I am the Entertainment Tycoon Chapter 1011: A Hearty Monday Dinner

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.

Right on cue, two familiar figures slipped through the back door, lured inside by the irresistible scent.

Maya, the sleek, entirely black kitten, trotted in first with her tail held high in curiosity. Right behind her was Angel, the partially blind senior white cat, moving with a slower, more dignified pace but twitching her pink nose intensely to take in the air.

"Look who finally decided to join us!" Aurora cheered happily, immediately dropping to her knees on the hardwood floor.

Maya wasted no time, rushing over to friction-rub her cheek against Aurora’s shins, purring loudly. Angel walked up a moment later, tilting her head to navigate her limited vision before letting out a soft, demanding mew. Aurora giggled, gently scratching Angel behind her ears while using her other hand to dangle a stray piece of plastic wrap, making Maya pounce and roll across the floor in a sudden burst of hyperactive energy.

Watching his sister play with the cats brought a smile to Theo’s face as he turned back to the messy workstation. He always preferred a clean kitchen, so he immediately set to work wiping down the marble countertops and scraping the stray bits of flour into the trash. Although he could leave these things to Sylph’s drones to clean, after working at the restaurant for so many months, he acquired the habit of always cleaning the things he used when cooking.

Noticing her brother working, Aurora gently patted Angel one last time, stood up, and walked over to help. "Don’t worry, big brother, I’ve got the heavy lifting," she joked, picking up the dirty mixing bowls, the flour-dusted rolling pin, and the whisk.

"Much appreciated," Theo replied, rinsing off a cutting board in the sink.

Aurora methodically loaded the baking tools and dirty dishes into the dishwasher, wiping down the edges of the bowls so everything would clean perfectly. Working together in a practiced rhythm, the chaotic workspace was completely cleared in less than ten minutes. With the kitchen spotless and the cats lounging contentedly near the warm air of the oven vent, the siblings leaned against the counter, listening to the gentle bubbling sounds inside the stove as the timer steadily ticked down to dinner.

Twenty minutes later, the oven alarm rang, announcing that the savory pie was finally ready.

"Yay!" Aurora cheered at the sound, her face lighting up now that dinner time had officially arrived.

"Aurora, help me set the table, please," Theo said as he pulled on his thick oven mitts.

"On it!" she replied, immediately moving toward the cabinets.

The moment Theo opened the oven door, a rich wave of aroma filled the kitchen. The deeply savory scent of chicken, garlic, and wild mushrooms was perfectly complemented by the buttery, golden fragrance of the freshly baked pastry crust.

"Mmm, it smells absolutely incredible!" Aurora commented, neatly arranging the dinnerware, a pot of fresh green tea, and the remaining utensils on the dining table.

Theo carefully lifted the heavy ceramic dish out of the heat, placing the beautifully browned, leaf-patterned pie onto a heatproof mat in the center of the table. The crust was a flawless golden-brown, bubbling gently around the edges and promising a perfect crunch.

Soon after, the two of them sat down at the table, their eyes shining with genuine enthusiasm for the dinner ahead.

Theo didn’t waste any time. He sliced into the flaky crust, serving a generous piece of the pie onto both of their plates. The moment his knife broke through the layers, a fresh wave of rich steam escaped, filling the space with the concentrated aroma of herbs, cream, and wild mushrooms. Their mouths watered in unison; waiting any longer was out of the question.

Clasping their hands together, they looked at each other with matching smiles.

"Itadakimasu!" they said at the exact same time, eager to finally take their first bites.

Aurora lifted her fork, carefully blowing on a steaming piece of chicken and mushroom enveloped in a fragment of golden crust. The moment she took her first bite, her eyes widened, and she let out a quiet, muffled hum of pure satisfaction. It was so delicious that she didn’t even care the pie was boiling hot.

"Oh wow," she managed after swallowing, shaking her head in disbelief. "Big brother, this is absolutely incredible. The crust is so light and flaky, it completely shatters when you bite into it. It is totatlly worth getting a burnt tongue if I get to eat this pie."

Theo chuckled, savoring his own bite before responding. "Blow your pieces carefully. Don’t get burnt, you silly girl." He advised before saying with a happy expression over her compliment, "The secret is keeping that butter ice-cold during the prep. If the fat doesn’t melt until it hits the oven, it creates those perfect air pockets. How’s the filling?"

"It’s perfect," Aurora said, eagerly scooping up another forkful of the rich, velvety sauce. "The chicken is so tender, and the cream sauce isn’t too heavy at all. There’s this subtle, earthy flavor in the background—is that the wild mushrooms?"

"Exactly," Theo nodded, taking a sip of his warm green tea. "Sautéing the mushrooms until all their liquid evaporates concentrates their flavor. If you leave too much moisture in them, it thins out the sauce and makes the bottom crust soggy. I also added just a hint of Dijon mustard right at the end to cut through the richness of the heavy cream."

"The mustard is a genius touch," Aurora praised, her fork moving rhythmically across her plate. "It gives it this tiny bit of tanginess that ties the herbs together. Seriously, I could eat this every single Monday and never get tired of it."

"Careful, don’t fill up too much," Theo chuckled playfully, pointing a finger toward the oven where the sweet aroma of plums was slowly growing stronger. "We still have a whole Daifuku plum pie waiting for us as soon as we finish this."

Aurora giggled, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Don’t worry, big brother. When it comes to your cooking, I always have a separate stomach specifically reserved for dessert."

The two of them had a hearty dinner together as they talked over random things.

Fifteen minutes later, the siblings set down their forks, their plates completely clean. Theo checked the digital clock on the wall console. There were exactly five minutes left before the Daifuku plum pie would finish its baking cycle.

"I am officially stuffed," Aurora declared, leaning back in her chair with a contented sigh. "But as I said, my dessert stomach is ready and waiting."

"Perfect timing," Theo said, standing up and stretching his arms. "Let’s leave the table to Sylph. We can catch a few minutes of television in the living room while the dessert cools down."

"Initializing dining room cleanup, Master," Sylph’s cheerful, melodic voice chimed from the nearest wall speaker.

As Theo and Aurora walked over to the spacious living area, two sleek, quiet utility drones detached smoothly from their docking ports in the kitchen ceiling. The drones hovered seamlessly over the table, using soft-grip mechanical arms to stack the dirty plates, gather the silverware, and slide them into the dishwasher with robotic efficiency. It was a daily routine that Theo had integrated into the manor’s smart grid, allowing them to fully relax after a meal.

Theo settled onto the large, comfortable sofa, and Aurora immediately claimed the spot right next to him. Right on cue, their two feline companions joined the migration. Maya, the energetic black kitten, leaped onto the back of the sofa, balancing perfectly behind Aurora’s shoulders and purring like a tiny engine. Angel, the senior white cat, stepped onto the plush cushions with slow, careful steps, navigating by scent and sound before curling up right into the warm space between Theo and his sister.

Theo picked up the remote and flicked on the large flat-screen television, pulling up the tv channels and the streaming library. "What do you want to watch?"

"To be honest, I wanted to watch this week’s episode of ’Magic Girls!’, but it only releases tomorrow," Aurora lamented, gently stroking Angel’s soft, white fur. "Let’s watch last week’s episode then."

Theo chuckled, "You and your obsession with Magic Girls!" He said, but he still moved to put the anime episode on the TV.

As the familiar theme song began to play, the cozy living room was bathed in the warm, colorful glow of the screen. The soothing weight of the cats lounging against them, paired with the incredible, sweet aroma of baking plums and warm anko drifting out from the kitchen, made the short wait feel like the perfect, peaceful conclusion to a chaotic Monday.