Chapter 2: Paper Is Firewood for Words

My first excursion to the city library concluded with a promising outlook. Unfortunately, though, time had run out before I could get a closer look, so I pleaded with Mother Yae to borrow some of the books, but sadly she refused on grounds of their strict rules. I realized that the scarcity and resulting high value of books was a problem. The diffusion of letterpress printing may have been a higher priority than I had initially thought.

However, currently my schedule was already filled up, the top priority being agricultural development. There were so many things I wanted to do that I was overwhelmed and overjoyed at the same time. It feels as if I’m playing a simulation game. Well, a very old analog one.

Mother Yae told us that in the afternoon there was going to be a class on military affairs in the temple’s study room.

“I guess that is to be expected at an army academy,” I said.

“Yes, this city is a strategic military base for the whole region, so it is important to maintain adequate defense capabilities. Besides, it is also necessary for each village to have the capabilities for a minimum of self-defense,” Mother Yae explained.

“Does that mean the real purpose of our studies here is to train us as future commanders?”

In other words, this was a full-fledged military school, or maybe “cadet school” would have been the more appropriate term.

In Noscula village, the village chief was supposed to lead the young men into the fight in case of an emergency. Contrary to his gentle appearance when he was flirting with Mrs. Yuika, Mr. Klein was incredibly strong. After the Sir Bear incident, and once my trip to the city had been decided, I had learned this firsthand when he taught me the basics of military arts and combat. If he had not been away on a business trip, I definitely would not have needed to fight Sir Bear and almost die in the process. I would not have been surprised to hear that he had killed a bear with his bare hands before.

Mother Yae showed a strained laugh. “Ash, I assume that you would prefer to spend your time doing research like earlier rather than learning about military affairs.”

I see you’ve gotten to know me quite well already in this short amount of time. “I realize the importance of our defense capabilities, but if you ask me which one I prefer...”

My main objective was still to obtain books and resources unavailable in the village.

Surprisingly, Mother Yae responded with a look of approval. “Seeing your enthusiasm from earlier, I’m also thinking you would be better off devoting your time to library research. I’m expecting you to accomplish great things for the good of society.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Lord Arthur added with a slightly tired expression. “I thought I’d received a good education, but Ash is putting me to shame.”

“I appreciate both your help. Thanks to you I was able to make the best out of our limited time.”

I meant it. Mother Yae as well as Lord Arthur had been an outstanding help. While the latter was not familiar with the subject at first, they were fast to learn and ready to help after several hints. That was nothing short of brilliant.

“You’re definitely suited to be a researcher, Ash. I also had a lot of fun learning new things,” Lord Arthur remarked.

Lady Maika, however, seemed to disagree with both of them. “I think Ash should also study military affairs,” she said. While the other two were puzzled, she continued. “I’ve got a feeling that the villagers would prefer Ash to take command rather than me.”

Really?

“After all, you’re the Bearkiller,” she added.

Maybe you’re right.

But I did not think that they preferred me over Lady Maika. It was just that the villagers had started calling me “the Bearkiller” from time to time after my fight with Sir Bear. Imagine someone shouting, “Follow the Bearkiller’s orders!” Undoubtedly, any bandit would feel instantly nervous, and any allies would feel relieved at the prospect of such a strong commander. It was the perfect bluff. In the end, Sir Bear had gifted me a powerful new name after he died. And a fur coat.

“The Bearkiller?”

“Yeah, there was an incident at the village!” Lady Maika melancholically shook her head.

I’m sorry for making you worry back then.

Lord Arthur looked like they wanted to ask about the incident, but our small talk was cut short by Mother Yae excitedly greeting the person who had just entered the study room.

“Sir George!”

“Ms. Yae, long time no see. I look forward to working alongside you as a teacher from today on,” the man replied to the loud voice which was in stark contrast with Mother Yae’s intellectual aura.

“O-Oh, yes. D-Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything.”

The beautiful and intelligent woman was faltering. It seemed that Mother Yae was still a young maiden at heart.

The young man at the end of her passionate gaze was in his twenties. Judging from the title “Sir” and his robust physique, he must have been a knight in active duty. Strangely, his face seemed familiar, even though we had never met before.

“Ash, that must be him.”

“Who?”

I did not know to whom Lady Maika was referring. She gave me a strange look in return.

“I’m talking about your distant uncle.”

“Oh... I am not sure about that. Why do you think that?”

“He looks just like you!”

“Really?” There’s no way.

Sir George was a handsome man with masculine features. I was supposed to be related to a guy like him? Did we really look alike? I’d be over the moon if it was true, but could it really be?

Sir George started scratching his head when he noticed my impolite stare. “Please forgive my rudeness. Have we met somewhere before?” he asked me.

“I have never left my village before, so I do not think so.”

“I see, please forgive me. I was under the impression that I had seen you somewhere before. My name is Baleas George and I will be one of your teachers here at the army academy for the foreseeable future. I am also a knight.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed.

Lady Maika was right after all. I had heard the name Baleas before.

“Please excuse my late introduction. I am Ash from Noscula village.”

“Ash? From Noscula?”

It looked like Sir George had also heard my name before. Reflexively, we both stared at each other. So this was my relative who had managed to ascend from a farmer family without a last name to the rank of knight. This was my distant uncle whom everyone took pride in.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir George.”

“The pleasure is mine, Ash. But now it’s time for class.”

“Yes, let us talk again at a later date.”

