I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 58
“Bahawn!”
“……Lady Irene?”
As soon as I stepped into the dining hall, I immediately began searching for Baharn.
Hearing my call, Baharn emerged from inside the kitchen.
“What brings you here, my lady? I did not receive any word about a visit today……”
“I came ’cause I have sumfin to say to Bahawn.”
“To me?”
“Yeah. You see……”
“Yes. Please, go ahead.”
When I hesitated and fidgeted, unable to get straight to the point, Baharn looked puzzled.
I quietly pointed toward the kitchen.
“I wanna make snacks in dere togedder with Bahawn.”
“……Pardon?”
Just as expected, Baharn wore a flustered expression.
Having me suddenly show up and announce that I wanted to cook left him looking utterly bewildered.
After a brief pause, Baharn let out a soft chuckle.
“Is there perhaps something you would like to eat? If so, I can make it for you.”
“Nuh-uh. No. Not dat!”
“Then……?”
“I wanna make a snack for Papa togedder. Can’t I?”
At my words, Baharn’s expression instantly froze.
……He isn’t going to say no, is he?
When I looked up at him pleadingly, Baharn gave a troubled smile and shook his head.
“I apologize, but I am afraid that will be difficult.”
“Why?”
“There are many dangerous utensils in the kitchen. Should you get hurt, my lady, my head will fly off my shoulders. I wish to live a long life, my lady.”
But this time, I could not back down.
As Baharn moved to return to the kitchen, I grabbed his arm firmly.
Then, I fired off my most desperate, pleading gaze.
He flinched. Baharn slowly opened his mouth.
“……My lady, I am terribly sorry, but there is really nothing I can do about this.”
“Den I won’t touch anyfing dangerous.”
“…….”
“I’ll be vewy good.”
“…….”
“……Pwease? Bahawn.”
Cling.
When I reached out and clung tightly to his sturdy arm—hardened from kitchen work—Baharn closed his eyes in resignation.
I grinned. It worked.
“Who could ever win against you, Lady Irene?”
Shaking his head, Baharn pushed open the kitchen door and gestured for me to come inside.
Even so, he spoke sternly.
“You must never touch anything dangerous. I will handle all of that.”
“Yeah. You can twust me.”
“And first, we will need to get you properly dressed for the kitchen.”
“Dressed?”
Come to think of it, Baharn looked impeccably tidy.
He wore a sanitary cap on his head and a mask covering his mouth.
He stepped into the kitchen and rummaged around here and there, looking for something I could wear.
At last, he pulled out an apron adorned with frills.
I stared blankly at it.
“Bahawn.”
“Yes?”
“……Is dis Bahawn’s?”
When I interrogated him with dubious eyes, he cleared his throat softly. Judging by his silence, it truly was his apron.
So this was his taste.
Everyone’s personal tastes deserved respect, so I nodded knowingly to show I understood.
“Thank you for your understanding, my lady.”
He looped the apron over my neck, folded up the hem dragging on the floor several times, and fastened it securely.
After tying the ribbon firmly around my waist, he placed a yellow cloth headband on me so my hair wouldn’t fall forward.
“Well, that should do for the preparations.”
“What’re we makin’?”
“Today, something simple……”
Baharn chuckled and began putting away the ingredients that had been laid out on the counter, one by one.
……No matter how much I promised to behave, it seemed he still couldn’t put his mind at ease.
Well, he did say his head would fly off if I got even slightly hurt.
As I stood there blinking at the now much simpler set of ingredients, Baharn spoke.
“We are going to make jam cookies today, my lady.”
“……Cookies? Does Papa like dose?”
“If it comes from you, my lady, he will find anything delicious.”
Rosaria had said something similar earlier. Just what made everyone so certain?
“Now then, let us start making the dough.”
“Yeah!”
I rolled up my sleeves with determination.
Baharn’s culinary skill was truly extraordinary. At least, in my eyes it was.
“Whoa, Bahawn, you’re so gweat!”
Seeing him demonstrate first, I gasped in sheer admiration, and Baharn offered a shy, bashful smile.
