Chapter 280

With the fish floss finished, Haruto turned his attention to the Kraken tentacle.

He first submerged it in clean water and carefully scrubbed away the grit and slime lodged between the suckers. After rinsing it three times, until the surface felt clean rather than slick, he transferred it to the cutting board.

Haruto sliced the tentacle lengthwise into strips about a finger’s width, then cut those into evenly sized cubes.

The pieces were pink and white, with firm, compact flesh that already looked appetizing.

Next came a quick blanch to lock in the freshness.

Haruto filled a pot with water, added some of the pale-blue flowers he had gathered from the Skyvein Dragon’s back, then poured in a little of the rice-fermented drink he had gotten from Ryoko.

Once the water reached the point just before boiling, with tiny bubbles beginning to rise, he dropped in the Kraken pieces.

Thirty seconds.

No more.

Haruto immediately scooped them out and plunged them into prepared ice water.

The sudden change in temperature tightened the Kraken flesh, giving it a firmer, springier texture.

After draining the pieces thoroughly, Haruto seasoned them with freshly ground black pepper and a light dusting of Holy Snow Crystal powder, tossed everything together, and set them aside to absorb the flavor.

Then he began making the takoyaki batter.

Haruto took out a large earthenware bowl and sifted the wheat flour first, removing every lump.

Next came the stock.

This was no ordinary broth. Haruto had spent two full days slowly simmering the bones of the Red Mirror Dragon to extract every bit of flavor.

He poured the stock into the flour little by little while stirring continuously, making sure the batter remained completely smooth.

Once the consistency was nearly right, he cracked in several fresh eggs, added a small amount of melted butter, a pinch of fine salt, and another light dusting of Holy Snow Crystal powder.

Then he mixed everything thoroughly.

When the batter flowed from the whisk in a smooth, uninterrupted ribbon, Haruto knew the consistency was perfect.

He set it aside to rest, allowing the gluten in the flour to relax. That way, the finished takoyaki would not develop a tough shell, while the inside would remain especially soft and tender.

Haruto did not waste the resting time.

He stripped away the older outer leaves of the cabbage and kept only the tender heart, mincing it extremely fine. He peeled and diced the onion into neat little cubes, chopped the tomatoes, and grated the remaining cheese into delicate shreds.

Each ingredient went onto its own porcelain plate.

Then Haruto brought out a special sauce he had prepared beforehand.

It had been slowly simmered from tomatoes, oyster sauce, stock, white sugar, and a small amount of fruit wine until glossy and thick, with a pleasant balance of sweetness and savoriness.

He also prepared yellow mustard and salad dressing.

By the time everything was ready, the batter had rested enough.

Haruto placed the takoyaki pan over the charcoal and let it warm gradually over low heat.

Once the mold was hot, he brushed a thin, even layer of oil into every hemispherical cavity—just enough to coat the surface so the batter would not stick without making the finished takoyaki greasy.

As the oil began to shimmer and quietly sizzle, Haruto lifted the bowl and spooned batter into each mold until it was roughly eighty percent full.

The batter hissed the instant it touched the hot metal.

The aroma of egg and wheat immediately bloomed into the air, mingling with the rich savoriness of the Red Mirror Dragon broth.

Within seconds, the bottoms began to set and turn pale gold.

The edges lifted slightly while the batter in the center remained fluid.

Haruto picked up the seasoned Kraken pieces with a pair of tongs and placed three cubes into every cavity.

Now came the most important part of shaping takoyaki.

Haruto held two long, slender bamboo picks.

Watching the batter carefully, he waited until it reached exactly the right stage of firmness.

Then he slid the picks around the edge of one cavity, lifted the half-set batter, and turned it ninety degrees with a smooth twist of his wrist.

The uncooked batter flowed naturally into the empty half of the mold, beginning to form a rounded ball.

Haruto added a little more batter into the opening, followed by minced cabbage, diced onion, and grated cheese.

Once that layer began to set, he rotated the takoyaki another thirty degrees and added more batter.

Turn.

Fill.

Adjust.

Again and again.

The flat pools of batter gradually transformed into perfectly rounded balls.

Their golden surfaces sizzled against the mold as tiny droplets of oil danced around them.

The aroma grew richer with every passing moment.

Even the innkeeper eventually poked his head out to see what Haruto was making.

Whatever it was, the smell was far too tempting to ignore.

Haruto paid no attention to the growing audience.

His focus remained entirely on the pan.

He occasionally shifted its position over the charcoal, carefully controlling the heat so every takoyaki cooked evenly and developed the same color.

When all of them had turned a uniform amber-gold, their shells crisp and firm while the centers still felt soft and springy beneath a light touch from the bamboo pick, Haruto knew they were done.

