This is not the date I wanted.

"Oh... this is really amazing."

Meng Yue couldn't help but sigh.

It is completely different from the ready-made chocolate sold in convenience stores. Each type of chocolate here is obviously different from the origin of the cocoa beans used and the proportions. The labels next to the cabinets even explain which materials are suitable for making which chocolates. When you walk to the cashier not far away, you can also find a counter specializing in selling packaging boxes and molds.

I have to say, this is very new for Mengyue who is here for the first time.

At this time, Tohka, Yoshino, Nanashi, Yakuya, Yui, Miku, Nia, and Rokuko, who had entered the store earlier than them, were carefully examining the chocolates on the shelves with serious eyes.

"How about it, everyone. Do you have any favorites?"

Kotori confirmed with everyone with some curiosity.

Reacting to Kotori's voice, everyone turned and gathered around Kotori.

"Kotori, even though everything here looks delicious, there are so many types that I have no idea what to choose."

"Me too... I've seen too much... I'm a little dazzled... I'm confused..."

"Well... I can just pick whatever I want to do. It's just to make up the numbers anyway."

“Kuwu——Although I can vaguely recognize that this is the language of the present world, I cannot understand its true meaning…”

"That's right. Yui is just like Yakuya, not really understanding the difference between each type of chocolate."

"Kotori-chan, what flavor of chocolate do you think Darling likes?"

"Sister-chan, Bili-chan! Do you have any breast-shaped molds here? An E cup is best."

"You better be serious."

Mengyue silently picked up the paper fan and fanned Erya on the head.

"Girl, what is the difference between cocoa beans produced in Venezuela and Colombia?"

“Hey… that…”

Faced with everyone's questions, cold sweat of embarrassment broke out on Qinli's forehead.

Although it was indeed her idea to "make chocolate by hand", in terms of chocolate making experience, Kotori only had the experience of making a delicate chocolate with the help of her mother when she was a child. If she was asked to explain the differences between the raw materials caused by the production area, she could not answer at all.

Rather, she was actually a person who asked questions.

(Sister Mengyue...)

Feeling Kotori's pleading gaze, Mengyue shrugged with a wry smile, indicating that she could do nothing to help.

"Kotori-chan, if you want to ask me how to make chocolate, I can teach you. But the difference in production areas... it's no use asking me since it's my first time in a store like this."

It is better to say that customers who come here to purchase will not care much about this information. Maybe those with experience will be more particular, but since we are all novices, there is not much point in worrying about this.

After all, whether it’s high-quality meat or cheap meat, if you don’t know how to control the heat, the taste won’t make much difference if it’s burnt.

(Well...it's okay to ask though.)

Meng Yue turned her gaze to Ling Yin, who looked like she might fall asleep at any moment.

"Lingyin, do you know? The difference between cocoa beans?"

"Um……"

Hearing Mengyue's words, Lingyin nodded slowly.

"...Among cocoa beans...the main ones are the Criollo variety, which has a rich aroma...the Forastero variety, which is highly resistant to disease...and the Trinidad variety, which inherits the advantages of both..."

Just as Meng Yue thought, the other party's knowledge was still astonishingly diverse. He even knew such obscure knowledge as cocoa beans in such detail.

but……

"Lingyin, speak human language."

Glancing at the people behind her who looked confused, Meng Yue reminded helplessly.

"Well... Actually... Unless you have accumulated a lot of experience... then worrying about the type of cocoa beans and where they come from won't make much difference... If you have to choose... pay attention to the ratio of milk to cocoa... Darker chocolate will be more bitter, while lighter chocolate will be sweeter..."

"Oh, that's it."

After hearing Lingyin's explanation, everyone nodded in sudden understanding.

Then, as if they had found an oasis in the desert, everyone began to ask Lingyin how to make chocolate. And Lingyin lived up to expectations and made quite pertinent modification suggestions based on everyone's ideas and plans.

"It's still the same as always. The range of knowledge is so diverse that it makes people speechless."

Meng Yue couldn't help but sigh.

"I think Sister Mengyue is about the same..."

Kotori made a subtle comment, then asked curiously.

"Sister Mengyue, have you decided what kind of chocolate to make?"

Meng Yue thought for a moment and replied.

"Hmm... I haven't decided yet. But if I have to say, I'd rather be the one receiving chocolate than giving it away."

"Meng Yuejie wants to get chocolate from Shidao?"

Kotori asked curiously.

"NO! NO! It's Shiori-chan's chocolate!"

Shaking his finger to deny, Meng Yue corrected him seriously,

"Um... Shidou's chocolate is not okay?"

Qin Li couldn't help feeling ashamed when she inadvertently felt Meng Yue's deep obsession to turn her brother into a sister.

"Hmm... Shidou, if it's just about giri, I'd be happy to accept it, but not for my destiny."

I feel like eating it will give me stomachache, Mengyue added quietly in her heart.

"Oh my god, what a waste! If it was my natal chocolate given by Mr. Shidou, I would definitely be very happy to accept it."

