one short side and a gas stove on the opposite short side. The long side was flat for use as a cooking surface, and had an oven underneath. There were many drawers, but were all locked, presumably for storing knives, so none of them could be opened. At the back of the classroom, there were shelves and a large refrigerator, with cooking utensils stored on the shelves. Though the windows were equipped with exhaust fans, the classroom still bore a unique smell.
“After the class started, we washed our hands. It took a long time.”
We did the same. We were told to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds per person, and since there were at least six people in each group, it took at least 120 seconds for everyone to wash their hands. In reality, it probably took about five minutes.
“Then there was the teacher’s warning. Be careful of burns. If injured to the point of bleeding, inform immediately. And, never play around.”
Cooking involves fire and knives. Playing around can lead to quite serious situations. However, when I took the class, there were no such warnings.
“Then, we got the ingredients. For the canapés, we had crackers, eggs, and basil. For the sandwiches, we had bread, cucumber, tomato, and processed cheese. For the scones, we had flour, baking powder, eggs, butter, and milk. The items that needed refrigeration were in the fridge, while the others and seasoning containers were on the teacher’s desk.”
I also remember what needed refrigeration: only the butter and milk. Osanai-san added as if she suddenly remembered.
“There was a cooler box next to the fridge. I guess the teacher used it to move the ingredients. I was so focused on the fridge that I bumped my foot on it.”
Hearing a clattering sound, I turned to look at the kitchen. The dough was on the counter, and a waiter was holding a rolling pin. As she watched the dough being skillfully rolled out, Osanai-san continued speaking.
“One side of the counter was being shared by Kurai-san and I, who were in charge of the canapés, and Kanou-kun, who was in charge of the sandwiches. On the opposite side, Sawami-san who was in charge of the scones was using it alone. Sawami-san’s scone making process was roughly according to the recipe, but should I explain?”
I ‘dalso read the scone recipe given during class. However, I didn’t know where the clues to solving the puzzle would be, and the more information, the better.
“Sure.”
Osanai-san nodded as if it were only natural, without showing any displeasure.
“Crack the eggs and mix them with milk. Cut the cold butter into cubes. Then, put flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix them evenly. Add the chopped butter and mix it further until it becomes crumbly, then gradually add the egg and milk mixture.”
“You weren’t even in charge, yet you can say all that without looking.”
Osanai-san, with a straight face, laid her finger horizontally and moved it under her nose. She seemed to be basking in pride.
“Once the dough is mixed and the powdery texture is gone, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for a resting time of ten minutes. After that, take out the dough, and start preheating the oven. Place the dough on the counter, fold it a few times, cut it out with a mold, and place the pieces side by side on the oven tray. Brush the beaten egg on top of the dough and put it in the oven, then all you have to do is wait for it to bake.”
“Impressive.”
“…I didn’t mention the quantity. It’s not something to brag about.”
So that action wasn’t her being proud…
At the kitchen, they were just cutting out the dough with a mold. Osanai-san’s scones were about to be baked in the oven. Perhaps having seen enough, Osanai-san stopped resting her chin and looked at me.
“Up to this point, there were no major mistakes or variations from Sawami-san. According to Kogi, the tricky part is when mixing the butter into the flour. The butter should be kept cold, but if you’re clumsy, it can melt. However, Sawami-san was quick, and the flour was definitely crumbly like breadcrumbs. Adding the beaten egg and milk all at once can make it sticky, but Sawami-san did it properly little by little, and the dough was beautifully finished.
“So it was perfect.”
“Yes. But the scones were undercooked.”
Thinking about the circumstances I heard earlier, Sawami-san must have lost a lot of face due to the scone failure. She might have had sarcastic remarks thrown at her, like “So this is all you have to show after being so confident.” If I hadn’t listened to Osanai-san’s story in detail, I might have also thought that the assertive Sawami-san had made a mistake due to her overconfidence.
Osanai-san continued calmly.
“The one who pointed out that the scones were undercooked was our teacher. She didn’t eat all the dishes from each group, but she ate what looked strange at a glance. She frowned when she broke one of our group’s scones and took a bite, then said it was undercooked and told us not to eat them.”
Osanai-san had said that the scones were bad. In other words, she must have eaten one that was just baked as well.
“At that point, you had already eaten it too, right? Was yours undercooked too?”
A silent nod came back to me.
If the scone the teacher ate was the only one undercooked, it could have been switched with another group’s, or it was just that particular scone that had not been cooked well. But if Osanai-san’s scone was also undercooked, that possibility could be ruled out.
