Taste of Magic: Ambassador's Voice

It took two full days for the Duchess to settle everything she wanted in Euroa. The talks between her and the council of elders lasted for quite some time. Meanwhile, Melina was taken to elf tailors who measured her and offered her various designs for the engagement dresses.

Obviously, they didn't have anything that would fit her right away. Elves were taller and leaner than humans, so the elf tailor would have to make a dress to fit her size exactly. But Melina didn't worry about that since some of the elves had [Arcane Tailor] class. With their skills, the result would be undoubtedly wondrous.

The Duchess suggested the general shape of the dress, which was popular among the noblewomen at the time, while Melina could choose whatever magical embellishments she preferred. It was difficult, but not because she felt they wouldn't suit her, but rather because so many of them seemed stunning.

In the end, she did settle on a particular design that both she and the Duchess loved. They agreed that it would also suit both of Melina's familiars and make her entrance all the more grand.

Elven tailors were worried whether Melina would be able to sustain the magical dress, but she assured them that she had plenty of mana and could control it without any issues. With that settled, they could leave the work up to them and return to Sunglow. It would be ready in time for the engagement party.

However, they didn't leave the same way they arrived. A few elves had joined the Duchess Sinclair to talk in detail about possible trade between Euroa and Fenrora. The Duchess was particularly interested in elves with a class similar to Melina's—[Arcane Cook], [Rune Blacksmith], and the like. She wanted to enrich the Grenardia region with their goods.

Elves, on the other hand, were interested in grain, vegetables, and fish, something they couldn't grow in the middle of the forest. While they could grow enough to feed themselves, they couldn't expand any further, having reached their population limit. But if they could get a steady supply of foodstuffs from Fenrora, it wouldn't be an issue.

After resting for another night in Fenrora, on an early Saturday morning, Melina finally returned to Sunglow. She rushed straight to the bakery, although it was already opening hours, hoping to make up for the lost time.

The customers greeted her with cheers, and Adrien and Roxie looked immensely relieved to see her.

"You're back," Roxie muttered, sighing with relief.

Sienna, who was sitting on the oven, launched herself into the air, flying straight at Melina. It was a good thing she was in her small form. Melina managed to catch the wyvern without falling over.

"I'm sorry for being gone for so long. Some… stuff came up," she said, looking around the kitchen and seeing a bunch of bread loaves still being prepared. Gilbert was helping out, too, by the looks of it. "How are you managing?"

"It's not so bad. I pushed Roxie to make bread and those shimmertarts while focusing on meat buns and some raisin pastries. We couldn't make as many as you normally would, but people are still happy," Gilbert said, then added. "I still got it."

Melina and Roxie chuckled. It was nice to see Gilbert so energetic. She was quite relieved that he had stepped up to keep the bakery running while she was away. He could have just rested, especially since he was officially retired.

"Alright, since I've been gone for a while, I have to spoil my customers a little," Melina hummed. "Let's make a bunch of cream puffs, eclairs, and a whole load of luminfruit macarons."

"Yes! I'll help with choux pastry," Roxie raised her hand enthusiastically.

"Are you sure?"

"She's been practicing while you were away. I have to say that her piping technique is better than yours was in the beginning," Gilbert noted.

Roxie blushed. "I have been piping cupcakes in the Bakery Guild since I was small. Since I could always do it in a separate room, I didn't feel nervous about doing it."

Melina concluded that Roxie's nervousness stemmed mostly from her low self-esteem. If she could learn piping without many issues when nobody was looking, then she would surely learn how to make her magical pastries, too. The girl would just have to get used to working with others.

With Roxie working on the choux pastry, Melina focused on preparing pastry cream and caramel filling. Gilbert also helped with the choux while Sienna cooked everything to perfection.

[Congratulations! Your familiar has reached Level 15.]

[Your familiar has reached Rank C in skill ]

"Wow, you've been quite busy, Sienna. You're leveling up really fast," Melina noted.

