The Day of the Trip to Stophe’s Bakery with Joy
As I stepped out, dressed in my usual attire, I was taken aback the moment I saw Joy.
Isn't that a bit much?
She wore a simple black dress with no extravagant decorations, yet its elegance was undeniable upon closer inspection. She had on high heels, which she usually avoided, and gloves adorned her hands. Even her hair was adorned with a butterfly pin.
She looked like she could step into a high society gathering right now and receive compliments like, "Joy, you look stunning!"
But we're just going to a dessert shop! Why did she go all out like this?
And here I am, just in my regular school uniform—what does that make me?
“Hello, Lady Allen.”
‘Joy, isn't this a bit too much?’ “Airhead lady, are you going on a date with someone else? Why so flashy?”
“It’s Stophe’s Bakery. It’s not something you can take lightly.”
Seeing the seriousness in her eyes, I realized she wasn't going to change her outfit.
“Actually, I find it strange that you’re dressed so simply. Didn’t you used to like flashy things?”
She was probably referring to the time before I possessed this body.
Back then, Lucy likely loved flashy things.
She turned her room into a frilly nightmare and wore clothes that looked like they belonged in a children’s magical girl anime.
But that’s not me now.
I’d rather face a Minotaur again than wear something like that.
Even if it meant facing the threat of death.
‘My tastes have changed.’ “Sorry, I’m not a fussing, gaudy idiot like you, airhead lady.”
“Ah, I see.”
Though Joy seemed slightly annoyed by my sharp tone, she didn’t show it outwardly.
Was she holding back because I was taking her to Stophe’s?
‘Let’s go.’ “Let’s go, airhead lady.”
Stophe’s dessert shop is just one of the many shops in Soul Academy’s district.
In the Soul Academy community, players often called it the "Love Cake Shop."
That’s because the fastest way to raise an NPC’s favorability was to visit this shop with them during free time and share a cake.
It spawned memes and wild theories about what was in the cake to make the favorability rise so quickly, eventually leading to rumors that Stophe’s Bakery was some shady, hidden place.
But those were just jokes for the forums and fan fiction. When I visited the shop before, during the Academy entrance exam, it was just a regular dessert shop.
I tried the cakes and drinks there—they were delicious, but nothing extraordinary happened.
As soon as we entered Stophe’s shop, a clerk rushed over to greet us.
It made sense. One of us was the daughter of a duke, and the other was the daughter of an earl, so this level of service was expected.
“Welcome, Lady Parten, Lady Allen. Allow me to show you to your table.”
The clerk politely bowed and spoke in a refined manner. When I presented the Stophe Special Ticket, his demeanor instantly changed.
He maintained his smile, but his eyes gleamed with interest. After carefully examining several parts of the ticket like a jeweler appraising a precious gem, he carefully put it away and spoke again.
“Please, follow me upstairs.”
The clerk led us to a private room in Stophe’s Bakery and then excused himself, asking us to wait a moment.
“My goodness. I never imagined I’d get to use a private room at Stophe’s.”
‘Joy...’ “Airhead lady, why are you so excited?”
“How could I not be? Only the most esteemed guests ever get to use a private room at Stophe’s!”
She was so thrilled that she had dropped her usual villainess facade. Watching her grin as she looked around the room, she seemed more like a slightly fierce-looking high school girl than the villainess she was known to be.
If her smile faded even a little, she’d look like she was back to her old self, searching for something to criticize.
This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.
As we continued chatting, the door opened, and an elderly man in a pristine white baker’s outfit entered.
His white hair and the deep wrinkles etched into his face showed his age, but his strong, well-toned body told a different story.
Despite his years, he had no excess fat, and his well-maintained physique spoke of the care he took in his daily life.
“Good day, Lady Parten, Lady Allen. I am Stophe, the owner of this shop and, humbly, the one known as the dessert artisan. I will do my utmost to ensure that your experience here is unforgettable.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened again, and the staff entered to place dishes and utensils before us.
To be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of desserts.
I don’t dislike them, but the ones I’ve known were usually so sweet they made my tongue ache, so after one or two bites, I’d be done.
That’s why I was worried when I heard we’d be having a dessert course.
Would I even enjoy it?
But those concerns were completely unnecessary.
If Stophe’s desserts were that ordinary, how could he be called the continent’s greatest artisan?
He started with a light, tangy appetizer to stimulate the palate.