After taking a sip of water from her cup, Osanai-san continued speaking.
“The teacher thought it was strange, and asked if it was properly baked. Sawami-san went pale and stayed silent, but Miyano-kun, the group leader, answered that they baked it for 13 minutes according to the recipe.”
Indeed, the baking time for scones was also 13 minutes when we took the class. On the other hand, Osanai-san had said earlier that the baking time was also according to the recipe.
“Was the only one who confirmed that they baked it for 13 minutes the group leader?”
A hint of hesitation appeared on Osanai-san’s face.
“To be precise, it was only Miyano-kun who said that. I don’t know about the others.”
“You said that you didn’t see it.”
“Yes. I looked at the clock when Sawami-san put the scones in the oven and when it beeped after the baking was complete. I can confidently say that the baking time was about 13 minutes, but I didn’t see the timer setting.”
The oven timer in the kitchen was a dial type. When setting it, I had to simply turn the dial, but there was no user-friendly feature for telling how many minutes it was set for. Osanai-san hadn’t seen the exact number, but…
But if it was around 13 minutes, we could say that the scones were baked according to the recipe.
I had one more question, that while a little vague, was necessary.
“So, were there any other strange points or things you noticed?”
I thought she would answer that it was difficult to say. But Osanai-san took it very seriously.
“Well…”
Osanai-san closed her eyes and muttered, then opened them after a moment and spoke slowly.
“The tip of the knife was round.”
Hearing her say that, I remembered that the knives were indeed rounded. That must be to prevent accidents, but it was strange to not be allowed to use sharp knives when we were already high school students.
“One exhaust fan was making a rattling noise. It should be fixed.”
I also remembered that.
“While Sawami-san went to get the eggs, Miyano-kun brought flour and baking powder, but he was scolded by Sawami-san for doing unnecessary things.”
Well, after getting full authority to do something, it can be annoying if someone interferes, even if it is out of goodwill.
“There were a lot of plates on the table next to us. I only just recalled, but there was a bowl we didn’t use in the dishes that were washed.”
“There was a group that made double the amount of canapés during class.”
“I don’t understand why it’s so hard to take out only what they need.”
“Better than not having enough, I think.”
I now roughly understood the situation of the cooking class.
A subtle nutty smell wafted over from the kitchen. I took a sip of my milk tea that was sweetened with sugar, and thought for a moment.
“You mentioned a few reasons for it being undercooked while walking here, right?”
“Yes.”
“I remembered that one of them was if there was too much moisture in the dough.”
Osanai-san silently nodded.
“Sawami-san put the amount of milk in the dough according to the recipe. So I suddenly thought… could someone have secretly added water or milk later?”
In other words, was the undercooked scone not due to a cooking mistake or an accident, but rather an intentional act by someone?
Osanai-san immediately answered.
“The texture is important when making dough. If the elasticity suddenly changes during work, anyone would notice right away.”
“I see.”
I answered, but I still couldn’t dismiss the possibility that it was intentional.
“Just in case, tell me what kind of people the group members were.”
Osanai-san didn’t say, “Are you suspecting them? They’re good friends!” but nodded as if it were a natural question.
“Kurai-san, who made the canapés with me, is in the track and field club, tall, a bit tanned, and always smiling. She asked me to direct her since she didn’t have much experience in cooking. In reality, even when I directed… asked her for help, she answered okay without making a face and handed me plates or brought ingredients. When not directing her, she was watching me cook while standing next to me.”
“Sawami-san was making scones across from Kurai-san. I think she could have reached out and added water.”
“I already said it was impossible, but it’s better not to think about the possibility that someone added water or milk to the dough.”
She flatly rejected my theory.
After taking one breath, Osanai-san continued the story.
“The ones who made the sandwiches were Kanou-kun and Aotagawa-kun. Kanou-kun is good at cooking, so he did most of it alone. Aotagawa-kun said from the beginning that he had no interest or motivation in cooking, so he went to chat with a friend from another group and hardly came back to our table.”
“I wonder if the teacher scolded him…”
“He was so brazen that the teacher might not have noticed that his group was different.”
That was quite impressive.
“How well did Kanou-kun cook?”
“Better than me.”
I didn’t know how skilled Osanai-san was at cooking, though.
