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Chapter : 40
Why is that here?
It was a snack I’d liked when I was young. I remembered sometimes buying it from street vendors. I never imagined it would exist in this world too.
“Hm? That’s cloud candy, isn’t it?”
“Oh, right. It’s been so long since I’ve seen it that I got confused.”
So here it’s called cloud candy. Freya smiled awkwardly and made an excuse, flustered by the name that had slipped out of her mouth.
“But cotton candy suits it too. I always thought it looked like clouds, but now that I look at it, it also looks like cotton.”
“Still, I think cloud candy sounds better.”
“Why?”
“Because it sounds nicer to eat clouds than to eat cotton.”
“Huh?”
Raiden blinked, taken aback, but Freya continued without minding.
“You know, clouds look all fluffy, so when you imagine what they’d taste like and what they’d feel like to eat, it’s hard to know for sure. That uncertainty makes it more fun to think about.”
“Uh….”
“With cotton, you could, if you wanted, just put a little in your mouth and check, so it feels more realistic. It could even be dangerous if you’re not careful. For little kids, cloud candy probably works better.”
If stimulating imagination was the goal, cloud candy seemed more effective—so why, in modern times, was it called cotton candy? Maybe because cotton was small and easy for kids to hold and play with while eating?
“…….”
“Raiden?”
“……Pfft, haha!”
“…?”
“Hahaha!”
While Freya was continuing her trivial musings, Raiden suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed louder and longer than expected, and she looked at him in confusion.
“Analyzing a snack from that perspective… That’s so like you, Freya. And it’s funny.”
It was odd yet earnest, and he liked seeing that sincere side of her. When she suddenly showed this kind of loveliness, he felt like he might go blind from it.
“Was what I said really that funny?”
“Yes, very. It was quite an interesting viewpoint.”
“That much….”
It didn’t feel like that to her. It sounded exaggerated, but Freya swallowed her retort.
“Could we have one?”
“Sure! Here you go.”
Raiden approached the vendor who was busily making cloud candy, bought one, and handed it to her.
“Here, Freya.”
“Thank you.”
Freya took a bite of the sky-blue cloud candy. It melted away in her mouth, leaving only sweetness on her tongue.
“So, how does cloud taste? Is it good?”
“Want to try?”
She tore off a little and brought it up to Raiden’s lips. He hesitated for a moment, then slightly opened his mouth and took the piece from her hand.
“…Sweet, and tasty.”
“…….”
As he lowered his head slightly, his eyes curved into gentle crescents. Seeing his soft smile, Freya finally realized what she’d done unconsciously.
‘I could’ve just handed it to him to eat.’
Why had she fed him instead? Embarrassment washed over her at the thoughtless action.
‘It’s just how I always ate it with my sister….’
Before she was possessed into this body, back when she was with her real older sister. It had been a habit since childhood. Even when they grew up, her sister never ate cotton candy herself and always took it from Freya.
“Can you give me another bite?”
“…Here. Eat it yourself.”
“I liked it better when you fed me. That’s too bad.”
Freya pretended not to notice Raiden’s shameless face. For some reason, her sister’s image overlapped with his, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.
Their stroll through the market continued. As they looked around, Freya stopped in front of a small sundries stall with Raiden.
“Welcome! Take a look around!”
There were various items—candlesticks, glass bowls, vases, dolls—all crafted with a classic, antique feel.
“There’s a lot of variety.”
“Not bad at all.”
Among them, a small porcelain doll caught Freya’s eye. It was a little girl wearing a cute white dress and holding a pink flower in her right hand. When she carefully picked it up, it had a slight weight to it.
“It’s pretty.”
“Yeah. Somehow, it looks like you, Freya.”
“I don’t really see it.”
“The eyes, the overall vibe—they’re similar. It’s interesting.”
The hair and eye colors were different, but the facial shape and overall impression did resemble Freya. As the two examined the doll closely, the stall owner spoke up.
