“So you went out for so long just to buy me a cake?”
“So you lied to me about buying a midnight snack, but you were actually planning to get something for me to eat?”
“I didn’t expect little Miss Sairi to be so kind. But how did you know I like cream cake? And such a big piece must have cost quite a bit, right?”
“Ah, well… I thought Goddess Sister Hilvia is so kind and gentle, and she treats me really well. Usually, such kind and beautiful sisters like to eat some desserts, so I just thought of cake.”
“Then I went to a bakery and bought a piece, hoping Goddess Sister Hilvia would like it… hehe… As for the money… I spent all three Silver Coins. Goddess Sister Hilvia won’t be mad at me, right?”
Sairi let out a silly “hehe” laugh, her eyes squinting into narrow slits as she showed off her two rows of big white teeth.
Looking at Sairi’s adorable expression, Hilvia felt her heart melting.
Pinching Sairi’s cheek with a smile, Hilvia said, “Little Miss Sairi, you’re really both cute and kind. I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but don’t buy things like this in the future. Three Silver Coins could feed us well for several days.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll be careful next time! But Goddess Sister Hilvia is mean! You never told me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Goddess Sister Hilvia bought so many Xiaolongbao and kept lying to me that they were midnight snacks. Goddess Sister Hilvia is bad! You tricked me! I don’t like you!”
Watching Sairi’s tsundere-like pout, Hilvia felt like her nose was about to bleed. Truly, even heroes fall for beautiful girls’ charms.
The question in her mind about when she’d turned into this kind of person was quickly pushed aside.
“Well… Little Miss Sairi is lying to Goddess Sister Hilvia too, then. So does that mean you’re a bad kid as well?”
Hilvia asked back in the same tone and manner.
“Ah… then I guess we’re even~”
“Of course we are. Now, let’s see if the Xiaolongbao I bought suit your taste.”
Hilvia deftly picked up a Xiaolongbao with her chopsticks, blew on it twice, and brought it to Sairi’s mouth.
“Open up~”
“Uh, Goddess Sister Hilvia, I can eat by myself. You don’t have to take care of me like this, right?”
Sairi was a grown girl, so why was Hilvia still feeding her like a child? Though compared to Hilvia, Sairi was still like a kid.
“Where’s the fuss? Just eat.”
As soon as Sairi opened her mouth, Hilvia swiftly placed the Xiaolongbao inside, then quickly pulled out the chopsticks, a glistening drop of soup still clinging to the tip.
Sairi swallowed the Xiaolongbao, its familiar taste bringing her delight.
“Delicious! Hehe…”
She looked utterly content, like a purring kitten enjoying a gentle stroke.
“You little glutton, you can use the chopsticks yourself now. Didn’t you say you’re not a kid?”
“Okay, okay!”
Though she said that, when Sairi reached out to take the chopsticks, she felt a strange pang of disappointment in her heart—she kind of liked being fed by Hilvia… Oh no, maybe she’d gone a little silly after reincarnation.
“Oh, right, Goddess Sister Hilvia, try this cream cake. I specially went to buy it.”
Seeing Sairi’s expectant face, Hilvia felt she had to look surprised and happy, or Sairi might burst into tears.
“Sure, let me taste it~”
Hilvia took a small spoon, inserted it into the cake, and with a twist of her wrist, scooped up a small bite. White cream topped with colorful sugar flowers adorned the piece.
“Try it, try it!”
Sairi froze, her eyes shining almost like stars—though it seemed she always had stars in her eyes.
Hilvia opened her mouth and tasted the cake. The sweet cream brushed her soft tongue, teasing her taste buds. The pleasure traveled to her brain, prompting more saliva to break down the sugars.
“How is it? Do you like it, Goddess Sister Hilvia? Is it sweet?”
Sairi was so excited she couldn’t sit still, her small fists clenching and swinging side to side.
Hilvia savored the flavor, slowly swallowing the bread and cream. The sweet taste lingered, and after a brief moment, she finally spoke.
“It’s… really sweet. Sweeter than burnt milk tea. It’s at the highest level of sweetness I can handle, even sweeter than cakes I’ve bought before.”
Um… was Hilvia about to start spouting nonsense and flirting again? She sounded like a greasy old man using cheesy pickup lines to flirt.
“Haha, exactly! This was carefully picked by Sairi!”
“Little Miss Sairi really has taste, choosing the perfect sweetness and style.”
