* * *

“Uh, uh, thanks anyway!”

I thanked him quickly, though the tension in the air didn’t dissipate.

Staying frozen at the market entrance wasn’t going to improve the situation.

I hurriedly moved forward to change the subject.

Let’s start by giving Zerbin something sweet!

“Here, this way!”

Thankfully, Zerbin followed without too much resistance.

I stopped in front of a stall selling tarts, their jewel-like surfaces glistening in the sunlight.

The thought of these precious desserts being ruined by earlier commotion was heartbreaking.

It was a relief they’d survived unscathed.

“Florenti! You were so cool earlier!”

Risi greeted me with a playful wink.

Given the potential danger earlier, his nonchalant demeanor made sense—this shopkeeper used to be an adventurer.

A skilled one, at that, who retired a few years ago to settle in Swindlin and make pies instead.

I couldn’t imagine staying in one place for too long; it’d feel so boring.

“You didn’t flinch at all. Guess you haven’t lost your edge?”

“Well, I knew your skills, so of course I wasn’t worried—”

Risi froze mid-sentence.

Why?

I didn’t have to think long.

It was because of Zerbin.

He’d only just noticed him.

“Ahaha… Uh, what would you like? Apple tart? Berry tart?”

What’s with the sudden formal tone?

Hearing Risi try to switch to polite speech was amusing.

It wasn’t like he’d suddenly decided to show respect to me, so it had to be because of Zerbin.

Risi, being a former adventurer, likely harbored admiration for Zerbin.

He could brag later about selling tarts to the hero.

“Give me one apple tart and one berry tart. Make them cold.”

“With the usual herbs for sweetness? …Sir?”

If he was going to be formal, he could at least commit fully.

His awkwardness was hilarious, but I suppressed my laughter out of consideration.

“No, skip the herbs. Make them super sweet, loaded with sugar.”

“What’s gotten into you? I mean, yes, right away.”

Risi prepared the tarts with magic, covering them in a fine layer of frost.

This shop’s unique charm lay in both its delicious offerings and its owner’s ability to use magic.

Freezing the tarts made them crisp and refreshing, perfect for adventurers sweltering in their armor.

“Here, eat it before it melts!”

I sliced the apple tart with my dagger and offered it to Zerbin.

This tart was outrageously sweet, with the apple pieces simmered in sugary syrup and generously spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Frankly, if this weren’t a city for adventurers, something this luxurious wouldn’t be sold on the street.

Even I rarely bought it because it was too indulgent.

“Zerbin?”

But he didn’t react.

How could he ignore such a tantalizing aroma?

Did he dislike apples?

I should’ve asked first!

“Do you not like apples? Would you prefer the berry tart?”

This tart, filled with various berries and topped with Zerbin’s favorite fresh cream, was just as extravagant.

It didn’t have sugar but was sweetened with rare honey.

Why wasn’t he responding?

Was he angrier than I thought?

Yet his aura felt calm, and his expression didn’t seem upset.

If anything, he looked lost in thought.

What could he be thinking about?

Knowing Zerbin, it was probably something important.

I didn’t want to interrupt.

Still, it’d be a shame to let the tart melt.

We’re closer now… Maybe it’s okay to push just a little?

“Don’t think too hard. Just eat while you decide.”

Though the seriousness of the situation was unclear, it was a universal truth that the body functioned better when the stomach was full.

I brought a slice of the chilled tart close to Zerbin’s lips.

If he ignored it, so be it.

That’s what I thought, but as soon as the tart touched his lips, Zerbin quickly accepted it.

Guess it looked appetizing.

I felt a wave of pride.

Should I feed him another one?

Huh?

Zerbin stepped back.

He looked uncharacteristically flustered, even covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

Why?

Was it more delicious than he expected?

It’s not a flavor you’d expect from a street vendor, that’s for sure!

“What the…?”

“You’re wondering how a tart sold on the street could taste this good, right?”

Seeing his astonishment made me even more satisfied.

I even noticed his cheeks were slightly flushed.

His darker complexion didn’t make it too obvious, but since I always kept an eye on him, I could tell.

“Eat more! They’re best when they’re cold.”

“…”

Zerbin didn’t answer but stepped closer again, though with a bit of hesitation.

Was the taste really that shocking?

Considering he liked cream bread and chocolate cookies, he must have eaten plenty of sweet things before.

Standing by the stall, Zerbin picked up one of the tart slices I had cut.

Yet, for some reason, he didn’t eat it right away.

After some hesitation, he set the berry tart back down.

If it’s good, why not eat it?

What’s with the strange behavior?

“Why? Something bothering you?”

Zerbin’s gaze shifted from the tart to me.

Even though we’d been together often, his gray eyes focusing on me still made me flinch.

He alternated his gaze between me and the tart.

What’s his deal?

Does he not like it?

If so, he could just tell me, and I’d try to fix it!

Instead, the stoic hero stared at me so intently it felt like needles were pricking my chest.

“Uh… Zerbin?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Despite his flushed cheeks, Zerbin replied curtly.

It didn’t seem like nothing, but if the hero said to drop it, I figured it was best to let it go.

Then he grabbed several tart slices—four or five at once—and devoured them in one bite.

With only a few quick chews, the tart disappeared completely.

Wow, he eats so well.

“Not bad.”

Whoa!

Praise from Zerbin!

When Zerbin said something was “not bad,” it meant he genuinely liked it.

He rarely used positive expressions, after all.

If only every place got this kind of reaction.

Since I still had a few places I wanted to introduce him to, I greeted the stall owner briefly and moved on.

There was no harm in exploring more before deciding what to buy.

There were chewy meat pies filled to the brim, desserts drizzled with fragrant rosewater cream, and breads baked hard for preservation but loaded with spices.

I showed him the best dishes from the market that I knew of.

I deliberately skipped the fancier establishments.

Zerbin probably already knew about those, and I hadn’t tried them myself, so I couldn’t vouch for them.

And if we stumbled across something he liked, he could always point it out.

“Not bad.”

But there was a problem.

“…It’s good, right? Yeah, if you say so.”

No matter what I fed him, Zerbin’s reactions were the same!

Compared to the tart he tried first, everything else felt subdued.

Sure, he said it was fine, but it didn’t seem to move him like that tart did.

It was a relief he liked at least one thing, but I couldn’t just bring back tarts.

Had I miscalculated?

I had no idea.

“Still, nothing else seemed to top the tart, huh? I tried to pick things you might like, but it seems I missed the mark. Sorry about that.”

“I said it was fine.”

No, there’s a difference between “fine” and “amazing,” isn’t there?!

“Can’t you tell me what kind of food you like? I’ll use it as a reference and pick better next time. Just this once, please!”

I ended up pleading.

If we were traveling together, I wanted him to be as satisfied as possible.

“Food I like…?”

“Yeah, like a specific kind of meat! Or a preferred cooking style!”

I rattled off examples, hoping he’d answer.

“I’ve never really thought about it.”

Huh?

His unexpected response made me blink in confusion.

* * *