Ch.132Chapter 132. St. Valentine’s Day (1)

Chocolate?

So that’s what this brown dumpling-like confection is called.

“No, thank you, but my financial situation…”

“Today we’re having a tasting event, so we’re not charging! Please, go ahead and try one.”

Irene accepted the brown dumpling-shaped confection called chocolate from the woman.

Though it was an unfamiliar treat…

‘Huh?’

An incredibly sweet aroma fiercely stimulated her nose.

Thanks to that, she could naturally put it in her mouth without any resistance.

And just by rolling the chocolate around in her mouth a few times—

A new world of flavor she had never experienced before unfolded.

“…!!”

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

Irene’s pupils dilated slightly.

One hand naturally cupped her cheek.

It was sweet.

So sweet that she didn’t even notice she was making such a girlish gesture.

No, to be precise, it was sweet with a slightly bitter undertone.

With perhaps a spoonful or two of nuttiness mixed in?

Above all, that bitter element served as the perfect accent, elevating the confection’s quality.

As she continued savoring the taste, it melted away all too quickly.

It melted much faster than candy, almost like eating cream, she thought.

“Did you say this confection is called chocolate? It’s very delicious.”

“What? Oh… Sir Knight, you seem unfamiliar with chocolate. Are you perhaps not from the North?”

“That’s right. I haven’t been here long.”

“I see! This is a confection called chocolate! It’s a specialty from the northern regions. It’s extremely popular for its sweet taste. Saint Valentine’s Day is coming soon. In preparation, our shop has specially made these with hazelnuts mixed in. What do you think?”

“It’s truly delicious. A confection of exceptional quality.”

“Hehe. Your praise gives me strength. Let’s see, since chocolate seems new to you… Here! I’ll give you a few more.”

“No… that’s really not necessary.”

“Come now. Don’t be shy, take them.”

Irene reluctantly accepted about three well-packaged chocolates from the beaming woman.

Honestly… having already tasted chocolate, Irene couldn’t resist such a powerful temptation.

Perhaps because she had always lived a life of restraint regarding all pleasures.

She was particularly weak for sweet things. It was one of her weaknesses she wished to hide.

As Irene tucked them away, she thought.

Hazelnuts.

So the source of that nutty flavor was hazelnuts.

No, more importantly…

“Excuse me, but I’d like to ask something else.”

“By all means!”

Judging by how she smiled without showing any sign of annoyance, this woman was quite professional.

Especially considering this was just a simple tasting event.

“What is Saint Valentine’s Day?”

“It’s a memorial day and festival in the northern regions. It’s our busiest day, when we sell tremendous amounts of chocolate.”

“Really? Is it a day for eating chocolate?”

“More than that, it’s a day when women give chocolate to men they’re indebted to! When that day comes, women who want to express their feelings buy lots of chocolate, naturally making it our busiest time!”

Huh?

Women giving confections to men they’re indebted to…?

“If you have someone you’d like to give a gift to, Sir Knight, please do visit our shop!”

After parting with the smiling female shop employee who saw her off.

Irene couldn’t easily walk away, standing still and lost in thought.

‘Women giving gifts to men… perhaps this could be…’

Irene Juliette.

Before being an excellent general, she was a woman with a man in her heart.

The mind of this warrior who always preferred direct action over excessive thinking was now spinning faster than ever before.

*

Clunk.

With the sound of the door opening, a woman’s voice was heard.

“Ah, w-welcome back!”

Reika was there to greet Irene as she returned to her quarters after completing her mission.

Silin, who had shared the room with them, had been dispatched to another castle temporarily.

So the spacious three-person room was being used by Reika alone.

Knowing that Reika must have been quite lonely by herself, Irene smiled at her warm welcome.

“Mm.”

Then, wordlessly, she handed over the chocolate confections from her pocket.

“What’s this…?”

“Confections. They were giving them out up ahead.”

Reika carefully unwrapped the packaging.

“Ah… this is chocolate, isn’t it?”

“Oh? You already knew what this is?”

“Yes. Isn’t it a type of confection eaten in the northern continent? I have an interest in making confections, so I know what they look like. Though this is my first time seeing one in person…”

Come to think of it, she was a daughter of the Nighthart family.

She would be in a position to obtain such confections as much as she wanted.

“Let me see… *munch*. …Wow, this is delicious?!”

“Isn’t it?”

“Yes! Amazing… the standards in the northern continent are no joke. Is it because the old imperial capital is there…?”

Recently, Reika had become able to speak naturally in front of Irene without stammering.

Sometimes she felt even more comfortable with her than with Swen, who had been her teacher.