“The sandwiches were more difficult and time-consuming than the canapés made by Kurai-san and me. But Kanou-kun made them delicious, even when he was alone and didn’t ask anyone for help. He was so skilled that he had time left, and even Miyano-kun, the group leader, didn’t say anything to him.”
“That’s perfect, then”
“But Kanou-kun didn’t seem proud at all. Maybe it was because Sawami-san was feeling down in front of me, but I overheard him.”
By her secretive tone, I was unknowingly hooked.
“Wh-what did you hear?”
“I heard Kanou-kun mumbling… ‘I wish I had mustard.’ It seems he regretted not being able to make it tastier.”
The cooking class had a set recipe, and the ingredients and seasonings used were also specified. It must have been frustrating for students who were good at cooking. Osanai-san tilted her head slightly.
“I’m not sure about the group leader, Miyano-kun. He might be in the Brass Band Club. During the cooking class, he worked hard washing dishes, but he wasn’t silent all the time. When I put the crackers for the canapés on a plate, he warned me that it might splash water since the sink was close. When Sawami-san was about to crack an egg onto the flour, he pointed out that we were supposed to mix the egg with milk in another container.”
I thought back to the scone recipe.
“Was that so?”
“It was instructed in the recipe we received.”
“Did Sawami-san follow it?”
“She got angry and said not to meddle in unnecessary things, then cracked the egg as it was.”
That was a bit strange.
“That’s deviating from the process.”
Osanai-san readily nodded.
“Yes. But there are methods like that too. It doesn’t matter which way you use.”
I see. Well, no matter how the egg was added, it didn’t seem to be the cause of undercooking. Now, there was one person left.
“What kind of person is Sawami-san?”
As I asked that, Osanai-san made a slightly troubled expression.
“I think she’s in the Table Tennis Club. And she’s the class rep for home economics.”
Being a class representative for a subject meant helping with the lessons, and one person was assigned for each subject in each class. They would bring over teaching materials, collect homework and take it to the staff room. Representatives were supposed to be decided by elections, but in the case that no one volunteers, the teacher would pressure a student without club activities to take that role.
“When Sawami-san became the rep for home economics, was it by election?”
Osanai-san gazed upward, apparently traversing her memories.
“…Yep, I think so.”
“Seems like she has a lot of passion for home economics.”
“I don’t know, but she really appealed that she could be entrusted with the scones, and when the teacher distributed the recipe, she said she could make it tastier than that… She was certainly quite skilled, but compared to Kanou-kun and other students from different classes who are good at confectionery, it didn’t feel like she usually did it.”
“Any idea why she appealed that she can be entrusted with the scones?”
“Well… I guess she was trying to raise her usual scores with the entrance exams in mind.”
“Or maybe she wanted to appeal that she can make sweets to someone.”
“Someone? Why?”
Osanai-san asked, but nothing came to mind. We racked our brains for a while, but the reason someone wanted something cannot be gleaned by others. In the end, we could only say this.
“Well, there must have been reason.”
Osanai-san nodded ambiguously.
Regardless of Sawami-san’s state of mind, the scones were not baked well.
“So, after realizing it was undercooked, did anyone say anything special to Sawami-san?”
“Yes. Aotagawa-kun did.”
He was the guy who hadn’t cooperated with the cooking at all and had been talking to friends from another class. I thought it to be quite ironic.
“What did he say about Sawami-san’s cooking when he didn’t do anything?”
“He said, ‘You overreacted, and this is what you get? You suck.’ Sawami-san went pale and bowed her head. But she didn’t cry.”
“I hope Aotagawa-kun gets into trouble.”
“Yes, he will.”
Osanai-san spoke as if it had already happened.
The scones were brought to us from the kitchen. A buttery aroma wafted gently. There were two containers, filled with strawberry jam and clotted cream. I was quite surprised to see the two scones on the plate of Yashinoki.
“They’re huge.”
The scones we’d baked were slightly smaller than Osanai-san’s fist. In contrast, the scones in front of me were larger than mine. Osanai-san nodded in satisfaction.
“They sure are.”
A while ago, Osanai-san had hinted that the scones we’d baked in class were somewhat London-like. I understood what she meant at a glance.
“So London scones are smaller than this.”
Osanai-san smiled.
“There is no such thing as London scones, but in Kogi’s words, scones tend to get bigger the further they get from London.”
They also looked slightly different. The scones of Yashinoki were puffed up and had gaps on the sides. The scones we’d baked also had gaps, but not as large as this.
A faint sadness drifted onto Osanai-san’s eyes.
