CH 28

Once again, heavy thoughts weighed on my mind, preventing me from falling asleep. Stella’s words caused a small ripple in my mind.

The male lead doesn’t love the female lead. Of course, Stella’s thoughts on the relationship between the Emperor and Empress were quite one-sided, but it kept bothering me.

I was also bothered by the timing of Rosetin’s appearance, which was different from the original. It felt like the story kept going in a different direction when it should have been going the way I expected.

Thump, thump…

At that moment, I heard the sound of the notebook rustling from inside a drawer. It was the call of the spirit.

[Why?]

[I wanted to comfort you on this sleepless night, Master. You’ve been having a rough time lately].

[How do you know that?]

[Your nemesis is right next to you.]

The spirit was referring to the presence of Rosetin, who has been the center of attention in the palace lately. While it wasn’t wrong to say that I was troubled because of Rosetin, the word “nemesis” bothered me.

[What do you mean by “nemesis?”]

[Anyway, I don’t want my master to feel upset.]

[Well, it’s not that I’m ‘upset’, I’m just a little worried.]

[Hmm, let me show you my generosity this time.]

[What generosity?]

[Just tell me one small wish.]

I wonder if this is the kind of wish that spirits only grant when they’re in a good mood. The first thing that flashed through my mind is my precious settlement.

As I hesitated whether to jot down that story, new words quickly appeared:

[Of course, bringing an entire island is out of the question. Think of it as a simple favor you can ask of a friend.]

[A simple favor?]

[Something small, but something that might make you feel better].

The spirit seemed to peer into my heart, leaving me feeling flustered. Something small that could change my mood… Suddenly, I thought of the macarons I had received as a birthday gift from my ex-boyfriend, who had been nothing but trash in my past life.

The colorful and beautiful cookies that were delightful to look at. It was the first time I had ever tasted macarons back then.

Even though it was my birthday, I did not receive congratulations but instead I was subjected to constant torment. That gift felt like a sweet consolation. Later, when I looked at the packaging, I realized that the expiration date had long passed.

Sadly, there was no such thing as a macaron in this world. There were plenty of exquisite desserts here, but I couldn’t find anything that tasted exactly like the macarons from my former life.

The closest I could find was a dessert called viepa, which was eaten by the nobility of this world, but it was a far cry from the factory-made macarons we’re used to in the modern world.

[I want to eat macarons.]

[Macarons?]

[It’s a snack I’ve tried before, um, they look like this, and they come in a variety of colors, but they’re light and pale.]

I diligently drew macarons in my notebook, hoping the spirit would recognize them.

[[What does it taste like?]

[The taste is somewhat similar to Viepa… but sweeter. It doesn’t look hard, but it’s not soft and chewy either, more like a delicate texture.]

[……That’s really complicated.]

[Do you think you can make something like this?]

The spirit remained silent for a moment. Perhaps I had given it a difficult mission. After all, describing taste with words had its limitations.

[Even a magical spirit can’t do it, right?]

[Do you think this will make you feel better?]

[A little?]

[Alright, I understand. It may take some time, so please wait a few days. However, I can’t guarantee the taste. I’ve never tried it myself.]

[Are you really going to grant it?]

[I’ll give it a try. I’m not a wish-granting spirit, but Master Lethenia is very special to me.]

I wondered if he could really make it, but well, regardless of the taste, it didn’t matter. If he’s going to cook something unheard of for me, I’m going to enjoy it no matter what it tastes like.

A light smile spread across my face, thanks to the cute spirit.

* * *

A few days later, Theo entered the Empress’s Palace. I thought he had come to report about the settlement sites, but he suddenly handed me something, calling it a gift.

I couldn’t help but be surprised when I opened the small box he gave me.

“What is this……?”

“I made it out of boredom.”

Theo replied with a slightly proud smile. Inside the box were several round cookies, colorful like macarons.

However, they were smaller in size, more like a Choco Pie, so they felt quite different from the macarons I knew.

“Did you have a hobby in cooking?”

“Not really, but somehow I thought Her Majesty the Empress would like it.”

“Somehow it looks similar to a snack I know.”

Suddenly, I remembered the macarons I had wished for from the spirit. No way… Was that wish fulfilled through Theo?

Theo glanced at my expression and let out a small sigh, but his eyes were full of laughter as he spoke.

