Page 229 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

A satisfied smile spreads.

The diligent figures making pastries in the kitchen fill one’s heart with a sense of accomplishment.

“Darbab!”

“Ugh, don’t call me that.”

“You’re making cookies like you’re making rice cakes, and you’re saying that? You messed up when we were dating, and now you’re doing it again!”

“Isn’t it better to put in a lot of effort?”

“If you put that much effort in, it’s not cookies, it’s chocolate!”

The loving couple’s appearance, as if they had returned to their newlywed days.

“You know, Histania Malick, the quality of chocolate in the south is the best.”

“I know that. I also know that the golden tower’s chocolate is the best in the south.”

“What don’t you know?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t you know that the chocolate farm operated by Desumont, which is new, produces higher-quality chocolate by working laborers 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, compared to the golden tower’s 7 days a week, 14 hours a day?”

“...Are you advertising?”

“No, I’m bragging.”

“I want to hear more.”

“Maybe I will.”

The two men’s serious conversation was also enjoyable to watch.

However, it seemed like Malick was creating a work of art rather than cookies, threatening the master’s position. But I was having fun, so it was okay.

I smiled slightly and started shaping the dough on the table with my fist.

“Hmm.”

The master’s desire was boiling over at the thought of making cookies after a long time. Malick, who was making dragon-shaped cookies, was stimulating me, and I was showing off the intimidation of a dedicated homemaker.

“The highest efficiency.”

“By finely adjusting the aura and creating air bubbles, and then applying current to increase the dough’s elasticity, the best cookie would be...”

After focusing for a while, I created a dough in the shape of the Eastern dragon, ‘Cheongryong’. Then, a strange sound started coming from the side.

-Plok!

“Yes.”

-Plok plok!

“Yes, yes!”

I turned my head to look at the girl who was punching the dough.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!”

The girl had white dough all over her face, and her nose was twitching. She wiped her running nose with the hand that was punching the dough, then glanced at me and started moving her hand again.

“Miss.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you fighting with the dough?”

“Uh-huh.”

I raised an eyebrow at the girl’s simple answer and responded with a positive “Ah-ha.”

“Why are you fighting?”

“It keeps sticking to my hand.”

“...?”

From noble mtl dot com

“You told me to let go, but it won’t let go. So I hit it.”

I nodded slightly and started helping the girl remove the dough from her hand.

It’s clear that I gave her a perfectly fermented dough, but why did it turn out like this? I asked the lady with suspicion.

“Did you add water?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you add water? I adjusted it to the golden ratio.”

“If you add water, you can make more.”

“Are you going to divide it?”

The lady stared at me with a fierce gaze.

“No, I’m going to eat it.”

“...”

“I’ll give some to Ricardo too.”

I smiled slightly at the lady’s consideration and rolled up my sleeves. Since she had a big appetite, I could legally take away her cookies.

I carefully took the lady’s hand and began to revive the dough in a gentle voice.

“You added too much water.”

“Really?”

“Yes, that’s why the dough is sticking to your hands.”

“Oh...”

The lady nodded and entrusted her body to me. As the dough, which had been as weak as water, began to regain its vitality, she let out a sigh and puffed out her chest.

I, who had revived the dough on the brink of death, put it on the table and nodded as if to say, “Now it’s your turn to show off your skills.”

“It’s done now.”

The lady let out a sigh and began to burn her artistic passion.

First, she added a handful of chocolate topping.

“One...”

Two handfuls.

“Two.”

Three handfuls.

I burst out laughing at the towering chocolate topping that seemed to touch the sky. The majestically stacked chocolate topping looked like a shape that was difficult to express in words.

The lady seemed to know my heart, glanced at me slyly, and said with her lips pouted out.

“It’s not poop.”

“...How did you know?”

“...”

The lady seemed to have no talent for cooking.

I began to summarize my opinion while reducing the amount of chocolate topping on the dough.

Let’s make cookies instead of chocolate.

“I’ll add more.”

“If you put it in the oven, it’ll all melt.”

“...”

“When it’s done, I’ll sprinkle it on top.”

As the lady’s stubbornness and my stubbornness gradually aligned, a plausible cookie shape began to take form. Around that time, a soft voice from a woman beside me was heard.

“Over there...”

I turned my head to see Yuria, who ★ ?????????????????? ★ had dough on the corners of her mouth, staring at me. Unlike the lady, Yuria, who seemed to have talent for cooking, had made a rather plausible cookie and was carefully holding out a tray in front of me.

