CH 37

“You did a great job! It looks great. It’s not easy to get it all right the first time. You have talent, Young Lady.”

Hayes was making a fuss.

It’s just pressing the mold on the dough, how could that be so great?

But Mrs. Baker and I looked at that with a happy smile, and Hayes clapped.

Larissa rolled her eyes, still holding the mold in her hand.

When she gets compliments, she doesn’t know what to do.

Larissa was restless and quietly picked up another mold on the countertop.

Then she bowed her head and offered it to me.

“Huh? Me? Are you giving me this? Me too?”

I was embarrassed and took the mold from Larissa’s hand. It was a star-shaped mold.

Larissa gently lifted her head and looked at me with moist green eyes.

The corner of her mouth was hardened, and she looked a bit nervous.

Whoa, Larissa! Are you even thinking of me?

“Thank you, Larissa. Should I try it, too?”

I rolled up my sleeves with an exaggerated gesture.

Then I put a mold on top of the cookie dough and press and release it.

When the star shape appeared, Larissa gave a relieved expression.

We worked hard to mold the cookie dough. Hayes diligently gathered them up and put them in the oven.

“When making cookies, this is the most important part.”

Taking advantage of Hayes’ absence for a while, I took off the cookie dough very little and put it in Larissa’s mouth.

Larissa opened her eyes and pursed her lips.

‘Sweet and crunchy, it will melt in your mouth.’

I smiled and put my index finger in front of my mouth.

Eating a little is fine.

‘So it’s a secret, Larissa.’

Hayes put the last cookie in the oven and closed the door.

“Alright, the pie should be cold now. What do you think, Young Lady Larissa? Do you want me to cut you a piece?”

He posed a question but before he could get an answer he was already cutting the pie with a knife.

Mrs. Baker’s eyes widened and said with a smile, “How dare you let her eat at the corner of the kitchen?”

“You have to wait for the cookies to be baked anyway. It’s better to wait while eating something.”

I heard that too.

“I think it’s a good idea. Since there were two pies, why don’t all the cooks eat a piece?”

As I smiled, Mrs. Baker, unable to refuse the Grand Duchess’s words, sighed a little and blinked at Hayes.

He laughed loudly and cut the pie into pieces.

“Everyone takes a break and take each piece of the pie.”

Fortunately, everyone enjoyed the untimely break.

They gathered together in moderation, savored each piece of apple pie, and began to chat carefully.

When I first entered the kitchen, the distasteful eyes on me were everywhere to be seen.

‘Awww, this is all thanks to our cute Larissa.’

It was obvious that everyone wanted to pinch Larissa’s cheek as if they were looking at their own niece.

Larissa kept bowing her head as if it was burdensome to see people pouring on her, but she did not run away.

She just ate the pie slowly, as she always did.

By the time the pie was almost finished, Hayes opened the oven.

“Here comes the cookies!”

The smell of sweet ginger cookies spread. Larissa put down the plate of the pie she was eating and quickly approached.

“Here, this is the first one you made.”

Hayes pointed to the human-shaped cookie in the corner.

“Let’s wait a little bit and draw your face on it when it cools down. You have to do everything until the end. You can do it, right?”

Larissa looked down at the cookies with a sullen face and nodded her head slightly.

She forgot to finish the pie, and she stared at the cookies until they cooled down.

‘Is it that fascinating?’

Hayes took the colorful sugar paste from the pastry bag and held it in Larissa’s hand.

With her trembling hands, Larissa drew crooked eyes and mouth on the ginger cookie.

She also sprinkled coarsely powdered sugar on it.

After she had nicely drawn three buttons on top of the human-shaped cookie, Larissa sighed a little and sat down on the small stool next to her.

‘It must have been very difficult.’

It looks like she really put all her energy into decorating the cookie.

I’m going to die of her cuteness.

I almost pulled all my facial muscles by smiling consistently from start to finish.

Hayes sighed and shoved a bunch of cookies into the little basket.

He said, “I’ll bring it to your room. And here, I think you might want to take this yourself.”

Hayes handed Larissa’s own decorated cookie wrapped in a separate napkin.

Larissa took the cookie with her two hands carefully.

***

I decided to go down to the dining room for dinner too.

Until now, we ate alone in the room, but we would have to leave the room someday anyway.

