"Kyaa～! Art, hurry up! You're so slow!" ［Bella］
"W-Wait! Bella, Galvin, you're just too fast!" ［Elnart］
Woof Woof Woof Woof
The little figures ran around the garden, the sound of little footsteps and the barking of the furballs echoing in the air. Smiles were afloat the place, drifting in the breeze along the sweet and calming scent of flowers.
The kids ran around and the familiars chased them. Suddenly, Galvin stopped on his tracks and faced the furballs, halting along with him. He raised a twig towards the air, then pointing it towards the familiars with an adorably determined look on his face.
"I am the hero, Galvin! I will vanquish you demons from this land!" ［Galvin］
So the little boy declared and he swung his sword with vigor. Unfortunately, vigor was all he had, and even when he landed the strike, only a soft "pomf" resounded in the air, the twig easily bouncing off the familiar's soft and fluffy fur.
"Galvin, move away! I will also aid you in battle!" ［Elnart］
Said his older brother with a fierce determination burning in his eyes, also landing a blow towards the familia's left fore leg. However, he was even much weaker than his younger brother who was 2 years younger than him.
It was hopeless. No matter how much effort they put in, they were far too weak to face and overcome the adversity before them. No matter how brave they were, such was useless in front of absolute power. There was only one thing they could do...
"Galvin, take the princess and go! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" ［Elnart］
"Understood, Elder Brother!" ［Galvin］
"Art, be careful! Take care of the demons!" ［Bella］
... And that was to run, Galvin taking Bella's hand and running away with their little legs. Elnart tried to hold off the familiars, but he was greatly overpowered, the little furballs pinning him down with their fur tickling him to a chuckle.
Galvin and Bella were also hopeless, the familiars easily catching up and pouncing towards them. Everyone was pinned down by the little furballs, only able to laugh and giggle as they were attacked by their cuteness and fluff.
"Haaaahhh......" ［Yuna］
Yet despite such happiness, the same couldn't be said for everyone around. It was especially true for Yuna who had been sighing since the beginning, dark circles to be seen around her eyes as she lay her head down at the garden table.
"You've been sighing a lot lately, Yuna... You must have had an exhausting week. It was because of the cosmetics, wasn't it?" ［Cedric］
"Un... They were all so terrible..." ［Yuna］
It has been a few days since Grey and Yuna returned to Galderia, and ever since then, Yuna has dealt with a lot of troubles because of her cosmetic products. It wasn't just the Alchemists' Guild, but the Merchants' Guild as well.
Yuna was already done with the patents and the related paperwork, but teaching the other alchemists how to make them was quite tiringー no, very exhausting. She has been practically sleepless over the past few days, even having nightmares about it.
Yuna wasn't even short in money so the income from it doesn't matter much to her. She sacrificed all her time so that the ladies wouldn't bother her and Grey anymore. She somehow managed to pull through in just a few days, but the results were brutal. She was pale as a guest, her soul leaving her body.
"Yuna, have you fried casting healing magic on yourself? That might help you quite a bit. You really look so grim." ［Cedric］
"I already did... I already did so many times... But it was useless. They can only cure physical fatigue, diseases, and curses." ［Yuna］
"Hm? Aren't there any mind-related spells?" ［Cedric］
"Uuu... I don't know... I just want to sleep..." ［Yuna］
She was grumbling and frowning, ranting like a university student who just received an unreasonable amount of workload over such a strict schedule. If it were only her and Grey, she would have thrown a tantrum already.
Seeing her like that, Cedric could only empathize with. He could remember his past self from her when he was just starting out as a Lord. He could still remember the many times he cursed his father for retiring so early. Oh, the good old days.
"Elder Sister Yuna... Are you alright?" ［Galvin］
"Big Sis Yuna, You look down... Do you need a hug? Mom and Dad always feel better after I give them a hug." ［Bella］
And as it seems, even the children had noticed how exhausted Yuna was. As soon as they saw her start grumbling, they immediately rushed towards her side and tried to comfort them the way they could. The familiars were also with them.
They were too adorable, simply too adorable. No matter how mentally fatigued Yuna was, she could only smile after seeing such adorable angels try to cheer her up. The feeling of warmth and comfort bubbled inside her heart like a hot spring.
