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  The sweet and musical sound of bell chimes echoed ireets as two figures entered a certain store. It was Grey and Yuna who were still on their shopping date, heading iheir st stop.

  It was almost lunch time and Grey and Yuna were about to head inside a restaurant when they saw a familiar brand logo they just couldn't ig was the store of an acquaintahey had met a while ago.

  "President, where should we put these?"

  "Just pce them ie for nowー No, no, no! You shouldn't pce that there! They should be in the front!" ［Argas］

  "President, we've done installing the fans."

  "Oh, thank youー Wait! Be careful with that, that's very fragile!" ［Argas］

  "President～"

  "A moment, please! Ahh～! The tiles! The tiles!" ［Argas］

  A familiar voice reverberated ihe store as he guided his employees into pg what in which pces. His hands were so full that he did not have any time to notice that people had already entered inside.

  The store was her than the Sagrada pany that was owned by Argas. It was a pany which deals with magic tools and devices. Grey and Yuna got acquainted with the owner when Gabal and Algerio were arrested.

  There also wasn't mu terms of dispy ihe store. There were only a feliances here and there. Even the designs on the walls weren't half as good as the one ba Moterno. It was almost a bnk vas.

  "Umm... Mister Argasー" ［Grey］

  "Oh, please wait a moment. I still have some things to doー" ［Argas］

  Argas instinctively ignrey, but as soon as his mind processed who were the ones who greeted him, he immediately stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his head towards them.

  "Lrey?! Lady Yuna?! Why are you hereー I mean, it's a pleasure to meet you againー Ah, no, what brings you to my humble storeー" ［Argas］

  There was so much going on that Argas' mind malfuned. He was already busy as is with the workers, but now that Grey and Yuna were added to the equatioarted to overload.

  "Mister Argas, calm down. We've only dropped by since we're curious after seeing your store in the capital." ［Grey］

  "Un. There is o be so formal." ［Yuna］

  "Oh-Oh... Sorry, it was just so busy that the stress is starting to pile up." ［Argas］

  The tension in Argas' body and mind slowly dissipated as soon as he heard Grey and Yuna's words. He was now back to his normal self, only that he looked more haggard and exhausted.

  It wasn't only Argas, his employees also had hints of exhaustion on their faces as they tio move furniture and appliances here and there. It arent that they have been w for days, lifting up heavy objects and moving them.

  "By the way, Mister Argas. Is this perhaps a ore? I don't see mu dispy other than a few bits here and there." ［Grey］

  "Well, actually, I just opehis branch a couple of days ago. We're still ying out the products as you see..." ［Argas］

  As Argas expined himself, the employees tio work with transp the products, moving them bad forth from the ste towards the store itself. It was a borious task.

  The ore wasn't the first branch Argas had established, rather, it was because it was located in the capital that it was increasingly difficult than others. He o sider the differen demographics between the royal capital and normal towns and cities.

  The royal capital of Alfrione, Farsa, uher settlements has a much rger tration of the gentry and nobility. Appearances were one of the most important things in business, and it is because of it that he was very stressed.

  With the foundiival along the way, it has bee even more difficult. Although it could cause him more profits, it could also lead to a disaster if he couldn't hahings properly. Not to mention he only has about two weeks until the said festival.

  "Must be tough, huh... Is there any way we help?" ［Grey］

  "Ah, no, no! How could I ask both of you such a thing?! I'm perfectly happy that you even remembered this store of mine." ［Argas］

  "I see... Then just tell us if you ever need anything. We're currently staying at the Aldridge family's mansion." ［Grey］

  "See you ter, Mister Argas. I hope everything goes well!" ［Yuna］

  "Ah, wait! Lrey, I have something to ask of you!" ［Argas］

  "Huh?" ［Grey］

  Grey and Yuna were about to leave the store, when Argas suddenly called out to them. Grey, whose name was called, arched one of his brows in fusion as to why the former called out to him only.

  "T-The blender! I sell it?!" ［Argas］

  "The blender...?" ［Grey］

  "Yes! I want to sell it as one of Sagrada pany's specialties!' ［Argas］

  Following his sudden outburst, Argas expined his pn to Grey i detail Starting from the day Grey showed him the blender and how to use them, up until the ret days where he had made a copy of it.

