Days passed, and Sylvia was making a Capitis Kingdom-style potato soup, just as she had heard from Hubert and Dennis. Felix had been rapidly improving since regaining consciousness, but he seemed strangely listless, which worried her.
Then it struck her that she had been preparing a lot of Korean food and it had been quite a while since they had left the Capitis Kingdom. So, she asked about foods that reminded them of the Capitis Kingdom and decided to make one.
Hearing that a soup made with red potatoes, pork, milk, and cream—a relatively inexpensive crop vegetable compared to other expensive vegetables—was a traditional dish eaten during the kingdom’s national holidays, Sylvia immediately set to work.
With Hubert and Dennis by her side, after several trials and errors, she managed to create it, even without having seen red potatoes. The potatoes, milk, and cream turned the soup a pinkish color, like beets.
The red potato soup, seasoned only with salt and pepper, turned out thick and rich. Hubert, Dennis, and the crew teared up tasting it, reminded of the taste of their homeland.
After serving their portions, she prepared a separate one for Felix and went to his room.
[Sylvia!]
As he regained his strength, the fairies, rejuvenated as well, fluttered around Sylvia, clinging to her.
“Siri.”
Facing him, sitting on the bed with a smile like gentle sunshine, Sylvia responded.
“Feri.”
Hearing the naturally flowing nickname made his smile deepen.
“What’s this?”
Felix’s eyes widened at the sight of the pink soup on the wooden tray presented to him.
“Home cooking? I asked Mr. Hubert and Mr. Dennis about it and tried making it.”
Sylvia knew through the novel that the Croban mercenary band came from the Capitis Kingdom, even though it was never explicitly mentioned.
She had asked subtly, hoping it would be alright just to mention it as “home.”
Felix, seemingly astonished, blinked and slowly reached for the spoon.
After having only porridge for so long, it had been a while since he tasted food seasoned with salt and pepper.
“Drink some water first, then eat slowly.”
Sylvia filled a wooden cup with barley tea and handed it to him, advising gently.
[Wow, it looks delicious!]
[It looks sweet, doesn’t it?]
The fairies, intrigued by the pink color, perched on his shoulder or hovered around. Felix slowly scooped up a generous amount of soup and brought it to his mouth.
The savory and rich flavors made his eyes, already wide, grow even wider. His slowly moving hand began to quicken.
“Take your time eating…”
Despite Sylvia’s scolding from beside him, Felix, having already cleaned out his bowl, hung his head and trembled his hands.
He was astonished.
He was astonished that it tasted exactly the same as what he had eaten before, and astonished that he could feel the taste so accurately.
‘I can feel all the flavors.’
Even though his sense of taste and smell had largely returned, there had always been a discomfort as if he was eating something wrapped around his tongue.
But not this time.
He could taste the same red potato soup he had eaten during meals with his parents when he was young. Surprised by Felix trembling with his head bowed, Sylvia hurriedly placed her hand on his forehead.
Worried that he might feel upset from suddenly eating salty food, or fearing that his fever might rise again, she quickly checked his temperature. A large hand followed her small, pale hand on Felix’s forehead and snatched it away.
Clunk, roll.
The tray fell, and the bowl rolled away. Felix embraced Sylvia, wrapping his arms around her waist and head. His body trembled involuntarily. He was so grateful for giving him back his memories.
He had not known that memories linked to flavors could be so magnificent. The moment he fully tasted, it vividly brought back the day, as if he was looking into it—a sunny afternoon where the family gathered and shared a loving meal, a scene he missed and longed for, thanks to Sylvia.
“It’s delicious.”
Burying his head in her shoulder, Felix spoke.
“So delicious, Siri.”
Tears sprang forth automatically. It felt like warm sunlight was shining on his heart, filled with despair. Sylvia had taken young Felix, who sat in the shade, and led him into the sunlight.
Instead of replying, Sylvia patted his back with her hand, feeling the slight tremors. Felix shuddered even more at the gentle vibrations.
Holding the soft and warm Sylvia in his arms, Felix confessed in his heart.
‘I like you, a lot.’
His true feelings, which would never be voiced aloud.
***
It was a day nearing the end of winter. Sylvia woke up inside a cozy igloo, stretching long within the blankets. Stretching after waking up, only her hands and feet slipped out of the blankets.
Since Felix fell ill, all the fairies had chosen to sleep elsewhere. Even Eryngium had stopped visiting Sylvia often after seeing him ill.