"Uuu... You all, come and give Big Sis a hug!" ［Yuna］
She opened her arms wide and the children rushed towards her. Yuna then hugged them tightly, but not too tight. Just embracing the children and familiars was more than enough to warm and mend her exhausted mind.
Over a distance, a young man was looking at him with warmth in his eyes, a soft and subtle smile blooming on his face as he watched such a heartwarming scene unfold. He then looked away, humming to himself soon after.
That young man was none other than Grey who is now making snacks for everyone. He wasn't making them just to fill their stomachs but also to cheer up his dejected fiancée with a mountain of treats.
"Cupcakes, crepes, pies, macaroons, rice krispies......" ［Grey］
Of course, as one would expect, they were all sweets. enough to make one's teeth hurt just by looking at them. It has only been an hour since he started, and he already made mountains of them, sugar and carbohydrates galore.
And he was yet to be satisfied with the selection of sweets before him. He soon took out a number of ingredients from the storage and piled them atop the table, taking them out one by one with his slick hands.
"And whoops... That should do it." ［Grey］
Graham crackers, butter, cheese, peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, whipped cream, milk, salt, chocolate, some dried berries and nuts, and some syrup for toppings. Such an array of ingredients was lined up atop the kitchen table.
"Then, shall we get started?" ［Grey］
First, Grey made the crust. He first crushed the graham crackers into crumbs, then mixing it with melted butter until the crumbs became moist. The mixture was then poured into a plate and frozen with ice magic.
After the crust was the peanut butter layer. He mixed and beat together peanut butter, melted cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar together, finally adding a couple cups of whipped cream. He mixed until the mixture was consistent.
"Then spread them over..." ［Grey］
The peanut butter mixture was spread all over the crust, Grey making sure it was even in all places. He then used ice magic once again to freeze the peanut butter layer. He set it aside and prepared for the next.
For the chocolate pudding layer, he simply mixed some chocolate and milk together, adding a bit of sugar and salt to even out the mixture. And like before, he spread the mixture over the previous layers, freezing it over again with ice magic.
Finally came the topping. Grey spread over the remaining whipped cream atop the finished layers and drizzled the top with chocolate syrup, melted peanut butter, a bit of powdered sugar, and the bits of dried berries and nuts.
The Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna was complete!
"Everyone, let's have some snacks first, shall we?" ［Grey］
"Waah～! There's cake and chocolate!" ［Galvin］
"Big Bro Grey! I want to eat the macaroons! And pudding too!" ［Bella］
As soon as Grey called out, the children came running towards him like tiny ducklings towards the mother duck. They all wore sparkling eyes, sparkling even brighter the moment Grey put down the snacks on the white garden table.
Of course, it went without saying that Yuna was also greatly interested in the snacks her beloved made. She may have been quiet, but her eyes were the brightest amongst them. So bright to the point that it was blinding.
""""Thank you for the food!!!"""
Everyone sent their prayers of gratitude towards heaven and also washed their hands beforehand. And as soon as the prayers were over, such tiny hands reached out to the sweet treats and took one of their liking.
"Mmn～! So good! I could eat these all day!" ［Bella］
"Father! Eat these! These are good!" ［Galvin］
"Yup, tastes just about right." ［Grey］
They all had different reactions, but everyone was wearing smiles on their faces. A certain little girl was even copying Yuna's remarks, and trying to act like her as well, mimicking her completely. It was none other than Bella.
But of course, the one with the best reaction was none other than Yuna who was now smiling from ear to ear as he munched down on the sweets with such eagerness. Her ears were also flapping up and down, making her chuckle.
She had been tired out from the endless work these past few days, but just tasting the sweets was more than enough to make her mood pierce through cloud nine. She was especially happy because Grey practically made them for her.
"Hm? Grey, what's this one called?" ［Yuna］
And just as she was enjoying herself, a certain snack caught her eyes. She had seen most of the things Grey had made, but it was her first time seeing that one. She could only tilt her head in confusion as she glanced with curiosity,
"That's called 'Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna'." ［Grey］
"Hmm... What a long name... It's quite the mouthful to say, isn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha, it really is. But its name aside, I can assure that it tastes amazing. I put my honor on the line with my words," ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Then I'm sure it will be delicious!" ［Yuna］
Yuna didn't waste any more time and got herself a piece of the said sweet, and put it on her plate. She then took an even smaller piece and forked it with her fork, feeding it to her mouth soon after, an explosion of sweetness flooding her mouth.
