On the Empire’s Protection Day, soldiers and knights often received small gifts from family and friends. Over time, this evolved into a tradition of giving small, thoughtful gifts to loved ones. Today, it has become a day for lovers to exchange sweet treats and precious jewelry. As a result, pastry shops and jewelry stores are busiest during this period.
“So, I want to do something for the Empire’s Protection Day.”
<Why don’t you focus on your engagement cake?>
“That’s been planned for a long time.”
Asha replied seriously, rolling up her sleeves.
“I gave my chefs exemption vouchers for the banquet cake. It seemed like they were planning to use it for my engagement and wedding cakes. I’ve been planning it since then.”
After connecting with Karnov, Asha had been designing and refining the cake for her special day. She aimed for a cake that could withstand any weather and be easy for guests to eat with one hand.
The cake layers would be soft but not crumbly, like delicate biscuits. On top, a thin layer of jam made from Shaslings fruit, topped with meringue with coconut flakes, would be baked to perfection. She planned to decorate it with powdered sugar and blue cornflower petals and light purple violets.
The golden cake with white meringue and blue petals would be perfect for an engagement ceremony.
<If you told Karnov this, he would carry you to the top of the palace in delight.>
“Huh? What? That I’ve prepared the cake?”
Asha laughed and waved her hand at the thought, feeling shy despite imagining Karnov’s reaction.
“It’s just something I like doing…”
<Oh… this child who knows nothing already thinking of marriage…>
Phoebe suddenly pretended to cry, patting her eyes with her wing feathers. Asha opened her mouth.
“I’ve been an adult for a while now…”
She shook her head and continued to gently pet Phoebe, thinking about the treats to present on the Empire’s Protection Day.
‘It wouldn’t be nice if it’s too big, right? We’ll all eat to our stomachs that day. Too much decoration wouldn’t be practical if they’re holding plates. Something light and not easily broken, but small in size… fitting for a special day.’
Sparkling sugar danced through her mind.
‘They’ll be meeting their lovers, so it shouldn’t be too sweet, maybe a bit tangy?’
She finally thought of the perfect dessert.
‘Pack it in a small box tied with a ribbon and a little tag. How many should I make?’
She considered reducing the number of vouchers for the next month and increasing the production of these treats…
As Asha pondered, her petting slowed, and Phoebe stopped pretending to cry, looking up.
<I didn’t raise you to be a heartless workaholic…>
“Don’t be ridiculous. Who raised who? I raised you, Phoebe.”
<Then be gentler with me! Be kinder!>
“Yes, yes.”
Pretending to relent to her scolding, she gently petted Phoebe. She dozed off like a young bird.
Looking at her familiar, who still seemed like a growing chick even after ten years, Asha smiled softly.
“When will our Phoebe grow up?”
If she heard that, Phoebe would have chirped that she was already grown, but she was already fast asleep.
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Asha’s shop, Pesheranskaya Confectionery, was located a bit away from the main road. But where something bright like a morning star appears, people are bound to gather.
Initially, Pesheranskaya Confectionery was the only shop there, but as people started flocking to taste Asha’s sweets, other pastry shops and tea houses began popping up, turning the street into a bustling pastry district.
“Asha! You’ve arrived!”
“Lady Asha~! The weather is lovely today. Did you sleep well?”
“Lady Asha, the forget-me-nots bloomed beautifully last night. How about decorating the shop with them?”
As Asha exchanged greetings with people opening their shops, she smiled brightly at the small bouquet of forget-me-nots an old lady offered her. The tiny, blue blossoms seemed to sparkle.
“They’re so pretty… I’ll put them in a vase. Come and see them later. Thank you!”
By the time Asha reached her shop, her hands were so full she couldn’t open the door. She had a small bouquet wrapped in paper from a magazine, freshly picked shiny green apples, several new lace ribbon decorations, two well-cured long beeswax candles, and a mug of coffee topped with whipped cream she could drink on the go.
“Your Highness! You’ve arrived? Let me help you.”
Asha handed only the mug to Sophia, a retired soldier and staff member at Pesheranskaya, who arrived at the same time.
“Ahaha. Hello, Sophia. Gregory made this fresh coffee this morning and insisted I try it because it turned out so well.”
As she fished for her keys from her skirt pocket, she unlocked the door. The faint smell of dust from the night mixed with the sweet scent of the shop and the fresh outdoor air.
Asha placed everything she received on the nearest table, shared the coffee with Sophia, then tied her hair up and began tidying the shop.
She drew back the curtains and blinds, opened the windows, filled a vase with ice water, and placed the forget-me-nots in it. She picked up a feather duster and gently dusted the ballerina music box and the shelves.
She decorated the vase with one of the lace ribbons, tied another in her hair, and pinned the last one to Sophia’s collar. With the feather duster under her arm, she replaced the spent candles in the candlestick with the beeswax candles she had received.
Sophia stood beside her, concentrating on making sure the candlestick stood straight as she took the spent candles from Asha’s hand.
“Should we light the candles at dusk?”
“That sounds nice.”
With a quick glance around, she took in the well-organized small shop. Then, she checked the ledger, schedule, and reservation list from the drawer under the counter and reviewed the pastries to be baked today, completing the morning preparations for Pesheranskaya Confectionery.
“Your Highness, I think it’s time to start making the purchase vouchers for next month.”
Sophia pointed at the calendar, which had a separate note for “Vichegda Bank” in that week’s schedule.
After experiencing a counterfeit voucher incident, Asha had to take special measures. It was Vichegda Bank that helped her then.
The bank seized the opportunity to ride on the enormous publicity of “Princess Anastasia’s famous pastry shop,” creating a friendly image and attracting more users.
Using Vichegda Bank’s unique anti-counterfeit ink, the vouchers were intricately printed so that when held up to the light, the front and back designs combined to create a complete image, which changed every month. Additionally, hidden letters visible only through a special magnifying glass provided by the bank allowed immediate verification of authenticity at the shop.
Asha thought this might be overkill, but the bank president seemed genuinely enthusiastic about making the vouchers for Pesheranskaya, so she didn’t refuse the help.
