73. For Mom! (1)
73. For Mom! (1)
[Chapter 73] - For Mom! (1)
The morning after returning from the hunting competition.
Titania, having woken up earlier than usual, wiggled in Vivian's arms.
After wiggling hard to escape Vivian's embrace, Titania poked her head out from under the covers and took a deep breath, "Phew!" The inside of the blanket was practically a steamer due to Mom's body heat and her own.
Wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, Titania looked down at Vivian, who was still wandering in dreamland. Mom's expression was peaceful as she slept, not even seeming hot.
Seeing Mom's slightly parted lips, Titania felt her hair stand on end again. She didn't know why she was like this, but the reason for this feeling was definitely because of that 'book'.
Titania recalled the scene from that book once again.
The scene where the young master steals the young lady's lips and steals her purity.
She didn't exactly know what 'purity' meant yet, but...
Thinking that she had her purity stolen by Mom made her feel strange. The sensation of having one's purity stolen, as described in the book, was neither soft nor sweet. It was just the feeling of dry skin and the stench of strong alcohol.
It was such a completely different experience from the book's description that she doubted if she had really had her purity stolen by Mom. Titania tilted her head and looked down at the lying Vivian.
Titania didn't know why she felt so strange every time she looked at Vivian. She didn't want to avoid her, but she kept avoiding her, and she wanted to treat her like usual, but she kept distancing herself.
So she even felt sorry for Mom for no reason. Because every time she avoided her, Mom would make a bitter expression and smile wryly. Titania knew that, so she tried to stick by Vivian's side as much as possible, but...
'I keep avoiding her without even realizing it...'
She was so troubled, but looking down at Vivian, who was sleeping peacefully as if she knew nothing, Titania felt annoyed, gave Vivian's butt a whack!, and wiggled out of bed.
After getting out of bed, Titania opened the window and took a deep breath of the cool air coming from outside. As her lungs filled with fresh morning air, Titania let out a deep, heavy sigh.
As she was blankly enjoying the breeze, Ainsel, hanging from her necklace, seemed to wake up too, yawning wide enough to tear her mouth, rubbing her eyes, and greeting Titania with a morning salutation.
-Yawn~ Good morning, Princess.
"Yeah... Good morning..."
-...?
Seeing Titania's reaction, which lacked her usual energy, Ainsel tilted her head and looked at her. Between the way she was sighing and the way she was pouting her lips, she looked like she had a lot of worries.
-Princess? Is something worrying you?
"......"
-If I'm okay, I'll listen to your story!
Titania looked down at Ainsel, who was clenching both fists on the necklace. She was even patting her chest, eyes sparkling, as if telling her to rely on her.
Should she tell Ainsel about the purity thing? After a brief thought, Titania naturally shook her head. No matter how she thought about it, Ainsel definitely wouldn't understand what 'purity' meant in the book.
It would have been nice to talk to Viola, who knew a lot about that book... Titania dropped her head, let out a deep sigh, and poured out her worries, leaving out only the part about purity.
"I've been avoiding Mom a lot lately, right...? Because of that, things have gotten awkward between us..."
-Hmm...
"I know I shouldn't... I know that, but..."
Titania continued, fumbling with her words with difficulty, but Ainsel, whether she understood Titania's worries or not, gave an answer that was very short, concise, and instantaneous.
-So, you're saying you want to go back to the old days when things weren't awkward with Vivian, right?
"...Yeah."
-That's easy! Don't worry too much!
Ainsel clenched both fists and made a confident expression.
Titania felt even greater anxiety at Ainsel's appearance. Ainsel was a really good friend, but she was a little, no, very worried about this kind of thing. As Titania looked at Ainsel with suspicious eyes, Ainsel raised one hand high to show off her idea.
-Among the witches I know, there's a 'Witch who likes sweets'!
"Witches bake sweets too?"
-Yes! That witch likes sweets so much that she even made her house out of them! I've been there once before, and the whole house was really covered in sweets! There was even a fountain in the garden that sprayed chocolate...!
Titania, who imagined exactly what Ainsel said, giggled.
A house built of colorful sweets. Ainsel was in trouble for exaggerating too much. Even if a house made of sweets really existed, it would surely melt if it rained, and wouldn't it be a big problem if ants ate it all up?
-That witch said something back then! The best way to get close to someone is to make them homemade food! So, why don't you prepare breakfast for Vivian yourself, Princess?
"Me... cooking for Mom?"
-Yes! Since it's for breakfast, it doesn't have to be anything too difficult! If you go to the royal kitchen, wouldn't the chefs help you, Princess?
Titania rounded her lips in admiration at Ainsel's advice.
Because for Ainsel's advice, it was something she really liked. Titania nodded and quickly ran out of the room.
If she had decided, she had to act quickly.
There was still time until breakfast, but it was definitely a tight schedule to start cooking. Ignoring the maids' attempts to stop her by saying it was dangerous to run in the hallways, Titania headed straight for the royal kitchen.
The royal kitchen, which she had run so hard to reach, was no different from a battlefield. Titania, who had hesitated at the momentum of the chefs erupting from the kitchen, poked her head out to check the inside of the kitchen.
The head chef shouting something loud enough to hurt her ears, and the cooks answering in loud voices to match.
The sharp sounds of all kinds of utensils clashing and the suffocating heat rising from the stoves.
