"Welcome back. Looks like you got plenty!"
When they got to the kitchen, Hoshi saw the large room lined with different utensils and cookware. Trey was already there greeting them as he put down a book. Grim and the others set down the chestnuts as Grim cheered, "Now you can make us some massive tarts!"
"Well, the bigger the tarts, the harder it'll be to peel all these nuts, so... good luck with that!" Trey smiled.
"We have to peel all of these...?" Deuce grew pale as he glanced over at the mountain of chestnuts, "Suddenly the whole room is spinning..."
"Preparation is the key to good baking." Trey explained as he opened his notebook.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. We've come this far. We're not giving up now!" Ace declared in determination.
With magic, Deuce and Grim began peeling the chestnuts while Ace and Hoshi peeled them one at a time by hand. Trey gave the two a demonstration with his magic before standing at the side and supervising the whole process. After a while, Hoshi was starting to get tired as Ace had already returned back to his work from his break. She turned and saw Trey staring at his notebook. She noticed that there was a second book next to him on the table. She was surprised as she thought that book and the notebook were both the same book. Curiously, she set down her tools and made her way to the table. It was a cook book. She became even more curious as she picked up the book and looked through it. It was a book full of pastries and the recipes. Looking through them, many looked familiar as she read through them.
"Do you like poking your nose into books?"
Surprised, she looked up and slammed the book shut! Trey was watching her with a glint shining off his glasses. Why does it look like he's offended? ALL SHE DID WAS LOOK INTO A BOOK AND IT WAS JUST A REGULAR COOKING BOOK FOR GOD'S SAKE!
"Sorry." Hoshi apologized and returned the book.
"Haha. It's not a problem. However, you need to remember that you can't randomly take other's belongings like that." Trey smiled calmly as he accepted her apology, "Do you like cooking?"
"I... I don't know if I do." Hoshi was left in contemplation before continuing, "I'm not really sure..."
"Ah, right. Sorry. I forgot." Trey apologized with a sympathetic look after seeing the uncertain blue gaze in her eyes, "I was told that you lost your memories. I should have been more careful."
"No. There's no need to apologize." Hoshi shook her head, "I'm more surprised that I still even remembered my name. I should go back and help Ace with the chestnuts."
As she left, Trey watched her return to helping Ace peel the chestnuts after seeing how he had burnt himself with one of the boiled chestnuts. He recalled what Cater said and remained in deep thoughts. He hesitated again. Those pair of eyes... Where had he seen them before? He was certain that it was from a long long time ago, but how long ago was that? The more he thought, the more troubled he became. He wanted to look into the matter more carefully, but he was worried that he would overstep his boundaries. It was as he thought, it was better to keep his distance and watch from afar. Thinking this, he recalled a recent conversation with Riddle quite recently.
"A girl?" Trey looked to Riddle in bewilderment, "But, this is an all boys private school. Would it really be safe for a person of the opposite gender to stay here?"
"It is certainly inappropriate." Riddle frowned, "However, the headmage and the board of education has made their decision and sent a female counselor here. I would like to base our next course of action by facts, but if these are facts that cannot be spoken freely, we can only be more careful on our side. We must remember to keep an orderly appearance at all time and there can not be anymore rule breakers!"
"All right. I'll be sure to give the students a reminder." Trey nodded as he shook his head, "However, it seems the freshman you caught last night has gone to stay at the new Ramshackle Dorm."
"WHAT?! Does he not have an ounce of shame?!" Riddle scowled.
"Now, Riddle. Thankfully, he is not going to break any rules while being there and I recall hearing from a freshman that they've become friends after making up for yesterday's incident. I'll make sure the news don't spread to the other students." Trey suggested, "That way, nobody would think of making his actions an example. If anything happens to her, I'm sure we would be the first to hear about it."
Riddle hesitated in deep thoughts before nodding his head, "Very well. I take it that he will not be appearing tonight as well. Given that no one has managed to make those tarts as fast as you can, it may take until the next unbirthday party for him to make up for his mistakes. If so, I will permit him to stay there again if he can behave himself properly. However, he will require someone to supervise him. I trust Cater's judgment. It would be best to allow him to handle this matter."
Hearing this, Trey was surprised! Usually when one of the students gets into trouble and cannot return to the dorm without correcting the mistake, Riddle could hardly care what they do as long as they do not break anymore rules. However, rather than just leaving after hearing of the post aftermath of the incident, Riddle actually went as far as to give the student permission! And, it was a trouble-making one too! Was this also a part of his character? Maybe this was within the range of appropriate actions according to his responsibilities as Dorm leader? If so, it would make sense. Riddle turned and looked at him, "Also, remember to treat that female student respectfully. Seeing that Cater was the first to notice, I will leave this case with him.The headmage granted her the role of prefect. Seeing as the headmage does not hesitate to do so must mean she is well mannered as well."
