I Have to Try Something (2)

She must have eaten something wrong. Otherwise, there’s no way she would greet me so warmly after I treated her so coldly. No matter how kind Mari is, she’s still human. It’s natural not to be affectionate towards someone who caused you to be depressed.

This isn’t just my brain’s conjecture, but something actually proven. No, until just a while ago, she was incredibly depressed. To the point where even I felt sorry for her. I had just barely managed to steel my heart and make resolutions for the future, but suddenly she’s acting like nothing happened… What’s going on?

“Have you already had dinner?”

“…Yes.”

“Then, perhaps you haven’t had dessert yet?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Please wait a moment.”

The sight of her smiling brightly and rushing to the kitchen somehow gives me an ominous feeling. No, wait a minute. Surely she’s not going to do what I think she’s going to do?

Sure enough, Mari unpacked her belongings and started taking out very familiar items.

‘Chocolate, almonds, powder…’

What’s this? They’re just ordinary ingredients. Is she planning to eat something she wants in the room? There’s nothing against the rules about that. Although the academy provides dinner, it’s fine to eat separately if you don’t like the menu or strongly crave something. Since there’s a kitchen, there’s no problem eating in the room.

But Mari had never skipped academy meals before. No matter what the menu was, she always ate in the dining hall, and unless she made it herself or was given it, she rarely ate desserts. Even though her roommate had changed to me, that point hadn’t particularly changed.

‘No, wait a minute.’

I should have noticed from the presence of powder, those are all cookie ingredients!

Not long ago, Mari had promised to bake cookies for me. I should have refused then, but remembering the descriptions I saw in the original story, I unconsciously accepted, which now seems like a very foolish thing.

Once it fell through because of someone named Vera or Berry or something, and for a while we were both too busy with assignments, but now that the weekend is coming up, it’s about time we’d have some leisure.

But at this timing? Seriously? Aren’t you angry? Are you a saint or a fool?

Whether she knew I was confused or not, Mari was calmly making cookie dough. You might think it would take a long time to start making them now, but that oven is also a magical tool. To be honest, I’m not an expert so I’m not sure about the quality, but in terms of baking time, it’s superior to modern ovens. Using that, well… it would take at most 30 minutes to an hour to bake.

Watching Mari make cookies, I made an indescribable expression. How do I know without a mirror? Because the muscles in my face are definitely making that shape right now.

“Ah, are there any flavors you dislike?”

What on earth is she thinking? How can she have such a smiling face after being treated like that today? Was there no effect? No, that can’t be. Even though I didn’t bully her intentionally, she looked so depressed. How can she smile so brightly now?

Could she be enduring it? Is she thinking, “It’s okay just this once,” or something like that? If so, it means there was an effect, which should be something to be happy about, but… for some reason, I strongly feel that’s not the case. Mari was smiling sincerely right now.

Why? For what reason?

“Lady Walpurgis?”

“Y-Yes?”

Seeing her face suddenly so close, I unconsciously backed away. G-Goodness! When did she get so close? Of course, it’s not like she came right up to my nose or anything, but it’s enough to be surprised when someone who was far away in the kitchen suddenly comes to the distance across from me.

I’m not particularly faint-hearted! I’m saying even other people would be surprised at this distance. Anyway, that’s how it is.

“Is there any flavor you dislike?”

“Ah, no. Not particularly.”

“Is that so? I understand.”

From Mari’s back as she returned to the kitchen with a bright smile, an undisguisable joy could be felt. Mari was in a very good mood right now. Even I could easily tell.

I really can’t understand. Why is she in such a good mood? Did something good happen in the meantime? Did someone appear and badmouth me? No, she wouldn’t be in such a good mood just from someone badmouthing me. Then what is it?

‘I don’t know. I really don’t know.’

I can tell where Mari went from what she’s doing now, but somehow it feels like there’s something more than just that. But given the time, it would have been impossible for her to leisurely do something else somewhere? Did she meet someone while buying cookie ingredients and have a nice conversation or something?

This won’t do. No matter how much I think about it, I can’t come to a conclusion. My brain is working at full capacity for the first time in a while, establishing and comparing all sorts of possibilities, but I can’t come up with an answer that feels right! This won’t do. There’s too little information. If this continues, I’ll be stuck in the same place forever.

No, really, why is she acting like this?

While Ariel was thoroughly confused, Mari was currently in a very good mood. Because Ariel wasn’t giving off a gloomy atmosphere and was answering all her questions, unlike before.

She didn’t know why Ariel had been troubled, but she was glad it seemed to be resolved now. Mari sincerely thought so. Then all she could do was try to lift her mood a little. For that, she rushed to buy ingredients to make the cookies she couldn’t serve last time.

‘I wonder if it will suit her taste.’

Considering her status as the Walpurgis Duke’s daughter, she must have eaten good things since childhood. She might have eaten from incredible shops that even most nobles would know by name, or there might be someone at home who makes cookies for her.

Perhaps her cookies, made by a mere country girl, might only ruin Ariel’s palate? Fear suddenly took over. Back home, everyone said they were delicious, and even merchants who occasionally came praised them as a taste they had never experienced even in the capital, but Ariel might have lived eating even more delicious things.

‘But, since she said it’s okay… maybe I can try?’

The shamelessness in her heart starts to peek out. Maybe, just maybe, she might like the cookies she made and say they’re delicious. She might be able to help in this small way. Even though she’s so insignificant and plain, she might be able to help Ariel, a duke’s daughter.

‘No, no! I shouldn’t think like this!’

The cookies are just being given as a gesture of goodwill and to fulfill a promise. It’s not good to attach unnecessary meaning to it. They say that when cooking, the result changes according to the cook’s state of mind. Thinking about that, this dough could be considered a failure.

‘Should I throw it away?’

No matter what, I can’t give her a failed product. But when I thought about throwing it away, it felt too wasteful. It’s not inedible, just a small mistake while making it, so to throw it away immediately… It’s something I would never have considered back home.

‘I should eat this myself.’

In the end, Mari started making the dough again. Unlike before, without any thoughts, just with the hope that the eater would enjoy it.

“It’s ready.”

When Mari brought the finished cookies, Ariel looked up at her with an expression that seemed unsure of what to say. Somehow, looking at her like this, it felt somewhat different from what she had known until now. It might be disrespectful, but should she say that the lady in front of her looked cute…

‘No, what am I thinking.’

Mari secretly smoothed her chest at the disrespectful(?) thought that she had almost looked at her like a little sister.

But how should she describe Ariel’s current appearance? The unapproachable atmosphere she usually gave off wasn’t felt at all. It was as if a veil that had been hiding her had been lifted. It felt fresh in many ways.

“What’s that?”

Ariel pointed at the failed cookies Mari had set aside for herself.

“Ah, these are mistakes I made while baking. They’re too embarrassing to give to you, Lady Walpurgis.”

“I don’t mind.”

“But no matter what, to give you…”

As Mari hesitated, Ariel paused for some reason. Was it an illusion? It seemed like Ariel momentarily made an extremely agonized expression.

“…Alright.”

What did she mean by alright? Before Mari could express her confusion at the sudden mumbling, Ariel started eating the cookies held out to her.

‘Ah.’

Ariel’s expression changed as she savored the taste of the cookie. Softly curved eyes, slightly rising corners of her mouth, she started to give off a bright atmosphere as if spring had come in winter.

Even at a glance, it was clear that it was a good atmosphere. It was proof itself that her cookies had not failed. But what was most surprising was what came next.

“Delicious.”

Seeing her gently smile as if she was happy, Mari couldn’t tell if what she was seeing was real.