Na-Isekai Ako
Chapter 36: Sweet Nothings… Or Just Sweets?

Chapter 36: Sweet Nothings... Or Just Sweets?

Katherine hurried back to her room after leaving Professor Sophanes’ office, her heart still warm from everything she had learned about her brother. As she gathered her things for class, she couldn’t help but smile.

Lukas—Jonathas—had done so much in this world.

Knowing that he had left such a mark made her feel closer to him somehow, as if a part of him still lingered in these halls, watching over her.

By the time she arrived at the classroom, most of the students were already seated, though the professor had yet to arrive. The female students who had attended the Symposium were chatting animatedly with the male students, their academic enthusiasm is replaced with another kind of pursuit.

It seemed they were back to their usual business—securing potential marriage partners.

Shaking her head, she made her way toward her usual seat by the window.

Just as she was about to sit down, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"How is your day, Lady Katherine?"

She looked up—and felt a familiar flutter in her chest.

It was Adolfo.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to feel it—the small, inexplicable warmth that came with seeing him. But she quickly pushed the feeling aside, composing herself as she looked away.

He’s just another classmate, she reminded herself.

"I am doing well, my lord. How are you?"

"Fine."

His reply was brief. Almost curt.

Then, without another word, he moved ahead of her—toward the seat she had been heading for.

Katherine blinked, surprised.

That was... unusual.

Adolfo always had a teasing remark or a playful quip ready. Why was he acting so distant?

She followed him, taking her seat beside him, but her mind lingered on his odd behavior.

Had something happened?

As she pulled out her notes, her thoughts drifted back to what she had learned earlier—how her brother had once sat in these very classrooms, studied in these halls.

A soft smile tugged at her lips.

For the first time in a long time, she didn’t feel so alone.

"You seem happy, Lady Katherine."

She turned to find Adolfo watching her closely, his gaze more intense than usual.

"Oh, do I?" She smiled, unable to suppress her good mood.

Adolfo squinted at her, his expression unreadable.

"What now?" she wondered.

"Hmm..."

She shifted slightly, suddenly self-conscious under his gaze. "What is it, my lord?"

He leaned back in his chair. "Good for you, then."

...That was it?

Katherine frowned slightly. He sounded almost sulky.

Was she imagining things?

She studied him out of the corner of her eye, curiosity gnawing at her. But before she could dwell on it, she remembered something.

Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out a small jar.

The glass container was elegant—silver designs curled along the surface, the lid was polished to a shine, and a red ribbon was tied neatly around it.

Perhaps it was too much.

Would it be too obvious?

She hesitated.

In her old world, she often gave gifts to friends like this, but this was a different world. Would it be acceptable here? Would Adolfo find it strange?

She sighed. It was already here. There was no point in backing out now.

Taking a steady breath, she finally spoke.

"My lord, I made something for you."

Adolfo turned to her, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. The sulky expression on his face softened—if only a little.

"For me?"

"Yes..." She held out the jar, suddenly feeling shy. "It’s called Dulce. I’m not sure if it suits your taste, but..."

Adolfo’s expression flickered.

For a moment, it almost looked like he wanted to smile.

But then, just as quickly, his face returned to its neutral, unreadable state.

He glanced between her and the jar.

"It is for me..." he murmured, almost to himself.

Katherine tilted her head.

"Oh? Um... Yes. I only made one, my lord. I was still testing sweet recipes, and I thought your input would be helpful."

He hesitated, his fingers lightly brushing the jar but not quite taking it.

Then, without warning, he leaned in—close enough that Katherine could feel the warmth of his presence.

"Hmm... You only made one?"

He’s too close. Her heart skipped. She forced herself to look away. "Y-yes, my lord... This is the only one I made."

She looked down, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Does he think it’s not enough?

"I didn’t have many ingredients either..." she mumbled.

Adolfo smirked. "I see."

With that, he took the jar completely and leaned back in his seat.

Turning it over in his hands, he inspected it closely.

"The packaging looks quite refined for a test product, my lady. Are you sure you’re not charging me for this?"

Katherine chuckled, relieved by his teasing tone.

"It would help me if you gave me your honest thoughts, my lord."

Adolfo mused, still turning the jar over. "The quality of the packaging is impressive. Noble ladies would definitely appreciate something like this. As for us men..." He glanced at her. "I suppose it would make a decent gift for a lady we fancied."

He finally looked up, meeting her gaze for the first time since he sat down.

"Can you tell me a bit more about it?" Adolfo asked.

"It’s called Dulce. It means ’sweet.’ It’s a simple treat made from milk and sugar."

"Milk and sugar? Hmm..."