“…But this size is a bit beyond what I heard. I don’t think I can finish it.”
“Well, it’s about the amount of a normal meal, right?”
Osanai-san squeezed her voice out, which was oozing with chagrin.
“Ko-Kobato-kun… could you eat one?”
No way, I’m receiving a sweet from Osanai-san? What’s going to happen later!
That said, Osanai-san was right to say that it was impossible for her to finish, no matter how you looked at it. I answered with resolute determination.
“Okay.”
So we shared the scones, one for each person. After splitting the scone, I first spread some jam, while Osanai-san first spread the clotted cream. Osanai-san might have useful information about the order of jam and cream, but right now, I wanted to enjoy the scone more than information. The aroma of freshly baked scones was captivating enough to make me think that way. While surprised by the thickness of the clotted cream that Osanai-san generously spread, I took a bite of the scone.
…I see.
The day before, during the cooking class, I’d had my first scone and got the impression that it was something like bread. Even considering our class’ lack of cooking skills, I thought scones were like jam breads. Jam breads are delicious, but they don’t make my heart flutter. I thought scones were the same.
But I was wrong. This scone was amazing. It was delicious. It was food that could not be replaced by anything.
The scone’s texture was a mix of “crumbly” and “moist”, giving the feeling that it was falling apart on my tongue. Such a rich and deep flavor could not be achieved with just jam, and clotted cream alone would be too greasy. And it went incredibly well with black tea.
How many failures must have accumulated to discover this exquisite combination? However, all those thoughts were expressed in just one word.
“It’s delicious.”
Those words weren’t necessary for Osanai-san. She simply nodded and brought the scone to her mouth.
After the intense moment passed, we regained our calm. Both of us still had half of the scone left.
If it’s this delicious, I can understand why Osanai-san wants to come here after school… I thought, but then I remembered that Osanai-san had a different reason for coming to this shop. The message didn’t say “Let’s eat scones,” but “Let’s see scones.” While pouring milk tea into the now-empty teacup, I asked.
“So, Osanai-san, what did you want to see about the scones?”
Osanai-san also took a breath with the black tea. The answer was short.
“If they’re let to rest.”
“Rest?”
“You can also say ‘let to sit’. I came to see if the dough was let to rest.”
Putting down the teacup, Osanai-san sighed softly. It seemed foolish to talk about something else while enjoying something so delicious.
“When she received the recipe from the teacher, Sawami-san said that she could make it tastier. I didn’t mention it earlier because you didn’t ask, but specifically, she said that ten minutes isn’t enough for resting.”
The recipe stated that the scone dough should be left to sit in the refrigerator between the third and fourth periods. The break time lasted ten minutes.
“What did Sawami-san say?”
“At least one hour. If possible, it should be let to rest in the refrigerator for three hours.”
But it impossible to let the dough rest for three hours in a cooking class that lasted just over two hours. If it really needed to be aged for three hours, then it was a mistake by the home economics teacher to choose such a dish as the subject of the cooking class. However, I still had doubts about whether it was okay to accept Sawami-san’s claim at face value.
“Really?”
“I’ve seen a few recipes in the library. There are definitely recipes that lets the dough rest. But….”
Osanai-san continued speaking while staring at the teacup.
“I don’t think it was let to rest in the novel I read before.”
“Tell me about it.”
“A woman greets a customer and says to have tea in thirty minutes. Then she goes into the kitchen, but another customer arrives, and she can’t respond because her hands are already covered in flour. While the two customers talk, the tea preparation is underway, and the woman takes out freshly baked scones from the oven.”
Thirty minutes from starting the dough to baking it. It was a huge difference compared to our generous hour and a half. And as Osanai-san said, the dough was definitely not allowed to rest in that novel.
Just in case, I checked with her.
“Don’t you think it’s something the author wrote out of imagination without having baked scones? The author might not have even been to England.”
“That can’t be.”
“Whose novel is it?”
“Agatha Christie, ‘After the Funeral.’”
She was in the top five or ten most famous British people in the world.
Osanai-san spread clotted cream and jam on the scone. Again, she did the cream first.
“I thought it was certain, but I came to check just in case, since this is said to be the authentic taste. And they didn’t let it rest, as you saw.”
“So it’s confirmed that scone dough is not let to rest.”
Osanai-san shook her head.
“No. What I confirmed today is that Sawami-san’s claim that scone dough should be let to rest is not always correct. Just because there are recipes that don’t rest the dough doesn’t mean the recipes that do are wrong. There are various recipes in the world, and as long as they taste good, they’re all correct.”
