The Villainous Princess Wants to Live in a Gingerbread House - Chapter 33

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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 Villainess Princess Wants to Live in a Pastry Shop
Chapter 33

– What difference is there between Father and a monster? Now I understand why the darkness of the Northern Region doesn’t dare invade the Empire! It couldn’t dare approach! Because the Empire harbors something even more vicious than itself!

He had once dismissed his son’s thoughtless words as nothing at all, yet here he stood, nearly ten years later, and the words came back to him with startling clarity.
“Is there truly a monster so easily unsettled by such a trifle?”
All because a single granddaughter had taken ill. The Emperor wished to confront Youngest Son about it, but he abandoned the thought just as quickly and reached for other documents instead. Soon enough—with the arrival of spring—great change would come between the Empire and the Elves of Noctis in the Northern Region.

* * *

Asha opened her eyes after four days of illness.
“You’ve grown so terribly pale…….”
“It’s just from lying in bed.”
At Asha’s dignified reassurance, Lis’s eyes grew wet. Asha could only laugh awkwardly in response.
“Your Highness, Lord Kalno Neuishtetter has come to call upon you.”
“……?”
If she had grown pale, it was not because of her illness, but because of this news she had just received in this very moment.
“What…… what should we do?”
The maid had reported it while Lis was away fetching rice porridge, her face drained of color. Asha’s eyes widened. At first she thought she had simply misheard the name. But it soon became clear that she had not. No one had stopped him—Kalno Neuishtetter himself had opened the door and entered her chamber.
‘Gasp.’
And what was more—he was carrying flowers.
A lavish bouquet of cream-toned Ranunculi mixed with blush pink, Roses, and delicate Lavender blooms gathered together. The moment Asha took in both the bouquet and Kalno in a single glance, she nearly had a fit.
“Since……dawn? Why on earth are you here?”
Kalno seemed to have objections to the word “dawn,” but aware of his own unannounced arrival, he refrained from commenting on it.
“……How is your body feeling?”
Once Asha had regained her composure, she pouted her lips. The memory of that night came flooding back. A teapot and orange juice arrived for her in the meantime.
Asha caught a glimpse of the maid’s hand trembling as she poured tea for Kalno, but he seemed entirely unbothered.
“Oh—no, it feels like everything hurts. I had a fever, I coughed, my ankle is sprained and sore, my wrist hurts too.”
The teapot and teacup clinked together, but Kalno spoke without minding it.
“It seems to be because you are still so small.”
“……Why did you even come here?”
Kalno gripped the bouquet more tightly. Watching his carefully restrained emotions, Asha discerned that he was somewhat tense.
‘What is he trying to say that he’s this nervous…….’
“I came to apologize.”
“Pardon?”
Asha tilted her head in confusion.
“Apologize?”
When Asha looked at him blankly, Kalno extended the bouquet he had been holding. It was the maid’s duty to receive items intended for her mistress, but the maid’s hands trembled again as she tried to take them. Unable to bear it any longer, Asha snatched the bouquet from Kalno’s hands and hugged it to her chest. “What are you apologizing for?”

Kalno stared blankly at the flowers in her arms for a moment, then straightened himself and spoke with formal courtesy.
“What happened several days ago was not intentional. I was simply too startled…… I beg your pardon for injuring Your Highness.”
“…….”
Had she been clinging too tightly to the label of “someone who might kill me in the future”? Asha reflected a little. She never could have imagined that Kalno would visit her to offer an apology. Even if it was an extraordinarily stiff one.
Feeling suddenly embarrassed, Asha stroked the bouquet she had snatched so roughly.
“……Well, I suppose so. I did approach rather suddenly, but to push a person away like that……”
“…….”
“You made it sound like I was going to devour you whole.”
“…….”
“Because of that, my wrist aches and my ankle aches, and I can barely walk.”
Unwilling to offer honeyed words of self-deprecation, Asha aired her grievances in rapid succession, and Kalno remained silent before adding his own words.
“If there is any inconvenience in your movements, I shall assist you. ……If Your Highness so wishes.”
“Really?”
‘Even if I die, I won’t suffer unfairly!’
Asha’s eyes sparkled like stars.
The emotion surrounding Kalno flickered, but since it was clearly not murderous intent, Asha attributed it to the indignation of someone who had unjustly borne the brunt of blame, and released a sigh of relief.