His wrists moved quickly.

One by one, he lifted the perfectly round takoyaki from the mold and arranged them neatly on porcelain plates.

Fresh from the pan, the golden balls were still steaming.

Their crisp, glossy surfaces trembled slightly on the plate while tiny beads of oil continued to hiss.

Just looking at them was enough to make everyone swallow.

Now came the finishing touches.

Haruto brushed each takoyaki generously with his special sauce.

The heat immediately released its aroma, filling the room with a rich blend of sweetness and savoriness.

Then he drizzled yellow mustard and salad dressing over the top in neat crisscrossing lines before finishing them with the fluffy fish floss he had made earlier, bright-green flakes of seaweed, and a final dusting of Holy Snow Crystal powder.

A platter of golden, plump Kraken Takoyaki was complete.

Steam rose from the plate, carrying an aroma so rich it seemed almost tangible.

The toasted crust.

The warm wheat fragrance of the batter.

The clean savoriness of Kraken meat.

The sweetness of the sauce.

The fragrant fish floss.

And beneath it all, a faint, refreshing coolness from the Holy Snow Crystal.

Each layer mingled with the next until everyone’s mouth was watering.

Stark stood beside the table staring at the plate so intensely that he looked ready to pounce.

Fern’s cheeks were faintly pink, her eyes equally expectant.

Even Frieren had not looked away from the takoyaki once.

Haruto handed each of them a bamboo pick.

"All right, try them."

"Kraken Takoyaki, fresh from the pan. They’re hot, so be careful."

The words had barely left his mouth when Stark eagerly stabbed one.

He blew on the steaming ball several times before biting into it.

Crunch.

The crisp outer shell broke between his teeth.

The first thing to flood his tongue was the rich sweet-and-savory flavor of Haruto’s special sauce, followed by the creamy smoothness of the dressing, the sharp kick of mustard, and the deep savoriness of the fish floss.

Then the soft interior collapsed in his mouth.

Warm, fluffy, and tender, it carried the richness of egg, the fragrance of wheat, and just the right trace of cooling freshness from the Holy Snow Crystal.

That crisp chill cut neatly through the oiliness of the browned shell, making the entire bite feel lighter and cleaner.

Then Stark’s teeth reached the Kraken meat hidden in the center.

Springy.

Crisp.

The firm flesh resisted slightly before yielding beneath his bite, releasing a burst of rich juice.

There was no trace of brininess or fishiness.

Only the clean sweetness the freshwater lake had imparted to the Kraken, along with the natural savoriness of its flesh.

The springy Kraken contrasted perfectly with the crisp shell and soft batter.

Sweet sauce, fragrant fish floss, refreshing cabbage, mildly sweet onion, creamy cheese, and the pure flavor of Kraken all came together in a single bite.

"This is—this is amazing!"

"The tentacle is so springy!"

Stark had not even finished swallowing before he blurted out the praise through a mouthful of food.

His bamboo pick was already spearing a second one.

Fern was much more restrained.

She carefully picked up a takoyaki, held it near her lips, and patiently blew on it until some of the steam disappeared.

Only then did she take a small bite.

The crisp shell gave way first.

Then the tender batter melted across her tongue, releasing warm, savory juices that flowed gently down her throat.

The freshness of the Kraken, the fragrance of the fish floss, and the faint cooling note of the Holy Snow Crystal came together like a clean breeze after fresh snowfall.

That subtle chill balanced the sweetness of the sauce perfectly, leaving the flavor clean and pure rather than heavy.

Every bite was filled with lingering savoriness.

"Haruto-san, this is really delicious."

Fern’s eyes lit up.

Her cheeks, which had been slightly pale from the cold outside, had already taken on a warm flush.

She chewed slowly, savoring every layer of flavor.

Beside her, Frieren narrowed her eyes contentedly as she ate.

The corners of her mouth gradually lifted into a small but unmistakably genuine smile.

"Haruto, your cooking is still as good as ever."

Then, without the slightest hesitation, she stabbed a second takoyaki and popped it into her mouth in one bite.

Her cheeks immediately puffed out.

Haruto tried one himself and nodded in satisfaction.

Before long, the entire platter had been wiped clean.

Stark licked his lips regretfully.

Fern looked at Haruto with obvious expectation.

Frieren said nothing, but she still had not put down her bamboo pick.

Haruto looked at the three of them and laughed.

"All right, all right. I’ll make a few more batches."

He reached for the remaining ingredients.

"And I’ll make some Holy Snow Crystal shaved ice to go with them."

"Hot takoyaki and something icy on the side should be a pretty good combination."