“About that. I was thinking of reducing the number of monthly purchase vouchers by half next month.”
Sophia widened her eyes in surprise. Asha quickly continued.
“Instead, I want to sell special pastries for the Empire’s Protection Day.”
Sophia looked worried.
“Are you sure… that’s okay?”
Seeing Sophia’s face reminded Asha of the first day the pastry shop opened. She steadied herself and said,
“I’ve decided on just one type of pastry for the Empire’s Protection Day, and I’ll only sell one per person. It might even be easier than other months.”
Asha counted on her fingers as she spoke.
“Generously calculated: 1 minute for greetings, 1 minute to verify the voucher and hand over the pastry… 2 minutes? Including checking the contents. Then 1 minute to say goodbye. That’s 4 minutes, adding a 1-minute buffer makes it 5 minutes per person. So, 12 people per hour, and if we work 8 hours, that’s 96 people.”
“…”
“That’s a very generous estimate… We could serve up to 200 people.”
“That sounds right. How about making it so they can’t win both the monthly voucher and the Empire’s Protection Day special?”
“Oh! That’s a great idea.”
Asha quickly made a note and explained the Empire’s Protection Day special pastry she had envisioned.
“We’ve been harvesting red Shaslings berries for a few years now. They have almost no sweetness, only sour and bitter flavors…”
A random mutation had produced the berries, but the Marchioness of Tataricha had kept cultivating them because they were so beautiful.
They had been used to make a different kind of Shaslings wine, which was clear, red, and particularly strong.
“First, soak the red berries thoroughly in syrup. Then rinse off the syrup, coat them with sugar, and dry them. The moisture from the fruit will melt the sugar, so coat them with more sugar and dry them again. Repeat until they are completely dry.”
Asha sketched a simple illustration of the process. Sophia, who had been baking cakes following Asha’s recipes even before working at her shop, immediately understood.
“We once made something similar with chestnuts by Lake Bishti a long time ago.”
Asha suddenly reminisced about those distant times.
People frantically trying to put out the fire amidst the rising flames and flying ash, Dimitri’s miraculous rain, and the chestnut preserves.
‘Karnov helped back then too.’
Asha remembered using him as a preserving pot and a food dehydrator, but she brushed aside thoughts of Karnov. This time, she planned to proceed without his help. The Empire’s Protection Day was a busy day for Karnov too, and she wanted to prepare a surprise gift for him.
“Oh, after repeating the process of soaking and drying in sugar for a long time, it will look like small red rubies covered in crystals. I’ll call it… ‘Ruby Shaslings.'”
Asha flipped a page to show her design for the gift box.
“Two Ruby Shaslings and two chocolates filled with Shaslings wine ganache, all neatly packed in a box the size of a palm.”
The box would be a clean cream color, wrapped in a warm, bright red ribbon, resembling a white envelope with a red wax seal of a love letter.
Offering a special limited-edition menu for holidays had been a long-time dream for Asha, as it would be the most special flower she could give to those who bought it.
“What do you think? Would you want it?”
Sophia looked a bit flustered at Asha.
“Pardon?”
“Do you… not like it? Doesn’t it seem appealing?”
“No, I was just a bit taken aback because you asked something so obvious.”
Hearing this, Asha blushed and waved her arms. Sophia thought of the chocolate with ganache that Asha only made when she had a supply of Shaslings wine and swallowed slightly.
“Then let’s halve the monthly purchase vouchers and issue special vouchers for the Empire’s Protection Day! How does that sound?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I’ll organize the orders for ingredients later, and I’ll discuss the voucher issuance with the bank on my way home.”
Asha roughly organized today’s schedule and stood up with a clap of her hands. Once again, Pesheranskaya Confectionery opened its doors under the sunlight.
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Karnov opened a magazine. Skimming quickly through a short story by a new author who seemed overly absorbed in their emotions, he stopped on the next page.
[Pesheranskaya Confectionery launches a special menu <Dazzling Ruby Shaslings> to commemorate the Empire’s Protection Day! Available for just one day. Give your beloved a special pastry. Voucher lottery inquiries: Vichegda Central Bank]
‘Special menu for the Empire’s Protection Day?’
This was the first he had heard of it. Half of the conversations with Asha were about pastries and her shop, yet this “special menu for the Empire’s Protection Day” was new to him.
Karnov thought about Pesheranskaya Confectionery’s special menu throughout the Imperial Army’s military training, weapons approval, food tastings, and brief meetings with the knights until the day ended.
Finally, he made up his mind.
“Supreme Commander! Are you heading home? If you’re going to your residence, I can escort you…”
His aide started to ask, but Karnov shook his head while throwing a light coat over his shoulder.
“Ah! Then are you going to the pastry shop?”
Karnov shook his head again.
“Then where to…”
“Vichegda Central Bank.”
“Pardon? Did the bank ask for a loan?”
“If they had, they would have come to me.”
He dismissed the persistently annoying aide with some extra work and headed to the Vichegda Central Bank straight from the stables.
He reflected on possibly underestimating Pesheranskaya Confectionery. The Vichegda Central Bank was teeming with people, unlike his last memory of it.
‘Back then…’
He had only visited the bank in person as a child. It had felt like a solemn temple back then. Since then, bank officials had come to him whenever necessary, and he hadn’t realized the bank now had a more casual atmosphere.
It was then that Karnov spotted familiar blondes in the distance. Two young men wearing hats and scarves partially obscured their faces behind a bank pillar. Karnov approached quietly after dismounting his horse, causing both to startle and turn to him.
“The… the Duke of Sedvoyer.”
“Oh, Duke. What brings you here? Are you also here for Asha’s… Pesheranskaya Confectionery’s special menu?”
“I was planning to…”
It was Dimitri and Ilya. Asha always baked pastries for her family and friends, but her relatives always competed fairly to get her pastries.
Karnov, squeezing among the crowd, observed the royal relatives surveying the scene and led them to a slightly less crowded spot.
“We should have expected this many people.”
“We saw the advertisement and thought we’d get some fresh air. What is this, Ilya!”