Indeed. I was hasty. I looked at the kitchen. The woman with black eyes and black hair was making another ball of dough. Osanai-san said that the scones from this shop had an authentic taste, but…
“Isn’t there a possibility that it looks like a British person is serving a customer and a Japanese person is baking scones, but in fact, it’s been modified for a Japanese clientele?”
“I don’t know if it’s been modified, but you’re mistaken, Kobato-kun. The blonde man was born and raised in Japan, and the woman with black hair is from London.”
What an abysmal failure. Was today my day of jumping to conclusions?
Anyway, thanks to Osanai-san’s attitude of not neglecting verification, I was join her for scones. I was glad, but still had some doubts. To hide my embarrassment of being hasty, I asked.
“If you wanted to know whether to age the dough or not, you could have just asked the store staff instead of going through the hassle of ordering and observing. They would have probably told you.”
Osanai-san placed both fists on her forehead and lowered them slightly. It looked like she was pulling down an invisible hat brim. It was probably a gesture that said, “That’s embarrassing.”
There were no more scones on the plate. No more clotted cream or jam either. Isn’t it absurd? Why do delicious things disappear when you eat them? The world is heartless.
We silently drank black tea for a while. Although we’d achieved our purpose of coming to Yashinoki, I still had no idea why the scones baked by Osanai-san’s group had failed.
Sawami-san had insisted on baking scones alone for her own reasons. She hated it when others interfered with her making scones. When the failure was revealed, she endured the humiliation and scolding while bowing her head.
What about me? If I wanted to show off my scone-making skills, if I wanted to bake the best scones in front of everyone and stand proud, what would I do?
“…Hmm.”
Osanai-san responded to my half-conscious mumble.
“What’s wrong?”
I still hadn’t organized my thoughts, but I felt a vague sense of unease from somewhere. I tried to express it in words.
“Osanai-san, you said that Sawami-san has a lot of pride.”
She did not deny that statement.
“For Sawami-san, the failure of the scone is a nightmare. Conversely, she must have never wanted to fail.”
“That would be the case.”
“And Sawami-san firmly believed that scone dough should be rested for more than an hour.”
Silence fell for a moment.
“If so, would she make the scones according to the school recipe?”
Osanai-san carefully answered after taking a sip from her teacup.
“Of course, Sawami-san would have been worried about that. But the practical lesson is only for two hours, and during those two hours, we have to eat and clean up, so there’s no choice.”
“That’s right. So, about that.”
Finally, I’d narrowed down what I should ask. I told myself that the direction of my deductions was not wrong.
“Did Sawami-san express any anxiety or complaints during today’s lesson?”
If Sawami-san had reluctantly followed the recipe, wouldn’t something like that have slipped out?
Kanou-kun, who was in charge of the sandwiches, had lamented that there was no mustard. That was a natural complaint. But what about Sawami-san? Did she say nothing at all?
“Of course, not everyone who faces a situation that doesn’t go their way complains. There are many people who endure silently. But from what I’ve heard from Osanai-san, Sawami-san seems like someone who would say something no matter what. Last week, when the recipe was distributed, she said she could make it tastier, right? So, what about today?”
Osanai-san’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“She didn’t say anything.”
Her eyes momentarily turned cold.
“…That’s unnatural.”
I could now see a crack. Something was hidden there.
I continue speaking whatever came to mind.
“Why did she complain last week and say nothing today? Did she have no complaints today? Did she learn during this week that the scone dough doesn’t need to be rested?”
Osanai-san’s voice was small.
“Most cooking is like that, but especially in pastry making, there’s a magical aspect. Once a method works well, it gets repeated, sometimes for hundreds of years. Changing a familiar method isn’t easy for anyone.”
“Sawami-san’s familiar method was to let the dough rest for over an hour… If she could make the scones the way she always did, she wouldn’t have complained about the recipe. But is that even possible?”
During the cooking class, the dough was probably put in the oven as soon as the fourth period started. If Sawami-san’s recipe was to let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour, then to make it that way, the dough would have to be put to rest from the moment the cooking class began in the third period. Was that possible?
It was impossible.
…No, there was a possibility.
“There’s only one way.”
Osanai-san nodded.
“You’re right, there’s only one way.”
As if to save face for me who had sought advice, Osanai-san didn’t continue. If so, I could say it out.
“When the cooking class started, there was already dough made with Sawami-san’s recipe in the refrigerator.”