  Although it's not as good as the blender Grey made, the ones produced by Argas after painstaking effort were good enough to be sold in the market. If there were any fws, it would be that they are quite the expensive appliances.

  Of course, it went without saying that a pertage of the profits will be given to Grey as the "ior" of the blender. It was made to be an exclusive traly limited to the Sagrada pany.

  Since Argas was still busy and Grey and Yuna also had their own schedule, the signing of tracts will be made at a ter date. For now, they only discussed the simple terms and decided to add more wheime es.

  "Is that all there is, Mister Argas?" ［Grey］

  "Yes, that's all. As for when we'll sign the tract, let's just say after the foundiival. I should be free by then. Is that alright with you, Lrey?" ［Argas］

  "Yeah, there's no problem about that... Then, we'll beー" ［Grey］

  "Ah, wait! There's one more thing I o hand to you." ［Argas］

  Once again, Grey and Yuna's leave was cut off by Argas. The tter suddenly headed towards his office, leaving Grey and Yuna behind for a moment. Wheurned, he had brought with him three tin boxes tied with a blue ribbon.

  Argas was a little out of breath wheurned, but as the pany president, he tried to maintain his posure, especially in front of Grey and Yuna that he valued dearly as ers and beors. He then hahe tin boxes to both of them.

  "What's this?" ［Grey］

  "They're pastries." ［Argas］

  "Pastries?!" ［Yuna］

  Yuna's eyes immediately lit up at the suddeion of pastries. Her eyes were sparkling shtly that Argas couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden ge of attitude of the young dy in front of him.

  "I recalled that you took a liking to the pastries I served the st time we met. I also like them myself so I bought quite a lot." ［Argas］

  "Waah～! we really have all of these?!" ［Yuna］

  "Of course! There's many where that came from. If you want, I still get more of these pastries." ［Argas］

  "No, these are more than enough, Mister Argas. I'm sure we'll enjoy them." ［Grey］

  "Un! Thank you very much!" ［Yuna］

  "Hohoho, I'm hoo hear that." ［Argas］

  A couple words ter, Grey and Yuna finally left the store after waving their hands goodbye tas. And as it was already time for lunch, they decided to have some in a nearby restaurant, choosing o as expensive as before.

  After lunch, Grey and Yuna explored the shopping district a little bit more before heading back to the Aldridge mansion. It was already 2 o'clo the afternoohey returned and the children were having their afternoon nap.

  Since Veronica was also busy, Grey and Yuna decided to head to the kit and make chocote from the cacao they just got. There, they found Martin who was ing up some things.

  "Mister Martin, we borrow the kit for a moment?" ［Grey］

  "Oh? Are you going to cook something again, Lrey, Lady Yuna?" ［Martin］

  "Well, I'm just gonna do some experimentation. It's been a while since I've made them, after all." ［Grey］

  "Is that so.... Then, I watch while you cook?" ［Martin］

  "Sure, you're wele to." ［Grey］

  With Grey's approval, Martin grabbed a stool nearby and sat himself he kit table Grey was w on. He was a bit surprised when Yuna got a stool of her own and sat beside him.

  "Huh? Is Lady Yuna not going to help out?" ［Martin］

  "No, not this time. I also have no idea what Grey is going to make. But I'm sure it will be delicious!" ［Yuna］

  "Oh, so it's a new recipe! I'm looking forward to it!" ［Martin］

  Both Martin and Yuna quickly became excited as they talked about what Grey was going to artin was excited to learn a new recipe while Yuna was excited to eat new food. Two different reasons, one same expression.

  Slowly, Grey took out ingredients oer another. He took out milk, sugar, butter, salt, and of course, the cacao beans they had just bought. Thankfully, the cacao beans were already processed and all that's left was to grind them into fine powder.

  There was also no need for overplicated tools such as grinders and such, Grey only took out a mixing bowl, moulds, and a sau. Other steps will be left to magic as it is the most powerful tool Grey has in his arsenal.

