Chapter 22
A cherry blossom petal gently landed on the cookie I was holding. I lightly blew on it, and it danced away in the wind, blending with other cherry blossoms. It felt like I was witnessing a rainstorm of pink.
How pretty.
I couldn’t even remember the last time I enjoyed cherry blossoms. I was never one to be fond of flower viewing in the first place. As I gazed at the pink rain, I took a bite of my cookie. It’s delicious too.
I discreetly turned my gaze to my club members. They were happily munching on sandwiches and toast. Surprisingly, even those with fancier taste buds were eating without grimacing. Yet, with all this eating, why leave the cookies?
Thanks to that, I naturally became the one responsible for consuming Louise’s cookies, as nobody else was touching them. There’s something impressive about those five stubbornly refusing to eat, but equally impressive is Louise’s persistence in making them.
Maybe as long as there’s one person eating, she’s satisfied? What incredible conviction.
“Ah, I just realized I can’t tell the difference between the flowers and my sister!”
Oh my god.
As I reached to remove the cherry blossom petal stuck in Louise’s hair, I turned my gaze quietly, noticing Tannian doing the same.
Tannian, who’d spent his entire life in the closed-off Holy Kingdom, likely lacked the talent for romantic expressions. Still, it was disheartening to think that his honest effort came out at that level.
“Thanks,” Louise said, her voice awkwardly cheerful, embarrassed to be thanked right in front of Tannian. He nodded in satisfaction at her reaction. Apparently, happiness has different standards. Is that what they mean when they say life can be joyous without any desires? Though, I wouldn’t want to live like that.
“Is it because you’re a priest? Your expressions are so… vintage!”
For some reason, Rutis found this hilarious and slapped Tannian’s back a few times. That’s vintage?
“Rutis, stop teasing him.”
I sighed in relief at Ainter’s attempt to stop Rutis. So my sense of humor wasn’t off. Ah, what a relief. With everything that’s been happening lately, I hadn’t even caught that it was just a light joke.
“Oppa, are you okay not trying anything else?”
“Yeah, this is enough.”
Suddenly, Louise approached me while chatting, trying to hand me a sandwich. But honestly, I was okay with just cookies. Ever since I settled under the cherry tree with my lunch, I’d been non-stop cookie munching. Will I manage to finish them before heading back to the Academy?
“But the other things are also delicious…”
“I like these the most, so it’s fine.”
So please, don’t offer any more. One sandwich is equivalent to six cookies…
I casually directed my gaze to the air, avoiding Louise’s eyes. Wow, those cherry blossoms are truly beautiful.
*
I stared at Carl Oppa, who was steadfastly refusing the sandwich and continuing to eat my cookies. He seemed oblivious to my gaze, as he was busy admiring the cherry blossoms.
But they probably don’t taste good.
I’m not naive. I knew my cookies weren’t the best. Even the club members who treated me with radiant smiles would awkwardly avoid my cookies.
Of course, I didn’t completely lack baking skills. If I did, I wouldn’t have been able to teach my fellow members how to bake. I manage the basics quite well. I just wanted to go beyond that and create my unique cookies. That led me to experiment various ways, resulting in wildly unsuccessful outcomes.
Yet, despite everything, Carl Oppa always ate those results. Even if they might not taste great, he did it without a hint of discomfort. Every day, he seemed to cheer me on by finishing whatever I made.
What a good person.
As I once told Erich, I truly think Carl Oppa is a great guy. Even if he appears cold and distant on the surface, one’s words and actions often reveal their true nature.
The first time I met Oppa, the way he looked at Erich was that of a caring older brother concerned for his younger sibling.
That was the essence of who I thought Oppa was. No matter how meticulous someone is, they can’t fully suppress their subconscious expression. If he could act so affectionately, he must have treated Erich more coldly. Someone who struggles with expressing themselves — that was my first impression of Oppa.
After that, I never really thought about him. I knew he’d be staying at the Academy for work, but I didn’t think it concerned me at all. We just exchanged greetings whenever our paths crossed, which was the extent of our relationship — until I decided to start a club.
I’d managed to gather the bare minimum of three members, but when I found myself struggling to get an advisor for what I believed would be a simple pastry club, I felt my dream withered prematurely.
“You don’t need to look anymore. I’ll serve as your advisor.”
Hearing Carl Oppa offer to be the advisor brought me such joy. Looking back, it’s almost embarrassing how brightly I smiled, bowing multiple times to express my gratitude. Oppa just gave me a pat on the shoulder and turned to leave.
Once he became the club advisor, he continually checked up on us, always maintaining a considerate demeanor without expressing any frustration — as if it was simply his duty.
While Erich and the other members showed me excessive kindness, Oppa took a step back to watch over me. It brought considerable comfort; I felt as if the older brother I’d always wanted was steadfastly supporting me from behind.