Dimitri sighed deeply, a sullen expression on his face. Karnov glanced back at the bustling crowd and the two royal relatives. If they had revealed their royal status, they wouldn’t be jostled here, but they seemed to have come quietly just to enter the voucher lottery and leave.
“Why didn’t you just talk to the bank president?”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We didn’t come here to deposit money.”
Dmitri waved his hands dismissively. Karnov smiled subtly. Anastasia was never strict about flaunting her natural talents, like her pastry-baking skills, which only required sugar, flour, and butter to show off.
But there was one thing she rarely flaunted: her noble status. Displaying that required others’ subservience and fear.
And her attitude influenced everyone around her. Regardless of what anyone said, Anastasia was at their center. Without her, none of their relationships would exist.
“We could have come later; it’s not like it’s a first-come, first-served lottery.”
Dimitri sighed and avoided Ilya’s gaze, indicating that Dimitri had insisted on coming quickly.
“Hmph. She should be preparing for her engagement, not causing more fuss…”
“Oh, so Dimitri is supporting my engagement with Asha.”
“What? No, no! That’s not true!”
Dimitri yelled. Karnov, amused, looked at Dimitri and asked,
“So you’d prefer Asha not marry anyone?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Dimitri replied confidently, his eyes blazing.
“She deserves to marry the best man in the empire.”
“Hmm. And the best man in the empire is?”
“Well…”
Dimitri puffed up his chest and raised his hand to deliver a speech but deflated, glancing between Karnov’s face and his own hand.
Describing the best man in the empire would be like describing Karnov, and he would never want that. He had avoided it even when he ate Asha’s truth tart, and he wasn’t about to give in now.
“…Whatever…”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“She can marry or not!”
Karnov smiled contentedly. Dimitri, his face bright red, grumbled and tried to drag Ilya out of the bank.
Then he realized he had forgotten to enter the Pesheranskaya Confectionery voucher lottery and turned back, even redder.
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The bank president of Vichegda Central Bank watched the Pesheranskaya Confectionery special menu voucher draw with a tense expression.
It was an event where managerial-level employees took turns drawing a few vouchers, supervised directly by the subordinate employees and the bank president. Some questioned the necessity of the bank president being involved in this, even if the pastry shop owner was a grand duchess, but the bank president scoffed at them.
‘Idiots. That grand duchess is no ordinary grand duchess.’
She was a major pillar of the empire’s culture and art world, a noble grand duchess, the emperor’s cherished and beloved sister, and the granddaughter the previous emperor held most dearly. She also had the influence to command other royal family members and even had the Duke of Sedvoyer, the empire’s most powerful figure, wrapped around her finger.
And most importantly,
‘She makes the best pastries in the world…’
The bank president had only won a Pesheranskaya Confectionery voucher once.
Having overseen the voucher draw himself, he knew how difficult it was to win. When he won, he ordered almost every type of pastry available, and the experience moved him to tears.
— Honey? Are you crying?
It was a moment when he had finally managed to act like an excellent husband by getting the rare pastries from Pesheranskaya Confectionery, and his wife’s surprised expression was still vivid in his mind.
“This time is even more competitive than usual. The price is slightly lower, and it’s a limited edition.”
“Damn…”
“Mr. President, people can hear and see you.”
The bank president restrained his tapping foot on the marble floor and glared at his longtime secretary.
“Didn’t you enter?”
“I put in one too. But it’s not like we can control this.”
The secretary seemed indifferent, but he was right. The bank president hadn’t won again since that first time.
“Are you saying you don’t care because you won’t win anyway?”
“Who said that? But let’s stay calm.”
The bank president glared at his seemingly calm secretary for a moment, then shook his head and resumed watching the draw with a serious expression.
Despite reducing the number of monthly vouchers, they were drawing 200 additional winners for this special menu. Maybe this time…
As the bank president’s arms slowly unfolded and his hands came together in a prayer-like gesture, they were nearing the end of drawing the 200 winners.
“Oh? This name…”
The staff drawing the vouchers seemed startled to recognize a familiar name. From afar, the bank president was about to scold them for pausing, but he hesitated as they turned to him.
No way?
“Could it be…!”
The secretary ran to the drawing area, then returned with a bright face after hearing the murmurs of the staff.
“Mr. President! Mr. President! I won…!”
“What? You won?!”
“Yes! I won!”
The bank president, who had been in shock, raised both arms.
“Yaaay! I won! I won!”
“Yes! I won!”
“Wha… what?”
“Wow! I never thought this day would come. I’ll use this for a proposal! Mr. President, our bank’s position is truly fortunate!”
The secretary’s previously indifferent face was now radiant with joy. Seeing the ecstatic face, the bank president, who had been celebrating, stiffened.
“…”
The staff writing down the names of the winners glanced between the bank president and the secretary. The bank president’s arms slowly lowered.
“…What about me?”
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“Only you won?”
“Yes, just me. Oh! Write the name there and continue the draw!”
“…”
The secretary called out to the staff, who quickly wrote down the name and continued drawing. By the end of the 200 draws, the bank president’s face was sullen as his name wasn’t called, while the secretary’s face shone like a spring flower.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
“Could you lift your arm this way? To the left.”
Joel Alman, who had started making wedding attire about half a year ago, thinking “the time has come,” suppressed a smile while preparing the Duke of Sedvoyer’s engagement attire.
The boy, once feared by all empire citizens due to his contract with the spirit of death, had now become the grand duke everyone envied. His proposal items were even made into advertisements and featured in magazines.
The advertisement named “Love Letter from the Duke of Sedvoyer” included illustrations of premium ink and quill, a card embossed with lisianthus, the silk handkerchief that wrapped the card, the perfume he wore, the tie adorning his collar, cufflinks, and even the diamond ring he gave to Anastasia.
Gone were the days when people trembled in fear at his mere presence. Now, items bearing his name sold like hotcakes. Joel couldn’t help but laugh wryly at the irony.
‘They say he gave her a diamond mine, not just a diamond ring… Well, you couldn’t really draw a mine in a print ad.’
Joel measured Karnov’s chest and waist with a tape measure, then stood back.
“Your Excellency, you seem to have gained some muscle.”
