Aiden stood before the workstation, rolling up his sleeves and taking a deep breath before he commenced.
He did not view cooking merely as a chore, but rather as an art that demanded patience, precision, and devotion; thus, he immersed himself in his labor with all the focus he possessed.
His hands moved with agility between the bowls of flour, butter, and spices.
He kneaded the dough until it became as smooth as silk, then left it to rest at the precise moment, while on the other side, he prepared the fillings, weighing the ingredients with an accuracy that brooked no error.
The hours ticked away one after another, yet Aiden did not pause for a single moment, nor did he allow exhaustion to distract his attention.
As the completion of his task drew near, the aroma of baked butter began to blend with the scent of aromatic herbs, followed closely by the fragrance of honey, vanilla, and chocolate.
This warm perfume enveloped the entire royal kitchen, drawing the attention of all the servants, until some of them paused their work for a few moments, gazing toward the source of those wondrous scents.
From the ovens emerged the first pastries, gleaming with a golden hue, and Aiden arranged them meticulously upon the serving platters.
Among them were flaky Golden Mandarin tarts, wild herb and cheese rolls with a fragrant scent, and spiced meat pies in ether sauce that retained their heat and savory flavor.
He did not rest there; instead, he moved directly to preparing the sweets, pouring all of his skill into decorating them and presenting them in their finest form.
Upon the table appeared velvety strawberry tarts of a vibrant red, alongside dark chocolate ash-glaze cakes, then smooth custard pastries with a touch of royal vanilla, and finally, crispy crunch-balls coated in pure honey that shimmered under the kitchen light like small pieces of gold.
When he finished, he wiped the sweat from his brow, then looked at the platters lined up before him with a calm smile of satisfaction.
He had invested all his effort and expertise into them, leaving not a single detail to chance, awaiting the moment when the head butler would pass judgment on the result of his first trial inside the royal kitchen.