Where did that dough come from? Of course, from Sawami-san’s house. Sawami-san brought her own dough when she went to school. Perhaps she asked someone in her family who was good at making scones. The dough wouldn’t be that big when rolled up. It could be easily carried if wrapped in plastic wrap. Like submitting a project completed by parents as vacation homework, maybe Sawami-san had brought the perfect dough for herself.
As I thought about this, I suddenly felt like I was at a dead end.
“But even if we assume that she brought the dough, how did she put it in the refrigerator?”
The Home Economics Classroom was locked. It would difficult to enter without a valid reason. The idea wasn’t bad, but if there was no concrete way to execute it, it would be just an armchair theory.
But Osanai-san did not take my doubt as a problem.
“Sawami-san is in charge of home economics. Her role is to prepare supplies, and there must have been a way to borrow the key.”
I want to say “I see”, but I couldn’t quite agree.
“But for your class, the seconds period was PE. She didn’t need time to change clothes since she took the cooking lesson in her gym clothes, but she had to return from the gym to the classroom, retrieve the dough, go to the staff room to borrow the key, and get to the Home Economics Classroom before anyone else to put the dough in the refrigerator. Isn’t that too little time?”
Osanai-san tilted her head while holding the teacup.
“Do you think Sawami-san moved the dough after the first period ended? Why?”
“Because if the dough was in the refrigerator when the third period started…”
As I was speaking, I realized the mistake in my thinking.
“Ah. It’s okay to do it early. It’s also fine before school starts.”
“Right. If she asked the home economics teacher before the morning self-study period if there was anything to prepare and was told to put the ingredients in the refrigerator, she could have put her own dough in during that time.”
That seemed like a bold guess, but thinking about it, I’d also heard the clues that led to Osanai-san’s reasoning.
“The cooler box.”
The one that was next to the refrigerator and Osanai-san had tripped over. Why was there a cooler box in such a place? The scariest thing for the home economics teacher would be an accident during cooking, and the next scariest thing, or equally scary, would food poisoning. It was entirely possible that ingredients were transported on the morning of the lesson. The cooler box was used for transporting those ingredients, and it was probably Sawami-san, in charge of home economics, who actually transported it. If that was the case, Sawami-san would have had plenty of opportunities before the lesson started.
Osanai-san spoke while pouring black tea into the empty cup.
“I think it’s like this. As Kobato-kun said, Sawami-san wanted to make scones with her own recipe. While she was thinking that, she was told by the home economics teacher to assist with the lesson early in the morning. Sawami-san thought of this as an opportunity and decided to bring the dough from her house.”
If she knew in advance that she could enter the kitchen on the morning of the practical lesson, the barriers to execution would be greatly lowered. I accepted the story.
“Even if she didn’t have the opportunity to move the dough to the refrigerator, in that case, she could just make the dough according to the school recipe. She would complain, but it would only be the same conditions as the other classes, and Sawami-san would have nothing to lose. It’s a plan where there’s no downside in trying.”
The class started, and Sawami-san began making a new ball of dough. After the third period ended, the students in charge of scones from each class put their dough in the refrigerator. At that time, the dough that Sawami-san brought from home would already be inside the refrigerator.
In other words, Osanai-san’s classmates would see the dough brought by Sawami-san. However, I would be willing to bet that no student questioned its existence. If I opened the refrigerator during a cooking class and saw scone dough inside, I wouldn’t think, “Something’s wrong. Someone is trying to swap the dough.” I would have thought there must be some reason for it. I would have interpreted it casually and probably not paid much attention.
If that was the truth, then Sawami-san was, in a sense, cheating. But she probably couldn’t help it. Since she had been to London, maybe she felt cornered by her own words that she could be entrusted with scones.
“I don’t sympathize, but it’s a shame.”
Osanai-san drank some black tea with her eyes closed.
“As expected, Kobato-kun. You’ve come up with a result I hadn’t thought of. Are you really okay with me not paying for the tea here?”
“It’s fine.”
We’d probably uncovered what happened during today’s cooking class. But even if we figured out Sawami-san’s scheme, the real problem hadn’t been particularly resolved.
“So, why were the scones undercooked?”
If Sawami-san brought the perfect dough, why weren’t the baked scones perfect? Osanai-san raised her hand to call the waiter.
“One herb tea, please.”
“All right. May I clear the dishes?”
“Yes, please.”
The waiter cleared the empty plates and teapot. Osanai-san watched the plates being taken away with regret, then spoke.