“I visited the fief with the grand duchess. I must have gained it from digging soil.”
Joel’s assistant forced a smile to align with the high-ranking individual’s hard-to-understand joke but quickly closed his mouth when he saw their serious faces.
A black chick-like bird sitting on a perch chirped briefly. The Duke of Sedvoyer smiled slightly, as if understanding the bird’s call, and shook his head.
“Well… I’ll make sure the attire accommodates slight changes. It would be best if you could maintain your current physique.”
“I’ll try.”
The Duke of Sedvoyer’s face remained as composed as ever, but Joel, who had observed him for a long time, noticed a slight nuance in his expression.
The duke, who knew nothing about making clothes, never interfered with Joel’s process, even if he had specific requests.
He wasn’t one to have petty complaints either. The grand duke of the empire would never be dissatisfied—things disappeared if he disliked them or changed if he wanted them to.
So, then…
“Ah! By the way, Your Excellency, about the Pesheranskaya Confectionery special menu lottery for the Empire’s Protection Day…”
“Were you lucky enough to win?”
Joel shook his head at Karnov’s slightly quick question.
“Unfortunately, no.”
“I see…”
Joel realized Karnov had entered the special menu lottery and had not won.
“Her Highness’s shop is quite competitive, isn’t it? I’ve only won twice myself.”
As Joel recorded measurements from the upper arm, sleeve, and hand to fingertip, Karnov turned to him.
“Twice is quite fortunate, isn’t it?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve never won even once.”
“Oh… really? Never?”
“Correct.”
Oops…
The frustration evident on the Duke of Sedvoyer’s face only grew. Joel quickly cleared his throat.
“Ha, haha. Your Excellency, you have won something far more precious than a pastry shop voucher. Let’s leave those for others.”
“…”
The Duke of Sedvoyer didn’t say much after that. But it was clear he wasn’t in a bad mood. After taking his measurements, Joel fetched the fabric sample book and laid it out. The Duke examined the pages seriously but eventually asked for the one that matched the Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya’s attire the best.
“Then I will prepare it to match the Grand Duchess’s outfit. I’ll see you again for the fitting. If you’re not too busy, shall we coordinate with the Grand Duchess?”
The Duke of Sedvoyer nodded. Joel checked the schedule, adjusted a few entries, and nodded back. This was always the case when making clothes for events or parties involving both the Duke and the Grand Duchess.
The Duke of Sedvoyer always tailored his attire to match Anastasia’s and participated in fittings and choosing accessories together. Not for any special reason, but simply because he liked being with her.
Joel had watched them grow up from a young age. Initially, he thought, ‘Only they have a relationship like that.’
Some days, they seemed like just good friends, and other days, like a pair destined by the gods. Sometimes, they could understand each other’s thoughts just by the shadow cast by their fluttering eyelashes, and other times, they seemed not to know each other at all.
Watching them laugh and chat was like watching tiny, dazzling soap bubbles blown by a child, scattering in the wind. And Joel realized that all those moments combined to form a shimmering wave, a large wave that came and went daily but, over time, became an ocean, promising eternity.
Their relationship seemed to appear in old novels, plays, operas, poems, and fairy tales…
While Joel, holding a tape measure in both hands, reflected on the long time he’d witnessed, Karnov looked at him through the mirror.
“By the way, I have a request.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
At Karnov’s gesture, the mansion’s butler entered, carrying a large box on a tray. When the butler carefully opened the lid, a somewhat rugged brilliance shone. There was one large piece and countless smaller ones. Joel instantly recognized what they were.
“…Aren’t these diamonds?”
“They were obtained from the mine, but the Grand Duchess refused to accept anything mined before the ownership was confirmed.”
Karnov’s expression was a mix of frustration and affection for Anastasia.
“I thought you could use them for her clothes or accessories.”
“Uh… these large diamonds would be perfect for a ring…”
“I’ve set aside diamonds for the ring.”
“Then for the wedding dress…”
“We should use new ones for that.”
“Your Excellency, diamonds of this size will always radiate a new brilliance…”
Karnov rarely laughed out loud. Joel carefully closed the lid, hands trembling as he looked down at the diamonds.
“But as you command, Your Excellency.”
“For the wedding, I was thinking pearls might be nice.”
“Pearls are very lovely. Ah! Speaking of which, recently, five irregularly shaped pearls with a pink hue, resembling flower petals, were up for auction…”
Joel intended to say that those pearls would have suited Anastasia perfectly, but he glanced at Karnov and trailed off.
The young Duke wore his usual slightly cold and stoic expression, but Joel, having known him for a long time, could tell.
“…Did Your Excellency bid on them?”
“As you said, they would suit the Grand Duchess well, so I set them aside.”
“It seems the Grand Duchess doesn’t know…”
“She’s not one to gather such things herself. Someone needs to do it for her.”
That was true. The royal granddaughter had clear interests—if given a practical and sturdy apron, she would praise each stitch and use it until it wore out.
But for things outside her interests, while she admired their beauty and craftsmanship, she never sought them out herself.
Perhaps it was because her lover—this very man who bought rare pearls on sight—her cousins (including His Majesty the Emperor), her grandfathers (including the former Emperor and former Knight Commander), and friends always anticipated her needs and gave them to her.
“It’s good that you started making wedding dresses.”
Joel, having finished his tasks, smiled as he packed his belongings.
“I thought it was the right time.”
Karnov blinked briefly, then smiled and shook his head.
“It would be nice if the clothes could be made with a bit of extra room.”
“How much extra room…?”
“Enough to make two more outfits. Can you manage that?”
“Ah, that should be fine. Are the clothes for Your Excellency, or someone among your relatives…?”
Karnov gestured towards Joel. Joel blinked, not immediately grasping the meaning.
“I want you to make clothes for yourselves.”
At Karnov’s gesture, the butler brought out another package.
It contained money for Joel and his assistant to have clothes made. Joel blinked at Karnov, his lips moving slightly. He started to say something, but Karnov raised his hand to stop him.
“Since you’ve been making our clothes since we were children, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call you a parent.”
“Y-Your Excellency.”
