Chapter 3
Pepper
The best way to start the morning was with a cup of tea and fresh pastries. I wasn't done making the latter yet, but at least I could have my tea.
The kettle started to whistle, and I grabbed an oven cloth so that I could take it off the stove without burning myself.
While I was almost guaranteed a burn at some point today, it was always better if I could avoid it being first thing.
I earned a decent amount being in charge of the Purple Oak Town Hall kitchen, but it wasn't enough to keep me in a limitless supply of tea that I could use to heal myself, and even if the infirmary was available if I didn't have any myself, it would take a lot of time out of my day to go there, get healed and come back.
Time I didn't have, particularly not with new guests staying and the Moon Tea Festival to get ready for.
Steam rose from the water as I poured it over the tea leaves I'd saved from yesterday's afternoon tea service. I couldn't serve it again to anyone important, but I could happily steep it again for myself.
I set the kettle back on the stove and checked on how my bread was doing, pleased to see that it was rising nicely and filling the air with a pleasant yeasty smell that was very familiar and comforting to me.
A knock startled me out of my thoughts. It wasn't loud, but I hadn't heard anyone coming and that took me off guard.
I turned around to find Lian Ju Feng in the doorway, with the answer to why I hadn't heard her on her feet in the form of what looked like soft and comfortable slippers rather than the boots most people wore when they were in the Town Hall.
Between that and her naturally light and elegant gait, it was no wonder I hadn't heard her.
I was the opposite. I was a stomper.
"Good morning to you," I said brightly, gesturing for her to come in. I should have paid more attention to the time, but the chimes of the bell tower didn't often make it to the kitchen, especially when the sounds of food preparing filled the air.
"Good morning," she replied, carrying in the same bag as yesterday. "Can I make my breakfast?"
"Of course," I said, patting the counter that she used yesterday.
I had left it free for her because I had a suspicion that she would be here every day until they moved into their own house.
I had no idea when it was going to be ready, but I didn't mind.
It was nice to have company this early in the morning, especially from someone as beautiful as Lian with her long dark hair twisted into a bun and secured with a hairpin, though hers seemed to not have the same dangling ornaments that Eva Ju Feng seemed to prefer.
Her voice was lovely to listen to as well, with a soft melodic accent, and even if she didn't speak a lot, what she did have to say was interesting.
She bowed politely and prepared her food just like she did the day before.
It was clear that she was experienced at it from the ease with which she handled her cleaver and the flow of her movements, which seemed to include moving back her flowing sleeves with a simple flick that I definitely wouldn't be able to manage.
Maybe it was the fabric. I had no idea what it was, but it looked lighter than the clothing I wore, and was much more intricately embroidered.
But that made sense. She was the cousin of the weather witches, and now one of the most important people in the village. Of course she had beautiful clothing.
I cleared my throat and pulled my attention away from her. I shouldn't be watching her like this, especially when it was a little bit creepy for me to. Besides, I had my own tasks that I needed to tend to.
I emptied the bread from the proving box onto the work surface so that I could shape it into loaves.
They'd need to rise again once that was done, and then bake, but they'd be ready perfectly in time for the half past six breakfast. And the proof time would give me a chance to get everything else ready.
Eggs, mushrooms, and black pudding that came from one of the best pig wards in the village.
And then I needed to prepare the lunches that everyone would take with them when they left for the day.
It was a lot of work, but my instructions had been clear.
We had to make the weather witches feel very welcome so they would stay with us for a long time.
While the weather had been fine this summer, it was always unreliable and having weather witches to stabilise the area would make a huge difference for getting through the upcoming winter.
Nobody wanted the frosts to come too soon.
And I was sure that it would do a lot for the crops that they were trying to cultivate with the help of dryads from Grower's Cove.
I had no idea about any of the details of that, but the quality of my ingredients had improved since the trade deal with the other settlement had been approved.
