The Villainous Princess Wants to Live in a Gingerbread House - Chapter 90

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

The Villainess Princess Wants to Live in a Pastry Shop
Episode 90

While the Chief Attendant stifled his emotions, Ekaterina glanced around the room.
“I heard Tarii has returned to service as well.”
“Lately he’s been occupied with teaching a new student.”
“He took on a student? I thought he’d stopped taking disciples after his daughter caused that incident.”
“Well, when that daughter’s daughter thrust herself upon him asking to be trained, what else could he do?”
That daughter’s daughter—Ekaterina knew of her as well. Hadn’t she become the center of attention in Jedo recently? But Ekaterina’s knowledge of the girl didn’t stem solely from the rumors circulating through the capital.
‘So that Imperial Heir was the one who was said to suit Kalno recently.’
Ekaterina ventured a probe.
“What did you say her name was? Asha, was it? I’ve heard the Imperial Heir is quite brilliant.”
“Brilliant? She’s cunning as they come.”
The Emperor grumbled. Ekaterina’s expression shifted visibly with genuine surprise. The Emperor pressed his brow repeatedly, shaking his head.
“She manipulates people’s hearts without a second thought. That child is far too reckless, so much like her parents. You’d agree with me once you see her for yourself.”
“Hmm…….”
Ekaterina’s eyes narrowed into an amused smile. When someone spoke of another person as if manipulating hearts, it meant his own had already been led back and forth by hers.
Just then.
A brief sound erupted outside, then subsided. The Chief Attendant hurried out and returned, his expression somewhat flustered as he bent toward the Emperor and whispered.
“Your Majesty. The Imperial Heir Asha has just arrived…….”
“What brings her here?”
The Emperor, caught mid-conversation about Asha herself, asked with a somewhat stiff voice, trying to conceal his surprise.
“She says she baked some pastries this afternoon and wishes to present them to you. Since you have a guest, shall I accept only the pastries and send the Imperial Heir away?”
“No, that won’t do.”
Ekaterina, who had been listening quietly, waved her hand dismissively.
“Pay no mind to me. Do have her come in. Isn’t it touching? She’s made pastries for her grandfather with her own hands.”
The Emperor frowned. He had indeed just told Ekaterina moments ago that ‘you’d understand if you saw her directly.’ But when she so blatantly suggested ‘let me have a look,’ something about it felt awkward.
Still, it had been quite some time since he’d seen his granddaughter. That small creature kept dashing about here and there as if to protest that she too had her own busy affairs. The Emperor pressed his brow with his fingertips, deliberated, and finally let his shoulders sag slightly.
“……Don’t tell her there’s a guest inside. Just have her come in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The explicit instruction to say nothing of a guest stemmed from concern for his granddaughter’s temperament. This strangely considerate girl, if she heard there was a visitor, might simply turn around and leave. Soon the door opened, and a small girl with peach-pink hair came padding in with quick, light steps.

