451-Episode 253 Cold Sweets in the Heat




After visiting Assunto's house, I went to Norma's house alone.

'No~Oh~Ma~chan*'
'Whoa!Did the heavy snow season come before the hot season?

Norma cowered her shoulders and rubbed her arms.
I'm sorry. I'm such a pretty and friendly person.

'Actually, I have a job I need you to do as soon as possible.
'What is it this time?Yeah, I've got what you asked for. You said you wanted it done in time for the heat wave.
'Yeah, yeah. I was wondering if you could make me two more ASAP?
'What about ......?

'No, I know what you mean!
If you're asking me to make two more of something I've already tried and failed to make, and you're asking me to do it ASAP, I think you're pushing me a little too hard!
But I'm sure Norma can do it!

But Norma can do it! 'You're going to play the reward, right?
"Reward?

What's that?
I'll give you a hug all you want, but .......

'I'll give you a breast enhancement massage.
I'll give you a breast enhancement massage.
'Carefully!
'Just don't do that obscene thing with your hands!

It's not indecent!
It's called a 'soft, enveloping angel touch'!

'I heard that ...... you had a lot of fun last year, didn't you?You know?
'Last year, you would have joined in, right?

I can still see Norma in her swimsuit.
It's good. It's almost spilling out. ......

'My hands are massaging you again!

Oh, no, no, no. I can't believe I'm doing this.

'......, that's not what I meant.'

I looked away, my hands fidgeted, my tail wagged busily, and Norma glanced at me as she spoke.

'Not during the heat wave, but during the heavy snowfall,......, you know,......, right?

Ah, you mean the group stay during the heavy snow.
It's not that they did it on purpose, they just came here on their own, and Jeannette just accepted all of them. ......

'...... It's too small.

Delia and Imelda would have come even if I told them not to.
What are Estella and the others going to do?I'm sure she won't make the same mistake again. ...... It's possible that she didn't make a mistake, but that she did it on purpose.

In any case, there's not enough room at the sunlit pavilion.
It's not a lodging facility.

It'll be fine.I'll sleep with Magda on my stomach!

It's like riding a train with a child on your lap. ......
It's hard even on the bullet train. It's hard even on the bullet train.

'Well, I'll ask Jeannette.
'Yes, you did!
'In return, we'll get two more of those machines from .......'
'I think they're ready!

What?
They're already ready before we order them?

'I just wanted to have them on hand in case there were any problems. That's good, because I have two more just like it.

That's very convenient.

'Then come to the Sunken Pavilion tomorrow morning. I'll give you a sample.'
'Tomorrow?You can still make time today, right?
'No, it's cooler today.

It's only when you eat it on a hot day that it tastes good.
Last year, it was extremely hot even before the sun rose, so it's just right.

'Well, I'll be there before the restaurant opens tomorrow.
'Oh. I'm sure Millie will be there, so let me know what you think.
'Is that so?Well, I'll pick her up. It's noisy before sunrise.

Even in the 42nd district, a beautiful girl should be careful about going out alone before sunrise.
Hmm?Norma?
I'm fine. There's only a few people in the Forty-second Ward who can beat Norma.
Not with Delia and Magda and Natalia and the ...... guy.



I'll see you tomorrow.
'I'll look forward to it.

The machine was too heavy for me, so I asked Norma to bring it to me, and I went back to the sunny pavilion.

Then dawn came, and the hot season arrived.



'Magda. Didn't I tell you last year not to roll around in the hallway?'
'...... This heat is bad. Magda is the victim.

Again this year, Magda rolled down the hallway with a beautiful 'caution'. It's like a tuna that's just been landed.

'There's a reward for waking up hard.
'...... coffee jelly?'

Hmm.
How can that be a sweet that was unveiled less than a year ago?

'Of course, it's our latest creation.'
'...... Hmm. It's worth the effort to get up.

He woke up slowly and brushed off his hair, which was sticking to his face with sweat.
Oh, God. I've got to brush my hair after ...... I've got to brush my hair after ...... I've got to brush my hair after ......

'Yashiro-san, Magda-san. Good morning.