Sir George let out a sound of surprise as if to acknowledge my decorum.

“Very well. Everyone, please take your seats. We will start class now!” His commanding voice silenced the slightly noisy classroom instantly.

That was my first interaction with my distant uncle. The biggest takeaway were Mother Yae’s young maiden-like eyes when she looked at Sir George. She was a librarian at the city temple and had the authority to loan books. I did not really know my uncle, but I had heard that he was single. I was ready to get involved and do everything in my might to make them both happy. And I believed kindness should ultimately be rewarded with kindness.

Sir George’s lesson was more interesting than expected. Since he talked about military equipment, I was able to gauge the technology level of the city. It seemed that he was quite familiar with the logistics involved in the management and supply of equipment. In addition, he gave off a deeply sincere and meticulous impression, possibly making him someone I could entrust with my finances.

As we returned to the dormitory, it was time to prepare dinner. The second day in the city kept on going.

“Here at the dormitory we have to take turns cooking dinner. Although, in reality, that just means we need to help our resident cook.” Both Maika and I nodded along to the explanation of our dorm senior, Lord Arthur.

“It’s supposed to be practice so you can survive on your own if you ever find yourself alone on an expedition,” he continued. That was reasonable. “Unless there are any special circumstances, the shifts are split up by rooms. In other words, Ash and I would be one group, Maika and Reina another, and so on. Today both our groups will be in charge of dinner. I’m sorry it’s your turn so soon after your arrival, but Reina and I had been exempt from duty until now because we didn’t have a roommate.”

Lady Maika and I looked at each other.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I guess it is our turn then.”

Besides, judging from last night’s excellent dinner and this morning’s delicious breakfast, the cook seemed to know what they were doing. I looked forward to learning how to cook ingredients exclusive to the city.

“Let us get started then! Our stomachs will start grumbling if we do not hurry up!”

“Mine’s already grumbling from all the work today.”

While Lady Maika and I walked ahead with a light step, Lord Arthur and Lady Reina observed us from behind.

“It looks like they’ll be able to cook well enough.”

“Yes, luckily they are both quite reliable.”

It almost sounded as if neither of them had stood in a kitchen before. I exchanged glances with Lady Maika. We needed to be careful.

The kitchen was finer than any I had encountered in our village. It was spacious enough to accommodate a large number of people and there were several stoves. I could even make out some stone materials in its structure. It looked like the stoves were made out of clay stuck on top of a skeleton of stone. In that case, they should have just used stones all the way, but I suspected it was a scarce material.

“Our newbies are here!”

The man was lording it over us as if he was going to proclaim himself king of the kitchen. He had a robust physique, but the cut covering up his right eye made him seem more like a bandit chief than a kitchen king.

He barked at us, saying, “I don’t care who ya are or where ya from. The only thing that counts in my kitchen is whether ya can cook or not. I’ll treat ya as my apprentices and if ya don’t like that, make me a better meal! Got it?”

It looked like Lord Arthur and Lady Reina, who both came from affluent families, were taken aback by his lecture, but they nodded in agreement. They were not the types to misuse their borrowed authority, but even putting that aside, they probably would not have been able to say anything faced with that menacing look. Even Lady Maika, who usually was not shy at all, only silently nodded. As for me, I was able to calmly reply, since I had built up a resistance to fear and menaces thanks to the last moments of my past life.

“Yes, Chef! My name is Ash. I look forward to helping you!”

“That’s the spirit! As ya can see, I’m the cook. The name’s Yacoo!”

“Understood, Chef Yacoo!”

He did not look like a cook at all, but I was willing to believe his word. The other three missed the chance to introduce themselves, but Chef Yacoo did not care. As he had said at the start, it did not matter who we were.

“Give ya hands a good wash. We’ll get started right away. Be quick but careful!”

“Yes, Chef Yacoo!” This time Lady Maika answered too.

While we washed our hands using the water jug, Chef Yacoo took out a round lump from the ashes of the stove.

“Chef Yacoo, what is that?”

“That’s ya first job. Ya probably should start with washing veggies or something, but for my recipe, this comes first.”

After dusting off the round lump, it revealed a burnt leaf which he handed to me.

“Oh, I see! There is something wrapped inside. Is this roasted food?”

However, it had already cooled down. He must have cooked it inside the stove in the morning.

“Don’t be stupid! This is only pre-cooked. We gonna chop up the inside.”

He used his rough fingers to gently peel off the leaf of another lump. I followed his lead and uncovered an onion inside. It was golden brown—it had been thoroughly cooked.

“Are you saying we will chop up this?”

“Ay. Cut it in half like this.”

As he continued to chop it up into half circles, I asked him about today’s menu, expecting to be impressed again.

“Impatient, aren’t ya? We’re making a chicken and vegetable milk soup. It’s delicious and also full of vitamins for growing lads like ya.”

How wonderful! “How wonderful!” I was so impressed that my inner thoughts slipped out of my mouth.

“Oh, ya like milk soup?”

“Of course, I am glad that we are getting a delicious meal, but I am even more impressed by your wonderful cooking methods!”

With this technique, you could expect the same result as simmering onions and carrots after frying them first. According to my past-life memories, I also used to fry my ingredients whenever possible to give them more flavor. Back then, I did not mind that it took a little bit longer, but it was different in this world. Here, you had to worry about not wasting the firewood.