As I gazed at the cookies on Yuri’s tray, I couldn’t help but crack a small smile.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s... I made these cookies, but I’m not sure if I did them right. Can I just bake them?”

I nodded my head as I looked at the cookie dough shaped like a teddy bear.

“Yes, you’re not doing it right.”

“...Yes?”

“They’re too big.”

Yuri’s hands were indeed too large.

-Thud!

I was taken aback by the massive cookie that would overflow the tray, as if Yuri had swept up all the flour in the mansion.

“Are they too big?”

“Yes. Even if everyone in this place gathered around, they still couldn’t finish eating it. This massive dough won’t fit in the oven.”

“Oh... I did it in the North.”

“How did you bake it?”

“I lit a bonfire and placed it on top...”

“We don’t call that a cookie, we call it a ‘jeon’.”

“‘Jeon’... what?”

“It’s a local dish from my hometown.”

Yuri looked at the cookies she made, her expression puzzled, as if wondering where she went wrong. I smiled faintly as I approached her from behind, seeing her timidly fiddling with the dough.

“Hey?!”

“Stay still.”

“A...aah... yes...”

I took Yuri’s hand and began to inject some sense into her dough that was losing its shape.

“First of all, the teddy bear face is too big. At this size, you could fit a goblin in one bite.”

“You’re... too close...”

“And making a beard with the dough is a good idea, but using a carving knife to draw it would be even better.”

“I’ll... try that.”

“And...”

As I continued to chatter away, I noticed Yuri’s ears turning red and her stiffened shoulders. I wondered if something was bothering her.

I carefully called out Yuri’s name, worried that I might have ruined her masterpiece and hurt her feelings.

“Yuri...”

“...”

“Yuri?”

“A! Yes, I’m listening!”

Yuri, who had been startled by my touch, looked up and met my gaze, her face breaking into a faint smile.

“You’re really kind. Ricardo-sama is...”

As Yuri moved, the scent of shampoo wafted up, and I covered my mouth, my face flushing red.

“A... it’s not like that.”

It felt like I was living a fulfilling life, and it seemed like the world was bathed in a rosy hue.

The flower in both hands.

“This is life.”

I carefully concealed my rising laughter and distanced myself from Yuria, as being too close was impolite.

“You can make it like that. If you don’t know something, feel free to call me anytime.”

“Ah... I still don’t know a lot.”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m sorry to trouble you.”

I gently wiped away the frosting on Yuria’s cheek, giving her a sly smile.

“It’s not ‘I’m sorry,’ but ‘thank you’ that I want to hear. I prefer that phrase more.”

Yuria’s face turned bright red, as if it would burst.

“Housekeeper!”

As I spent more time with Yuria, Hana suddenly appeared, showing off her handmade cookies with a smile.

Hana’s cookies, with strawberry frosting and intricately designed hair and sharp jawlines, were impressive.

I chuckled and praised Hana’s work.

“Is this really edible?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Haha! You’re incredibly talented!”

“It’s still lacking if I want to capture the real thing.”

“I didn’t know I was this good-looking.”

“You’re lying, saying you’re good-looking every day.”

“But isn’t it true that I’m good-looking?”

There was no response. Both women simply blushed and looked away, making me feel awkward. It would’ve been better if they had said something.

I smiled awkwardly and accepted Hana’s cookie, bowing my head.

“Thank you.”

Hana, wearing an apron, carefully approached me and started talking.

“This is my first time making cookies, so it’s difficult.”

“Is that so? You’re doing great, though.”

“My brother is someone, you know.”

Hana said, looking at Malik, who was pouring his heart into making cookies.

The dragon-shaped cookie, which seemed like it would breathe fire at any moment, had a slender beard and an impressive design. I nodded in agreement, looking at Malik.

“Indeed.”

Talent must be hereditary.

I chuckled and helped Hana.

And then there was Shartia...

-Bear.

“What are you?”

-Goom.

“Are you a real bear?”

-Goom-goom.

“Ah... Hand.”

-Bear.

I was starting to fall for the new cuteness.

“Cute...”

*

Like that.

The time for the main event of the gathering, the one I had been waiting for the most, had finally arrived.

“Is this it?”

I was searching around the mansion’s bathroom to see if there were any dangerous places, just in case something went wrong. I wasn’t looking for a peephole to sneak a peek, but rather to prepare the bathwater in advance.

Conscience clear.