However, in response to princess’ question, it was impossible to say, ‘I didn’t want to be scolded by the teacher.’
However, as he continued to speak as if he had to come up with a plausible answer, he began to feel like he was racing with words he shouldn’t have said.
“…would you just be angry…?”
Asha burst into laughter when Pavel said it in a subdued voice. It sounded like pebbles rolling in the stream.
“Hey, this is a secret.”
“What, what is it?”
“That’s why I like sweets.”
“Yes?”
“It’s not something you have to eat.”
Asha said so, shaking the so-called oatmeal lightly.
“You’re making it with care even though it’s not necessary, right? Just for the purpose of feeling good.”
“That’s… that’s right.”
“I love it.”
Asha picked up a grain of oatmeal and said.
She really liked that sweets are useless in the eyes of others.
“If you don’t eat, you don’t die, and it doesn’t have to exist in your life. Don’t you think so?”
The bakery’s cake, which could only be eaten on her brother’s or father’s birthday, was special. The cream was old and cracked, and the cheap canned fruit between the hard sheets tasted like sweetwater.
Why was it so special?
Was it because it’s a rare food? Or was it because it wasn’t given to him?
Asha knew the answer.
“Why do people offer flowers to the graves of the dead?”
“…What?”
“You know, offering flowers does not mean that a dead person comes back alive. It’s not like the rest of us are getting better, but we’re offering flowers to their graves.”
“That’s…”
It’s just for the hearts of the remainers.
“I think we need flowers to dedicate to the living. For me, the flower is making snacks.”
It was good because it was a snack that could not even be attached as an excuse that it was necessary for survival or life. Asha muttered, then raised her head and looked into the oven where her cake was being cooked.
‘And I hope that the snacks that I made become flowers for others…’
Thinking that far, Asha glanced back at Karnov. He had an incredibly bland reaction after eating her snack!
“Yes, that’s the only way to get at him. I have to hear that it’s delicious. I’ll make cookies that even the person who wants to kill me admits are tasty!’
It’s sweet to imagine such a time. Asha, who exhaled loudly, smiled at Pavel, who had a slightly deranged face.
“So, you know, if you don’t think I can make snacks, I was thinking of working near a funeral home selling flowers.”
“Yes, what?!”
“I was dragged into the palace, what can I say?”
Asha winked and laughed. Pavel was just fidgeting and couldn’t speak properly.
At that moment, the notification of the oven rang out and announced that the carrot cake sheets were all baked. Cut the cake, which had cooled a little, in half, and applied cashew nut butter frosting, snow-like frosting on top of it, and then cut it into small pieces.
Asha reached out to one of the several pieces of carrot cake in front of her, marked ‘no cinnamon.’ Then, she dipped the cashew nut cream on top with a fork and pushed it into her mouth.
The unique flavor of brown sugar harmonized exquisitely with the soft sweetness piled up with moist carrots. The nuts inside stimulated the chewing texture, and the refreshing orange peel added variation. The crumbling cake sheet was gently entangled with the cashew nut cream and passed down the throat.
“Delicious… Me?”
Asha looked at the cake and tilted her head. I think it’s really good even though I made it myself, and it’s a bit disappointing…
“What do you think?”
“U…Uh…Uh. Try it.”
Pavel, who was looking at Asha’s tilted face, quickly picked up the cake.
Soon after, Asha turned her head and burst into laughter. Orange particles were popping out like fireworks behind Pavel’s back. She could see the appreciation without having to look at the face that was savoring with his eyes closed.
“…Is it good?”
“I’ve never had such a carrot cake in my life! God, this cashew butter is fantastic wrapped around your tongue. It also makes the cake sheet soft, which I thought might be a little rough. “
“It seems fine. I’m so glad.”
“The cake sheet… What is this? Nuts and orange peel… Carrots, oh, my God. How did you…”
Asha looked back at Karnov with a proud face after a long time of appreciation of the raucous Pavel.
“Try eating it, too, Karnov.”
The girl offered him both cinnamon and no cinnamon. Karnov looked at Pavel’s enthusiastic response with a slightly bewildered look, then turned to the cake dish.
And when Karnov took a bite of the cake.
“Um…”
Karnov lowered his eyes. A warm and gentle energy rushed in from the fingertips. He could tell that it was very delicious.
He couldn’t explain it in detail like that chef, but he also felt like his heart was pounding somewhere. It was just a bite of cake…
“Next is this!”
