DLV 37

Episode 37

Honestly, it felt like Benjamin’s temper would explode before the kitchen did.

“How on earth do you even mistake sugar for salt? If you’re not sure, put it in your mouth and check! Taste it!”

“Wait, Benji—mmph!”

Benjamin shoved salt into Joshua’s mouth, who had once again confused sugar and salt while measuring ingredients.

“Are you going to keep messing around just because Sophia’s not here?”

“What, you want sugar this time? Should I just mix the dough in your mouth instead?”

“No, I’m sorry! I said I’m sorry!”

“Open your mouth.”

It was Benjamin who, taking advantage of Sophia’s brief absence—she had gone to fetch some cookie cutters—finally unleashed all the pent-up frustration he’d been holding in.

He had volunteered to help Sophia after she said she wanted to try baking cookies as a way to thank Lucion and bid him farewell.

Benjamin had been learning to bake pastries since he was Sophia’s age, and now he was good enough that people said he could open his own shop. So Sophia gladly accepted his help.

Yes, everything had been fine up to that point. But who would’ve thought that out of the four people here, he’d be the only one who could actually bake?

It was almost impressive how thoroughly the others lacked any cooking skills.

One of them confused sugar with salt and ruined everything, another one dropped bowls, spilled flour, and tried to steal jam.

Benjamin had been barely holding it together, relying on Sophia who was at least quietly helping him. But once she left, he used the excuse of fetching cookie cutters to blow off steam.

“Who made a heart shape out of butter over here?!”

“Ah, that was me.”

Just as Benjamin was about to rip into Joshua again for messing with the butter, he heard Sophia’s voice.

Sophia… made the butter heart?

Benjamin, who had been on the verge of metaphorically burying someone with his words, looked at Sophia—now back with the cookie cutters—and smiled sweetly.

“No wonder it looked pretty enough to put on display.”

Sophia looked puzzled as she stepped into the kitchen and saw Joshua standing there, looking pitiful with sugar and salt smeared around his mouth.

He had seemed perfectly fine before she stepped out.

Wondering what had happened while she was gone, she glanced around and spotted Peyton crouching in a corner.

“Grandpa?”

“Mmm… I think this old man’s heart is giving out…”

What the heck is he talking about.

Taking her eyes off Peyton, Sophia surveyed the kitchen. The only one who looked sane was Benjamin.

Just as she was beginning to question what in the world had happened, Benjamin finished kneading all the dough by himself and called to Sophia with a bright smile.

“Sophia, you’ve got a good palate. Try this.”

He handed her a spoonful of apricot jam that he’d made himself. Sophia took a bite, and her eyes lit up at the perfect sweetness that suited her taste exactly.

“Tasty?”

“Yeah.”

The casual response made Benjamin freeze.

Sophia just spoke informally… to me?!

While Benjamin was seriously considering marking today as a holiday on the calendar, Sophia remained completely unaware she’d dropped honorifics and casually tugged on Peyton’s sleeve—he was sneakily eating cream.

“You’re not a kid, Grandpa. What are you doing?”

“But the cream… it was crying for me to eat it!”

“Ssshh.”

And with that image of a child scolding an elder, the chaotic cookie-making session finally came to an end.

Though, in reality, it was mostly Benjamin who made the cookies, and they were now lined up beautifully on a plate.

Picking out the prettiest and most appetizing cookie, Benjamin held it up to Sophia’s mouth.

“Can I eat it?”

“Of course. The person who worked the hardest always gets the prettiest and tastiest one.”

Wait, does that mean I can’t eat it?

“Go on.”

Ah, I can eat it. Even she had to admit Benjamin was the one who worked hardest, but she bit into the cookie without a word.

Watching her, Joshua said seriously from beside Benjamin,

“Maybe I should learn to bake too. I’ll become the world’s greatest pâtissier.”

“Forget it. You’ve got no talent.”

“Hey, you weren’t any good when you started either!”

While Benjamin and Joshua bickered, Peyton came up next to Sophia and poked her soft cheek.

