After purchasing the necessary tools, Reika led Airen back to their room, busily preparing for what was to come.
"Uh... Reika, I gathered everything you asked for."
"Ah, thank you! Just set them down over there, please."
A large brass bowl, two trays, some wooden planks, cookie molds, bricks, and a variety of ingredients.
Airen had even fetched water from the well, just in case it was needed.
"I checked the recipe one more time for this moment!"
On the way back, Reika had bought a cookbook containing a chocolate recipe and quickly skimmed through it.
Airen was once again struck by how different Reika was when she focused on baking—none of her usual absentmindedness was present.
With precise movements, Reika began crafting something with her delicate hands.
"What are you doing?"
"Prepping for cooking! Ah, Airen, could you open the window for me?"
Seeing Reika’s unusually high energy, Airen silently did as she was told and opened the window.
Within minutes, a makeshift cooking station took form.
She stacked bricks into a rectangular shape, placing chopped wood inside.
It was a primitive setup, but it would serve as a workable stove.
"Wait. Don’t we need fire for this? ...I didn’t bring anything to start it with."
"Don’t worry about that."
Reika took a deep breath and extended her hand.
Fwoosh—
A small flame appeared in her palm, which she flicked toward the wood.
The fire caught instantly, beginning to burn steadily.
"Ooh...."
With the brass bowl placed atop the structure, their cooking station was complete.
"Incredible. You can summon fire just like that?"
"As long as you understand mana, it’s not that difficult."
"Mana?"
At Airen’s question, Reika paused, placing a finger on her lips in thought.
"Hmm... According to Master, it's an energy source that flows through the air. Like how you can feel air enter your lungs when you breathe, you can sense mana gathering at your fingertips... something like that?"
Explaining mana, something she had been able to sense since birth, was a challenge for even a genius like Reika.
Airen seemed to realize this and, rather than pressing further, changed the topic to something else.
"Judging by your skills, this isn’t your first time making something like this, is it?"
"I spent most of my life locked indoors. Secretly setting up makeshift kitchens like this and baking bread was the only freedom I had. Thinking about what kind of bread to bake, what ingredients to use... It was one of the few things that truly made me happy."
Reika giggled softly, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
"You really seem to love it," Airen noted.
"I do! Now, let's melt the chocolate."
They dumped the remaining store-bought chocolate into the pot.
Since it had already melted so quickly in their mouths, it wouldn’t take long for the heat to turn it into a thick, molten ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) form.
Airen, who was only familiar with roasting meat and preparing simple salads, had no idea what came next—
‘I’ll just leave it to the expert.’
"We just need to wait for it to melt now. Oh! Here, put this on."
"Hm?"
Reika handed her a cloth item.
Unfolding it, Airen realized—
"...An apron?"
"You always need one when cooking! I always carry one with me. I used to dream of baking with a friend one day... and now that dream is coming true!"
Reika's voice was filled with nostalgia as she spoke.
Airen put on the apron—but—
"...?"
It didn’t fit properly.
"Reika. Sorry, but I don’t think this is my size."
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"Huh? Oh..."
Reika turned her gaze toward Airen—
And immediately understood the problem.
The apron didn’t cover her chest fully, leaving the fabric awkwardly stretched over the area.
So that’s why she always wraps it down with bandages... But even then... that size...
"R-Reika?"
"Ah! I-It’s okay! You don’t have to force yourself to wear it! Really, it’s fine!"
Realizing she had been staring, Reika frantically waved her hands.
"Hmm... I feel a bit bad about this."
"No, no, I should be the one apologizing... I should’ve worked harder..."
"...?"
And so, after that small commotion—
Airen busied herself crushing hazelnuts and other nuts using a mortar and pestle.
"You're doing great!"
Once the chocolate had fully melted, they mixed the crushed nuts into it.
"It won’t be exactly the same as before, but this should bring back that nutty flavor!"
Time passed as they stirred the mixture.
Once the fire was put out, Reika skillfully poured the molten chocolate into cookie molds.
"Alright! Now, Airen, you try it!"
"Ugh... Alright."
Pouring melted chocolate into molds wasn’t a difficult task—
Yet, as Airen followed Reika’s instructions, she felt something different.
For the first time, her hands—
The very hands that had only ever been used to stain themselves with the blood of others on the battlefield—
Were creating something.
She had always believed her hands could only take life.
But now, they were making something that sustained it.
She was beginning to understand why Reika loved baking so much.
"Well done!"
Reika placed the chocolates onto a tray, then poured the well water Airen had fetched into another bowl.
"Now, we just need to let time do its magic."
An Hour Later
The chocolates had begun to harden.
Reika, who had been meditating, slowly opened her eyes and stood.
Extending her white hands, she gathered blue energy at her fingertips.
"!!!"
Suddenly, small icicle-like shards formed in her palm.
She tossed them into the bowl of water, rapidly cooling it.
Once the water had turned icy cold, she floated the tray of chocolates atop it.
"And... done!"
"Haah... Magic really is amazing."
"Right? My father only saw it as a weapon, but... it has so many other uses. If we weren’t living in times like these, I wonder how things would’ve been."
And so, their homemade chocolates were finally complete.
The cookie molds had made their shapes slightly irregular—
But taste was what truly mattered, wasn't it?
"......."
Nervously, Airen took a piece and bit into it.
Rolling it around in her mouth—
"...It’s delicious!"
"It worked!"
It wasn’t exactly the same as the one they had originally tasted—
But it was still something she could proudly present.
"You made this yourself, Airen!"
"No, I only followed your instructions."
"No way! This chocolate has your feelings in it! And emotions are the most important ingredient of all!"
"...Is that so?"
"Absolutely!"
