An Exclusive Dessert

“It’s almost time for dinner. What would you like to do? If you’re going to eat in your room, you can take off your hood, but if you’re going to the dining hall, you’ll have to keep it on while you eat.”

“About that…. Would it be okay if I set up some cooking equipment in this room? Do you think the cleaning staff would find it strange?”

“I can just tell the servants not to clean for a few days… but where are you going to get something like that?”

“My inventory,” I answered truthfully.

Since I had drawn the curtains over every window and turned on the lights inside, I didn’t think it would be too noticeable as long as I prohibited the servants from entering for a few days.

“You cook too?”

“I’m the one who fed and raised the Prince.”

Since his tone wasn’t a refusal, I started pulling cooking tools out of my inventory one by one. The room was quite spacious, so it didn’t feel cramped even with all the miscellaneous equipment spread out. Once I had everything out, I knelt on the floor and drew a magic circle designed to continuously purify the air so the room wouldn’t turn into a smoke-filled den while I was cooking. It wasn’t a high-level spell, so the drawing was finished in no time.

As soon as I completed the circle, a faint, shimmering light rose from the characters inscribed within it.

“Should I make something for you guys too while I’m at it? I don’t know much about the food here, but the Prince ate it happily, so I don’t think it’ll taste bad.”

“If you make it, we’ll eat well. I’ve been eating nothing but field rations for two months, so I think anything would taste good at this point.”

“What are field rations?”

“Jerky, hardtack, things like that. It’s troublesome if you catch a local endemic disease by eating at a village inn, and the same goes for wild animals.”

By then, I had lowered my hood. I must have made a look of pity that was too obvious, because the two knights winced.

“I thought you guys were having meals together without me, so I didn’t want to disturb you. I’ve just been pulling hot dishes out of my inventory and eating them alone in my room.”

“…….”

“…….”

The two knights said nothing, but their faces were clearly full of resentment.

“Somehow, I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“…….”

“I’ll make you something delicious.”

“…….”

“…….”

I pretended not to see the silence and moved with exaggerated busyness as I pulled ingredients from my inventory.

When Azrael visited my room, Simon, John, and I were sprawled out on the sofa after a satisfying dinner. Noticing Azrael opening the door and walking in, I nudged Simon, who was within kicking distance.

“Hey, the Prince is here. Aren’t you going to straighten up?”

“The Commander doesn’t care about formalities outside of duty hours, so it’s fine.”

“For a knight, your military discipline is lacking.”

“It’s not like we’re on a battlefield, how can anyone stay stiff twenty-four hours a day…….”

Azrael, still wearing his helmet, scanned the scene inside the room and silently closed the door.

“Did Andrealphus cook?”

“Yeah. I was a bit worried, but everyone ate well.”

While still wearing his helmet, Azrael began to tidy up the plates where the remnants of food remained. He hadn’t forgotten how to use my tools from when we lived together, as he quickly cleaned the plates and put them back in their original places.

Does he usually not take off his helmet once he enters the capital? I was about to ask him about it, but seeing that the two knights—who were deflated like popped balloons—didn’t pay any mind to the helmet, I kept my mouth shut.

“Prince, have you had dinner?”

I asked a different question instead. Given the time, I had naturally assumed he’d already eaten. However, the helmet shook from side to side. I practically jumped out of my seat at the unexpected response.

“The Prince hasn’t had dinner yet?!”

“It happens often when there is work to do.”

I stepped over the useless knights who didn’t care if their commander starved and caught Azrael’s arm. Azrael seemed startled by my sudden, loud approach, but I pushed him toward the bathroom attached to my room and spoke.

“I’ll be cooking dinner. Wash up and come out.”

“Wait, no, Andrealphus, calm down. The dining hall is still open. There’s no need to cook again.”

“What are you talking about?” I said coldly.

“Do you think I’d send a hungry Prince to a dining hall when he’s already walked into my room?”

After making that solemn declaration, I slammed the bathroom door shut in front of his face. Azrael stood still inside for a while, seemingly bewildered, but he began to move slowly once I tapped on the door to urge him. Hearing the sound of armor being removed from behind the door, I felt relieved and started cooking.