However, with Chef Yacoo’s method, it was possible to recreate that same process while limiting the firewood necessary. He roasted the onion in the same fire that he used to cook a different food, saving both time and fuel.

“Your food is not only delicious, but you also manage to save resources!”

“Ya know whatcha talking about, laddie!”

“I have learned a wonderful new method! That is a very smart way of roasting the onions. It allows for a rich flavor in the soup and sauce.”

He was an excellent chef. In order to use his time and effort on the important things, he had devised a way to save time preparing the ingredients.

Damn! How did I not come up with this idea? I could’ve made so many more delicious meals back in the village! I felt frustration building up inside me for only making amber onions on special occasions such as the Spring Festival because I did not want to waste any firewood.

Hearing my words of praise coming from my slightly-annoyed self, Chef Yacoo boasted with a content look on his face. “I’m glad ya understand how amazing my cooking is! Ya grew up on a farm, right?”

“Yes, I am the son of a farmer. I have received special permission to study here in the city.”

“That’s great, laddie. I can teach ya lots of other things! Make sure to take notes!”

“Yes, Chef!”

I started chopping up well-roasted vegetables next to Chef Yacoo. Now that I knew how skilled he was, I had to pay attention to his every single move.

Beside me, Lady Maika dropped her shoulders as she picked up the kitchen knife. “I can’t believe that you get this fired up even in the kitchen. I’m sorry, Mom, Ash’s too difficult to handle...”

Don’t worry about my difficulty! Just make sure to study his cooking methods! Arthur and Reina, you too! Don’t just stand there, come and help prepare dinner! Ah, no! Don’t hold the knife with your fist closed! Stretch out your index finger as support! Take the knife in your strong hand and hold down the ingredients with the other. Don’t hurry, Arthur! I’m scared just looking at you. Be calm and careful, even if it takes a little longer. Don’t put anything other than the onions on the extension line of the knife; you might end up cutting your finger.

“Where did ya learn to teach like that, laddie? Looks like I don’t even need to be here.”

Apparently, I had said some of that out loud.

“You are flattering me. I have a little bit of experience from teaching two other people back in my village.”

One of them, my best pupil Lady Maika, was nimbly chopping up the vegetables, showing how much she had progressed.

“I wouldn’t be able to do this without your help, Ash.”

“Not at all. I just gave you a little help. You already knew how to cook before I taught you.”

The other person was Jigil, who was also not completely inexperienced, as he was living with only his sister. I had just taught him some hunter meals from Ban.

“Ya so small but ya can already teach. That’s something else. Missy, how’s this laddie’s food taste?”

“It’s very popular in our village. Whenever someone got a hold of nice ingredients like butter or wheat flour, they would usually have Ash make them a meal.”

Mrs. Yuika’s cooking was also extremely delicious, but the villagers were probably too shy to ask the chief’s wife to cook for them. Besides, I knew some unusual dishes thanks to my past-life memories.

“By the way, missy, what’s the best thing he cooked?”

“The best? Hm... He cooks a lot of unusual dishes, so I’m not entirely sure...”

She looked up at the ceiling while thinking. After gulping once, she suddenly opened her eyes wide. “It has to be the Hamburg steak!”

That was my trump card when cooking for growing children with a good appetite! I had hoped she would say so.

“Hamburg? Hey, laddie, what’s that?”

“I guess it is a sort of meatloaf. Do you know what that is?”

“Hm. What meat ya using? Any special ingredients?”

How can I explain a Hamburg steak?

As Chef Yacoo and I started a philosophical discussion about meat while continuing to prepare dinner, Lady Maika let out a long sigh while continuing to cut up vegetables.

“Stop talking about it—I’m getting hungry. I really want to eat your Hamburg steak now,” she said.

Since that feeling was mutual, I replied with a broad grin.

We were allocated some holidays as students, and during those, self-catering was recommended. In the city, it was also easy to obtain common livestock meats such as pork or beef. Moreover, I still had a regular cash income. In short, all that meant that I could cast a spell to put a big smile on Lady Maika’s face.

“How about we make one together next time? Here we can easily buy pork or beef, and there is a wider variety of seasonings. We should make the most of that and cook an extra delicious Hamburg steak!”

“Really?! Let’s do it as soon as possible!”

“Yes, we need to go check out the market to see what ingredients they have.”

“Wait, laddie.” The bandit chief-like chef interrupted our pleasant holiday planning. “If ya need pork or beef, I’ll introduce ya to the mansion’s butcher. They’re sly foxes over at the market. And if ya get unlucky, it might be dangerous too. I’ll tell ya a good place for seasonings as well.”

“Oh, I greatly appreciate that. Since I am a farm boy, I am not familiar with the ways of the city yet.”

As I already said back at the temple, I firmly believed that kindness should be repaid with kindness. And since Chef Yacoo had just shown me kindness, now it was my turn to return it.

“Would you like a Hamburg steak as a thank you?”

“Ah, ya cut right to it! I like ya, laddie!” Chef Yacoo was smirking like a scoundrel.

Lord Arthur and Lady Reina, who had been completely left out in the cold, looked longingly towards us.

If you help grinding the meat, I’ll make your portions too.

Ten days had passed since I came to the city. Luckily, there were still many books left to discover at the temple library, and I had managed to gather the necessary knowledge regarding fertilizers from the ones I read. I now knew several methods to make fertilizer from scratch. I owed a great deal to the brilliant Mother Yae and Lord Arthur for their help.