He's coming upstairs in this scorching heat with a smiling face, not even breaking a sweat.
Was this guy already working?
I really bow down to him in this heat.

'Jee~'
'Yashiro-san!

When I lowered my head, my gaze was naturally drawn to the valley.
I wonder if I'm sweating?

'Norma-san and Milly-san are here to see you.
'Oh, they're here already?

It looks like they've been looking forward to it.
A beautiful woman and a beautiful girl carrying a large luggage greeted us when we woke up from sleep.

'Yes, Yashiro. I'm going to shake things up.'
'giggle. Ladybug and Magda-chan both have great sleeping habits, don't they?

They were still carrying their bags when they entered the cafeteria.
Why don't you just put it down?

'Where should we put it?

Oh, you're holding it for me to set up.
So did Miry.

'I'm sorry, Norma. I'm sorry I made you carry such a big load and take such a long way.'
'What are you talking about? It's not like it weighs much.'

Of course not.
There's no way you can carry three iron lumps like that and not feel heavy. Unless you work out on a regular basis,......?That's right!

'Norma is usually trained ...... by hanging big tits!
It's a good idea to keep your mouth shut if you don't want to be carrying this baggage.

I'll tear my arm off if I have to carry that thing.
It's no use. I'll shut up.

'Then put one here. I'll put the other two in the stalls.'
'Well, I'll do it for you later, just show me how to use it.
'Well, wait a minute. I have to make the syrup first. Ginette.
'Yes, sir. It's ready. Millie, can I have some fruit, please?'
'Hmm!I've got lots of fruit!
'...... "I've got tits"'
'I won't tell, Magda!Please don't make this up!

'I'm not going to tell you, Magda!
Good job.

Ginette is taking Milly into the kitchen.
I've already taught her how to make it, so I'll leave it to her.
I'll set up the machine.

The most powerful, high-rate sweet you'll ever want to eat in the heat of summer!

It's called... shaved ice!


Yes, I had asked Assunto last year if he had any ice. I had asked Assunto last year if he had any ice.
I didn't expect him to remember me, and I didn't expect him to remember me at all, but he was so careless that he prepared ice for me.
He had even built an ice house in the peddlers' guild.
Although it cost a lot of money to build, he said he didn't have to pay for it, and the price was much more reasonable than I expected.
The price is rather high compared to the price in Japan, but that can't be helped. In this world where there are no freezers, ice is precious.



But we can still make a good profit!
We could go the route of high-class shaved ice, but I think we should try to make it cheap enough for people to accept shaved ice.

'Mr. Yashiro. I've made the shaved ice syrup.

An array of colorful syrups made by mixing fruit juice and pulp with the 'Mizore' syrup prepared in advance.

Strawberries, lemons, peaches, kiwis, melons, and matcha red beans.
To make the colors more vivid, a little bit of food coloring is added. It is important to have a colorful appearance.

'Okay, Magda. Give me a cold one.'
'...... Mm. I'll do it.

Magda, who had been groaning in the heat, left the floor with a lighter step.
Unlike yesterday, when it was cooler, now it's sweltering hot.
The splattering of ice dust must feel nice and cool.

We were asked to cut the huge ice cubes in the "ice storage" into 20cm squares.
This "ice storage" and the ice saw are leased. They took quite a bit of money from me. ...... 'You can buy it back if you like. He said. I gave him some extra ice for it, though.

'One of these days, I'll have you build me an ice storage room, just like the one in Mahr's house.
'Then it'll be a joint effort with the carpenters. ...... When do we start construction?

No, no, no!No, no, no, I just said that!
It's not a decision!
It's still in the 'I wish I could do that' stage!
You're biting!Norma, if you were a fish, you'd be caught right now.

In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to use it for a lot of things.
So, it is possible to build one in the Sunlit Pavilion.
However, it is not possible to shut out the heat completely, so it may melt a little.
If the climate of the 42nd district is cool all year round, it is possible to store ice all year round.

...... No, I'm sorry if I'm making a strong argument, but it's not a done deal, okay?
If you want to spend that much money and maintenance costs on ice, it's 'hmmm ......'.
It's probably cheaper to buy from Assunto.