* * *

Asha had leisurely baked a newly learned pastry. Until now she had relied heavily on her own handwritten recipes, but this time she had drawn upon both the imperial bakery texts and Pavel’s fundamental baking knowledge.
What emerged from the oven were delicate crescent-shaped cookies that crumbled softly on the tongue.
She had baked them pale so the color wouldn’t deepen too much, then dusted them with powdered sugar to finish. The pastries truly resembled fragments of the full moon. She was jotting down improvements to the recipe and gathering extras to distribute around when the Emperor suddenly came to mind.
‘But it’s his birthday coming up soon, and I’ve already prepared a gift, so it should be fine to see him then, right?’
She’d been too busy attending Natalya’s tea party and Ilya’s gathering recently to see the Emperor’s face in quite some time. As she was thinking this, the powdered sugar she’d been dusting on the cookies swirled up in a pale cloud, settling over Asha’s face.
“Cough, cough! Cough!”
<It would be fine to check on her, wouldn’t it?>
<No, you mad wind spirit, what are you doing to our girl!>
As the breeze struck, Pibi, who had been drowsing while catching the sweet scent of sugar, suddenly sprang upright and cried out. Asha stood rigid in the center of the two spirits, dressed in white powdered sugar, her mouth hanging open.
“I thought spirits couldn’t exercise power without going through their contractor. Shamal is impressive…….”
<Mikhail has always blown winds like this throughout the Imperial Palace. Fafnir breathes out heat. Recently he’s grown a bit calmer, so I’ve merely been making use of some of that.>
<Why do you keep explaining? Won’t you just clear off already?>
While Pibi squawked loudly, Lis rushed over in alarm and brushed the sugar powder from her.
During this, Asha made up her mind that she should visit the Emperor with today’s cookies, which was why she was here now.
‘Hm? There was a guest?’
As Asha entered, she tilted her head in curiosity. In the Emperor’s study stood not only the Emperor, but one other person—an elderly woman with short white hair like frost, her eyes a murky violet that examined Asha as if dissecting her piece by piece.
The Emperor spoke.
“You’ve come.”
“I baked some cookies this afternoon. They came out beautifully in a crescent shape, so I wanted to bring them to you……. But who is this person……?”
As she stepped inside and naturally examined the unfamiliar guest’s face, Asha’s eyes widened. As she drew closer to the elderly woman, a familiar shadow became visible in her features.
At first came a sharp scent that seemed to drift from golden sand in a hot land. But then this cool current of air that followed—it carried the fragrance of northern snow. It was a scent Asha had encountered before.
“Wait…… Could this be…… Kalno’s Grandmother?”
“…!”
“…!”
Both the Emperor and the old woman started visibly. Asha seemed astonished that she’d guessed correctly, then quickly bowed to the woman and to Ekaterina.
“Oh! Hello, I’m Asha… Anastasia.”
“My, my. It’s rare for anyone to recognize me without knowing I’m the family matriarch. However did the Imperial Heir know?”
“What? No, it’s just that your eyes are exactly the same—I recognized you the moment I saw you. But I didn’t realize you had a guest. I should probably go…”
Asha gestured toward the door and made to leave, but Ekaterina smiled warmly and quickly stopped her.
“Not at all. Since you’re here, wouldn’t it be lovely to speak with me awhile, Anastasia? Or perhaps chatting with this old woman would be tedious?”
The Emperor watched Ekaterina’s sudden display of warmth and let out a dry laugh despite himself, though he seemed to agree with her sentiment.
“Is something urgent? I heard you’ve been having quite an enjoyable time recently.”
Asha was about to sit across from Ekaterina when she glanced at the Emperor. A document folder on his desk was quietly being lifted by wind, its pages rustling—a silent signal from Shamal that said, “See? I was right, wasn’t I?”
“But Grandfather, you’re always so busy you can’t play the Kerum Game with me.”
“I never said I wouldn’t!”
“So you will?”
“…”
“…”
“You see? You say you’re busy, but really—”
The Emperor had been about to respond to Asha’s pointed remark when he closed his mouth and sighed. Ekaterina, watching this exchange, widened her eyes in surprise, blinked several times, then narrowed them with a deep smile.
“The Imperial Heir enjoys the Kerum Game?”
Asha nodded.
“I played it for the first time when I visited Ilya’s place, and it was fun.”
“I’m fond of the Kerum Game myself. When I spent time in the North with my grandson, we played it often.”
Asha hesitated. What should she say? Shall we play a round? No, she couldn’t say that.
“If the girl’s going to play, she should play with me. Why are you trying to cut in, General?”
“Isn’t Your Majesty busy?”
“Being a general doesn’t mean you have nothing to do either.”
“What do you mean? I have more than enough time, which is why I came all the way here.”
The Emperor glared at Ekaterina with displeasure. Yet Ekaterina didn’t retreat even at his pointed glare. Asha found herself awkwardly watching the sudden clash between them and attempted to mediate.
“Then maybe we could all play together when Grandfather isn’t so busy?”
“Why would we all play together.”
“Precisely. The Imperial Heir should play with me.”
The Emperor dismissed the notion with a denial, and Ekaterina matched his stubbornness. Asha gave up trying to smooth things over between them.
“Then let’s do it at Grandfather’s birthday celebration. That way, whoever wants to play can play, right?”
“Mm.”
“And whoever loses has to write a review of the pastries we ate today.”
“What if you lose?”
The Emperor asked with his arms folded. Asha’s eyes widened—she hadn’t actually considered the possibility of losing. The Emperor chuckled dryly at her unguarded expression and spoke.
“It would be ridiculous for you to write a review of sweets if you lost, so if you lose, just write a letter instead.”
“A letter? What kind of letter?”
“That’s up to whoever writes it.”
Asha was taken aback but nodded. After all, she wasn’t going to lose anyway.

* * *

Ekaterina watched the small figure hurry from the room, then turned as she sensed the Emperor’s gaze. He spoke with a sharp expression.
“Why have you suddenly taken such interest in that child?”
“Interest? Are you suggesting I’ve been disrespectful to the Imperial Heir?”
“I didn’t know you were the warm, gentle sort of person until today.”
“I am like a mirror. I am as warm and kind to those who are warm and kind to me.”
“Ha!”
The Emperor let out an incredulous laugh. Only then did Ekaterina speak frankly.
“You said she recognized me as Kalno’s grandmother just by looking at my face—didn’t you?”
“Did that please you so much?”
“If she knew beforehand that you were receiving me and made her comment with preparation, that shows forethought and prudence. If she truly recognized me as Kalno’s grandmother from seeing my face alone, that shows keen perception. Either way, isn’t that a mark of talent?”
The Emperor folded his arms.
“The girl wouldn’t have known about your background beforehand. She has no interest in such matters.”
The “such matters” the Emperor referred to were clear. Knowing every move of the head of the Noishuetter Family—the cornerstone of power in the Empire’s North—would require her to need their influence. And there was only one reason the Imperial Heir would need that power.
Succession to the throne.

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