“Now we know what the difficulties will be.” I spoke in a solemn manner with both my elbows resting on the table in the dining hall.

“What are they, Ash?” Lady Maika seemed to enjoy keeping me company. It was good to have a fellow student who knew me as well as she did.

“First, let us go over the positives. The review of the literature stored at the temple is progressing smoothly. Mother Yae and Lord Arthur are also lending a hand, but I feel like your assistance has been especially helpful so far. Thank you.”

“I’m glad I could be of help to you, hehe.”

As I expressed my sincere gratitude, Lady Maika started smiling as if she had been charmed. She must have been over the moon that her skills were at an advanced level even in the city.

“As a result, we now know several methods to create fertilizers that can be used on the fields. I want to start making them right away and test them as soon as they are done.”

“You mean like your experiments in the fields back at the village?”

“Exactly. However, this is where it starts getting tricky.”

Before we could even get started, we needed to gather the right materials, as well as safe equipment for the fertilizer production and a storage area. Still, even if we managed to produce the fertilizer somehow, there was no field where we could have conducted the tests.

“In short, the problem is that we are outsiders in this city. We need the help of various other people before we can get started,” I concluded.

“Oh, right. In the village, we never had to worry about that.”

“Yes, thankfully the village chief was on board from the beginning, and graciously provided me with everything I needed.”

I was really glad that I had become friends with Lady Maika. And I could not stress enough how grateful I was that Mrs. Yuika had taken my suggestions seriously from the beginning. Please keep on collaborating and I’ll keep on thanking you.

“So, we have to find allies first. Besides, networking is one of the goals of our stay here.”

“Yeah, it’s very important to make connections!” Lady Maika said. After she enthusiastically agreed with me, she tilted her head to the side. Behind her cute mannerisms, she was a pragmatic thinker. “But whom should we target and how?”

“I am not sure myself either.”

At our dormitory, it was easy to befriend children of our age. Thinking ahead, those might have become valuable connections in the future, once they assumed powerful positions. However, that was irrelevant to our current situation. Regardless, it could have still been beneficial to be on good terms with them, since many of their parents were holding influential positions at present.

“Anyway, we should start making fertilizer as soon as possible. According to my research, it will take a while to produce it, so the sooner we start the better.”

Apparently, it took a month even to make something relatively simple, and several years to get the most effective kind, which I wanted. However, since I was in a bit of a hurry in this world, I could not really afford to stand by for that long. I felt like I did not have the time to choose my preferred way. Or maybe I did not have to choose?

“Ash? I feel like you’re getting fired up again.”

“Oh, really?”

I was not aware of it, but I trusted Lady Maika’s judgment. I had to be careful when taking action. Presumed shortcuts often end up being detours.

“Anyway, we should of course befriend the other students at the academy, but for now, I want to focus on people outside. Ideally, my first choice would be the acting count Lord Itsuki...”

The acting count was extremely busy, so there was not really any time to impose myself. It seemed that, while he himself wanted to talk with his niece Lady Maika, his schedule was beyond his control. Accordingly, it was highly unlikely that I could have enticed him even if I used Lady Maika as a bait. Besides, no busy person would have wanted to talk even more business during their time off work. Therefore, it was clearly still too soon to engage in direct negotiations with Lord Itsuki. Until the opportunity presented itself, I had to focus on removing any obstacles in the way. I needed to put myself in a position where it was impossible for him to refuse my proposals.

“As we have currently no direct shot at the general, we must aim for the soldiers in shooting range.”

“It’s like the saying, ‘If you want to shoot the general, first shoot his horse’!”

Exactly. And if we keep shooting, with any luck, a stray arrow might even end up hitting the general.

“Where do you want to start then?” Lady Maika asked.

“Well, Reina’s mother is the dorm supervisor...”

Lady Reina’s mother was a waiting lady for the Count’s family, holding the positions of secretary and dorm supervisor. With the prospects of following in her mother’s footsteps, Lady Reina excelled more than other students at the academy. She was definitely someone I wanted to have as a friend and ally, even disregarding her parents’ standing. If I got closer to her, I was eventually going to get through to her mother. My goal was to receive permission to conduct my experiments in the dormitory’s garden or in the kitchen garden.

“Getting closer to Reina and her mother should be our main objective for now as we settle into city life. What do you think?” I proposed.

“Hm... I don’t really have an answer. Honestly, I don’t know if that plan is good, but I don’t have any other suggestions either.” I could not blame her. This was not my first choice either. “But your plans have always worked out until now, so I’m sure it’ll be alright this time around too. I’ll help however I can!”

“Thank you. I was counting on you saying that.”

Lady Maika was good at inspiring people and pushing them beyond their limits. I felt relieved and motivated by the encouragement from someone like her, who had always supported me. She looked like a young Mrs. Yuika in my eyes.

“You are a wonderful woman.”

The talented Mrs. Yuika’s beloved daughter rapidly stood up from her seat with a glowing red face. “Y-Y-You can count on me!!”

“Thank you!”

“A-Alright! How about we go talk to Reina now? I’ll make sure she’s going to join us! If she refuses, I’ll find a way to exploit her weaknesses...”

What a comedic talent! She even made sure to lower her voice for the last sentence. Although the performance was so convincing that it almost seemed as if she meant it for real...

“Calm down, Maika. It is going to be alright. Now you are getting a little fired up.” You shouldn’t threaten people so easily.

“Oh, really? I just don’t want your plan to fail.”