After calming Norma's preoccupation, Magda returned with the ice.
The ice is now in the backyard, where it is shaded all day and the temperature does not rise.
Thanks for going around in circles, Magda.
You can eat as much as you want. As long as it doesn't upset your stomach.

'Good morning!
'Good morning.

Loretta, whom I informed yesterday, and Bertina, whom I didn't inform, come in with big smiles on their faces.
...... Yeah. I'm sure they will. They're coming.

'And then there's Estella. ......'
'She'll come eventually. Let's get started first. The ice will melt.'
'Yeah, I know!I can't wait to see it too!
'I'm curious too.

I'm going to let Estella taste the new products that are being sold.
It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you need to do to get it.
Or rather, if you don't tell him, he will definitely complain about it later.

Let's get started.

I set the ice in the shaved ice machine and gripped the handle.
I ordered the shaved ice machine that the good old Japanese kids loved.
This is the orthodox type with a rotating handle on the side of the machine.
The type with the handle on the top would have been fine, but between horizontal and vertical rotation, the vertical rotation is better and less tiring.
...... I'm sure I'll be forced to do a lot of it anyway.

I'm sure you'll agree.

When you turn the handle, the ice is shaved off and a fluffy snow-like lump falls into the bowl.
That's enough to make Ginette and Milly's eyes twinkle with delight, but it's not enough.
I adjust the position of the blade while checking the roughness of the ice.
After several times of adjustment, the ideal ice is formed, and then the real work begins.

You are now ready to serve shaved ice to the "frappe bowls" that you mass-produced yesterday.
These frappe bowls and a set of wooden spoons are sold at the stall for 5Rb.
Just like the popcorn, if you have the container and the spoon, you can get 5Rb cheaper.
Shaved ice is sold for 20Rb.
But if you want a refill, you can buy it for 15Rb because you have a container. That's a bargain!
--This has the effect of creating the illusion of a bargain.

At 150 Japanese yen, it seems a bit expensive, but you have to bear with the fact that it is a rare sweet.
Ice is more expensive than in Japan.

'It's a mountain of snow'.

Ginette's cheeks flushed as she looked at the pile of shaved ice that had formed on the frappe bowl.
Millie also gazes at it with fascination.
The snowflake-like appearance seemed to be a critical hit in the girls' hearts.

You can put your favorite syrup on it and eat it. The first one is ......, so let's go with Norma for her hard work.


'What?Are you sure it's okay if it's me?

Norma, who looked so afraid to leave out Bertina and Ginette.
However, even if she feigns calmness, her tail speaks eloquently.
'Wow, it's beautiful~, it's cute~, I want to try it~'.
I'm sure Norma, who loves pretty things, would love these sweets.

'What flavor do you want?
'Well, let's see. ...... Well, let's go with peach, then. ...... Oh, but wait for me!Strawberries are hard to beat!
'Why don't we all just share?
'Yes, of course!So, who's up for strawberries?
'Well, I'll have a strawberry.
'...... Magda is a melon.
'Miri, let's try lemon, shall we?
'I'd like to try kiwi.
'All kinds, please.
'Hey, there, sister.

You'll get sick to your stomach.
He doesn't mean 'all kinds', he means all kinds of single ingredients. How many cups are you going to eat?

'Well, I'll have the green tea azuki.
'Yes, I guess so. I'll do that.

Matcha azuki. Also known as Uji Kintoki.
But I thought 'Uji' would not be understood, so I called it matcha azuki.
We don't have Uji tea in the Forty-second Ward.

'Well then, let's start with peaches.

He poured the peach syrup from the bottle over the shaved ice.
The beautifully arranged ice melted a little and absorbed the color of the syrup, turning it into a light peach color.

'Oh, you put that much?That's a bit extravagant.
'The more syrup, the better it tastes.

Less is more, but it's a fool's errand to be judged 'not good enough'. Let's make a big deal out of it.

When Norma receives the shaved ice, she is a little nervous and sticks the spoon into the ice.
There is a crunching sound, and the ice at the top falls away.

