Chapter 3 …
“Once Master tastes this scorched rice candy, his appetite will return, and he’ll surely recover quickly enough to come see the little one.”
Bok-hee took out a small white dish and placed on it the scorched rice candy made by Cho-ah.
It was her way of indirectly letting Master know how well Cho-ah had been growing.
Watching quietly from behind, Cho-ah nodded decisively, as if making up her mind about something.
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“Okdan-eomeom, the table is ready.”
Upon Bok-hee’s report, Okdan-eomeom came with her hands clasped behind her back and scrutinized the well-prepared table with her sharp gaze.
It was a customary procedure for her to give a final check before serving Master, to ensure nothing was amiss.
“What is in this dish?”
“Master said his mouth felt dry yesterday, so I made a sweet dessert using scorched rice and syrup.”
“Hah? Are you serving untested food to someone who isn’t in good health? Remove it.”
As expected, Okdan-eomeom’s reaction was just as anticipated.
Bok-hee had already prepared for this response.
“Okdan-eomeom, please, just try it once.”
Before Okdan-eomeom could protest further, Bok-hee quickly pushed the scorched rice candy into her mouth.
Flinch—!
Okdan-eomeom, about to roar in anger, froze as a delightful taste spread across her tongue, and she closed her mouth in surprise.
The sharpness in her eyes softened immediately.
Bok-hee seized the moment, taking in the expression of Okdan-eomeom, softened and almost intoxicated by the sweet flavor.
“Nutty, isn’t it? And sweet~.”
“What… is this?”
“Scorched rice candy, ma’am!”
“Scorched rice… candy?”
Okdan-eomeom narrowed her eyes.
‘A snack I’ve never heard of… did Bok-hee make this?’
She rolled the small leftover piece around on her tongue, tasting it.
The rich, nutty flavor followed by the perfect sweetness circled her mouth and melted away.
‘Well… it is delicious.’
Even the notoriously strict and harsh Okdan-eomeom’s heart melted a little alongside the candy.
“Hmph! Hmph! This is a one-time exception. In the future, if you wish to put anything on Master’s table, serve it on my table first.”
“Of course! I shall remember, and remember well!”
“And…”
Okdan-eomeom’s voice turned stern, and Bok-hee tensed, bracing for a scolding.
But what followed was not quite what she expected.
“Serve some for me later. Understood?”
“Yes! Yes! I shall do so!”
Okdan-eomeom cleared her throat, turned, and left.
“Phew…”
Bok-hee, left behind, leaned against the wall and exhaled in relief.
‘I wasn’t the only one who found it delicious.’
She felt genuinely impressed by Cho-ah’s ability to make a dessert capable of immediately winning over even Okdan-eomeom.
‘I can’t tell Master the truth now since he frowns at anyone entering the kitchen… but someday, I will make sure he knows Cho-ah made it.’
Bok-hee smiled softly to herself, making that vow.
Meow~!
Cho-ah, having sneaked past the dog hole and near the main building where her father stayed, stopped in her tracks.
Looking up, a cat was staring at her intently from atop the wall.
“Shh!”
Cho-ah widened her eyes and held a finger to her lips to signal the cat to be quiet.
She then bit her lip, staring at the firmly closed door of her father’s room.
‘I want to see Father…’
Thump—!
“Who’s there?”
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Kang Jae-seung’s low, restrained voice echoed.
“……!”
Startled, Cho-ah quickly hid behind a pillar. Fortunately, Kang Jae-seung didn’t seem to notice her.
“You called, Master?”
“You placed a dessert on the table that I hadn’t seen before.”
“Yes. It’s a newly made scorched rice candy. I hope it suited your taste.”
Okdan-eomeom quickly came forward to reply.
Cho-ah’s eyes rolled nervously.
After a brief silence, Kang Jae-seung smiled faintly and said,
“It’s the first time in my life I’ve tasted something that made me feel so happy.”
‘Ah!’
Hearing this from her hiding spot, Cho-ah clasped her tiny hands over her mouth in delight, nearly letting out a squeal.
“Eating this dessert made my appetite return… I feel almost completely recovered, as if my illness has lifted.”
“I’m glad it was to your liking, Master.”
“Yes. If only I could eat this dessert every day!”
Having overseen royal cuisine in the Surawon, he was very sensitive to food and genuinely pleased.
After a satisfied smile, Kang Jae-seung coughed loudly.
“Master, it’s chilly. You might catch a cold, so please close the door and come inside. Shwenne will prepare your bedding.”
Okdan-eomeom hurried inside, and soon the door closed.
“Phew!”
Cho-ah finally removed her hands from her mouth and exhaled.
Meow~!
The yellow cat that had been watching her hopped down from the wall and rubbed affectionately against her hand.
“F-Father…”
Cho-ah whispered softly, stroking the cat’s head in disbelief.
‘He liked the candy Cho-ah made…’
In the dim night, under the moonlight, a radiant smile bloomed on Cho-ah’s face like spring flowers.
She held the cat tightly in her small arms, then looked up at her father’s closed door.
‘Making something delicious… is truly wonderful…’
Her eyes sparkled with the ecstasy of having experienced a happiness as if she had acquired all the joy in the world.
“Hey, hey, Bok-hee!”
Cho-ah peeked into the kitchen where Bok-hee was cleaning up.
“Yes? Little one?”
Bok-hee, startled, asked what was wrong. Cho-ah smiled widely and pointed with her finger at the pot lid Bok-hee held.
“Cho-ah wants to lift this shiny thing like you! How long until I can do it?”
At this age, children are naturally curious. Bok-hee, used to Cho-ah’s questions, smiled softly and replied gently.
“Hmm… I think you’ll need to wait until after at least five birthdays to lift it.”
“Birth…day?”
“Yes! By then, you’ll have grown that much.”
Cho-ah’s cheeks flushed red as she tilted her head, thinking, then clenched her fists to her chest and nodded determinedly.
“Alright. Birthday! I hope it comes soon!”
“Are you looking forward to your birthday?”
“Yup! The day Cho-ah grows up! I want to eat yummy things and grow fast! Heeheehee~!”
With that, Cho-ah hummed a little tune and bounced happily out of the kitchen.
“Little one, don’t run. You might fall!”
Bok-hee called out worriedly, then let out a deep sigh.
‘The little one… is really looking forward to their birthday…’
After a brief pause, she opened her eyes with a resolute expression.
‘No, I can’t let this go as it is!’
