The Villainous Princess Wants to Live in a Gingerbread House - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainous Princess Wants to Live in a Gingerbread House
Chapter 20

Just from tasting it, warmth was spreading through her body—she could almost believe the stories about this remedy curing a cold. That’s when Pibee’s voice reached her ear.
“Mix it with milk.”
“…….”
Asha twisted her face and stared down at her sleeve cuff. Her expression screamed skepticism about concocting such a bizarre beverage, but Pibee chattered so loudly in her ear that she had no choice but to fetch the milk.
“You want me to… mix this into milk?”
Pavel tilted his head in confusion, and Asha nodded quietly before stirring the Ginger Syrup into the warmed Milk.
‘Huh? That’s actually delicious?’
Her eyes widened. Even Asha, who normally despised ginger and cinnamon, found it palatable. The nutty richness of the Milk gently mellowed the sharp bite of the ginger and cinnamon’s warmth while letting each flavor keep its character.
Seeing her reaction, Pavel made a cup for himself and lifted it to his lips. He sipped and sipped until he’d drained it completely.
“This is—this is quite marvelous!”
“I’ll leave this here, so if you catch a cold, make it strong and drink it. Understood? Oh, and this works wonderfully in meat dishes too.”
“You little scamp, how on earth did you figure this out…….”
While Pavel chattered on, Asha mixed warmed Milk and Ginger Syrup into another empty cup, then ladled stewed pear and its broth into a bowl. A full tray quickly took shape.
“I’ll clean up later. I need to get this to my cousin—he’s running a fever.”
“Now, how do you plan to carry all that…….”
“Thank you for helping today!”
“……”
Pavel reached out in alarm, but Asha had already picked up the tray and turned away.

* * *

The attendants were startled to see Asha bringing the food out on the tray herself, but they couldn’t stop her stubborn insistence and opened the door to the Crown Prince’s Bedchamber.
“Your Highness?!”
Kirill, who stood beside Alexei, was so surprised that he rushed to help with the tray.
“Kirill! I made something for Alexei.”
“……All of this, Your Highness? You prepared it yourself?”
“Yes, is Alexei asleep?”
Kirill nodded and stepped aside a little. Alexei lay sleeping, his skin slick with cold sweat.
Asha stood silent for a moment, gazing down at him, then gently wiped away the beads of sweat gathering on his brow. As she deliberated whether to wake him, Alexei’s eyes slowly opened.
“……Asha…… Asha……?”
“Oh, you’re awake?”
Alexei, opening his eyes just a sliver, recognized her and pushed himself up. But his cheeks burned flushed with fever, his eyes were damp, and his throat seemed swollen—his voice came out hoarse.
“I’m sorry to wake you. But now that you’re up, drink this. I made it for you.”
“…….”
When Asha brought the cup to his lips, insisting, Alexei didn’t resist much and let his mouth meet the rim. The distinctive sharpness of ginger rose with subtle warmth, and he wrapped one hand around his throat.
“Drink it all down. There, you’re doing well. Good boy—you have to finish it.”
“…….”
“Once you’ve finished that, here’s the next thing.”
The moment Alexei drained the glass, Asha gripped a bowl of stewed pear and a spoon in both hands and leaned in closer.
“What’s this…….”
“Stewed pear. Be careful—it’s still hot.”
Asha had simmered the pear until it fell apart—a ghastly, mushy thing—and now scooped it with a spoon, blowing gently on it. A single black peppercorn had fallen out, making the whole creation look even more grotesque.
“Ah…… I tried to make it look nice, but it didn’t turn out well……. Just eat it.”
When she thought it had cooled enough, she offered him the spoon. Alexei hesitated for a moment, then finally opened his mouth.
“You have to drink the rest too.”
“……You made this as well…….”
“Of course. I worked hard peeling the pears for you, and look at this—I just hurt myself. See the wound?”
Asha held up her finger with such pride, showing off the small cut.
“…….”
“So eat up quickly.”
In the end, Alexei consumed everything she’d brought—every drop and every bite. Asha’s expression grew tender as she wiped away the fresh beads of sweat from his brow. When Alexei tried to pull her hand away, he stopped short at the stern look she shot him.
“Oh dear. You’re in trouble.”
“……Do you think I’m a baby.”
“Look at you—you can barely hold yourself up! Tomorrow morning, ask for a cup of ginger milk and drink it, all right? I’ve made plenty in the Kitchen.”
“…All right.”
‘Should I ask Fafnir to say something now?’
The Candle Flame burned bright and steady, but the room was quiet. Alexei, stretched out on the bed, glanced up at her. Yet that look in his eyes…
‘Really now…’
Asha swallowed a sigh deep in her chest. At her feet, faded magnolia-colored mist coiled upward—emanating from Alexei. No one could resist the gaze of a suffering child.
‘I should tell him to talk about it after he’s rested.’
The Candle Flame trembled like moonlight shimmering on water’s surface, and it seemed to speak for Fafnir’s heart. Fafnir spoke easily enough to Pavel, but speaking to Alexei—their Contract Partner—would surely make the spirit nervous.
Asha thought as much to herself and abandoned her plan to return to the Kitchen. Instead, she settled into a chair beside the bed. Slowly, Alexei closed his eyes.

