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Chapter 26
“O—oh.”
Helly couldn’t regain his senses from the bliss bursting inside his mouth.
What exactly was dessert?
Food that signaled the end of a meal.
Food that should not overpower the flavor of the main dish.
Because of that, desserts in this world were simple and crude.
Cakes made by stacking slices of carrot and cucumber, or hard chunks of bread brushed with oil.
But this…
‘Incredible.’
Helly marveled.
Pudding.
Had such a perfect food really existed in this world?
The way it melted softly, the pleasant sweetness filling his mouth.
It felt as though his soul, intoxicated with happiness, had left his body and was floating in the air.
He hurriedly scooped up the next spoonful—and met a pair of brown eyes staring straight at him.
“Ahem. Hmm.”
“How is it? Is it okay?”
“To be honest, this thing called pudding makes me feel like my entire career as a chef has been denied. It is extremely delicious.”
Helly’s body trembled slightly, still caught in the lingering aftertaste.
“With this, do you think we can make it to the main competition?”
“Of course.”
Helly answered without hesitation.
The purpose of the competition hosted by Antoine Bakery was clear.
‘To find a new dessert that can be sold in the shop.’
Not a dish that merely concluded a meal, but a dessert that could stand alone and stir people’s desire to buy.
“If I may be so bold, I think you could even aim for first place.”
If this pudding wasn’t a contender for the top prize, then the judges’ tongues must be attached to their backsides instead of their mouths.
And this was a dessert the Saintess had suggested making “just as a test.”
If a recipe brought out merely for experimentation was already this perfect, then what about the ones to come?
A shiver ran down Helly’s spine.
‘Tch. Really, when it comes to delicious food, the entire universe becomes one.’
Meanwhile, Ari’s heart was pounding.
She’d been worried that maybe people in this world had different tastes—but thankfully, it turned out their desserts were simply bad.
It already felt like the Emperor’s bust was nodding its head in greeting toward her.
‘If I’m with Helly…’
‘If I’m with the Saintess…’
Two pairs of lively eyes met.
‘In two years, I’ll save an entire salary in one go.’
‘Using this competition as the turning point, a new era of desserts will begin.’
Their confident laughter filled the auxiliary kitchen.
Delcan Mondria was walking through the imperial palace of Zendal.
It had been three days since he arrived here.
And it had also been three days since his bangs had been swept back.
“I’ll assign you an attendant.”
He’d thought the attendant Charles had attached to him was simply a watchdog—but from the very first day Delcan arrived in Zendal, the attendant had visited him daily.
“My duty is to groom Lord Mondria’s appearance.”
For knights who wore armor, being helped with clothing and grooming was nothing unusual.
When Delcan agreed, the attendant brought strange liquids—like water steeped with flower petals—and with dazzling hands, groomed Delcan from head to toe. He even decorated the white horse Charles had given him as though it were for a formal ceremony.
Even Ruid, who rarely spoke to Delcan, had mocked him, asking what in the world that appearance was supposed to be.
Delcan wanted to claw at himself and return to his original state.
But—
“The Princess said, ‘If even a single strand of his hair falls, I will go to Zendal myself.’”
After hearing the attendant relay those words, Delcan had no choice but to behave.
On the day he arrived in Zendal, Delcan had spent more time staring at his horse’s mane and his own polished boots than at the scenery.
Fortunately, the Saintess had not been present at the welcoming banquet.
If she had seen him like that, Delcan might have ended up walking around wearing the mask of the imperial guard.
‘It might be better if the Emperor of Zendal keeps the Saintess hidden.’
He hadn’t let on to Charles, but Delcan had to admit it.
The Saintess undeniably possessed a mysterious charm that drew people’s hearts.
When he had accepted Charles’s request and observed her movements within the palace—
Even from afar, Delcan had found himself unable to take his eyes off her.
‘I want her.’
He had caught himself thinking that once.
A discomforting yet sweet emotion had flickered deep within his heart.
If that was because of the half-blood of Bonia running through him, then there was no guarantee that Ruid, the second prince, would be unaffected.
‘Ruid is one concern, but more than anything, leaving Charles alone in Bonia bothers me. I need to think of a way to return…’
“Ah, seriously!”
“…?”
Delcan slowed his steps at the sudden irritated outburst.
He had come to a secluded place to have some space to think, but it seemed people passed through here.
‘I should go somewhere else.’
He turned his feet—
“Please, just give it back.”
But the voice, now changed to a pleading tone, held him in place.
He took a few more steps in that direction.
He saw the back of a brown-haired girl wearing a Zendal maid’s uniform.
She stood in front of a tree, looking up and stamping her feet.
‘A palace maid?’
Her gaze was fixed on a bird perched at the top of the tree.
The bird held a small basket in its beak—it seemed to belong to her.
‘Looks like she got robbed by a “thief bird.”’
