Chapter 117: The morning of departure 2

Selene was sitting up in bed.

Her eyes were still half-closed.

But her nose was slightly upturned.

Adam burst out laughing.

"No."

She opened her eyes.

"What?"

"You were actually woken up by the smell."

Selene looked at the table.

Then she got out of bed with a speed that was nothing like that of someone who had been awake for three seconds.

"Breakfast."

She took two steps.

Adam immediately raised a hand.

"Bathroom." "

Selene stopped.

"After."

"Before."

"Adam..."

"Wash up."

She stared at the food.

Then at Adam.

Then back at the food.

Her expression was almost tragic.

Adam remained unmoved.

"Before."

Finally...

"Very well."

She disappeared in the direction of the baths.

The noise, however, had woken the others.

Elena sat up.

"What’s going on?"

Then she caught a whiff of the smell.

Her gaze immediately turned to the table.

"Ah."

Adam pointed to the bathroom.

"Same rule for everyone."

A few complaints arose.

None of them worked.

About twenty minutes later, everyone returned clean and fully awake.

Selene was the first to sit down.

Of course.

Adam took his seat.

"Today, breakfast from my old world."

He gestured to the different dishes.

"Not necessarily all from the same country or even the same place. I simply chose several things I liked."

Elena looked at the crepes.

"Is this what you promised me yesterday?"

"Yes."

Adam took one.

Thin.

Soft.

He spread a little strawberry jam on it.

Then he rolled it up.

"You can put whatever you want inside."

Elena did the same.

She took a bite.

Her expression changed almost immediately.

"It’s much softer than bread."

"And less dry," added Lyriana after tasting it herself.

Elena took another bite.

"Is jam just made with fruit?"

"Fruit and sugar, mainly."

"Then why don’t we make it here?"

Adam shrugged.

"Because you use very little sugar."

Shiora had already grasped the economic problem.

"So without a regular sugar supply, the jam will cost more."

Adam sighed.

"Hello, Shiora."

"Hello."

She took a crepe.

"I work while I eat."

"No. You analyze while you eat. It’s worse."

She smiled.

Lyriana immediately chose the strawberry-grape jam.

She spread a thin layer.

Tasted it.

Then added much more.

Adam looked at her.

"I gather you like it."

"Yes."

Elena held out her hand.

"Pass me the jar."

Lyriana brought it closer.

"There are others."

Elena narrowed her eyes.

"That one."

Adam burst out laughing.

"You’re already going to fight over jam?"

"Not fight," Lyriana replied.

"Negotiate."

Shiora looked proud.

"Very well."

Adam looked at her.

"You’re a bad influence on everyone."

Then the pancakes caught Selene’s eye.

She took one.

Then a second.

She added honey.

One bite.

Silence.

Then she stacked three pancakes.

Adam stared at her.

" For what ? "

"More efficient. "

Vespera looked up slightly.

"It’s not false. "

Adam looked at the dragoness.

"Don’t encourage him. "

Selene added butter between each layer.

Then honey.

And attacked the whole thing.

His ears perked up immediately.

"Very good. "

She thinks.

"Better than crepes."

Elena protested.

" No. "

"Yes."

"The pancakes are better. "

Lyriana intervened calmly:

"It depends on what you put on it. "

A surprisingly serious discussion began.

Pancakes versus crepes.

Adam never imagined he would one day witness this debate in another world.

Isadora first tasted a plain pancake.

Then a second with a little butter and honey.

"I prefer it that way. "

She clearly enjoyed simpler flavors.

Vespera tried both before concluding:

"Crepes allow for more filling variations. "

Elaria nodded.

"Pancakes, however, are easier to prepare in quantity. "

Adam slowly put down his cup.

"You’re really looking at the operational benefits of breakfast. "

No one seemed to see the problem.

Then came the time for the spreads.

Adam placed the chocolate-hazelnut pot in the center.

Selene leaned down.

" It’s what ? "

"Mainly chocolate and hazelnut. "

"On a crepe? "

" Yes. Or bread. Or pancakes. "

She immediately took a spoon.

Adam grabbed her wrist.

"On the bread." "

" For what ? "

"Because it’s not supposed to be eaten straight from a spoon. "

Selene looked at the pot.

Then Adam.

"It seems like an unnecessary limitation. "

The others laughed.

Elena was the first to actually try.

She spread a pancake.

Folded her.

Then tasted.

She froze.

Adam recognized the expression immediately.

" SO ? "

Elena looked at the pancake.

Then the pot.

"I take back what I said yesterday. "

"On what?" "

"Hot chocolate may not be the best thing made with cocoa. "

Elaria immediately took the jar.

A small amount on bread.

She tasted.

Then looked inside.

"The hazelnut gives a thicker texture. "

" Yes. "

She took another bite.

"And reduces the bitterness of cocoa. "

" Also. "

Shiora was already tasting.