The soft and sweet graham, the salty, nutty, and earthy peanut butter, the sweet and bitter chocolate, the fluffy and creamy whipped cream, and the fruity and nutty punch delivered by the toppings, all blending in harmony.
There were a lot of flavors to take in, but it wasn't overwhelming. Rather, it was quite gentle, softly caressing her tongue. The texture was top-notch as well, not too solid nor was it too jelly. It was a heavenly delight.
"Mmn～! So delicious! Grey, this is amazing!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. I'm glad you liked it." ［Grey］
It was quite a hassle searching through his memory bank for a wonderful and unique recipe, but seeing how much Yuna liked it, it was worth all the effort. Moreover, he himself enjoys it quite well, feeling more than satisfied.
"Waah～! I want to have a taste too! I want some too, Big Brother Grey!" ［Galvin］
"Me too. I also want to have a bite, Older Brother Grey," ［Elnart］
"Alright, here you go. Just ask if you want some more." ［Grey］
As soon as the children saw Yuna enjoy the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna, they also started asking to have a taste. And as one would expect, they loved the treat very much that they kept asking for more, smiles blooming on their faces.
Even Cedric enjoyed the snack even though he wasn't as much of a sweet tooth as his children. Eating it reminds him of a certain figure he dearly misses so. He could only wish that she gets a bite of the sweets as well.
Just like that, time continued to pass and the children continued playing with the familiars. They ran around the garden, continuing where they left off and waving their swords against the demon chasing after them.
"Graa! I will eat you naughty children!" ［Yuna］
"Kyaa～! Run away! We can't defeat the Demon Queen!" ［Bella］
"Let's run away! She's too strong!" ［Galvin］
The only difference now was that Yuna was now the enemy, lauded by the others as the "Demon Queen". She had already recovered from her dejection, and so, she decided to play with the children, the familiars now acting as their trusty steeds.
Meanwhile, Grey and Cedric are talking about business and similar matters. They were tackling matters about the exportation of rice, the processing of magic tools, exchanges and updates regarding many of the involved parties.
"I see... Then how long would it take before rice production becomes relevant in the whole county? A couple months? Maybe half a year?" ［Grey］
"Hey now, we don't have ridiculous powers like you and Yuna. It would still take us a year at the very least. Just clearing the marshes is a massive task." ［Cedric］
"That does make sense... And how about the other territories?" ［Grey］
"Regarding that, there are already some showing interest in growing rice. Though it was just the neighboring territories at first, the other regions are also now contacting us after His Majesty announced his support." ［Cedric］
Long story short, the rice plantation program Grey started is now progressing at a rapid rate. While many villages are still starting, some are already up and running and are producing a manageable flow of rice into the market.
Thankfully, the demand on rice is still not that much, mostly coming from Galderia and a few requests from Grey and Yuna's acquaintances. Because of this, even with the relatively low supply, the price of rice is still reasonable.
With rice, chocolate, potatoes, and many more planting programs started because of Grey's search of ingredients, the agriculture sector of the Kingdom is undergoing a massive boom, the other nobles, finding out new crops they can profit from,
Speaking of profit, Grey's profit from the patents and shares alone has now grown to an astonishing degree, earning him a few million kiels every single month. This only led his Merchants' Guild, guild card to be promoted from Silver to Gold.
"Still, to think you already have a Gold guild card... I feel a little cheated..." ［Cedric］
"Hm? Don't you also have a Gold guild card, Cedric?" ［Grey］
"That's right, but I didn't earn it in less than a year like you. Even the fastest growing companies don't grow at this rate, you know?" ［Cedric］
"But I don't have a company though?" ［Grey］
"That's exactly the problem here." ［Cedric］
Though nobles mostly earn their earnings from taxes, many of them also earn a decent amount from their businesses. And those who reach Gold rank are usually the ranks of Count. Those of lower status usually find it hard to achieve.
Yet even with that fact, there was Grey. Not only the agricultural innovation, but also his invention of magic tools such as the camera and the phone was revolutionary. He may be at Gold rank now, but it won't be long before he reaches Platinum of above.