Thus, she naturally assumed she was alone in the space, but the unusual sensation tickling her toes made her scream and flutter.
“Kyaaa!”
[Sylvia! It’s us!]
Clover flew up in shock, speaking. Daisy followed, flying up as well.
[Sorry, did we scare you? See, Clover, I told you she’d be surprised.]
[Hehe, didn’t know you’d be this surprised. Sorry, Sylvia.]
Sylvia, fluttering within the blankets, threw them off and sat up on the bed.
“You guys! Really… you startled me!”
She let out a resigned laugh, looking at the two fairies settling down with giggles.
“Siri!”
Alarmed by her scream, Felix rushed in, entering her space where there was originally no door. Unconsciously glancing at his partially exposed chest, Sylvia realized her own state.
“Kyaaa!”
Her attire, which was just a light shirt she wore to bed, not only left her legs bare but also exposed her bosom, almost as undressed as her shirt.
Felix, unable to take his eyes off momentarily, was stared at intently before being chased away. The black magic circles drawn on her white legs that he glimpsed for a moment lingered in his mind.
Even after returning to his room, the image persisted, leaving his face flushed for a long time.
Sitting on his shoulder, Poppy narrowed her eyes and said,
[A man entering a woman’s room without permission…]
Asta, sitting on the opposite shoulder, also chimed in,
[Asta is disappointed in Felix!]
Felix, for the first time, found himself unable to reply to the fairies under their stern gazes. He too thought his actions were shameful, yet he couldn’t stop thinking about it, driving him mad.
Eryngium, fluttering in front of him with its tiny wings, muttered softly,
[Sylvia always sleeps like that.]
Hearing the small fairy’s words, Felix flopped face down onto the bed, his face burning red.
***
Sylvia, after driving Felix out, hurriedly dressed.
“This is all your fault!”
She began scolding Clover and Daisy in front of her.
“Thank goodness it was only Felix who came. What if all the mercenaries had followed him? It would have been utterly embarrassing! Don’t ever surprise me like that again! Give me a warning!”
Watching Sylvia scold them with her triangular eyes, Clover responded,
[Sorry. It won’t happen again!]
[I’ll be more proactive in stopping it next time!]
Forgetting her anger, Sylvia burst into laughter at how cute the two fairies were.
Sylvia stood, looking down at the fairies kneeling on the bed, their round eyes darting around cutely, making it hard for her to scold them. Their responses were just as adorable.
Clover, with bright green short hair and a four-leaf clover tucked between, blinked her gem-like peridot eyes, resembling a clover leaf himself.
Sitting demurely next to her, Daisy, with long hair covering her feet and chick-fluff yellow eyes, was striking. Wearing a skirt made from inverted daisy petals, she flapped her white wings and landed on Sylvia’s head.
[I’ve always wanted to sit here! You don’t know how upset I was that Erin always took the spot!]
[Ah, that’s mean! Me too!]
Clover, fluttering her lime-green wings, soared up. Wearing pants that seemed woven from clover stems, she dangled her legs and tussled with Daisy over Sylvia’s head.
[It’s my turn now.]
[I’ve barely sat down!]
[One turn is enough!]
[Clover!]
[I can’t hear you, not listening.]
Sylvia sighed at the childish argument over her head.
“Enough…”
[But, Sylvia!]
[Move aside, Daisy.]
She brought the two squabbling fairies to the front with a gust of wind magic.
[Whoa…]
[It’s your fault, see!]
Watching the fairies continue to bicker in front of her, she said,
“Ssh! Just take turns sitting there.”
She mediated, unable to outright tell them to stop.
[Then, I’ll go first!]
Daisy came up with tears brimming in her eyes, smiling brightly. Clover, unable to help but follow Sylvia’s words, flew around her, arms crossed.
[Then, make me some green grapes!]
Clover told Sylvia.
She nonchalantly harvested the green grapes, washed them clean, plucked them one by one, and placed them in a bowl. Clover, who had quickly descended, began to nibble on a grape, holding it in both hands.
[I want to eat mango and mangosteen, Sylvia!]
With a cute pout, Sylvia narrowed her eyes slightly and prepared the mango and mangosteen, cutting them into bite-sized pieces and placing them in a bowl. Daisy, who had been comfortably sitting on her head, came down and immediately grabbed the white flesh of the mangosteen to eat.
Sylvia pondered over breakfast with the two fairies by her side.
What to do with the rockfish she had caught before. It seemed they would eat it even raw… But serving sashimi first thing in the morning didn’t seem right.