If I had known this would happen, I would have made the other knights wait. Grumbling to myself, I quickly began preparing a lavish meal that looked like it belonged on a special occasion. A turkey stuffed with meat, a salad loaded with salmon, and various fritters usually eaten on holidays—I frantically set the table, resulting in a meal of unknown national origin, but I didn’t care.

As long as the Prince eats well, that’s all that matters.

When I finished cooking and sat at the table, Azrael emerged from the bathroom in light clothing. His habit of not fully drying his hair remained, as dots of water fell onto the floor.

“Prince, sit here and eat.”

“Andrealphus, thank you. I will enjoy the meal.”

Azrael began to eat with a face that clearly showed his happiness.

I sat diagonally from him and watched him eat.

Since I was staring quite intently, Azrael, who had been focused on his meal, turned his head and met my eyes. I smiled and shook my head.

“It just… feels like back then.”

“I see. On the first day I stayed at your house, you also made a mountain of delicious food.”

It had been about two or three years since then, yet Azrael spoke as if he remembered it vividly. Since he was an NPC, perhaps it was natural, but I found it fascinating that he remembered that time as if it were yesterday.

“Back then… I had a bit of an ulterior motive. I figured no one dislikes delicious food, so if I cooked for you, you’d lower your guard quickly.”

Azrael let out a small laugh.

“You’re probably the only person who would call that an ulterior motive.”

He seemed to think it was pure goodwill, but since it really had been an ulterior motive, I just giggled instead of answering.

“Eat slowly. Save some room for dessert.”

“Dessert? What about us?”

“You guys can just go to your own rooms.”

Simon reacted the moment he heard the word dessert. I had made enough for everyone, intending for the four of us to eat together once Azrael arrived, but I deliberately gave a cold response.

“I have something important to discuss with Andrealphus, so you two should head back to your rooms now.”

What important discussion? I blinked in surprise at Azrael’s unexpected words.

Funny enough, Simon ignored me but the moment he heard Azrael speak, he tucked John under his arm like a piece of luggage and strolled out of my room with a wave.

“What’s the important talk?”

“There isn’t one, really.”

“What? Then why did you kick out the knights you’ve been through thick and thin with for a month? I made enough for four people to eat plenty.”

Azrael gave a clumsy answer.

“…Andrealphus, what did you use for the dressing on this salad? It’s quite refreshing.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

When I spoke with mock sternness, Azrael leaned forward and peeked at my face with the expression of a dejected puppy. As I maintained my stern facade and looked down at him, he slowly turned his head away and muttered.

“You’re my only friend.”

I burst out laughing at the unexpected line. Oh, goodness.

“Calm down, Prince. The two of us won’t be able to finish all the dessert I’ve prepared.”

“Those guys ate the meal you made before I did.”

“You’re all grown up now, you should act with more dignity.”

“I don’t care. I can eat all of it.”

He’s so cute, seriously. I poked the cheek of Azrael—who had the body of a Golden Retriever but the heart of a tiny baby bird—and asked.

Regardless, Azrael didn’t call the knights back in. It wasn’t as if the well-fed knights would suddenly starve to death just because they didn’t get dessert, so I decided to let him have his way.

“Alright, then. Are you finished with the meal?”

“Hmm…….”

Azrael looked troubled as he stared at the leftover food. Since it wasn’t an amount one person could finish in the first place, I waved my hand and cleared all the food from the table.

Before he could make the face of a raccoon that lost its cotton candy, I quickly pulled a raspberry tart out of the oven and placed it in front of him.

The outside of the raspberry tart had cooled, but when I pierced it with a cake knife, steam rose from the inside. I moved the knife carefully to cut it into beautiful shapes.

Finally, after I placed a slice of raspberry tart and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a small dessert plate and set it before him, Azrael—who had been silently watching me move the entire time—muttered.

“It’s a good thing I kicked the knights out before they saw the dessert. If I had let them see this and then kicked them out saying they couldn’t have any, I would have looked like such a petty person.”

Did my way of speaking rub off on him? I giggled at his words, which were quite different from his usual elegant tone.

“You can eat this as much as you want while I’m here, so why kick out the innocent knights?”

“I can share other things, but not the raspberry tart.”

Azrael remained stubborn despite my light scolding. I smiled and ate my own portion of the tart.

It was sweet and tart.