#365
Valentine’s Day
The scene in the main hall of the mansion, revealed after the lights turned on, was utterly ridiculous.
Let’s set aside the huge banner that awkwardly declared “Happy Valentine’s Day, Master, I love you ♥” in Korean, scrawled in crayon.
But seriously, why on earth was there a giant chocolate statue of me standing proudly in the middle of the hall?
Next to the chocolate statue stood a massive chocolate fountain.
Not the little ones used at buffets, but a full-on chocolate fountain that looked like a chocolate pond.
What is this, a chocolate factory?
I expected a surprise party to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but this was beyond my wildest imagination.
Are they out of their minds?
Today is the day before the big showdown; who on earth is supposed to eat all of this?
Just then, while I was still in shock—
“Hey you!”
A familiar voice rang in my ears.
It was Olivia.
Surrounding her were other heroines.
My classmates: Olivia, Rin, Eri, Makoto, and Haru.
Also present was our teacher, Mayuzumi.
Kasumi, the senior, and President Seira, along with the Undertaker Wilhelmina.
Student Council President Aris and Han Seo-Jin were there too.
And even Evangelin and Beatrice, who had flown in from England.
Everyone had gathered here.
I reached up and pulled the colorful paper off my head.
“W-we made chocolate with all our hearts! You absolutely cannot leave any behind!”
Olivia yelled as she approached me.
Her face was bright red.
“Right! The princess is right. Master, no leftovers!”
Eri, who had appeared next to Olivia, chimed in.
On the table, there was so much chocolate piled up that it could literally bend the table.
Are they asking me to eat all of this?
I’d be lucky if I didn’t end up with a mouthful of cavities.
“Hey, you.”
Just as I was thinking that—
Swish.
Olivia stepped right in front of me.
She was so close I could hear her breathing.
She narrowed her eyes at me.
“Are you smiling right now?”
Smile?
Who? Me?
Now that I think about it, I might have smiled a little when I walked in.
I hurriedly wiped the unconscious smile off my face.
“Who said I was smiling?”
“Master, are you trying to deny it? Eri saw the whole thing!”
At my words, Eri raised her hand and danced around cheerfully.
“Hmm. I can’t help but agree with the washboard’s statement this time. I saw it too, Deok-Sung.”
“Duksung.”
Rin chuckled next to me.
What’s so important about me laughing?
“Oh, so Junior has a shy side too? How cute.”
I could hear Kasumi-senpai’s voice.
She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a soft laugh, “Uhuhuhu.”
What exactly is cute about that?
“I don’t laugh.”
“Nishishishi. Duksung oppa smiled, didn’t he? He did! Haru and Eri-chan and Rin-chan saw everything from start to finish!”
This time it was Haru.
If they saw everything, there’s nothing I can do about it.
I sighed and shook my head.
No matter what I say, it’s not going to get through.
In that case, it’s better to change the subject.
I looked at the food piled on the table.
Chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate cookies, chocolate bread, chocolate chicken… A mountain of various chocolate foods was stacked up.
Wait, chocolate chicken?
Who on earth made this crazy food?
I promised myself I would never eat chocolate chicken and picked up a piece of chocolate from the table, popping it into my mouth.
Along with the sweet taste of chocolate, a sour flavor spread in my mouth.
I’ve tasted this somewhere before.
It was the taste of the cactus chocolate I bought as a souvenir during my middle school trip to Jeju Island.
“Is this cactus chocolate by any chance?”
I said, shaking the chocolate in my hand.
The heroine who answered me was Seira.
She elegantly opened her fan and replied, “Hehe. Yes. With advice from Haru-chan and Han Seo-Jin, this is traditional Korean chocolate that I made by hand with Wilhelmina-nee. Do you like it?”
Cactus chocolate is traditional Korean chocolate?
Sure, it’s a pretty famous souvenir from Jeju, but why is this distorted knowledge being fed to me?
Seira’s gaze flicked over to me.
The tip of her fan trembled.
“I’m… not your older sister.”
Wilhelmina, sitting next to her, puffed out her cheeks.
For someone older than Seira, her behavior is quite childish.
A sigh escaped me.
“Oh, yes, it’s delicious.”
Seira’s eyes softened when she heard my words.
“Hehe. I’m glad it pleases the little one. I hope you try the Hallabong chocolate next to it as well.”
Hallabong chocolate?
Did she make that too?
Without thinking, I reached over to the side basket and grabbed a piece of Hallabong chocolate, popping it into my mouth.
As I bit into the chocolate, the sweet taste mingled with the scent of tangerine and filled my mouth.
It’s quite tasty.
“How is it? Isn’t it delicious?”
“Oh, yes… it’s delicious.”
Objectively speaking, it wasn’t bad.
Suddenly, I noticed Wilhelmina’s shoulders shaking at my response.
Swish.
Seira took the opportunity to hide her face with her fan and whispered in Wilhelmina’s ear, “Nee, did you hear? The little one said your chocolate is delicious.”
“……Uuuuu…”
Wilhelmina’s face turned bright red upon hearing Seira’s words.
Seira is using honorifics towards her.
Goodness.
I thought it was no big deal when I read it in the original work, but seeing it become reality is surprisingly shocking.
“……It’s delicious, huh… I’m glad…”
Wilhelmina, her face intensely flushed, muttered in a small voice.
“Ahahaha! Grandma Sera! Grandma Mina! Didn’t I tell you how awesome it was to hear Haru’s words? Ahahaha!”