So, she decided on fish cutlets.
The first thing to make was the sauce. She took out an egg and boiled just the yolk in water. While the yolk cooked in midair, she finely chopped stored cucumber pickles, onions, and carrots with the magic of wind.
With the fully cooked yolk, mayonnaise, and plenty of squeezed lemon juice, she seasoned it with salt and pepper, then mixed in the chopped vegetables. The prepared tartar sauce was placed in a bowl, and she took out the rockfish from the subspace bag.
The pink rockfish looked fascinating and beautiful.
“How can it be this color?”
Though it resembled a snapper, it was a deeper pink, enhanced with a fluorescent hue. Now quite skilled with the magic of wind, she separated the skin and cut only the flesh for the cutlets, seasoning it with salt and pepper. In the meantime, she washed rice and prepared it, then grew and thinly sliced cabbage.
Apples and cucumbers were sliced to a similar thickness. She mixed them with cabbage and added mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, pepper, and a little mustard powder, stirring vigorously.
After removing the moisture from the fish flesh, she coated it in flour and dipped it in egg. She crushed a large loaf of bread into breadcrumbs and coated the fish generously.
She dropped the fish into oil heated to the right temperature by fire magic and cooked it over medium heat.
[Wow, that smells good.]
[What’s that, Sylvia?]
Clover and Daisy, who had been busy eating fruit, showed curiosity. Sylvia smiled widely and answered.
“This is a fish cutlet, rich and light, endlessly delightful!”
And if eaten with tartar sauce, it was perfect as a rice dish. Although the cabbage salad might seem greasy because it contained mayonnaise, it was supposed to be eaten greasy to taste its best.
Humming, Sylvia made juice by grinding carrots and apples.
She also popped a delicious grape into her mouth, and chewed it while making grape ade. She slightly froze the mango to make it refreshingly cool and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
She first placed the fried fish cutlet on a newly made cypress plate, spread the fluffy rice widely to one side, then piled up the cabbage salad in the remaining space, sprinkled dressing over it, and accompanied it with slightly frozen mango on the very edge.
Finally, she generously topped the fish cutlet with tartar sauce.
“It’s all done!”
After finishing the preparation, Sylvia peeked out into the corridor, embarrassed to face Felix alone after what had just happened.
Days passed, and Sylvia was making a Capitis Kingdom-style potato soup, just as she had heard from Hubert and Dennis. Felix had been rapidly improving since regaining consciousness, but he seemed strangely listless, which worried her.
Then it struck her that she had been preparing a lot of Korean food and it had been quite a while since they had left the Capitis Kingdom. So, she asked about foods that reminded them of the Capitis Kingdom and decided to make one.
Hearing that a soup made with red potatoes, pork, milk, and cream—a relatively inexpensive crop vegetable compared to other expensive vegetables—was a traditional dish eaten during the kingdom’s national holidays, Sylvia immediately set to work.
With Hubert and Dennis by her side, after several trials and errors, she managed to create it, even without having seen red potatoes. The potatoes, milk, and cream turned the soup a pinkish color, like beets.
The red potato soup, seasoned only with salt and pepper, turned out thick and rich. Hubert, Dennis, and the crew teared up tasting it, reminded of the taste of their homeland.
After serving their portions, she prepared a separate one for Felix and went to his room.
[Sylvia!]
As he regained his strength, the fairies, rejuvenated as well, fluttered around Sylvia, clinging to her.
“Siri.”
Facing him, sitting on the bed with a smile like gentle sunshine, Sylvia responded.
“Feri.”
Hearing the naturally flowing nickname made his smile deepen.
“What’s this?”
Felix’s eyes widened at the sight of the pink soup on the wooden tray presented to him.
“Home cooking? I asked Mr. Hubert and Mr. Dennis about it and tried making it.”
Sylvia knew through the novel that the Croban mercenary band came from the Capitis Kingdom, even though it was never explicitly mentioned.
She had asked subtly, hoping it would be alright just to mention it as “home.”
Felix, seemingly astonished, blinked and slowly reached for the spoon.
After having only porridge for so long, it had been a while since he tasted food seasoned with salt and pepper.
“Drink some water first, then eat slowly.”
Sylvia filled a wooden cup with barley tea and handed it to him, advising gently.
[Wow, it looks delicious!]
[It looks sweet, doesn’t it?]
The fairies, intrigued by the pink color, perched on his shoulder or hovered around. Felix slowly scooped up a generous amount of soup and brought it to his mouth.
