The town's atmosphere today was more cheerful than usual, the signs of an event going to be held or similar. Yidhra thought while strolling down the town with Mihawk by her side, heading to the market, and watching people get excited running here and there. Most of them were female, and they all seemed to be buying something from the materials baking store, much to the witch's curiosity.
"Pardon me." Yidhra stopped a group of girls who passed by after leaving the store with paper bags in their hands. This caught Mihawk's attention "May I ask why all maidens go to the materials baking store?"
"You're the beautiful lady, owner of the plant shop!" The girls exclaimed as they recognized Yidhra with awe and excitement "Come on! You must try it yourself! Valentine's is near! Go get some cacao!"
"Valentine?"
"Yes! It's the day you make chocolate and give it to the one you love!"
After the girls disappeared at the end of the road, Yidhra turned her attention to Mihawk "Dalta, do thou have any ideas what the females art talking about?"
"A little, I'll be honest. They probably mentioned Valentine's Day, a day where people give each other chocolate to express their gratitude. The main ingredient to make chocolate is cacao flour. And—" The boy's cheek was seen with a suspicious shade of red as he uncertainly looked at the witch "—most of it, the girls would give their handmade chocolate to the boys they love."
"Is it on the female to make chocolate?"
"Y-yes, mentor. Well, males can do it as well but it's a rare scene. If they did, usually it would be for their friends or family."
"It sounds like a fun occasion." Yidhra chuckled at the idea and pulled Mihawk towards the store "Let's buy some of this cacao then."
"Eh?! Y-you want to make chocolate, mentor?"
"If it is a human's tradition to show gratitude to each other then why not? Not to mention, thou art the only pupil of mine, I see no harm in spoiling thee as much as I can."
Now Mihawk's cheeks were all flushed like a tomato. He had expected the reason Yidhra made chocolate was... the second, but perhaps he was only being paranoid. Because there was no way...... Ah. Forget it. Still, acknowledging the witch's affection for him was enough to send his heart to heaven. The little boy sighed, then he looked up to the witch "Can I join you too, mentor? Making chocolate."
"Oh? Thou want to give chocolate to someone as well?" Yidhra smiled with interest, making her pupil blush again.
"......Who else could it be but you." He mumbled quietly under his breath behind Yidhra.
...
In the end, they did buy the cacao along with the ingredients they needed for the next few days. Since it was the first time they made this chocolate kind of food, they both agreed to make it together with the recipe. Well, mostly the basic part because later Mihawk insisted on making a perfect one in secret himself which caused Yidhra to chuckle.
Both the mentor and the pupil knew how to cook so the kitchen didn't become a mess for someone making chocolate for the first time. Well, honestly, who could even turn the kitchen into hell just by making chocolate? Anyway, their first sample came out pretty good in shape, despite Mihawk's being too soft and easily broken while Yidhra's... well.
"Did you forget the sugar, mentor? It's too bitter!"
"So cacao originally tastes bitter."
"Yes. That's why the recipe has sugar as one of the main ingredients."
"Well, I want to try the shape first, flavors later. Besides, it is intriguing to see the difference between making chocolate and bread even though their original ingredients were both flour-like."
"You make it sound like an experiment."
"In some ways, it is indeed." Yidhra turned to the little boy, more specifically, his sample "Worry for thyself first, dalta. Thy chocolate is so fragile."
"H-hey! It's my first time so mistakes are inevitable!"
It's a good thing they bought lots of cacao flour just in case so they could make another if the previous one failed. Furthermore, the last one must be perfect. Everybody wants the outcome of their efforts to be flawless, don't they?
And there were some teases during the process as well. Yidhra would paint Mihawk's little face with the chocolate liquid like a kitten much to his protest.
"It is adorable on thee."
"No, it's not! It's sticky! Mentor—no! Not my hair!"
...
Valentine's Day.
It was getting late, Mihawk thought. Yidhra had a sudden call from her private business so she had left since the afternoon and didn't come back at sunset. Despite knowing the witch was strong, the little boy couldn't help but feel worried. He had planned to give her his handmade chocolate to show her his gratitude for having taken care of him, perhaps there was another purpose as well but she did not need to know at this moment. That meant if something happened to the witch that would ruin the atmosphere of the day, he would be disappointed.
