I leave my father's office and heading to the front yard to see people who look for me. At first, I thought they would be Charles and Joe, but I was mistaken. When I arrived at the front yard, I see a horse cart parked there with five people standing beside the horse cart. They're consist of four males and one female. The oldest male from those people, maybe the leader, a middle-aged man in his forties approaching me when he saw me comes out from the door. After giving a salute, he starts to speak to me
"Greetings, young master Henry….My name Coles from Lumon town. Young master Gandolf send us here to learn Harvard cooking techniques and here's a letter from young master Gandolf for young master Henry"
He takes a letter from his sleeves and handed it to me. I open the envelope and read the letter inside.
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Greetings Henry,
I send my cooks to learn how to make delicious food at your castle, and maybe they can also help you during Your Excellency Earl Stamfort visit at Harvard territory. Please don't hesitate to make them work hard because I already tell them to work hard there. I also send some ingredients with the hope they can be useful for you in preparing dishes for the banquet later.
I'm really expecting the time to taste your delicious food again at the banquet.
Best Regards
Gandolf
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Wow…they actually cooks from Lumon town and since they already arrive here at this hour, that means they leaving Lumon town at dawn. And Gandolf says he also send some ingredients with them, that's wonderful. I wonder what kind of ingredients he sends to me this time. I look at the man in front of me and ask some questions
"You are Coles, right?"
"Yes, young master Henry"
"Do you mind to introduce your companion there?"
"No, not at all young master….the one who tallest among us, his name is Tollier, the fattest one called Frank, the youngest there is Merck and the only female in our group is miss Sarah"
"Hello, young master Henry"
"Hello, you all"
Coles introduces one by one his companion and when he mentions their respective names, they step forward and give me a salute. When the only female in that group introduced to me, she looks at me with a strange expression on her face, different from her male companion when they greet me. Also, Coles seems to give her more respect mentioned her name, but I don't give attention to that. Maybe he did that because she's the only female there, and actually she not bad looking too. I wonder if she also a cook or maybe she is a maid or helper that comes along with them? Anyway, let's check what Gandolf send with them in the cart
"Coles, Gandolf said in his letter that he sends some ingredients with you here. May I see what he sent to me this time?"
"Yes, young master Henry. we bring some ingredients with us. They are on the cart and please take a look for them"
I go to horse cart with Coles to check what kind of ingredients they bring here. In the cart, there are some sacks and crates placed there in an orderly manner.
"Young master, there are wines in those crates"
Coles explains the content of the crates to me so I don't have to open the sealed crates. I just check the contents of the sack and when I open one of those sacks, the content actually….rice!!
Is that mean Gandolf expect me to make something from this rice? Very well, you'll not disappoint Gandolf, because I will make the rice you sent to me into something delicious later.
"Good, I receive these ingredients and will use it well. Now, you want to take some rest first or maybe you want to go to our kitchen first?"
I ask Coles about what he wants to do here.
"Please take us to the kitchen, young master Henry. We come here to work, not to have leisure time"
His answer makes me satisfied with their attitude and brings them directly to the kitchen after they take their belonging from the cart. After they arrive in the kitchen later, I will ask Mrs. Martina to arrange their room in the castle.
"Alright, follow me then. I'll show you our kitchen here"
I told them to follow me after I'm ordering a servant who cleaning the front yard to bring the cart to the stable after unloaded the shipment in the storage room. While walking to the kitchen, I ask them for the detail about their job in Lumon town
"Tell me Coles….you're the oldest among your companion, is that mean you're the leader?"
"Yes, young master. I'm the head chef on Master Rudolf mansion"
"And what about the others?"
"Tollier and Frank are cooks, while Merck is our helper and Miss Sarah is the one who makes pastry and beverages"
"I see. And because this is your first day in our castle, I only will ask you to do small tasks first since we already make preparation for today's lunch, but you can watch and ask anything you don't understand as long as not disturbing other's work. Did Gandolf say how long you will stay in here?"
"We understand young master, and we will stay here maybe for one or two weeks"
"Okay, after we arrived at the kitchen, I will ask a person in charge there to arrange your room to sleep"
"Thank you, young master"
"Hmmm….did Gandolf show you what we made in our kitchen?"
"Yes, young master Gandolf show me the frikadel he brought from here last night, young master Henry"
"And what do you think about the frikadel?"
"That's dish is wonderful, young master! Simple yet delicious…I see that frikadel also can be modified by using different kinds of meat and also turn into the vegetarian dish as well"
I nodded when hearing what Coles said just now. He's indeed an experienced cook that has a good sight for the food. With him to help me in the castle kitchen, maybe the cooking process will be even faster than before.