Then she stopped.

Adam sighed.

" No. "

She looked up.

" What ? "

"No profit calculations until after breakfast." "

" But"

"no. é

Despite everything, she continued to eat with a much too satisfied smile.

The pistachio paste caused another surprise.

Vespera was particularly interested in its color.

"Is it just the seed? "

" Mostly. Pistachio, sugar, a little fat, milk and vanilla. "

She tasted.

His expression remained controlled.

But she took more immediately.

Adam smiled.

" Valid ? "

" Yes. "

Elaria preferred the almond version.

Isadora the one with nuts and honey.

Shiora hesitated between chocolate-hazelnut and pistachio.

Selene said there was no need to choose and used several batters on several pancakes.

Then came the cupcakes.

Elena took the strawberry one.

Lyriana naturally chooses the local fruit perfume.

Shiora had coffee.

Elaria pistachio.

Chocolate Vespera.

Isadora vanilla.

Selene...

Adam gave him several directly.

"I’m getting to know you. "

She smiles.

" Finally. "

The cupcakes produced a slightly different reaction.

The cake itself was much moister than Valoria’s usual pastries.

Elena pressed it lightly with her fingertip.

"He’s back in place."

"The dough contains yeast."

Elaria was immediately interested.

"Baking powder or fermented yeast?"

"For these, a preparation that makes them rise quickly during baking."

Her eyes already lit up.

Adam raised a finger.

"Not now."

"I didn’t ask."

"You were going to."

To accompany everything, Adam served coffee.

This time, Vespera already knew exactly what she wanted.

A little milk.

Very little sugar.

Shiora chose a milder version.

Isadora preferred tea.

Elena and Lyriana had hot chocolate.

Selene tasted everything.

As expected.

Breakfast lasted considerably longer than a regular meal.

Not because they ate slowly.

On the contrary.

But because each new combination led to another discovery.

Crepe with jam.

Crepe with chocolate-hazelnut.

Crepe with honey.

Pancake with pistachio.

Pancake with fresh fruit.

Bread with marzipan.

Cupcake with coffee.

Even Adam ended up trying several combinations he hadn’t thought of.

Midway through the meal, Shiora finally put down her cup.

"We really need to market this."

Adam sighed.

"We talked about it yesterday."

"I’m just reaffirming my position after more data."

"What a surprise."

Shiora pointed to the different preparations.

"The crepes are extremely simple."

Then the pancakes.

"These too."

The chocolate.

"That will require more preparation."

The jams.

"Easy to store."

Then the spreads.

"And these ones..."

His expression became almost unsettling.

"I want to run some shelf-life tests."

Adam thought about it.

This time, he didn’t refuse immediately.

"Okay."

Shiora stopped.

"Okay?"

"Yes. But slowly."

He gestured toward the table.

"We don’t launch fifty products at once."

Shiora smiled.

"You’ve really learned my lessons."

"Unfortunately."

The meal continued until even Selene slowed down.

When she finally put down her last pancake...

Adam looked at her.

"Done?"

She thought for a moment.

Then she looked at the table.

"For now."

"I’ll take that as a victory."

The room gradually cleared the dishes.

Adam kept several portions in his inventory for the journey.

Then everyone stood up.

Departure was approaching.

But before leaving...

They decided to enjoy the thermal baths one last time.

This time, unlike the quick dip the day before, no one was in a hurry.

They stayed there for a long time.

Nearly two hours.

The first part was truly devoted to the bath.

Hot water.

Discussions about the journey.

Muscle massage.

Light stretches.

Adam took the opportunity to check that his body had fully recovered.

Then the atmosphere became more intimate again.

As the day before, the suite remained entirely private.

There was no rush.

No training.

Simply time spent together before departure.

When they finally parted ways, everyone seemed both relaxed and wide awake.

Adam checked the time.

"We should probably head out now."

Lyriana nodded.

"Yes. We still have a few things to check before we leave."

Elaria adjusted her glasses.

"My things are already packed."

Adam smiled.

"Of course."

Selene folded her arms.

"What about food?"

Adam looked at her.

"I’ve already set some aside."

The tigress seemed immediately reassured.

"Perfect."

Isadora shook her head.

"I don’t know what worries me more: the trip or the fact that Selene is now organizing her days around Adam’s meals."

"Both can be important," Selene replied with utmost seriousness.

Adam burst out laughing.

They returned to the master bedroom.

Each retrieved their clothes.

Adam checked his inventory one last time.

Food.

Clothes.

Map of the Permanent Gate.

Technology Fragments.

Equipment.

Documents.

Everything seemed ready.

He finally placed his hand on the doorknob.

On the other side...

The true morning of their departure awaited them.

Adam looked at Lyriana.

Then at Elaria.

"Ready?"

Lyriana nodded.

Elaria did too.

Adam smiled.

"Then let’s go meet Astraea."

And he opened the door.