It was a well-known bird in the southern regions—
With a large beak and swift movements, notorious for stealing people’s belongings.
If this were the palace of Bonia, Delcan would have helped her.
But this was Zendal’s imperial palace; surely someone else would assist her.
He was about to pass by—
“Hey! Give that back right now! If you don’t, I’ll catch you and roast you!”
“Aaah! No! Don’t! You can’t open that! You can’t eat that!”
“Mr. Bird, I’m sorry! I’ll kneel! I’ll kneel, okay?! Huh?!”
She went from yelling, to screaming, to actually begging.
There was no way he could just walk past.
With a small sigh, Delcan approached her.
If Charles saw this, he’d probably tease him for sticking his nose into other people’s business again—but in moments like this, helping and feeling at ease afterward was better.
“What’s going on?”
The girl lifted her head.
Her round forehead and neatly shaped eyebrows drooped in distress.
Was she a foreigner? She was a cute beauty.
“……”
Their eyes met.
She stared at Delcan for a moment, then murmured softly.
“Wow. It feels different seeing you up close. Front-row seats really are the best.”
“…What do you mean, front row?”
“Caw!”
While Delcan was still confused, the girl snapped back to her senses at the bird’s cry and looked up again.
“Hey! I said don’t eat it! That’s my masterpiece!”
“Hey, I’ll help you—”
“Caw. Caw.”
“Wait, you ate it? You actually ate it? Fine, you want a showdown?! I’ll catch you and hand you over to Helly—!”
She even started trying to climb the tree, placing one foot against the trunk.
‘No opening to intervene.’
With no choice, Delcan picked up a stone about the size of his fist.
He tossed it lightly.
“Whoosh—”
A sharp sound cut through the air.
Thud.
“Caw…!”
The stone hit the bird squarely between the eyes.
The bird fell—and at the same time, the basket did too.
Fortunately, Delcan caught the basket before it hit the ground.
“Hm. Looks like it already ate quite a bit.”
Inside the basket, now completely unwrapped, a few small baked pastries lay scattered pitifully.
Delcan handed the basket to the girl, his expression filled with sympathy.
“…Thank you.”
She looked utterly dejected as she accepted it.
Maybe it was something she was supposed to deliver to someone.
Thinking she might get scolded, Delcan felt an odd ache of concern.
“Did this put you in trouble?”
“……”
“If you need someone to testify that a thief bird took it, I can help. Just come to the building where the Bonia delegation is staying and ask for ‘Delcan Mondria.’”
“……”
“What’s your name?”
Meanwhile, Ari was deep in thought.
The person standing in front of her was the dazzlingly handsome man from the Bonia Kingdom she had seen a few days ago.
That day he’d looked overly glamorous—but today, dressed neatly in a knight’s uniform with slicked-back hair…
‘This is why styling matters.’
She’d almost squealed earlier without realizing it.
And more than that—
She’d thought he only looked kind, but his actions were kind too.
She’d been on her way to show Allend the desserts she’d made with Helly when a snatch-and-run bird had stolen her basket.
And the one who helped her was this slick-haired handsome man.
‘Ugh. It’s a shame I can’t get close to him.’
The black color had disappeared from her body thanks to Chobi’s dye, but her facial features were still her own—and so was her voice.
And this handsome man was from Bonia. One day, he would return to his homeland.
It would be better to remain passing acquaintances than to grow close and risk her identity being exposed.
It was heartbreaking—but what could she do?
Swallowing her tears inside, Ari bid Delcan farewell.
“…Even if you’re handsome, it’s a bit much to give my name to someone I just met.”
With that, she thanked him and hurried away.
“Ah, wait—!”
Delcan watched her retreating back, unable to stop her.
“Even if you’re handsome…”
She had called him handsome.
It seemed she was generous with compliments.
Embarrassed, Delcan unconsciously touched his neck.
The tips of his ears turned red.
“……”
Peace is the best.
Early in the morning, I was in His Majesty’s study.
I’d planned to just see his face at dawn and leave—but he suddenly showed up and invited me for tea?!
I don’t know why he’s been in such a good mood lately and acting so gentle, but I’m sure this is just temporary.
Like a child who, on their first leave after enlistment, suddenly starts doing chores they’ve never done before.
That’s why I need to burn as much of this version of His Majesty into my retinas as possible while it lasts…!
Thankfully, it seemed the brainwashing effect of the elixir had fully worn off—I no longer felt that strange suffocating tightness in my chest like when I gave him the cufflinks.
Of course, my heart was still pounding unbearably even now, but compared to back then, it was manageable.
Am I growing as a person?
“Humans really are creatures of evolution…”
“What are you looking so pleased about?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
See? That slightly nasty personality is showing again.
Your Majesty, please hold out for just a few more days in this good mood.
It must be hard fighting against your original personality, but I’m not yet—
“Saintess.”
Gasp. Did he hear my inner thoughts?