Sienna let out a proud chitter. Perhaps it was the wyvern's skill that helped Roxie not to make as many mistakes. To think that this monstrous creature could be such valuable help in the kitchen of all places.

Before long, the healing cream puffs were ready and left to cool. In the meantime, Melina began preparing everything necessary for the macarons. This task she did alone, using her magic, since the dough was so delicate. By the time she had the macaron shells resting on the countertops, the cream and choux were cool and ready to be filled.

The customers cheered when Melina brought freshly cooked cream puffs out in the shop, many yelling that they were ready to buy a whole box of them. Even tourists got swept up in the excitement and called to get some for themselves.

"Don't worry, I got more where that came from. I'll be making fresh pastry right up until the closing time," Melina announced.

Customers cheered, while a few ran off, presumably to spread the news. Melina suspected that this would be a long day in the bakery. But she didn't mind in the slightest. She was in her zone.

Dough was rolled, macarons cooked, and fresh strawberry gelee prepared. Melina's hands waved in the air as if she were a chorus conductor, commanding elements to fly to their respective places to make as many goodies as possible. was doing a lot of heavy lifting, as was .

[Your skill has ranked up. It is now Rank A.]

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[Food Manufacturing — Increases the yield of dishes you can cook from ingredients without reducing the size of the dish. At Rank A, creates one extra dish per four dishes made.]

[You've unlocked a new skill – Speed Cooking.]

[Speed Cooking — Allows you to move faster in the kitchen. Increases the speed of all actions relating to food preparation and cooking.]

Melina blinked in surprise at both notifications. It appeared she was rushing so much that the System decided to reward her for it. She certainly wouldn't be complaining. Instead, she took full advantage of her new skills to make even more pastries.

"Are y-you something moving faster, Melina?" Roxie asked, looking at Melina in shock.

"I unlocked a skill for it. It allows me to move faster in the kitchen," Melina explained.

"System, I fear to know what you'll bestow upon this girl once she reaches Master level. How far away are you from it?" Gilbert asked.

Melina hurriedly opened her Status Screen to check.

[Name: Melina Dufour]

[Level: 45]

[Class: Arcane Baker]

[Familiar: Sienna — Hearthfire Wyvern Level 15; Mango — Ice Kitsune Level 1 (unique)]

[Intelligence: 27]

[Agility: 12]

[Strength: 10]

[Skill: 34]

[Charm: 15]

[Active Skills: 11]

[, , , , , , , , ,

Rank C>,

[Passive Skills: 5]

[, , , , ]

"Five more levels," she announced.

"Then you'll likely unlock your master class within the next month. I am curious to see what it'll be," Gilbert scratched his beard thoughtfully.

"So am I," Melina admitted. [Arcane Baker] was already a good, powerful class. To think that it would become an even better one.

Melina kept supplementing the bakery with pastries well after lunchtime, despite Adrien's pleas to end the workday. She would give him a bit of extra pay for his overtime. Sunflowers left the bakery with wide smiles on their faces, but they weren't the only ones.

She had drow customers for the first time. The tourists eyed them suspiciously, unsure whether they should run or scream. However, Sunflowers nodded at them in agreement. As if it were natural that they, too, would want to taste Melina's pastries.

Thanks to the supportive nature of the locals, their visits ended without any incidents, aside from some awkward shuffling and lots of curious and maybe a bit hostile stares. Nonetheless, the drow got their pastries and left with smiles on their faces.

Soon after the bakery closed, Alistair appeared, his face filled with worry. Mango, who was nestled in his arm, jumped at Melina at once, cuddling against her with happy yips.

"Melina, you're back! What happened in Fenrora?" Alistair asked, inspecting her from head to toe. As if she had gone to a battlefield rather than to find a dress.

"It's alright. We were merely searching for a dress," Melina said. She didn't want to spoil the surprise. It's best to keep the dress a secret.