"Ah, speaking of which. How is the program with Torogi progressing? I heard from Marika that they're now expanding to other territories?" ［Grey］
"Changing the topic now, are we? Haah... You really are something..." ［Cedric］
There was no use thinking too much about it. Even if Cedric were to use all his brain power to try and understand the young man before him, he would only have a painful headache and nothing more. He simply gave up.
"Well, it's going pretty smoothly actually. If things go as planned, it won't be long until the trade routes reach Galderia and we'll have access to new resources." ［Cedric］
"That's great. That means we can get more ingredients." ［Grey］
"It's all about food again... Shouldn't you be asking about the people there first? Like the Great Chief or his daughter?" ［Cedric］
"We've been keeping in touch so there's really no need to worry. In fact, we just got a call from Marika the other day saying that they're fine and all." ［Grey］
"Ah, right... I keep forgetting you also gave them phones..." ［Cedric］
It wasn't just Marika. The Tobias household, Aria's family, the Graystone household, acquaintances, and many more. Grey and Yuna had given a lot of phones towards their acquaintances and they have always been keeping in touch.
In fact, it was also because of phones that their transactions became much faster and the development of products progressed as much as it did today. It truly was a tool for a better world... If only it wasn't so costly to make...
"Then would the Great Chief be visiting the capital soon?" ［Grey］
"Hmm... That would be the case, though it may take more than a month for thatー Oh! And speaking of the capital, I have something to give you..." ［Cedric］
Said Cedric as he opened his Storage ring and searched for a certain something. It took him a little while, but when he was done, a letter appeared in his hands, one with an unfamiliar seal embedded on it.
"That is...?" ［Grey］
"This is an invitation to a young lady's tea party. She is from a Marquessal household so I can't really decline it that easily." ［Cedric］
"Hm? So they're contacting you now since the guild doesn't work, huh,.." ［Grey］
"That's right, and here are the rest." ［Cedric］
Sais Cedric as he opened his storage ring again. As soon as he did, a pile of letters came pouring out like an unstoppable flood of white and red, all sorts of crest and seals embedded on each of them, both local and foreign.
Cedric simply showed the highest ranking one of them all before, but there were also countless letters from the lower nobility as well as the gentry hoping to contact Grey and Yuna using the Aldridge household as the medium.
"Wow... I... Umm... These are a lot, aren't they?" ［Grey］
"A lot...? These aren't even all of them. These are only the considerable ones. If we count all of them, there would easily be five times more." ［Cedric］
"Five times.... Grey, isn't that bad news...?" ［Yuna］
Yep, the news was so bad that even Yuna who just managed to overhear was now frozen by the sheer amount of letters addressed to them. There was already a pileー no, a mountain before them, and there were still more where they came from.
In fact, there were so many that Cedric now receives more letters for Grey and Yuna than letters addressed to their household. Some even go as far as to address the letter to Cedric, only for the contents to be actually delivered to Grey and Yuna.
Of course, what came with some of them were gifts (bribes), kind words (flattery), and persuasion (threats). It was so ridiculous, Cedric has raged countless times over how unreasonable they were. He just wants to burn them all to ashes.
"I even received a letter from a foreign King the other week..." ［Cedric］
"From a King?! Isn't that serious?!" ［Grey］
"Well, I thought so at first, but it was actually just a fake. I almost had a heart attack back then. Hahaha." ［Cedric］
He was laughing, but his expressions begged to differ. And to make things worse, he has been shouldering such a troublesome matter for a whole 3 months whilst Grey and Yuna were gone. It was a long, long nightmare.
Grey and Yuna had already asked the Guilds to throw away all the letters, but they never thought Cedric would be the one suffering because of their thoughtless actions. They couldn't be any more sorry for him.
"Grey, Yuna... Can't you do something about the invitations?" ［Cedric］
"A-Ah, yeah... We'll do something about it." ［Grey］
Or so he says, but neither Grey nor Yuna have any idea how to stop the annoying barrage of letters coming from all directions. Though, there was no need to say such words to Cedric. It was better to keep quiet.
Cedric soon sighed and stored the letters back into his storage ring, making the table clean and tidy again. He decided not to dwell on his sorrow anymore and had another bite of the sweets before him.
"Hmm... These really are good... I'm sure Veronica will like these." ［Cedric］
"Should we bring some to her next time then?" ［Grey］
"Ah. That would be much appreciated." ［Cedric］
The peaceful day continues...
CHAPTER 345 END