Chapter 42
“Because I Like Chocolate”
While I was lost in thought, today’s event coordinator, Priest Redil, approached us.
“You’ve worked hard, both of you. Here you go.”
With a warm smile, Redil handed a bundle each to Herle and me.
‘What is this?’
As soon as I opened it, a rich buttery scent tickled my nose.
“…Wow.”
Inside were individually wrapped cookies—oatmeal, chocolate, fig, and more.
The cookies were neatly bundled in soft fabric pouches tied with colorful ribbons.
“What’s this for?”
“To thank you for always helping us!”
“There’s a lot in here.”
“Yes, we packed them full on purpose! Please share them with your friends!”
Redil chuckled warmly.
Herle and I politely declined a few times, but Redil insisted. We eventually accepted.
Back in my top-floor dorm room, I washed up and opened the bundle on my table.
The aroma of cookies quickly filled the room.
‘Lots of oatmeal… and three chocolate cookies.’
So they really did pack a lot. There were more cookies than the number of Elche members.
“If I give one to each person… what should I do with the last one?”
Should I just eat it myself?
I folded my arms and stared at the cookies, thinking. Then I picked up the last chocolate cookie.
Later, at Elche’s training grounds…
“What’s this, Serdin?”
After finishing sword practice, the knights were delighted by the surprise gift.
“Cookies. I got them from the temple welfare center.”
“They’re delicious. Can I have another?”
“Nope.”
“You’re strict. Very Elche of you, Serdin.”
At the shaded edge of the field, Roitz stood leaning against the wall.
He wore a disinterested expression, arms crossed, but his gaze never left one particular spot.
“His deep navy eyes looked detached… but he was clearly watching someone.”
That someone turned her head.
“Senior!”
Serdin ran toward him, her soft pink hair fluttering in the sunlight.
Roitz quickly returned to his usual calm look as if nothing had happened.
“What’s that?”
“Cookies. Here.”
She handed him a small pouch, her hand brushing his as she placed it in his palm.
“A small cloth bag… with a chocolate cookie inside.”
“I got it from the welfare center.”
“…I see.”
Serdin looked around, then leaned in slightly and added:
“But, Senior… I think you should eat that one alone.”
With that, she walked off.
Roitz remained there, holding the pouch, lost in thought.
‘Why would she say that?’
It sounded like… he’d been given something special.
Roitz scanned the area. Everyone else was holding oatmeal or fig cookies.
“…No way.”
He checked again.
Only he had a chocolate cookie.
Catching his reflection in the window, he froze.
‘Why… am I smiling?’
Quickly, he wiped the grin off his face.
“It’s not like being the only one with chocolate is a big deal… People outside the training ground probably got them too.”
But just in case, he tucked the cookie pouch securely and hurried out of the training grounds.
He made his way around the entire compound, checking discreetly.
“Hello, Senior Roitz!”
“Yeah. Training going well?”
All the while, his eyes scanned for cookie types.
“Oatmeal. Fig. Oatmeal again…”
The more he searched, the more his heart floated in confusion and anticipation.
He shouldn’t be happy about this.
“It’s meaningless. Serdin probably didn’t think twice.”
Just a coincidence. That’s all.
“But… what if it wasn’t?”
He tried to stay rational, but his thoughts kept drifting.
After covering the whole place, Roitz stopped.
“No one else got chocolate…”
He covered his face with the hand that still smelled faintly of cookies.
His head was a mess. His cheeks were flushed.
Back in his office, Roitz placed the pouch on the table.
He could still picture Serdin’s hand brushing his as she gave it to him.
“How am I supposed to interpret this?”
“No—don’t interpret it. It doesn’t mean anything.”
His mind wrestled between assigning meaning and rejecting it.
“But if she really gave it only to me… if I’m the only one…”
Then it was special.
Not just emotionally—objectively.
“There was only one. If she gave it to me… that makes it objectively rare.”
Just then, a voice came from outside.
“Senior Roitz, it’s Deneb.”
“…Come in.”
Roitz wiped the expression off his face.
He had done nothing since returning but think about that cookie.
He quickly set it down and pretended to be reading documents.
“What is it?”
Deneb, his ever-chatty aide, gave a report on recent monster activity.
After the report, Deneb glanced at the cookie on the table.
“Oh, you got a chocolate one too, Senior?”
“…Chocolate?”
“Yes, me too!”
Roitz’s expression hardened.
Without thinking, he muttered:
“Damn it…”
Deneb blinked, startled.
‘Uh…’
Being socially sharp, Deneb analyzed the situation quickly.
“Maybe Senior Roitz doesn’t like chocolate. He must’ve been upset to see I got the same.”
He recalled a year of working as Roitz’s aide—deciphering his vague instructions flawlessly.
“So I should offer to swap cookies!”
“Senior, shall I trade cookies with you?”
Roitz’s eyes turned cold.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, not mine—someone else’s, I mean. I’m sure someone with oatmeal or fig will trade.”
“Trade? Why would I trade?”
“Well, you seem to not like the flavor…”
At that moment, Roitz slammed the cookie pouch down.
“I like chocolate…!”
“…Ah. Yes. Sorry!”
“… …”
“… …”
“It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize, Deneb.”
Deneb, unsure if he should be sorry, bowed anyway.
He had acted on his own, assuming his superior’s intent.
“I apologize, sir.”
“It’s fine. You can go.”
Roitz sat on the edge of the table, picking up the cookie again.
Just a simple snack in a small cloth pouch.
“So why does this mean so much?”
It wasn’t even just for him. Everyone got one.
Why was he obsessed with giving it meaning?
His face grew serious, almost empty.
Deneb had received a chocolate one too?
“Then this… wasn’t special.”
Roitz shook his head.
“What am I even thinking?”
He had promised himself—he wouldn’t get caught up in illusions.
Just a senior to her. Nothing more.
“Right. It’s nothing. Just a coincidence.”
He finally ate the cookie he had wanted to save.
Nothing made him special.
To Serdin, he was just one of many seniors at Elche.
To remember that, he carefully folded the pouch and stored it in his drawer.
Then, with it, he swallowed the last crumbs—and any remaining hope.
But in his desperate effort to reject the meaning of the chocolate cookie… he missed one important detail.
Hahah poor guy