After consecutive days of business, today is the last opening before a day off.

It was still early in the morning, just before the shop opened, Falk showed up.

Thankfully, the ice cream shop has been getting a lot more customers lately, so Alme asked him to adjust the time of his visit so she could spend more time with him.

It was decided that he would come before the shop opened.

After all, it’s a pity to push someone into the kitchen so that other customers can’t find them and have them eat ice cream alone.

Falk was very happy when she suggested that he come to the shop before it opened. He said he was lonely eating ice cream by himself.

As she was leisurely preparing before opening the shop, Falk rang the doorbell at the front door.

Alme opened the door and invited him in, and he quickly removed his necklace of disguise the moment he entered the shop.

While wiping the sweat from his neck with a handkerchief, he walked in. It looks like it’s hot outside today.

“Hello, Mr. Falk. Judging by your appearance, it looks like the weather will be fine today as well.”

“Don’t check the weather by yourself…”

While exchanging jokes, she sent the cold air of ice magic. Falk closed his eyes and took in the coolness with his whole body.

It’s kind of like a child sitting in front of an electric fan, which is nostalgic. While remembering the scene of her previous life, Alme secretly softened her heart.

Falk’s “air purifier function” is working great today.

Falk sat at the usual counter seat in the empty shop before opening.

“What would you like to have today?”

“Hmm, I’m at a loss… maybe I should try honey lemon and melon.”

“Okay.”

Alme took the ice cream as ordered and arranged two round balls of lemon and melon in a bowl. The yellow and light green hues are lovely.

She drizzled honey over the lemon and garnished the melon with mint leaves.

When she put it in front of Falk, his eyes shone as usual and he puffed his cheeks.

“It’s delicious no matter how many times I eat it. I wish I could have it in the temple dormitory… I want to eat it after a shower.”

“I know how you feel. Ice cream after the shower is the best, isn’t it?”

“Oh, do you eat it then, Miss Alme? That’s not fair…”

“It’s the privilege of the manufacturer. Well, please don’t whine about it. I’ll ask you to try a new product soon.”

She couldn’t bear to look at his sulking face, so she blurted out the story of her new work. Falk sat forward and took a bite.

“What is the new product? What kind of ice cream is it this time?”

“I’m thinking of a parfait. I’d like to prepare a special container for it, so it’s still a long way off.”

“What is a parfait?”

Falk tilted his head. The name alone does not conjure up any images of this dessert, so Alme added an explanation.

“It’s a dessert with ice cream in a glass.”

“Is it different from the ice cream that I am eating now?”

“I’d say it’s more like a glamorous ice cream with a lot more stuff on it.”

Words can’t really explain it well to someone who has never seen it before.

Alme took a notebook from the counter drawer and tore out a page. She drew a quick picture on it with a pen.

Drawing a decorative glass with an open mouth, inside of which drawn grain flakes and mousse, then ice cream on top, served with fruit, cookies and cream decorations.

When she drew a rough image and handed it to Falk, his face lit up.

“Well, well, well! What a glamorous and delicious looking dessert!”

“I was shown a beautiful glass at the coffee float prototype meeting, so I thought it would go well with this kind of ice cream.”

“When will the prototype be ready? Even if I have a job, I would like to participate in the tasting somehow.”

“Um…let me just say this, a high-ranking priest shouldn’t skip work, okay?”

His eyes were so serious that she became worried. Let’s hope he doesn’t misuse his status and power…

He almost did once, during the festival, to obtain shaved ice.

Falk finished his ice cream in no time while gazing spellbound at the parfait picture. Perhaps it was because it was hot outside, but the spoon was going fast.

“Would you like more?”

“Please. Well then, let’s finish today with berry ice cream.”

Taking the order, Alme grabbed another spoon.

When she was taking the berry ice cream out, she felt his gaze on her. For some reason, he was looking back and forth between her hand and her neck.

“What’s wrong? Do you have something on me?”

“No… I’m sorry for being rude. Umm, maybe Miss Alme doesn’t like accessories? Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing a necklace or earrings.”

“Eh, is it strange? I just don’t wear it for some reason, but is my appearance strange or something?”

“No, it’s not strange at all! I’m sorry for saying something rude.”

Falk apologized with a flustered look.

Alme took another look at her appearance. She has no accessories and is always dressed neatly.

In the past, to avoid the scoldings of Mrs. Beatos, let alone wear accessories, she had never even worn clothes that showed her skin.

But now she wears clothes designed to show off her arms and neck area. The amount of skin that is visible may look a little lonely without accessories…

When she was thinking about asking Ena to help her find some next time, Falk connected the conversation.

“Well, then, it’s not like you’re avoiding accessories because they damage your skin, right?”

“Yeah, really. Come to think of it, it looks a little bare.”

“That’s not true! Miss Alme, you’re wonderful just as you are… Changing the subject, Miss Alme, what type of necklace, earrings, and bracelet do you like?”

“Necklace, is it?…No, why are we changing the subject?”

Even though she wondered about Falk, whose conversation was strangely awkward, she answered for the time being.

Perhaps she failed to pick up on the small talk when he brought up a story about the appearance of women. To his credit, she’ll let this story slide early.