“You always eat this many snacks?”

“…Ah.”

I ate way too much. She realized it now. Lorei always said eating too many sweets wasn’t good for her health.

After hearing Peyton’s thoughtless comment, Sophia decided—after a moment’s thought—to cut down on desserts from now on.

Lucion’s farewell party was held simply in the parlor.

“You’ve been too kind to me, my lady.”

“Hm?”

“Usually, someone who’s only worked briefly and even got involved in a major incident wouldn’t be treated this well.”

“…True.”

He had a point. If Lucion had been just a regular servant, there wouldn’t have been a farewell party—he wouldn’t have even gotten a proper send-off.

“So, does it bother you?”

Worried she might’ve made him uncomfortable, Sophia asked. But Lucion shook his head.

“Honestly… I’m happy.”

“Then that’s enough.”

She suspected he might go on to say “but,” “however,” or something similar, so she cut him off by changing the subject.

“By the way, Lorei isn’t at the castle? Do you know where she went?”

“Oh, I took her to Count Aros’s estate. I’ll bring her back before sunset, so don’t worry.”

“…Magic sure is convenient.”

She still hadn’t fully internalized that Lucion and Lorei were mages. That meant Lucion was probably older than he looked too, right? His records said he was 24.

It was said that all mages were ageless and kept their youthful appearance forever—like Peyton.

But Lorei wasn’t like that. Her face aged visibly over time. That’s why Sophia had never suspected she was a mage.

“Are all mages ageless?”

There was no point in sitting on a strange question, so she asked Lucion directly.

And Lucion understood: she wasn’t just asking “Are all mages ageless?” but rather—

“Why does Lorei age if mages are ageless?”

He understood that was the real question.

“Lorei was born with a flaw as a mage.”

“….”

“So she ages slowly—not like a regular person, but she does age, gradually.”

It meant she could grow old and die, unlike other mages.

“She’s still young, you know. She’s lived longer than me, sure, but she’s still in her prime.”

Not wanting Sophia to worry, Lucion added the comment quickly.

“How long has she lived, then?”

“Maybe… 200… no, 300 years? Maybe even longer.”

The more Sophia learned about mages, the more distant and alien they felt. Perhaps that’s why people feared them.

Still, Sophia had already gone through multiple regressions—magic and the supernatural no longer surprised her.

“By the way, I just remembered something. I guess I won’t be able to keep my promise anymore. I won’t be around to take you places, and I’m not allowed to move around without permission anymore…”

“Promise?”

“I said I’d take you somewhere beautiful, remember?”

She hadn’t expected him to remember that. Seeing him look apologetic, Sophia smiled like it was no big deal.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t expecting much. It’s not like I can freely leave the castle anyway.”

Technically, she could, but restrictions made it nearly impossible to go anywhere outside Rosent Castle.

She’d seen the pleasant scenery of Gallis, and that alone had been enough.

Though she said all this with a calm face, Lucion’s gaze lingered on her, reluctant to look away. And then, unexpectedly, another voice cut in.

“I can take you. Outside.”

Joshua?

He had jumped into the conversation out of nowhere—and surprisingly, he was dead serious.

“You were probably looking forward to it. So, instead of him, I’ll—”

“Don’t say things you can’t follow through on,” Benjamin said from the side, chiding him.

But Joshua didn’t back down.

“No, seriously, I can do it. Think about it. All we need to do is convince them, right?”

“Why are you raising your fist while talking about persuasion?”

“You’re not going to say your fist is the persuasion, are you?”

At Benjamin’s words, Joshua slowly lowered his hand. Compared to Benjamin, his punches were like feathers. At this point, Joshua was still weaker than Benjamin.

He was about to ask Benjamin for help with persuasion when a carefree voice broke in.

“I think it’s doable.”

It was Peyton, casually chewing on a scone stuffed with cream and jam.

“If you talk to them, they’ll probably give in easily.”

Everyone stared at him in disbelief, but Peyton just shrugged like it was no big deal.

Give it a try…?

“Put your fist down, Josh.”