Cake Test

A pair of young women sat blindfolded at a table. "So... what are we doing?" the older of the two asked, fighting the urge to lift the blindfold. It was at this point, a third woman, who was somewhat older, came into the room pushing a cart that had several covered trays on it.

"Well, as you girls know," the woman began, "with the upcoming ball this weekend, we must be prepared for our guests at our event."

"Hence why I've picked out the decor," the younger of the girls said. "But Mother, why ae we wearing blindfolds?"

"Simple," the mother answered. "The dinner is going to be quite lovely, but we must be certain that our dessert closes the evening well. One wrong choice can sully the entire meal, and can quite possibly effect our house's standing. Hence why you two are being my testers for cake!"

"...Wait, you're ACTUALLY making the real cake yourself?" the older sister asked. "That's quite the endeavor."

"Exactly," the mother replied. "With some help, enough cake for a mansion full of people by this weekend will be easy! The only problem, however, is that I need a flavor. So, we're doing a blind cake tasting test."

"Why blind, though?" the older daughter questioned.

"Because if you girls know which flavor you're taking in before you try it, you're going to have a bias!"

"That is fair," the younger of the two replied. "So, let's get started... I hope there's lemon!"

"You and lemon," the older sister teased, a roll of her eyes under her blindfold.

"First cake," the mother said, placing a pair of slices in front of the girls. The two picked up their forks, and, after a few failed attempts, managed to get cake on them. The girls guided the cutlery to their mouths, and took a bite.

"Hmm... strawberry?" the older of the two girls asked.

"Yes," their mother answered. "I figured a fruity taste would be a good impact. Strawberrys are naturally sweet, so less sugar has to be used, and it shows pride in your sister's garden."

"Ooh, it's so good," the younger of the two girls beamed.

"Now, this second cake," the mother continued, placing slices in front of her daughters after moving the first slices aside.

After tasting, the younger daughter beamed in pride. "I taste lemon~"

"I couldn't help myself," the mother confessed. "People underestimate lemons, thinking them sour, but that's by themselves. When blended properly, anything sour can easily become sweet."

"I see why my sister loves lemon cake," the older commented. "There's a bittersweet taste in there."

"Onto cake three," the mother said, repeating the process.

The sisters bit into their pieces... and this was the first time that they had differing reactions. The older had a small gasp, while the younger shuddered before spitting in disgust. "Sister?" the older asked in concern.

"C-C-Chocolate!?" her younger sister pouted. "And it's dark chocolate, too!"

"I must have messed up the recipie," the mother realized, taking a bite as well. She frowned. "Yes, definitely messed up. Devil's food cake is normally very rich in sweetness. Sorry, dear."

"Devil's food cake?" the older asked. "What message can that possibly convey for the others, Mother?"

"I figured tempt them into allying with us, improving our family's standing by giving them a taste that will leave them wanting more," the mother answered.

"And yet, you in this forget that my dear little sister has a dislike for chocolate," her older daughter chastised while her younger sister tried to find something to wash her tongue with. Her mother rolled her eyes and got a glass of milk for her younger daughter, who eagerly drank it.

The younger took off her blindfold, and frowned at the piece of cake she took a bite of. "...Mother, you know why...."

The mother winced at the memory, realizing how insensitive she had been. A shattered plate on the rug, and a brown cake splattered in a stain. A woman gasping as if she choked on the air, turning pale and weak, falling to the ground. Blood dripped from her nose and mouth, and her eyes dilated as she held her throat. Her younger daughter, held by a pair of armored guards, and dragged away. How her elder daughter had to fight tooth and nail in a trial to save her younger from the hangman's noose.

"...What happened to your friend was not your fault," the mother replied, walking over and hugging her. "You had no idea that the chocolate cake was poisoned."

"And yet, I'm accused of her murder because I delivered it," the younger daughter frowned. The two other women frowned in sympathy. "I lost my best friend to court conspiracies... and even though my name was cleared, I have done significant damage to our house. All because of chocolate...."

"The pain of such loss and failure is bitter, my dear," the mother confessed. "But you shouldn't let it be associated with the potential sweetness of chocolate. The memory may hurt, but you ought to celebrate her life, not mourn her death. We will catch her murderer before the season's end." She then looked at the cake, and took another bite. "Yeah, I'm going to have to redo my recipe for devil's food cake."

"For now, we may have to decline the chocolate cake," the older said. "Let's move on, yes?"

"Agreed," their mother nodded. "I'm going to tell you the next one: butter cake!"