Chapter 641: A Taste for Adults

The view from the workshop window showed that evening was approaching. It would soon be time to escort Lady Fabienne home. Until then, I would organise the magic tools we needed to build.

“We need to give Baron and Baroness Ambert a gramophone. I also have to build the cacao-crushing and kneading machine. Perhaps I should simply call it a chocolate-making machine.”

“There’s no need to hurry with my parents’ gramophone. While I’m away, I lend them mine.”

“What? Does that mean Father-in-law and Mother-in-law have been listening to my song?!”

I looked at Lady Fabienne with nervous sweat forming beneath my clothes. She smiled and nodded.

Apparently, she loved my song so much that she saw no problem with allowing her parents to hear it.

Then again, I loved Lady Fabienne’s song as well, so I could hardly criticise her. It appeared I would simply have to accept the situation.

“I would like to hear Brother Julius sing too! Oh, I know! Sister-in-law Fabienne, please bring your gramophone next time.”

“Erm…”

Lady Fabienne glanced at me uneasily. This was bad. The moment she brought the gramophone to the Heine estate, Rosalia would record both our songs onto her own.

From there, the recordings would inevitably spread to every gramophone in the family. I had to distract her somehow.

“Rosalia, could I ask you a favour?”

“What is it?”

Rosalia turned towards me and tilted her head. Good. Had I diverted her attention?

“I’ve become terribly busy. Would you build the gramophone for Baron and Baroness Ambert in my place?”

Perhaps I ought to make it myself, but presenting the gramophone as a gift from Rosalia would further strengthen the bond between Houses Heine and Ambert.

I wanted Baron and Baroness Ambert to regard Rosalia as another dear daughter. House Ambert had only one child, after all.

Because I was expected to marry into their house, I had inadvertently created circumstances that prevented them from having more children.

If House Ambert had a son, the question of succession could create conflict between our two houses.

“Of course! I shall begin today. Sister-in-law Fabienne, please tell me what sort of patterns your parents like.”

“Certainly. Erm, Mother likes flowers, so…”

Success! I had redirected Rosalia perfectly. Lady Fabienne was riding the new current of conversation admirably. Whew, what a relief.

Ah, Nero and Lelie were forcing themselves to smile. Their lips were twitching. Don’t say anything. Whatever you do, don’t tell her.

Having escaped the danger, I safely escorted Lady Fabienne home. Naturally, I brought chocolate as a gift. When we visited the kitchen, the bitter chocolate had just been completed, so we sampled it and took some of that too.

Lady Fabienne’s face twisted subtly when she tasted the bitter chocolate, but Baron Ambert loved it. Bitter chocolate truly was a flavour for adults. Apparently, Lady Fabienne wasn’t quite ready for it.

I told Baron and Baroness Ambert that Rosalia was building a gramophone for them. Both were delighted and already seemed eager for its completion.

I would make sure to tell Rosalia how pleased they were.

At dinner, I asked Brother Alex to arrange workers for the cacao plantation. He was surprised that we had created one in a single day, but he knew how powerful the plant nutrient solution was and appeared to accept it.

“Hiring more people won’t be a problem. Before that, however, I would like to see the cacao plantation myself.”

“Of course. I intend to expand it a little further, so I would be grateful if you could include that in your arrangements.”

“After tasting that chocolate, I can certainly understand why it deserves so much attention.”

Sister-in-law Daniela nodded repeatedly. Apparently, she had taken quite a liking to it. As additional information, I told everyone about unsweetened chocolate.

Father and Brother Alex immediately showed interest.

“Chocolate that isn’t sweet? I would like to try that.”

“By adjusting the amount of sugar, we can make chocolate with many different levels of sweetness. I have asked the head chef to experiment, so we should soon have several varieties.”

“I look forward to that. Offering a selection will also make customers less likely to tire of the product.”

Indeed, customers becoming bored was the worst outcome for a trading company. To create a perennial bestseller, keeping people’s interest was essential.

The bitter chocolate served for dessert that evening produced a variety of reactions.

Rosalia and Mira rejected it immediately, as expected. The men preferred the bitter chocolate, while the women favoured the sweet kind.

In that case, perhaps most of the chocolate we took to the knights tomorrow should be bitter.

I thanked the head chef and asked him to make chocolate with less sugar. Our preparations for tomorrow were perfect. If I built the chocolate-making machine before bed, everything would be complete. Time to work hard.