“Me neither, but you do not have to rush ahead like that. It should work out in the end.”

Intimidation was supposed to be a last resort. Of course, since I was a gentleman, I had never threatened anyone, nor did I plan to do so in the future. Although I was willing to murmur sentences that could have been interpreted as threats. Before resorting to intimidation, we should try out another method just as effective.

“By the way, Maika, do you see the kitchen over there?” I asked.

As she turned towards the kitchen, her eyes started glimmering with the utmost anticipation. “Yes!”

“And can you see the wheat flour that Chef Yacoo shared with us?”

“Yes!!”

“Not to forget, there is also cream, sugar, jam, honey, and apples in the pantry.”

“Yes!!!”

She had the sweet tooth of a young maiden.

Compared to the village, here in the city there were so many more ingredients available. It was like a different world. One of the villages in the vicinity of the Sacula urban area specialized in the cultivation of fruits. Consequently, apples, astringent persimmons, peaches, and strawberries were common here.

“Today we will use those ingredients and make a special dish for Reina in order to persuade her.”

Rather than threatening her, I was going to try offering her a little present. Or, as some might have said, I was going to “bribe” her. That seemed like a more peaceful route.

“I volunteer as a taster! We need to make sure the dish is good enough to persuade her!”

You could see her mother’s character shine through as Lady Maika splendidly came up with a pretext for her own desire to eat. I was proud of her growth. And, since I wanted to eat too, I happily went along with it.

“You are right. If it does not taste good, we might end up achieving the opposite and leave a bad impression. Please give me your honest opinion!”

“Yay! Judging from the ingredients, it looks like you’re planning to make a dessert, right? What do you want to make?”

“Today, I want to make a sweet called crepe. It is a sweet version of the galette.”

The galette itself was a relatively commonplace dish here. However, it was eaten as a main course, since the dough was made with salt and water. Not even Chef Yacoo knew about the sweet version, made with milk and sugar mixed into the dough.

Sugar and jam were usually reserved for fluffy breads, such as deep-fried bread topped in sugar. I liked that too, but at times it was too greasy, and it had a very monotonous sweet taste.

Hehehe. This was my chance to catch them off guard with my special dessert. I wondered if they were going to be able to keep their cool when faced with the harmonious combination of the faint sugary taste of the dough, the strong sweet flavor of the sugar and honey, and the sourness of the apple and jam.

“Judging from your face, it looks like we’re in for a treat!”

What did my face look like? Was I drooling?

It was done! The spirit-meddling chemical substance called crepe!

I cut it up into smaller slices and prepared a multi-colored plate by adding jam, cream, honey, and apples. And there’s no bloodshed involved, so you can eat it up with your mind at ease!

Both Lady Maika and Chef Yacoo, who I had given a taste sample as a thanks for letting me use the firewood and ingredients, had said it was “the best.” They didn’t say anything else, but it appeared to be heartfelt praise. Chef Yacoo added that he wanted to know the recipe, so he could incorporate it into his menu for the dormitory. I was more than happy to oblige and give him all the recipes I knew. I could not wait to see how a professional could improve them.

We loaded our secret weapon onto a tray and headed towards Lady Maika and Lady Reina’s shared room.

“Oh, what a surprise. If it isn’t Maika and Ash,” Lady Reina greeted us.

“May we enter?” As a gentleman, I could not enter the room without asking.

She gave me permission with a nod. “Please come in. Have you two been enjoying the break?”

“Yes, very much!” Lady Maika, who was in high spirits from eating my new dessert, replied with a sunny smile.

Lady Reina seemed surprised at her enthusiastic answer. “Did something good happen to you?”

“Yes, something extremely good! And I would love to share it with you.”

As I held out the tray and lifted the cloth, a sweet smell filled the room. Lady Reina’s serious expression immediately loosened up.

“This smells great... But I have never seen this sweet before. What is it?”

“We’ll explain later, just take a bite for now!” Lady Maika invited her.

“What? Really? But...” Her eyes sparkled from joy before she rapidly withdrew her extended hand.

Oh? Looks like she won’t walk into our trap so easily. “What is wrong? It is safe to eat them. Chef Yacoo tasted them too.”

“Oh, no, I believe you. But my mother warned me not to accept gifts too easily.”

Oh? Her mother was a formidable opponent already. But I wondered if there was any woman who could have resisted this sweet smell. Lady Reina’s eyes were already fixed on the crepes. It was charming to see how she tried to resist the urge to look and shook her head whenever she gave in. Her seriousness was quite lovely too.

“I see. You have a wonderful mother. If I remember correctly, she is the supervisor of this dormitory?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“In that case, she may be right to worry. It is not unthinkable that some scoundrels would appear who want to curry favors from your mother by getting close to you.”

“Yes, my mother said the same thing. Such misguided fellows definitely exist.”

“Yes, indeed.” Right in front of your eyes.

Lady Maika’s smile looked a little wooden. Don’t make it so obvious!

“You should probably also be careful, Maika. You are a relative of the count after all.”

“Ah... Uhm... Yes, that’s right.”

This interaction hopefully made it seem like Lady Maika’s stiff face was due to her reflecting on her own position. In addition, it showed that there was no need for me to bribe Lady Reina, since I was already friends with Lady Maika. Now it was all up to Lady Reina whether or not she would see through our act.

“Well, I understand your concerns. Your attitude and your decision to not even accept sweets is admirable.”