“I was thinking about that too. I have an idea. Earlier, I mentioned a few reasons why it could be undercooked.”
She’d told me all sorts of reasons. There were also reasons I hadn’t thought of.
“There was a reason I didn’t mention at that time.”
According to what I’d seen so far, I could guess what that reason was right away. I interrupted Osanai-san’s line.
“In the case where the dough was cold.”
“Right. If our thoughts are correct, Sawami-san’s dough would have been refrigerated since before class started. The temperature is different from the other dough that was in the refrigerator for only ten minutes. If she set the baking time according to the school recipe without knowing that, of course, the heat wouldn’t reach all the way.”
It would be theoretically so. But I wasn’t satisfied.
“If she wanted to make scones her way and even brought the dough, wouldn’t it be strange to just set the baking time according to the school recipe?”
“It would be strange.”
Immediately answering, Osanai-san added.
“But the baking time was set to about 13 minutes as instructed.”
Right. Osanai-san definitely said that. She didn’t check the time set on the oven, but it was about 13 minutes from the start to the end of baking. Did Sawami-san forget to adjust the baking time at the very last moment? Such a mistake can be quite common. Was that what happened in today’s kitchen?
The waiter brought the herb tea. It looked exactly the same as the black tea, with a teapot and teacup. Osanai-san poured its contents, causing an aroma of herbs to fill the air.
I asked.
“Was Sawami-san next to the oven while baking the scones?”
Osanai-san tilted her head.
“I wasn’t watching the whole time, but… yes, she went to the refrigerator. I remember thinking about what she was doing.”
“So she didn’t just go for a moment and come back right away, but was gone for quite a while?”
“I think so.”
I imagined the scene in the Home Economics Classroom. After putting the dough she’d brought from home into the oven and setting the timer, Sawami-san’s tasks were basically done. Osanai-san was observing various things while making canapés, and nearby, Kurai-san was waiting for Osanai-san’s instructions. Kanou-kun was making cucumber sandwiches alone, wishing there was mustard. Aotagawa-kun had left the cooking station, seemingly uninterested in cooking, and was chatting with friends.
And there was exactly one person who definitely said the baking time for the scones was 13 minutes.
“The group leader, Miyano-kun, told the teacher that the baking time was 13 minutes.”
Due to the sudden change in subject, a troubled expression appeared on Osanai-san’s face. I felt sorry, but decided to explain later and continue my spiel.
“Miyano-kun was scolded by Sawami-san for doing unnecessary things as soon as the practice started.”
There was another similar incident.
“When Sawami-san was about to crack an egg onto the flour, Miyano-kun advised that it would be better to mix the egg with milk in another bowl. Sawami-san got angry at that time too and didn’t listen to Miyano-kun.”
As if realizing where the story was heading, Osanai-san’s expression turned blank. I continued.
“Osanai-san, you might not have mentioned it, but the students of your class were not very friendly towards Sawami-san. They didn’t ask if she was okay or quietly help her.”
“That’s…”
“No, I’m not blaming you. It’s natural to focus on one’s own cooking. Especially if Sawami-san didn’t ask for help herself. I just wanted to say that Miyano-kun was the only one concerned about Sawami-san.”
He might have regretted leaving the scones to Sawami-san alone, or perhaps he had some personal feelings or relationship with Sawami-san that made him want to help.
“Whatever the reason, Miyano-kun intervened with Sawami-san at least twice, and both times he was rejected.”
Osanai-san cupped the teacup with both hands and replied.
“I think there was a third time.”
I nodded.
“Miyano-kun was concerned about Sawami-san, so he probably saw the timer setting when Sawami-san left the oven. Sawami-san set the baking time longer than the school recipe. But Miyano-kun didn’t know that, so he probably thought it was just a mistake in the time setting. He might have wanted to point out that it was too long, but since he had already been scolded twice for unnecessary interference, what if he thought he didn’t want to be scolded a third time?”
Osanai-san sighed.
“He would have secretly changed the setting time to match the recipe. Yes, that might have been it.”
For the school’s ovens, temperature and baking time were set with a dial. Just a slight turn of the dial would change the setting, and there was no function to verbally notify the change. It would be a very trivial task to change the time setting. And since Miyano-kun was the one who set the baking time to 13 minutes, when the teacher asked about it, he answered 13 minutes without hesitation.
It was very natural in terms of impulses or the flow of actions. But the question hasn’t disappeared.