I grabbed my knife to cut the log of black pudding to size, distracted by the frustrated sigh coming from behind me. I looked at Lian, instantly regretting it when I felt a sharp sting from the knife cutting through skin.
"Shit," I blurted out, looking back at my finger. Blood was pooling up from the cut on my index finger. It wasn't very deep, but I should take care of it right away and make sure to get a new knife and cook up this piece of black pudding just for myself.
"Are you all right?" Lian asked from by the stove, giving me a concerned look.
"Yes, just a small cut. Luckily, I was just about to have some tea, that should heal it right up," I replied, feeling a little embarrassed. That was such an amateur mistake and I couldn't believe I made it in front of her.
Lian stared at me for what felt like a very long moment, her dark eyes boring into me in a way that I wasn't used to. "You're a tea witch?"
I nodded as I poured myself a cup of tea. "Sure am."
"You are?" Lian checked, sounding disproportionately surprised.
"Yes. Have you never met one before?" I asked, wondering if that was why she was staring at me with a strange look in her eyes.
"I'm a tea witch myself," she answered.
That was curious. I didn't know enough about weather witches to be sure, but I did wonder what she was considering that they were always born as twins. But it felt rude to ask, even if I was curious about the answer.
"What are you doing in the kitchens?" she asked.
"Cooking." I grabbed another cup. "Would you like some tea then? If you're also a tea witch."
"No, I have my own tea. But why are you cooking? I thought Purple Oak was renowned for their tea witch infirmary. Why don't you work there?" Lian asked, sounding genuinely confused. Baffled even.
"I love baking and food," I replied, blowing on the surface of the tea before I dared a sip.
It was scalding hot but just about tolerable, mostly thanks to my magic humming to life.
It spread through me like a warm glow, easing away the pain in my finger.
It closed the cut's surface but I knew I'd have to remain careful because the wound underneath wasn't healed yet. My magic wasn't that powerful.
Lian watched me in fascinated silence, and a tingle climbed up my spine. It had been a while since someone had observed me with such intent, especially a beautiful woman like her. I was sure it was just curiosity rather than attraction, but it had been a while, and I liked it either way.
A loud meow cut through my thoughts and gave me a good excuse to focus on something else.
"Hello, Snowie," I said, clicking my tongue to lure the white kitchen cat towards me. She sauntered inside with a proud expression on her face that could easily mean that she'd brought a mouse into my storeroom again.
Snowie jogged across the floor and pressed herself against my legs, purring loudly. She visited me every day without fail for her breakfast and a cuddle, and it was always time that I cherished.
I wrapped my finger in some cloth, so I didn't contaminate anything else and gave Snowie kisses on her head before I served her a saucer with meat scraps and an egg. She devoured it right away, purring while I stroked her back.
"Is that your cat?" Lian asked, her voice still sounding a little confused.
"Sort of? She doesn't belong to anyone, so I look after her.
I don't know if that makes her my cat, but we're certainly buddies, aren't we?
" I asked Snowie, getting an agreeable meow in return.
I wasn't a cat ward, but I was going to take that as a yes.
"Most of the time she catches mice rather than bringing them in too.
" I smiled at the thought, even if I had just been worrying about her doing the latter.
Lian frowned. "A tea witch who cooks and bakes and has a cat. You're strange."
I chuckled, wondering whether she was being blunt on purpose, or if it was a result of her speaking in a language she wasn't used to using. "Am I?"
"Yes, that's very unlike a tea witch," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I don't believe in following anyone else's path but my own," I responded as I set down Snowie.
I went over to the sink to wash my hands before going back to cut the rest of the black pudding with a new knife.
"I might have some inborn aptitude for healing, but I like baking more.
Why shouldn't I choose a life of baking? "
Lian didn't respond to that, but I could tell from her expression that she found it weird. It made me wonder if she came from a place where people only picked jobs based on what type of magic they were born with. Or maybe she simply found that the most logical path.
I certainly didn't see things like that. Life was meant to be enjoyed, and I wasn't going to let my genetics get in the way of that.