His brow furrowed slightly, and Katherine couldn’t tell if he was intrigued or just politely listening.

"You can use it as a spread on bread or as a topping for cakes," she added quickly. "Or—" she hesitated, then smiled—"you can eat it as is."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a small customized spoon with a long handle—made by an artisan from Yevon’s domain.

Handing it to him, she said, "Here, my lord."

Adolfo accepted the spoon, turning it over between his fingers.

His eyes lingered on the delicate craftsmanship before he glanced back at her, curiosity flickering in his gaze.

Then, without a word, he popped open the jar.

A rich, creamy scent filled the air.

He dipped the spoon into the golden sweetness, bringing a small portion to his lips.

Katherine held her breath.

A moment passed.

Then another.

She felt her heart beat faster.

"Does he not like it? Will he tease me? Will he—"

Adolfo finally swallowed.

Silence.

Then, his lips twitched.

"Hmm... Interesting."

He licked a stray bit of Dulce off the spoon.

Then, his eyes met hers again—and he smirked.

"I suppose I’ll have to try more before giving my full judgment."

Katherine sighed, half exasperated, half amused.

"Please do, my lord. I’ll be waiting for your thoughts."

Adolfo only grinned before scooping up another spoonful.

He didn’t seem at all bothered by the delay in offering his judgment.

If anything—

He was enjoying himself.

Katherine shook her head, turning back to her notes.

But a small smile tugged at her lips.

What a strange way to start the day.

And yet—

She didn’t hate it.

***

Katherine sat at her desk, still thinking about the moment she had handed Adolfo the jar of Dulce. She had been nervous, worried he might find it silly or unimpressive. But to her relief, he had taken it seriously. That was enough.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. He was still holding the jar, turning it over in his hands, as if deep in thought. The sight made her heart skip a beat. Was he actually considering it, or was it just a passing curiosity?

"I see you’re deep in thought, Lady Katherine."

His voice pulled her back to reality. She straightened and offered a polite smile. "Ah... my lord. I was just thinking about my next recipe."

"Still experimenting with sweets?" His gaze held a flicker of interest, though his smirk remained.

"Yes," she said, her smile softening. "I had planned to make something more complex this time, but..." She glanced at her satchel. "I’m missing a few ingredients."

Adolfo leaned back slightly, tapping his fingers against the jar. "There’s a market nearby. You’ll find all sorts of ingredients there—some rare, some imported. It would be a shame to let a lack of supplies limit your creation."

She blinked. "The market place near the academy?"

"Yes," he said simply. Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he added, "I’ll take you there after class."

Katherine stared at him. "...Pardon?"

"You don’t know the market well, do you?"

She hesitated. "...No, I haven’t had the chance to explore it yet."

"Then it’s settled." Adolfo set the jar down on his desk, his expression calm but firm. "I need to stop by my workshop first, but after that, we’ll go together. You’ll find what you need."

Katherine opened her mouth, then closed it again. Wasn’t this decided a little too fast?

"I don’t want to trouble you, my lord. You must have other things to do," she said carefully.

Adolfo shrugged. "I have time." His smirk deepened. "And I’m curious to see what you’ll make next."

She exhaled, shaking her head. "You say that now, but what if I take hours picking ingredients?"

"I’ll endure," he said smoothly. "I’m quite patient."

Katherine raised a brow. "I find that hard to believe."

Adolfo placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. "You wound me, Lady Katherine. I have plenty of patience."

"Is that so?" She tapped her fingers against her desk, pretending to consider it. "Then I should take my time—perhaps look through every stall in great detail."

His smirk widened. "If that’s the case, I’ll have no choice but to offer my expertise. Otherwise, you might get distracted and forget what you actually need."

She scoffed playfully. "How generous, my lord. But do you even know anything about baking ingredients?"

"I know quality when I see it," he said without hesitation. "And besides, I’ve already tasted your creations. That makes me qualified to give my opinion, don’t you think?"

Katherine couldn’t help but chuckle. "I see, so you’re an expert now?"

"Of course." He leaned back, looking rather pleased with himself. "And since I’m now personally invested, I expect great results from this next creation of yours."

She sighed, shaking her head with amusement. "No pressure, then."

"None at all," he said, his tone completely unconvincing.

Despite herself, she smiled. "Alright. I’ll meet you after class."

Adolfo nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

As he turned back to his desk, Katherine exhaled slowly.

What an unexpected turn of events.

She had only mentioned needing ingredients, and yet now she had plans to explore the market—with Adolfo, of all people.

She tapped her fingers against her desk.

Why did it feel like this would be more than just a simple shopping trip?

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