Chapter 35: Baking ‘Marshmallows’

After dinner, I prepare to sleep on the lakeside with the young lady.

Crackling, a small campfire and a wonderfully built tent.

And two top-quality sleeping bags laid on the mat, and…

“Ta-da, it’s marshmallows.”

“Marshmallows?”

“It’s delicious to roast these over a campfire~”

“Wow..!”

Since it’s cold at night in autumn, I also prepared hot cocoa.

And the most important preparation.

“Haa… it’s so nice to be here…”

The young lady in my arms.

Well, it’s a perfect night.

I skewer a marshmallow on a suitable twig and roast it moderately with the heat next to the campfire, then give it to the young lady.

“Now, eat. Young Lady.”

“Thank you! Haam..! Hot… Munch munch.. Haap… Delicious…”

Seeing the young lady eating the marshmallow while stretching it out, I think it was a good idea to bring marshmallows.

“The stars are pretty too.”

“Yes! They’re so sparkly! Like sparkles!”

Why are the stars so visible in the countryside sky?

When I first came to this world and saw the sky, it was very pretty, but… today, the sky is especially beautiful.

“The half-moon is pretty!”

“That star is also sparkling. In pink.”

“It’s so pretty that the stars are lined up!”

“…That’s right.”

“It’s like sprinkling pepper on soup!”

Pfft…

“You mean there are many, like that, right?”

“Yes! So many!”

…The young lady’s way of expressing things is really unique.

Who would say that there are as many stars as sprinkling pepper on soup when looking at that sky. Really…

“I want to eat more marshmallows!”

“Ah, shall I roast one more for you?”

“Mmm… I want to roast it!”

“Aha, now~ then here you go~ But it’s dangerous, so at first, we’ll roast it together, and then you can try roasting it yourself, okay?”

“Yes!”

I skewer a marshmallow on a suitable twig, hand it to the young lady, and gently wrap my hand around the young lady’s hand.

“Now… marshmallows are not roasted directly in the fire, but by the heat coming from the fire.”

“Aha…”

“So, like this.. if you turn it around and roast it, it will be roasted very beautifully. Like this..”

Numerous bubbles appear on the white marshmallow and it turns brown.

“When it’s like this, you can lift it up. How is it?”

“Wow..! Nom..! Munch munch… Delicious..!”

“Okay! Then would you like to try it yourself now?”

“I will! I will!”

I skewer a marshmallow on a twig and hand it to the young lady who is excited.

After all, perfect parenting is not about controlling, but about letting them get challenged..!

It’s also my role to watch over the young lady so that she can do well.

Hmm…

“…It’s burnt.”

Of course, sometimes there are times when you fail miserably like this.

“Hmph… it’s not working…”

“Where is the person who is good at it from the beginning? I also burned it quite a bit when I first roasted marshmallows, you know?”

“…Really?”

“Of course. And… nom!”

I swallow the burnt marshmallow that the young lady roasted.

“The marshmallow that the young lady roasted is also very delicious!”

“Ma, Mana, you shouldn’t eat that..!”

“What do you mean? There’s nothing like that in what the young lady roasted? It’s so delicious~”

“…Y, you don’t have to do that…”

“Now! Shall we try roasting it again?”

“Yes!”

Letting the young lady try again!

It is the quality of an elite maid and exclusive maid to encourage her from the side so that she is not afraid to fail!

This time, unlike before, the young lady carefully roasts it with the heat, without directly touching the fire.

Her completely focused appearance is quite cute.

“…Okay.. a little more… done!”

“Wow~~~ You did well, Young Lady!”

It’s a little burnt, but compared to that black something earlier, she made a very nice marshmallow after only one failure!

“Now! Eat, Mana! I roasted it for Mana!”

“…The young lady is already at the age where she can make something for me. Thank you, Young Lady.”

“Hehe… hurry up and eat it!”

Then…

I take a bite of the marshmallow that the young lady roasted deliciously.

Mmm..!

It’s warm, fluffy, chewy, and sweet.

“How is it? How is it?”

“It’s so delicious!”

“Really?!”

“Yes, so much! You roasted it diligently!”

“Yes! I roasted it with all my might because I was going to give it to Mana!”

…Young Lady, how beautifully have you grown up?

If you keep growing up so wonderfully, I might collapse from happiness.

“Hehe… I’m glad Mana likes it.”

“It’s very delicious…”

It’s probably the most delicious thing I’ve eaten recently, no, in my entire life…

“Roast one for Mana too!”

“Of course. I’ll roast it very deliciously, okay?”

Carefully… turn it!

“Now! Here you go!”

“Nom..! Nom.. Munch munch.. Delicious!”

Our young lady… so cute…

So good…

This is healing…

“Hehe… Mana, shall I roast one more marshmallow?”

“Yes! Please!”