Of course, Hilvia launched an offensive.
“Ah, well… I actually just picked it randomly. It wasn’t specially chosen to please you.”
“Sure! (^^)”
Naive Sairi had unwittingly given the worst answer, allowing Hilvia to seize the opportunity.
“You picked it randomly? But you clearly went out specially to surprise me and kept refusing to let me follow. Are you lying to Goddess Sister Hilvia? Was all this just a formality?”
Hilvia pressed the attack, well versed in typical tsundere behavior.
“Ah no no, it wasn’t a formality! And it wasn’t a lie! Sairi wouldn’t lie to Goddess Sister Hilvia! This was a surprise especially bought for you!”
Yes… easy to break down. Even for a tsundere, among the people Hilvia had met, Sairi was one of the easiest to crack. How did she end up with such a little one?
“Then this was a well-planned gift for me. You asked me for money first to stop me from following, then secretly bought it for me. You’re like a child, wanting to surprise but not very good at hiding it.”
Seeing Hilvia break through Sairi’s defenses, Sairi had no words. She babbled uselessly, then finally went silent, cheeks flushed pink, her mind almost burning with smoke.
***
Meanwhile, her little feet slipped out of her slippers, heels rubbing together nervously.
Seeing her chance, Hilvia decided to press the advantage.
With a teasing but gentle tone, she started her offensive.
“So… Little Miss Sairi, after giving me such a wonderful surprise, is there something you want to thank me for? Or do you like Goddess Sister Hilvia?”
Ah, Hilvia was teasing her again, and this time Sairi really couldn’t answer.
“No! It’s just simply to thank Goddess Sister Hilvia for taking good care of me these past few days. Absolutely nothing else!”
Sairi’s answer was frank and pure, her tone firm. Though she wasn’t really a child, this was just a way to soothe herself, to believe it at least. Hilvia could believe it or not.
“Alright then, I’ll accept Little Miss Sairi’s gift and thanks. Now hurry up and eat the Xiaolongbao. I don’t have time to warm them again.”
“Okay, okay.”
No wonder the Xiaolongbao was still warm after all this time. It turned out Hilvia had been using magic to keep them heated. What a neat trick.
Though Xiaolongbao and cream cake were very different foods, compared to Hilvia’s ladylike elegance, Sairi seemed much more spirited and bold.
She picked up a Xiaolongbao and ate it in one bite, just as she liked it—deeply satisfying.
Also, because of Sairi’s constitution, she could eat a lot without feeling full. Before long, the entire bag of Xiaolongbao Hilvia bought was gone, while only half the cream cake had been eaten.
Hilvia usually wouldn’t buy such a big cake for herself, mostly having small pieces as dessert.
Seeing that she might not finish it all, Hilvia suddenly had a good idea.
“Little Miss Sairi~” Hilvia looked at Sairi, who was sucking her fingers, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
“What is it, Goddess Sister Hilvia?”
“I was thinking that you bought such a big cake, but I can’t finish it by myself. You’re a better eater, so why don’t you help me finish it? Otherwise, it’d be wasteful. Wastefulness is a bad habit~”
Hilvia’s words made sense. Such a large cake was like a birthday celebration. Girls like her would usually buy a small slice to have with coffee or wine for afternoon tea. She hadn’t thought it through.
“Alright then, let’s finish it together so there’s no waste. Get me a spoon.”
“No, they only gave one small spoon. Let me feed you again~”
???
What? The truth is out! Only one spoon, so we have to share? I don’t believe this inn doesn’t have a full set of tableware, not even a set in the room.
“Well, Goddess Sister Hilvia, are you sure? This inn really doesn’t have a full set of tableware? At worst, I can use chopsticks.”
Sairi wanted to be straightforward, but some words needed softening to avoid hurting feelings, unlike before when she was blunt and hurt people’s hearts.
“Why? Little Miss Sairi looking down on Goddess Sister Hilvia? Thinking the spoon I used is dirty…”
Seeing Hilvia start to look disappointed (playing the bad woman), Sairi was at a loss.
“Alright, alright, Goddess Sister Hilvia, I don’t mind using your spoon.” After all, it’s just one indirect kiss. It’s not the first time. And Hilvia seemed so elegant and strong, certainly not contagious.
Inwardly, Sairi wondered when her bottom line had gotten so low, having broken one after another. Maybe one day she’d be completely won over by Hilvia, utterly falling into her gentle embrace.
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