From that moment on, I felt I could lean on Oppa. I started wanting to know what he was doing, where he was going, and if there was any way I could repay him.
“These are tasty. You could sell them.”
“If there are leftovers, I’ll take care of them. Put them here.”
The one who ended up being considerate in the end was always him. Clearly, he worried that my feelings would be hurt if I saw how my cookies were avoided, or else he wouldn’t eat them all. It infused me with confidence, and recently, I’ve begun making cookies that aren’t half bad.
Did I get better than before? Just a smidge…?
He describes everything as delicious, but as the taste has evolved, it seems I cannot discern any changes.
While I was about to smile, awash with gratitude and regret, yesterday’s incident flooded back into my mind. Irina had asked about Carl Oppa, and I recounted our conversation. But it seemed he was trying to conceal something, as he brushed past it without much detail until the end.
Realizing there was some relationship I wasn’t aware of between my closest friend and the dependable older brother figure, and not sharing it felt quite disappointing. Naturally, Oppa isn’t obliged to tell me, but even so, I couldn’t shake off that sense of disappointment.
While I stared at him with an annoyed expression, Oppa eventually noticed and turned to me.
“What?”
“Give me a cookie too!”
At my words, he presented me with the cookie he had just picked up. Rather than taking it with my hands, I went ahead and snagged it with my mouth.
Seeing his surprised eyes, I couldn’t help but grin at him. Somehow, my disappointment dissipated, and my spirits lifted.
*
After we wrapped up the picnic, I returned to the inspector’s lodge. I plopped down on the bed, letting out a deep sigh from exhaustion.
It was almost a 1:5 showdown at the picnic spot, thanks to Louise’s sudden prank. The five rampaging gazes from the others stung like needles. If their glares had physical weight, I surely would have been in for a world of hurt!
Why did she suddenly do that?
I truly didn’t expect Louise to bite into the cookie I held. Yet, seeing her do it with a smile made me wonder if we’d grown close enough for such antics. Not that it was all wrong, but it did come with five witnesses.
I splashed water on my face and then flopped down onto the bed. Louise was always so vivacious. No matter how much I think about it, her energy is unpredictable; I wouldn’t be able to figure it out anyway. She would greet me with bright cheer when we see each other in the club room tomorrow, just like any normal day.
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, the communication device on the table began to glow with a purple light, making its presence known.
…? Purple light?
“Damn it!”
Rushing over, I picked up the incoming call. An old man’s face appeared on the screen.
“Long time no see, Executive Manager. I heard you were staying at the Academy, but my greetings came late. Your dedication is noted.”
“No need for that. I’m merely doing my duties for the Empire.”
“Just as expected. I’m always amazed at the Executive Manager’s patriotism.”
The old man chuckled heartily, and I awkwardly joined in on the laughter.
This man was responsible for overseeing everything related to the Imperial Household, the highest position within the Empire’s bureaucratic system. In essence, he was at the pinnacle among civil servants, with only the Imperial Family above him.
While he wasn’t my direct supervisor, the fact that the voice of the Imperial Family contacted me indicated a directive had been sent down. Oh great, what I was expecting has finally arrived…
“Glad to see you in good health. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince expressed disappointment upon learning that you were dispatched to a distant area. He worries that you might face discomfort in your current situation.”
“The Emperor’s grace stretches across the Empire. There’s no way I would feel discomfort.”
“While the Emperor’s grace is truly overwhelming, maintaining order within the Empire is also due to the efforts of loyal subordinates like yourself.”
“You are overly complimentary.”
“Ha ha, too much flattery? This isn’t just my opinion; even the Crown Prince shares the sentiment. Your contributions to the Empire undoubtedly deserve recognition.”
Though the Minister laughed amiably, I felt cold sweat trickling down my back. I had anticipated the proposal, but the Crown Prince’s request was more straightforward than expected.
The true implication of his words was clear: the Crown Prince was feeling uneasy about the third Prince, Ainter. The stability of the Empire hinged upon safeguarding succession of the throne. What it boils down to is this: Watch the third Prince, and deal with him if necessary.
This is maddening.
The one upside was that it wasn’t an immediate directive; rather, it was contingent upon my discretion. It seems there hasn’t been any bloodletting lately, which might mean the Crown Prince was feeling a tad merciful.
“I am humbled by your words. I will strive even harder to ensure I do not betray His Royal Highness’s trust.”
Upon my reply, the Minister nodded with a smile.
“I will definitely inform His Royal Highness about the Executive Manager’s dedication.”
“Thank you.”
“I apologize for the sudden contact. Please do take care of yourself.”
With that, the communication ended, and the light from the device flickered out. I let out a small sigh and tossed the device back onto the table.
The Crown Prince is also quite the nuisance.
Now, I have to keep an eye on Ainter not just as Louise’s rival but also as a contender for the throne.
This is truly troublesome. Damn it.
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