CH 55

<You’re really something. He could easily turn those Elves into dust in an instant, and yet you want to protect him.>

‘This is a matter of my feelings. And that Elf Ahti’s gaze isn’t good. He was glaring at Karnov intensely.’

Besides, can those people who stare at Karnov like that take good care of Ivan?

The idea of sending Ivan to them wasn’t because Asha was afraid of the future – the future of Ivan killing her out of resentment of being abused by Anastasia in the original. But rather because she wondered if the solution to handling Ivan’s emotions laid with the Elves, the source of his abilities.

‘…Looking at Karnov, I don’t think I should let him go.’

Since there was a war, blood must have been shed, so it was only natural that there would be grudges. So, it seemed far off for the elves to carefully look after the half-human Ivan.

<Well, they don’t desire this peace treaty or anything, so that’s why.>

‘Does Phoebe think the same way?’

<Yes, they’re someone with a peculiar intention. Are there still those among the elves who hold onto vain dreams? It’s better to keep an eye on them.>

When Phoebe mentioned a “peculiar intention,” it was only related to the “Sword of Prasti.” And those who wielded the Sword of Prasti were individuals who sought to separate the spirits and humans.

‘Is that elf also a Prasti, or does he have it?’

<That’s not it. But it smells very faintly.>

Phoebe’s voice was as serious as ever.

<They may have come into contact with Prasti, who is sealed away in the north. If so, they may be aiming for the remaining Prasti. Keep your little half-breed out of sight of them.>

‘…!’

Aisha closed her lips tightly.

“Then shall we start eating? The chef prepared it with all his heart and soul, but I don’t know if it will suit your taste.”

Asha calmly sat on the chair that Karnov pulled out and touched a small spoon with her fingertips.

“…Why are you looking at me?”

As Asha looked alternately at Karnov and the Noctis Elf, Karnov, holding a spoon, whispered in a low voice while welcoming the meal. Despite his polite words of “What are you looking at?” the tone implied something more.

“You also look quite unpleasant, Karnov.”

“…All of a sudden?”

“Well, should I throw a challenge letter and tell you?”

“I brought you all the way here and removed your chair, is this how you respond?”

“Never mind. Let’s just have the soup. It looks hot, so blow on it and eat.”

“…”

She was whispering with Karnov for a moment, and she felt eyes on her. When she looked up, Lilmari and Ahti were looking at the two with expressions that were hard to describe. She turned her head as soon as their eyes met.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“I don’t know if the meal was to your taste.”

“How can I not know that you have been considerate? I’m just grateful.”

Lilmari said with a subtle smile. The Noctis Elves often glared at Karnov with cool eyes during the meal, but the dinner room was in its own good mood.

And the moment the appetizer and main dish were finished, and the dessert was finally served. Asha put down her fork quietly, trying to fix her nervous look.

Soon, the royal palace’s head chef, Fjord Buicker, served the trolley with a shiny cloche. There was a cake made by Asha in there. Made with all her might yesterday afternoon with Pavel.

First, the dough mixed with carefully ground carrots was baked to make a cake sheet, wait for the tableware, and then cut in half horizontally. It was a cake that was finished by applying jam made by mincing apricots between the layers of the cake sheet, putting a soft white cashew nut cream, and finally putting a bird-shaped white marzipan on top of the white cream.

Asha first saw the chief chef, Fjord, at the dinner today. The initial impression she had of him was oddly not related to cooking but rather a feeling of “he seems good at giving orders.”

“You’ve waited a long time. This is the last course of today’s dinner. Dessert, ‘Lumen Vasilice.’

And the moment Fjord opened the cloche with a cool move, the atmosphere of Lilmari and Ahti changed.

“…Lumen Vasilice?”

Unlike the friendly atmosphere so far, while Fjord was instantly conscious of the rigid air, Asha hurriedly closed her mouth, which had been opened with astonishment.

There was only one reason for this silence.

Lilmari and Ahti have yet to decide whether to be outraged or praise the dessert, now bearing the name of the land lost to the Kayeruth Empire – it even looked like it was topped with milk cream.

Suddenly, a delusional imagination passed in Asha’s head. The peace treaty was broken, war broke out again, Karnov was forever taken to the battlefield thinking his spirit is the Spirit of Death, and Ivan had nowhere to go…

“That’s!”

Asha jumped out of her seat for now. Karnov, who was next to her, put down his fork and paused to look at her. Asha hurried on.

“It is, the cake, in the future, between the Noctis Elves and the Empire… The bridge of peace… In that sense, a white bird will bring peace between the two countries in the future.”

