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How long can a good child resist candy?
That thought crossed my mind as I let out a deep sigh.
“Young Miss, is something troubling you?”
“Mmm... Mr. Hans. I do have a problem. A big one. It’s making my life really hard.”
“Pfft—Ahem. And what might that be?”
I had my hands cupped like flower petals under my chin, looking deeply conflictedn, right here in the kitchen.
The kitchen, my favorite place in this whole house!
The air is always filled with delicious smells, and sometimes I even get treats like freshly baked muffins.
For someone who loves to eat, it’s the ultimate problem-solving space.
“You see, there’s this candy. But I’m not supposed to eat it now. I know I’ll need it later.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“But I’m so curious about what it tastes like!”
I mean, how could I not be? It’s candy infused with the soot of a falling star!
There’s literally only one in the whole world.
“In short, you really want to eat the candy, don’t you?”
“Yeah… that’s true too.”
Lina doesn’t like giving me candy because she says it’s bad for my teeth.
“Ahh, I wanna eat it. I bet it would make my tummy all happy. I’d even brush my teeth really well after…”
Wait a minute.
The candy the Spirit King of Chaos gave me… you're not supposed to brush your teeth after eating it!
While I was groaning and clutching my head in despair, Mr. Hans gently chimed in.
“Ah, I see. Well, I just so happen to be thinking about making some candy today. Now, I wonder if there’s any young miss around who might help me taste it…”
“Me! I’m right here! Me!”
“Ah, would Miss Shupetty be willing to lend her assistance?”
“I wanted candy so badly, and now Mr. Hans says he’s going to make some… Isn’t this what they call perfect timing?”
This is the best!
***
Chef Hans hadn’t had peace of mind for a while.
Daisy, who used to be such a competent and efficient worker, had disappeared.
She vanished overnight. Most likely, she ran off after stealing something but Hans just couldn’t bring himself to believe that.
That Daisy? Really?
In a grand noble estate like this one, servants disappearing wasn’t all that rare.
The reasons varied widely.
Even if someone went missing, the mansion still had to run exactly the same as the day before.
The butler would quietly adjust staffing to cover any gaps.
Hans, with 30 years of experience as a head chef, knew this was just how noble households worked.
So even though he was upset, he said nothing and kept his mouth shut.
If the nobles had taken offense and made her disappear...
Then it could very well be him next.
As a humble commoner supporting a family of more than seven, Hans knew what was the realistic choice.
'Besides… no one’s going to lift a finger to search for Daisy anyway.'
That’s what it meant to be someone not born a noble.
A life so easily discarded.
Just surviving from the moment you wake up until you sleep again, that was all you could ask for.
“The sugar’s bubbling!”
“Alright, now let’s pour it onto the pan.”
“Ooooh! It smells so sweet!”
Still, Miss Shupetty was different.
She wasn’t just any noble—she was an Awakened, someone of even higher standing. And yet… she was just like any ordinary child.
'I know it’s probably rude to think this way, but still…'
As he poured blueberry syrup over the candy mixture, Hans chuckled softly.
“It’s not much, but every time you act amazed by something like this, I feel like I become special just because you’re here, Miss.”
“Mr. Hans, you’re amazing! You cook really well, your bread is delicious, and you make the best candy too!”
“Hohoho, thank you. You're making me feel proud now.”
He picked up the slightly cooled candy mixture and looped it over a hook. With tense forearms, he worked the dough rapidly.
Pulling and folding the dough over and over, the bright-eyed pink-haired baby watched with sparkling eyes full of wonder.
Whish, whish!
He pulled the dough, bunched it up, then rolled it.
Seeing the chubby-cheeked little girl watching him so intently, mouth open and practically drooling, Hans felt a new resolve form.
'I’m going to make her the tastiest candy in the whole world.'
“And once this sets, it’ll be blueberry-flavored candy.”
“Can I eat it now?”
“One piece should be alright. It’s not too hard yet… and that chewy texture is part of the charm.”
He cut the candy cleanly with a knife, then shaped the still-sticky piece into a little cane and offered it to her.
Any other noble child would’ve thrown a fit about getting candy by hand, calling it dirty and refusing to eat it—but Miss Shupetty was different.
“Yummy!”
“Is it sweet?”
“Yup!”
