Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~

Chapter 8: Declaration of War

Recovery, my inherent magic.

Because of that, I’ve become aware of the principle of this world. In this world, the capacity of an ant is already established in the form of experience levels. The sublimation of a Skill will overcome that predetermined value.

For example, if I use my eyes right now, I could notice that my father’s spear aptitude is B rank, while his spear ability is level III. Whereas my brother Jorg’s spear aptitude is B rank, while his ability is level I.

Aptitude is separated into S, A, B, C, D, E, F ranks, where ordinary man’s rank is D. Having B rank aptitude makes you a genius. If your rank is D, you may obtain a Skill after training earnestly for ten years. If it’s B, you can master it in a year. For a father and son to have this spear aptitude means that the talent is inherited in my Arnold family.

However, my aptitude for spear is F rank, while my spear ability is not mastered. Of course it would be. My aptitude for spear is the lowest class. The blessing of spear ability is to have an Action that will do a rising correction. Jorg’s spear’s speed and heaviness are thanks to that ability.

Spear ability. Just for that one thing, Jorg surpassed my ten-year worth of training. Isn’t that kind of thing absurd? What are those ten years of training for...? No matter how good I am, I will always be overshadowed by that ability. Moreover, with his B-class aptitude, Jorg’s spear ability won’t stop growing. From level I to II, from II to III. On the other hand, I don’t have any hope to grow anymore.

“Tina, what if, just what if you understand that everything you’ve been working hard for is useless, and you’re helpless against it?”

I ask Tina who’s been embracing me close. I came to want to complain helplessly.

“...If it were me, I’ll try even harder. Putting more and more effort, and if that’s still no good, then I’ll think about another way. Working hard is not the goal, it’s just a method. For the sake of my goal, I’ll look for another way.”

“Is that so? Working hard, then finding another way, huh...?”

For what sake did I temper myself with spear? Spear is the symbol of Arnold family, so as the eldest son of Arnold, I wanted to be accomplished in it? Because Father told me to? No, those are wrong.

I wanted to be the best pâtissier in the world. In order to achieve that, I wanted to succeed my Arnold family. That’s why it was important for me to be chosen in the ceremony. The spear was the way to achieve that.

If the only way to win is through martial arts, then I should just throw away the spear.

“Thank you, Tina. I saw a ray of hope. ...and also, I’m sorry. To hug you so sudden...”

I loose up my embracing arms before letting her go. Tina showed regret as I did so.

“There’s nothing you should apologize for! I’m happy you’re spoiling me. Also, seeing Kurt-sama when you’re feeling down only make me love you more. Please keep spoiling me from now on.”

Tina stands up while running her mouth with a red face. I feel like I’ve returned to my usual self. I softly brush her hair.

“Thanks to Tina, I could see the silver lining, you know?”

I will never hand over the village that I’ve built for the sake of my dream, nor will I hand Tina over. Closing my eyes, I ask myself: What is my specialty? Aside from spear, do I have anything to fight with?

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The answer came to me. Through my recovery magic, my all-seeing eyes show me clearly what my talent is. The answer is, the talent of an S-rank aptitude.

“But... will I make it on time?”

Winning against Jorg by developing an S-rank aptitude’s potential should be easy, but it’s not like it won’t pose any problems. In the fighting ceremony, there’s no designated weapon as long as one side wins against the other through martial arts only. Yet, spear is the symbol of Arnold family. If I throw that away, can I be the true successor as the feudal lord of Arnold family?

Another issue is that there’s almost no time. I only have one week to throw away the spear and learn a new weapon from scratch. Even with an S-rank aptitude, a Skill requires around a month to sublime.

The other problem is about my own feeling. Logically speaking, I know that I have to throw away the spear, but I can’t bear to cut off my ten years of hard work. I don’t want to render them useless. My mind sinks into a whirlpool.

“Kurt-sama, let’s go home? If we stay here, Kurt-sama only looks pained.”

Tina holds my hand. From her small hand, Tina relays her body warmth. This warmth opened my eyes.

“You’re right. Let’s go to our village.”

In order to protect this warmth, what am I hesitating for? No matter what I must throw away, no matter which path I must take, I have to win.

Using my all-seeing eyes, I’m thinking in desperation. It showed me a trick that I could utilize. It was a way to increase the experience level and sublimate a Skill. But merely doing that won’t be enough. Isn’t there something? Anything? I have to think of a way to compress a month into a week.

In an instant, it showed my brain a Skill that I already had.

[The Fool’s Desire]

When I became aware of the word, I understood everything.

The Fool’s Desire: The tenacity of one without talent. Turning one impossible desire into a possibility.

* Requirement(s): Training every day earnestly against the capacity of an F-rank aptitude for more than 10 years.

* Effect(s): All the abilities will operate as if the aptitude’s rank is risen by one level.

“...Haha, hahaha. So it’s not useless after all. My spear.”

If one without talent continues to put desperate effort, that foundation will become the “know how”. Isn’t that what a Skill sublimation like? I’m the only one who can obtain an aptitude surpassing S-rank. If I missed out a training for just one day, I wouldn’t obtain this Skill. This is the fruit of my stubbornness and tenacity.

What I gain from my hard spear training is not this Skill, but something else, things that Jorg would never be able to obtain. The principle of martial arts. The body movement. Breathing. I’ve been learning them along with the spear.

I grasp the spear that I’m holding onto. Thank you for these past ten years. I’ll take my next step forward now.

“Let’s go, Tina. I’m alright now.”

“Yes, Kurt-sama. Let’s go back home to our village.”

Tina and I walk forth hand in hand.