“But in this case, I don’t understand why Sawami-san didn’t notice it. She would have put the dough in the oven and taken a breather. If the baking time was manipulated, she would have definitely noticed.”
After bringing the herb tea to her mouth and swallowing, Osanai-san muttered while slightly nodding her head.
“Sawami-san was probably distracted because she was doing something else.”
“Something else?”
“She probably had something to do with the refrigerator.”
I see. There was probably dough that Sawami-san made during the lesson left in the refrigerator.
That dough was useless, so it could be thrown in the trash without any problem. But if the dough was found in the trash can, it would be a big problem, and she might have hesitated to just throw away the food.
If she didn’t want to throw it away, the only place to hide it would be the refrigerator, but if the teacher opened the refrigerator after class, she would notice the unidentified dough left behind. Unlike her classmates, the teacher had the responsibility of uncovering the dough’s identity.
Sawami-san probably wanted to move the dough to a place where people wouldn’t notice as soon as possible.
“I think Sawami-san moved the dough she made to the cooler box. If it was the cooler box, it would be natural for Sawami-san, in charge of home economics, to clean it up after class. Everyone was focused on their cooking during the practical class, and no one would have noticed if Sawami-san took the dough out of the refrigerator and put it in the cooler box. But Sawami-san was also focused on her own work and didn’t notice that the baking time had been shortened.”
That was plausible. A person trying to deceive others doesn’t notice that their own eyes are being deceived. To show my assent, I nodded vigorously.
However, the only regret was the lack of evidence. There was no evidence that Sawami-san brought her satisfactory dough from home, and there’s no evidence that Miyano-kun reduced the timer setting. I was satisfied with the conclusion we’d reached and thought that it was the truth, but it was a shame that we couldn’t definitively conclude that it was so.
As I had that thought, Osanai-san spoke earnestly.
“Finally, the mystery of that bowl has been solved.”
Bowl?
Come to think of it, she did mention such a mystery. It was…
“It’s the bowl that no one remembers using, which was in the sink.”
“Yeah.”
The dough was to be left to rest in the bowl.
“I think that bowl contained the freshly made dough. If she moved the dough to the cooler box, the bowl would be empty, so she probably placed it in the sink without a second thought.”
I felt a pang of frustration. If I’d considered what the extra bowl was used for, I could have reached a smarter conclusion.
Osanai-san poured another cup of herb tea. With that, the teapot became empty.
“Thanks, Kobato-kun. Now, the only thing left is the initial problem.”
Now… what was the initial problem? Seeing me struggling to recall, Osanai-san smiled a bit awkwardly.
“I’m really grateful to you, Kobato-kun. But I wasn’t trying to find out why the scones were undercooked. I was just thinking about what to write in the homework report.”
I thought that might have been the case when she said that.
“If there were no mistakes in Sawami-san’s cooking process, I thought I couldn’t write that it was Sawami-san’s fault for failing. If in the off chance that the report is made public, I have to consider the relationship with my classmates.”
“So you think about that too, Osanai-san.”
“Yup. Isn’t this like a petit bourgeois?”
Perhaps. I thought there was no chance that the homework report would be made public in front of her classmates. Despite that, the caution to eliminate any embers is not too far from the peaceful ideals of a petit bourgeois. Since we entered this store, no other customers had come in. Was the management of Yashinoki okay? Were these scones too sophisticated for the clientele around here?
Osanai-san spoke.
“But I could speculate that the root of the failure was Sawami-san’s own responsibility. I think I can write that.”
“Are you saying that Sawami-san’s stubbornness was the cause?”
She opened her eyes wide and shook her head.
“I won’t write that.”
“Then, what will you write?”
Osanai-san puts down the teacup and speaks while rotating her index finger.
“For example… I was wrong to only think about the canapés I was in charge of. Since we’re classmates, we should have helped each other more.”
I laughed.
“That’s good. It’s fitting for a homework assignment, and above all, it’s a perfectly petit bourgeois-esque comment.”
“Thank you… The scone was delicious, right”
I looked at the clock. Exactly two hours had passed since we left the school gate. It was a problem of two hours or just one scone.
When we left the store, it was still too early for the sun to set.
The Rome Gelato Mystery | Contents | The Vienna Sachertorte Mystery
Thank you so much for translation!
Is this the last canonical story? Just want to make sure I don’t miss anything
This is the last canonical story for now, but a new volume will be released at the end of April, containing the three uncollected stories and a new story, so stay tuned!