262: Special Vanilla Ice Cream

"Phew. At last, I've created something truly satisfying, as befits a being of my caliber."

The day after being attacked in the Underlayer.

Thanks to Zacrock's efforts, a prototype of the special vanilla ice cream for the matchmaking ballroom dance event was finally complete.

"Thank you, Zacrock."

"It's too early to be thanking me, Lord Villigianira. As with any dish, the true evaluation comes only after tasting it."

Ah, yeah, the journey up to this point was quite a challenge.

Making multiple prototypes was inevitable, of course.

Apparently, Zacrock found out—probably from Dr. Mizion—that I could travel to the Hiraltra Tsubame system instantly via teleportation, and he asked me to go fetch some Momo-Madok's milk eggs.

And it turned out that Momo-Madok's milk eggs were a huge hit with Zacrok, causing quite a bit of trouble at their poultry farm.

We did offer appropriate compensation... but there was simply no way to express how truly sorry we were...

Also, when we sped up mint cultivation because it wasn't ready on time, the greenhouse nearly overflowed with mint.

I heard that a flood of messages from the Emperor, apparently responding to Vilijaniura, had poured into my information terminal.

There was even a dispute between the baron who made a sudden sales pitch for milk and eggs, and Zalrock... Ah, that particular incident was due to Zalrock's unclear wording, so it was resolved amicably.

Zalrock mentioned wanting to try using other plants from Ether Space, so a sauce tailored for meat dishes based on Hekyo Moruly was created.

Well, it was quite a hassle... It was really tough.

"Fufufu, yes indeed. Then let's all dig in right away."

"Yay!"

"Understood."

"Then, I'll prepare it for you."

And as I recall, with a distant look, the various things that happened during my prototype testing, it seems the preparations are now complete.

Before me sits vanilla ice cream topped with mint from the Ether Space, served in a transparent container.

The sight of a creamy white sphere with a single green mint leaf resting upon it instantly evokes a refreshing feeling.

"Then, please enjoy."

"Thank you for the meal!" (in unison)

I scoop just a small amount of vanilla ice cream with my spoon.

Yeah, at this point, it's already clear how skilled Zaku-roc-san truly is.

Even without holding the bowl, the spoon naturally slides in and scoops up the ice cream effortlessly.

Proof that it's served at the perfect temperature.

"……"

Then I bring the scooped vanilla ice cream to my mouth.

The vanilla ice cream melting on my tongue instantly released a perfect chill, a subtle sweetness, the rich aroma of cream and egg, and then... an intense, luxurious vanilla essence that filled my mouth and reached my nasal passages, delivering a sweet, deeply satisfying sensation.

Yeah, this isn't just ordinary top-grade quality.

The finest vanilla ice cream, perfectly adjusted to fully bring out the essence of the vanilla beans collected by Viridianilla.

"……"

For the second bite, I brought the ice cream to my mouth together with a mint leaf.

The flavor instantly transformed.

As soon as I let it sit in my mouth and the aroma began to unfold, it was an even richer, sweeter, and more intense vanilla ice cream than the first bite—so overwhelming it felt almost shocking.

But right after that, a refreshing mint aroma arrived, gently washing away the rich flavor and leaving the mouth feeling clean and refreshed—making you eager to take the next bite with your spoon.

"Could it really be this way just because it's mint from Ether Space?"

"An unusual taste indeed. But I could eat this forever."

"It's like riding a roller coaster."

The remarkable thing is that no special mod was used to create this flavor.

Since mint from Ether Space differs from mint produced by 'Vanilla OS,' perhaps this is achievable by exploiting that difference... but I couldn't figure out exactly how it might be done.

"Zakurok-sama."

"I'll send you the recipe later regarding what was done. While perfect replication may be impossible, it should work roughly the same."

We continued scooping with our spoons.

The bowl seemed to have been carefully adjusted with mods, so the vanilla ice cream didn't melt during eating.

As a result, there was no risk of the flavor fading from melting, allowing us to enjoy it deliciously all the way through.

As we kept eating, at the bottom of the bowl—near the final spoonful—we spotted a green sauce.

From the scent, it seemed to be a mint sauce made from Ether Space mint.

"……!?!"

I stirred the sauce into the last spoonful and took it in.

That single bite sent a shockwave through me, threatening to obliterate all my previous impressions of flavor.

An intensely rich, overwhelming aroma—so thick it seemed to smother my thoughts—yet not unpleasant, but rather deeply comforting: an exquisitely sweet vanilla scent... Ah, my mind swam as if drunk, my senses reeling, as if I’d stepped beyond the bounds of this world.

The mint fragrance gradually unwinds it.

Without leaving a bitter aftertaste.

Yet preserving the sense of happiness.

Slowly, reality returns… restoring my posture, standing me upright once more.

"That's... incredible flavor..."

"The most delicious vanilla ice cream I've ever tasted in my entire life..."

"I'm starting to worry if we'll ever be able to go back to mass-produced versions. Well, I guess it'll be fine, but still..."

That's wonderful to hear, I'm glad you're satisfied.

After saying "Gochisousama," everyone shared their thoughts.

I see now what the top-tier product is like... It's incredible...

"We might need to consider paying an additional bonus for this..."

"Hehehe. There's no need to worry about that. I've enjoyed myself quite a bit this time, after all. If you truly wish to make a payment... then perhaps after stable and consistent supply becomes possible, I'd appreciate it if you could continue allowing me to use Ether Space plants in the future."

"I see. I'm not certain it will succeed, but I'll certainly do my best."

"I'll be counting on you."

I nodded along with Vilijanira and Zakkorock's exchange, still smiling.