This wasn't a normal mission, more like a job he was asked by a friend to help with. This person knew the food might not come out tasty if it were Joseph, but at least it would always be healthy. This meant it was risky to ask, but no lives were on the line. It didn't take him long to find his way towards the right town in the forsaken region. The cherry blossom trees and lake were all too beautiful to miss, let alone not find. Then again as someone with a fair amount of sensory, finding anything typically wasn't much trouble. ~Some people don't have any consideration of others, I wonder if the one holding the feast has ever cooked?~ He signed these words out in the open, not expecting anyone to get the words spoken silently with their hands. Now, the idea of having someone that couldn't typically taste things cook for others was normally a bad thing. Things should be fine as long as he didn't stay too far from any of the recipes. It sounded like there might be a lot of straying, hopefully that was wrong? Did they want to impress people? ~If the requests get particularly intricate and ridiculous than it will just be the bakery impressing people though, not the lord. Why would anyone be impressed by a persons ability to buy things? I wouldn't be.~

One good thing about speaking in sign language was less fear of a noble catching the words. Even if he was a noble himself, that wasn't even something the young man had even found out until after the event in Kikka where two groups had to go into the city in order to remove the deamons control and take over of the area. While that wasn't exactly yesterday, it also wasn't all that long ago when thinking about how long the young man had lived so far. So far he hadn't made any changes to learn more about being one either, it felt unneeded at this point so far. They were planning to eventually try to connect more to the Shengxiao family or figure out how Chisanas not dead. This would be to get to know his mothers family, not to learn how to act like a noble. Family was important to him, even if the subject wasn't exactly top scores for him these days. Wouldn't it be nice if he could go back to the days when he thought their fathers family didn't like him being a magic knight because it implicated he would commit violent acts? But he couldn't, so any work was better than to let the mind wonder too far too deep. Even if it was something as left field for him as cooking. Soon the peachy orange haired young man was close enough to the bakery to read the sign.

~Can someone who can't taste anything make something delicious by following recipes and logic?~ He spoke this question to himself silently in sign language. Of course, talking to himself didn't solve every mental quandary. Actually, it made him a bit more concerned. Breath, maybe some more talking can help mend away concerns. ~Even if I can't taste, I still know what certain things are supposed to taste like.~ But his mind immediately found a flaw in that logic. ~which doesn't help if I can't taste it. Well, whatever isn't delicious will still be healthy.~ He walked into the bakery feeling concerned, but still gave a warm smile. It looked quite busy and hectic, but he had to at least confirm it was the right place before starting to do anything. “I'm Joseph Cobborn, I was asked by a friend to come help with the baking for the upcoming feast event? Is this the right bakery?” If not for their mental, He would look and sound like any other commoner. While not a commoner, they also weren't exactly coated in silks either.

Joseph was almost two feet taller than the new person that popped up in the shop. She was wearing purple, which was an expensive color. Then again, some used magic as a way to skip the costs of certain colors. They said some weird things, like feast festival. Did they think that because the shop was crowded? The feast was a nobles only thing, not part of any festival. If they were here to work as well, then that was likely a good thing. The more people possibly meant getting it done faster. The shorter stature meant little to him, as it wasn't always something held exclusively for kids. It was best to get along with those you worked for. It didn't matter why the goods were being made, only that the bakery needed help getting them out. All the different pastries ordered did not sound like they railed away from any recipes, so this would be pretty simple. Well, it would still take work and time to make it, but the young adult knew how without concern over the flavor. When the two were asked if they could bake, he nodded quietly. “I can bake fine, so long as the requests aren't unique. All the requests are pre existing treats, not any of the unique specialties of this bakery, so I'll be fine.” When the man moved to let the two behind the counter, Joseph waited for the girl to go through before heading there himself. Cobborn looked over towards her with his pale pink eyes, “What's your name?”