  "Hm? Isn't that..." ［Martin］

  "It's cacao. Have you heard of it, Mister Martin?" ［Grey］

  "Not just heard, I've also tried making coffee with it. It's slightly less bitter and has a peculiar taste to it. Are you perhaps trying to make coffee with it?" ［Martin］

  "No, not at all. I'm making sweets out of it." ［Grey］

  ""Sweets?!"" ［Martin and Yuna］

  Their voices in unison, Martin and Yuna voiced out their reas to Grey's words. One was surprised how Grey would make sweets from a bitter substance, while the other was excited to eat some sweets. Of course, the tter was Yuna.

  Grey was a little happy hearing Martin's reas. He could tell from it that there was still no such thing as chocote in Merusia. It erfect since he wao surprise Yuna with it.

  As for the puzzled chef, Martin, he looked curiously at the cacao beans. Veronica had retly bought it out of curiosity but after a while, she quickly lost i in it and turned back to Alferia tea.

  With the help of wind to grind the cacao beans and barrier magic to keep the particles in pce, Grey turhe hard cacao beans into fine brown powder resembling that of the ones sold in venieores ba Earth.

  When the powder was made, he the on a mixing bowl along with some softened butter and started blending them. He whisked the mixture until it turned into fine paste with good sistency.

  Grey then took a sau and pced it on top of the stove. He filled the sau with water to boil and another bowl on top of the sau. It was a substitute for a double boiler.

  Gently as he could, Grey stirred the mixture sistently, removing it from heat only when the mixture was smooth. After which, milk, sugar, and salt were added in varying amounts in order to create different kinds of chocote.

  Three types of chocotes were made. One was the bitter dark chocote, the sed one was regur chocote, and the third ohe sweetest, milk chocote. Grey also added a touch of varact frand extra taste.

  With the mixtures do was time to pce them into moulds. Since Grey doesn't have a mould for bar chocotes, he settled on simple circle molds and used up all the mixtures, creating quite a handful of chocotes.

  All that was left was to freeze them, and so Grey did, with the help of ice magic, of course. It didn't even take a minute frey to turn the chocotes solid. He trolled the temperature well so that there won't be any weird insistencies in the chocotes.

  Of course, as Grey was making the chocote, he also expio Martin how to make them without using magic. The use of magic was only to speed things up. There are no other reasons other than it.

  "Alright, I'm finished." ［Grey］

  "Waah～ They look delicious!" ［Yuna］

  Lined up before their eyes were brown colored sweets which had just been introduced to the world of Merusia. They are the king of sweets which ruled over the Earth for as long as Grey remembered.

  " I have some?" ［Yuna］

  "Just don't taste this one recklessly. It's a bit bitter so you might not like it." ［Grey］

  "Grey, I'm no longer a child! I eat bitter things! Just watch me!" ［Yuna］

  Yuna protested as Grey warned her, little did she know, what Grey said was a "little" bitter was really bitter through and through. It was the worst decision Yuna had made which she will regret soon.

  Without aation, Yuna took a piece of dark chocote which Grey previously pointed out. Following him, Grey and Martin also took a piece of the same chocote and the three had a bite at the same time.

  "Oh! It's bitter but not too overwhelming! I like this!" ［Martin］

  "Mmm... Just like how I remembered it." ［Grey］

  Martin and Grey wore expressions of satisfa on their faces as they took a bite of the dark chocote. Though it was the first time Martin ate a sweet which was actually more bitter than it is sweet, he easily took a liking to it. As for Yuna...

  "Uuu... Bitter..." ［Yuna］

  ... she was suffering the sequences of her reckless as. Tears were f in her eyes as she tio chew on it. Although she didn't like it that much, she didn't spit it out as she didn't want to waste food. Especially si was Grey who made it.

  "Haah... This is why I told you to it recklessly." ［Grey］

  "Sorry... I won't do it again..." ［Yuna］

  "That's alright. Now, open up. This should help overpower the bitterness." ［Grey］

  "Un..." ［Yuna］

  Yuna timidly opened her mouth as Grey took a pieilk chocote a to her. In trast to the dark chocote, the milk chocote was much sweeter. It quickly removed the bitter sensation inside Yuna's mouth.

