{Author’s Notes}

  ※ An old bonus SS

  ※ I think it’s a story somewhere between Volume 2 and 6, but even I, the Author, forgot which volume this was from

  **********

  It all started one late afternoon- when Kuro suddenly told me something.

  [Hey, Kaito-kun……]

  [Unnn?]

  Normally, Kuro is always cheerful and smiles a lot, but for some reason, she has a serious expression on her face right now, looking like she was troubled about something. Tilting my head upon Kuro’s words, my mind was filled with anxiety and worry.

  Thereupon, after pausing for quite some time, Kuro spoke with a serious expression on her face.

  [What do you think…… is the “ultimate baby castella”?]

  [No, I don’t know.]

  It was so unimportant that I was surprised!? Eh? What? That’s what you were wondering with that serious expression on your face!?

  [I see…… I’ve actually been having trouble figuring it out too.]

  [U- Unnn. I see.]

  Errr, are we still going to continue this conversation? To be honest, I’m not interested in this topic at all…… F- For the time being, should I say something?

  [Errr…… What about the tastiest baby castella?]

  [Unnn. I suppose so. It’s true that when it comes to food, taste is an important factor. However, I want you to think about it. For example, a super-premium baby castella made with only the world’s finest ingredients, carefully selected and refined to the finest detail, may bring about the supreme flavors. However, can we really say that “it’s the ultimate baby castella”?]

  [……H- Hmmm.]

  [I think that the simple tastiness is one of the charms of baby castellas. If you remove that and just pursue the taste…… I think that as a baby castella, that couldn’t be described as the ultimate one.]

  I love Kuro. I love her cheerfulness that is fun to be with, her indulgence that envelops me in her tender embrace, and her somewhat childish personality.

  But unfortunately, this abnormal fixation with baby castellas…… is something I just couldn’t understand. I mean, if it’s possible, I don’t want to understand it at all.

  [T- That sounds tough.]

  [Unnn. However, I guess it really would be better to actually try something than to just talk about it. That’s why, Kaito-kun…… Together with me, let’s pursue the ultimate baby castella!]

  [……………………]

  Did she just naturally include me in this headcount…… Do I have the right to veto this? Guess not huh. Kuro looked very serious, looking at me with expectation in her eyes.

  Kuro coming up with something outrageous out of the blue is just the usual…… I guess it will be tough for me this time.

  Thereupon, Kuro brought me to a huge kitchen with Teleportation Magic. There, all kinds of ingredients and seasonings were prepared.

  Wearing a cute frilly apron, Kuro tightly clenched her fists as she spoke to me.

  [Alright! Well then, Kaito-kun. What kind of baby castella should we make to start with?]

  [……Let’s see. For the time being, let’s start with clearing away those “meat” and “fish” that are piled up over there.]

  [Eh? B- But if we clear those away…… We won’t be able to make baby castellas with meat and fish, you know?]

  [There’s no chance that they’d bring about the ultimate baby castella.]

  [N- No, but baby castella, you see, it has infinite possibilities……]

  [Anyway, remove it!]

  [U- Unnn. Alright……]

  I’m willing to go along with her search for the ultimate baby castella. However, I’d like it if you’ll excuse me from those failure baby castellas.

  I’ll actively remove any ingredients that would obviously end up giving it a strange taste, mainly for my own safety……


  [Well, since we’ve come this far anyway, I’ll go along with making that ultimate baby castella…… but I’d like it if we could decide on an objective.]

  [Hmmm, I guess so. Well then, how about we aim to make the “tastiest baby castella” for the time being?]

  [Unnn, let’s do that.]

  Because I studied to make baby castellas before as a present for Kuro, I know a little bit about making them. And I think that objective is good.

  At least this way, we could avoid a parade of failed baby castellas.

  Putting on the apron that Kuro handed me, I started making an orthodox baby castella.

  [Since it would be the tastiest, I’ll use the best ingredient…… but how can we vary the flavors?]

  [It can be divided into two main categories: adding something to the batter or adding something inside as a filling. I’d like to try changing the batter……]

  [I see, you could change the texture and stuff like that, so it may bring about a nice change.]

  [Unnn! Let’s do it together!]

  Seeing Kuro’s smile, I naturally smiled as I continued cooking.

  Thereupon, we tried to make baby castellas with different batter variations. Using Earth’s knowledge as a guide, I tried kneading matcha tea, chocolate and even tried changing some ingredients to strengthen its chewy texture.

  As a result, all of them turned out pretty good…… but if I were to be asked if any of these is the ultimate baby castella, I’m not sure.

  I mean, I know that my baby castellas aren’t as bad as Kuro’s, but I think finding the ultimate baby castella among my creations would be difficult. Each person has different taste preferences, and the texture of the food may or may not be suitable for its taste.

  How should I say this? It’s just, I feel like there isn’t really any right answer.

  [Hmmm. It’s difficult. I mean, is there even a right answer to this question?]

  Looking at the many prototypes in front of her, Kuro had a complicated expression on her face. It seemed like she had come to the same conclusion as me, as her shoulders slumped and she muttered to herself.

  [I suppose…… Indeed, I think it would be impossible to find the baby castella that’s tastiest for everyone. But Kuro, if we limit it to just this time, wouldn’t the right answer be the baby castella for you, the initiator of this project, find best?]

  [For me…… hmmm.]

  [Ahh, that’s right! I’ve got an idea…… Why don’t you try to make a new version based on the tastiest baby castella that Kuro has ever had?]

  This is a very fine play, if I say so myself. After all, Kuro has been eating baby castellas everyday without getting tired of it. I think she has eaten an immeasurable number of baby castellas, so the best baby castella for her would probably be the closest thing to the ultimate baby castella.

  [The tastiest baby castella that Kuro has ever eaten……]

  After I told her that, Kuro looked at me once…… She suddenly clapped her hands, looking like she had come up with something.

  [Fufufu, ahaha!]

  [Kuro?]

  Looking at Kuro who suddenly started laughing, I tilted my head, but she didn’t seem to mind and laughed for a while, before speaking with a big smile on her face.

  [Kaito-kun! Now that we’ve made all those different baby castellas, let’s eat them together!]

  [Eh? Ah, unnn. I don’t really mind…… but what about the ultimate baby castella?]

  [Ahh, that’s okay. I’ve already figured it out.]

  [Eh?Ahh, wait!? Before you prepare the tea, tell me what you’ve figured out!]

  [Don’t wanna, it’s a secret~~]

  [Why!?]

  What is this, I have no idea what’s going on. I have no idea…… but seeing Kuro looking so happy, I guess it’s okay.

  ……I’m still curious though!!!

  ＊＊＊＊

  Looking across at Kaito, who was eating a baby castella while curiously tilting her head, Kuromueina smiled once more.

  (The tastiest baby castella I’ve ever eaten…… would be the baby castellas you made for me, Kaito-kun.)

  While muttering this in her mind, Kuromueina looks at Kaito’s face from the side with loving eyes.

  (In the end, that was what it was all about. No matter how luxurious the ingredients used in baby castellas, no matter how top-notch the technology used to make them…… Nothing can compete with the baby castellas “eaten with the person you love”.)

  What is the ultimate baby castella? There may not be an answer to that question that will satisfy everyone. But for her…… The right answer to this did exist.

  (For me, the ultimate baby castella…… is the baby castella that I eat with my beloved Kaito-kun. Well, that’s a secret to Kaito-kun though.)