Just then, a familiar voice sounded in her ears. Meng Yue's body stiffened and she turned her head like a rusty robot.

"Krang San..."

"Alala, it's a real treat to meet you in a place like this, everyone."

With her usual mysterious smile, Kuang San appeared in front of everyone.

21. Making chocolate

==============================

Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day, originated on February 270, 2 AD, the day when a Roman Christian named Valentine was executed.

Why did the day on which a saint was executed become known to the world as "Valentine's Day"? The truth has long been unknown, and the complicated and boring hypotheses proposed by historians are probably not something that many people are interested in understanding now.

For people nowadays, especially adolescent boys and girls who are in the turbulent season, Valentine's Day is just a day to express love to the one they like by giving chocolates.

In a sense, Valentine's Day is also the day to decide the outcome of the war called "love".

Tokisaki Kurumi, a being known as the "most evil spirit" who has killed more than 10,000 people, proposed a love duel to Shidao, saying "whoever falls in love with the other person first will lose" in order to seize the spiritual power stored in Shidao's body.

Therefore, Valentine's Day is undoubtedly the decisive day for Kurumi to conquer Shidao.

Therefore, it is natural to go out and buy ingredients for making chocolates the day before Valentine's Day.

Therefore, it was not surprising that she met Mengyue and others who were also preparing to make chocolates in a dessert shop.

Therefore, it was understandable that she proposed to everyone that they should make chocolate together.

Therefore, it was quite normal for Kotori to take her back to the Elf Apartment and make chocolates happily together.

"No, that's weird, isn't it?"

Looking at Kuang San standing in the kitchen of the Elf Apartment, humming a little tune and putting on an apron, Meng Yue couldn't help but complain.

"Well, don't worry about the small details, Bili-chan."

Erya patted Mengyue's shoulder and comforted her.

"Aren't you very concerned about the quarrel with San San last night? It's a rare good luck to meet you. Can you take this opportunity to talk to San San again?"

"Well..."

Mengyue seemed a little hesitant when she heard Erya's suggestion.

"Well, even if this purpose is not included, tomorrow is the day for my date with Shidou. It wouldn't be a bad idea to take this opportunity to gather more information."

After putting away the shopping bag containing the materials, Kotori continued.

"...Kotori."

At this moment, Reine suddenly appeared and whispered something in Kotori's ear, and then after Kotori nodded in agreement, she left the kitchen.

"Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Sister Mengyue...girls said picking flowers is better..."

"Hi hi~"

After saying something perfunctorily to Kotori, Mengyue walked out of the kitchen and found Lingyin at the door of the elf apartment.

"Lingyin."

Hearing Mengyue's voice, Lingyin stopped.

"…Hmm? What's wrong Meng Yue?"

"What are you going to do?"

"...Go to Fraxinus and check Kurumi's current emotions and favorability."

It’s not something that needs to be concealed, Ling Yin answered truthfully.

"Then why not just ask Maria and Junai? And wasn't Kurumi's favorability measured yesterday?"

"Hmm... but didn't we have an argument with her last night? Her emotions might fluctuate a lot... If we operate directly on the airship... the data will be more accurate..."

Lingyin explained. Then, she looked at Mengyue with sleepy eyes and asked back.

"Meng Yue... Just like what Niya said... It's a rare meeting... How about trying to communicate with Kuang San... Although it's a bit awkward to meet with the person you quarreled with yesterday... But it's a serious matter... Please try your best..."

"Ah! Don't worry, I know this better than you do. It is precisely because I know this that I came to you."

Meng Yue shrugged and said in an affirmative tone.

"What's the meaning……"

After hearing Meng Yue's words, Ling Yin said in confusion.

"What do you mean... I explained it before. Kurumi came to me to stop DEM from assassinating Shidao. The disagreement between Kurumi and I is also due to this point..."

Having said that, Meng Yue suddenly shrugged and asked Ling Yin for help with a wry smile.

"Well, to put it simply, I'm already exhausted dealing with the DEM attacks. After all, this concerns Shidao's life, so I came to ask Miss Reine if there is an effective solution?"

"…I really want to answer you…but unfortunately…I can't think of a good way for the moment."

Lingyin said ashamedly.

"Really do not have?"

Meng Yue said in disbelief.

"I'm very sorry... I can't help you... But I'm also a member of Ratatoskr. If I find anything, I will contact you immediately..."

(As a member of Ratatoskr?... Tsk!)

Seeing Ling Yin getting away with it with clever words, Meng Yue couldn't help but secretly click her tongue, but on the surface she remained calm and answered very politely.

"Well, thank you for your help. Thank you, Lingyin."

"……You're welcome."

Although she didn't get the answer she wanted, it wasn't all in vain - after comforting herself in this way, Mengyue said goodbye to Lingyin and returned to the kitchen of the apartment.

As soon as she returned to the kitchen, she saw that everyone was busy making Valentine's Day chocolates.

"Well... I'll start too."

After taking a breath and adjusting her mood, Mengyue began to prepare her own chocolate.

Maybe Kotori and the others were deliberately careful and left a cooking table next to Kurumi for her.