Chapter 515 - Selecting the Ingredients
Everyone except Abel had gathered at the cafe that served as the headquarters for the clan "Mont Blanc." Parfait, Natsu, Chris, Rick, Ginny, Wilnel, and the black cat, Trachiyo. They all sat around a table, sharing the information they had managed to get from the Demon King Mikan.
To defeat Demon King Mikan, they needed a highest quality shortcake. By handing it over, they could take Mikan to Pandemonium Castle, a place where the demon Kurotako, who protected her, couldn't be summoned. Once there, they could defeat Mikan, who was said to be weak on her own.
Having obtained this information from Mikan herself, Parfait and her friends decided to gather the ingredients right away.
According to Mikan, the shortcake had to be made with carefully selected ingredients. The required materials to make a shortcake in-game were eggs, sugar, cake flour, unsalted butter, milk, heavy cream, water, and strawberries.
There had been some discussion about using the custom cooking system implemented in a past event, but they ultimately decided to stick with the existing system. The reason was simple: custom dishes didn't have a "highest quality" rating.
It was possible to create a highest quality shortcake even with low-quality ingredients, but based on Mikan's advice, Rick suggested it would be better to prepare highest quality versions of all the materials.
This shortcake was a special case, but some items required highest quality materials just to have a chance at a higher quality final product. A famous example was the Meitou Yatagarasu. The system was designed so that if you didn't use the highest quality materials from the start, it would always turn out to be the lowest quality.
Rick's words were based on that knowledge, and everyone, including Parfait, agreed to gather the best ingredients. However, deciding which specific materials to use was another story. Strawberries, in particular, came in so many varieties that it was hard to choose.
"Which strawberry would be the best to use?"
At Parfait's question, everyone groaned.
There were many types of strawberries in AFO. This was true for most fruits, but strawberries were known for having an especially large number of varieties.
"There's the Spirit Peak Strawberry King that grows on the great spiritual mountain Fuji, the Yomi Strawberry from the dungeon Yomi-Hirasaka which is said to connect to the underworld, and the Zaratan Strawberry that grows on the back of the great monster Zaratan... There are others, but based on my research, it's likely one of these."
"...Rick-kun, are those strawberries we can actually go and get?"
"They're all in places that require clans to form alliances to even attempt. Zaratan, especially, is impossible without a ship or an airship."
"Aren't we already stuck?"
"Hold on. We don't necessarily have to go get them ourselves. They might be for sale in private shops or at the auction, or a clan we know might have some. We just need to negotiate and get our hands on them."
"Oh, right."
It was unlikely that the AFO staff-run shops would sell them, but there was a chance that clan-run stores might. They could also be sold through the auction system, so Rick said there was no need to be so pessimistic.
Furthermore, he mentioned that it was rare for food ingredients to fetch such high prices. Materials for dishes with powerful buffs, like Dragon Steak, were somewhat expensive, but they never exceeded one million G.
He hadn't checked the prices of strawberries since he'd never been interested in them before, but Rick explained that he didn't think they would be that costly.
"But we have to think about ingredients other than the strawberries. Milk, and the butter and heavy cream made from it, as well as the eggs and water—we need to carefully consider which ones to use."
"Isn't that too much?"
"Just try giving her something subpar, and Mikan-san won't come to Pandemonium. All our preparations will be for nothing. Besides, it's not like you'll be able to make a highest quality shortcake on your first try. If we don't gather a large amount of materials, all the money we've invested will go down the drain."
Rick was strict when it came to things like this. It wasn't that he was completely against taking a loss, but he only considered losses within an expected range; anything beyond that was classified as a failure. This time, however, he seemed to be betting on a massive return, apparently planning to go all-in with the clan's entire funds. In gambling terms, it was an all-or-nothing situation.
That mindset was a little intimidating to Parfait.
Noticing her expression, Rick let out a small sigh and shook his head.
"It's not like it'll all be for nothing, so don't worry. You're going to turn this place into a cat cafe, right, Parfait? A shortcake made with choice ingredients could be a great selling point. Even if we don't manage to impress Mikan-san this time, I think it's an interesting endeavor."
"Rick-kun...!"
"On top of that, if we can make a shortcake to Mikan-san's liking, we can sell it at a premium as 'The Shortcake that Impressed the Demon King.' Until the ingredients get out, it'll be our monopoly. Considering the return, it's worth spending all our funds."
"Rick-kun?"
Whether to call him someone who always lands on his feet, or someone who reads too far ahead and is a little scary, or someone who's planning to sell a quest-critical cake at a high price—Parfait had a lot of thoughts, but in the end, she decided that this was just Rick being Rick.
"Alright, let's split up and gather the materials. I'll check the prices at clan shops and auctions. The rest of you, please check if any clans you know have the ingredients. But I want you to keep the reason a secret."
It was a difficult request, but their plan was to defeat Demon King Mikan at the end of the event and surpass the point totals. If word got out about what they were doing, the entire operation could be jeopardized.
It was decided that if anyone asked, they would say they had given up on the event and were looking for ingredients for a new menu item for their cafe. The thoroughness of the plan was almost frightening to Parfait.
"For the milk and eggs, it would be best to ask Orion-san from 'Cats are God.' Their clan is the size of a massive ranch, so they might have some kind of special milk or eggs."
"That's true."
"For the water, it has to be 'High Way Star.' They're a clan that doesn't have a base and is always camping out as a group. They might know a place with a famous spring."
"I see, so we have to be particular about the water, too."
"It could be used for coffee and tea, so it won't hurt to know."
Parfait was already motivated, but the way Rick spoke fired her up even more. He'd make a good boss someday, she thought to herself.
"And in parallel, Parfait, I need you to raise your Cooking Skill."
"Right. The higher the skill, the higher the chance of making a highest quality item."
Parfait's Cooking Skill was at 95. Raising it further from here would be tough, but she steeled her resolve, knowing it was a path she had to take eventually.
"Got it. I'll make a ton of Nekomanma Deluxe...!"
"My master...! This one is overcome with emotion, I am!"
Nekomanma Deluxe was a dish that was just barely on the threshold for gaining skill experience. There were many other dishes that gave experience, but its ingredients weren't difficult to gather, so many players used it to level up to 100. For that reason alone, Trachiyo was ecstatic, leaping toward Parfait as the two tightly embraced.
The scene froze for a moment, but Rick quickly broke the spell, clapping his hands once.
"Alright, everyone, let's get to it. The operation will take place near the end of the event, but it's better to give ourselves as much of a buffer as possible. If anything comes up, share the information immediately."
Rick might as well be the leader, everyone thought, but since Rick himself said he preferred the strategist position, no one voiced it.
It's a huge help having such a brilliant strategist, Parfait thought nonchalantly as she decided to start leveling her cooking skill. Placing Trachiyo on her head, she began to prepare the Nekomanma Deluxe.