We weren’t going to be serving just students from upper-ranking noble families, but their parents and guardians as well. In order to avoid any chaos, it would be best to set up reservations. So, we created a second schedule for the taste testing, as well as a sign-up sheet for reservations.
We ended up fully booked in the blink of an eye. Many of the students who knew their parents would be attending ended up making reservations.
I’m so glad we decided to get high-ranking maids to help. It would be terrible if we were accidentally rude to any parents.
“We’re filling up on reservations for the bicycle test rides too,” President Caesar remarked. “I hope this will lead to us getting more members...”
The alchemy club exhibit wasn’t going to be deserted like it had been last year, but the popularity of our offerings wasn’t necessarily a reflection of how many students might join the club. Though, this year, our lab coats were going to be sparkling white, so we’d perhaps make a better impression on others, at the very least.
On the day before the Festival of Verdure, I had to accompany the glee club’s dress rehearsal. The time slots for music club had been decided a lot more easily than they had been the previous year. The first year students and I were all performing in the morning, so they just had to divide the senior division students among the two afternoon blocks. The first year students were going in the morning because they were also in riding club, which had a competition in the afternoon.
“By the way, I absolutely will not stand for our club receiving the least votes,” Princess Margaret snapped.
I’d completely forgotten about the voting system that had been implemented this year. The number of votes each club obtained would determine how much time they got in the auditorium the following year.
President Albert laughed off Princess Margaret’s concern.
“Choir club and the theater club are going to be fighting for last place. I have no idea why the theater club chooses such depressing performances every year.”
I learned from President Albert’s exasperated comments that they were going to perform a depressing tragedy again. Maybe it’ll be better than the mythological play from last Harvest Festival.
The theater club’s performance was a story in which an old king died after being treated coldly by his family. It was similar to King Lear from my previous life, but it was about the king and his sons, not his daughters. It was a much more violent story with many deaths.
The glee club’s dress rehearsal was pretty much a success. There was room for improvement when it came to the members’ acting skills, but their singing and dancing was good. The dance club members who joined as background dancers were particularly wonderful, so much so that I wish they could’ve been swapped with some of the main cast. Of course, it could turn out that they’re terrible singers.
“The glee club is going to be a formidable opponent,” Princess Margaret remarked. It seemed she wouldn’t be happy unless the music club obtained the most votes.
I wasn’t really worried either way, since I couldn’t care less about how long our performances were. Can’t we just focus on quality over quantity? I kept that thought to myself, since voicing it would only cause problems.
“I’m heading to alchemy club,” I announced.
With Princess Margaret’s permission, I left. The princess still had to make some final touches to complete her gown, including ironing it. Yes, she had just barely finished it in time for the festival. I’d heard that several students were still sewing their gowns. Ms. Cameron must be so busy.
High-ranking maids from several households had gathered at alchemy club. Wow, they’re all so pretty. Their beautiful lace-trimmed aprons and headpieces really add a lot to the look. We’re going to have an actual maid café!
“I also had these treats brought over from the Granger house,” President Caesar explained to the group.
He handed me the meringues that Eva had baked. They were packaged in small bags I’d made ahead of time. I’d dyed some scrap fabric pink and blue to turn into ribbon for the packages, so they looked quite cute. After all, aesthetics were important too.
“I’d like everyone to try some,” I said.
We opened up one bag, and we all tried the meringues together. They melted as soon as you put them in your mouth.
“These are delicious,” Caesar remarked.
“Yes, they are. They make lovely gifts if you need something that will last several days.”
It was decided that we’d sell the meringues in the taste testing section of our exhibit.
“Can I leave you in charge of the ice cream, Patience?” President Caesar asked. It appeared he’d forgotten that I wasn’t going to be here until the afternoon.
All the other alchemy club members were completely focused on the bicycles. They’d built a fourth model with two wheels in the back, making it a tricycle. It was supposed to be a cargo trike, but for now, the back space had a chair so it could accommodate a passenger. It was similar to the cycle rickshaws in southeast Asia. The passenger trike was quite popular with the members of alchemy club, and none of them came over to the ice cream area.
I guess it’ll probably be mostly male students test riding the bicycles, so the cycle rickshaw will make it easier for female students to ride too.
President Caesar was excited about this possibly leading to more girls joining, but I wasn’t confident that would be the case.
“Please listen, everyone,” I said. “I won’t be available before noon, so you must learn how to direct the maids and when to start pulling ice cream out of the freezer.”
I proceeded to teach the maids how to create round scoops of ice cream and serve them.
“You will be plating one scoop of the white milk-flavored ice cream, and one of the pink strawberry-flavored ice cream,” I explained. “Once those are in the bowl, you will garnish it with some mint. I’d like you all to try it for yourselves and taste test your bowls.”
The high-ranking maids had not been chosen only for their beauty. They were also incredibly skilled, and after a single demonstration, they created perfectly round scoops of ice cream.
“My, this is delicious,” the maids raved.
I’m so glad they like it!
After that, I explained our reservation system to them, and that was the end of their training.
Are the other members even listening?
“Maybe one of us could be the driver of the passenger tricycle. Or would it be better to let a student who wants to test ride it be the driver?”
The boys were buzzing with excitement over the trike taxi. Are you guys going to be okay? It takes a lot of stamina to pedal those with a passenger riding. Though it was rude, I couldn’t help but think about how the members of alchemy club were all quite lanky.