After that, Saphy tried multiple times, but she just couldn't get her point across. She also realized that what she was saying might've sounded confusing. Then, suddenly, an idea struck her.
"Ugh, why didn't I think of this sooner?" she sighed.
With a wave of her hand, she used ice magic and formed a mandolin out of solid ice. Then she began explaining how it worked, demonstrating its function step by step. Next, she crafted another tool—a simple peeler—also out of ice.
Although Saphy felt a bit silly for struggling to explain herself earlier, no one around thought so. To them, it was endearing—a young girl earnestly trying to share her invention to make others' work easier. The sight warmed everyone's hearts.
When Saphy finished her icy demonstration, Ironbeard was left both shocked and embarrassed. By their lord's orders, only a few people knew the secret behind potato chips—and he was one of them. Yet here he was, realizing that a simple tool capable of making perfect slices had been thought up by a child, not a veteran craftsman like himself.
But Ironbeard didn't let the embarrassment linger for long. Stroking his beard, he said firmly,
"Give me half an hour. I'll have a prototype ready by then."
Half an hour later, Ironbeard returned with the prototype of the mandolin. Since it was only a prototype, it didn't have the refined craftsmanship of a finished product—but even so, Saphy had to admit, Ironbeard's skill was the real deal. He wasn't just boasting.
Together, they began making various adjustments to the blade. Saphy had brought a few potatoes with her to test the thickness of the slices. After several tries, they finally achieved the perfect thickness. Ironbeard then measured the exact distance between the blade and the base to record it.
Saphy also suggested adding a stable base for the mandolin, to make it easier to use.
Once the mandolin was done, they moved on to the peeler. Using the same approach, they made adjustments and took careful measurements.
When they were finished, Ironbeard wiped his hands and said,
"Alright, come back in four hours. The final products will be ready by then."
Four hours later, Ironbeard presented two finished mandolins and two peelers. The bodies were made from polished rosewood, and the blades gleamed with finely sharpened steel.
Saphy tested them carefully and found that they worked perfectly. She looked up with a bright smile and thanked Ironbeard sincerely.
But Ironbeard quickly shook his head.
"Miss, please don't embarrass me by offering thanks," he said with a wry smile. "Such a simple concept, and yet I couldn't come up with it myself. Instead, I should be the one thanking you. You made this to help the chefs—thank you for having such a kind heart."
Saphy's face turned red under the wave of praise. Flustered, she quickly said, "T-Then please make five of each!" and ran off before he could say another word.
Ironbeard and the butler both chuckled softly, their eyes full of warmth as they watched the little lady's retreating figure.
Saphy ran straight to the kitchen, her steps light but full of excitement. Once there, she called out,
"Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment?"
The chefs turned toward her, curious. Saphy proudly announced that she and Ironbeard had come up with a few tools to make their work easier.
Hearing that, some of the chefs felt their eyes grow moist. They were deeply touched—and even more curious about what the young lady had brought. Without wasting any time, Saphy began her demonstration.
"First," she said, holding up the first tool, "this is a peeler."
With a few quick motions, she showed how effortlessly it could remove the potato skin. Gasps and murmurs spread through the kitchen.
"And this," she continued, lifting the second tool, "is a mandolin slicer. Watch closely."
With smooth, even strokes, she sliced a potato into perfect, thin pieces.
"As you can see," she said with a proud smile, "now anyone can make chips whenever they like. No need to trouble the chefs with endless cutting anymore."
The kitchen erupted in cheers and applause. A few of the older chefs even knelt down, tears streaming down their faces.
"Thank you, Miss… thank you so much…" they said, overcome with emotion.
Saphy blinked, flustered by their reaction. "P-Please, it's nothing that big!" she said quickly, making up an excuse to escape before they could continue.
By evening, word of the young lady's kindness had spread throughout the estate. Wherever Saphy went, people would greet her with praises and gratitude.
It was sweet—but also terribly embarrassing.