“Then you must attend the engagement ceremony.”
“Your Excellency…”
“The Grand Duchess would be disappointed if you didn’t. She’ll probably send you an invitation herself anyway.”
Joel’s lips trembled slightly. Anastasia always invited him to important events when she wore his clothes.
“I will definitely attend.”
Joel’s assistant, standing next to him, smiled brightly and waved the schedule. It was decorated with all kinds of ornate marks for the couple’s engagement ceremony.
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A suffocatingly awkward silence and stillness hung in the air. Five people sat at the table. In terms of noble bloodlines, they were some of the most distinguished in the empire, yet all of them looked awkward and ashamed, like children caught stealing bread.
“Hmm…”
“Shouldn’t the kids be here, not just us?”
“Why drag the busy kids into an old folks’ gathering?”
“We aren’t old folks yet.”
“Once they marry, we will be soon enough. In the blink of an eye, we’ll be grandparents.”
The two people the three elders were looking at, Yuriev and Irina, could only swallow dryly and fidget with their cups.
With the date set and preparations underway for Karnov and Anastasia’s engagement, the families had arranged this meeting. They couldn’t invite the busy Anastasia, and without her, they didn’t call Karnov either, leading to this peculiar gathering of the elders only.
So, with Anastasia’s parents, Yuriev and Irina, and Karnov’s grandmother, Yekaterina, meeting, the former Emperor Mikhail declared he should attend as Anastasia’s grandfather, and Irina’s father, Tarjei Nellin, felt the same.
“I heard Asha made a new product. Did anyone win?”
Yuriev’s question brought silence. No one had won. Yuriev glanced at his father.
“Father, you didn’t use an alias?”
Mikhail cleared his throat.
“After getting caught the first time, I don’t do that anymore! That strict little one…”
With her hands on her hips and a stern look, she had said, ‘You can gift, but no cheating!’ How could he argue? Yuriev was about to chide him but quickly cleared his throat when he saw Tarjei and Yekaterina avoiding his gaze.
“Ah, ahem, ahem. General Yekaterina, please take care of our Asha. We may have spoiled her a bit too much, but…”
“Why call a bright, sharp child spoiled?”
Mikhail interjected forcefully. Yuriev sighed, holding his forehead.
“Father.”
“Isn’t that right? Besides, I raised her from ten onwards, and if you call that spoiled…”
“You took her by force. She stayed because she’s kind.”
“Yes! She is kind.”
“No… Father. Now…”
Yuriev opened and closed his mouth, too stunned to speak.
Was he always like this?
As emperor, he saw everything as parts of the empire, with unyielding stubbornness, grandeur, and harsh responsibility. Yuriev had believed that was eternal.
But now, to proclaim his granddaughter’s kindness, he endured contradictory statements and personal slights.
As Yuriev gaped, the elders resumed their bickering. When the wine started circulating, they began boasting about their grandchildren, leading to competition.
Irina tried to calm Tarjei, who was raising his voice at Mikhail and Yekaterina, but Yuriev shook his head with a smile. That was until he couldn’t smile anymore.
“Yuriiiiii!”
“U-Ugh!”
Tarjei, who had been about to grab Mikhail by the collar, suddenly lunged at Yuriev and grabbed his collar instead.
“Ugh, Sir Nellin?”
“I’ve been so loyal!”
His voice was filled with resentment and frustration. Yuriev swallowed hard.
“I’ve never once bowed my head without seeing Prince Yuriev! How could you!”
“Father!”
Irina, shocked, grabbed Tarjei’s arm, but Yuriev signaled her to stop.
“How could you take my daughter… How could you do this… I’ve been so loyal, and my successor… my successor as Knight Commander…”
“Father, even if I were there, Lady Anne Marka would have been the next Knight Commander.”
“Ugh, my successor’s successor…”
“…”
“…”
Tarjei’s eyes turned to Irina. His only daughter, who looked just like him. She had inherited his talents, perhaps even surpassing them, and above all, he cherished and loved her dearly.
Though he hadn’t expressed it well…
“If I had… if I had done better…”
Would his daughter have gone so far to marry a prince against his wishes? Could they have had a harmonious ending without anyone leaving, distancing, or fighting?
Irina looked at her father, who had aged more than she realized, with more white hair and wrinkles, and smiled gently.
“I’m your daughter too. I wouldn’t have neglected my duties. I told you.”
“You heartless child…”
Tarjei seemed to lose his strength. He downed a glass of wine and, with a slightly trembling hand, stroked his daughter’s cheek.
“Because of me, because of me, you couldn’t even have a proper wedding…”
“Sir Tarjei, that was actually my fault, so please don’t blame yourself…”
“…Right, it wasn’t my fault.”
Yuriev tried to calm Tarjei, but Tarjei’s sharp gaze made him swallow hard. No matter how bold and unrestrained Yuriev was, he couldn’t speak carelessly to his father-in-law, the former Knight Commander.
Seeing his son’s hesitation, Mikhail frowned.
“You act like there’s nothing you can’t say to me, but to Tarjei…”
“Do you have to bring that up now, father?”
“See? Look at this.”
Mikhail pointed at Yuriev. Yekaterina, sipping her wine, remarked, “Having a son should be enough, but you’re greedy,” causing a brief silence.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Hahaha!”
Yekaterina laughed, delighted at everyone’s reactions. But it was short-lived. After finishing her drink, she frowned.
“Shaslings wine is better. This is just so-so.”
“Your grandson isn’t even married yet, and you’re already trying to work my granddaughter to the bone?”
“Your Majesty, you’re the one who worked your granddaughter the most, aren’t you?”
“When did I ever work our Asha to the bone!”
Mikhail snapped, and Tarjei turned his glare from Yuriev to Mikhail.
“Yes, you did! You sent that small, unripe peach to the cold, barren north, bruising and hurting her…”
“The Sedvoyer estate may be cool, but it’s not cold and barren. Sir Tarjei, have you grown weak with age?”
“Weak? Who’s weak! And you call that cool? Even when we floated lanterns on the Vichegda River in midwinter, you call that cool?”