  As she ate the sweet chocote, Yuna's mood quickly improved and the more she chewed, the more the bitter taste faded away. Soon after, all that was left in her mouth was a sweet sensation, with a little hint of bitterness.

  "Waah～ It's sweet!" ［Yuna］

  "It's called chocote. Do you like it?" ［Grey］

  "Un! I love it!" ［Yuna］

  Yuna expressed her happiness cheerfully as she could as she took another pieilk chocote from the table. Her smile became brighter and brighter as she ate more and more of it.

  Martin also helped himself with the other types of chocotes and evaluated them closely. He took notes of how the chocote tasted and took into sideration the ingredients he o make them.

  "Big Bro Grey, Big Sis Yuna, what are you eating?!" ［Galvin］

  "Vin, don't run around too much." ［Veronica］

  Just as Martin fiaking he kit immediately became livelier as Veronica along with her childreered. As Galvin just woke from his afternoon nap, he was full of energy.

  "Madam, please have some of these. Lrey made them from cacao beans and they're absolutely tasty." ［Martin］

  "Oh, from cacao beans? How intriguing..." ［Veronica］

  "Me too! I also want to eat!" ［Galvin］

  "M-Me as well..." ［Elnart］

  Following Martin's suggestion, Veronid the children also partook in tasting the chocotes. Oer ahe pieces of chocote i slowly disappeared as everyone happily indulged in them.

  Of course, Galvin and Elnart were only given the milk chocotes. Yuna forbade them from eating others as she didn't want them to have the same experience as her. She was a thoughtful older sister figure.

  After eating chocotes, Grey and Yuna pyed with Galvin and Elnart until dinner arrived. Soon after, the night had e and it was time to retire for the day. Everyone headed to their respective rooms.

  "Ahh... It was a long day～...." ［Grey］

  "Un! It sure was! We did so many things today, it's quite tiring..." ［Yuna］

  "You say that again..." ［Grey］

  Driven by exhaustion, Grey dropped himself helplessly towards the bed, lying down without making muents. Yuna also finished fixing herself and sat on the side of the bed.

  "By the way, Grey..." ［Yuna］

  "Hm?" ［Grey］

  "Today... You were trying to cheer me up, weren't you?" ［Yuna］

  Silence swallowed the room as soon as Yuna asked that question. Grey, without any words, lifted himself up from his previous position and sat on the side of the bed, pg himself beside Yuna.

  Yuna was correct. Grey was trying to cheer her up since m. It was because today is the 3rd anniversary of the destru of Yuna's vilge. Grey wanted her tet such painful memories and have as much fun as she could. It was also part of the reasons why Grey suddenly suggested a shopping date.

  "Looks like I've been found out, huh... Since when did you notice?" ［Grey］

  "Sihe beginning, or rather... you've always tried to cheer me up every time this day es. I've already expected it since yesterday." ［Yuna］

  "I see... So I'm that predictable, huh..." ［Grey］

  Grey said as he looked up at the ceiling, letting silence again take over the whole room. There wasn't any sort of awkwardness between him and Yuna. There was only silence.

  As the deafening silence tio ensue, Yuna's hands slowly crawled trey's. The moment her hands held his, she interlocked her fingers with him and leaned her head towards his shoulder.

  "Grey, I've already said this many times before, but while I was really devastated about what happened... it isn't all ives." ［Yuna］

  Yuna's hands held onto Grey's even tighter as her soft words rang throughout his ears. There was a trace of sadness over her face but there weren't any tears like before. She has bee stronger.

  "I've seen many iing things, traveled to tless pces, aen hundreds of new foods.... Most importantly, I met you. I couldn't be any happier." ［Yuna］

  "Yuna..." ［Grey］

  A gentle smile appeared on Yuna's face as she faced her beloved. Their hearts rag madly as they moved closer to one another. As their lips linked with one aheir hearts also beat as one.

  A day which started full of worries now ended full of happiness as the night became deeper. The cold breeze embrag the city became nothing as two people slept in each other's embrace.

  CHAPTER 92 END