TVBUC 61

CHAPTER 61……………………………

Exactly one week later.

I had to think about what I could prepare before then.

Kauts and I put our heads together and brainstormed deeply.

Swords, arrows, gold, purple clothes—various gift ideas came up. But none of them felt just right.

“I want the first birthday gift to be something more meaningful.”

“Then, on the flip side, why not think of something that’s meaningful to you, Miss?”

Kauts’s wrinkled eyes looked at me.

At times like this, Kauts is truly clever.
It’s believable that he was once a famous chief magical researcher at the Magic Academy.
Of course, normally he’s more like a friendly aunt obsessed with fake jewels and messy hair.

“What’s meaningful to me is, of course, a magic stone.”

The pink glow of the magic stone necklace around my neck shimmered.

“There are still some magic stones left, right? I’ll make a necklace exactly like mine!”

When my eyes sparkled eagerly, Kauts smiled broadly.

“Then I’ll immediately request the magic stone!”

When the mansion’s lights went out,
I sneaked down to the first-floor kitchen.

Britta accompanied me on this secret mission.

“Miss, to the left!”

Britta lowered her voice to a whisper, scanning the surroundings. She was clearly enjoying the situation.
I had always felt that Britta loved doing things secretly.

“Britta, I know the way to the kitchen too, you know?”
“Shh! Miss, your voice is too loud.”
“Oh… okay.”
“You also need to lower your head more.”
“Y-yeah.”

The guards watching the mansion seemed to be chuckling at us.

Anyway, Britta and I successfully entered the kitchen.
The chef, Pure, whom I had asked in advance, was already there.

“You’ve arrived right on time.”
“Thanks to Britta, of course.”

Britta smiled shyly at my praise and scurried to the kitchen doorway.
She said she would guard the entrance, so I could do whatever I wanted freely.

Thanks to that, I learned how to make a cake from Chef Pure.
Of course, it was the first day, so I was full of enthusiasm.

Looking at the chocolate cake I made, Pure’s expression darkened slightly, like a kindly neighbor noticing something amiss.

“Miss, this looks very similar to the traces Roro left in the kitchen this morning.”

This morning would refer to the puppy Roro leaving a mess in the kitchen.

“….”
“I don’t know who the cake is for, but how about I make it and present it as if you did it secretly?”
“That’s not allowed. My heart won’t permit it.”
“Ah, yes.”

With firm determination, I stayed in the kitchen for the next few days, making cakes with Pure.

By the third day, a proper-looking cake was completed.
By the fourth day, I was furiously whisking cream in the kitchen when Britta came in, looking startled.

“Miss! Miss!”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Well…”

Britta glanced to the side, revealing Creamu, holding Kauts’s hand.

“Creamu! Are you awake?”
“Uuuh.”

Judging by his bright eyes, he would be awake even if they tried to put him back to sleep.
I had been worried earlier when he napped a lot, but there was nothing I could do.

“Kauts, did you tell the nanny?”
“Yes. She’ll come to pick him up soon.”
“Good. Then, Creamu, come here.”
“Nuuna! What are you doing?”
“Sis is making a cake now. Want to see?”
“Uuuh!”

Curious, Kauts and Britta followed into the kitchen.

The chef, Pure, finally realized and said,

“Oh, you’re making a cake for Master Creamu!”

Well, that wasn’t the case, but I couldn’t correct him and just smiled at Creamu peeking from the shelf.

I spread the white whipped cream evenly over the cake layers.
Then, adding fruit and cookies, the most complete cake I had ever made appeared.

“Wow! Sis made this cake!”
“Miss, your skill is incredible.”
“Amazing, our Miss!”

I laughed softly at the praise from Creamu, Kauts, and Britta.
The cake made today would be for their compliments; the one for Ron would be made the day before.

‘By the way…’

Watching the cream melt smoothly from Creamu’s fork, I wondered:
Could I safely bring it like this?

I received the date and time to meet Ron.

After getting the Duke’s permission and packing the magic stone necklace and cake Kauts brought, I was ready to leave.
It was precisely the day before Ron’s birthday.

“Last time, you lost the bread hat I picked out for you. I was so upset.”

Britta complained as she helped me choose a boyish outfit.
Today, it was a light blue outfit and a narrow-brim straw hat.
I looked like a boy ready to run out from a millhouse and herd sheep.

“I won’t lose it today. I just forgot because I was too engrossed in magic lessons.”
“Yes, Miss. Have a safe trip today. Don’t worry about anyone else.”
“Thanks, I’ll leave it to you.”

Britta nodded firmly, playing her role as an excellent assistant.
She would distract the guards and servants.
Of course, the Duke had reduced the number of people guarding the mansion on this night.
Everyone was united in helping me sneak out at night.

Kauts’s crow flew through the sky.
I marked the forest’s coordinates in my teleportation magic.

“Please work!”

In an instant, a flash of light enveloped where Kauts and I had been.
When I opened my eyes, I realized we had arrived at the forest where I usually met Ron.

“Wow! We did it!”

I felt slightly dizzy, but that was all.
The teleport made with Condes Core was excellent.
Kauts stepped aside briefly, and I approached the large rock where I had last sat with Ron.

Just as I was about to sit, a cheerful voice called out:

“Raaaan!”
“Rooon!”

The little wings on the bread hat on his head flapped as he ran toward me.
I was so glad I had given him that hat!
Long live Rose, the designer!

I greeted Ron with a heart full of excitement.

Under the moonlight, we sat side by side.
I smiled at Ron and brought out the gifts.

“I brought presents.”
“More presents?”
“Yes!”

Of course—it’s your birthday. Happy birthday, Ron.

I first handed him the fountain pen.

“You don’t need to give me a lot of presents.”

Under the bread hat, Ron’s small lips puckered.
His long eyelashes lowered sadly.

“Why, don’t you want it?”
“It’s not that I don’t want it…”
“Oh, then could it be!”

Was it too overwhelming for him?
That was understandable.
I realized that every time I met Ron, I had been busy giving him gifts.
I stayed comfortably at the mansion, while Ron had to work outside, which made me more obsessed with him.
But I hadn’t considered his feelings about receiving gifts.

“I’m sorry, Ron. Did I go too far? I should’ve asked what you wanted. I didn’t know it would be a burden. Sorry.”

Ron’s red eyes gleamed as he stared at me.
Then he shook his head vigorously.

“No! You don’t have to apologize! It’s just… I don’t have many gifts I can give you.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes.”

I see. That’s how it was.

I clapped my hands like Kauts and smiled brightly.

“Ron, you know, I’m happy just talking to you like this.”
“Me too.”
“So you don’t need to give me a present.”
“…But.”
“Even so, if you really want to, you can give me lots of presents later, when the time comes. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, my obedient Ron!”

Finding Ron nodding cutely, I couldn’t help but grab his cheeks with both hands and shake them.

“…Huh!”

When I came to my senses, my palms were pressed against his soft skin.
With his small lips buried in his cheeks like a little fish, Ron said:

“My boo-ppa.”

I guessed he meant, “My cheeks hurt.”

I quickly let go and apologized.
My palms still felt his warm heat.

Glancing sideways, I saw Ron’s cheeks were red.
I had held him a bit too firmly.

Fortunately, the cool breeze of late autumn blew by.
Breathing it in deeply, Ron followed suit.

“Haah.”
“Haahhh.”
“Did you copy me?”
“Yes!”

After a brief silence, we both burst out laughing simultaneously.

Amid the refreshing atmosphere, I handed him the next gift.

“This is a fountain pen.”