Watching her happily, Hans finished cutting the remaining pieces and stored them in a jar.
And just as he was doing that, the little lady, still sucking on her candy, suddenly asked.
“By the way, what flavor does Grandpa like?”
“Pardon? You mean… for candy?”
“Uh-huh! It’s so tasty, I wanna share it with Grandpa too!”
How could someone be so thoughtful?
Most kids would just stuff their mouths full of anything delicious.
That’s normal.
Some children even hate sharing so much, they throw tantrums. But Miss Shupetty always thought of others first.
“Hmm… The Lord usually doesn’t eat sweets for health reasons…”
“Isn’t there candy that’s healthy?”
***
I think it’s really amazing.
There’s a little carriage in my head, and when I eat a lot of sweet and tasty things, it starts racing faster and faster!
While I was happily sucking on a long blueberry lollipop, an idea suddenly popped into my head.
“Red ginseng candy!”
“Pardon? Young Miss, how do you know about red ginseng?”
“You have it?!”
I just said it on a whim—but it seems like it really exists here.
Wait… but why would it be here?
'Red ginseng was somewhere far away… like, really far… on another… planet, maybe…'
I think that’s where it was.
What was that other planet called again?
As I stared blankly into space, Mr. Hans started rummaging through the cupboard and pulled something out.
It was a box wrapped in cloth. When he opened it, there were thick, root-like things inside.
“This is a specialty product from the distant Mage Empire of Quion. It’s called red ginseng—very good for the health of older folks. However...”
“Ew, it smells bitter!”
“Yes, and that’s the problem. I’ve tried using it in cooking, but no matter what I did, it just didn’t taste good. Hoho.”
I pinched my nose and took a step back from the box.
Even for a foodie like me, that was a no-go.
“I wanna make red ginseng candy. Grandpa would love it.”
Because—because…
'Even on other planets, grandmas and grandpas ate a lot of red ginseng candy.'
[The Water Spirit King ‘■■■■’ cheers you on for your excellent idea.]
[The Fire Spirit King ‘■■■■■’ expresses curiosity about the taste of red ginseng candy.]
[The Earth Spirit King ‘■’ is delighted by your creativity.]
“Then let’s try extracting juice from the red ginseng and turning it into candy.”
“Me too! I wanna help!”
“Oh, if the young miss herself makes it, the Lord will surely be thrilled!”
“Yeah. But look, it’s really important…”
I gestured to Mr. Hans to come close so I could whisper into his ear.
“The shape really matters. I wanna make it like a gem candy.”
“Gem… candy?”
“Yeah! Like jewel-shaped ones you can wear like a ring and suck on.”
“Oh…?”
A red ginseng-flavored jewel ring candy!
Wearing it on your finger and licking it would be so fun!
“Then let’s make it in that shape—khuuk—yes, and maybe also add strawberry, raspberry, peach…”
“Melon! Grape!”
Why’s he laughing?
Mr. Hans suddenly turned away from me, his whole body trembling and his face turned bright red.
“J-just imagining the Lord... pfft... sucking on a ring candy... kuh-haha... oh heavens…”
And with that, Mr. Hans collapsed onto the floor, clutching his belly in laughter.
I remained perfectly composed as I called out.
“Linaaaaa!”
***
Me, Mr. Hans, and Lina.
The three of us put our heads together and worked hard—and finally, we completed the design for the gem ring candy mold!
Since we needed to make the molds first, we couldn’t do it that very day. So we agreed to return to the kitchen tomorrow.
And at last, the promised time arrived!
“All preparations are complete!”
Everything that had been cluttering the kitchen was neatly cleared away.
At the center of the large table sat several small pots.
From each pot, sugar was already bubbling away—filling the air with a deliciously sweet aroma.
“In order: red ginseng, strawberry, raspberry, peach, melon, grape. You can add whatever flavor you’d like.”
At Mr. Hans’s explanation, I puffed out a proud little breath through my nose and nodded enthusiastically.
Lina stood beside me, watching with a slightly anxious expression.
She must’ve been worried I might get hurt.
But just then...
“What are you up to, Shupetty?”
That voice—someone who shouldn't be here, suddenly echoed through the kitchen.
Along with it came the sound of multiple approaching footsteps.
“Let me join in too, little sister.”
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