With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow, the entire city is in a somewhat buoyant mood, and Albert Duchy was no exception.
At any rate, the head of the family, Lilia, is feeling pretty lively herself, and thus, the entire household is in such a state... Somehow, Albert Duchy was filled with a pinkish atmosphere.
As she walked along the corridor of the Duchess Albert's mansion, Illness stopped at the sound of someone's voice.
[...Lili, why... You're quite smart, aren't you? You're supposed to be the genius with an excellent memory, right? How come you forgot everything I taught you last year...]
[...I'm sorry.]
As if guided by the voice, Illness peeked into the kitchen and found Lilia, the head of the household, with her shoulders slumped in front of a cutting board that had been cut in half, while Sieglinde was holding her head a few distance away from her.
Illness is an excellent maid, and has known Lilia and Sieglinde for a long time. From the situation in the kitchen and the words she had just heard, she immediately sensed the situation and went into the kitchen.
[Are you twoooo making chocolaaaaaaate?]
[...Illness?]
[Illness-sama?]
Noticing her arrival into the kitchen, Lilia and Sieglinde looked at Illness.
[Howeveeeer~~ It doesn't seem like it's going weeeeeell.]
[Ughh.]
Lilia looked awkward upon hearing the words that Illness said with her usual tone. Seeing this, Illness-san wryly smiled before speaking again.
[If you waaaaaant~~ Would you like me to heeeeeelp? I'm suuuuuuure Sieglinde has to make her own chocolate toooooooo.]
[I- I would appreciate it if you would... but would it be alright, Illness-sama? It's not like I'm doubting Illness-sama's leadership ability, but Lili is quite the formidable opponent, you know?]
[It's alriiiiiiiiight.]
From Illness' words, Sieglinde guessed that she intended to teach Lilia how to make chocolate in her place, and an apologetic look appeared on her face.
Sieglinde had taught Lilia how to make chocolates as well, but it took her a lot of time to teach Lilia, whose cooking skills were atrocious.
This year, Sieglinde had a lot more work to do than last year and couldn't take as much time off, so she was really grateful for Illness' offer, but after the hardships she experienced last year, she didn't feel comfortable forcing such a task on Illness.
But in her usual tone, Illness replied that it was alright as she turned towards Lilia.
[My Lady toooo~~ Are you fine with thaaaaaat?]
[Y- Yes, I'm in your care.]
[Yeeeess. Theeeeeen, let's get starteeeeed.]
After confirming Lilia's agreement, Illness moved to the sink to wash her hands, quickly cleaned up the cutting board that was cut in half, and began instructing Lilia.
[Well theeeen~~ My Ladyyyyy, First of aaaaaall~~ I'd like you to imagine what kind of chocolate you want to maaaaake.]
[Imagine?]
[Yeeees~~ My Ladyyyyy, what kind of chocolate do you want to maaaaaake?]
[H- Hmmm... I'd like to make chocolates that will make Kaito-san happy...]
[I seeeeee~~ A chocolate that Kaito-sama will like, riiiiiiight? Let's seeeee~~ I think that rather than the sweetness of dairy products like fresh creeeeeeam, My Lady has to make something with fruits' sweetness insteeeeead.]
[Fruits'... sweetness huh...]
Hearing Illness' words, Lilia begins to think with a serious expression on her face. Lilia is by no means stupid, and she was in fact, a genius.
If she was flustered, she can't take advantage of her intelligence at all, but if she knows what to think, that would be a different story.
[If I want to add the fruit directly to the chocolate, it will be too big, so that would mean I should turn it into a sauce-like form first before mixing it with the chocolate... and as for what kind of fruit... Kaito-san likes ripples, but the taste of ripples isn't very strong, so wouldn't its flavor be overpowered by the chocolate?]
[That's riiiiight~~ I think it would be fine if it's adjusted well, but wouldn't it be a little difficuuuuult?]
[Then, it would be difficult for me, an amateur, to do. If that's the case, I should ... Ah, that's right. How about using the crackberries you used for the cake you baked the other day, Illness-san?]
[That would be greeeeat. The sour berry sauce would peeeeerfectly accentuate the chocolate.]
The finished chocolate Lilia arrived at were bite-sized chocolates with berry sauce inside. It was simple, but the flavor was well-balanced and easy for Lilia to make.
Sieglinde, who was watching their exchange, took out a small memopad and wrote "Just show her the direction, but let Lili think about it" on it.
[...In that case, we wouldn't need any of the ingredients around here.]
[I wiiiill take care of iiiiiiit.]
[Thank you.]
One of the things that had been troubling Sieglinde was the absurd ingredients she brings out like meat or fish, but now that Lilia herself could visualize the finished product, she was able to judge what was necessary and was unnecessary.
[Well then~~ We will now start crushing the chocolaaaaaate.]
[Yes! Ahh, b- but, ummm... I can't control my strength very well.]
[I know My Lady can break the ground with your swooooooord, but do you break the ground eeeeeeeevery time you defeat a monsteeeeeer?]
[N- No, I don't.]
[Theeeeen~~ you should already know the gist on how to do iiiiit... Let's see~~ Imagine cutting something with a skin as thin as a grey wool rabbiiiiit.]
[I- I understand... Gray wool rabbit... Gray wool rabbit...]
After listening to Illness' advice, Lilia grasped the knife as if it were a sword….. and swung it with terrifying speed.
It was so fast that, let alone a cutting board, it could have torn through the kitchen floor but... the cutting board wasn't damaged, and only the chocolate was cleanly cut into pieces.
