Enjoy and Happy Valentine <>

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Gigille was astounded.

Regarding the training before Agnes went to town, they had been practicing as a married couple at home, but there had been no progress at all.

Bernard was still frowning, while Agnes still blus.h.i.+ng easily.

Gigille rested her hand on top of a desk in the rest area, and held her head.

She murmured, “How can this be?”. Allen looked at her astounded.

“It can't be helped. Master grew up among his male siblings, and he entered the Knights around ten years old, so he doesn't have any chance to meet with a girl around his age, and so he knows nothing on how to treat them.”

“But there are Clarisse, Carol, and Celia right?”

“I don't think he sees them as an opposite s.e.x.”

“.....You are right. If he saw my daughters that way, I would be troubled.”

There was no other problem with Agnes besides her face getting red. The problem was Bernard.

“Allen, you always hang out with girls right? How can you get along with them?”

Listening to her mother's question, Allen spurted the tea he had been drinking.

“That's dirty.”

“Wait, how do you know?”

“Because, there are times you go to the city with fancy styles and there are times that you are not?”

“So, so it's your instinct…..”

Allen dropped his shoulders.

He was told to introduce the girl if they were having a serious relations.h.i.+p, but he shook his head as it was not that way.

“Even though we've progressed nicely.”

“Why did it turn out to be not good?”

“It was around the time where we had a good relations.h.i.+p, we decided to eat something outside, and I was more interested in cooking than her--”

What kind of seasoning they used, how much heat they put to cook, the sad story of being a chef, he neglected the woman and engrossed in cooking.

“What a terrible story.”

“But, thanks to that research, I can cook something delicious for Master.”

“So you mean it's an occupational disease. Then, how did you get into a certain level of friends.h.i.+p?”

Thinking he couldn't avoid his mother's question, Allen explained how he behaved himself carefully when dating a girl.

“You can get along with a girl if you take her to eat together or go shopping. Don't forget the little details. Pull out the chair for her, walk around to avoid the crowd. Giving a small present like a flower is also effective.”

“I see. Indeed, I feel that by only staying at home it is very difficult to close their distance.”

That said, going out to the capital was dangerous.

“Then, how about going to the snow festival at Rindou Village?”

Rindou Village was located around 3 hours by carriage from the capital. Because the snow festival was held only once in a year, it became the most exciting event in the surrounding area.

“If I'm not wrong, you wear an animal mask on that festival, so we don't need to be worried of being found out.”

“Oh, you are right!”

Eating delicious foods, seeing the various stalls, and enjoying the festival atmosphere.

They would wear a mask so you couldn't know who is who.

Gigille thought it was a good opportunity to close their distance.

“The problem is how to make them go there?”

“--Then why don't we just open a stall at the festival?”

The one who suddenly entered the conversation was Eric, the butler who was reading silently on the corner of the room. He said that he had the application form for opening a stall at the snow festival.

“Master is worried about the fund for repairing this mansion.”

“I see! He will gladly go if the stall can make some profit!”

Gigille praised Eric as a good boy, and gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

She said she was going to talk about it right away, and left the rest area.

Allen smiled bitterly seeing her mother stormed out.

“I'm glad I'm not a good boy.”

Eric lifted his hands and shrugged his shoulder to that.

***

Gigille walked fast to Bernard's room.

She knocked on the door and entered.

Inside the room, there was the fake couple sitting side by side with an awkward expression.

Agnes was embarra.s.sed, Bernard was frowning.

But, that was not a problem.

Gigille quickly asked about opening a stall at the snow festival.

“--so that's about it.”

“I understand your point. It's good to open a business, but what are you going to sell?”

“I thought about selling Dominic's medicines, or Allen's cookies.”

“I see.”

The festival was held in a month. They couldn't make elaborate things.

“Cookies and medicine huh. It's a tricky combination.”

“You are right. Which one is better then?”

“Then, how about herbal cookies?”

Agnes said that cookies with dried herbs and spices were famous among the n.o.ble ladies.

With medicine for wound and herbal cookies, she came up with an idea for opening up a little home pharmacy shop.

“I heard that herbal cookies are good for health, they are not too sweet, and they are suitable to wine too.”

“That's great. We have many things that have been dried to make tea, let's use them to make some trial products that have a suitable taste for cookies without leaving any bad taste.”

Thanks to Agnes, all the opinions could be arranged easily.

“Master too, please help us on the store that day.”

“I know.”

“Agnes-san too.”

“Eh?”

“You don't want to?”

Agnes shook her head left and right.

It's not like she didn't want to tend the store, but she was surprised because she thought she would be taking care of the house during the festival.

“You know, it's pretty cold during the snow festival, so people will likely wear animal masks there. So it's pretty safe because you can't recognize each other.”

“I see, so that's why.”

“Yes.”

Gigille asked Agnes to help her make the masks.

“Of course.”

“I'm glad. Carol and Celia are not good at sewing.”

“I'll do my best.”

Thus, the talk was over.

Tomorrow they will start the preparations for the festival.

***

Agnes concentrated on making animal masks.

The cloth was sewn into the mold which was made by Eric's dexterous hands.

For Bernard, Agnes, and Gigille, they made three in total. Carol and Celia already had rabbit masks they made for the school festival, so they would wear them instead. On the festival day, Dominic, Eric, and Allen would be taking care of the house.

She used a bird shape for Gigille, a cat for Agnes, and a bear for Bernard.

Flannel fabrics were sewn on the inside to provide warmth.

During the process, Agnes continued on sewing despite Miel playing and falling around repeatedly.

They decided to bake a large amount of herbal cookies three days before the festival. They've prepared the arrangement for stuff and role a.s.signment so they wouldn't be ha.s.sled on that day.

Dominic worked on the medicine silently during his free time while tending the garden.

Bernard helped on making the medicine too on his day off.

After three days, the masks Agnes made also completed.

She then joined in making cookies.

This time, they were fired up to make some special shaped cookies.

Various leaf shaped cookies were placed on the table. It seemed they had different shapes for different tastes.

There were four types to make.

Rosemary, which was said to be a rejuvenating herb.

Mint, which could relieve digestive problems.

Summer cypress, which had a calming effect.

Thyme, which could relieve fatigue.

They started to make the herbal cookies above.

Weighing the ingredients, making the dough and let it rest, shapes and bakes it. Those processes were repeated.

Agnes was helping in shaping it.

They made the cookies from morning to night, and the entire mansion was filled with a sweet scent.

By the time the arrangements were finished, Allen had hollow eyes as if his soul had left him.

For those who had worked hard, Bernard bought some souvenirs from the city.

“You've worked hard.”

“Ma, Master!”

The snack was a jar of candies. It was very colorful and could make women happy.

Allen teared up and thanked him.

“T, thank you very much.”

He was pleased and said he would also share it with others.

At the same time, he thought of another thing.

--Master, please show this natural kindness too for Agnes-san…..

If both of them didn't get along, he would be dragged into this troublesome situation again.

He wished earnestly.

============================

You thought it was Agnes, Bernard gave the candy to?

Wrong. It's Allen (☉∀☉)