---

In truth, many of the arguments labeled as quarrels arise from exceedingly trivial reasons.

It could be about which alcohol is the most delicious, whether to pair a dish with a sauce, how to hold utensils like a fork and knife, methods of brushing teeth, how to eat pizza, and so on.

Countless people across many nations on Earth behave similarly, and Europa is no different. Most places where people live are quite alike.

Basic weapons recommended for novice adventurers, the best snacks to accompany Eisenbart beer, the ideal dressing for salads, which region has the tastiest cheese in a country—these are just a few examples.

Catherine clearly remembered the open confrontation between Bersengzeto and Eisenbart sparked by the question of which drink tasted better, beer or wine.

“From the head? Or from the tail?”

Upon hearing this, Catherine instinctively realized, this could definitely lead to a huge fight if things escalate.

“Hey, little one.”

“Yes?”

“Did you perhaps aim for this?”

“Huh?”

Catherine looked back and forth between the snacks and Karem with a skeptical expression.

What would happen in a land where arguments were already underway about the best way to eat steak, if countless recipes were recklessly shared among those with deep cravings for food?

The debate over whether to roast or fry chicken, whether it’s acceptable to dip steak into ketchup, which dessert vanilla pairs best with—these are merely some of the newly emerged sources of conflict over the past year at meal times.

Similar topics had frequently led to arguments in Winterhome, and the only reason it hadn’t escalated into fisticuffs was due to the position of Winterhome and Alfred.

In simple terms, had it not been for those two, punches would have surely been thrown long ago.

“Is there really any difference between eating from the head or tail?”

“Uh, not really? You fill the insides from head to tail, just thoroughly.”

“Then it doesn’t matter where you eat from, right?”

“Well, the difference in first texture and how easy it is for me to feed you?”

Waiting for a decision, Karem clutched the tail of the fish-shaped pastry and presented the head toward Catherine. After looking at the offered pastry for a moment, Catherine asked.

Crisp—

As it touched her teeth, the crunchy exterior shattered, delivering its texture and sound.

Following that, the soft and moist bread pressed down, releasing the sweet and savory pea filling that stuck to her teeth.

“It’s similar to the thing we presented not long ago.”

“N-no, it’s not. The ingredients are the same, but it’s a salmon pastry.”

Yet, there was a critical difference.

Crisp—crisp—crisp—crisp—

The pastry’s intentionally high-temperature fried shell remained intact no matter how many times it was chewed.

If it were a past life, perhaps the only distinction between the dorayaki Karem made and the fish-shaped pastry would be the cooking method alone.

This method created the decisive difference.

If dorayaki and half-cakes pursue a smooth harmony of bread and filling, the fish-shaped and salmon pastries follow a variation of a crispy and dry exterior paired with soft and moist filling.

“I’ve eaten it several times, but it’s oddly harmonious beyond my imagination.”

“Is it the combination of sugar and peas?”

“Exactly. Even if it’s a filling, isn’t it just crushed mushy peas simmered in sugar? I can’t fathom why it pairs so well with a pastry.”

“If it’s tasty, isn’t that enough?”

Suddenly, recalling Catherine’s reaction when showing the pea filling, Karem remembered that unlike Mary, she had openly displayed discomfort. It was the same reaction as with Beaver Vanilla and Fire Witch Finger.

But was it really something to be so unsettled about? Unlike the previous examples, this was a normal food and spice combination.

“Ah, you’ve got that habit again.”

“You ate it saying vanilla was delicious.”

“Which lunatic would just dry, chop up, and grind it to make a dessert for others?”

Persistent… of course, Karem only thought that internally. If he voiced this, he would surely receive a kick to the shins. Thus, he placed the last tail end into Catherine’s mouth.

“Apologize. At least report before acting!”

“So, how long are you going to keep calling me little one?”

“…That’s unnecessary talk.”

Catherine flinched and turned her head sharply.

“You’ve still got years ahead of you, and your dreams are huge. Even if your body fully matured, you haven’t undergone your coming-of-age ceremony yet, so what?”

“Ah, I heard about the coming-of-age ceremony from Duke Your Grace.”

“Huh? What does a soon-to-be 12-year-old brat have to say? Did you perhaps tell my lord the story of your past life?”

“No. Even if my body has fully matured, if I still act like my peers, I wonder if they consider me an adult. It seems you’re deliberating on that because of what happened now.”

“Hm, a case I suppose.”

Catherine bit into the head of the fish-shaped pastry Karem offered.

The smooth texture of the pudding-like custard cream spread its sweetness across her mouth.

“If we consider cases where someone with past life memories faces the curse of aging, you are practically the only example, so it’s understandable for my lord to think it through.”

“That’s why I’m considering the coming-of-age ceremony.”

For a while, she had pondered how to make that person pronounce her name. The answer was simple. She must eliminate the reason for being called little one.

What if another reason appeared?

Just repeat until the word little one is dropped.

“…If I may ask, what is that reason?”

Actually, Catherine already knew the answer.

How could she not?