When I fetched my favorite horse that I left in the mansion’s barn, Jorg was already there with his spear. There are two of his followers waiting on his sides.

“Geez, Brother, you’re so slow. You’ve got the nerve to make me wait.”

“I don’t remember having any business with you.”

“But I have a business with you. You see, I’ve been thinking about a lot of things. I think that it’s important to punish my unfair brother. A penalty of making me embarrassed from winning over a foul play, you know? Actually, I just can’t stomach the feeling that you’re actually still thinking to win against me. I really should teach you where you’re really standing.”

Jorg shows a vulgar expression. His followers also looks the same. The one who actually stares at those three people is Tina, not me. Feeling in danger, Tina cowers in fear.

“I understand the gist of your thoughts, but let’s hear it once.”

“Why don’t you hand over that girl, Brother. That girl clears my gloomy mood. I really can’t wait until I become the feudal lord. You should go back home alone, Brother.”

“I refuse.”

“Hey, Brother. Should you really oppose me? Haven’t you understood well from today’s match that I’d inherit the title? Oh, well, if you don’t want to hear what I’m saying, I’ll just steal her by force. It’s just so much fun to say it in front of you.”

While facing this way, Jorg points the tip of his spear towards me.

“Oh my weak brother, don’t try to anger me too much. You’ll regret it.”

I suck a deep breath.

“You, Jorg. I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. Aren’t you actually misunderstanding something here?”

From way back, I thought that my younger brother’s strangeness couldn’t be helped. But, honestly, why would he mess around with me to this extent?

“What? Even if you show me a scary angered face, there’s no way I’d get scared.” Jorg takes a step back.

“Don’t tell me that you think that you’re stronger than me?”

Upon my question, Jorg and his followers burst into chaotic laughters that they’re hugging their stomach.

“Ahyahyahyahya! Hi, hi. I’m tearing up. Brother, you’re jesting. Have there even a time when you win against me?”

I see, this brat is a real idiot.

“Jorg, get ready for a fight.”

“Heh?”

“I said, hold your spear and get ready for a fight.”

Feeling my killing intention, Jorg holds his spear while still being so slowminded. In that moment, I fill my body with mana to the brim and lunge forward. The ground is dented. My footsteps clearly imprints the ground as I rush forward.

Jorg thrusts his spear in a reflex. I grasp that spear with my hand, knocking it off with full strength. With his spear flying, Jorg was swung along with the spear, resisting the centrifugal force, and hit the stone wall of the barn.

“Gah!?”

“It does seem like you’ve misunderstood something, so let me teach you. You are weak. You’re just better than me in spear. Without the ability to use mana, did you honestly think that you were stronger than me?”

I step closer towards Jorg who seems to be ina great deal of pain after being hit against the wall, slowly daunting him.

“Ee-eeek, Brother. Wh-why are you so mad. J-joke, it’s just a joke.”

In the matches before Father, mana can’t be used. Exactly due to the rule of fighting only with spears that I can’t win against Jorg. If there’s no such rule, there’s no way I’d lack anything against a boy in this level.

“You terrified my precious girl just because you were joking?”

Crouching down in front of his eyes, I grab his hair with my left hand and tilt his head, pinning his right arm. Then, my fist flies out. With a squished sound, I heard something get crushed.

“Ah, agh, aghh, b, brother, eeek, eeeeek!”

My fist grazed Jorg’s left cheek, crashing into the stone wall. Jorg was so terrified that he pissed inside his pants.

“For me, I could accept anything you’ve done to mess around with me until now. Do you understand why? It’s because you’re the most probable candidate to become the feudal lord. I thought that it was bad to have a discord between a single village and the future feudal lord, so I endured them.”

“That, that’s right, Brother. I- I would be the next feudal lord. You shouldn’t op-oppose me, ee, eeek!”

He was so irritating that I punched with my left hand this time, grazing his cheek and crushing the stone wall.

“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve wanted to kill you? I no longer can count them with both hands. If I wasn’t thinking about troublesome things, I should just kill you to automatically become the feudal lord. If I really wanted to, I would’ve done it anytime I liked.”

That way of thinking passed through my mind so many times. It would really have been easier than baking a cake.

“Even so, either from sentiment of being related by blood or my fair spirit, I kept my good sense and desisted it. In a way, you live because I let you, you know? If I’m short-fused, you’d die a long time ago. Be grateful that you have a kind brother. However, there’s a limit to my patience too. Too bad, it doesn’t matter when you’re messing around.”

“Fo, forgive me, Brother, don’t kill me, it’s my fault, it really is, so.”

With tears running down, Jorg pleads for my forgiveness. As I see that, my head cools down a little.

“Jorg, this is the first time I voice out what’s truly in my mind. Why do you think I convey these thoughts to you?”

“B-because I lay my hand on your precious person, B-brother.”

“That’s one big reason. But actually, there’s another reason. If I fight normally now in the selection ceremony, I’ll still win. That’s why, I don’t have any reason left to avoid a discord with you. I’ve had enough of your rudeness. If you don’t want to die, choose your words carefully. This is my war declaration. I’ll win fair and square against you in the arena.”

I wanted to say those lines.

“Tina, shall we go now?”

“Ye-yes, Kurt-sama.”

I straddle the horse, then Tina who is flustered runs up to me, climbs up the horse, and wraps her arms around my waist.

“I’m sorry, Tina. Looks like I’ve scared you.”

“Ah, no, I’m fine! I was a little scared, but you were really cool today, Kurt-sama.”

She blushes, her voice’s pitch rises. Somehow, it seems that she’s not actually scared. I feel relieved from the bottom of my heart, then races up the horse.