So, the whipped cream…

A firm yet warm, strong sensation was felt in my left hand.

…It was Claudia’s hand, of all people.

She had interlocked her fingers with mine with such force that I wondered if my fingers might get crushed if she applied just a little more pressure, and she stuck close to my side.

Even though she was holding on tightly, it didn’t really hurt… but I felt a little embarrassed.

Perhaps she was in a good mood from going out together, as a fragrant soap scent wafted from her swaying tail.

And… from my right, a warm and soft sensation was felt.

It was Cecil, clinging tightly to my arm.

When I looked at her, feeling a little troubled, she just giggled and rubbed her body against me, so I couldn’t say anything.

‘It’s not that I feel bad…’

It was more accurate to say I felt good, but… somehow, my face flushed from the lukewarm gazes of those around us.

Thinking that if I were in my old body, sharp gazes would have pierced me instead of lukewarm ones… I was confused whether I should be happy about this or sad.

Anyway, carrying the ‘flowers in both hands,’ each with a different charm, where had we come?

We had come to the Port City we visited last time.

The reason… well, it wasn’t particularly special.

It was for Veronica-nim, who had fed me milk-no, milk-while I was out of my mind, and then developed a fever… I came to buy dessert.

Thinking that all the reddish marks I saw on her were from my bites, I couldn’t properly look at Veronica-nim’s face.

Out of guilt, I massaged Veronica-nim’s hands and feet and even spoon-fed her soup myself. With her face flushed from fever, she told me she wanted dessert from the Port City and sent me out.

I thought it might be Veronica-nim’s own consideration to ask me specifically, even though she could have sent a servant.

It probably meant for me to not worry about her being sick and to enjoy sightseeing the city, which I hadn’t fully explored last time.

Just looking at the sea from the Veranda was enough, but… still, thinking of actually going out made my heart flutter a little.

Because we had only bought things and left immediately last time, I did feel a little regret.

‘…I somewhat expected the two of them to follow.’

But clinging to me like this and walking around was unexpected.

…Still, though.

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

Perhaps because I had drunk milk, my body quickly recovered, and I walked through the streets with the two people who occupied both my sides.

Master stayed behind at the mansion, perhaps worried about Veronica-nim, who had fed me mo-no, milk.

‘…Or maybe she just found going outside bothersome.’

As I walked, recalling Master sitting beside Veronica-nim and reading a book, I felt the salty air from the gently blowing wind.

Just being near the sea was enough to feel this much, when suddenly, a savory aroma wafted gently from somewhere.

I looked around, searching for the source of the smell, and tall Claudia pointed somewhere with her free hand.

Following her finger, I saw a street vendor grilling fish on wooden skewers.

It was my first time seeing fish grilled like that in person, so I found myself staring intently without realizing it. Claudia chuckled and asked,

“Shall we have one?”

“Ah, um…”

“It’s a common fish caught around here, so it’s cheap and tastes good.”

“It smells wonderful!”

…Did I stare too hard?

Having tasted rare fish prepared diligently by the mansion’s servants, I wasn’t particularly moved, but… thinking of it as similar to eating chicken skewers at a festival, or sugar-coated fruit at a festival in a faraway country, as seen in mass media from my past life, I thought I might feel a little left out if I didn’t eat one.

After a moment of thought, I nodded, and Claudia, nodding with a somewhat satisfied expression, led us.

…Though, to be precise, ‘being dragged along’ might be a more accurate description.

Anyway.

Like a sandwich squeezed between the two of them, we headed towards the source of the smell, and we arrived at a shop that felt quite neat, almost too good to be called a mere stall.

A friendly-looking man was diligently grilling fish on wooden skewers with a serious expression.

As we got closer, a fragrant smell wafted from the fish, which had cuts in it and seemed to have something brushed on it.

Now that we were right in front of it, my mouth watered, and it looked truly delicious.

With both hands held, I couldn’t order, so I waved my hand. Claudia shook her head and pulled out Money from her pocket.

‘…If she’s buying, there’s no need to refuse.’

Besides, if I were to hold the skewer, they’d have to let go of my hands anyway.

As Claudia paid, the fish-grilling man said with a kind smile,

“Oh my, with such beautiful ladies gracing my shop, the front of the store feels brighter! I’ve specially picked out a plump one for you, so please enjoy.”

“Ah… thank you.”

…It was a compliment, so I shouldn’t have frowned… but somehow, I felt strange.

I hadn’t really felt it because I hadn’t gone out much since my body changed.