“Anastasia.”

The emperor made a reproachful voice at Asha, who suddenly intervened, but he did not say to stop. Asha repeatedly explained to Lilmari and Ahti, who looked surprised.

“The white cream on top is a representation of the ice cap atop the Lumen Vasilice Basin, and not a drop of milk was in it! It’s made of cashew nuts.”

“…Your Highness knows this cake very well.”

“Because I made it myself for you guys. In particular, this cashew nut cream was made with Deputy Commander Karnov.”

“Pukb.”

“Yes?”

“Wh, what?”

Karnov, who was drinking cold water from a crystal glass and had a face that was hard to understand if he was half-smiling and half not, coughed.

In the meantime, not only the two Noctis Elves, but also the commander in chiefs, Elmin Shirevra and Tarjei, looked at Asha and Karnov alternately in surprise.

“Do you mean that Your Royal Highness made this cake yourself?”

When Lilmari asked the Emperor and Anastasia, Alexei, neither of the two, smiled and nodded.

“Yes, from a month before you came, Asha tried day and night. I hope it suits your taste.”

Alexei winked at Fjord. Fjord noticed with great alertness that something that almost went terribly wrong had barely stood right, and then shared the cake with a sleek motion.

The Lumen Vasilice, which was divided into exactly eight pieces, was placed in front of people on a plate. Only then did Asha take a breather and quietly sit down. Karnov glared at her from the side as if he were staring at her with a stunned face.

“Why did you say that we made it together?”

“It’s true. It was Karnov who grounded all those cashew nuts and turned them into cream.”

“Haven’t I told you that there was nothing good about me saying that I made something?”

“We have to make concessions to each other in order to reconcile.”

Karnov shook his head with a somewhat bewildered look, and Asha also closed her mouth to the gaze of Lilmari and Ahti, which seemed somehow hot.

‘Did I talk too loudly?’

It seemed frivolous during the national event. Asha spoke casually, and she took one shot at Karnov before turning her eyes to her plate. The cake she had worked hard on for days was in front of her eyes.

And the eight people in the dinner room slowly raised their forks. For a moment a little chat went back and forth on the table.

It seems that Her Highness has great skill. Although she is young, she is clever. Thanks to her, we are receiving such a precious treatment. I entrust the future to Lumen Vasilice…

But the chatter did not last for a few minutes, and soon firecrackers, visible only to Asha’s eyes, began to explode throughout the dinner hall. It was Tarjei Nellin who exuded the greatest admiration on the spot.

Alexei and Karnov had already tasted the cake, the emperor was not accustomed to expressing his emotions, Elmin Shirevra was a calm person to begin with, and the Elves felt the need to maintain their dignity, so during the silence, Tarjei exclaimed, “Ah!” in admiration.

When Tarjei said he had never tried anything like this before, the Elves let out the admiration they had been holding back for a while.

Anyone couldn’t help but admire the beautiful and delicate balance of taste with simple ingredients such as carrots and apricots. It was the same for the Elves who came down from the north.

At first, the elves thought about how to react to a cake named and shaped like a territory that would be taken away as war reparations. But soon they were able to set a direction.

If it was intended to be ridiculed, it would not have such a brilliant taste with so much heart and soul. So this cake, as the emperor’s granddaughter said, would mean a desire to become a bridgehead for peace. The conversation with the Elves, who accepted the fact that the empire had worked hard on the meeting, was more smooth.

And at a corner of the palace garden on the night after the dinner. Lilmari, who was standing still like a vision or statue, blurted out.

“The other dishes were really impressive, but I want to know the recipe for the cake if possible.”

Karnov, who was looking far away with an expressionless face at his words, slowly turned his head and faced Lilmari.

“Is that so? Let’s talk to Her Imperial Highness.”

Lilmari brought up a completely different story at the calm words.

“Up until now, I thought you weren’t a human.”

“Hmm? You’re saying something interesting.”

That cynical look on Karnov’s face. Of all the faces he saw today, it was the only one Lilmari knew.

Lilmari thought that if he had lacked any sense of being the representative of the Noctis Elves, he might have screamed at the dinner table a while ago. Karnov Neustadter bickering and talking to a little girl sitting next to him…

If he told this story to other Elves, he would have heard them say that he was good at making unpleasant jokes.

‘Even I think it’s an unpleasant and ridiculous joke.’

Their wars were always fought in silence. To be exact, all the battles that took place after the appointment of Karnov Neustadter as deputy commander of the Imperial Army continued in a terrible silence.

If that one-sided massacre could be called a battle.