Ch 11: Custard Tart

“There are hidden dating options be sure to find them all!” 

- Romance Fantasy ++ loading screen

Name: Yuki (Yuta)

Doki Dollars: 11

Strength: 7 ( Unlock: 10 DD)

Dexterity : 6 ( Unlock: 10 DD)

Magic: 0 ( Unlock: Unavailable)

Intelligence : 12 ( Unlock: 20 DD )

We had just returned to Cupid’s garden space, the lush green grass and fresh forestry smell in the air had left me feeling slightly refreshed. I could see a blanket sprawled on the ground and some picnic food.  I looked over at Cupid, and he gestured for me to sit on it.

In this space, I didn’t feel as weak as I usually do it was almost exhilarating. It was strange that I thought I could do almost anything here. Kibbles rubs my shoulder with its cheek before going into standby mode and fading. To be honest, after my embarrassing calls of love I didn’t know what to say. 

Cupid must have figured as much, so he had broken the ice.  

“ Have some food. It will make you feel better.” Cupid remarked. He pointed to what looked like some custard tarts with some unknown pink shaded berry on the top. Its shape was not circular as one might expect instead it was star-shaped. 

I took a bite.  

[ What the hell is this flavour? I have never tasted anything so good! ] 

The look on my face must have shown my thoughts, as Cupid nodded and smiled. 

“ This custard tart and everything on the blanket is from a dimension that trains their spiritual energy via cooking and eating. This food is good enough for a kingdom would go to war over.  I would be surprised if you didn’t like it.”  Cupid offhandedly remarks straightening his back a little.

[ His gloating face is a little handsome... Just a little ]

“ A different dimension?” I stated surprised in response.

“ Well, of course, I only eat the best!” Cupid grabs a blue drink and takes a small swig. A faint blush appears across his cheeks.

I couldn’t help but look at him differently for a moment. His pale skin, dark black contrasting tattoos and red blush were rather attractive. I stopped myself from staring after a moment and looked away. I shook my head.

[ What am I thinking? Bah! He put me in this mess, to begin with! ]

“ Hey, Cupid, why did time pass so quickly for Anzai, why had he gotten so much older than me?” I said out loud without thinking.

“ Do you really need to ask that? Time flows differently in different spaces. It’s that simple.” He responded and looked away.  

We finish the snacks on the blanket without saying much else. It seems that eating had calmed me down. After all the terrible food I had eaten back in Tama; this experience was indeed a treat. I caught Cupid starting and me a few times, but I try to ignore it. 

[ Stupid Cupid! ] 

He rubbed his chiselled stomach before he finally smiled brilliantly and said “ Right time for you to go. It seems like they revived you. You got lucky this time. Try not to almost get killed again!” 

“ What really now?” I respond.

“ Of course, it's not like you want to stay here with me right? Gonna miss me?!” He says with a cheeky grin.

“ Of course not!” I blurted out as my cheeks naturally puff. A subtle red blush sweeps across my face.

Cupid laughs before responding “ Okay, Okay I was just teasing. Get out of here!” He clicks his fingers, and my vision fades to black.

The next thing I felt was a dull pain in my left arm and chest. I also felt a warm hand grasping mine and some incoherent talking. The room I am in seems to be filled with some sort of medical incense as I catch a small whiff inside my nose.

A small whimper escaped my lips. The grip on my hand tightened slightly as I open my eyes. My vision is hazy. After a few minutes, my eyes seem to clear. 

The room I am in seems rather extravagant. I am in a rather large four-poster bed. The place is painted in grey, red and black. There was a bookshelf stacked with books and trinkets and a finely etched cupboard. My left arm and chest were wrapped in gauzes. My mother was holding my hand.

I stare at my mother for a moment, her eyes seemed puffy and covered in bags entirely unlike her usual high and mighty persona.

[ It seems I have worried everyone ]

Mother looked back at me, her eyes opened wide before grabbing my hand tighter. She leaned over and rested my hand on her cheek for a moment before smiling. She then frantically calls for a doctor.

A few minutes later, a woman in her mid-twenties comes in wearing what looks like a green uniform with a badge on it. It has 5 stars etched on it with a leaf logo. As she walked to my side, mother released my hand and the green-garbed women grabbed my hand in her stead. A warm feeling washed over me. 

The woman closed her eyes for a moment before smiling. She dropped my hand gently before saying. “ He isn’t critical anymore. His heart seems to have stabilised.  He will just need to rest for a bit, apply this cream to his burns, so they don’t scar.” She nodded to my mother, handed her a bottle from a pocket in her robes and walked out.

