The Villainous Princess Wants to Live in a Gingerbread House - Chapter 86

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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 Imperial Heir Wants to Live in a Pastry Shop
Chapter 86

“That’s right. I’ve never tasted it before.”
“That’s surprising, somehow.”
Asha tilted her head. Kalno had enlisted early and even fought in a war, so she’d assumed that even at fifteen, he would have sampled wine at least once. Kalno flicked the tip of her nose with his finger.
“No one offered me any.”
“Really?”
“They probably thought something terrible would happen if I got drunk.”
At those words, Asha gazed up at Kalno as if under a spell, then suddenly snapped back to herself.
“Right, of course. If the Deputy Commander got drunk, it would be a disaster.”
…….
“In any case, this won’t do. If you say later that it tastes good, I’ll give you some then. Drink it with Grandmother instead. Understood?”
With that, Asha closed the lid of the glass jar again. Kalno looked between Asha and the counter, then twisted his lips slightly.
“So, I came to play the Kerum Game, which held no interest for me, for the sake of Your Imperial Heir, was dragged back to the Palace, brewed wine, and now I’m being sent away empty-handed.”
“That’s not true!”
Asha waggled her fingers and broke into a bright smile.
“The Kerum Game had no interest, but once I tried it, it was fun! Right? And brewing wine—once I tried it, that was fun too. With you here, everything just goes so smoothly and easily. It’s so convenient and wonderful. Later when I grow up, should we try distilling our own spirits?”
“The Palace houses a young drunkard, it seems.”
“And I’m not empty-handed either!”
Asha took both of Kalno’s hands in hers and wrapped her hands around his, beaming at him.
“Our sweet, cherished memories are right here in my heart, aren’t they?”
…….
…….
Kalno looked down at Asha with a cool expression. Asha laughed awkwardly.
“I’ll… I’ll bake you a Lime Pie.”
…….
“Oh! Shall I walk you home?”
…….
“Um, well…”
Asha withdrew her hands carefully, looking embarrassed. Only then did Kalno let out a soft laugh.
“All right.”
“You mean… walk you home?”
“Oh, I was just speaking off the cuff?”
“No, I meant every word! Really!”
“The Lime Pie is appreciated, Your Imperial Heir.”
“I’ll bake you a large batch along with the wine. I promise.”
At Asha’s solemn vow, Kalno’s expression grew thoughtful once more.
“When you make such promises, there should be a Token of Promise.”
“A Token of Promise?”
“If you’d rather not.”
“No, no, who said anything about not wanting to? Kalno, stop being so coy.”
Asha said this and hurriedly looked around. She could see nothing suitable to serve as a token of her vow, though she rummaged even through her pockets. Kalno, watching her panic quietly, tilted his head.
“If you truly have nothing, you could give a ribbon.”
“A ribbon?”
Kalno gestured with his chin toward Asha’s hair. She wore a small Sky-Blue Ribbon on each side of her head.
“This? You need this? What would you use it for?”
Asha asked even as she obediently began to untie the ribbon, and Kalno clicked his tongue.
“Why ask what a Token of Promise is used for?”
“So you’ll keep this safe, and when I bake you the Lime Pie, you give it back?”
“…I’ll return it if you want it back.”
“It’s not that I want it back—these ribbons are supposed to be worn one on each side. If I only give you one, it’ll look unbalanced…”
Asha paused in her thought, then untied the other ribbon as well.
“There! On impulse, I’m giving you both! Here—the left is the sincerity of Anastasia the Imperial Heir, and the right is the trust of Anastasia the Imperial Heir.”
Asha smiled with satisfaction as she placed both ribbons into Kalno’s hand. Kalno gazed quietly at the Sky-Blue Ribbons resting in his palm, then smiled softly and tucked them into his coat. Then he bent slightly and pressed a kiss to the back of Asha’s hand before straightening.
“Then I shall look forward to the Lime Pie.”
“Stop tickling me, Kalno.”
“Sigh…….”
“Don’t you dare sigh at me.”

