#1133 Sweet Grids 

It’s me again; and I’m back at the farm. 

Man, making the rounds to greet everyone really drained me. 
Sure, it’s a necessary step toward building the Farm Kingdom, but for a total recluse with zero social skills like me, it was a brutal mission. 

And this was only the prep work. 
Once we connect with neighboring countries and set up proper cooperation, that’s when the real work of Farm Kingdom-building begins. 

From here on out, we’ve got a long, loooong road ahead of us to build a new country.  
It’s gonna take ages, so I figure I’m entitled to at least one day of rest. 

Which is exactly what I plan to do. 

Heck, it’s been a while since I’ve tried making something new in the kitchen. 

Lately I’ve been meeting so many VIPs that I’m all burned out, so I’m craving something sweet.  
Gotta feed my brain with sugar. 

When I say sweet, I’m obviously thinking dessert. But I’m too wiped out to make anything complicated, so I narrowed it down until I found the best candidate. 

“…Waffles, I guess.” 

Yes, waffles it is. 

I’m trying to remember when waffles first started showing up on the market.  
The surface has those distinctive grid lines, and they usually don’t come with any fancy creams—just the sweet, toasty taste of the batter itself. 

...Now that I think about it, convenience stores get bombarded by tons of new sweets with weird names, only for them to disappear in the blink of an eye.  
Waffles seemed like they’d be one of those flash-in-the-pan fads, but they hung in there, refusing to vanish. 

It must be proof of just how delicious and easy to eat they are. 

So, let’s make some waffles! 

The batter is pretty much the same as pancake batter, right? 
But waffles have that distinct crunch and aroma that sets them apart…which makes them waffles. 

But before that, there’s something even more important I need. 

A waffle maker. 

To get that classic grid pattern on a waffle, you need a special piece of equipment. 
A frying pan would just give you a pancake, obviously.  
And of course, there’s no such appliance in this fantasy world. 

…Well, if it doesn’t exist, I’ll just have to make one.  
That’s what I’ve always done. 

If it’s for baked goods, metal is the way to go.  
There’s no other better material, right? 
I guess I could consider something like a stone-baked waffle, but let’s not overcomplicate things. 

Especially since I’m about to embark on the major adventure of building the Farm Kingdom!!! 

So I’ll steer clear of any small-scale experiments and go for a tried-and-true waffle maker. 

...That means the metal plates need that grid-like, checkerboard pattern with ridges and grooves.  
How the heck am I supposed to do that? Just thinking about carving notches into steel sounds exhausting. 

But times like these are when I’ve got the perfect allies to call upon.  
If it’s metalwork, you ask a dwarf! In this fantasy world, there’s no one better for the job. 

Whenever I want to make a new kitchen gadget, I always go straight to them. 

*** 

I went to see Pops Edward, a master dwarf craftsman, and explained the concept of a waffle maker—what I wanted it to look like and how it would work. 

He listened carefully to my story… 

“...Hmm, if I’ve got this right, you want a plate of metal with grooves running lengthwise and crosswise, then a matching plate that looks exactly the same, so you can clamp them together and heat it?” 

Exactly. That’s it. 
Pops watches my excited hand gestures and seems to get it right away. 

“That’s... Lord Saint, you’re trying to make something horrifying...!” 

He starts sweating a little. 
Huh? It’s not that big of a deal, is it? 

Sure, it’s unusual for this world, but is it really so shocking? 
Maybe carving those grooves into the metal is tougher than I thought… 

I was about to get worried when… 

“This…this is some kind of torture device, isn’t it?!” 

…Huh? 

“You’re gonna heat these ridged plates, then clamp someone’s hands or something in between? That’s…brutal!” 

No, no, no! 
Pops is practically trembling in horror. It’s all a misunderstanding! 

Please, I’m trying to build a happy-go-lucky farm life here! No dark elements needed! 

“Y-You mean it’s not for that? I just assumed you were enforcing strict order in preparation for your new country. You gotta have a broad range of punishments, right?” 

No, absolutely not. We’re not going to keep citizens in line through terror. 

A waffle maker is for cooking, not torture! 
It’s supposed to bring people happiness with sweet treats, not unimaginable pain! 

“O-Oh, I see…my apologies…!” 

So, think you can make it? 
Or are those grooves too tricky? 

“Oh, it’s possible. Don’t underestimate dwarf craftsmanship! That’s child’s play for us!” 

Awesome! 
Then please do it! And use this mana metal here! 

“Gueeeeeeeeh!” 

And so, after our usual bit of comedic banter, the waffle maker turned out easier to make than I’d feared. 

Ohhh...! 
As expected from the ultimate dwarven craftsmen. It’s exactly how I envisioned it, down to the last detail. 

The plates have proper ridges in a grid pattern, and they lock together perfectly. It even has a neat handle. 

This should make the best waffles ever! 
Time for a test run! 

First, I heat up the waffle maker in the fire, making sure it’s good and hot. 
Then I pour in the batter I prepared in advance. 

Close the waffle maker tight and let it cook! 
Flip it now and then to evenly distribute the heat. 

When my intuition says “Now!” I pop it open, and voila! Beautiful waffles, filling the air with a sweet aroma! 

Yes! For a first attempt, they’re fantastic!!! 

“Zwwwaaaaaaaaarrrgh!!!” 

Suddenly, something slides right up to my feet. 

It’s Veil.  
She comes crashing in with a dramatic slide, stirring up a cloud of dust as she stands up in front of me. 

“No fair, Master! You haven’t made any new snacks in ages; I totally let my guard down! I almost missed it!!!” 

As expected, Veil’s senses for new treats are razor-sharp as always.  
It’s not like I was hiding it.  
I knew she’d sniff it out sooner or later anyway. 

And I do need a taste-tester, so it’s perfect timing.  
Go ahead, give it a try. 

“O-Okay…? It’s kinda flat…like a rice cracker? I prefer sweets, though…!” 

She takes a cautious nibble…and CRUNCH! 

“Whoaaa, this is sweet! Like, super sweet!”  

That’s a good response to start off. 

“It’s sweeter than it looks! Even the batter itself is sweet! And it’s got a great crunchy bite, what a unique texture! This is definitely worthy of being the next snack in our lineup!” 

Awesome! Glad it’s a hit!!! 
It’s not a cream pastry, so it can be preserved longer. And as long as we have the batter, we can churn them out in unlimited quantities. We could teach the developers how to make them, too. 

I’ve heard people sometimes make waffles on camping trips. 
With this, we could bring a little extra enjoyment to those out in the development site. 

…Come to think of it, I’m definitely in “land development mode” these days. 

Meanwhile… 

“…Huh? Junior?” 

I noticed my kid was there, too, watching us quietly. 
He must’ve been drawn by the sugary smell. 

Of course, it’s snack time, so he’s free to have as many as he likes. I made a bunch of test waffles. 

…But he’s just staring at the waffles without taking a bite. 
Before I can ask why… 

Junior plops a scoop of ice cream right on top of his waffle?! 

“WHAT THE-?!” 

Veil and I both yelp in unison. 
Waffles with ice cream.  
That’s a top-tier combo, yet he zeroed in on it at first glance. 
Is my kid some kinda genius?! 

“Mariageeee!”  

Yes! The perfect marriage of flavors! 

“Whoooaaa! The cold creaminess of the ice cream and the gentle crispness of the waffle complement each other perfectly! Junior, you’re a geniussssss!!!” 

Veal is just as impressed with Junior’s brilliance. 

Ah! Junior?! 
On top of the ice cream...! 

He’s adding honey nexttttttt?!