Hell, he hadn't received her chocolate at all.
Fortunately, Yidhra came back before dinner but her bloody form scared Mihawk to the pit.
"No, they were not my blood." The witch reassured him, instinctively bringing up her hand to pat his head only to realize there was blood on her hand as well, so she withdrew her hand "I shall take a bath. Why do thou not have dinner first?"
"I'll wait for you. Besides, I..." Mihawk's cheeks slightly rose a shade of red "...I have to give you something."
"Alright. Suit thou well." Yidhra smiled and headed towards the bathroom to clean off the mess on herself.
Once the witch finished the bath and walked into the dining room, she saw Mihawk standing up from his position and approached her with a small well-wrapped present. The red ribbon was cut into serpentine shape, coiled around the present which stood out the most.
"M-mentor. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude!" Mihawk said and gave Yidhra the present. She could sense his nervousness and how his cheeks remained the same shade of red she had seen earlier.
If Yidhra remembered correctly, that was the final sample her pupil had made. So... that was meant for her?
"Oh my. Thou surprise me, dalta." Yidhra smiled amusingly and accepted the small present "I did not expect thee would make me chocolate."
"O-of course I made it for you! Who else could it be!"
"Well, how can I know if you secretly have a crush from the town~"
"Mentor!!" Gosh, that made Mihawk truly embarrassed, he tried to change the subject and spoke with great resolve "A-anyway! Like I said, it presents my gratitude towards you for having taken care of me. I will do my best to enhance my skills and make you proud! Please continue to look after me, mentor!"
Such determination coming from the boy melted the witch's heart. It's even more adorable seeing him acting tough as a small child. Yidhra immediately pulled Mihawk into her chest and cuddled with him, causing him to blush furiously but didn't refuse the affection.
"Aww~ Dalta is so adorable~ Of course I shall watch over thee till the end~"
Mihawk really enjoyed his mentor's embrace and cuddles since it was natural for a child to feel secure in the arms of a strong adult. Thus, a beauty usually soothes one's mind and Yidhra was undoubtedly a beautiful woman who always spoiled him with affections. Having her as his mentor and foster mother was one of the best things he ever had after the tormenting turning point of his life.
Although she would be extremely ruthless during training. That part scared him the most.
"Mentor, what about my chocolate?" He looked up from the position in her chest with his pleading golden eyes.
"Ah. Right." Yidhra kissed his cheek pleasingly, making the boy squirm in her embrace "Because little dalta surprises me so I forgot my gift for thee~"
"H-hey... It's not my fault that you came home late with blood all over."
"Why, does that scare thee?"
"Of course it does! I know you're strong but can you not be so careless?!"
Yidhra's grin grew wider at his words, little dalta worrying about her was such a blessing to witness. A mere child worried for an adult's safety? That's one hell of a sight. Perhaps because they weren't blood-related, they could express themselves more comfortably than real relatives.
The witch waved her hand in the air, a small box was beautifully decorated dropped on her palm out of nowhere. There was nothing special about the wrapping, however, a pleasant scent could be smelled from the present that Mihawk couldn't keep his curiosity away from.
"Thou do not have to eat them at once. Thou can save it for dire situations for I made sure to take full advantage of it." The witch said and put the present in Mihawk's hands "So, we both have the chocolate. Do thou want to open it together?"
They decided to open the chocolates after dinner. Mihawk's chocolate was a square shape and he used condensed cream cheese to write on it: Best Wishes for Best Mentor. Yidhra squealed over the cuteness of the gift and showered Mihawk with kisses. On the other hand, Yidhra's chocolate was like a pile of thin cookies taking the shape of Mihawk's features.
Holy—Yidhra actually didn't blab about her skills. The chocolates were crafted so detailed like a work of art, Mihawk was so bewildered that he was unable to utter a word.
Heaven. She put so much effort into the chocolate that made his sample like a child's play.
