NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
In the banquet hall of the Medici Clan, there was a dish that caught everyone’s eye.
A white cream cake adorned with colorful fruits, sparkling like jewels.
The nobles’ attention naturally focused on that special dish.
“Did the Toscon Empire have dessert like that?”
They were chattering, assuming it was something from the East since it was new.
“The Baking Guild doesn’t make dishes like that; it must have come from the East, right?”
“But it fits too well with the other dishes in the banquet hall.”
They were intrigued, yet cautious.
“If they’re showcasing something new, they must have hired a genius chef, huh? The new Medici Baron isn’t just any rookie.”
Just as the atmosphere filled with curiosity, the newly minted Medici Baron, Albert, arrived.
Thanks to the newly created dessert, the atmosphere was rather bright.
It wasn’t exactly cheerful, but the curiosity lingered as expectations for him rose.
“I can’t believe Fabio’s new dessert is already getting this kind of praise.”
“This is a new dessert from our house, a cake! We will serve it at the end of the banquet meal.”
The nobles from families allied with the Medici Clan congratulated Albert on his title inheritance or engaged in random chit-chat.
Meanwhile, they subtly revealed their interest in the cake.
“I wonder how it will taste, this new dessert presented by the Medici Baron.”
As a result, the banquet meal was served a little faster.
Beef tenderloin steak liberally sprinkled with pepper, cloves, and nutmeg; pasta stuffed with cheese, and so on.
Dishes intended more to showcase wealth than to delight the palate.
In truth, most of the dishes did not taste particularly noble or exquisite.
“Today’s dessert is the cake.”
Would the visually appealing food truly taste good?
The nobles instinctively swallowed.
“I’m excited to see what this new dessert from the Medici Clan tastes like.”
“I was getting a bit tired of the same old dishes served up every time.”
Nobles are sensitive to trends.
If they can’t keep up with changing trends, they risk becoming politically obsolete.
Being obsolete often leads to decline and death.
Thus, if they fail to accept something new, they might perish; the real question is whether they should embrace this unfamiliar dish or not.
“Go ahead and try it.”
Looking at the slices of cake set out, everyone swallowed again.
The red strawberries sitting atop the white cream sparkled like jewels.
It looked like a work of art.
The true essence of the cake was unleashed the moment it entered their mouths.
“The sweet white cream melts away like a sweet dream.”
“This dessert is amazing. Truly worthy of the Medici Baron family.”
“It will undoubtedly set new trends.”
Unlike the other banquet dishes, which were mostly for ‘showing off wealth’—so much so they hesitated to even touch them…
The cake balanced a slightly excessive but not burdensome sweetness with the refreshing flavor of strawberries perfectly.
It was so delicious that they wanted to eat it again the next day.
Some nobles even slightly lowered their guards in front of the Medici Baron.
“Medici Baron, could I possibly have another plate? It’s truly delicious.”
“I doubt you can find a dessert like this even in the imperial palace.”
As praises continued, the new Medici Baron Albert smiled and fulfilled their requests.
The following morning, letters requesting the cake recipe poured into the Medici Clan from those who had enjoyed it.
“I was sure any noble would have an interest in this cake. But the reaction has exceeded my expectations, Young Lord.”
The head servant approached me calmly.
As soon as he saw me, he smiled incredulously before speaking.
“We’ve been flooded with requests from the houses of those who tasted the cake at the banquet a few days ago, asking us for the recipe.”
Making a cake like this isn’t particularly difficult.
Even a beginner cook like me could whip up something nice within days with the help of the head chef.
‘If it had truly been a remarkable dish, I would have gone through far more trial and error.’
No matter how skillful the chef, if it had been a challenging dish to make, countless failures would have occurred before arriving at a successful one.
“So what did you do?”
“Albert Young Lord, or rather, Medici Baron, said that since it’s a dish created by Young Lord Fabio, you should handle it as you wish.”
Now that Albert has become the Medici Baron, it seems he should stop doubting people.
Yet, has he developed a suspicion disorder after acquiring the title?
It’s understandable he might feel insecure about his position right after inheritance, but testing whether I bow my head like this or not is bizarre.
‘If I don’t hand over the recipe, he’ll suspect me.’
Well, I never intended to make a fortune with just one recipe in a world where intellectual property doesn’t exist.
“Tell them to share the recipe generously with the noble families close to the Medici Clan.”
If I thought about it, I’d like to sell reasonable priced recipes to our allied families and overcharge the rival families.
Since there’s no patent, I can’t expect royalties, but I need to get some business startup capital like this.
However, if I were to give the recipe to rival families, Albert would surely suspect me.