* * *

Valery gazed down from the window. In the falling dusk, servants were clearing up after today’s social gathering.
“So……. Ilya was pleased?”
“Yes. He said he hadn’t expected so many people to come.”
The Butler reported quietly on the day’s events. Valery pressed his furrowed brow and swallowed a sigh.
“I owe my brother a debt.”
“Ilya said he’d like it if everyone could gather together again next time and play the Kerum Game…….”
The Butler trailed off. Valery hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand.
“If he’s truly become close with them, one of them will invite him themselves. Dispose of the balls and cues now.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the Butler left, Valery drank brandy straight from the bottle with a sigh. The flour-based pastry product he’d created to win over Fiyod, the Imperial Head Chef, had managed to build some goodwill with him while helping his household finances.
Of course, it hadn’t sold well because of the product’s quality. The eldest prince had died young, the second showed interest in nothing, and the youngest had abandoned everything and disappeared, leaving only Valery—which was precisely why it sold at all. Nobles and officials had purchased it as insurance against an uncertain future. Because of this, even when small problems arose with the flour product, they’d been smoothed over.
But how dare a gossip magazine write a full spread about a minor problem with something the Imperial Family had invested in? And when Valery received , he grasped immediately what had happened.
‘Alexei……! That damned nephew.’
This was undoubtedly Alexei’s doing. Valery had also discovered that Marquess Tataritcha’s wife had been the spark, but she too would already be connected to the Imperial Heir.
It was common knowledge throughout Jedo how tenderly the Imperial Heir doted on his cousin sister. The rumors went so far as to say that Imperial Heir Anastasia carried her without ever letting her walk on her own feet. It was clear he’d retaliated after realizing that Valery had been scheming against the shop connected to a cousin he cherished so dearly.
‘Damn it all.’
Why did nothing ever go according to plan? Valery dragged a hand across his face. He’d thought a newspaper article in some cheap gossip rag was hardly a catastrophe. But the scandal spread like wildfire.
What had appeared in moved to , and people he didn’t even know began exposing the factory’s actual conditions.
The restaurants that had been choking down the flavorless flour product welcomed the opportunity to switch to other brands, and the factory shut its doors. The bad reputation ballooned in an instant, threatening to consume Valery entirely. He had to exhaust his entire fortune to contain the damage.
‘……And even with matters in this state, Father…….’
His reputation lay in ruins, his coffers were empty, and all he could manage was to host a single social gathering for his son—yet there was no signal from the Emperor.
He hadn’t even reprimanded the grandson who had reduced his uncle to this state. Valery had never expected the Emperor to act otherwise. But this time, surely he would call for him and rebuke him, he’d thought. After all, he’d damaged the dignity of the Imperial Family. His miscalculation had been complete. The honor of Marquess Shapirokin occupied no stake in the dignity of the Imperial Family whatsoever. Nor did it occupy any of the Emperor’s concern.
Pitiful, suffocating emotions swirled within him. Until his youngest brother Yuriye was born, Valery had believed his father to be a stern and cold man. He received no praise for doing well, but interpreted the absence of anger at his mistakes as a form of affection and love.
He’d been wrong.
His brother seemed afraid of nothing. He wouldn’t do what he didn’t want to do, no matter what anyone said. Even when their father raged and acted as if he’d beat him to death.
It was then that Valery learned the Emperor could rage like this. And he learned too that the Emperor felt anger or gave rare smiles only for his youngest son.
When the eldest son died, the Emperor had composed himself after a brief sorrow. But when the youngest son uttered crude words before him and left Jedo, the Emperor dwelt on that wound for a long time.
Valery understood. He had never once received his father’s true attention. From some point, he’d shuddered at that wretchedness, but from another point onward, that wretchedness faded and only rage remained, driving him forward.
“Damn it, Father was always like that…… but why am I still…….”
Yet now, in this moment of exhaustion watching the setting sun while drinking brandy, he suddenly felt the desire to distance himself from that rage and wretchedness.
He’d spent his whole life searching through the forest for one rare bird to place in his own cage, and now it occurred to him that perhaps this forest had never held that bird from the beginning.
Only now, only at last…….
Valery drained the remaining brandy. He tasted nothing. Instead, the image of his youngest nephew came to mind. That small nephew with clear, pale green eyes who had made pastries for him.

* * *

Asha stood with her hands clasped, watching the people before her with a nervous expression. There was Sarato, a baron who’d brought the contract regarding the Pibi Powder, Pavel, who’d spared a moment at Asha’s request, and Asha’s maid Lis, standing in a row with small glasses in their hands. The three looked at each other and brought the fruit liqueur to their lips.
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
The moment came the sound of a swallow, and all three opened their eyes wide in surprise. Asha relaxed without even asking how it tasted. There was no need to hear words when starlight was bursting and sparkling right before her eyes.
“Ah~! I’m so glad. I was excited to make it, but I wasn’t old enough to taste it myself, you see.”
“Y-Your Highness. What is this?”
Baron Sarato asked urgently, his hand covering his mouth. Pavel was already attempting to smell the lingering fragrance in the empty glass. Asha smiled warmly and answered.
“Chasling Wine I made myself. One year vintage. Now this.”
“This is……?”
“Chasling Wine I made myself. Ten years vintage.”
“What? Then Your Highness would have had to begin making the wine at the moment of your birth?”
“There are secrets to everything. So now, do taste it.”
Asha poured the ten-year vintage into fresh glasses. The three tilted their heads but emptied their glasses, and their eyes widened once more.
“Excellent, excellent. This one succeeds too. The last is thirty years vintage.”
Asha savored every last drop, and watching the three of them struggle to hide their regret, her expression became serene.

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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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