Just like usual, I snuck into the kitchen.

I need to make something healthier than I usually eat...

...Strawberry cake with extra cream and sugar?

It has strawberries in it, which should be pretty nutritious.

Actually...

It might be too healthy...

But...it'll have to do for now...

I sighed to myself. Making healthy food was not easy...

Nevertheless, I quickly worked to create the perfect strawberry cake.

The first step I needed to do was to research how to make a strawberry cake using my personal head-library thingy.

Then...after doing a little bit of research, I can create the cake using the supplies from the kitchen!

Some of you may be wondering if I could just create the cake using my legendary creation magic.

The answer is, yes, I can.

However, the main reason why I always sneak to the kitchen is to hide away from Sophie.

Nowadays, Sophie finds it mandatory to get me to wear makeup like a normal person.

But the problem is...in this world...choosing to wear makeup is the equivalent of dunking your face in flour.

Trust me...whoever came up with makeup trends in this world was probably a blind man with shaky hands, who accidentally dropped a ton of powder on a girl's face and called it 'beauty.'

I am never going to allow anyone to do any makeup on me in this world.

So, I always hide away in my estate's kitchen for a few hours every morning to get away from Sophie before she can 'beautify' my face.

While I'm hiding, I spend my hours making food to eat for fun. In the process, I always cook another serving to sneak to Deux.

Since I always sneak away to the kitchen, I've become great friends with Chef Apple and Chef Pie, the most talented chefs of the dukedom.

The two of them always give me candy and tips for cooking while I'm hiding. They also keep my location a secret from Sophie, which is a nice bonus.

The only problem with Chef Apple and Chef Pie are...

their...

lovely(?)...

personalities.

"Oh! My face...it's never been so...beautiful and handsome...I'm almost like an angel who descended from the peaks of heaven to bless the pitiful humans with my lovely face..." Chef Apple breathed out as he took notice of his face in a mirror.

"Have you seen my face...?! My fierce eyes and my hot smile would make all the ladies swoon. Unfortunately for them, they can't have me...I'm a taken man," Chef Pie spoke slowly as he squished his face together with his hands.

Yes...the two of them are narcissists.

I'm happy that they have the confidence to love the faces they own...but...um...how do I tell them that their faces look like characters from cartoons...?

Their faces are very...difficult...to look at.

To be honest, Chef Apple's face looks like an apple.

He has a butt chin and an extremely large forehead that arches just like how the top of an apple does.



(^^A/N: This is basically the face-shape Chef Apple has)

The man is basically bald. He has only one thick strand of hair on his head that stands up proudly in the middle of his head, just like how apples have that stalk on the top.

I don't know how to describe his face, so I'll leave it to your imagination.

On the other hand, Chef Pie's face is almost like a pie.

His face is flat and crinkles just like the top of a well-decorated pie. The edges of his face are bumpy just like a pie's crust.



(^^A/N: This is basically the head shape that Chef Pie has)

He is constantly oozing out puss from who-knows-where on his face just like how a pie's filling bubbles out when it's hot. Unlike Chef Apple, he is completely bald.

Again, I don't know how to describe his face...so I'll leave that part to your imagination.

In summary, they are realistic cartoon characters that know how to cook.

Luckily, the two of them make up the greatest chefs in all of our kingdom. If they weren't talented cooks...they probably would've never been able to make a living.

It's even hard for me to look at them without turning my face away to pretend like I didn't witness the crime scene on their faces. It makes me guilty whenever I look at them.

The game-makers of "Love, Love in the Super Cool Magical Academy of Hot Guys" purposefully made their faces this way so players could get a laugh whenever they show up on the screen.

"Hey, Chef Apple and Chef Pie! I'm planning on making a strawberry cake. Could you guys give me some tips?" I asked them as usual.

"Of course, darling~ We are the only two beautiful specimens that would be able to create the perfect cake for such a simple gal like you," Chef Pie said as he applied some blush on his face.

"Y-Yeah," I agreed with them.

"Wait! We can't help you today," Chef Apple said dramatically.

"Why?" I asked out loud.

"We were planning on going out on a date today~" Chef Apple continued.

"Oh. Okay then. I'll just figure out how to make the cake myself," I sighed.

I forgot to mention that Chef Apple and Chef Pie were dating.

To be honest, they make a pretty cute couple as long as you disregard...everything...about them!

My ship name for them is "Apple Pie."

"Oh, honey~ Why can't we just help this poor girl with her cake before we go out together? I already pity her so much..." Chef Pie cried.

"That's true...Little Miss Cordelia is so unfortunate to be unable to make a proper meal on her own..." Chef Apple sighed.

I also forgot to mention that...to Chef Apple and Chef Pie...everyone in the world is a terrible chef, which actually makes sense because the two of them are genius cooks.

"I-It's fine! You two can go out on your date! Don't let me interrupt you two," I insisted.

"Hmm...Are you sure? We couldn't possibly leave a poor girl like you alone to bake a cak-" Chef Pie started to say before he was interrupted.

"I'll be fine! Just go!" I said loudly as I pushed the two of them out of the door.