In the end, poor Saphy could only hide in her room, red-faced and mortified, while the rest of the house sang her praises.
Three days had passed since the arrival of the mandolin and peeler. Potato chips had become even more common throughout the castle. Now that the thin-slicing problem was solved, almost anyone could make them. Servants could often be seen working with a small pouch of chips at their side—it gave the castle a strangely cheerful, colorful atmosphere.
To Saphy's joy, a maid came to inform her that the tomatoes, onions, and garlic she had instructed to be sun-dried were finally ready. Saphy asked to see them, and the maid promptly brought the dried ingredients. After checking them carefully, Saphy nodded in satisfaction—there wasn't a trace of moisture left.
"Alright, now it's time to grind them. Bring me a mortar and pestle."
The maid blinked. "Pardon, miss? A what?"
Saphy froze for a moment. Right—this wasn't Earth. Things here often had different names, like potatoes being called earthfruit.
She sighed inwardly. "Umm, it's like… a stone with a little bowl shape, and you use another stone to crush things into powder."
The maid tilted her head, clearly lost.
Saphy could feel a headache coming on. Just like before… getting my point across really is a challenge here.
So, Saphy did the same thing she had done with Ironbeard—she used her ice magic to form a mortar and pestle.
But the maid only tilted her head in confusion, clearly not recognizing what it was.
Saphy let out a sigh. Looks like another trip to the workshop…
Just as she was about to dismiss the maid and head there herself, a thought struck her—the rolling mortar and pestle!
Clinging to that final spark of hope, she quickly shaped it with her magic and showed it to the maid.
To her delight, the maid's eyes lit up.
"Ah! A medicine grinder! Now I understand!"
Renewed energy filled Saphy's voice.
"Do we have any of them here?"
"Ah, I think we should. Let me check right away! Excuse me!" the maid replied, hurrying off.
When the maid returned, Saphy's face fell. The girl had come back empty-handed.
"So… we don't have them?" Saphy asked weakly, her shoulders drooping in disappointment.
The maid panicked, flustered by the sight of the little miss's sad expression. "N-No, no, no, miss! You misunderstood!" she stammered, waving her hands. "We do have them! But… um, they're made of stone. And, well… they're a bit too heavy for me to lift." Her cheeks turned bright red with embarrassment.
Saphy blinked, then let out a long, relieved sigh. "So we do have them."
Her energy instantly returned, and her tone grew lively again. "How many do we have?"
The maid straightened up, happy to redeem herself. "Quite a few, miss!"
"Perfect. Then ask a few soldiers to bring three of the freshest ones."
"Right away, miss!" the maid said, giving a quick bow before dashing off.
After a short while, a few soldiers arrived carrying three large medicine grinders. They carefully placed them near an empty spot in the kitchen.
"Please wipe them clean with a dry cloth," Saphy instructed one of the maids.
Once the grinders were spotless, she gave her next order.
"Now, someone please grind the ingredients—use a separate grinder for each one. And make sure they're ground into fine powder."
The maids were just about to begin when the chefs stepped forward.
"Wait, allow us, miss," one of them said with a smile. "You've done so much for us already. Let us handle this part."
Saphy blinked, then smiled softly as the three chefs took their places. They spun the grinding wheels forward and backward, the rhythmic grr-grr filling the air. Before long, the ingredients had turned into fine, fragrant powders.
Saphy carefully divided them into separate bowls, labeling each with precision.
Then, turning to the others, she bowed her head slightly.
"Ah, everyone… I'm sorry. But this time, I want to surprise Mother and Father first. I'm truly sorry you won't get to taste it before them."
Her apologetic smile tugged at their hearts.
"No, no, Miss," one of the chefs said earnestly. "There's no need to apologize. Just knowing that you thought of us makes us happy. Please—go ahead."
Saphy's heart swelled with gratitude. "Thank you, everyone," she said, her eyes sparkling.
With renewed excitement—and stars dancing in her gaze—she began preparing for dinner, eager to surprise her family with these brand-new flavors.