After the delicious marshmallow time, I went into the tent with the young lady to sleep.

“It’s a bit different environment than usual, are you okay?”

“Yes! I love it! My heart is pounding because I’m with Mana!”

“You like it, right?”

“Yes! I like Mana! I like everything when I’m with Mana!”

…I might get a nosebleed like this..

The young lady crawls next to me, takes one of my arms, and uses it as a pillow.

“Hehe..”

“Why is our young lady so cute?”

“It’s all~ because Mana loves me~”

“…Really. If you keep being so cute, I’ll gobble you up!”

“Kyaa!! Mana is going to eat me!”

The young lady comes into my arms.

“Hehe, if it’s Mana, it’s okay to eat me!”

“A, are you sure you’re not thinking I’ll really eat you?”

“Yes! I’m not, but!”

The young lady puts her face between my chest and rubs it.

“It’s fluffy, soft, and warm!”

“Aren’t they too heavy?”

“Hmm… it’s just the right weight!”

“It’s good that the young lady likes it.”

“Hehe…”

I also like the young lady in my arms very much.

It’s like holding a warm hot pack, you know?

It’s inevitable that I end up hugging the young lady tightly.

“…Today was really fun, Mana.”

“Me too.”

“Mmm, it was really, really fun. It’s the best day of my life.”

“…I’m grateful that you say that.”

“After Mana came… I’m so happy.”

“I’m always happy after serving the young lady too.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

Just looking at our young lady gives me a lot of strength, you know?

“…Sometimes it’s so good that I wonder if it’s a dream, you know?”

“It’s not a dream at all~”

“…Sometimes I’m so scared that I’ll go back to the time when I was alone in the mansion. But every time that happens, Mana is sleeping next to me, so I feel relieved…”

…You’re mature for an 8-year-old.

Really. If you’re 8 years old, you should do whatever you want and like, like an 8-year-old.

It’s much more like an 8-year-old not to worry about such things, you know?

“Don’t worry. I, Mana, will be by your side forever.”

“…You’ll really be there?”

“Of course. I’ll be there forever. But you have to hire me, okay?”

“Yes! I’ll definitely hire Mana!”

Our young lady is admirable~

I hug the young lady tightly.

With a lot of loving heart.

I don’t know for sure… but seeing the young lady wanting to become a wonderful adult, is this maternal love?

I didn’t give birth to her, but I always worry about the young lady when I see her.

I guess I ended up like this because I care about her for no reason.

The young lady is the child I gave birth to with my heart.

In the future, whatever,

I’ll make whatever the young lady wants come true.

I’ll definitely find a wonderful man who loves the young lady next to me in the world.

I want to live watching the young lady live happily, by her side forever.

…It’s a bit extreme, but that’s how I feel right now.

“Mana…”

“Yes, Young Lady?”

“…Why do you like me, Mana?”

“Hmm… that’s right.”

The reason I like the young lady is… probably…

“It must be… fate.”

“Fate?”
“

Yes, fate.”

Me, who used to live as a small company employee in my previous life, came to this world like this.

I became a maid after a difficult childhood and met the young lady.

I think all those times were for now.

The past 4 years without the young lady… I was always worried about the young lady.

I just thought… I hope she’s living well.

“I love the young lady fatefully.”

“…Then if it’s not fate, you don’t love me?”

“No, I would definitely love you anyway. Whether there’s a reason or not.”

“…I like being loved by Mana. I’m so happy… I’m so happy…”

“I’m also very happy to love the young lady.”

Now, now, it’s time for good children to sleep, you know?

I take the young lady out of my arms.

“…Our cute young lady, did you have a good day today too?”

“Yes! Very! So Good!”

“…Me too. Every day is happy thanks to the young lady.”

Following the smiling young lady, I smile without realizing it.

“Good night, Young Lady. I hope you have a good dream.”

“Yes! Mana too!”

– Smooch…

With the heart of a mother who loves her child.

Filled with that unconditional, benevolent, and devoted love.

I hope the young lady has a good dream today too.

“Hawaa…”

“Is your heart pounding again?”

“Yes! It’s beating fast!”

…How can you be so cute.

I hug the young lady tightly and close my eyes.

“Good night, Young Lady.”

“Yes! Good night, Mana!!”

Haaa…

…If I were a man, would I have fatherly love?

…Even if I were a man, I would have been a doting father anyway.

In the morning, I open my eyes and look at the young lady sleeping soundly..

Cute and lovely young lady.

It’s inevitable that I have the feeling that I want the young lady to sleep more and the feeling that I want her to wake up quickly at the same time.

– Smooch…

I kiss her on the forehead for no reason.

Really.

I came to play with the young lady, but I ended up being healed much more.

…Cute young lady.

Have a good day today too, okay?

“Mmm… Mana…”

“Hush… hush…”