I felt so from the bottom of my heart. I wished more pure and unselfish people like her would become politicians.

“Thank you, I am glad you understand. You act very mature.”

“You think so too, Reina? Ash’s always been like this since I’ve known him.”

I did feel from the bottom of my heart that Lady Reina’s attitude was admirable, but I wanted to bribe her no matter what, so...

“Then it seems that, unfortunately, I can no longer give this to you.”

When I let out a greatly exaggerated sigh, Lady Reina reluctantly looked at the fresh crepes.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. I will ask my mother if it’s okay to receive things like this in the future... They look really delicious.” She took a gulp.

Yes, they are delicious. You want to eat them, right? Hehe. “Unfortunately, if I cannot share them with you, I will have to get rid of them.”

“If you’re gonna throw them away, then give them to—”

I covered Lady Maika’s mouth with my left hand before she was able to say anything counterproductive.

“However, since I went through the effort of making them myself, and I used up valuable sugar and butter, it would be a waste to just throw them away. Would you not agree, Reina?”

“Yes... And since you cooked them, I assume you used up firewood too?”

“Exactly. I am sure your mother would also disapprove of such a senseless waste.”

“Do you think so? But you may be right. She is quite strict with those things...”

In that case, I guess there’s only one thing for you to do. “Reina, would you help us dispose of the crepes?”

“What do you mean?”

I used her confusion to once again present her with the crepes.

“Do not think of it as a present. You are merely helping us deal with the leftovers.”

“Are you sure... it’s alright?”

“Do not worry. If you are not eating them, they will get thrown out. I do not expect anything in return.” It might just so happen that you will want to be on good terms with me if you ever want to eat them again.

As I stretched out the tray towards her, the aroma twisting around her nose, her self-control finally broke and she capitulated.

“In that case... I guess it’s alright?”

“Go ahead.” While I have many ulterior motives, there is no ill will. Rest assured while you walk into my trap.

“Thank you. I will try them then.”

She pinched a small crepe with her slender fingers. The moment that she put it in her mouth, it was game over for the overly-serious girl.

“This is—”

Her eyes opened up wide and her body was tingling from excitement.

She remained completely still for about five seconds with her eyes sparkling while chewing before she finally spoke. “Delicious!!!”

The last time I had heard such an energetic “delicious” must have been in a gourmet cooking show on television in my past life.

“What is this? It’s so sweet. But I love it! This is the first time I’m eating anything like it!”

“I am glad it is to your liking. Since throwing it away would be a waste, you can eat as much as you want.”

“Thanks! This one tastes different?! Oh, there’s strawberries inside... And this one tastes like apple... And here’s one filled with honey!”

Surrender confirmed—mission complete.

While I was hiding my smile, next to me Lady Maika was celebrating the victory with a sinister smile. Be a little more subtle.

Fortunately, it seemed that Lady Reina was too focused on the crepe to notice anything around her.

We had successfully broken through her first barrier. At this rate, we would slowly get closer and eventually I could also entice her mother with samples of desserts that were unusual in this world.

Later on, I also gave some of the leftover crepes to Lord Arthur, who had been absent as they were spending the holiday back home at the mansion. Immediately after taking a bite, Lord Arthur let out a girly scream.

In any world there was nothing cuter than the expression of a girl being charmed by sweets.

Arthur’s Perspective

While I was living as a boy in the dormitory, my body was still that of a girl. Inevitably, there were times when I had to avoid being seen by Ash. I had anticipated that to be a headache, inducing many problems, but it turned out easier than expected.

In the mornings and evenings, Ash left the room to practice martial arts all alone. As a result, I was able to change my clothes in peace. Whenever that wasn’t the case or I needed more time than usual, I just went to my private room at the mansion.

Today was such an occasion. After taking a bath, I returned to my dorm room, where I found Ash tinkering with wooden planks on top of his desk. I only greeted him briefly and didn’t start a conversation because it seemed like he was concentrating. However, I was still curious about what he was doing, so I peered in from behind. Ash had a tendency to start the most unexpected projects, so I just couldn’t help but wonder. On this occasion, it looked like he was shaving off the wooden planks, assembling them together and making boxes.

“It is a mouse trap!” he said.

“Sorry for interrupting!”

I was a bit startled when he noticed me. I was watching him as stealthily as possible, but he caught me off guard. It felt a little awkward when he smiled gently and gave me a look as if he had seen through me.

“Did you handcraft it?” I asked.

“Yes! I am using wood waste that Quid brought me from a craftsman he knows.”

He handed it over to me. I didn’t see any nails. It looked like he had just carved out some gaps and attached it together like a puzzle.

“You’ve got nimble fingers!” I remarked.

“I made them in bulk to deal with the rats back at the village.”

There were mouse traps back at the capital too, but this was the first time I was able to properly look at one. Generally, my attendants just stealthily placed them around the corners of the room and replaced them when necessary. That was the extent of my knowledge.

“How do you trap them with this?”

“For this one, I will add a trap door here, which will shut down once the rat takes the bait inside.” He quickly went back to finish the trap. “It is easier to understand if you see it with your own eyes.”

There was a small hole at the top through which Ash pulled a string with bait attached to it. He linked the string to a hook holding up the trap door. Pulling on the string removed the hook, automatically letting the trap door close the only exit.

“That’s amazing! You only have to pull the string?”

It was simple but well thought out. I borrowed the trap from Ash and activated the mechanism several times. It was fun to see the door closing on its own.

