Chapter 152: Black and Gold – 23
Ella remained calm even when mistakenly being accused of being a thief out of nowhere.
Firstly, she didnt consider her actions to be that serious. While she might have stolen manufacturing processes or mixed ingredients, the cookies she had in her hat were intended to be sold in the market soon. Taking those didnt seem like such a big crime.
Moreover, the old man didnt seem genuinely angry.
The corners of his mouth struggled to suppress a smile, and there was an unmistakable mischief in his voice.
But above all, the words he uttered!
They were lines she was familiar with from a play she knew well.
Ella quickly caught on to the old mans intention and swiftly changed her demeanor to surprise him.
Well, well, accusing the wrong person of being a thief, are we? You, who look like you couldnt lift a spoon due to your old age.
Ella sat down at the table crookedly, whispering in a displeased voice as if singing a song.
The secretary who supported the old man stiffened upon hearing her words.
Hey! Do you know who this person is?
Stay quiet.
Wilhelm intervened.
The newly arrived young secretary was passionate and capable, but lacked tact.
This is the sacred kitchen of the royal family. Who are you?
Im a maid serving the princess, sir.
Only then did the secretary remember lines from a play that matched the situation.
What they were doing was an extension of such a thing.
The two of them were acting out a scene from one of Christians masterpieces, The Princess Baking Cookies.
It was a representative farce by Christian, depicting the story of a young princess living in the royal palace, who, driven by hunger, sneaks into the kitchen and is accidentally hired as an assistant to the pastry chef at a royal party.
Their performance had now reached the climax of the scene.
Ella placed her hands on her hips and stood in front of the old man.
Well then, you can see for yourself. Wheres the evidence that Im a thief?
She turned her hat inside out.
Thud.
Cookies spilled onto the table.
She looked at them in great confusion.
The cookies that were supposed to disappear because of Inspira were still inside her hat.
Of course, in the actual script, it was a scene where the character she played made a mistake.
Parcival, suspecting her of being a rival vying for her position, tried to report her to the guards. Being a princess who was already well-treated in the palace, she couldnt afford to make any more mistakes, so she offered to do anything for Parcival, and he took advantage of her, summoning her to do chores after hours.
Initially, Parcival didnt believe her, but he became interested in her when she showed interest in pastries and showed talent. He didnt know that she was granting herself permission. He hired her as an assistant, and shortly afterward, she served cookies to the imperial envoy, the prince, and helped him regain his lost appetite.
Ella intended to give a twist to the final scene where Parcival and the princess first meet.
She planned to surprise her opponent by taking off her hat and saying, See, nothing here, right?
But her Inspira didnt work.
The cookies were supposed to disappear towards Wondersteins hat, but strangely they remained inside hers.
Candyman applauded Ellas childish expression with satisfaction.
Haha, well done. Your agility, memory, and acting skills are all excellent!
Ella quickly corrected her expression and lifted her head confidently as she originally intended.
Hmm I guess so. I didnt expect to improvise acting like this on the spot. Grandpa, you were quite good too, werent you?
At the mention of Grandpa, Wilhelm smiled with satisfaction.
It was a title he hadnt been able to hear in a long time and would never hear again.
Even hearing it from a passing child like this made him feel good.
Yes, thats right. Do you know who I am?
Wilhelm, supported by the secretary, approached.
Well, you look like someone important from the factory With poor eyesight and memorizing lines from Christians script, you must be a big fan. Surely Marquis Wilhelm Slagbrot?
At her response, Wilhelm nodded satisfactorily.
Haha, thats right. I am Wilhelm Slagbrot. Well, lets skip the formality.
He stopped her from giving the formal greeting she was about to give.
Okay. You came from the Golden Carnival, right? Whats your name?
I did come from the Golden Carnival, but Im not a member. My name is Ella.
Ah, so youre the Ella who made a great contribution in the entrance exam of Lekachep?
She smiled gracefully and showed the bandage on her arm.
If losing an arm counts as a contribution, then yes, thats right.
At that moment, the door behind the office opened, and a man with a golden cloak and a mustache entered.
It was Lord Fantastic, whom they thought had already left.
He smiled as he saw her, looking surprised.
I knew you were acting.
Hey, these people arent to be underestimated.
Simon stood in front of the Marquis and greeted him perfectly before he could intervene.
His voice was rhythmical and enjoyable to listen to as it ebbed and flowed with appropriate breathing.