You will have to get used to the mansion, and you should be friendly with Fabian.

‘Larissa’s house is here now.’

But I don’t need to say that.

I have no doubts that Larissa and Fabian will eventually get married.

Because I know the original fairy tale.

However, apart from that, the decision lies with Larissa herself.

So I am trying not to infuse my thoughts too much.

‘With that thought in mind, the contract did not include the clause that he would marry Larissa unconditionally after divorce.’

Anyway, recovering from trauma is my top priority right now.

I thought it would be helpful for Larissa to eat with someone else.

It was obvious that someone would eat in this dining room anyway.

‘Maybe Fabian will come down to eat?’

When I briefly stopped by the office yesterday morning, I remembered a husband I had never met since then.

We are a married couple on paper, but in reality, we have no relation.

‘It feels like I’m only giving my name to someone else’s business and receiving a fee in return.’

Still, if Larissa was going to have dinner with someone else, it would be nice if that person was Fabian.

He should be friends with Larissa, and if I eat while looking at his handsome face, my appetite will change.

But I’m not close enough to send someone and tell him to eat together yet, so there’s nothing I can do about it.

Going to a dining room like this today is also an impulsive decision.

‘I hope one day we will be able to eat together naturally.’

As we got closer to the dining room, I heard a voice from inside.

“No way! He was the student president? That guy?”

“Was it because he was a recognized student even in a place crowded with the elites of each family? By the way, I am also the student council president……”

“Ha, that he was the student president, it’s ridiculous……”

“……are you listening?”

There were two people sitting around the large table.

A huge man with bright red hair stretched out like a lion’s mane, and a slender man with dark hair.

‘The red-haired is Marquis Orlov, the black-haired is……no way.’

It was a familiar back view. My heart was pounding.

Fabian……?

‘No way. Judging by his voice, it can’t be him.’

It wasn’t a low-pitched voice, but an unstable voice characteristic of a boy who had just passed puberty.

Looking closely again, he was definitely small in size as well as his shoulders.

I understood it in my head, but my heart pounded arbitrarily without a sign of calming down.

‘Am I surprised? ……Why the hell am I surprised?’

Was it because I kept thinking about Fabian until a while ago?

It’s embarrassing.

I put my hand on my chest and calmed my startled heart.

Anyway, they really are blood-related cousins. I only looked at his back, but he looks pretty similar to him.

‘Wouldn’t people who don’t know think you’re brothers?’

Leonid, who saw me standing through the door, put down his tableware and stood up from his seat.

“Oh my…… Grand Duchess.”

“Hello, Marquis Orlov.”

As I said hello, the black-haired boy who had been seen from behind looked back.

“Hello, Grand……Duchess?”

Richard’s face suddenly turned pale as he stood up from his seat.

“Young Lady Blick.”

In fact, he can just call her ‘Larissa’ instead of ‘Young Lady Blick’ but he behaved strangely.

‘Well, it’s good if you have the manners to keep your distance.’

I greeted them both with a light smile.

Fortunately, as soon as I saw Richard’s face, my heart that had been pounding erratically until a while ago calmed down.

‘They look alike, but they have different personalities.’

On the table were clean cutlery and freshly filled wine glasses.

They seemed to be having an aperitif before starting dinner.

“It is an honor to have dinner with the Grand Duchess,” Leonid said with a nice smile.

I also introduced Larissa with a smile, “She is my sister Larissa Blick. Larissa, he is Marquis Leonid Orlov. He is the Grand Duke’s friend.”

Larissa glanced at him, then quickly bowed her head.

It was the expected reaction, but for Leonid who would be bewildered, I offered a light apology.

“Sorry. Larissa is very shy.”

“No. Never mind.”

“Ehm, ehmm.”

Richard suddenly coughed

‘What do you want me to do? I introduced her to you before, right?’

I turned my head to him and smiled soullessly, then took Larissa to the farthest place from Richard.

“Why are you alone?”

“Alone? Hey, I’m here too,” Richard responded angrily.

Leonid and Richard, it was a really strange combination.

Do they both have anything in common other than being guests?

Even so, isn’t Leonid Fabian’s friend?

Never mind. Even though they are friends, they are guests after all, but they eat on their own.

‘Oh, I am the hostess of this mansion, should I take care of the guests’ meals?’

It’s none of my business, but I was a little guilty.