Then came the cold dishes to awaken the senses of taste.
Afterward, warm dishes were served to melt both the tongue and the body.
The meticulous buildup leading to a final burst of flavor was not just impressive; it was awe-inspiring.
Everything I’d eaten before this had just been imitations of real desserts.
I had been eating fake desserts, which is why I had such a skewed perception of them.
If all the desserts in the world were like this, my teeth would have all turned black by now.
Given how I, who wasn’t a huge fan of desserts, was reacting, imagine how Joy, who had always loved them, was feeling.
She seemed utterly entranced, lost in a dream made of Stophe’s desserts.
She had become a machine, smiling softly as she moved her spoon, too absorbed to hear my voice.
Seeing her that happy made it worth bringing her here.
No wonder Stophe’s desserts could raise favorability so quickly.
Now that I think about it, what’s Joy’s favorability with me right now?
I’m certain it started below 40.
Adding this experience to the fact that I saved her life before, it should be over 60 now, right?
Maybe not.
Considering that I’ve called her “airhead lady” and there was that whole Pathetic Prince incident, it might be lower.
But regardless, Joy is probably the person with the highest favorability towards me out of everyone I know.
Since we’ve agreed to tackle a dungeon together, I can use that as an excuse to spend more time with her, and maybe I’ll hit 70 before the final exams.
That means I’ve secured one person to help me clear the quest given by that useless god.
For the other part, once Alsetine brings me the necklace, I can focus on securing the underachieving noble, and then I should be set to clear the quest.
Haha, see that, you useless, pathetic god?!
No matter how much you try to mess with me, I’ll still complete the quest with ease!
If you want to make my life harder, you better...
No, no. Nothing at all, Lord Armath.
There’s nothing for you to worry about.
This success is all thanks to your divine protection.
I am always grateful.
Strange. Did Stophe put alcohol in the desserts?
Why am I thinking such odd thoughts?
Anyway, now that I don’t have to worry about the quest given by our noble and esteemed Lord Armath, I can prepare for other matters.
It’s about time for the main story of Soul Academy to progress.
I wonder who will become the apostle of the evil god this time.
Entering the private room at Stophe’s Bakery, a place where even foreign royalty would struggle to gain an invitation.
Meeting Stophe himself, a man who rarely shows his face to outsiders.
Being greeted by him and served an array of fantastic desserts.
The happiness that filled her every time she moved her spoon.
That day was one of the happiest moments of Joy’s life.
But as happy as that memory was, it also left Joy with a heavy sense of obligation.
The promise to enter the Academy’s dungeon together weighed on her more with each passing day.
What if something went wrong again?
What if there was a mistake during the professors’ work?
With each day, Joy secretly hoped that some stroke of luck would delay the day they were supposed to go, but unfortunately, the professors at the Academy were competent.
And so, on the scheduled day, the Academy’s dungeon reopened.
Joy found herself clutching the staff her father had given her when she entered the school, heading towards the entrance of the Academy’s dungeon.
Why did I make such a reckless promise, driven by material desire?
Should I just tell her now that I can’t do it?
Maybe I could offer to help in another way?
But how could I possibly offer anything that would match the value of the Stophe Special Ticket?
“Airhead lady.”
As Joy’s thoughts grew more tangled and her pace slowed, a voice called her name, and she turned her head.
There stood Lucy Allen.
She was clad in her steel armor, looking exactly as she had when she first came to take the entrance exam.
The mace and shield in her hands.
The hairstyle.
That confident and irritating demeanor.
“What’s with the raccoon eyes? Did you stay up all night scared of the dungeon? Cowardly lady?”
Joy almost nodded subconsciously but managed to catch herself, forcing an awkward smile instead.
“I just had trouble sleeping.”
“Really? Well, don’t worry, no matter how useless you are, I’m here.”
As Lucy confidently strode ahead, Joy hesitated for a moment before following her.
Half willingly, half reluctantly, Joy found herself at the entrance to the Academy’s dungeon.
At that moment, memories flashed in her mind.
The thousands of eyes that had watched her.
The witch’s unsettling laughter as she blocked the path.
The ominous voices that echoed from afar.
The endless abyss she had glimpsed in that terrifying moment.
“Airhead lady.”
It was only Lucy’s voice that brought Joy back to reality, and she realized she was sitting on the ground.
Ah.
This is...
Well...