He could misunderstand it as me being a cowardly lowlife trying to survive by currying favor with the adversaries.
“Yes, Young Lord. Also, the retired Baron would like to commend you for the achievement you made this time. He’s waiting for you in his room.”
Honestly, I have made quite a contribution.
I created a dessert that can brighten up a banquet vital to a noble’s reputation, slightly enhancing the influence of the Medici Clan.
It’s not just a matter of this one recipe; it’s about showcasing my abilities and ensuring the value of our clan goes up a tad.
You might think it’s just a single recipe, but in Korea, even before smartphones became widespread, there were special tips for cold noodles that could be sold for hundreds of thousands of won.
Not to mention, the recipe for a dish that can influence a noble’s reputation fetches a pretty penny.
Thinking about finally stepping out from hiding my power and getting a reward lifted my spirits.
With those thoughts flickering in my mind, I had to suppress the urge to hum happily.
Wondering if it would seem odd if I were too overjoyed…
“Have you been hiding your strength all this time, Young Lord Fabio?”
“Seems like you’ve suddenly become dependable these past few days.”
They say even a scoundrel who does something good once seems like the noblest soul in the world.
While I wasn’t exactly a bad kid who got on my father’s nerves…
I’d been acting as if I were ordinary, and now that I had finally shown results, it was only natural my reputation among the servants would rise.
My father must have raised his evaluation of me too.
Caught up in the joy of smoothly making my first start in this new world, I entered.
“Father, I’m coming in.”
Just a few days ago, I discussed my future with my father in this very room.
Yet, the me from then is quite different from now.
Now, I hold the solid justification and achievements to persuade him.
“Your gait has become confident.”
My father smiled upon seeing me.
Of course, he’d be pleased to see his child produce something to boast about at such a young age.
With the same smiling expression, he pushed a basket from his desk toward me.
Inside the basket were letters filled with requests from the nobles.
“Since you’ve heard it through Sebastian, I won’t stretch this out. Well done. Thanks to you, that Albert kid can hold his head up high.”
For nobles, banquets are akin to wars where life and death are at stake.
Among these, events like weddings, funerals, and the first banquet to inherit a title are especially significant.
‘The debut banquet serves as a gauge for the noble’s capabilities.’
Suddenly, my father sighed while praising me.
“Seeing you stand out even in such trivial commerce, I’m getting the feeling you could make a significant career as an officer or bureaucrat. Fabio, since you’ve fulfilled your promise to me, I won’t press you further.”
“Thank you.”
“To start a business in earnest, you’ll need capital. How much do you need?”
The more initial capital, the better.
However, asking a noble who has survived only through political strife would yield me nothing if I were vague.
“I’ll need a suitably sized shop on Vecchio Street, a skilled pastry chef, and 50 gold coins.”
It’s tough to translate the exact value of a gold coin into Korean currency.
This is because the nominal value of currency in this era and that of 21st-century Korea differ dramatically.
Nevertheless, based on the price standards of the Toscan Empire…
50 gold coins could buy a middle-class house in the capital.
“That’s quite a demand.”
“I think the work I’ve done is worth that much. Additionally, I’ll return more in political benefits than that.”
It may seem like trying to tear down an apartment for just creating a cake…
But the value of what I did holds up to that kind of demand.
I’ve illustrated that there’s no future uncertainty from the transition of management in the Medici Clan and raised our family’s value a bit.
“And what are your plans for the money?”
“I’m considering creating a space where people can enjoy cakes, pastries, and tea while engaging in light conversation.”
Even rolling out treats or cakes that don’t exist in this world every few months would quickly turn it into a trendsetting hub.
The nobles are perpetually thirsty for anything new.
If I stand at the center of this trend, the café will become the heart of politics and economy.
“While the name of Fabio de Medici might be known thanks to the cake, that alone wouldn’t draw a crowd.”
As of now, I’m merely the younger son of a baron family who cooked up a new dessert.
I can’t deny I have some fame, but…
I doubt people will flock to my café solely because of my name.
Thus, I need to take a different approach.
“I’ll utilize the cake’s reputation to attract courtesans.”
Courtesans—like a mix between a geisha and an idol in Korea.
As I’ve indicated they resemble idols, a significant portion of the empire’s trends is influenced by them.
Why? Because they are incredibly beautiful.
And a café that those beautiful women—or idols—frequent would never fail, right?
“Just giving away cake or pastries for free will bring them flocking in droves.”
My father immediately grabbed a pen and started scribbling an order and a check.
“You’ve proven your worth, so go ahead as you please. I won’t blame you if you fail.”