Volume 1 - CH 3

Alme immediately moved to the small kitchen behind the counter on the first floor.

The first floor is almost a storeroom, but the kitchen has been well maintained to the extent that it can be used as is.

A large refrigeration magic tool for the store–the refrigerator is in active operation, so there are times when the food is prepared on the first floor.

In this world, only restaurants have refrigerators. Furthermore, when it comes to high-performance freezers, only large restaurants or wealthy people have them.

Ice magic stones are required for refrigeration and freezing magic tools, and when the magic power of the magic stones decreases, either replace them with new magic stones that are full of magic power, or have an ice mage adds magic power to it, and so on, to keep it running.

Since it costs money to maintain magical equipment, the average household uses water to chill ingredients and a cool cellar for storage. Even without a refrigerator, life is not that inconvenient.

However, a refrigerator and freezer are still very convenient to have. Since Alme can use ice magic, she can refill her own magic stone with magic power and use the refrigerator and freezer practically for free.

Putting on an apron, she opened the door of the large refrigerator, took out the preserved fruit inside and spread it out on the kitchen counter.

“I bought a bunch of damaged strawberries at a bargain price! It was good timing! I was going to make jam, but I think I’ll make juice instead.”

The juice she is about to make doubles as a prototype and a boost for herself. She had a terrible day today, so she decided to make something sweet and rich without skimping on strawberries or sugar.

Lightly wash the strawberries with water and use a knife to remove the damaged areas. Cut it into chunks, throw it into a bowl, and crush it with a masher when it is heaped.

Take a small lemon from the refrigerator, cut it in half and squeeze the juice. Then add plenty of sugar.

After carefully mixing with a spatula so that the sugar is evenly distributed, the fresh juice is complete. Just pour it into a glass.

As she reached out to take a glass from the shelf, she suddenly had an idea.

“I wonder if I should turn this into ice cream.”

Having just walked under the sun, she’s in the mood for something cold.

A long time ago, she used to freeze the juice her grandmother made for her and eat it as ice cream.

At the time, it was an arrangement that only she enjoyed, but if she were to open a store in the future, she felt that she could market this as a new product.

“In my previous life, ice cream was commonplace in stores and homes, but I haven’t seen ice cream stores in this city…If I can advertise it well, I might be able to attract quite a few customers.”

Thinking of the ice cream specialty store in her previous life, she laughed. ――It’s getting kind of fun.

She had just hit rock bottom with the breakup of her engagement, and the tension seems to be getting high as a result.

With an exhilarated feeling, she put strength into the hand holding the spatula. Concentrate and activate ice magic on her fingertips.

Magical cold air flows through the spatula and freezes the juice full of strawberry pulp. While gently hardening it so that it does not become stiff, stir and add air.

If she had a mixer magic tools, she could make a smoother, more palatable ice cream, but unfortunately, she sold it when she closed the juice shop.

“If I’m going to run an ice cream shop in earnest, I’ll have to buy back the cooking magic tools…. If I do this every day, I’m likely to get tendonitis.”

While stirring the mixture, she thinks about her new plans. Making sweets is quite hard on the hands. In her previous life, she used to make pastries as a hobby, so she is familiar with the importance of useful tools.

…though in her previous life, baking was almost more like a stress-relieving exercise than a hobby…In this life, she wants to make it as cheerful and enjoyable as possible.

When it has hardened just right, use a spoon to serve it in a round shape in a glass bowl.

The strawberry ice cream with plenty of pulp is complete.

“When I put it in bowl, it looks pretty good! Yes, an ice cream shop would be good, right? Now, as for the taste–“

She scooped the strawberry ice cream with a spoon and brought it to her mouth. It melted softly on her tongue, and the tartness and sweetness of the strawberries filled her mouth.

The coldness is pleasant to a body that has been out in the sun, and it is very delicious.

“Delicious …… yes …… I’m coming back to life ……”

It might be self-praise, but it’s excellent. She closed her eyes, looked up at the ceiling, and was immersed in the deliciousness.

She felt like all her stress melts away. Eating ice cream on a hot day saves the soul…

While savoring the dish, she quickly devoured it. The rest was transferred to a container and stored in the freezer. From now on, this ice cream will be her daily comfort food.

As she washed and put away the tools, she made up her mind and expressed her commitment to her grandmother in heaven.

“Grandma, I’m going to try making ice cream. How about ‘Alme Titty’s Ice Cream Shop’? I don’t know if it will work, but I’ll try my best, so please support me.”

Okay, if that’s the case, she has to start moving as soon as possible, so she looked around the first floor, which had been turned into a storeroom.

Tables and chairs from the juice shop era are piled randomly on the wall of the first floor. These must be cleaned and replaced.

“For the time being, I have to clean up the first floor completely. Once I’m done cleaning up, I’ll plan the menu plan and purchase the ingredients…haha, I don’t have time to be depressed anymore.”

She smiled broadly while taking out the cleaning tools. If Julio is having fun flirting with his lover, then why doesn’t she do her best to have fun too? ――Somehow, she feels revitalized. 

Opening the first-floor window and the entrance door wide to let in the outside air. The bright sunshine and refreshing breeze made the inside of the house, which was used as the store, suddenly brighten up.

Fill the bucket with water and wipe the windows one by one with a rag. It looks like it will take a lot of time and effort because the dust is terrible on the outside.

As she was cleaning the windows, a neighbor called out to her.

“Oh, how exciting, could it be that Alme-chan is finally moving?”

“Huh? Ah, no, um…”

“Is your husband’s house far from here? I’ve been watching you since you were a child, so I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”

“Ah, that…”

She should have reported the breakup to her neighbors first, she thought to herself. 

Since she had already previously told her neighbors she was going to move in with her new husband, there was no way she couldn’t explain it now.

She should just tell them once and for all, and not make a fool of herself.

“Well, actually, we broke up…So, since I no longer have plans to join the other person’s family, I thought I would take over my grandmother’s place and open another shop here. I’m ashamed to say it, but I’ll be in your care again, so thank you.”

“Ah! What!?”

“Well, well, well…!”

She bowed her head with a wry smile, and the neighbors were surprised for a while, then brought fruits and vegetables from their homes.

“Come on, eat this and cheer yourself up!”

“If Alme-chan is working hard at the shop, I’m sure grandma would be happy too. Let’s liven up this square together!”

“Thank you very much.”

Somehow she got a lot of things, and she ended up holding food in both hands. Seen from the side, rather than misfortune, it seems to be celebration.

For the time being, she put the things she received inside the house and resumed cleaning the windows.

――Then, someone immediately called out to her.

“Um, young lady. Thank you for earlier.”

“Eh?”

When she was called a young lady, she rolled her eyes and turned around. It’s an irritating way of addressing her.

She wondered if there was anyone she knew who would call her “young lady” when her own ex-fiancée called her a “dull middle-aged governess.”

She thought not, but then she looked at the person who approached her, and ah, she understood.

Standing behind Alme was the brown-haired man whom she had guided earlier.