“Yes, it’s cool. Is that cold? City folks are indeed weak.”
Yekaterina’s eyes crinkled with a smile. This provoked Tarjei and even the most urban of the three, Mikhail, into a lively argument.
Irina and Yuriev quietly replaced the elders’ wine glasses with water glasses and exchanged glances before slipping out of the hall.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
The pastries that Pesheranskaya Confectionery made to commemorate this year’s Empire’s Protection Day could be collected the day before the holiday. This was because the shop owner had to attend state events on the actual day.
“When the engagement was first mentioned, I suggested doing it in two months, but it got postponed to three months,” Asha said as she carefully placed a chocolate into a box lined with paper using tongs. The glossy, round chocolate had leaf-shaped decorations and red berries on top, with a filling of sweet and sour fruit liqueur, candied fruit, chocolate, and cream ganache.
“It seemed like too long at first, but I’m really glad we chose three months.”
“Isn’t three months a tight schedule for Your Highness’s event?”
“I thought three months was too much for an engagement, not a wedding.”
After placing two chocolates, it was time for the Ruby Shaslings. The sugar-crystal-coated Ruby Shaslings looked like uncut rubies, true to its name.
She carefully placed two Ruby Shaslings between the chocolates, covered them with thin paper, and closed the box. She then tied it with a red ribbon. After tying the ribbon on the last box, Asha paused, slowly looking around. At the same time, Sophia, who had just finished packaging on the other side, stretched her stiff back.
“All done?”
“I think so.”
“If there’s anything left unwrapped, now’s the time to speak up. I’ll forgive it if it’s now.”
Sophia laughed at Asha’s playful warning. Fortunately, it seemed that really was the last of it.
“Whew! All done, right? Done? No more?”
After quickly scanning the stacked boxes, Sophia nodded. Simultaneously, Asha staggered back, spread an empty flour sack on the floor, and collapsed onto it.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”
“If you’d scheduled the engagement two months later, it would be next week.”
“Exactly. I barely made it.”
When she had said, ‘How about an engagement in two months?’ the chamberlain and court count had almost burst into tears. So she hadn’t insisted and postponed it by a month…
Beside the sprawled Asha, Sophia, who had also sat on an empty sugar sack, laughed.
“Getting clothes for the Empire’s Protection Day event, the engagement attire, making the pastries… closed my eyes, and now it’s today.”
In the midst of preparing a separate Empire’s Protection Day gift for Karnov, time flew by in the blink of an eye.
“I should have insisted on making the upstairs of the shop the grand duchy long ago. My soft heart… Sophia, after selling everything tomorrow, go straight home. It’s a week’s paid vacation. That’s an order.”
“How can I disobey our esteemed manager?”
Sophia’s joke made Asha laugh as she rolled to her feet.
“Alright! Now, let’s end the day selling sweet dreams and hopes for tomorrow!”
“Dreams and hopes are usually given as gifts…”
“True, but we have to make a living too…”
“We’ll sell them with all our might.”
Sophia said with a serious face. Asha burst out laughing at her expression.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
In front of Pesheranskaya Confectionery, a lively crowd gathered an hour before opening. The attire varied widely: a noble in luxurious robes over pajamas, hastily thrown on with feather decorations, a person in a well-worn suit as if they had stopped by on their way to work, a secretary accompanying their winning boss, students, and children.
Nearby, someone began playing a small string instrument, using the waiting time to entertain. Finally, the shop door opened. A glimpse of pink hair waved and then disappeared inside, signaling the start of the special menu pickup for the Empire’s Protection Day. Everyone eagerly pulled out their vouchers from their pockets and waited their turn.
The first few who entered emerged with small, cream-colored boxes and a spring in their step. As the music played faster in the plaza, people in the shopping district watched the long line while sipping warm tea.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen a scene like this.”
“Indeed. There hasn’t been a need to line up since the shop switched to vouchers…”
“But is there really a need to come so early today?”
“Oh, I get it. They just want to get theirs as soon as possible.”
After collecting their special menu items, some bought flowers or grabbed a quick snack, prompting onlookers to return to their workplaces.
Among them were those driven not by the desire to give a gift to loved ones but by a longing to taste something sweet from Pesheranskaya Confectionery. These individuals headed straight to nearby tea shops, eagerly untying the ribbon with trembling hands.
Inside the sturdy box, under the white paper, were four small, jewel-like, round treats. The translucent crystals of the “Ruby Shaslings” sparkled like real gems, looking refreshing even when picked up by hand.
But unlike real gems, the crystals melted sweetly in the mouth. The fruit, long soaked in syrup, had absorbed the sweetness while maintaining a tart and slightly bitter flavor with a firm texture.
After finishing the Ruby Shaslings, it was time for the Shaslings chocolate. The well-set, firm chocolate didn’t melt in their fingers, but a bite revealed a soft ganache filling.
The ganache, made from sweet and tangy Shaslings wine, had a deep flavor. Savoring the chocolate’s sweetness, one might feel they wouldn’t need any more chocolate in this lifetime, only to find the taste gone, leaving them wanting another bite.
“Hic…”
The café owner recognized the person sniffling while jotting down notes beside the chocolates and Ruby Shaslings as a reporter from Monthly Vichegda, smiling warmly as he placed a cup of tea beside him.
Inside the shop…
“P-Princess! Congratulations on your engagement! May you be very happy… very happy!”
It was a small girl who lived near this alley. She was overjoyed to have won the purchase voucher for the second time and could buy pastries. Blushing, she shyly held out a card along with her voucher.
Asha blinked in surprise, then quickly took the card when she saw the girl’s trembling hand.
“Y-Yes, you helped me when I fell before, and my c-clothes tore. You gave me your coat. Thank you so much!”
Asha recalled the incident from the girl’s face and gasped.
“I saved the clothes for… I’ll wear them when I get married!”
“What? No, uh…”
“Thank you, Princess! Congratulations on your engagement! And thank you for that time too!”
The girl bowed and hurriedly left the shop with the cream-colored box that Sophia handed her. More visitors came to congratulate Asha on her engagement, some with wild stories.