* * *

Alexei rose slowly in the early dawn, when sunlight barely touched the sky. Though fever had gripped him all night, having weathered it fully left his body refreshed. The last time he’d been this ill was before he turned ten years old.
Since then he’d caught minor colds here and there, but never a fever like this. And never before had anyone cared for him through it…
Alexei’s thoughts stopped short. He gasped. Someone lay sprawled beside his bed.
“…Anastasha?”
Her pale pink hair spilled across the white sheets. She stirred at the sound of his movement, lifting her head.
“…Oh, you’re awake? Has your fever come down?”
His young cousin barely opened her eyes, heavy with sleep, and placed her small hand on his forehead. Her palm was cool.
“It’s still a bit warm, but much better than before…”
“…Were you here all…night?”
“You were sick, so what could I do? The medicine wasn’t working, and if your fever spiked while I was gone… Besides, you should have your ginger milk.”
Asha said this while rubbing her eyes.
“…Are you sleepy?”
“Mmm… This won’t do. I don’t think I’ll be able to attend lessons today.”
“…If you skip, Halba Mama will scold you.”
“Ha. I’m not going to be Emperor anyway. It was always your lessons from the start—only you need to attend. I’ll just take the scolding.”
Asha yawned as she stretched, her small mouth opening wide. Coming from such a delicate face, it was endearingly cute.
Whether she meant it to comfort him or simply spoke without much thought, Alexei couldn’t say. He considered it briefly, then let it go. Her pale green eyes were gazing at him tenderly.
“You should rest more today too. You’re still sick.”
“…”
“Drink some water.”
Asha’s hand as she poured the water was small as a child’s doll’s hand. Alexei thought this to himself, then realized: she really was five years younger than him.
“Alexei?”
The moment he drank from the offered cup obediently, a smile bloomed at the corners of her mouth. With that small, doll-like hand, she eased him back down onto the pillow, drew the blanket up, and brushed his forehead. He found brief comfort in her cool touch, then opened his eyes again.
Bandages were wound around her finger joints. Even in his feverish state, he remembered her words. Her expression was grave now.
“I cut myself making food for you. Remember? So you’d better get better soon.”
“…You also fell…”
“Fell?”
The girl tilted her head, as if the memory didn’t exist. Alexei’s lips moved wordlessly. He should apologize for pushing her, wanted to, was trying to—yet she smiled as though she already knew everything.
Then suddenly, her expression grew firm with resolve.
“Asha…Stasha?”
Alexei watched her fall silent mid-word, his expression turning slightly concerned.
Asha shook her head and ordered an attendant to bring more Candles. The one burning in the small table had burned down to half its length.
The attendant set the lit candelabrum on the table as instructed. The Candle Flame suddenly flared brighter, startling him a little, but he withdrew composedly.
“…Alexei.”
Alexei, now fully alert, tilted his head toward her.
“Yes, Anastasha. What is it?”
“I told you—it’s just that Fafnir was excited. It’s not that you can’t control it.”
A soft smile crossed Alexei’s face. The Candle Flame brightened further.

“It’s all Fafnir’s fault.”
“Right.”
Alexei seemed less to agree with or understand her words than to find solace in the tenderness behind them.
But that wasn’t what Asha wanted. She drew a deep breath and fixed her gaze on the Candle Flame.
“Fafnir, what are you doing? Apologize, quickly.”
“…Huh?”
Alexei looked confused, so Asha turned back to the Candle Flame and pressed harder.
“Fafnir, you said you’d apologize when Alexei woke up. Do it now.”

An awkward voice echoed across the table. The Candle Flame that had burned so brightly moments before now flickered, wavering on the edge of extinguishing.
‘I don’t know how to make you see me……I was wrong, Alexei. I didn’t mean to, I swear! I won’t do it again, I promise!’
Fafnir’s earnest apology followed. The Candle Flame grew brighter, until one corner of the room was flooded with light.
But then.
“……Asha?”
‘Pfft.’
Alexei’s expression remained gentle, tinged with mild confusion. It was from that moment Asha began to feel uneasy, and before she could even collect herself, Pibee burst into shrill laughter.
‘Bahahaha! You can’t hear me! You still can’t hear me!’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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