After dinner, Anna walked into the kitchen carrying a large bag of bird's-kiss mushrooms.
These pristine white mushrooms were all gathered by Mai Xi from the Hidden Forest. Unlike common mushrooms, bird's-nose mushrooms typically grow atop towering trees, feeding on the nutrients they absorb from the foliage—a favorite among certain birds. Despite their exquisite flavor and the delicate, fleshy stigmas resembling tender meat, their high-altitude habitat makes them hard to spot from below. Consequently, few people are willing to climb up the trees to forage for them.
Her mother would always gather mushrooms in varying quantities on her birthday, preparing two signature mushroom dishes to celebrate. The unique flavor of these dishes left an indelible impression on her, far surpassing the moldy coarse bread and bland porridge. Though she no longer worries about hunger and enjoys a more abundant daily diet, she still yearns to recreate these delicacies—only found in the Western Border Town—and share them with RolandYour Highness, who has been working late into the night lately.
The stove in the kitchen had gone out, but Anna didn't mind. She tossed some firewood into the stove and summoned black fire, and soon the flames in the hearth were blazing fiercely.
Just then, Nightingale suddenly darted out from the wall. "Hey, what are you doing?" "I wanted to make something for Your Highness—he's been staying up late lately. What about you?" "Ahahaha," she scratched her head, "I was just looking for some snacks... I'm a bit hungry," she paused, curiously leaning over. "What are you planning to make?" "Hmm... honey-roasted mushrooms and mushroom soup," Anna opened the bundle, revealing the bird-kiss mushrooms inside. "These are Border Town specialties. Would you like to try them?" Nightingale nodded and quickly added, "Can you teach me how to make them... I'd like to learn too." "Sure," Anna smiled. "It's pretty easy." After slicing the mushrooms, she grabbed a handful and handed them to Nightingale. "First, spread butter evenly on both sides, then carefully bake until golden brown. Don't overbake or it'll burn." "Hmm," Nightingale took the bird-kiss mushroom slices and mimicked Anna's technique, greasing both sides. "Has Your Highness been working late lately?" "Yeah, he's been staying up past midnight almost every day to settle refugees and draw new mechanical blueprints. Several times I've seen light seeping through office doors while passing by." Anna nodded. "You've been away for nearly half a month. You must miss Your Highness, right?" The Nightingale's hand trembled slightly as the mushroom fell into the butter. "Uh... actually, it's not so bad..." "It's not just you. Lightning, Lily, Echo, and Wendy all miss Your Highness. They say there's not even a place to shower there, and they've been longing to return for ages," Anna suddenly found the other's God-like affection odd. "What's wrong?" "No," she shook her head, picked up the mushroom, and smiled sheepishly. "So that's how it is. Indeed... I miss him dearly." "Right," Anna directly pinched the oiled mushroom with her hand and stuck it into the fire. "If I were to leave Your Highness for more than half a month—no, maybe just a few days—I'd be eager to see him again." The meeting with Roland Wimbledon in the dungeon was the most incredible moment of her life. Even now, recalling it still fills her heart with warmth and gratitude. Without Your Highness, even if she could survive, she would have lived in ignorance and confusion, like those numb townsfolk.
Your Highness is the Church. She embodies the world's beauty—whether it's a sauce-drenched pepper steak or *Foundations of Natural Science*. His presence infused her life with something new, making her feel no longer like an ordinary person, but a uniquely magical witch.
The other sisters must agree—once you spend enough time with Your Highness, you can't help but be captivated by his whimsical ideas and unique charm. Anna couldn't be more convinced of this.
"Ah, did I overbake it?" Nightingale picked up the iron fork, and the mushroom side had already turned golden brown.
"Kind of..." she couldn't help but laugh. "Bird's Kiss Mushrooms are delicate, so the grilling time must be just right. You'll get the hang of it after a few tries. I'll get the stew ingredients ready first." The Nightingale dipped the slightly charred mushrooms in honey and salt, taking a bite. "Hmm, pretty tasty." Watching the girl skillfully blending various herbs and seasonings, she asked curiously, "Did you do this often before?" "Well, I'd pickle food, grind wheat flour, do odd jobs for Noble, and bathe and shear my neighbor's sheep," Anna replied. "Most of my time was spent doing these things, except for attending Teacher Karl's academy." She paused. "But after my mother passed, Father never let me go to the academy again. He even forbade me from leaving the house." "Sorry..." "It's nothing," Anna said with eyes sparkling like a moonlit lake. "Compared to most witches, I'm pretty lucky, don't you think?" The buttered mushroom slices curled slightly under the flames, crackling softly. A sprinkle of salt and two rounds of grilling released a fragrant aroma—the butter's warmth mingled with the mushrooms' unique scent, making your mouth water. Finally, rotating the mushrooms in the honey jar completed each slice. Both the mushrooms and honey could be gathered from the Hidden Forest. For locals, if a tree with both a beehive and Bird's Kiss Mushrooms was felled during logging, it was considered an exceptionally lucky day.
As steam billowed from the clay pot used for stewing, the two had finished roasting and seasoning their mushrooms.
"The job's done, at least it looks decent," the Nightingale added another piece to her mouth. "Turns out I'm quite a cook... Pfft, this one's a bit too salty." "The timing's perfect," Anna glanced at the nightfall outside. "Let's send it to Your Highness." "Please deliver it to him," she prayed with clasped hands. "I beg you." "Won't you come with me?" "No," she replied with a smile. "Because I don't know what expression to show when I meet him now." Anna froze, her question unspoken before the words vanished into thin air. What expression mattered? A smile, a frown, or a blank face. Even her own disheveled appearance after prison—her despair and disillusionment—hadn't displeased Your Highness. Why avoid it? She pondered, then shook her head. Walking alone, she picked up her plate and soup bowl and headed to the office.