Wilhelm nodded with interest as he found the same old greeting he had heard thousands of times refreshing.
Greetings. Lord Fantastic.
You can skip the Lord. It feels burdensome to be addressed like that by a Marquis.
Haha, then Ill call you Maguire. I have hosted some really good guests at the villa. Just saw Ellas skills earlier
As he was about to delve into his story, his young secretary interrupted.
Your Grace, we need to move. According to the schedule
Wilhelm sighed softly, losing his appetite.
Unaware as ever.
Alright, lets move. Hey, you guys should head to my collection gallery, but wouldnt you join me? I have a place in mind to stop by before heading there.
Who would refuse a request from him?
Simon and Ella readily accepted his proposal.
Throughout the journey, the two exchanged jokes that didnt burden the Marquis or bore him for a moment.
Their compatibility was evident, as the Marquis burst into laughter several times while crossing the factory.
Even his usually stern-faced secretary seemed to crack a smile.
Haha, Maguire, youre quite different from what the villa caretaker described. I always heard you were so serious all the time.
Simon smiled and nodded.
That was the case. The change in atmosphere is thanks to Ella here. Even the members say her arrival is the best thing since the founding of the Golden Carnival.
Ah, you should tone down the praise. You know? Its bad to flatter people. Grandpa, just listen with one ear and let it go with the other. Its just empty words because I am a guest.
Doesnt seem like it, though?
Although the old Marquis couldnt see, he could easily sense the emotions conveyed through their voices better than others.
He subtly prodded Simon once more with a light-hearted tone.
Haha, itll be a shame in a few days when Ella leaves.
In response to his words, Simon replied with a slightly serious tone.
Actually, Im considering offering her the position of Assistant Director to keep her.
Hey, what nonsense is this old man talking about? What about your daughter?
Ella chuckled and retorted.
She thought he was still joking.
The place they arrived at was a practice room behind the factory.
Originally a place for pastry chefs from other cities to receive training, it was now used as an activity space for visiting guests.
The program people were currently experiencing was cake decoration stacking.
It was a game where they stacked various cake decorations onto one cake, and the one who stacked the most won.
As the program was nearing its end, the Marquis was supposed to briefly appear on stage to address the visitors.
While he prepared his greeting behind the stage, Simon and Ella decided to try the same task the visitors were doing.
Though the program was almost over, it was enough time for the two exceptional acrobats.
They competed in stacking decorations on one cake.
They took turns stacking decorations on the cake, with the rule being that the next person had to stack higher than the previous one.
The one who causes it to collapse loses!
So, Ella and Simon took turns throwing decorations onto the cake in their hands.
The staff behind the stage couldnt help but marvel at the acrobatics the two were displaying.
Throwing decorations like that even when they carefully stacked them would not be enough?
Moreover, they were supporting the cake layer by layer with exquisite angles, without reinforcing the bottom with multiple decorations on the same level.
Impressive.
Is that the skill of the Golden Carnival?
Earlier, I saw some visitors who were like them.
Yeah. They seem close
Ella glanced briefly at Simon upon hearing the staffs whisper.
Did you hear that?
Yeah, I did. Wasnt there an entrance exam for Lekachep? Right now, this city probably has the highest concentration of teenage acrobats. They probably came for the exam and decided to visit the factory while theyre at it.
Perhaps Reyna and your Director might be coming as well?
There was a moment of silence.
The two of them envisioned scenes in their minds.
Wonderstein, exerting effort on things unrelated to the Circus Grand Prix, with a child he barely knew.
Reyna, smiling and decorating cakes with someone she had just met.
Both of them were too unfamiliar.
Haha.
No way.
Just as they were about to throw the final cake decoration, the competition was concluding on stage.
All right, grandpa, take the cake in your hands! Grand daughter, get on grandpas shoulders and take a lap around the stage!
Success! Heres the preferred route award! A candy cane! Enjoy!
To the stoic son! Profess your love to the mom holding the cake! Fire up with cheers for 3 seconds!
Wow, the cake almost fell over but you managed to save it! Is this the power of a mother for her son! Heres the affectionate hat award! Chocolate in the shape of a hat! Hahaha!
The host assigned various tasks to the challengers on stage, tasks that might even cause them to drop their cake decorations. Upon completing the tasks, they received prizes.
Since it was an event for the kids, there was no strict judging.