Karnov didn’t say anything, but the girl who was staring at him with a puzzled face brought out another plate. It was probably the one with cinnamon in it.
After calming down for a moment, he pushed it into his mouth. The orange peel, nuts, and soft sweetness were felt more clearly through the strong and warm scent of cinnamon. The flutter of the heart was the same as it.
It was embarrassing to say anything, and he thought it was rude to not say anything, so he thought he would say something, but the girl recovered the plate she put out first with a bitter expression.
“…?”
“I guess cinnamon tastes better. You can eat it all…”
“I didn’t say anything…”
“I know everything when I see your face. A lot is written on it.”
No way. Karnov tried to deny it, but his answer seemed to no longer concern the girl.
“It’s a landslide victory for cinnamon… No, it’s because there’s someone who’s the most important…”
The girl looked down at the cake plate, rolled a fist with her small hand, and murmured seriously. At the sound, Pavel slipped in.
“It’s just a cake with cinnamon…”
“No! It’s not over until it’s over! There’s a lot left to test anyway.”
The girl put her hand on her waist and spoke to Pavel in admonition. Karnov quietly took another bite of cake, staring at the two, who were the same age as his nephew and uncle, arguing with each other. And as soon as he tried to put it in his mouth, his eyes met the girl who turned her head.
“Sweet things are good, too, right?””
“…well, it’s pretty good.”
“How are you going to live in this cruel world when you’re just messing around like this? You need to be able to express your thoughts clearly. If it’s a yes, it’s yes, otherwise no.”
“…”
“Ahh, it’s because it’s me. You understand me clearly and straightforwardly.”
The girl widened her eyes and looked up at him, pouting. The sound of her voice felt sweeter than the cake he was eating. Karnov understood why Alexei couldn’t reject his cousin.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
Ivan looked alternately at the cake and the girl’s face in front of him. The girl’s light green eyes were shining with anticipation. She asked him to tell her which one tastes better between the two cakes.
‘Why is this happening?’
Not once had Ivan remembered, no one had ever asked him what he wanted. His opinion was not needed when he was called trash in the northern roughlands, when he was almost killed as a sinner there, or when someone came here to save him.
And so far, Ivan had never even thought of wanting to express his opinion.
“…I don’t know much about this…”
“Yes, it’s all right, it’s all right. Would you like to try it? I made it.”
The girl smiled broadly, nodded in succession, pushing two plates of cake with both hands. all the way before him.
Is there a place for his own opinions to be used? Why? What if he said his thoughts and got it wrong? Would he die?
There seemed to be a time when he was afraid of that, but now even that memory was blurred. If so, that’s the end of that perception. Ivan thought so and picked up a fork.
Asha looked at Ivan’s face with her hands clasped tightly. Ivan took a bite of both cakes and said nothing.
“Peep!”
<If that stubborn brat refuses to eat like that, then bring it here! I’ll eat it!>
After devouring a whole plate of cake, Phoebe’s yellow belly had bulged. Asha glared at Phoebe with a displeased expression before turning her head back towards Ivan.
“Ivan, how is it? Was it good? Which one was better?”
I don’t know what I’m thinking right now because I don’t see any emotion.
‘Karnov, I could see it better this time.’
From Karnov, though not like Pavel, the gentle, warm particles rushed in like great waves. This was the second time she have seen such a wide range of emotions from him. Despite Asha’s question, Ivan didn’t answer.
Ah! If you’re not sure, you can just eat all of this! It feels a bit awkward for me to keep watching. After saying that, Asha went out to the terrace to spend some time, only to return after about ten minutes. Meanwhile, Ivan was still waiting for her, with two empty plates in front of her. Asha thought, somehow, the expressionless face looked restless.
“Ivan? Are you done eating? How was it?”
“That’s…”
“Yes, yes. Feel free to tell me! Anything is fine!”
Asha’s eyes shone. But Ivan carefully grabbed his chest. Asha’s glistening eyes slowly blurred as well.
“Ivan?”
“It’s… It’s… It’s making me cry.”
“…What?”
An expressionless face was looking at her. Asha thought that somehow she could see nervousness on that face this time.
“I feel… nauseous.”
“Oh? Your stomach?”
“Yes.”
“So, you’re saying that after eating my cake, your stomach… doesn’t feel good…”
“…”