Whatever her response or lack of one was, the day continued on. The red head listened as the baker told them where everything was in the back before going off to do their own work there. First things first, he washed up, as working with clean hands was an important first step. They started working on the first bread type next, pretzel bread rolls. Since his hands were busy while he measured ingredients, he started muttering the directions to himself quietly while going about it. After the dough was made, it was set aside to rest. He did this a few more times until it was enough to cover the pretzel bread rolls in the order. While the doughs rested, he started heating some water and setting some baking soda for the water after its heated. While that was rising, he started working on making the lagana bread. This involved yeast, but it wasn't all that hard. By the time he had made enough batches of that dough and set all of them to rise in bowls with olive oil, Joseph washed his hands. After that he punched the pretzel bun dough of each batch before starting to divide the dough. Once it was all evenly divided, he put the baking soda in the water, mixing it until the baking soda bath was ready. Each pretzel bun was given a short bath in it before placing them on baking trays.

When that was completed, he started scoring their tops then coating the tops with a bit of melted butter and chunky granules of salt. This was placed into one of the many large ovens there, the trays big enough to hold all the batches he had made on only two of them. ~Bakerys really do have a lot of work for what isn't bought for much.~ That was certainly a thought that crossed his minds, and thus fingers. But now it was time to work on the lagana bread dough again. They were all removed from their bowls before he started to shape them into long ovals, a few fitting on a tray. This was repeated until all the dough had been shaped then covered. While they were rising, he started preparing some oregano, rosemary, and thyme. By the time he got that finished as well as got some water, the dough was finished rising. Each long oval was poked a multitude of times with his fingers before brushing each one with some water, then putting the seasonings on top. With that done, he started putting their trays into ovens. By then he was able to remove the pretzel rolls from an oven, the two trays being full of perfectly baked bread rolls. Each one had the pretzel crust on it and certainly looked inviting for any that could actually taste something. “An upside to not tasting is no temptation.”

Words: 741

“Sorry Klara, I thought you heard my name with everything else when I was calling to the staff member. I'm Joseph Cobborn.” Cobborn was as common of a commoner last name as it could get. His clothes and name had a completely different feel than the mantel when it came to social status. Of course, Golden Dawn wasn't totally incapable of having people who weren't nobility join. He hadn't meant to be giving the other instructions while they were making the breads, but that was what ended up happening. Maybe it was a good thing the young adult was always talking to himself? At least in this case it had come in handy. “Yes, like that.” They didn't feel the same hunger the other did, but who would go to a job involving food on an empty stomach anyway? The scent of good food could drive the body to thirst stronger for the food, causing an increase in the sensation of hunger. The person isn't actually more hungry, but nobody ever said the body was a logical thing built for the modern days. The short female had that expression, of irrational wanting that was likely birthed from the history of on and off food scarcity through the history of human kind. If the body is fatter and smells good fats and vitamins, it is than more capable of surviving longer spells empty cupboards.

They were all done, all that was left to do was remove the leguna from the oven after it finished cooking. The lack of taste meant this wasn't something his body pulled the young adult man as easily, though it didn't mean it wasn't something understood. It was something that would take anyone eventually at some point who wasn't wealthy. He hadn't exactly been raised with a silver spoon, this gave him a good understanding of hardship. So there was sympathy for the smaller person, though it wasn't something he felt could be spoken on until everything was finished. Joseph pulled the trays of leguna bread out of the oven once it was all finished. The lack of fats on top of the bread along with the waters moisture had helped the flat breads herbs become more fragrant than ever. While not as pretty as pretzel bread, it clearly had a lot of its own flavor. This was perfect to pear with sauces or soups, but also on its own. Olives and tomatoes would be well paired with the bread, as well as certain cheeses. But this was only something he knew from reading and hearing people speak about food they've eaten. The light pink eyed person wasn't even completely sure if he would like anything cooked today, or if they enjoyed olives at all. At least he knew that he enjoyed tomatoes when they could taste food.

“We could ask if you could have one of the pretzel bread rolls now that we're done with the work.” He wouldn't do it for them. They were both adults, so he was going to treat her like one. The physical size didn't change strength, nor willingness to do the work. She hadn't really gone about the job in the most organized way, but not all adults were organized anyway. Size had little to do with adulthood when some were just made smaller, and some others had growth stunted while growing due to a lack of nutrition. Eating good as an adult couldn't undo that sort of damage. But the why she was short didn't matter to the man, as it was none of their business, nor was how mature someone they barely knew seemed to act. The now was what mattered and what you did with it.

Words: 621
Total: 2022