Watching what had happened, Sieglinde quietly turned her attention back to her memopad and wrote "Whenever Lili is using the knife, make her think it's a sword".
[Thank you very much, Illness! Thanks to you, I've successfully made it.]
[...Seriously, as expected of Illness-sama... I've also learned a lot from this.]
[No, nooo~~ I'm just glad if I could be of heeeeeelp.]
With Illness' guidance, Lilia was able to successfully complete her chocolate, and compared to last year, she managed to finish it overwhelmingly faster...
This was the result of the guidance of Illness, who knew Lilia's personality well and understood how to guide her to get things done.
Lilia, who understood this, deeply bowed her head and thanked her, and Sieglinde expressed her admiration.
[Well theeeen~~ I'll be taking my leeeeeave.]
[Ah, yes... Arehh? Speaking of which, isn't Illness going to make chocolate?]
[No, I won't be making oneeeeee.]
When Lilia asked if she was going to make chocolates, Illness only replied that she wouldn't before leaving the kitchen.
[Oyaaa? Is something the matteeeeer? Etaaa~~ Thetaaaa~]
[ [ Illness-sama... Ummm, actually... ] ]
After Illness finished instructing Lilia, she walked down the corridors again and this time, she saw Eta and Theta with troubled expressions on their faces, and thus, she called out to them.
[I seeee~~ Because of work adjustmeeeents, you woooooouldn't have the time to make chocolate for Kaito-samaaaaa?]
[ [ ...Yes. ] ]
[Theeeeen~~ I will take over your work for todaaaaay. You twooooo go make your chocolaaaaaaates.]
[Eh? N- No, but...]
[That's going to cause trouble for Illness-sama... desu.]
Hearing Illness easily saying that she would take over their jobs for the day, a baffled expression appeared on Eta and Theta's face. However, Illness continued in her usual tone.
[It's not problem, you knooooooow?]
[ [ ...….. ] ]
[You both are pretty diligent when you're doing your usual joooooobs, so it's not like you just want to slack off, riiiiiight? Anywaaaaay, it's a once-a-year eveeeent, so make it your priority this tiiiiiime~~]
[...Illness-sama... Thank you very much! I will definitely repay this favor!]
[Thank you very, very much... desu.]
[No, noooooo~~]
Eta and Theta deeply bowed to Illness and tried to head for the kitchen to prepare their chocolates... but just before they did, they stopped.
[...Illness-sama, are you not going to make chocolates?]
[I won't be making oneeeeee.]
Not only that...
[Soooooo~~ What's troubling you, Animaaaaa?]
[No, as a matter of fact, I have received letters from many nobles who wish to send chocolates to Master... I don't think Master would want to receive their chocolates though, but I don't know how to refuse them...]
[I see~~ Well theeeeen, I'll show you some examples of standard refusal responseeeees~~]
[I- I would be thankful for that but... is Illness-sama's workload going to be alright?]
[I don't have that many things to doooo~~ So it's alriiiiiight.]
She gave some advice to Anima, who was struggling to deal with the letters sent to Kaito...
[...Illness-sama. What do you think I should do to stop my mother's rampage?]
[You can't juuuuuust deny her outriiiiiiiight. You have to offeeeeeer some sort of compromiiiiiiiise. For exampleeeeeee~~]
She was consulted by Lunamaria, who was troubled by her mother, Noir's outbursts, and gave her some advice on what things she may do.
[...I see, thank you. Speaking of which, I'm changing the subject, but is Illness-sama going to give chocolates to Kaito-sama?]
[No, I wooooon't.]
[Is that so... Ah, no, I'm sorry. I was just a little curious...]
However, when asked if she would give chocolates to Kaito, her response would always be "She won't make one" or "she won't give one".
It was midnight, and Illness was walking through the corridors of the mansion as if it was daytime. However, considering the fact that it was nighttime, her footsteps couldn't be heard at all... Other than that, she looked exactly the same as she did during the day, no, it's as if she looked exactly the same as usual.
However, along the way... Illness stopped in front of one door, and deeply bowed towards it.
Thereupon, without knocking, she opened the door with the key she took out of her pocket and quietly entered the room.
The room was dark with the faint moonlight shining in through the window. On the bed in the room, Kaito was quietly sleeping.
Leaking a small smile upon seeing such a Kaito, Illness approached the bed and pulled the slightly disheveled blanket back over Kaito.
[.....]
After looking at Kaito's sleeping face with sincere affection, Illness tucked her hair behind her hair and gently squatted down... and brought her lips to touch Kaito's cheek really slightly.
[…..I dearly love you. Always have been, and always will be.]
Murmuring in a small voice filled with her big emotions, Illness happily smiled.
And after a few moments of gazing tenderly at the peaceful expression Kaito had as he slept, she placed a neatly wrapped package on the table in the room before she left.
When I woke up in the morning, I found a beautiful package placed on the small table beside my bed.
Rubbing the sleepiness off my eyes, I picked up the package.
[...It's light? Also, the sender isn't written... What's in this?]
I found it strange seeing it in my room, but if it was dangerous, there was no way Alice wouldn't say anything, so I opened the package without worrying too much about it.
Thereupon, inside it... was a beautifully knitted scarf and a message card.
"Happy Valentine's Day. May the smile on your face remain even in the future."
The words were heartwarming, concise, but filled with gentleness... and on the back of the message card, it was unassumingly signed with "Illness".