The savory and rich flavors made his eyes, already wide, grow even wider. His slowly moving hand began to quicken.
“Take your time eating…”
Despite Sylvia’s scolding from beside him, Felix, having already cleaned out his bowl, hung his head and trembled his hands.
He was astonished.
He was astonished that it tasted exactly the same as what he had eaten before, and astonished that he could feel the taste so accurately.
‘I can feel all the flavors.’
Even though his sense of taste and smell had largely returned, there had always been a discomfort as if he was eating something wrapped around his tongue.
But not this time.
He could taste the same red potato soup he had eaten during meals with his parents when he was young. Surprised by Felix trembling with his head bowed, Sylvia hurriedly placed her hand on his forehead.
Worried that he might feel upset from suddenly eating salty food, or fearing that his fever might rise again, she quickly checked his temperature. A large hand followed her small, pale hand on Felix’s forehead and snatched it away.
Clunk, roll.
The tray fell, and the bowl rolled away. Felix embraced Sylvia, wrapping his arms around her waist and head. His body trembled involuntarily. He was so grateful for giving him back his memories.
He had not known that memories linked to flavors could be so magnificent. The moment he fully tasted, it vividly brought back the day, as if he was looking into it—a sunny afternoon where the family gathered and shared a loving meal, a scene he missed and longed for, thanks to Sylvia.
“It’s delicious.”
Burying his head in her shoulder, Felix spoke.
“So delicious, Siri.”
Tears sprang forth automatically. It felt like warm sunlight was shining on his heart, filled with despair. Sylvia had taken young Felix, who sat in the shade, and led him into the sunlight.
Instead of replying, Sylvia patted his back with her hand, feeling the slight tremors. Felix shuddered even more at the gentle vibrations.
Holding the soft and warm Sylvia in his arms, Felix confessed in his heart.
‘I like you, a lot.’
His true feelings, which would never be voiced aloud.
***
It was a day nearing the end of winter. Sylvia woke up inside a cozy igloo, stretching long within the blankets. Stretching after waking up, only her hands and feet slipped out of the blankets.
Since Felix fell ill, all the fairies had chosen to sleep elsewhere. Even Eryngium had stopped visiting Sylvia often after seeing him ill.
Thus, she naturally assumed she was alone in the space, but the unusual sensation tickling her toes made her scream and flutter.
“Kyaaa!”
[Sylvia! It’s us!]
Clover flew up in shock, speaking. Daisy followed, flying up as well.
[Sorry, did we scare you? See, Clover, I told you she’d be surprised.]
[Hehe, didn’t know you’d be this surprised. Sorry, Sylvia.]
Sylvia, fluttering within the blankets, threw them off and sat up on the bed.
“You guys! Really… you startled me!”
She let out a resigned laugh, looking at the two fairies settling down with giggles.
“Siri!”
Alarmed by her scream, Felix rushed in, entering her space where there was originally no door. Unconsciously glancing at his partially exposed chest, Sylvia realized her own state.
“Kyaaa!”
Her attire, which was just a light shirt she wore to bed, not only left her legs bare but also exposed her bosom, almost as undressed as her shirt.
Felix, unable to take his eyes off momentarily, was stared at intently before being chased away. The black magic circles drawn on her white legs that he glimpsed for a moment lingered in his mind.
Even after returning to his room, the image persisted, leaving his face flushed for a long time.
Sitting on his shoulder, Poppy narrowed her eyes and said,
[A man entering a woman’s room without permission…]
Asta, sitting on the opposite shoulder, also chimed in,
[Asta is disappointed in Felix!]
Felix, for the first time, found himself unable to reply to the fairies under their stern gazes. He too thought his actions were shameful, yet he couldn’t stop thinking about it, driving him mad.
Eryngium, fluttering in front of him with its tiny wings, muttered softly,
[Sylvia always sleeps like that.]
Hearing the small fairy’s words, Felix flopped face down onto the bed, his face burning red.
***
Sylvia, after driving Felix out, hurriedly dressed.
“This is all your fault!”
She began scolding Clover and Daisy in front of her.
“Thank goodness it was only Felix who came. What if all the mercenaries had followed him? It would have been utterly embarrassing! Don’t ever surprise me like that again! Give me a warning!”
Watching Sylvia scold them with her triangular eyes, Clover responded,
[Sorry. It won’t happen again!]
[I’ll be more proactive in stopping it next time!]
Forgetting her anger, Sylvia burst into laughter at how cute the two fairies were.