“Oh, you’ve got a good eye. That doll was made by a famous doll craftsman from the neighboring Edelris Empire. It’s called ‘Spring Girl,’ and I hear it’s quite popular there.”
“Really? I can tell it’s pretty, but is there a reason it’s so popular?”
“Of course. Actually, this doll has a pair.”
“A pair?”
“Yes, here. It was made as a set with this boy doll.”
The merchant took something out of a box behind him. It was a boy doll holding a flower, just like the girl.
As Freya gazed at the two dolls standing side by side, she asked,
“Do these two connect to each other?”
“That’s right. Good eye. See here—like this, their hands connect.”
The girl’s left hand and the boy’s right hand fit together. Seeing how perfectly they interlocked, it was clear why they were a pair.
“They look affectionate. More like lovers than siblings.”
“That’s correct. The ‘Spring Girl and Spring Boy’ dolls symbolize deep love between lovers. In the Edelris Empire, it’s customary to give them as gifts to new couples or newlyweds.”
“That’s nice. We’ll take a pair.”
After nodding at the explanation, Raiden seemed to like them and took out his money. The merchant, delighted by the generous tip, carefully wrapped the two dolls.
“Here you go, Freya. It’s a gift.”
“You’re giving this to me?”
“Yes. Please accept it as an engagement present.”
He handed her the ribbon-tied box.
“Don’t you think it suits us perfectly?”
“Well… it’s pretty and lovely, that’s for sure.”
She could guess what he meant by it, but she didn’t quite agree. As she stroked the box, she asked casually,
“Since it’s a pair, wouldn’t it be okay for us to split them and each keep one?”
“No. I want you to keep both. They seem to have meaning only when they’re together as a pair.”
“Alright.”
After all, they did look better holding hands than being apart. Since it was a gift, she decided to take it and decorate her room with it.
Seeing her hug the box tightly to her chest with both hands, a smile never left Raiden’s lips.
“Looks like we’ve seen almost everything.”
“Shall we head to the restaurant soon?”
“Sure.”
As they were just leaving the market, they noticed a crowd gathering in front of a flower stall at the far end.
“What’s going on?”
“Not sure. People suddenly gathered….”
When they drew closer, they saw a man and a woman facing each other in front of the crowd.
“You can do it!”
“Hang in there!”
The man stood there nervously holding a bouquet, while the people around him cheered. The woman facing him had a flushed face.
‘Ah, I get it.’
A public proposal. Freya’s face stiffened without her realizing it. In front of so many people… It was touching, but she would rather pass on that kind of proposal.
“M-Matilda. I’ll love only you forever. W-Will you marry me?!”
“…Yes, I will. I love you too, Peter.”
At the man’s shout, the woman smiled shyly and accepted the bouquet.
When the proposal succeeded, the man’s tense expression melted away. Smiling brightly, he pulled her into his arms. The crowd cheered at the sight of the couple embracing.
“Congratulations!”
“You look great together!”
“Invite us to the wedding!”
Watching the warm, happy scene, Raiden said with a smile,
“I’m glad it worked out.”
“Yeah.”
“But it’s a bit of a shame.”
“What is?”
Freya tilted her head and looked at him. Gazing at the couple laughing amid the crowd, he spoke.
“Being congratulated by so many people is nice, but since a proposal only happens once, I think it’d be better to make it a memory just for the two of them.”
“I think I’d prefer something only the two of us know, rather than something public like that.”
“So we think alike. What kind of proposal would you like to receive?”
“Well… if it were you, Raiden, what would you do?”
“If it were me….”
Raiden slowly turned his head toward Freya and stopped. His lips parted as he looked steadily into her eyes.
“…No, it’s a secret. Not yet.”
“…….”
Seeing him hide his answer with a deep smile, Freya didn’t press further. Each time his gaze met hers, she felt an unfamiliar tickling in her chest. Trying to hide her expression, she turned her face away.
