A Story of a Noble Lady Who Was Ravaged by an Incurable Disease and Covered in Bandages All Over Her Broken Body; After Healing Her, She Turned Into a Stunning Beauty and Started Desperately Courting Me - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Making Sweets for Alicia

Several days had passed since I started helping with Alicia’s rehabilitation.

My routine had become visiting the Elfemina house every day after noon and then assisting with Alicia’s rehabilitation.

But today I came to the Elfemina house early in the morning instead of after noon. The reason I came so early in the morning was…

“Good morning, Setsuna-sama.”

“Good morning, Khalifa-san. I’m really happy to be allowed to use such a wonderful kitchen today. Thank you so much!”

“No, no. Since Setsuna-sama is the benefactor who saved our young lady Alicia’s life, we servants will do anything you ask. And when you said you wanted to make sweets for the young lady, there was no way we could refuse. So please feel free to use this kitchen as much as you like today.”

“Yes, thank you!”

I had that conversation with Khalifa, the servant in charge of the Elfemina house’s kitchen.

As Khalifa just said, the reason I came to the Elfemina house early this morning was to make sweets for Alicia. I hoped Alicia would be happy.

“And today I will also be helping Setsuna-sama with the cooking. Once again, thank you for having me today.”

“The pleasure is mine. Oh, by the way, there’s something I’d like to ask. What kinds of sweets are common in the royal capital?”

“Sweets in the royal capital? Well, baked goods like cookies and cakes are widely loved by people of all ages and genders. However, I’m sorry, but considering young lady Alicia’s current condition, I would prefer if we could avoid giving her large solid foods like that for now, if possible…”

“Ah, don’t worry. I’m thinking carefully about Alicia-san’s health, so I have no intention of making large solid sweets like that. This time I’m planning to make pudding for Alicia-san.”

“…Pudding? Hmm, that’s a sweet I’m not familiar with in the royal capital. It’s the first time I’ve heard the name.”

“Huh? Really? Then maybe Khalifa-san has never eaten pudding before?”

“Yes, I have never eaten it. Is it perhaps a food from a foreign land? What kind of sweet is this pudding exactly?”

“Ah, maybe that’s it. Pudding is a sweet that was commonly eaten where I used to live. It’s a steamed dish made with highly nutritious eggs and milk, and its characteristic is a soft, jiggly texture. Whenever I caught a cold or lost my appetite, I always ate pudding. I thought pudding would be perfect for Alicia-san right now, so I decided to make it for her.”

“I see, I see. So there are such delicious-sounding sweets in foreign lands. It certainly sounds like the perfect sweet for young lady Alicia. Still, it’s impressive that Celas-sama not only works as an adventurer but can also make sweets. Have you always enjoyed cooking?”

“Yes. Well, I’ve liked cooking since I was young, so I often made sweets. That’s why pudding is one of my specialties.”

Back when I lived in Japan, I cooked quite often. So I’ve liked cooking since long ago.

And I’m really glad that the cooking skill I’ve loved since back then is useful here now.

“All right. Then let’s get started on making the pudding right away. Looking forward to working with you, Khalifa-san.”

“Yes, looking forward to it. Since I don’t know how to make pudding, it would help if Setsuna-sama could give me instructions on what to do. What should we start with?”

“Then first, could you please put 300 ml of milk into a pot and heat it? While you do that, I’ll make the caramel sauce by heating sugar and water.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll prepare the measuring cup and pot right away…”

And so I began making pudding together with Khalifa-san. I would do my best, believing that Alicia would be happy with it.

◇◇◇◇

Several hours later. It was now past noon.

“Haa… haa…”

“That’s the way, Alicia-san.”

I was practicing walking with Alicia in the mansion’s garden. As usual, I held both her hands while we slowly walked together.

“Haa… haa… I’m sorry… I think… I might… not be able to go on… haa… haa…”

“I understand. Then let’s end today’s rehabilitation here. Good work.”

“Haa… haa… Yes, good work…”

With that, today’s walking rehabilitation ended, and we decided to sit together on the grass in the garden to rest.

“Haa… haa… It’s already been several days since my body recovered, but… the amount I can walk hasn’t increased at all, has it… haa… haa… Will my stamina really come back like this…?”

“Yes, it will come back properly. You might not see the results clearly yet, but if you keep doing rehabilitation consistently, you will definitely be able to walk around energetically again. Oh, by the way, Alicia-san. How has your appetite been lately? Has anything changed?”

“My appetite? Yes. Little by little, I’ve been able to eat more each day. I can still only have liquid foods like porridge, but I’m managing to eat three proper meals every day.”

“Oh, that’s great. Since today’s rehabilitation is done, would you like to eat some sweets with me now?”

“S-sweets? I-I’m really happy that Setsuna-sama would invite me like that… but I might not be able to eat solid sweets yet… and I don’t have the energy to go out to a shop either…”

“Ah, don’t worry about going outside. Today’s sweets are already prepared here in the mansion. And they’re not solid sweets, so you can relax. I’m sure even Alicia-san will be able to eat them.”

“Huh? No need to go outside? They’re already in the mansion? U-um… what does that mean exactly?”

“Actually, I came to the mansion early this morning and made some sweets. I really wanted to eat them together with Alicia-san.”

“Eh… ehh!? S-Setsuna-sama made sweets? W-wait, Setsuna-sama can make sweets!?”

When I said that, Alicia’s gloomy expression instantly changed to one of surprise as she asked me.

“Yes. I’ve liked cooking since I was young, so I’m good at making sweets too. I heard Alicia-san likes sweet things, and I thought it must be kind of lonely to eat only porridge every day even though your illness is cured now. So I made a soft, jiggly sweet just for Alicia-san.”

“Eh? So that means… Setsuna-sama… came early this morning and made sweets… for my sake…?”

“Yes, that’s right. So if you’d like, shall we eat those sweets together now? I think even the current Alicia-san will be able to enjoy them deliciously.”

“R-really? You made sweets… just for me… I’m so happy… really, really happy! Yes, I definitely want to eat them!”

“Haha. Seeing you so happy makes me happy too. Then let’s head back to your room and eat them together.”

“Yes! All right!”

And so, after finishing today’s rehabilitation, we went straight back to Alicia’s room together.

It seemed that pudding didn’t exist in this other world, so today would be Alicia’s first time eating pudding.

Pudding has been one of my favorite sweets since I was a kid… so I hoped it would suit Alicia’s taste too.