* * *

The lady’s maid standing beside her had been looking half-faint the entire time, so Asha decided to leave her in the room. The maid received Asha’s instructions to tell Lis that she and Kalno had stepped out briefly, and her expression was stained with some unnamed dread and worry.
Asha made a mental note to ask the maid about it when she returned, then left the room with Kalno. It was because Asha had mentioned wanting to bake pastries but couldn’t because she’d twisted her wrist.
After leaving the room, Kalno stood silently for a moment, and Asha asked him a question.
“What is it? Aren’t we going to the kitchen?”
When she looked up at him with an expression that seemed to say ‘Aren’t you being too much of a gentleman?’, Kalno frowned and looked away from her gaze.
“I hope you don’t regret this.”
“Ouch, my ankle…”
“If you wish, I can carry you.”
Asha hesitated for a moment, then decided to be mischievous about it. If he came to apologize, would he really try to catch her in a trap like this?
“But you know, I’m quite heavy. Wouldn’t that be a burden for you?”
“That’s no trouble at all.”
She’d thought such crude provocation would have no effect, but unexpectedly he responded. Still, Asha didn’t back down and extended both arms—a sign for him to carry her on his back. Kalno raised an eyebrow. Asha grinned broadly.
“I must weigh about as much as a sack of grain. Won’t that be really hard on you?”
“…”
But when Kalno actually turned his back toward her, teasing as she was, a whisper rose from deep within Asha’s inner self—’This is your last chance to stop.’ Reason and honor spoke to her. Asha chose not to hear that voice at all.
“Here goes!”
She threw herself at him deliberately, but Kalno didn’t sway and easily caught her on his back.
“Well, hmm. You’re stronger than I thought.”
“Am I?”
“Yes, I’m impressed.”
“I’m impressed as well.”
Asha glanced at the side of his face. Whatever he meant, it definitely wasn’t going to be something kind…
“What is it?”
“By your behavior—the way you sacrifice your own dignity without hesitation if it means troubling me. It was quite striking.”
“And by your behavior, the way you willingly exert your strength for my dignity, I find equally striking.”
For a moment, Asha considered grabbing his hair. She hesitated, then let it go. Instead, eyes blazing with determination, she decided what pastry she would make with him.
‘I choose you!’

* * *

On the way to the kitchen with Asha carried on Kalno’s back, Pibi—who had vanished early that morning—flew down onto her shoulder and slipped into the buttonhole of her dress.
‘Pibi!’

‘Ah, no, it’s not like that. This guy was bullying me, so I’m making him suffer a little.>’

‘…Whose spirit are you exactly?’

‘Dacquoise!’
Dacquoise was a small pastry made by whipping egg white into stiff peaks like cream, then mixing in almond flour or hazelnut flour and baking. It was known for its crisp exterior and rich, nutty flavor—but whipping egg white into stiff peaks was no simple matter. Especially not with this tangled mess of twigs that passed for a whisk.

‘Since the pastry itself is sweet and nutty, the buttercream inside should be tart—maybe lemon or orange?’
From near her ear, she heard what sounded like Pibi’s satisfied laugh.
‘This creature secretly likes sweets too, I see…’
When they arrived at the kitchen, Pavel provided all the shock that thirty servants might have offered had they been standing in the way.
“Your—Your Highness? Why are you being carried? Are you hurt? When Lis came by with the soup earlier, there was no mention of this?! And wait, this person is… surely…”
“Oh, right? Our paths must have crossed. Anyway, Pavel—ahem, Pavel! Say hello. This is Kalno Neuishtetter, who’s helping me today. Kalno, this is Pavel, the head chef of Taimir Palace.”
“…”
“…”
At Asha’s introduction while still being carried, neither man said anything. Kalno soon let out a deep sigh and set Asha down.
“Pavel? For today’s pastry, I need egg white… Pavel?”
Asha tilted her head.
Pavel’s face had gone ashen, even paler than when he’d first learned of her identity. He didn’t seem to have heard the part about the egg white at all.
“K-Kalno… Neuishtetter… you’re coming to the kitchen? Why, I mean, what exactly are you…”
“To help with the cooking. My wrist is swollen like this.”
“Pardon? I don’t see any swelling on that wrist… Wouldn’t it be better if I helped you instead?”
“No, it won’t work.”
“Why not?!”
Of course Asha had some scheme in mind—making Kalno Neuishtetter wield that whisk until his arm gave out. She kept her true thoughts to herself and instead pushed Pavel to fetch eggs, almond flour, sugar, and whatever else she needed. Kalno stood a pace away, arms crossed, watching her with quiet interest.

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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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