She had already been aware of it once, everyone had teased her, and just a few hours ago, that blasted old man had said something.

‘…Should I have read a novel?’

Honestly, she did feel a hint of anxiety. Since that blatant confession, nothing had changed. Karem had acted as usual. She even thought maybe he had just said it in a moment of madness.

However, asking Karem to call her by that name brought significant change.

But who would think of it as an expression of affection?

If she were to ask Karem, who notices that fact now and Catherine, who has no experience in that regard, and even Alicia passing by would glance over coldly, asking if that really was an expression of affection.

Karem realized this fact only now.

So he suppressed his embarrassment and awkwardness as much as he could.

More than ever before.

He gathered the courage like when he first confessed.

“You already know the reason, don’t you?”

“…”

“…”

“Be honest with me.”

“…Yes.”

“Heh, are you reciting a line now?”

Karem didn’t answer Catherine’s question. Instead, he momentarily put the fish-shaped pastry down and buried his face in his hands.

His head felt feverishly hot.

They say if a person suddenly does something they never did, they might die?

He felt like he might die from embarrassment.

“…Hah, ha.”

“Yes, you can laugh.”

“Hah, ha! Hahaha! Hahahaha!”

Catherine held her forehead.

Laughter spilled out naturally.

It was funny to see someone who confidently declared something suddenly embarrassed, but more than that, relief flooded her.

‘What was that, was it just embarrassment?’

She grasped the reason quickly. Though both lacked experience, coming up directly and saying so meant one thing.

It signified he had made a considerable decision.

It was just like when he confessed previously.

They had already openly declared it, so why were they now acting so awkward about it?

All the worries built up thus far felt meaningless. Suddenly resolved, she felt a void in her heart.

However—enough ungraspable feeling lingered, making it hard to pinpoint anything specific.

Some would call it satisfaction.

Others would call it relief.

Someone might say it—

“…”

“Haah, I calmed down.”

“Well then, was there enough time to calm down? I’ll finish my meal now.”

“Yes. By the way, Sir Atanitas.”

“What is it?”

“Why is your face—”

“I find the custard cream much more preferable than the mushy pea filling.”

Catherine quickly urged Karem.

It was a blatantly awkward yet obvious remark.

However, Karem didn’t notice.

He would have caught on immediately under normal circumstances, but right now, Karem had just poured his second most substantial magical energy output in his life. Merely seconds before. There was no room for such awareness.

Just for reference, the first time was during the confession.

“Very well, the coming-of-age ceremony. Since it has come to this, perhaps it’s best to do it.”

“I prefer one with custard cream… wait, what did you say?”

“I won’t say it twice.”

“Uh.”

“So, what about the secret gift you’ve been hiding so diligently?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special.”

Karem picked up a fish-shaped pastry that was a shade darker than the other two types Catherine had just eaten.

“Do you remember what I said at the tower before coming to the village?”

“It was just a few hours ago; does that even need to be mentioned?”

Of course, she remembered.

The alraune used in limited areas.

Roasted alraune made by drying and frying it.

They could directly touch both that and products made with Alraune’s Tear.

Then, could the food made from it be touched?

“Wait… don’t tell me?”

Catherine instinctively swallowed. She only felt a bit of the custard cream while it felt like she had eaten a huge bowl of chicken breast. Her mouth dried up from the tension in that brief moment.

Worry was only natural.

Curse of drought.

Initially, every living being she came into contact with, directly or indirectly, dwindled.

Whereas now, the scope and target had narrowed to food.

But with this, Catherine had been deprived of the simple freedom anyone would assume of cooking and directly eating something themselves.

This was the moment when the Grand Wizard decided on her next goal.

Of course, she didn’t speak this to anyone.

Anyone outside of her business partners would surely ask how that could be a goal, wondering if such a simple act could be the dream of the Grand Wizard.

That humble and light action people took for granted every day was indeed the dream of Grand Wizard Catherine Marigold Atanitas.

Yet, to achieve that dream so suddenly?

Thinking further, she had also directly sipped both Alraune’s Tear and Brownie’s Delight.

She formed hypotheses over that, but like this? No, for real?

“I incorporated roasted alraune powder while making the custard cream to enhance its ratio with Alraune Custard.”

“Wow, that fellow’s decisiveness is something…”

“In case it might help, I even added Alraune’s Tear into the dough.”

Catherine silently stared at the darker fish-shaped pastry Karem offered.

“…”

“…”

“Are you not going to take it?”

“Just a moment, I need to prepare myself mentally.”

“Eh?”

“What if I grab it and it spoils?”

“…Oops, I slipped my hand.”

“W-what?”

Whoosh— Karem slowly tossed the pastry.

Sometimes, when a person concentrates, they might experience their surroundings slowing down.

Transcending into a state of nothingness, often simply termed immersion.

Feeling time slow down, as if one second stretched into ten, Catherine unleashed enhancement magic at speed unseen before to reach out so quickly that an ordinary person wouldn’t see it.

Thwack—

The fish-shaped pastry landed firmly in her grasp.

 

---