But when I went shopping for clothes with Cecil, or when I went out with Master.

When I walked around the Capital with my companions… I felt it intensely.

…Somehow, even people I didn’t know were treating me very kindly.

If before it felt business-like, now it was more like a satisfied expression, or something.

As a result, it was good for me to receive extras and slightly better things.

‘…What is this feeling?’

Feeling quite disturbed, I shook my head inwardly and reached out my hand to receive the skewer the man was handing over.

No, I tried to reach out.

But Cecil and Claudia didn’t let go of my hands.

“Um… I need to take that.”

Faster than my mumbled words, Claudia used her free hand to take three skewers, giving one to Cecil and holding two herself.

Then, skillfully, she offered the fish to me.

I glared at Claudia, smelling the aroma wafting from it.

“So… I need to hold it to eat it, don’t I?”

Claudia shrugged one shoulder as if to ask what the problem was.

“I can just feed you, can’t I?”

Saying that, she spun the fish skewer in circles right in front of my nose.

I don’t know how such a trick was possible, but… the savory and slightly salty aroma stimulated my salivary glands, and my mouth watered.

Since neither Cecil nor Claudia had any intention of letting go of my hands.

Finally, I sighed and bit into the fish offered to my mouth, and I tasted a flavor different from the fish the servants had prepared for me.

The combination of the freshly grilled fish’s moist flesh and the slightly unfamiliar sauce was truly excellent. 

“…It’s delicious.”

As I swallowed the juicy, crumbling flesh that oozed from the fish, Claudia spun the skewer, rotating the fish so the meatier side faced me.

‘…How on earth is she spinning it like that?’

As I took another bite and chewed, I saw Claudia putting another skewer into her own mouth.

Swallowing, I started walking again, and this time, a fish skewer was offered from Cecil’s side.

“Asha-nim! You must eat Cecil’s too!”

“…Cecil, I have my own, so it’s fine.”

When I gave Cecil an awkward smile, she replied with a dejected expression.

“Cecil wants to feed Asha-nim too…”

How could I refuse when she said that with such a gloomy face?

I remembered Cecil, who had continued to follow me around, worried about me even after I recovered from my illness, so I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. 

“…Alright. I’ll just eat a little, so will you feed me?”

“Yes!”

Cecil offered the fish skewer with a face that showed no trace of her earlier gloom.

When I opened my mouth slightly and bit the fish, she smiled brightly.

‘…Alright, if it makes you happy.’

Enjoying the fish that found its way into my mouth without me having to say anything, I walked through the streets to buy the dessert Veronica-nim had mentioned.

Thanks to the two of them still clinging tightly, I felt like I was receiving a lifetime’s worth of stares all at once.

But after walking a bit, I got used to it and eventually reached a state where I didn’t even notice it.

I wondered if it was my imagination that those gazes somehow felt pleasant later on, or if….

‘…No, it couldn’t be.’

It must have just been the joy of going out with my companions that made me feel that way.

Feeling a strange sensation, I arrived at the Dessert Shop.

It was a place where you could eat inside, just like the shops I’d seen in the Capital.

“Since we’re already out, why don’t we eat here before going back?”

“…Shall we?”

Since I had just filled my stomach with the fish skewer, I thought it would be perfect for cleansing our palates.

…Although I thought the gap was a bit large, the grilled fish was delicious, and I was somewhat full.

I asked them to pack what Veronica-nim had requested and something Master might like, and then we each chose a cake and found a seat with a good view.

Only then did I clench and unclench my now free hands, enjoying the breeze that passed between my fingers.

As I sat there, watching people pass by below and thinking about the cake that would soon arrive, Claudia, resting her chin on her hand, opened her mouth.

“Asha, do you know something?”

“What?”

“They say whipped cream wasn’t originally meant for eating.”

“…?”

I tilted my head.

If it wasn’t for eating, what on earth was it used for?

My interest was piqued, especially since I had just ordered a whipped cream cake with plenty of milk.

Even more so because our order was served right on time.

But Claudia just looked at me with a meaningful expression and didn’t tell me why.

“Why stop mid-sentence?”

They say one of the most annoying things a person can do is to stop talking mid-sentence.

I glared at her, filled with that annoyance, and Claudia looked at me with an expression as if she was watching a cute creature.

“Alright, I’ll tell you, so don’t get angry.”

She chuckled, then I saw her lightly scoop some whipped cream from my whipped cream cake with a fork.

…What on earth is she doing?