Chapter 74 - A Bouquet and Cream Puffs
After leaving the royal castle, she returned the borrowed clothes to the rental shop and reported to Ivano and Gabriella at the Merchant Guild.
The two, who had been worried, wore expressions that turned rather complicated as she explained the events that occurred at the royal castle.
She was aware that her own face, as she explained, must have been as rigid as a Noh mask.
She thought that talking about everything might make her feel better, but it only seemed to push her further into a corner.
The two consoled her with many encouraging words, saying she had done well and that, for now, she had overcome a major hurdle. Somehow, she managed to return to the Green Tower.
Deciding to take the night off without thinking about anything, she heard the doorbell ring just as she was about to relax.
In that moment, for some reason, she knew it was Volf.
She hurriedly descended the stairs and opened the door to find a young man standing there, his face filled with exhaustion.
Though his beautiful face remained unchanged, the expression resembled that of her dog from a previous life when it was scolded for mischief.
That alone made her lose any will to reprimand him.
"I’m really sorry for today! I’ve been reflecting on it..."
The young man bowed his head and held out a bouquet—both beautiful and adorable.
Red roses, lilies of the valley, and pink rhodanthes were gathered together in a rounded, tiny arrangement.
When she accepted the bouquet, tied with a red ribbon, its faint rose fragrance wafted in the air.
"...Alright, I’ll let it go this time."
"Thank you...!"
"But, if I’m ever accused of something like foot fungal infection again, I’ll call you 'Volfred-sama' even in the tower."
"Please don’t... I promise it won’t happen again."
Volf spoke with such a pained expression that she couldn’t help but laugh.
Relieved by her laughter, the young man handed her a light-blue box that he had been carrying on his back.
"These are cream puffs. I hope you’ll enjoy them."
"Thank you. I like cream puffs, so I’m happy. Since you went out of your way, why don’t we eat them together?"
"Yeah, I’d like that very much."
As they ascended to the second floor, it felt as though they had finally returned to their usual selves.
Sitting on the sofa, she untied the blue ribbon on the light-blue box.
Inside were six cream puffs: two filled with fresh cream, two with custard cream, and two with custard cream infused with Western liquor.
Underneath the cream puffs was a thin box containing beautiful decorative sugars shaped like flowers and animals.
She brewed tea using better tea leaves than usual, and the two decided to enjoy the cream puffs together.
The first one Dahlia chose was a standard custard-filled cream puff.
Volf chose the one filled with custard cream infused with Western liquor.
The cream puffs of this life were slightly larger and flatter compared to those from her previous life.
As she gently lifted it, its weight revealed how fully it was stuffed inside.
When she bit into it carefully from the edge to prevent the filling from spilling out, the sweetness of the custard and the aroma of vanilla filled her mouth.
The custard was richer than any she had tasted before, likely made with high-quality milk and eggs.
Though the sweetness was pronounced, the slightly salted pastry provided an excellent balance.
She intended to sip tea midway, but before she realized it, she had already finished eating.
"These cream puffs are really delicious."
"I’m glad you like them."
It had been worth standing in line for thirty minutes at a confectionery shop in the noble district, wearing his fairy crystal glasses.
Seeing Dahlia's blissful smile, Volf felt thoroughly satisfied.
“Dahlia, why not have another?”
"Volf, I’m sure you could handle three of these without any trouble..."
"No, one is plenty for me. I’m not that into sweets. But these aren’t very large, so I think it’s fine to have a second one."
As someone who had recently been conscious of her waistline, Dahlia found herself conflicted.
She decided it would be better to save the rest for tomorrow, leaving something to look forward to.
However, she also couldn’t deny the truth that cream puffs were best enjoyed fresh.
Though they could be refrigerated or frozen, this very moment was likely when they tasted their best.
As she struggled with her inner turmoil, Volf cheerfully lifted the box and urged her to have another with a smile.
The cream puff filled with fresh cream, which she eventually ate, was truly delightful.
"What are your favorite flowers, Dahlia?"
As she savored the lingering taste of the cream puff filled with fresh cream, Volf asked her the question.
He was probably worried about whether she liked the bouquet, she thought, and answered accordingly.
"I like all flowers, but I especially enjoy fragrant ones like roses and gardenias."
"Is your name, Dahlia, taken from the flower dahlia?"
"Yes, my father chose it. It’s an old-fashioned reading. Because of my name, people often assume I like dahlias, but they don’t have much scent, do they?"
"I see... What about your favorite sweets?"
"I’d say cream puffs and cheesecake. Although I like others too. Do you have a favorite dessert, Volf?"
"Salted butter cookies, shrimp crackers... and zabaglione."
His response was undeniably that of someone who enjoyed alcohol.
Most of them could even be considered snacks to pair with drinks.
As for "zabaglione," it was a dessert made by whipping egg yolks and sugar until fluffy and adding white wine to thicken it. The white wine was certainly the reason for his fondness.
After taking a sip of tea to catch her breath, Dahlia recalled her return from the royal castle.
"I’m sorry, I made a mistake today without realizing it and almost caused trouble for you."
"A mistake? What happened?"
"I learned from Randolph-sama that, in hallways, it’s better to walk diagonally behind a knight rather than directly behind them... among other things. I didn’t know these nuances, so I plan to consult with people from other companies next time."
"...'Randolph'?"
It had taken Volf about two months to go from calling him "Goodwin-dono" to simply "Randolph."
Dahlia had only been with Randolph from the royal castle to the carriage waiting area.
How had it progressed to her casually referring to him as "Randolph"?
It wasn’t something to dwell on, but it felt oddly difficult to ask about.
"Yes, he advised me that some areas of the castle can be strict. As a chairwoman, I shouldn’t be ignorant of such matters. I also don’t want to cause trouble for you as my guarantor."
"Randolph really is impressive... I didn’t notice at all."
"Is Randolph-sama also a noble?"
"He’s from Count Goodwin’s family—more specifically, the Eastern Border Count. He’s their second son."
"He encouraged me, saying, 'For both Volf’s sake and your own self-protection.' He’s a good friend, isn’t he?"
"...Yeah, I’m grateful for him."
Volf felt a little ashamed of himself for overthinking unnecessary things.
Both Dahlia and Randolph were simply looking out for him.
For some reason, he couldn’t find his rhythm today—perhaps because of the unusual string of events.
"The socks and insoles seem to be gaining a lot of traction in the capital. Before long, someone might recommend you for an honorary barony, like your father. I bet our captain would be the one to suggest it."
An honorary barony would bring both financial and social advantages.
However, Dahlia responded with a grim expression.
"I absolutely don’t need a baronial recommendation for this..."
"Why not? Becoming an honorary baron would make things more convenient for you as a magical toolmaker, wouldn’t it?"
"It would be convenient, but... do you know that when magical toolmakers receive baronies, the items they were recommended for often become their 'nicknames'? My father was called the ‘Water Heater Baron.'"
"Really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it."
It seemed honorary barons who were magical toolmakers often gained 'nicknames.' It sounded slightly cool in a way.
"If I get recommended for this, I might be called the 'Five-Toed Socks Baron' or the 'Shoe Insole Baron.' But what if it got twisted into 'Foot Fungal Infection Baron'? Wouldn’t that be awful?"
"Pfft!"
For the second time that day, Volf couldn’t hold back his laughter.
The young man laughed so hard it seemed like he might stop breathing, while Dahlia narrowed her eyes into thin slits and stared at him.
"'Volfred, sama?'"
"Sorry... please, anything but that..."
Despite his best efforts to stop, Volf’s shoulders continued to shake with laughter for a while longer.
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