'Oh, no!That's a waste!
'Just eat it. It'll melt.'
'Yeah, well, ......'.

I poke at the pile to break it up, then take a mouthful of shaved ice soaked in syrup.

'............n~!It's so good!

The sweetness pervades the entire body and makes Norma's cheeks flush.
Her tail is wagging happily.

'Well, let's make Magda's next. I promised to give you a reward, didn't I?'
'...... Hmm. Magda is the best choice for the job of cutting the ice.'

Magda can't seem to contain her anticipation, and her tail is standing up straight.

'Um, Yashiro-san. The sisters seem to be losing patience.'

Ginette giggles and points with her hand at Bertina, who looks enviously at Norma.
I saw the same look in the eyes of a kid waiting for his turn at the shaved ice shop in my neighborhood. Their eyes followed the colorful shaved ice being mass-produced one after another.

'If we give priority to Bertina, we'll run out before we get a bite, right?
'Hmm, I guess so.
'Mmm, I can live with that, can't I?

Oh, can a sister tell a lie?
You would have finished it in two seconds.

'Here, Magda. Do you want some syrup yourself?
'...... That's an extravagant suggestion.'

I handed him the freshly made pile of ice, and Magda lavishly poured on the thick, green melon syrup.
After one round, he glanced at me and said, 'Even better,' and then he happily put on a second round with his tail up.

Melon syrup is an extravagant syrup made from plenty of sweet melons from Hamuko's farm. At the moment, the taste is similar to that of Andes melon, but I am secretly obsessed with the idea of making muskmelon or Yubari melon someday.
Melons are in demand as a luxury item. When completed, it will bring you wealth, mmm-hmm.

'............ good'.

Magda eats the syrupy part of the melon.
He doesn't say much, just eats the shaved ice in silence.
Perhaps the coldness is comforting, but after taking a bite, he closes his eyelids and shakes his body with a 'mmm~......' sound. He seems to be enjoying himself.

'Magda, is it good?Is it good?

and Loretta circled around Magda as she ate shaved ice.


Sit tight, ...... or I'll give it to you quickly and let you calm down.

'Here, Loretta. You'll have to dial it yourself.'
'What?I'll be the third!I thought I was going to have to wait until the end to get a story that said, 'Well, everyone's gone!
'...... I'll do it if you want.'
'No, thank you!I did it!It's shaved ice!

Loretta grabbed a freshly made shaved ice and poured kiwi syrup on it.
She writes the word 'kiwi' on the ice. ...... What a joke.

'This is pretty, but there's not enough syrup!

He couldn't taste it at all, so he kept pouring syrup on it.
There are so many different reactions, aren't there?

'Well, next time, Millie...'
'Hmm. Heh heh. Watch me close, okay?'
'Yeah. Watch out for the flying ice.'
'Yeah, it's okay. It's nice and cold.'

All right, then, I'm going to pour ice on Millie until she's soaking wet...

......?
I can't. I'm not sure what to do.
I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... I'm sure it's a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... I'm sure it's a good idea, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

'That's it.
I'm not sure what to say.It's so cold, ladybug.

When I throw the spilled ice at her, Millie protests with a cute wave of her arm.
Hahaha ...... is soothing.

'Yashiro-san. Don't play pranks.'
'Ei'.
'Aaah!...... already'.

He throws ice at Jeannette, who scolds him.
For sanitary reasons, we don't use the fallen ice anymore. There's no punishment for using it this way.
It won't fill your stomach, but it will fill your heart.

'Yashiro-san, ahhh.
'Yours doesn't mean the same thing, Bertina.

Bertina stepped forward and opened her mouth wide, as if she were next.
That's the first time I've ever seen such a brazen request for a bite.

Since Bertina is itching to eat, I decide to cook quickly.
After the third time, I'm used to it, and in no time, a mountain of ice is born in the bowl.

'...... I see. You make a mountain by rotating the hand that holds the bowl.

Ginette is studying my movements.
She spins her wrist as if she were watching me.

'Ginette, do you want to try it?
'Yes!But after you finish Sister's.'