“Do you like it? If I had used a basket, it may have been more interesting, as you could have seen inside.”

“Oops, sorry. I know it’s not a toy.”

I had never touched a rat trap before, so I became a little absorbed. I cleared my throat to hide my embarrassment and gave it back to Ash. My cheeks felt hot—I realized I was probably blushing. I didn’t know why, but somehow my body always felt hot when talking to Ash.

“This is an intriguing mechanism, right? It is easy to understand when looking at it, but I would have never come up with something like this on my own,” Ash proclaimed while playing with the trap just as I did a few seconds ago.

“Are you just being considerate?”

“About what?” Ash looked puzzled.

“Am I wrong? I thought that since I was enjoying myself playing with something as trivial as a mouse trap...”

“There is nothing wrong about that.” He tilted his head in sync with the sound of the closing trap door. “You thought it was amazing, right? I think so too.” Ash expressed his agreement. “Since it is so simple, anyone can make one. The materials needed are also readily available, and it is efficient. It might have turned into a mundane article, but that is just another testament to its amazingness.”

“...You’re right.” I felt embarrassed that I hadn’t thought about it like that at all.

“It is important to let yourself be impressed—it feels good. And it is equally important to express that feeling of amazement—it makes other people feel good too.” Ash smiled while handing me the rat trap. “I was happy I got to see your reaction, so you can have this one. I will make another one for myself.”

“T-Thanks...”

“No, thank you for praising my handmade article!”

He went back to scraping wood planks while humming. I watched from behind while the wood changed its shape to the tune of a song I didn’t know. The plank’s surface became uneven as the knife moved in a well-practiced rhythm.

“By the way, why are you making rat traps?”

“I need a new guinea pig.”

Sorry, but how were rats and guinea pigs related?

When I came back to the room today, Ash was once again doing something at the desk. I quietly approached to see him quickly move a quill over a bunch of paper. In an effort not to interrupt him, I held my breath while following the letters he wrote with my eyes.

It looked like he was summarizing the research he’d performed in the temple. He was writing down the process for using powdered bones and the dung of chickens, cows, and pigs as compost, complementing each entry with the title of the book he had used as a reference. The text continued, stating that it was necessary to research the reasons why these methods were not currently being used. I see, so that’s the next step for our research. I’ll prepare for it. Since it concerned me too as one of his assistants, I nodded along while reading the text.

He added another section called “future research subjects.” It listed water wheels and windmills, book binding, agricultural machinery and equipment... Wait, weren’t all those a bit too much? And he still continued writing! Next, it said, “verifying metallurgy” and “reviewing construction techniques.” And there was still more?! Isn’t that a bit too much? How are you going to accomplish all that with just one body?

The notes continued mentioning medical technology and the maintenance of traffic routes. How did one person come up with all these things at once? I started to feel nervous as I watched the letters keep increasing, covering my mouth with one hand.

While I was focused on the letters on the page, I suddenly felt a gaze. Looking up, I saw Ash gently smiling and observing me with great interest. It was as if he was observing the movements of a bird that he had never seen before.

“Were you teasing me?!” It seemed that he had noticed me and added more writing just to see my reaction.

“Not at all. I do not know what you are talking about.”

“You were pretending!” What a bully! I sharpened my voice and drew in closer. Since I had been observing him over the shoulder all along, I now suddenly found myself extremely close to his face.

“What was I pretending?” Right next to me, he smiled while playing innocent. We were close enough for both our bangs to touch.

“S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to get so close.”

“I do not mind. We are friends after all.”

Really? Until recently I wouldn’t have dreamt of getting this close to a person of the opposite sex. My heart was racing. Was this normal for friends? The image of his face up close was now burned into my memory! When smiling, Ash looked quite... nice.

While I was reminiscing about our interaction, Ash murmured in a low voice. “I did not mean to tease you, but I did write out some things which are currently irrelevant.”

“So I was right!!” You did tease me after all!

As I drew closer again, Ash showed a gentle, wry smile. “Besides, it seemed that you got more interested and leaned in the more I wrote.”

“I was just a little worried that you’re going to be too busy... with this many things ahead.” I wasn’t that interested... But I did not say that last part out loud. If I had, I would have just told another lie and might have ended up freezing.

He was probably right. I wondered what would happen if we achieved all those goals. I was worried, but at the same time I was also excited. I really wondered what would happen. The more I thought about it, the higher my expectations were. There was so much left to do. So many things that we could do. So many things that I hadn’t been able to do before.

“I mean...” I spoke in a slightly bitter tone. “I’ve never done anything like this... It’s a lot of fun...”

“I am glad to hear that.” He accepted my bitterness with a bright, warm smile. “We are going to have a lot more fun. And even if I die, it is not going to end!”

“What?”

“Enjoy yourself to the fullest!” Ash proclaimed with a beaming face. He seemed genuinely happy.

For some reason, I no longer felt like I was trapped and couldn’t run away.

I had always been a tiny existence. None of the adults expected anything from me. They probably didn’t even want me to talk, and most likely wished I didn’t have any limbs. Whenever I opened my mouth, I was faced with a sigh. Whenever I tried doing something new, I was stopped. I knew the reason—there were people out there trying to use me. If I did something, I eventually would have just ended up being used, causing trouble to everybody. That’s why I started curling myself up. I felt constrained. I was in pain. But even so, I somehow managed to hold out. All I had to do was shut my mouth, wrap my arms around my knees, and be on standby in my room. It was easy.