I closed the door behind them and sighed.

Somehow...every time I talk to Chef Apple and Chef Pie, I become tired.

.

.

A Few Hours Later

.

.

"The cakes...are finally...finished!" I gasped out loud to myself.

I spent a long portion of my time decorating the cakes as perfectly as I could.

They were perfect.



I made two strawberry cakes so I could give one to Deux. I'm sure he'll love the extra sugar I added in~

...Actually...I don't know whether Deux has a sweet tooth or not.

He quietly eats everything I give him without a word.

...Maybe my cooking is just so good that he's speechless!

Heh.

He's probably too shy to admit it.

.

.

Later at Night

.

.

When I was sure that everyone in the estate was sleeping, I went to the forest.

I carefully carried the giant strawberry cake I made with me and moved toward the direction of where Deux was hiding.

After a few minutes of speed walking, I reached a convenient small cave.

I tapped my foot twice on the ground.

Over the past few years, Deux and I have been tapping our feet twice on the ground as a secret signal.

"Come out, Deux! I brought food," I half-yelled into the dark.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see him coming toward me.

Deux hasn't changed much over the years...I think.

The guy still hides his face away from me using a black piece of cloth. I can't even see his hair color or the shape of his face!

It's ridiculous.

However, I do know for a fact that Deux has grown a lot.

I don't know his exact height, but I do know that he's about a head or two taller than me...and in case you were wondering, I am exactly five feet tall. (A/N: For all of you overseas people, this 152.4 cm)

He's still growing too.

I sniffled.

The two of us used to be around the same height...but now my baby has grown...

What's even worse is that all of the male leads have grown...

...and they're hot.

They're on fire.

They're nose-bleed inducing.

They're godly.

...And they're still not as hot as their game versions yet.

It took me a long time to get used to everyone's faces. Luckily, I was raised alongside all of them, so getting used to their mystical faces was easy...in comparison to what others had to go through.

Imagine what all of the other women would have to go through once they see the male leads' faces...especially when the male leads finish growing up.

So, I can't even imagine what Deux's face would look like.

What if he's also hot?!

There's a possibility that Deux is just an average man...but...with my luck...he's probably the hottest guy alive.

After all, he has abs.

And in this world, if you have abs, your face is automatically hot.

I'm lucky his face is covered, to be honest.

"Do you want to share this strawberry cake?" I asked him slowly.

Just like usual, he didn't verbally reply.

I used my creation magic to form plates, napkins, forks, and a knife to cut the cake.

"Do you want to do the cake-cutting honors?" I asked him as I handed him the cake-knife.

"..."

"...Do you know how to cut cake...?" I asked.

"..."

"Have you never eaten cake before...?" I asked with a slow realization.

Deux paused for a little bit and shook his head.

I have no idea what childhood Deux had...but no matter how many times I had asked him about it, he just shakes his head.

"Oh...This means this will be your first time eating cake then!" I said with a bit of optimism.

He nodded his head and stared at the cake in front of him like it was a foreign object.

In the meantime, I cut the cake into ten perfect slices and placed one slice on a plate to give it to Deux.

"Here you go. You normally eat it with a fork...but if you're me, you can eat it with your hands," I said merrily.

He took a small piece of cake using his fork and ate the cake from underneath his mask.

I watched him in anticipation.

"Do you like it?" I asked him.

"..." Deux didn't reply.

"How does it taste...?"

"...It's sweet."

"Of course it's sweet! In this case, I added extra sugar~"

"..."

"Does it taste good...?"

"...It's different."

"I'll make another dessert tomorrow then. I'm going to make sure that you get used to sweet food!" I said with determination.

"..."

Deux didn't reply. Instead, he nodded his head.

I was about to chuckle, but then I realized something.

"Wait! I have something I want to give you," I exclaimed.

"...?" Deux looked confused for a moment as he waited for me to continue.

Using my creation magic, I created a weapon that I had researched about earlier for this moment.

"This is called a gun," I explained as I handed him the small object.

Over time, I realized that Deux was only relying on his pure strength to survive in this forest.

Small monsters were spread throughout the entire forest, and to live, I assume that Deux had to kill them if they ever approached him.

I don't think a gun will help Deux at all...but maybe it'll come in handy if he ever encounters something.

"A gun is basically a ranged weapon. Just like how a bow shoots arrows, a gun shoots bullets. However, a gun is about a million times stronger and reliable than a bow," I explained as Deux inspected the gun.

"..."

"To shoot a gun, you'll need to pull the trigger," I said as I pointed at the gun's trigger.

For the next few minutes, I explained the basics of guns to Deux.

Guns don't actually exist in this world, but he seemed to understand the concepts behind a gun extremely easily, so I asked whether he wanted to try it out or not.

"Do you want to try to use the gun...? I placed a silencer on the gun, so it shouldn't be too loud," I said slowly.

He nodded his head and pointed the gun at a bird flying above us.

"Wait. It's really hard to hit something moving on your first tr-" I tried to say before he pulled the trigger.