“Grand Duchess, have you heard that confessing love with your pastries guarantees success?”
It was a question, but the voice implied she already knew the answer.
“Just as Your Grace and the Duke’s love was realized… I will capture their heart with your gracious pastries! Thank you so much!”
Out of the 200 special menu reservations, twenty said something similar. Asha was flustered, but Sophia just shrugged.
Even more people congratulated Asha on her engagement with gifts. By the time she collected all the vouchers for the day, the shop was even more crowded than when it opened.
She received cards filled with blessings for her engagement, small and humble bouquets, hand-carved candle holders, rustic yet heartfelt ceramic figurines, hand-knitted baby socks, lace doilies…
Sophia quietly closed the shop door and lowered the awning. Meanwhile, Asha, fidgeting with a small coaster left by the last customer, squinted to keep her eyes from tearing up.
“I never expected to receive such things…”
Sophia smiled warmly at Asha.
“Your Highness, it’s been quite a while since you opened this shop.”
“Yes, but I’m not someone special…”
“Being able to share and celebrate good news with a good person is a privilege only the truly fortunate can enjoy.”
Asha looked down at the small gifts in her hands, blinking her eyes tightly. Her throat felt tight and aching.
“I’m glad I opened this pastry shop here. And I’m glad I decided on the special menu this time. Even though it was tough. Did I mention double wages this time, Sophia?”
“You’ve mentioned it about three times. And a week of paid vacation.”
“Right! Yes! The shop is closed, right? You’re on vacation now, Sophia.”
As Asha tried to remove Sophia’s work apron, Sophia gracefully and respectfully avoided her hands, fetched large wooden planks from the storeroom, and quickly hammered together a box.
“I’ll just pack up today’s gifts and then go on vacation.”
“My dear, wonderful Sophia.”
“You’re too kind.”
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
On the Empire’s Protection Day, the air was cool and crisp, but the sun was glaring. Asha half-covered her face with a fan and yawned widely.
“Yaaaawn.”
<Perhaps you should have stayed in bed, don’t you think?>
A small bird fluttered in, worriedly pecking at her headpiece.
After making and packaging special menus until the previous day, distributing them to 200 people yesterday, and painstakingly dressing up since early morning today, she felt naturally sleepy.
“I couldn’t do that… If I skipped such a day because I was tired from selling pastries, it would be chaos. I can already see the headline: ‘Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya’s Shallow Patriotism, Is This Okay?'”
<If such an article were published, Fafnir would take care of it.>
“How would Fafnir handle it?”
<By burning it all! How can humans be so harsh to each other when one just wants to rest from fatigue?>
Asha, fanning the chirping Phoebe gently, yawned again while covering her face.
“Are you tired from making everyone’s love come true, Grand Duchess?”
She turned, mischievously smiling at the voice of the man who had approached unnoticed.
“Oh! Karnov, you’re here?”
Karnov naturally took the fan from Asha’s hand, gently fanning her face and examining her complexion.
“Your eyes are red.”
“Even though I slept a lot? I guess I am a bit tired.”
“Well, you did try to make love come true for 200 people, right?”
“That’s not true. It’s a ridiculous rumor. Who spread the nonsense that confessing with my pastries ensures success?”
Asha vehemently denied it, but Karnov didn’t seem to hear. Instead, he pulled out something else.
“Hmm, it must be at least 199. One person seemed too busy writing an article to fall in love.”
In Karnov’s hand was a special issue of “Monthly Vichegda.” Asha’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“What do you think? It’s the freshly printed special issue of Vichegda, Grand Duchess. Let’s see…”
But Karnov’s teasing was cut short. The Empire’s Protection Day event was starting. Karnov, with the special issue snatched away by Asha, headed toward the Imperial Army.
Asha, too, couldn’t immediately open the special issue. Instead, she stood by Alexei, who appeared with the knights, nervously clutching the rolled-up magazine behind her back.
━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━
[Four Pieces of Happiness]
[This month, the number of vouchers for Pesheranskaya Confectionery has been halved. Are you sad? Have you lost sleep over it? But…]
Asha, who was unsure if she could stay awake during the Empire’s Protection Day event, was kept alert by the special issue of the magazine she held in her hands.
Once the outdoor event was mostly over and the mingling and greetings had suitably concluded, Asha slipped into the deep shade of the colonnade and began reading the article.
As she eagerly read the special article on her pastries titled ‘Four Pieces of Happiness,’ she felt a weight gently leaning on her from behind but wasn’t startled. The person leaning on her asked,
“Finished the article?”
“Yes! I know who wrote this. They opened it and started eating right after collecting it. Hehe.”
Feeling delighted, Asha’s cheeks flushed as she savored the article. She didn’t push away Karnov, who was gradually putting more weight on her from behind, and continued reading the magazine again. However, by the third reading, Karnov took the magazine from her.
“If you were so tired, you should have asked me for help.”
Asha felt Karnov’s hand gently brushing her eyes, a bit embarrassed but smiling.
“The Empire’s Protection Day is a busy time for you too, Karnov. And it wasn’t that hard.”
Despite Empire’s Protection Day becoming more about exchanging gifts among lovers and family, the royal family still had to diligently honor the Imperial Army. Naturally, as the Supreme Commander, Karnov had to carefully prepare for the event.
“You yawned wide enough to fit an apple in your mouth.”
“It wasn’t that bad…”
“So, with our engagement a month away, you enjoyed making everyone’s love come true, Grand Duchess?”
Asha smiled bashfully.
“It was something I really wanted to do. A special limited-edition pastry for a special day. But during the holidays or festive seasons, there was never really any time.”
It was the fate of a royal. They couldn’t miss such events and had to prepare days in advance, leaving no room to create special limited-edition items.
Although Alexei told her to ignore those events and only do what she wanted, Asha never wanted to leave Alexei alone at such events.
“So, you decided to do it this time?”
“Yes!”
“And without telling me?”
“Because you were busy…”
“Tell me, even when I’m busy.”
Karnov said in a deep voice. Asha’s eyes sparkled.
“Why? Why is that? Does my dear Karnov want to know everything I’m doing…”
“You know how to make pastries but aren’t very talented in running a business. Neither is Sophia.”
