Theo carefully lifted the newly assembled flower-patterned dessert pie and slipped it onto the rack right next to the savory one. The chicken pie had already been baking for a while, its top crust puffing up into a beautiful, pale tan. Closing the heavy glass door of the oven, Theo checked the digital interface. The primary countdown read twenty minutes remaining—the exact window needed for the chicken pie to achieve its final, deep-golden lacquer while allowing the sweet dessert pastry to begin its initial bake.
As the two pies baked side by side, the kitchen atmosphere transformed. The rich, savory aroma of garlic, sautéed mushrooms, and creamy chicken stock mingled with the emerging sweet, fruity notes of warming plums and spiced anko. The resulting fragrance was incredible, a comforting blanket of warmth that drifted past the kitchen island and rolled out toward the rest of the manor.