So that's why. Though Trey was bewildered, he decided not to talk about it and nodded his head. As he was about to leave, he froze before turning around with a look of disbelief, "Wait, a prefect?!"
Since it was the headmage's decision, Riddle wouldn't question it. However, Riddle also never shared much on his thoughts about the headmage even though he knew their opinions may as well be very similar. A stingy and selfish opportunist. As long as the school is concerned, he will always put its reputation and his own interests first. Thankfully, that interest seem to align with his responsibilities as a headmage and a teacher.
However, the benefit of assigning the position of prefect to a new and female student brings very little benefit in their school. Not to mention, it won't exactly keep those nosy students from trying to get into trouble and he certainly recalled how angry Riddle was when he discovered what the new freshmen did to get themselves into trouble today. He doubt those guys will be released of their collars anytime soon. Probably not for the remainder of their time in suspension. Not only that, but he's heard from a few students that a couple of the other dorm leaders also expressed quite a bit of disappointment in their freshmen today. He is hoping that today's lunch incident would give others a warning and stop getting themselves into trouble. That's one minor problem he had put aside for now. Perhaps the most concerning case recently should be his dorm leader.
"There!" Ace's voice snapped him back to reality as he put his notebook down, "Finally got 'em all pureed!"
"My arm is killing me..." Deuce sighed in relief as he stretched out his arms and rolled his sore shoulder back a few times as well.
Trey looked at the large bowl of pureed chestnuts and checked the consistency before nodding his head approvingly with a smile included, "Nice work. It'll be all the sweeter for your pain!"
"The smell alone already has me droolin'..." Grim drooled as he gazed at the bowl of chestnut puree.
Concerned Grim might actually eat it before he could use it, Trey picked up the bowl and looked over the ingredients he had already gathered on the kitchen counter, "I just need to add butter and sugar to the chestnut paste, and a sensible splash of oyster sauce - that's my secret ingredient!"
"Oyster sauce?!" The three humans looked to him in disbelief.
"Yep. The umami of the oysters gives the cream a deep, savory flavor.
I use this one here: Walrus-brand Young Oyster Sauce." Trey took out his own bottle of oyster sauce, "All the best bakers use it in their tarts."
"Really? But isn't oyster sauce like, super salty?" Deuce shook his head in confusion.
"Some folks put chocolate into curry, don't they?" Ace pointed out hesitantly, "Maybe it's the same idea."
"Oyster Sauce?" Hoshi shook her head, "I think chili pepper maybe, but oyster sauce has a fishy taste and... Wait a minute!"
"Pfft... Ah ha ha ha!"
By the time Hoshi glared at him in dismay, Trey was already laughing out loud, "I'm totally lying! No one in their right mind would put oyster sauce into a pastry."
"What?! So you were just yankin' our chain?" Ace glared at him too once he realized he'd been duped.
"Ah ha ha! I mean, if you'd used your brain, you'd have realized how ridiculous it was!" Trey sneered, "Let that be a lesson to you. Don't believe everything you hear."
"Feh. And here I thought that human was actually somewhat decent." Grim grumbled in disdain.
"Let's not hold a grudge." Hoshi picked Grim up in her arms after brushing off the starch from the chestnut, "It's already pretty nice of him to help us make the tart. Besides, having a grudge will only hurt you more than him."
"Oof. That's quite a way to put it." Trey wore a dry smile as he took the chestnut paste and picked up the carton of cream, "Next, I'll put in the cream… Oh!"
"What's wrong?" Ace looked up in confusion.
Trey turned to them with an empty bottle of cream with a slight look of concern, "You guys gathered so many chestnuts that we may have overdone it with the chestnut paste. I don't think we have enough cream to mix in."
"Then I'll go buy some." Deuce offered, "Do they sell it at the school store?"
"They sell pretty much everything, so... probably. Can I have you pick me up a few other things?" Trey ripped off a sheet of paper from his notebook and began scribbling with his magic pen, "I need two cartons of milk, two packs of eggs, some muffin cups, five cans of fruit..."
Deuce interjected with a frown, "I don't think I'll be able to carry all that back. Ace, could you come with me?"
"Can I come instead?!" Hoshi took off her apron excitedly with glittering eyes, "I've never been to the school store before."
"Are you sure?" Deuce's eyes widen in surprise as he made a quick glance back at Ace who was just as confused.
Ace sighed in defeat, "Sure. She clearly has more energy than me right now. Go ahead, but make sure not to make any detours. Geez, I sound like a mother hen..."
"Then I'm comin' too!" Grim declared and hopped out of Hoshi's arms complaining, "I'm getting dizzy from all this stirrin'. I need a break!"
Deuce took the list from Trey and the three left the kitchen for the student store. Once gone, Ace grumbled, "Man, you'd think they're going to some candy store with how excited those two are."
Trey gave a dry laugh.