Being both women was part of it, but Irene’s efforts to make her feel comfortable was certainly another reason.

“Oh, I’m being selfish… Irene, please have some too.”

“Hm? No, I’m fine…”

Despite saying so… Irene, unable to resist the temptation of chocolate, accepted one piece and put it in her mouth again.

After spending some lovely time together.

Irene casually mentioned what had been on her mind to Reika.

“Saint Valentine’s Day…?”

“Yes. It’s a memorial day celebrated in the northern continent, where women give chocolate to men they’re indebted to.”

“Really? Sounds quite romantic… I heard people from the northern continent generally give the impression of being cold to others and less emotional.”

“Is that so? That’s news to me. Lady Reika, you seem to have quite a variety of knowledge.”

At Irene’s words, Reika smiled awkwardly and said.

“When I was confined at home, all I could do was read books… So I read everything I could get my hands on. In the end, it’s all just bits and pieces I picked up.”

“I see? Anyway… ahem, ahem.”

Irene covered her mouth with her hand, cleared her throat a few times, and carefully began to speak.

Or more precisely… attempted to speak.

‘…’

For some reason, voicing the plan she had conceived felt incredibly difficult.

Much more difficult than facing a powerful enemy on the battlefield with a sword in hand.

After watching Irene’s hesitation for a while… Reika tilted her head slightly and said.

“Do you perhaps want to give chocolate to Swen?”

“*COUGH!*”

*Cough, cough*… *hack*.

Coughing as if possessed, Reika asked in alarm.

“I-Irene…? Are you alright?!”

“Ah… y-yes. I’m fine. It’s just, um… well.”

Why…

Why was it so difficult to express honest feelings?

“I…”

Nevertheless, mustering as much courage as possible, she slowly nodded.

Her face was completely flushed, looking every bit like a young girl.

“I see. I think it’s a good idea. As soon as I heard about it… I thought of Master first.”

By Master, she must mean Swen.

She had heard that when Reika was part of the Aeshus army, Swen had served as her magic teacher.

“Well. So… I wanted to ask… what you think about it.”

Seeing Irene stumble over her words just like she herself usually did, Reika wondered if this was how she appeared to others.

Since Irene had been patient and kind to her… shouldn’t she do the same?

“I think it’s a wonderful idea…!”

“R-really? A wonderful idea… um, well, hmm. I’m a bit worried that Swen might find it bothersome…”

“Not at all…! I think he’ll be very happy. At least if I were Swen, I would be truly delighted…!”

“Really…?”

The brave female knight who normally seemed fearless was now wide-eyed, unable to hide her embarrassment.

She had heard that Irene had played a decisive role in the defense of the Western Fortress of Valhart Castle.

Yet that same person… appeared more vulnerable than any woman when it came to the man named Swen.

Reika thought this side of her was incredibly endearing.

Irene was surely destined to be Swen’s first wife.

Could I ever follow someone who loves like this?

Could I ever share such love with Master… with Swen?

‘…No.’

This wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

For the sake of Irene who always looked after her, she needed to help her somehow.

“I think it’s a great idea, so let’s put it into action right away…! Let’s give chocolate to Swen together…!”

*

The next day.

“You’ve sold out…?”

“Oh my, the knight has returned, and I’m truly sorry. With Saint Valentine’s Day approaching, they sold out in no time.”

Returning to the same shop, she found that the new hazelnut-flavored chocolates were already sold out.

To Irene, who couldn’t hide her disappointment, the employee carefully suggested.

“Um, we still have some of our regular chocolates left, how about these…?”

“Then I’ll take these instead…”

After purchasing the square-shaped chocolates from the shop owner—

She and Reika shared a small piece right there.

“Hmm… something seems a bit off.”

“It does feel like something’s missing… though the sweetness is still nice.”

While it was certainly a delicious confection in its own right—

It was disappointing not to be able to share with Swen the full experience she had felt when first tasting chocolate.

Without the nutty flavor, it seemed somewhat incomplete… but having anything left was better than nothing.

‘If I had made up my mind right away yesterday, I could have bought them on the spot…’

She regretted hesitating even for a moment.

But with the holiday approaching, it couldn’t be helped.

“…I suppose there’s no choice. I should give him these anyway.”

Irene said with a bitter smile.

Seeing her somewhat melancholic profile… Reika blurted out emotionally.

“No… Irene.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s make them ourselves!”

Reika grasped Irene’s hands firmly as she spoke.

“R-Reika…?”

Irene looked into Reika’s pink eyes.

An enthusiastic passion she had never seen before was burning beyond those eyes.

“Irene! Let’s make chocolate together that’s even more delicious than what we first tasted!”