“…”
“When we get engaged, you know I’ll have some stake in Pesheranskaya Confectionery, right, Grand Duchess?”
“…Yes… I know.”
“So, you also know I can’t allow the shop to go into debt or let any workers get hurt, right?”
“I know… But my pastries would never put us in debt…”
“Have you considered if you sold them at a fair price when calculating the value of your labor?”
Asha clenched her fists, ready to strike but was stopped by Karnov’s approaching face.
Smooch!
“Ah!”
Asha’s eyes widened in surprise, and she almost fell backward, but Karnov caught her in his arms.
“K-Karnov!”
“Did you call for an active oak barrel?”
“No, I didn’t!”
“That’s why I came on my own. I’m active, after all.”
Asha, her face flushed, glared at Karnov and turned away. The scent of flowers and leaves wafted like a mirage between the columns of the colonnade.
“Asha.”
“Ugh. It’s suddenly hot.”
“I have something to say.”
Karnov’s voice suddenly lowered, and Asha turned back, tilting her head in curiosity.
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I realized there’s something I haven’t told you.”
“W-What is it?”
Asha, now tense, quickly turned to face Karnov. A tense atmosphere emanated from him as well.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
Karnov slowly bent down.
“Karnov?”
Asha tried to follow suit, but Karnov held her hand to stop her. Kneeling on one knee, Karnov looked up at Asha.
“Anastasia…”
As his words trailed off and silence filled the space, Asha’s ears and neck turned bright red. When Karnov called her by her full name, it was always followed by titles like Grand Duchess, Royal Highness, or sometimes Princess when teasing.
He had never called her by just her name before.
“Karnov, suddenly, why…”
“This is something I’ll only say to you for the rest of my life, and I can only say it now.”
With that, Karnov took out a small box. Asha’s eyes widened. When he opened the box, a bright light seemed to emanate from it.
Inside was a ring.
“From now on… let me kiss you goodnight every day.”
Asha, covering her mouth with her free hand, blinked rapidly before closing her eyes tightly. Karnov, with a slightly nervous but gentle smile, slowly slipped the ring onto her finger.
The ring featured a large, round, brilliantly cut diamond in the center, with leaf-shaped diamonds on either side.
“Asha, won’t you answer me?”
“…It took three months just for the engagement, so the wedding will probably take a year, right? How will I sleep alone until then?”
Asha’s tearful response made Karnov laugh out loud. They held hands, stood up, touched foreheads, shared a brief kiss, and then retreated into the depths of the bushes.
As Asha endured a barrage of kisses from Karnov, she took a deep breath and pushed him away.
“I almost forgot, I have something for you too.”
Asha carefully took something out of a pocket sewn into her dress.
“This time, a very deep purple Shaslings berry grew, just one cluster…”
When she opened the small box, a round, purple berry sparkled transparently inside, resembling an amethyst.
“I made it just for you, Karnov.”
“Even with all your work, when did you make this…”
Asha giggled and placed one of the berries into Karnov’s mouth. Soon, tiny particles of light, like a small fireworks display, spread within the bushes.
“And you know, I also thought of this…”
Asha pulled out another item from the other pocket. It was a velvet box similar to the one Karnov had given her.
“It matches the color of your eyes.”
Inside, she had carved a fully bloomed violet and an unopened bud from rare purple sapphires, attaching leaves made of thin malachite. The brooch was intricately and beautifully crafted, with silver swords crossing behind it.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d like it… I’m glad you do.”
Asha pinned the brooch to Karnov’s collar and kissed his cheek.
“Let’s get married after the engagement. We’ll make pastries for the 10th and 20th anniversaries of the shop together. Hmm, making the 100th anniversary pastries might be impossible for us, right?”
“That’s probably… true.”
“Then how about the 80th anniversary pastries? We might manage that if we take care of ourselves.”
“Sounds good.”
“And also…”
“Sounds good.”
“I haven’t even said it yet.”
“Whatever it is, it sounds good.”
Karnov mumbled as if talking to himself. Asha felt as if the bush behind her was tickling her. There’s no other reason her insides could feel so ticklish.
“Ahem. Okay. Then, Karnov, should we kiss too?”
Karnov smiled, leaned in, and kissed her cheek. Then he mumbled,
“This is something I want to do.”
“Then here’s something I want to do.”
Asha moved closer and kissed Karnov’s lips with a smacking sound. But Karnov responded again,
“This is also something I want to do.”
“So, you want to do everything I want to do too? What would you have done if we hadn’t gotten married?”
“Hmm…”
Karnov started thinking seriously as if imagining what it would have been like. Asha burst into laughter beside him. Karnov frowned and said,
“I can’t even imagine…”
“Of course not. Don’t even think about it. Don’t even dream about it, Duke of Sedvoyer.”
Karnov wondered if Asha said that because she knew he wanted to hear it or if she felt the same way he did. He rested his head on her shoulder, thinking it over.
“Asha.”
“Yes.”
“Should we try to make the 100th-anniversary pastries too?”
“Hmm, then we’ll have to start going to bed early and waking up early, exercising… Even though I’m a pastry shop owner, I’ll need to eat sweets in moderation. Eat lots of vegetables…”
Asha listed the things needed for a healthy life, ticking them off with her fingers. Karnov kissed her on the ear. Asha was very ticklish but didn’t push him away.
“Yaaawn. We still have the evening ball to attend…”
Karnov’s embrace was warm, his breath against her ear just the right amount of ticklish, and sitting quietly in the gentle shade, chatting softly, the fatigue from yesterday slowly crept in.
Karnov whispered in a quiet voice,
“Let’s rest for a bit before we go.”
“Is that okay?”
“We still have some time, so it should be fine.”
Asha tried to keep her eyes open and nodded at Karnov’s words, but soon, she fell asleep.
An attendant searching for them found the couple but quietly retreated at Karnov’s gesture. The black chick and yellow chick came and settled on the hem of her dress, falling asleep together.
And in the outer garden of the colonnade, violets, out of season, blossomed here and there, creating a wave of soft purple.
