Chapter 133

After purchasing the necessary cooking tools, Reika returned to the room with Iren in tow and was already bustling about preparing something with swift hand movements.

“Uh… Reika, I’ve brought everything you asked for…”

“Ahh, thank you! Just place them over there please!”

There were two large bowls made of brass, a tray, some wooden implements, cookie molds, a few bricks, and ingredients. Water had also been fetched from the well just in case.

“For this moment, I’ve double-checked the recipe!”

Indeed, on the way back to their lodgings, Reika had purchased a book with recipes and quickly devoured it. Iren realized anew that when making pastries, Reika was nothing like her usual air-headed self.

Having confirmed the ingredients, Reika began creating something with her delicate hands.

“What’s this…?”

“It’s preparation work! Ah, Miss Iren, could you open the window for me?”

Iren silently opened the window at Reika’s unusually high-energy request, something he rarely saw from her.

After a few moments of tinkering, a surprisingly decent setup for cooking revealed itself. Though primitive – built by stacking bricks into a square and placing wood inside – it would suffice for fire-based cooking.

“Hold on. Don’t we need fire? We didn’t bring any kindling though…”

“Don’t worry.”

Reika took a deep breath and extended her hand slightly.

Whoosh –

A small fireball gathered in her palm, which she casually tossed toward the wood – setting it ablaze.

“Ooooh…”

Placing the brass pot atop it completed a rather serviceable cooking system.

“You’re impressive, making fire with your bare hands.”

“Anyone who can read mana can do it.”

“Mana?”

At Iren’s question, Reika placed a finger to her lips and paused in thought.

“Hmm… Well, according to my teacher, it’s energy flowing through the air… So… It’s like when you feel the air entering your body while breathing… The energy gathers at your fingertips… Is how I’d explain it…”

Explaining something she had sensed since birth proved difficult even for the prodigy Reika. Sensing this, Iren refrained from asking more and changed the subject to spare her.

“Still, this doesn’t seem like your first time making something like this?”

“I couldn’t leave the room, so I secretly prepared cooking tools and baking bread became my only free time. Deciding what kind of bread to make and what to add is quite enjoyable.”

Saying this, Reika gave a small laugh, her slightly flushed face showing how much she enjoyed it.

“Now, let’s melt the chocolate.”

She placed all the leftover chocolate they’d bought into the pot. Knowing it would melt smoothly with just this amount of heat, as it melted gently in one’s mouth.

While Iren, who usually only cooked by grilling meat or preparing simple salads, couldn’t immediately grasp what Reika was doing…

‘It’s probably best to leave this to the expert.’

“Next, we wait until it’s fully melted. Ah! I brought these too. Try them on.”

“Hm?”

Iren received a piece of cloth Reika fumbled with and handed over. Unfolding it revealed an apron.

“How did you happen to bring something like this?”

“I always carry one. Thinking that someday… I might get to bake with a friend… Even if it’s a bit makeshift, this day has finally come…”

Realizing Reika was lost in sentimental thoughts, Iren put on the apron despite himself…

“Hmm…?”

“It doesn’t seem to fit quite right…”

“Reika, I think the size isn’t matching up…”

“Huh? Oh…”

Turning to look at Iren, Reika instantly understood the meaning behind “the size doesn’t match.” Her chest wasn’t fully covered, leaving part of it exposed.

When he’d seen her change clothes before, she definitely had compression bandages on… Was it this noticeable?

“Reika…?”

“Ah, yes! Uh, it’s fine! You don’t have to force yourself to wear it! It’s al-alright…”

Seeing Reika wave her hands frantically at the sight of her overwhelming bust, Iren felt somewhat apologetic.

“Hmm… Sorry about that.”

“Not at all! If anything, I apologize… I should have tried harder…”

“?”

After this small commotion passed…

Iren was grinding various nuts, including hazelnuts, with a mortar-like tool.

“Good job!”

Then, the finely crushed nuts were added directly into the melted chocolate. While stirring the chocolate, Reika spoke.

“It’ll be hard to perfectly replicate the taste… But this should supplement the nutty flavor!”

As time passed…

After turning off the heat, Reika skillfully poured the hot chocolate into the mold.

“Alright, Miss Iren, try doing it yourself!”

“Uh, um…”

He awkwardly poured the melted chocolate into the mold as instructed. Though not overly complicated, from grinding the nuts onward, Iren began sensing “the feeling of creating something.”

The sensation of making pastries with his own two hands, which he had previously thought held no value beyond being stained with others’ blood on the battlefield, felt incredibly novel and refreshing to Iren. Making food or snacks – creating things people needed to eat – was akin to creating life itself. That he, who had always taken lives, was now creating sweet, warm treats and sustaining life made Iren understand why Reika loved making pastries.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

Reika arranged the prepared chocolates on a tray and poured the water Iren had fetched into another bowl.

“Now it’s time to add the seasoning of time.”

An hour later…

Confirming the chocolate on the tray had hardened sufficiently, Reika ended her meditation and slowly rose from her seat. She then raised her pale hands slightly, closed her eyes, and began gathering blue energy.

“!!!”

Small icicles soon formed in her hand. Reika created a few pieces and dropped them into the bowl of water. With the tray floated atop the rapidly cooled water…

“We’re done!”

“Wow… Magic really is incredible.”

“Right? My father only valued its use as a strategic weapon… But magic has endless applications beyond that. It would have been nice if we weren’t in such turbulent times.”