As Wilhelmina said this, Haru stepped in between her and Seira.
“H-Hey, I’m not a grandma… Don’t group me with Sera… I-I mean…”
Wilhelmina flared up at Haru’s words.
Seeing this, Seira spoke with a voice filled with disappointment.
“Sis… It’s too much to say not to group me with you…”
“Humph. I’m not a grandma… at least not like Sera…”
Wilhelmina didn’t waver at Seira’s sulking words and puffed her cheeks.
What on earth were they doing?
It was quite a sight to behold.
As I clicked my tongue at the scene, I suddenly heard…
“Deok-Sung! Here… M-my homemade chocolate is here too…”
Rustle.
Rin approached me and pulled out a chocolate from her arms.
“This is a secret chocolate made with Shinozaki’s special recipe. This time, I won’t lose for sure.”
Rin clenched her fist.
The chocolate wrapped in pretty packaging smelled quite delicious.
Rin had improved her cooking skills, so it probably wouldn’t taste weird.
I took out a piece of chocolate and popped it into my mouth.
“So, how is it…?”
Rin asked me in a trembling voice.
“It’s good.”
The chocolate Rin made was white chocolate.
It melted sweetly in my mouth.
At this point, she could consider herself a proper cook.
“I’m relieved…”
Rin showed a relieved expression at my words.
She smiled faintly.
“Master! Me too! I made some too!”
“Ahahaha! Deok-Sung oppa! You aren’t thinking of not accepting my super cute handmade chocolate, are you?”
“My lord, I also made some with Eri-chan…”
“Junior! My chocolate too…”
“The teacher made chocolate too!”
“Wow, wow, wow! I also made chocolate for Mr. Kim Deok-Sung!”
“My beloved master, I specially made chocolate for this human occasion… So be thankful.”
“Kim Deok-Sung… I made chocolate too, although I’m a bit shy… Please accept it.”
“My lord’s lord! I also made some chocolate…”
Starting with Rin, every heroine present except for Han Seo-Jin handed me a package of chocolate.
It seemed everyone had brought their own homemade chocolates.
I accepted all of the chocolate packages they offered.
“I’ll handle the rest.”
Han Seo-Jin, who had appeared beside me before I knew it, took the overflowing chocolate from my arms.
“Oh, and Mr. Kim Deok-Sung, the chocolates that arrived from Korea are currently stored in a rented warehouse near Tokyo.”
Han Seo-Jin whispered softly in my ear.
Just like on Pepero Day, more chocolate gifts?
I still had so many Pepero from that time that I ended up donating most of it to an orphanage and social welfare facilities!
If I had that much money, I’d rather spend it on something better.
“Got it.”
“And… this is my gift.”
Rustle.
Han Seo-Jin, with a slightly flushed face, pulled out a small chocolate from her arms.
“I brought this.”
“I made it with Yoo Se-Ra. It’s a bit embarrassing, but… I hope you accept it, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”
I accepted the chocolate bag that Han Seo-Jin handed to me.
It felt like I received all the chocolates I’d ever get in my life.
Not bad.
Just as I thought that…
“You.”
I heard Olivia’s voice.
Now that I think about it, I hadn’t received chocolate from Olivia, had I?
She blushed and suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“F-follow me!”
I was pulled along and found myself exiting the hall.
Olivia led me to the balcony.
On the balcony overlooking the winter courtyard lit by moonlight, Olivia forced a package into my arms.
“Here! Take this! It’s n-not a big deal, but, hum!”
Olivia was blushing.
It looked like the chocolate she made.
I quietly took out a bear-shaped chocolate and popped it into my mouth.
The sweet aroma and taste of chocolate teased my taste buds.
“It’s delicious. Did you make it yourself?”
At my words, Olivia’s face turned bright red.
She slowly nodded.
“…I-it’s Valentine’s Day…The day when girls give chocolates to boys… here in this country. Hmph.”
Olivia pouted, trying to act tsundere.
I placed a hand on her sparkling platinum hair.
“Thanks.”
“…You’re welcome.”
Olivia grumbled back at me.
Still being tsundere until the end, huh?
Well, that’s our Olivia.
Just as I was thinking that…
Peck.
Olivia’s lips brushed against my cheek as she stood on her tiptoes.
Her face was flushed as she pulled away from my cheek.
With her hands on her chest, she said,
“…You are the man who has made me, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, the noble princess of the great French royal family, your personal servant! The man to be my companion! So, you must win in tomorrow’s battle! For the honor of the Bonaparte family! Defeat is absolutely unacceptable! Understood?”
Olivia looked straight at me without stammering or avoiding her gaze.
A smile crept onto my lips.
I burst out laughing.
Suddenly, it reminded me of the time at the beginning of the semester when I had a public duel with Rin over a ‘dokeza.’
Back then, Olivia had said something similar too.
I smiled and replied, “Sure.”
Losing would mean death, and I didn’t want to die.
So I would definitely win.
With that thought, I closed the distance and kissed Olivia.
With our lips touching, we dove into the exchange of heated saliva and tongues.
“…!!”
Olivia’s eyes widened.
Her face turned crimson, more red than anything I had seen before.
As I finished the kiss, I pulled away.
A silver thread connected and then broke between us.
“…You have to win.”
I declared as I looked at the blushing Olivia.
Tomorrow.
I was going to take down Messiah and see the ending of this damn light novel world.