“For days, a strange creature called the notebook spirit appeared in my dreams and tormented me, telling me that if I don’t offer these sweets to the Empress, three generations of my family will be ruined. I have no choice but to use my skills to avoid the dreaded curse.”

So, the spirit created a victim to fulfill my wish. Feeling a bit embarrassed by his complaints, I coughed unnecessarily.

“If Her Majesty the Empress enjoys it today, then I’ll also be liberated from that wicked spirit.”

In response to his words, I picked up one of the macarons he made. As expected, they were incredibly large, more like bread than cookies. I should have drawn the macaron a little smaller in the notebook.

Still, I was amazed that he captured the pastel colors so well. It was fascinating to think that Theo, who didn’t even know what macarons were, struggled in the kitchen with flour to make one. Thinking about his efforts, my heart warmed.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

In front of him, I chose a pale pink giant macaron from the assortment of colorful ones. As I did, I could see a hint of anticipation and curiosity in Theo’s eyes.

Honestly, even if it wasn’t delicious, I could eat it deliciously because of his sincerity. Without high expectations, I took a big bite. But then, the taste was…

“…It’s delicious.”

As I murmured the words, a genuine smile spread across Theo’s face. Of course, it didn’t taste exactly like the macarons in the modern world, but it had a unique and new flavor that I had never tasted before.

As soon as I put it in my mouth, a hint of raspberry fragrance, mixed with a touch of wine, gently spread. As I chewed, a delightful fig flavor emerged. The texture was not bad either.

Compared to macarons, it was slightly softer and more delicate, but it matched the description of not being overly chewy. Theo is surprisingly good at baking.

“This is truly an excellent talent. You could open a dessert shop right away.”

In response to my sincere words, he let out a small laugh.

“I’m glad. Now I can finally escape from that strange nightmare.”

“With this taste, I don’t think I would ever get tired of eating it every day.”

“I’ll make it again if you want. Although it might be difficult right now since I have to leave soon.”

When I looked up at him with a quizzical glance, he continued.

“I received an order to go to the Kingdom of Schubert as a diplomatic envoy, replacing Marquis Claflin’s position.”

“Schubert? Why all of a sudden…”

It was definitely strange to entrust such a significant mission to Theo, who hadn’t officially inherited the Marquis position. He didn’t have the experience in that area, nor did Ian trust him enough to do so.

If, by any chance, Theo made a diplomatic mistake, it would put both the imperial family and the marquis in a difficult position. I suddenly remembered Ian’s warning about not allowing Theo to enter the palace.

However, Theo responded with a light smile as if it were nothing.

“There are two possible reasons. Either His Majesty has great trust in me, or he wants to keep me far away.”

Considering the recent scandals involving the Marquis and the Empress circulating inside and outside the palace, the answer was undoubtedly the latter.

“How long will it take?”

“We plan to use the waterway, so it shouldn’t take too long.”

I heard that Schubert was a distant island nation from Asha, and using the waterway would save more than twice the time compared to traveling by land. However, it was located near the Sea of Death, making navigation extremely difficult, to the point where even seasoned sailors who had been on ships for decades would avoid it.

To the point where all but experienced sailors who have lived on ships for decades are shunned.

“It’s through the Derrion Passage, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“It seems a bit risky…”

“It’s not my first time going, so don’t worry. Well, anyway, it’s a place close to the one Her Majesty the Empress has selected as a settlement site. I plan to visit a few times for investigation.”

This was a deliberate attempt to send Theo away. If Ian had his way, there was no telling when Theo would return.

I felt heavy-hearted at the thought of him leaving on such a long journey because of me. To be honest, I hadn’t expected Ian to go this far, and it baffled me.

“I’ll try to find a solution.”

“Don’t worry too much. I won’t be permanently banished from Asha. It’s fortunate that I am the heir of the Marquis. It feels reassuring in times like this.”

There was no way the Marquis would be pleased with Theo’s long absence. With the ongoing power struggle with the Duke faction and considering Ian’s relationship with the Claplin family, it wouldn’t look good for him to push Theo away.

“When will you depart?”

“I still have some time. There are things I need to look into before that.”

“I hope everything goes well.”

Even though he wasn’t for good, I felt a strange sense of emptiness. Theo seemed to sense my mood and spoke in a gentle voice.

“I hope Her Majesty will always be at peace. Whenever you’re upset, please think of my macaron.”

Theo tapped the box of macarons as he spoke. His voice, filled with affectionate consideration, felt unusually warm today.