🍳04. The Young Lady Stands Before the Char

From this morning, a burnt smell had been drifting through the apartment. The ventilation fan was running at full power, and the air was slightly hazy.

“O-oh my... I was only trying to fry an egg...”

She had cracked four eggs.
She used plenty of oil and went for it all at once on high heat.
…The result was something carbonized in the frying pan.

Although she had turned off the heat, her heart was still racing.

The moment the smoke appeared, her mind went completely blank.
What if there was a fire?
What if she caused trouble for the people on other floors?

At the mansion, there were no scenes where she had to handle fire,
and she had grown up without ever knowing how to control heat.

“...I really can't do anything, can I?”

The words that slipped out were absorbed by the walls of the room.

Just then, the door banged open, and Tekipaki burst in.
“Young Lady! It smells burnt, what is... oh.”

A step behind, Silette observed the situation.
“It’s an incident, then.”

Karen looked down and said apologetically.

“I thought it would be better if it cooked quickly...”

Tekipaki didn't get angry. She just pointed at the stove.

“Young Lady, cooking is not something you ‘rush,’ but something you ‘wait for.’”

“Something... to wait for...”

“If you rush, it will burn. Waiting on low heat is just right.”

Silette added.

“Heat control is something you learn through experience. Start with low heat.”

◆

Tekipaki turned on the heat for the frying pan.

“Start with low heat, and if you warm it up just a little before adding the eggs, it’s less likely to burn.”

Silette didn't take her eyes off it.

“If the sound of the oil popping gets too loud, the heat is too high.”

Tekipaki cracked two eggs just like that.

“...And one more thing.”

She lightly pointed a finger at the burnt lump.

“Were you planning on eating all of this by yourself?”

Karen lost her words for a moment and lowered her gaze.

“...Certainly, that is a lot.”

Tekipaki nodded.

“Two is plenty to start with. It’s easier to roll, and even if you fail, the damage is small.”

Silette added quietly.

“When the quantity is large, the heat tends to get too high.”

The egg spread across the pan.
A small sizzling sound.

“The sound right now is just right. If it gets too loud, turn it down a little.”

“Don’t touch it right away. Wait a little.”

The edges began to set little by little. At that moment, she gently pushed them together and rolled it up.
The finished rolled omelet sat on the plate.

“Beautiful...”

“You can worry about high heat once you’re used to it.”

Karen nodded quietly.

🧺 Tekipaki & Silette’s Quick Tips

Tips for Heat Control
・Start with low heat
・Warming the pan for about 30 seconds before adding ingredients makes it less likely to burn
・If the sound of the oil popping gets loud, lower the heat

Tekipaki
“Most dishes can be made on low to medium heat. Your failure rate will drop significantly.”

Silette
“If smoke appears, the temperature is too high.”

Heat Level Guide
Low Heat
・Miso soup, fried eggs, curry, simmered dishes
Medium Heat
・Rolled omelets, stir-fried vegetables, grilled fish, yakiniku
High Heat
・Fried rice

The next morning. Karen took out the frying pan once more.
The heat was lower than yesterday. The oil, too, was less.

When she poured it into the pan, the egg spread out,
and the edges began to set immediately.

“...Now, was it.”

Remembering the words of the two from yesterday,
she gently pushed the edges with a spatula.

It didn't roll up perfectly.
It tore a little, and the shape was distorted.

“...Ah.”

Her hand stopped for a moment. But she tried pushing it slowly once more. Fold it, push it, and pour more.

“I did it...”

The finished rolled omelet didn't have even corners, and the thickness was uneven. Even so, it wasn't burnt.

Karen gazed at it for a while, then nodded slightly.

She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and brought it to her mouth.

“...Well, it’s edible.”

It looked bad, but compared to the salty dish she had made before, it was properly a rolled omelet.

She placed it on a plate, looked at it for a while, and then smiled slightly.

“I’ve made... progress since before.”

There was no one to show it to, no one to praise her.
Even so, a quiet satisfaction remained deep in her chest.

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