Thus, the chocolate was completed. Though irregular in shape due to using cookie molds, taste was what mattered most, wasn’t it?

“…”

Tensely, Iren bit into the chocolate. Rolling it around in his mouth…

“…It’s delicious!”

“That’s great!”

Though it didn’t taste exactly like the new product they’d eaten before, it was certainly edible.

“This was made by Miss Iren herself!”

“No, I merely followed your instructions.”

“Not true. Your heart went into this chocolate. A person’s heart is more important than any seasoning.”

“…Is that so?”

“That’s right!”

Smiling, Reika gave Iren a strange sense of courage. Should he give this… to that man? Recalling Swoen’s face, who had willingly taken on the stigma of betrayal to support him…

‘I hope he likes it.’

All she wanted in that moment was to see his happy face upon receiving it.

* * *

Upon hearing Jenis say an urgent messenger bird had arrived looking for me, I left my lodgings and headed to the small park near Einhardt Castle Square.

There, I met some familiar faces after quite some time.

“Swen…!”

“Master Swen…!”

Those who called for me were Iren and Reika. For some reason, I found myself smiling without thinking, glad to see them again after so long.

“Are you both well?”

“Yeah… Thanks to you. How about you, Swen? You seem a bit thinner…”

Iren said this while lightly brushing her knuckles against my cheek. Lately, I’ve noticed she tends to worry excessively.

“No, I’m the same. If anything, people say I’ve been eating well lately.”

“That’s good… but still…”

“What’s the matter? Calling me here so suddenly.”

“Miss Iren…!”

At that moment, Reika nudged Iren’s side. Understanding what it meant, Iren looked flustered and stared at me blankly.

“T-that is… Swen, I have something to say…”

“Yes, please speak.”

“Eh… Um, ahem. Since… Since I owe you a great debt from our time with the Brance Army, and… uh… Christmas, right? When you congratulated me first, so… as a way to repay that… uh…”

Despite how adorable and endearing her flustered state was…

I felt I understood why she had called me.

“Did you prepare chocolates?”

“…!!!!”

Iren’s pupils noticeably dilated.

Her face turning bright red, she looked at me in surprise, wondering how I’d guessed.

“E-eh, h-how did you… know?”

“Well, today is St. Valentino’s Day.”

“You knew about the Northern Continent’s holiday… Master Swen?”

Reika’s question earned a nod from me.

“Yeah, sort of.”

“…Then, the story moves quickly.”

With that, Iren handed me a paper bag. Opening it revealed chocolates shaped like people or little bears, resembling cookies.

“Wow, did you make these yourself?”

“Huh? Oh… w-well…”

“Yes! Miss Iren and I worked hard together!”

Reika enthusiastically answered for the tongue-tied Iren, her eyes sparkling.

“Is that so? Thank you. I could’ve just bought them.”

I took a bite of the person-shaped chocolate right there. The sound of crunching filled my mouth with various nuts.

‘This tastes… familiar?’

Once again, memories of the original world surfaced. Those convenience store chocolates packed with nuts…

“Delicious. Thank you.”

“N-nothing… i-if you find it… t-then I’m…”

I fed the chocolate I’d bitten into Iren’s mouth. She looked greatly flustered, her face turning red as she didn’t know what to do, then closed her eyes tightly and accepted it. After chewing like a small animal and swallowing with a gulp, she looked at me directly and asked.

“W-what was that just now…?”

“Because it was delicious. I wanted to share it with Miss Iren.”

“Waaah… Master Swen is so bold…”

Reika covered her mouth with both hands, at a loss for what to do. What? I hadn’t done anything particularly special…

“Anyway, since we’ve reunited, shall we go for a walk together? I’ve missed you terribly, Miss Iren.”

“Huh? A-a… t-that… t-that…”

After floundering, she finally whispered softly.

“…I’ve… missed you too.”

At that moment.

Rayka, who had been watching us carefully, cautiously raised her hand.

“I-I… I mean… I… I’ll go ahead then! Please enjoy your time together…”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Miss Rayka, you’re coming too.”

“…Eh?”

“I’ve missed you too, Miss Rayka. I was really lonely all by myself.”

“…Eh? D-did you… m-miss me…???”

“? Yes.”

Upon hearing my words, Rayka started flailing helplessly with her head bowed. It was the familiar Rayka I knew.

But today, she seemed to be speaking unusually fluently.

Still, saying I missed her wasn’t a lie. Though Jenis wasn’t a bad companion, the time spent with these ladies were truly enjoyable moments for me.

“I-I… i-if you insist…”

“Great. There are some really pretty places here. Let’s take our time exploring.”

“…Okay.”

With Iren nodding – we slowly set off without a specific destination. Walking in sync with the gentle breeze and rustling leaves, I recalled what had just happened.

“Swen. On St. Valentino’s Day, there is a custom for women to give men confections. You shouldn’t have trouble figuring out why I brought this up.”

“I desire you. Therefore… As both a ruler and a human being, I intend to show you the best of myself going forward. Starting with the smallest things.

I plan to etch this body deeply into your gaze with sincerity.”

“Doesn’t it seem like a pleasant time to slowly discover together who deserves your loyalty in these chaotic times? Hehe…”

‘Telling Serpina about getting loads of expensive chocolates when summoned earlier would probably be best avoided…’

Including the reason I learned about St. Valentino’s Day, which resembled Valentine’s Day…

Deciding it wasn’t necessary to mention such trivial matters, I enjoyed some rare leisure time with them.