I didn’t even speak with the maids or servants. If I spotted a bird outside the window, I didn’t try to chase it with my eyes. I didn’t lend an ear when someone was talking about their troubles. I didn’t engage with any of the playmates that were introduced to me. I persevered. I was able to control myself. Gradually, it became easier. At the same time, my mind and body grew colder and stiffened to a point where they became frozen solid.

I imagined myself sitting in the corner of my room, holding my knees. There was a cold breeze, but I persevered. It grew colder and I still endured. I was freezing, but I didn’t flinch. I was in pain and I was scared, but I still endured. I just persevered, persevered, persevered...

Ah, I can’t take it anymore! If only I turned into ice, I would no longer have to endure all this...

“Are you okay?”

Suddenly, I felt some warmth. It drove away the cold from my hands, my forehead, and my neck.

“Luckily, it does not look like a cold.”

I felt relieved. What a gentle warmth. My blood, which had frozen solid throughout my body, slowly started flowing again.

“Did you have a nightmare? If only we had some essential oils for aromatherapy... But the scent of herb tea should also work a little.”

I felt the warmth going away. At that moment, I reached out towards it—I didn’t want to lose it. Please stay. My voice leaked out and I woke up from my dream. My hand, which had pushed through the darkness of the night, was grasping his red hair.

“Good morning... Although it might be a little too soon for that.”

“Ash?”

I saw Ash’s warm smile awkwardly staring at me with my still-blurred vision.

“Yes, it is me. Sorry for waking you up. I was worried because you were tossing around.”

“I was tossing around?”

“It looked like you were having a nightmare.”

“Ah, yes...” So, I had been dreaming that I was freezing. It was one of my recurring nightmares. “Thanks, but I’m fine now.”

“Are you sure?” Ash put on a smile and added, “How about we drink hot tea?”

He just ignored my words.

“What? I said I was fine...”

“Yes, but we should still drink some hot tea anyway. I brought some pleasantly-flavored herbs from the village. Please wait a moment.”

Ash gently removed my hand and withdrew his face. I slept on the top of the bunk bed, so he climbed down the ladder. When I hastily looked out of the bed, I saw him taking something out of his dresser.

“Let us see... Citrus flavor is supposed to have a calming effect... If I remember correctly, this perilla might help... I might as well put in some honey too.”

“Ash, I told you I’m fine. You don’t have to go out of your way for me.”

He just politely replied to my attempt to stop him. “Well, then we should celebrate you being fine with tea. I am going to boil the water now.”

Once again, he had ignored me in the politest way possible before leaving the room. While I knew that it was too far away, I reached out towards his back. I was shocked. He didn’t let me persevere.

Involuntarily, a smile formed in my lips. That smile felt a little warm too.

After a short while, Ash came back with a mug in his hand. I was restless, so I had already climbed down out of bed. I was fidgeting around when he handed me the steaming hot mug.

“Sorry for the wait. Here you go.”

“T-Thanks.”

The steam was accompanied by a pleasing smell tickling my nose. The sweet scent of honey complimented the sour, fruity taste of the tea. And above anything else, the warmth of the mug gave me a feeling of reassurance.

“You could have waited in your bed. It is quite cold tonight.”

“I couldn’t stand still thinking that I made you go outside in that cold weather.”

“Do not worry, I have not once been ill since I was born.”

It may have sounded like he was boasting, but I could believe this was true. Ash appeared to be an extremely sturdy child.

“You can sit down if you want,” he said.

Ash sat down on the bottom bed leaving a space for me. How shameless of me to just sit down next to a boy like that! But, on the other hand, I was pretending to be a boy myself too. Moreover, there was no one around who would be nagging afterwards, and Ash was my friend. So, it was alright? Yeah, it probably was.

I timidly sat down next to him. I felt like I was doing something bad. My heart was racing, and my face was hot. I took a sip out of the mug, so that Ash wouldn’t notice my strange behavior. The warm tea passed down my throat together with an invigorating flavor. Then, the sweetness of the honey slowly filled up my mouth.

“This tastes nice...”

“The honey comes from Tanya, who recently started beekeeping, and the herb I picked up during a hunt when Ban, the village’s hunter, told me what it was. It tastes like citrus, right? But it is actually perilla.”

“Perilla?”

“It is said to have the power to drive off bad things, and it is used to treat wounds. If you drink it like this, it soothes your throat. The hunter uses it to neutralize the smell of meat.”

While talking, Ash put a blanket over my shoulders. It still felt warm from when Ash had slept covered with it. Together with the tea in my hands, it warmed both my body and soul.

“Honey contains a lot of nutrients and is easily absorbed, so it is perfect to drink before going to bed. If you mix it with warm milk, you will have an even sounder sleep, but... Unfortunately, there was not any milk left.”

“It helps you sleep?”

“Yes, that is what I have read. According to that book, consuming honey produces something inside your body which has a soothing effect.”

Ash kept talking idly about the beekeeping back at his village. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the beekeeper and the hunter, who came off like a married couple even though they hadn’t made any progress in terms of dating. I wanted to know how their relationship was going to develop.

Slowly but surely, my feelings frozen by the nightmare came back to life.

“Thanks, Ash. I feel much warmer now.”

“Do you think you will be able to sleep?”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

Any nightmare would have melted if faced with the amount of warmth I had just received.

The next day, I slept in late.