I closed my eyes shut and then heard a small thud on the ground near me.

When I opened my eyes again, I could see the corpse of the bird on the ground.

Deux perfectly shot the bullet straight through the bird's brain.

It probably died instantly.

What?!

"H-Have you used a gun before...?!" I stuttered.

"...No," Deux replied.

"You're lying...right?!"

"No."

"No freaking way. H-How did you jus-"

"It's easy."

This brat!

"Do you know...that you just put every gunman on the planet, Earth, to shame...?!" I yelled.

"...Earth?" Deux asked with a little confusion.

Whoops.

I accidentally messed up and said the name of the old planet I used to live on.

"Nothing. Earth isn't that important anyway. It's a trashy place full of bullies and bad people and corrupt politics and dying ecosystems and cruelty...you don't want to go there," I sighed.

"...I see," Deux responded as he simply watched what I was doing.

"It is! Earth is terrible," I said honestly.

I had nothing but bad memories on Earth thanks to a certain dumb god's mistake, who accidentally messed up my entire life.

Luckily, I got a second chance at life here, and so far, it's pretty fun even though I'm being tortured every day.

"You've been to Earth before?" Deux asked.

"Yes...wait...er...No, I've never been on Earth before. Earth is just a fictional place in a book I've read befor-" I tried to lie before I stopped.

Deux was pointing his gun in my direction.

Was he planning on shooting me?!

Did I say something wrong???

He pulled the trigger after a second of pointing at my head.

I used my ice magic to create a wall in front of me to block the bullet.

But instead of hitting my small wall of ice, the bullet shot past my ear and hit something behind me.

I heard a small whimper of a somewhat-large forest wolf as it died.

"Th-Thanks," I stuttered in surprise.

I thought Deux was trying to shoot me...but I guess he was aiming for the beast behind me...

While I was focused on my thoughts, Deux seemed to disappear into thin air and then suddenly reappeared beside me within a split second.

"Go home," Deux said into my ear before I even realized what was happening.

"W-Woah!!" I yelled as I scooted away from Deux as fast as I could.

But within a millisecond, Deux was already by my side again.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him.

At this point, I was close enough to see his light blue eyes, the only part of his face that wasn't covered in black cloth.

"Go home," Deux repeated as he looked straight into my eyes.

"Um...I would probably go home right now...but I can't because you're holding onto my hand an-"

Deux let go of my hand and sighed with irritation.

"Leave," he said sharply.

Jeez.

Why is he acting so rude all of a sudden???

"Fine! I'm coming back tomorrow anyway! Don't expect any food," I said arrogantly.

I angrily left the forest.

.

.

One Night Later

.

.

I woke up to the sound of my bedroom door opening.

Assuming that it was Grey, I ignored the sound and tried to go back to sleep.

But then, someone shook my body using their bare hands, which was something Grey would never do. For the past year or so, if Grey wanted to wake me up, he shook me with his shadow magic.

I immediately opened my eyes to see an unfamiliar-familiar face over me.

"A-Are you C-Cordelia...?" the guy mumbled as quietly as he could.

"Who are you?!" I asked loudly.

"Wait! Be quiet and listen to me," the guy said as he covered my mouth.

Is this a kidnapping?!

I punched the guy in the gut and pinned him to my bed.

"Who are you and why are you here?!" I yelled.

"C-Cordelia! It's me! D-Don't you r-recognize me?!" the guy said with a panicked voice.

"...Have I met you before?" I asked in confusion as I loosened my grip on him.

"W-We met at the royal festival a few years ago! I'm Ma-" the guy was about to say before he was completely immobilized.

Out of nowhere, vines grew from my bedroom walls and wrapped around his arms. The shadows below him wrapped around his legs, leaving him completely incapable of moving.

Suddenly, my door slammed open.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?! I THOUGHT I WARNED YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" Ash, yelled as he wrapped his plant magic even tighter around the guy.

Ash grabbed the collar of the dude and was about to punch him before Grey stopped him.

"No...you shouldn't just punch him. Hand this man over to me. I'll make sure to put him to good use," Grey said darkly.

Normally, Grey says these things in a joking(?) manner, but right now...Grey did not look like he was joking.

"Wait! Do you two know this guy?!" I yelled in order to get their attention.

"C-Cordelia! H-Help me! Th-They're going to kill me!!!" the captured guy yelled.

Wait.

This guy looked kind of familiar.

He had white hair, blue eyes, and a very handsome face.

...No way.

"M-Mattius?! Is that you?!" I yelled in shock.

-------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Happy late Thanksgiving, to all of you guys who celebrate it! In this chapter, I'm reintroducing Mattius, because he's finally relevant to the storyline again.

**Also, in three weeks, I have finals...yay. So, my chapters will probably become temporarily shorter since I'm going to be studying A LOT more in the coming weeks.

I hope you guys understand!

It's becoming difficult to read every single comment because nowadays I receive them almost all the time, but I definitely try my best to see everything! So, thank you~

Thanks to everyone who read/voted/commented!

Okie byeee!

Word Count: 3161