Seeing Reika’s beaming smile, Airen felt a strange sense of courage welling up inside her.
So, all that was left—
Was to deliver it.
She thought of him.
The man who had always been her pillar of support.
The man who had taken on the burden of betrayal for her sake.
‘I hope he likes it...’
More than anything, she wanted to see him happy when he received it.
That was all she wished for in this moment.
***
Upon hearing that a messenger pigeon had arrived with an urgent message, I left my lodging and headed to a small park near the central plaza of Eingart Castle.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by some familiar faces I hadn’t seen in quite some time.
"Swen...!"
"Swen, sir...!"
The ones who had called for me were Airen and Reika.
Perhaps because it had been so long since our last meeting, I found myself smiling unconsciously, feeling a genuine sense of warmth.
"Have you both been well?"
"Mm. Well... thanks to you. And you, Swen? You look a bit thinner..."
Airen said as she lightly brushed the back of her hand against my cheek.
Lately, I had come to realize that she was surprisingly prone to excessive worry.
"Not at all. I’m the same as ever. In fact, I’d say I’ve been eating rather well these days."
"Really? If that’s the case, then that’s a relief..."
"But what’s the matter? Calling me out so suddenly like this?"
"Airen, ma’am...!"
At that moment, Reika gently nudged Airen in the side.
As if realizing what that meant, Airen suddenly had a startled look on her face and simply stared at me in silence.
"Th-that is... um... Swen, I, I have something to say..."
"Yes. Please, go ahead."
"Uh... hmm, ahem. You see... I, I’ve been indebted to you since our time in Brans Army. And, um... Christmas, right. Back then, in a way, you were the first to celebrate with me, so... as a token of appreciation... um, so..."
Her flustered demeanor was undeniably endearing, but more importantly—
I had a pretty good idea of why she had called me out here.
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"Did you perhaps prepare some chocolate?"
"...!!!!"
Airen’s eyes widened noticeably.
Her face turned a deep shade of red as she stared at me in astonishment, clearly wondering how I had managed to guess.
"H-how... did you know?"
"Well, today is Saint Valentino’s Feast Day."
"A holiday from the northern continent, yet Swen, sir, you were aware of it...?"
At Reika’s question, I gave a small nod.
"Yeah, more or less."
"Well... then, that makes this easier to explain."
With that, Airen handed me a small paper bag.
Opening it, I found chocolates shaped like little people and teddy bears, resembling cookies in appearance.
"Wow... did you make these yourself?"
"Huh? Ah... w-well—"
"Yes! Airen and I made them together...! We worked really hard on them...!"
Reika responded brightly, her eyes sparkling, as Airen—still flustered—fumbled for words.
"I see. Thank you. You could have just bought some, you know."
Taking one of the little chocolate figures, I popped it into my mouth.
With a crunch, I could feel the texture of various nuts mixed within the chocolate.
'This... kind of reminds me of that, doesn’t it?'
Once again, I was reminded of things from my original world.
There had been plenty of nut-filled chocolates readily available at convenience stores back there.
"It’s delicious. Thank you."
"I-it’s not a big deal... b-but if you like it, then... that’s—?!"
Without much thought, I took the half-bitten chocolate from my hand and placed it into Airen’s mouth.
She stiffened in shock, her face flushing crimson as she hesitated. Then, with her eyes squeezed shut, she accepted it, chewing hesitantly like a small animal before swallowing with an audible gulp.
Then, she stared at me with wide eyes and asked,
"W-what... was that just now...?"
"It’s delicious, right? I just wanted to share it with you, Airen."
"W-wow... Swen, sir, you’re so bold..."
Reika covered her mouth with both hands, visibly flustered.
What?
Did I do something unusual?
"Anyway, since it’s been a while, how about we go for a walk together? I’ve really missed you, Airen."
"Uh? A-ah... um, w-well, I... uh..."
Still at a loss for words, she lowered her voice to a near whisper.
"...I missed you too..."
At that moment—
Reika, who had been quietly observing us, hesitantly raised her hand.
"Um... then, uh... I-I’ll just head back first! You two, please enjoy your—"
"Hm? What are you saying? You’re coming with us too, Reika."
"...Huh?"
"I missed you too. I was really lonely by myself."
"...Huh? W-wait, you... you missed me too...???"
"? Yes."
Hearing my words, Reika suddenly lowered her head, fidgeting awkwardly.
It was the familiar Reika I knew.
Until now, she had been speaking surprisingly smoothly, but this... this was more like her usual self.
But truly, I wasn’t lying.
Janice wasn’t a bad companion, but the time I had spent with them had been genuinely enjoyable for me.
"U-uh... i-if you say so..."
"Great. There are a lot of beautiful places around here, so let’s take our time exploring."
"...Mm."
With Airen’s small nod, the three of us set off on a slow, meandering stroll.
As we walked together, listening to the soft rustling of leaves and the gentle breeze, I recalled something that had happened earlier.
"Swen. On Saint Valentino’s Feast Day, it is customary for a woman to give sweets to a man. Given that, I’m sure you can easily deduce why I brought this up."
"A woman desires you. As such... both as a ruler and as a person, I intend to present myself to you in the best possible light from now on. Even in the smallest ways. Until I become ingrained in your every thought, entirely."
"If there is a lord worth serving in this era of chaos, it is none other than myself. I believe it will be an enjoyable experience for us to come to that understanding together, slowly. Don’t you think? Fufu..."
'It’s probably best not to mention how I was summoned by Serpina and ended up indulging in an absurd amount of expensive chocolates...'
Including the fact that I had now learned that Saint Valentino’s Feast Day was basically the same as Valentine’s Day—
Some things were better left unsaid.
Instead, I simply enjoyed this rare moment of leisure with them.