"Dalta? Art thou... crying?!" Yidhra was startled by his response. She immediately wiped the tears that streamed down his cheek "What is wrong? Did thou not feel well with my chocolate?"
"N-no... I... I–" Mihawk shook his head, on the contrary, he felt extremely happy. His heart had this warm feeling knowing how much she cared for him. This was not the first time his mentor had given him her affection, but every time she did, he always felt like new.
O Dios. How can he not love this gorgeous woman? Even though she is his mentor......
"...I love it, mentor. Thank you... Thank you so much!" Mihawk wrapped his little arms around the witch in a tight hug. He couldn't hold back his joyful tears from falling "You're giving me too many favors I could ask for... How can I ever repay you?"
Yidhra was stunned by his sudden outburst of emotions and action. After hearing his words, the witch smiled softly and patted his back in a reassuring attitude.
"Thou do not need to repay me. That is not the reason I took thee under my wings." She gently caressed his soft cheeks and wiped off his tears "All thou need to care is enjoying my affections and live for thy goal, dear dalta."
"But mentor..."
"I shall not accept 'no' as an answer. I have made up my mind." Yidhra cupped her pupil's cheeks lovingly "Dalta, I shall give thee anything I can offer unconditionally for I am thy mentor and mother. So do not ever think that thou art in my debt."
Mihawk hugged her tighter, buried his face in her shoulders. From the depth of his heart, he knew from now on he would never be satisfied with just her affections.
He wanted more than that.
"Mentor, can I ask for something...? It's a selfish request but I expect you can fulfill it."
"Selfish?" Yidhra chuckled after hearing his words. She doubted her little pupil could hold any ill intentions at this age, or at least that was what she sensed from his soul "Let's hear it and I shall judge if it is selfish or not."
Mihawk hesitated for a moment before he took all of his courage to look his mentor in the eyes.
"Can you make me the same chocolate every year? I... want it as a permanent gift. Just on this day."
"Oh?" His request did catch the witch off guard as she tilted her head aside, confused "Why must thou insist on only this day? Besides, does receiving one of a kind over and over not feel... uneventful?"
"No, I mean... you can give me anything that suits your liking on other occasions. But on this day, Valentine's Day, I specifically request that."
"I see." Yidhra nodded, her curiosity seemed to still linger "Art there any particular reasons?"
Mihawk gave her a soft and genuine smile which was a rare scene, that made his usual scowling face more suitable for a child at his age.
"You may not remember but today... is the day we first met. The day you took me under your guidance, mentor. It held a special meaning in my heart and I will never forget it. So that's my selfish request and I beg you to fulfill it for me."
Hearing the reason behind his request, Yidhra was stunned for a few seconds. She did indeed not pay attention to the date of their first encounter as she didn't find it necessary. As a matter of fact, she lacked a large amount of human cultures and... standards. She needed to learn more.
Now, back to the topic. Well, Mihawk's request was nothing out of hand, Yidhra might handle it without a problem. However, if the chocolate requires mass production, she will need a mold.
"That shall not be a problem to me. I shall fulfill thy request, dear dalta."
Mihawk's golden eyes sparkled up with excitement. If he wasn't keeping his composure in front of the witch, he would have jumped in excitement. Instead, he took the witch's big hand with his.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, mentor. That truly means a lot to me." With the delightful moment, Yidhra's gentle chuckles filled up his ears like a soft melody.
"How can I not? I only have thee as pupil and son. It is my responsibility to provide thee any things necessary. Spoil thee a little, if I must." Yidhra's smile remained on her lips as she looked at the square chocolate "By the way, I like thy chocolate as well, dalta."
The little boy smiled sincerely but his heart sank slightly to the witch's previous words. There was nothing he could do to change her mind from seeing him as anything else but a child. He shook his head and decided to brush it away from his mind at this moment.
No matter, he still had plenty of time ahead. Once he got older and achieved his goal, he would surely change her mind.
Because he wanted to be the one protecting her and giving her his affection.
Until then, please continue to spoil me with your affections, mi querida mentora.