Alme approximated a berry ice cream and put it in front of Falk. He stoped chattering and started eating the ice cream.

Switching the story, Alme decided to finish an important business. It’s just after the topic of accessories came up, so she thought she’ll go with the flow and give him the bracelet.

“Speaking of accessories, I have a gift for you, Mr. Falk.”

“Huh? For me?”

“Since it was bought by a commoner, it may not suit your taste… but I would be happy if you could accept it.”

Alme opened the drawer behind the counter and took out a small drawstring bag.

When she offered it to Falk, he graciously accepted it with both hands.

It’s not that big of a deal, so please don’t bother posturing. It makes her extra nervous…

“It’s a leather bracelet.”

“Can I see it now?”

“Please take it out of the bag and check it.”

She responded as if she was delivering something rather than a gift.

With careful movements, Falk pulled a bracelet from a drawstring bag. The sky-blue leather shines with colorful square bead ornaments.

He looked at the bracelet and his eyes widened slightly.

Next, he shifted his gaze to Alme’s face. His mouth is slightly open and he has no words.

Cold sweat began to flow down Alme’s back. Perhaps he didn’t like the design and was at a loss for words…

After a few glances back and forth, he covered his mouth with his hand and turned away.

“S-I’m sorry! I just didn’t have the best taste, and I pushed something on you that wasn’t to your liking…”

“Eh, was this chosen by Miss Alme…?”

“Yes… the color of the leather, the color of the beads, and the engraved poem… The shop had semi-custom tailoring, so I chose everything…”

“And this poem, too? …… Well, …… just in case…I’m wondering, what was your intention in choosing this poem, Miss Alme?”

“Well…I thought it was a lovely way to say ‘let’s eat together again’.”

When she answered that, Falk turned his face away and mumbled.

“Well… this poem is a passage from a classic, a love poem about a wife who misses her husband heading off to war… It’s also quite passionate.”

“…………”

Alme froze, and silence fell over the place.

She could see Falk’s ears turning red. This redness is surely not due to heat.

After a moment’s pause, a blistering heat rose to Alme’s face as well.

She reached over the counter, trying to snatch the bracelet from Falk’s hand.

“Um! No, it’s not! ……! Please give it back! I made a mistake!

“I’ve already received it! It’s mine!”

The desperate Alme’s hands were dodged at every turn, and Falk quickly hid the bracelet behind his back.

He was laughing without reservation anymore.

Alme plopped down on the counter and cringed at the great embarrassment that was overwhelming her.

“Ugh… that’s not it… I just thought the phrase ‘morning bread with you’ was peaceful and wonderful… After returning safely from the battlefield, come back to eat ice cream in the morning. With that thought, I……”

“Haha, thank you very much. I am very happy for your kindness. I will treasure it.”

Shaking his shoulders and laughing, Falk accepted the gift.

After sinking into the counter for a while, Alme, whose embarrassment finally subsided, lifted her head.

While glaring at Falk, who was still looking at the bracelet with a big smile on his face, she added.

“… I made a mistake in the poem, but I really want you to come back safely.”

“Yes, I will try to come back…but I can’t guarantee it.”

“No, you must absolutely come back.”

Alme knew that there are no absolutes in this world…Still, she wanted to say it out loud.

After thinking deeply, Falk peered into Alme’s eyes.

“If I don’t make it back, will you cry for me…Miss Alme?”

“I won’t be able to stop crying for the rest of my life. Every day I’ll cry and complain to the sky.”

“That’s quite painful…I’ll have to come back so your eyes don’t get swollen.”

“You must. It’s a promise.”

Alme held out her pinky finger toward Falk.

Alme wanted to show Falk, who stared at her fingers with a curious look on his face, how to make a promise from her previous life.

“Give me your pinky finger. I will perform the oath ceremony to keep your promise.”

“Is there such a thing?”

While puzzled, Falk held out his pinky finger in the same way. Compared to Alme’s, it was a much larger, manly finger.

Alme intertwined her finger and waved their hands up and down, and sang the usual song. It’s the children’s song of the previous life ‘Yubikiri’.

“What does that spell song mean?”

“It’s a punishment song where if you tell a lie, you’ll be beaten 10,000 times and swallow 1,000 needles.”

“I see…if you break your promise, you will be subjected to terrible torture.”

Despite the lighthearted melody, Falk had a solemn expression. Not caring, he sang the last phrase of the song.

“Yubi kitta!” and with that, the oath had been exchanged. Please don’t break the promise.

After the pinky promise, he let go of his intertwined little finger. Just before that, Falk held down Alme’s hand with his other hand.

He said in a low whisper, a little hesitantly.

“… Um, can I ask you to sing it one more time?”

“It doesn’t matter how many times. As long as you come back safely, I’ll put my fingers together and sing a hundred times.”

Entwining her finger again, Alme sang the song.

Falk looked away embarrassedly, but he had a soft expression on his face.

~❆~

T/N:

I don’t read ahead on chapters, so it’s just as much a surprise to me. I’ve been really wanting to talk about possible spoilers or opinions so…