Of course, they didnt give awards to the team that caused a major collapse. Instead, they joked, saying if they wanted a prize, they should complete another task.
Finally, a blonde man and woman stepped forward.
Wow, whats the relationship between these two who were just stacking like acrobats in the front? Uncle and niece? Brother and sister?
Were doing circus together
Father and daughter!
Before the man could answer, the teenage girl shouted in a loud voice.
The host chuckled as he watched her face turn bright red.
He instinctively knew how to tease characters like her.
Father and daughter? Wow, thats the most surprising news Ive heard today. Look, folks, the handsome guy next to her is claiming to be the father of the girl hanging onto him. Theyre the circus couple!
The audience burst into laughter.
The man smiled calmly, but the daughters face turned crimson.
The host looked at the cake the two had built.
It was perfect.
Whenever the Lekachep enrollment ceremony ended, these kinds of people always showed up.
Children from all over the world came to participate in the ceremony.
They stopped by here while they were at it.
All right, this cake looks like it wont collapse no matter how you look at it. Impressive. Lets do a simple task then. Daughter, take the cake in your hands! Dad, hold your daughter in your arms and take a lap around the stage!
Oh, hug? Ah, uh, uh, no, I, I
The blonde man didnt hesitate and immediately embraced the girl.
The one who claimed to be his daughter was taken aback, wrapping her arms and legs around his waist and neck.
Surprisingly, even with her sudden movement, the cake remained perfectly balanced in her hands.
The host thought they would easily complete the task.
All the acrobat kids he had met so far did.
Wow! Amazing! The circus couple! It seems like whats exploding isnt the cake but the daughters face!
The scene he portrayed was enough, seeing the bright red expression on the girls face.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The cake, which had been held steady, suddenly wobbled as if pushed by an unseen force and tumbled forward.
Bread, cream, and decorations rolled across the stage.
Staff rushed out and skillfully swept them away with brooms.
Reyna sighed as she watched the result of her and the directors efforts crumple like trash.
Oh
Tears welled up in her eyes.
The host, flustered, approached her.
Its okay, its okay. Its okay. Didnt I tell you earlier? What are these cakes here? Theyre for throwing away! Not a single grain of sugar in them! Almost expired! These are cakes we made to play around with! Now, dont cry. Dont cry A grown lady like you
Despite his loud protest, Reyna just watched blankly as the cakes were being swept away.
Then, a gentle touch enveloped her shoulders.
Its okay. We werent going to eat them anyway.
I-Im sorry. I made a fool of myself again
Her sudden burst of tears wasnt because of the cakes.
She had been feeling melancholic all night at the thought of leaving this place in a few days.
Until this morning when she left the villa, she thought she had completely shaken it off, but seeing the cakes collapse, all her regret and sadness exploded at once.
Its okay, its okay.
Without showing any embarrassment or anger, Wonderstein smiled and wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks with his hand.
Then Reynas emotions quickly brightened again.
His lips curled up slightly.
The emcee was experienced on stage.
He had seen hundreds of people every day.
He felt that despite Reynas appearance of being older, emotionally she was still like a teenager.
Quick to cry at difficult and scary things, quick to laugh at joyful and pleasant things.
Come on, dont be too upset! Even if the cake is ruined, theres still an opportunity for a gift. Then. For our lady a simple kiss of love! Give your dad a kiss on the cheek and shout I love you loudly!
Wonderstein gave a wry smile at his words.
A kiss on the cheek wasnt such a big demand in Kiev etiquette.
Families did it commonly, but to do it publicly was a slightly embarrassing performance.
However, they werent Kievites, nor were they family.
Above all, with Reynas personality, such a bold demand was hard to accept.
Maybe she would blush and bow her head again
Dad, I love you!
She shouted loudly enough for spit out a fly.
She closed her eyes tightly.
Summoning all the courage inside her.
And
Smack.
Her lips touched his cheek.
Hmm?
Wonderstein was taken aback again by the unexpected surprise, following Ellas case two weeks ago.
But even more surprising was Reyna who kissed him back.
Huh?
Right behind the stage.
Her father was leaning forward, looking at her, mouth agape.
Huh?
Lord Fantastics expression collapsed for the first time since entering here.
But his astonishment couldnt match that of the person next to him.
Eek!
Ella screamed, her eyes bulging out and her mouth wide open in shock.
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