Mother looked at me before stating. “ You have really worried me to death this time, If that Sato families madam weren’t in the castle we would have lost you for sure!” Her eyes had a pained expression. 

“ I am sorry, mother,” I said like I was eating chalk. The husky tone was like a whisper.

There was a sudden knock at the door.  After a few moments, a blindly attractive man with ombre black and purple hair walks in. He has a woman on his arm that looks like a Picasso with three children in tow behind them.  The children behind him seem sombre.

[ Princess and the two princes and them empress so that must mean that handsome man must be the emperor. What a strange family. ]

Mother stood up, knelt and then saluted. I tried to struggle to get up, but it was futile. So I place my right hand meekly over my chest. The Emperor noticed my actions and a flash of a smile passed over his face before resuming its air of noble dignity.

“ Rise Madam Aikyo, this is not the time to be formal,” the masculine voice of the emperor said. 

My mother gave a small nod and went back to her seat next to me. The family looks me up and down before the empress gestures for the three children behind her to step forward. 

“ We're sorry!” They say in unison and give me a half bow. 

[ A half bow and apology from royalty?! ]

“ Please don’t” is all could muster in response. The future rulers of this country bowing to me made me flustered. If I didn’t feel so sick, I would be flustered.

“ Yuki… It was my fault I should have..” The princess' voice cuts off big dripping tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She rushes up to my side and grabs my hand.

[ Don’t cry, it was your crying that caused this in the first place. EMPEROR THIS ISN'T MY FAULT!] 

I looked over to the princess's family their faces pale slightly, but they held in their thoughts. It looks like I won't be blamed this time. 

[ Your so spoiled princess ] 

What surprised me was next the crown prince came over. He touched Rosli’s shoulder to get her to move over before placing an object next to my bed. 

“ This is a small token of apology please accept it” He stated in a flat tone. I reached out and grabbed his sleeve meekly. He nods in response. I then let him go.

{ Crown Prince Leopold’s profile gained 50 DD to unlock }

[ I may as well get something out of all this nonsense ] 

He walks back to his previous position. The second princes approached me and put a strange herb next to my bed. I look at him, and he stutters “ Yukk..kii for you… Sorry” I grabbed his sleeve he panicked a little before calming down. I smiled at him meekly, and he blushed before walking back after the crown prince.

{ Prince Nathaniel’s profile now available 50 DD to unlock } 

The emperor smiles as the princess grabbed my arm again.

“ Please stop apologising, my heart can’t take it,” said as I glance over everyone in the room. They looked back at me, I stared back at them. Absolute silence.

[ Guess my joke didn’t work ] 

“ Our son Leopold has gifted you a protection spell talisman, it is the same we ( the royal family)  use. It will stop one attack in the future and spare your life. Our son Nathaniel has gifted you a Talon herb. It very rare and is suitable for one's heart.  

Finally, on behalf of the princess, we will grant your wish to postpone the engagement until you are both 16 we feel after this incident it is for the best. Please look after your body until then.” The emperor finished and gave me a piercing look.

[ WAIT REALLY! YES!!! Although that last sentence... Is he threatening a ten-year-old to not sleep around? uhhh]

“ Your majesty, rest assured I will not let the princess down,” I say as solemnly and disappointedly as possible hiding the excitement boiling under my skin.  The emperor and his family told a few more pleasantries to my mother and I before they excused themselves.

My mother ended up following behind them to let me rest, and I shortly fell asleep afterwards due to sheer exhaustion. I remembered sleeping peacefully that night.

I awoke the next day to Kibble's disembodied voice in my ear ringing. 

{ Mission accomplished: Makeup with Rosli + 20 DD | Mission accomplished: Survive the palace one night + 30 DD | Mission Failed: Find out Riku’s favourite food - 15 DD | Mission Failed:  Sword and breathing techniques each day for one week  | 45 Available  DD } 

 I rubbed my eyes slightly thinking about what had just rung in my ears.

[ A week has flown by I guess I forgot.. Wait - 15 did I just lose points? ]

Kibble's voice enters my ears again. “ Mmm that's right Meowster, you will be penalised for failing time missions. It is to stop you from only choosing to do easy missions! “

“ Oh? Then why haven’t I lost points for the exercise one?” I ask back questioningly.

“ The system is fair Meowster, It decided that Riku’s mission could have been done but the training one could not. How could a dying person train? Thus you failed with no loss of points for that mission. It’s okay you can get that one done next week! It is recurring after all” Kibbles responded. 

“ I see, I guess I should spend some points then!” I grinned slightly.