It's faster if I do it myself.
Bertina's probably at her limit by now.

'Oh my goodness. It's really good, isn't it?

While Bertina is making shaved ice, Milly is tucking into lemon shaved ice.
That classic bright yellow lemon. It just doesn't feel like shaved ice without it.

Unlike the lemon syrup often seen in Japan, the lemon syrup here is made from real lemon juice.
The amount of syrup is adjusted to be sweet enough to give a faint lemon flavor.
The syrup is a little sweet, but I think it expresses the taste of lemon squash.
It is a refreshing taste for adults.
Well, it's for adults, but it's a relatively adult version of the children's version.

'Bertina, what flavor would you like to start with?
'Well, I'll go with peach. I thought Norma's looked good.

Ginette will eat the strawberry and I'll eat the green tea red bean, so you can have that first impression. Maybe that's how you feel.
I've eaten matcha azuki before.
How badly do you want to see your child happy? This mother substitute.

'......,' Ginette said, smiling quietly.

'What is it?'
'No . I knew you'd forgive me for eating everything.

There's nothing you can do to forgive or stop Bertina's appetite.



'Yashiro-san loves to see you happy, doesn't he?

No, that's not me. ............ Go ahead, say it.

'Hey, it's Peach.'
'Yes, sir.

I'll push the pile of ice to Jeannette.
Work, if you have time to waste talking. .......

It's not often that Bertina says, 'Well, I'll do it myself.
It's the safest and tastiest thing to throw to Jeannette. I'm sure it's partly because of ......, but it seems to me that he's acting out of consideration for the kids' feelings of wanting to do their best for Bertina.
The kids, including Ginette, like to be told 'thank you' by Bertina.

'Oh, it's so cold and delicious. Thank you, Ginette.'
'Ehehe.'

......?

'Thank you, Yashiro-san, too.'
'......n'.

I don't mind.
I'm fine with thanks and ......

I'd prefer to be paid in kind. I don't know.

'Okay, Ginette. Let's do it.'
'Yes.'

Don't chuckle as you answer.
Don't look me in the face and smile.
I'm not embarrassed. I'm totally normal.
So don't give me that 'Yashiro-san' look. I'll throw ice at you.

It's pretty heavy.
'Wow, that's true.

Thanks to the precision bearings, the shaved ice machine's handle is light.
Even so, you will feel a lot of rebound in the first rotation.
Once the ice starts to turn, the rest of the shaving goes smoothly.

'It's kind of fun, isn't it?

After shaving the ice several times in practice, Ginette tried the real thing.
Over there, four people with shaved ice in their hands were already starting to share.
I'll have to make some for Jeannette soon.

'Whoa, whoa!It's difficult.

It seems that it is difficult to turn the bowl, and the ice keeps spilling out.
After consuming about two cups of ice, I managed to force it to form a pile and completed the first one for Ginette.

'You need more practice,' he said.
'That's good for a first time. Then, this is--'
'Matcha red beans, right?

She's giving me my first cup.
I see.

'Okay, syrup and azuki, please. In the meantime, I'll make one for Jeannette.'
'Yes, sir. Please do.'

After all, it tastes a little better when someone else makes it for you.

The shaved ice turns a deep green, and azuki beans are piled up at the foot of the mountain.
I'd like to have some white beans, too.

It's ready.
This one's done too.

We poured red strawberry syrup on the pile of ice and exchanged shaved ice with Jeannette.

'Now, let's eat.
'Oh.'

I show my appreciation to the creator of the shaved ice and decide to enjoy it.

'Hmm~!It's cold, it's sweet, and it's as refreshing as the hottest season.

I don't know what he meant, but he liked it anyway.
The green tea azuki, with its sweetness and a hint of bitterness, has a refreshing aftertaste and is truly delicious.
From the looks on everyone's faces, each flavor seemed to be a great success.

'Mr. Yashiro, would you like a bite?
'Is that a request for me to take a bite of yours?
'Uh-huh. Have I been detected?

As I shared a bite with Ginette, who was adorably peeking out her tongue, I was sure that the shaved ice would be a big hit.