“Haha, it is nothing special. Since it is your first time seeing cooking done, Lady Irene, it might seem impressive.”
“It’s amazing!”
“As you have just seen, the ratio of ingredients in the dough is very important.”
“I see! I’ll twy it too.”
I can do this!
I added the ingredients into the large bowl one by one.
First, I poured in a suitable amount of flour, then gathered the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and the rest on top of it.
As I busily kneaded the flour with my tiny hands, Baharn smiled warmly with satisfaction.
“You are doing wonderfully.”
“Weally?!”
“Yes, indeed. You simply need to keep kneading the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands.”
“Got it.”
Until it didn’t stick to my hands.
Mumbling those words to myself, I worked my hands diligently.
Squish, knead.
Beside me, Baharn began kneading his dough as well.
For the record, my portion was very small, while the batch Baharn was kneading was quite large.
How long had I been kneading?
I straightened my back and let out a soft sigh.
The dough no longer stuck to my hands.
“It appears you did it just right.”
“What do I do now?”
“You can pull off a small piece of dough and shape it however you like.”
Baharn broke off a piece of dough and molded it into a star to show me.
“Whoaaa.”
“Press down lightly on the center. We need to fill it with jam.”
“Otay.”
What shape should I make?
Baharn had already made a star…… Making a heart seemed easy and pretty.
I rolled the dough into a ball and flattened it with my palm.
Then, I pressed a small dimple into the center and shaped it into a heart.
Seeing what I had crafted, Baharn broke into a laugh.
“The cookie is quite tiny.”
“Huh?”
“It must be because your hands are so small, my lady.”
I looked at what Baharn had made. Then I looked at what I had made.
Gasp. Was it really that small?
By my standards, Baharn’s could be eaten in two or three bites, but mine was small enough to pop into a mouth in a single bite.
To Kaid, it would probably look ridiculously tiny.
“The Head will surely be able to tell which one was made by you right away, my lady.”
“It’s too wittle……”
“We can mix it with the ones I made. Now, let us apply the jam.”
“Yeah.”
“Here, I will give you a spoon.”
Baharn brought out various kinds of fruit jam. A rich, sweet fragrance tickled my nose.
“Please place a variety of jams on top. That way, they will look lovely to the eye as well.”
“Yeah.”
I lifted the spoon and scooped up a generous dollop of apple jam first.
Repeating the process over and over onto each piece of dough, before long, they were all finished.
“Now we just have to bake them. Please wait a moment.”
“Yay! All done!”
A smile spread across my face from the sheer sense of accomplishment.
I hope Kaid likes them.
I walked over to a chair in the corner and sat down. My legs ached from standing for so long. My back and arms throbbed as well.
Baharn approached and untied my headband and apron.
“You have something on your face.”
“Where?”
“Allow me to wipe it off.”
Bringing over a damp cloth, he wiped my face. It seemed some flour had gotten on it.
I sat quietly, letting Baharn clean me up.
After a good while.
Ding. The clockwork timer chimed softly.
It seemed the cookies were fully baked.
I trotted right behind Baharn.
Laid out across the wide tray, the cookies were baked to a golden brown.
“Would you like to try one?”
Putting on thick mitts and pulling out the tray, Baharn handed me a cookie that had been cut in half.
I took it and had a taste.
A rich, nutty, and sweet flavor filled my mouth. The part topped with jam was especially soft and tender.
“It’s so yummy!”
My eyes went wide.
Did I really make this? I could hardly believe it.
“The Head will be very pleased when you give them to him.”
“Whoa……”
Baharn swiftly finished packaging the cookies. A light-blue ribbon hung elegantly across the transparent box.
I accepted it with both hands.
“Fank you, Bahawn.”
“It was my pleasure.”
“Will Papa like it when he gets it?”
“You state the obvious, my lady.”
“Den I’m gonna go! See you next time!”
“I shall be waiting.”
Baharn saw me off all the way outside the dining hall. After a quick goodbye, I headed straight for the office.
The wrapping can’t get messed up!
I walked with careful, deliberate steps. And just as I arrived in front of the office—
“What is the reason you granted permission for the Roisar family’s visit?”