Since the kitchen was in the middle of being busy preparing breakfast, Titania hesitated in front of the kitchen, wondering whether to go in or not.
It wasn't that she was worried about getting in the way... it was because she was scared of the chefs who looked so angry. As she was just watching from behind the door-
The head chef, feeling a suspicious gaze, whipped his head around and made eye contact with Titania. The head chef had been frowning, wondering who the hell was peeking into the kitchen, but...
"...Princess Titania?"
"Hiccup!"
Realizing that the owner of that suspicious gaze was Titania, the head chef quickly started managing his expression. Wondering why the Princess, who had never visited even once, would come to a place like this, the head chef hurriedly straightened his clothes and ran to Titania.
"Everyone, attention! Princess Titania has visited the kitchen, so finish up your cooking quickly and assemble!"
"Ah, no... I, you don't have to worry about me..."
"How could we do that! You have personally visited, Princess! Please wait just a moment! We will finish up and be right with you!"
The head chef, who was full of spirit at Titania's unexpected visit, straightened his clothes once more. When was the last time a royal personally visited the kitchen... The head chef held back the tears that were about to come out and gathered the kitchen's cooks to assemble in front of Titania again.
Then, at the head chef's signal, the cooks all bowed in unison and greeted Titania. Titania, who didn't know such a burdensome thing would happen, blushed from embarrassment and had no choice but to nod along with the cooks.
""We greet Princess Titania!!""
"Y-Yeah... Nice to meet you too..."
"Princess Titania. Why have you visited the kitchen today..."
Titania, who was blushing like a ripe apple, wanted to run away from there immediately. Titania had only thought of asking one of the cooks to help her cook, but she didn't know what to do with the attention focused on her in an instant.
"W-Well, you see...?"
"Yes, Princess."
"T-That is..."
Surrounded by burly cooks, Titania eventually decided to go for broke. Titania, who had slightly lifted her head, looked at the head chef and asked.
"I-I wanted to make breakfast for... Mother... myself... and serve it to her... so I came to see if I could learn... I heard that giving homemade food makes your relationship... b-better..."
"Homemade food... In other words, you are saying that you will cook here, Princess...?"
Titania nodded slightly in embarrassment. The head chef lifted his head for a moment, let out a small groan, and looked at Titania. Had something like this ever happened in his over 50 years of experience in the royal kitchen? No, never once.
Even just having His Majesty or Her Majesty the Queen visit the kitchen was a rare occurrence that could be counted on one's fingers in a lifetime. But for the Princess to come and ask for help with cooking? And that she wanted to make it for Her Majesty the Queen herself...
'How can she be such a kind-hearted person... sigh... I'm getting old, I'm getting teary-eyed.'
The head chef, whose eyes had become red before he knew it, swallowed his tears and nodded. How could he, as the royal head chef, refuse when the Princess asked like this?
"Princess... It is naturally fine to help with your cooking, but no matter how much you are a royal of this country, the kitchen is a chef's territory. There are many dangerous things, so for your safety, you must listen to what I say. Would that be alright?"
At the head chef's answer, Titania smiled brightly and nodded. Upon hearing that answer, the head chef...
Became a devil again and shouted at Titania.
"Then go wash your hands immediately! Execute!"
"H-Huh?"
At the suddenly changed atmosphere, Titania didn't know what to do, so the head chef looked at Titania again and shouted, Bellow!
"Kitchen hygiene comes first!! Cooking always starts with washing your hands! Go wash your hands again! Execute!!"
"E-Execute...!"
At the suddenly scary atmosphere, Titania ran hurriedly to wash her hands. Titania, who had scrubbed her hands until her skin made a squeaky sound, ran hurriedly back to the front of the head chef.
In front of the head chef, the cooks were already lined up in rows. Titania also stood in front of the head chef, lining up while watching the cooks and the head chef.
Confirming that everyone had gathered, the head chef nodded, raised one hand high, and shouted in a loud voice.
"Today, the Princess will personally! Participate in cooking! The Princess says! The theme of the cooking is Her Majesty the Queen's breakfast! Princess Titania will be in charge of the cooking!"
""Yes!!!""
At the cooks' shout, Titania's ears went numb for a moment. Saying that this wasn't what she had thought, Titania made a tearful face, but the head chef shouted the chant, saying there was no time for that.
"The dish the Princess will make is mashed potatoes!! You all prepare the ingredients and tools!! Now! Let's shout the chant today too!! Prepare for the chant!!"
""U-ah!!!""
"U, U-ah!"
"Cooking is great!!"
""Great! Great! Great!""
"G-Great! Great! Great!"
At the sudden atmosphere, Titania had no choice but to follow the cooks. As she raised her hand high and followed the chant with the cooks, applause was heard from all around.
"Princess! We will help you make the perfect mashed potatoes!"
"We will prepare even the ingredients with the best ones! How about some freshly harvested new potatoes!"
Titania, who was surrounded by cooks before she knew it, smiled bashfully at the cooks' encouragement. In an atmosphere where she could feel that everyone was genuinely trying to help her, the head chef clapped his hands to focus the cooks' attention.
"Now! Stop chatting and start cooking! Everyone except those who will help the Princess, get to work on your cooking!"
""U-ah!!!""
"U, U-ah!"