"The Duchess wasn't satisfied with how the dresses of Fenrora's tailors fit her, so I suggested making a detour at Euroa," Elowen said. "I apologize. It is my fault she got delayed."

"Euroa? What were you doing in Euroa?" Alistair asked in surprise.

"The Duchess was busy recruiting elven craftsmen and making trade deals," Melina shrugged.

"How did it lead to that?" Alistair blinked in surprise, but then shook his head dismissively. "Nevermind that. We have a bigger problem on our plate right now."

"Bigger problem?" Melina swallowed nervously. All the problems they had recently were big. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to know what this new problem was.

"Yes. The Royal Guard is coming to Sunglow in about 4 days. The King was skeptical about the testimony he received from Father, not believing that humans and elves could cooperate to capture the Bishop. So he sent the Royal Guard here to find out the truth, interrogate locals, and check the passageway to the Monster Realm."

Melina took a step back, and a cold shiver ran through her spine. Her heart began to race as she wanted nothing more than to run away.

"Melina?" Elowen looked at her quizzically.

"It's okay. It's okay," Alistair hurriedly pulled her close, soothingly patting her head. "They are not here for you."

Melina shivered, burying herself in his chest. It was a pathetic, cowardly display, but she couldn't help it. So many memories resurfaced at the mention of the Royal Guard.

Elowen let out a soft "oh" as realization hit him. "Right. They hunted Melina after the… incident."

Alistair nodded in agreement and said in a whisper. "We fought them quite a lot. They chased us all over the place."

"A-Are you alright? After all, they were the ones that…" Melina couldn't finish the sentence as she once again remembered the scene of Alistair lying in her arms, cold and lifeless, covered in injuries and cuts, blood flowing from…

"Don't think about that!" Alistair said firmly, squeezing her tighter. "It's not going to happen again. We're already heading down a vastly different path."

They remained that way for a while, until Melina's heart finally calmed down. At least enough not to think about the past. "But if the Royal Guard is coming here, then what are we supposed to do to convince them?"

"Nothing," Alistair announced proudly.

Melina and Elowen both blinked at him in surprise.

"Nothing?" Melina repeated, looking at him curiously.

"Sunglowers have already done all the hard work for us. For generations, in fact. The Royal Guard needs proof that elves and humans can work together, and the Father isn't making up the testimony presented to the King. But Sunglow has already gone above and beyond that; we've accepted a drow as a tailor and are accepting more of them each day," Alistair said.

Melina nodded. It made sense. "But it's not like we can lay back and relax while they are here."

"No. Of course not. I was thinking of organizing a special market day during which we would showcase everything unusual that Sunglow has to offer. Your pastries, Milo magitech. He's already worked on the second refrigerator as we speak. The Guildmaster granted him access to all of the remaining glittershale bark."

"The event will be guarded by both humans and elves, and we'll invite the drow from the Monster Realm to join us too."

"Isn't the drow pushing it a little?" Elowen asked dubiously.

"I thought you'd be happy for the drow to be invited," Melina noted.

"Normally, yes, but I don't have particularly fond memories of the Royal Guard either," Elowen noted.

"I believe it is necessary. After all, we worked together with drow to capture Heiliger. Only by showing that they are a normal part of the day will they believe that we could work together," Alistair noted.

"What about the tourists?" Melina asked. "They can barely tolerate the drow. Only thanks to other Sunglowers did they remain calm. But it felt like it was one angry word away from things going awry."

"We should limit the flow of tourists, then. Turn it into an event for Sunglowers only," Elowen said.

"How would we enforce that?" Melina shot back. The elf fell silent.

"If we can't remove the tourists, then we need to make sure that they don't act out just because they've seen a drow. But how…" Alistair pondered.

Melina thought about it for a moment, her gaze going over the bakery. Sienna and Mango were playing together happily, being reunited after a short moment of being apart. Then an idea struck her mind.

"Why don't we distract them with something even more shocking than a drow?" She said.