Sylvia stood, looking down at the fairies kneeling on the bed, their round eyes darting around cutely, making it hard for her to scold them. Their responses were just as adorable.
Clover, with bright green short hair and a four-leaf clover tucked between, blinked her gem-like peridot eyes, resembling a clover leaf himself.
Sitting demurely next to her, Daisy, with long hair covering her feet and chick-fluff yellow eyes, was striking. Wearing a skirt made from inverted daisy petals, she flapped her white wings and landed on Sylvia’s head.
[I’ve always wanted to sit here! You don’t know how upset I was that Erin always took the spot!]
[Ah, that’s mean! Me too!]
Clover, fluttering her lime-green wings, soared up. Wearing pants that seemed woven from clover stems, she dangled her legs and tussled with Daisy over Sylvia’s head.
[It’s my turn now.]
[I’ve barely sat down!]
[One turn is enough!]
[Clover!]
[I can’t hear you, not listening.]
Sylvia sighed at the childish argument over her head.
“Enough…”
[But, Sylvia!]
[Move aside, Daisy.]
She brought the two squabbling fairies to the front with a gust of wind magic.
[Whoa…]
[It’s your fault, see!]
Watching the fairies continue to bicker in front of her, she said,
“Ssh! Just take turns sitting there.”
She mediated, unable to outright tell them to stop.
[Then, I’ll go first!]
Daisy came up with tears brimming in her eyes, smiling brightly. Clover, unable to help but follow Sylvia’s words, flew around her, arms crossed.
[Then, make me some green grapes!]
Clover told Sylvia.
She nonchalantly harvested the green grapes, washed them clean, plucked them one by one, and placed them in a bowl. Clover, who had quickly descended, began to nibble on a grape, holding it in both hands.
[I want to eat mango and mangosteen, Sylvia!]
With a cute pout, Sylvia narrowed her eyes slightly and prepared the mango and mangosteen, cutting them into bite-sized pieces and placing them in a bowl. Daisy, who had been comfortably sitting on her head, came down and immediately grabbed the white flesh of the mangosteen to eat.
Sylvia pondered over breakfast with the two fairies by her side.
What to do with the rockfish she had caught before. It seemed they would eat it even raw… But serving sashimi first thing in the morning didn’t seem right.
So, she decided on fish cutlets.
The first thing to make was the sauce. She took out an egg and boiled just the yolk in water. While the yolk cooked in midair, she finely chopped stored cucumber pickles, onions, and carrots with the magic of wind.
With the fully cooked yolk, mayonnaise, and plenty of squeezed lemon juice, she seasoned it with salt and pepper, then mixed in the chopped vegetables. The prepared tartar sauce was placed in a bowl, and she took out the rockfish from the subspace bag.
The pink rockfish looked fascinating and beautiful.
“How can it be this color?”
Though it resembled a snapper, it was a deeper pink, enhanced with a fluorescent hue. Now quite skilled with the magic of wind, she separated the skin and cut only the flesh for the cutlets, seasoning it with salt and pepper. In the meantime, she washed rice and prepared it, then grew and thinly sliced cabbage.
Apples and cucumbers were sliced to a similar thickness. She mixed them with cabbage and added mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, pepper, and a little mustard powder, stirring vigorously.
After removing the moisture from the fish flesh, she coated it in flour and dipped it in egg. She crushed a large loaf of bread into breadcrumbs and coated the fish generously.
She dropped the fish into oil heated to the right temperature by fire magic and cooked it over medium heat.
[Wow, that smells good.]
[What’s that, Sylvia?]
Clover and Daisy, who had been busy eating fruit, showed curiosity. Sylvia smiled widely and answered.
“This is a fish cutlet, rich and light, endlessly delightful!”
And if eaten with tartar sauce, it was perfect as a rice dish. Although the cabbage salad might seem greasy because it contained mayonnaise, it was supposed to be eaten greasy to taste its best.
Humming, Sylvia made juice by grinding carrots and apples.
She also popped a delicious grape into her mouth, and chewed it while making grape ade. She slightly froze the mango to make it refreshingly cool and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
She first placed the fried fish cutlet on a newly made cypress plate, spread the fluffy rice widely to one side, then piled up the cabbage salad in the remaining space, sprinkled dressing over it, and accompanied it with slightly frozen mango on the very edge.
Finally, she generously topped the fish cutlet with tartar sauce.
“It’s all done!”
After finishing the preparation, Sylvia peeked out into the corridor, embarrassed to face Felix alone after what had just happened.
