Chapter 14

While Linburton stood there in shock, Melissa spoke with pride in her voice.

“They turned out better than I expected, didn’t they?”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the pouch in Linburton’s trembling hands.

She had managed to fry them perfectly, even preserving their delicate legs and antennae. Maybe she really did have a talent for deep-fried cooking.

Of course, without the help of the kind people in the kitchen who lent her their tools, she never could have kept the insects’ shapes so intact.

Pointing at the crispy creatures in his palm, Melissa began explaining brightly.

“This one’s a grasshopper, that’s a cricket, and oh, this one here is a cicada I found yesterday!”

Her cheerful voice carried through the hallway.

“I went for a walk before sunrise, and there it was crouched in a corner of the garden. Isn’t it amazing?”

As Melissa laughed in delight, Linburton stared at her in disbelief.

Something that should have been clinging to a tree and buzzing in the summer air was now sitting fried in his hand, and she looked absolutely unfazed by it.

“Oh, don’t worry. I washed and fried them really thoroughly. They’re perfectly clean, so hygiene won’t be a problem.”

Linburton’s eye twitched violently. Hygiene had never once been his concern.

“Please try one. They’re delicious!”

“I-I’m fine!”

Linburton shouted, his voice breaking. Melissa simply nodded with a knowing look.

“You don’t have to be shy. There’s plenty more!”

The sound of rustling came from her waist as she pulled out an even larger fabric sack.

The faint bulges beneath the floral cloth made Linburton’s lips turn pale.

While his face stiffened in horror, Melissa smiled softly, lost in fond memories.

‘I used to eat these often back home.’

Her mother, who once worked as a mercenary, had taken her into the woods to collect insects and would always say,

‘The mountains here are full of ingredients.’

Some days they caught grasshoppers, others they roasted beetle larvae or spiders.

During those times, her mother would explain which parts were poisonous and how to remove them properly.

For a moment, Melissa could almost smell the rich, nutty aroma that had drifted through the cool night air back then.

Boiled pupae had been her favorite.

Not everyone agreed, though. Some of her relatives had nearly fainted whenever that familiar scent filled the kitchen.

So this time, she had fried them instead, thinking it would be easier for anyone to enjoy.

And to get such a positive reaction, how delightful!

As Linburton stood frozen like a statue, Melissa clapped her hands together.

“Right, I shouldn’t keep them all to myself. I should bring some to Mother!”

“No, absolutely not!”

Snapping out of his daze, Linburton lunged forward and snatched the bag from her hands like lightning.

The faint crackling sound of the fried shells rubbing against each other made his skin crawl.

But he had no choice.

That insane stray cat might actually force their noble Grand Duchess to eat this abomination.

“I’ll… I’ll eat them all myself!”

Before Melissa could stop him, Linburton shoved the bag toward his mouth.

The sharp, brittle fragments broke apart between his teeth, scraping his tongue and the roof of his mouth.

His whole body trembled as the monstrous texture hit him.

‘He must really love it that much!’

Melissa watched with tears of joy in her eyes as Linburton continued stuffing handful after handful of fried insects into his mouth.

He was shaking all over, which surely meant they were delicious.

Clasping her hands together, she cried out passionately,

“You don’t have to rush! I’ll bring even more next time!”

“Mmph! Mmmgh!”

Linburton shook his head desperately, cheeks puffed full.

Melissa nodded with a look of understanding.

“No need to be shy. I’ve already found where they nest in the garden!”

Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Next time, I might be able to fry even bigger and more impressive ones!”

“Mmmph! Mmmmmmph!”

Linburton’s eyes bulged as he shook his head violently.

No, no, no! Those horrible things must never be fried again!

“Mmmph!”

A strangled sound escaped him as a flash of inspiration struck.

Yes, the knight order.

He commanded a capable military force within this land.

A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes.

He would mobilize them all if he had to.

Even though it was far beneath their station, exterminating every insect near the castle was now a matter of necessity.

The order’s purpose was to protect the Grand Duchess, after all.

If that madwoman ever decided to serve her one of these demonic dishes, disaster would be unavoidable.

He clenched his fists with fierce resolve.

Yes, he would wipe out every insect in the entire region.

But Linburton had yet to realize two crucial facts.

That the current season was summer.

And that Melissa was capable of far more than he could possibly imagine.

* * *

Ah, what lovely sunshine.

Wiping a smudge of dirt from her forehead, Melissa smiled in satisfaction.

The air had been cool and crisp since dawn, and the sky remained beautifully clear even through the afternoon.

How lucky I am to be tending the garden on such a wonderful day.

Stretching her back, Melissa recalled her conversation with Linburton earlier that morning.

‘Gardener Mona won’t be coming in today.’

It had been the morning after she gave him her second insect-fried gift.

Linburton, his face pale as ash, had approached her and muttered,

‘Could you fill in for her?’

‘Of course!’

Though his grinding teeth made her worry about his dental health, Melissa nodded eagerly.

Truth be told, she had always wanted to try using the enormous pruning shears Mona carried.

‘I really am lucky.’

Humming happily, she stepped into the tool shed where the gardeners kept their equipment.

Avoiding the crates stacked by the entrance, she walked deeper inside until she found the neatly arranged tools along the wall.

Large shovels, trowels, and finally, the enormous pruning shears she’d been so curious about.

“Wow…”

Her heart pounded with excitement as she reached for them.

Back in her hometown, surrounded by mountains, there had been no need for tree trimming at all.

But here, she finally had the chance to handle something so grand.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she grasped the heavy handles.

“Huh?”

She tilted her head.

The pruning shears were so large they could easily span the length of a grown man’s arm, yet they felt surprisingly light in her hands.

“Hmm?”

Every time she flicked her wrist, the blades sliced through the air with a sharp whoosh.

Weren’t these supposed to be so heavy that even the new gardener in his second year struggled with them?

After a brief moment of thought, she tilted her head again.

“They’re lighter than I expected.”

In that case, maybe she could carry a few more.

Without hesitation, Melissa packed two extra pairs of shears and a few other tools into her bag.

“Lalalalaa~”

Humming cheerfully, she skipped out of the shed and followed the familiar path to the garden.

The moment she stepped inside, the morning dew still clung to the grass, glimmering under the slanted rays of sunlight.

Normally, this part of the garden would be bustling with at least ten gardeners, including Mona, trimming and tending to the plants.

But today, not a single person was in sight.

In fact, Linburton had ordered all the gardeners to take paid leave to keep them away, but Melissa, unaware of this, found the stillness charming.

How strange to see the garden so quiet.

Each step she took crushed the untouched droplets of dew beneath her shoes.

The air was cool and moist, and every breath carried the fragrance of fresh grass.

This beautiful garden was hers alone today.

“Ahh…”

Her lips trembled with restrained excitement.

Barely containing her joy, Melissa turned and pulled out the pruning shears.

The solid weight in her hands filled her with glee.

At last, she was holding them herself.

“I love this!”

Her voice rang through the empty garden, unable to hold back her laughter any longer.

With a delighted squeal, she propped a ladder against a tree and began trimming the overgrown branches one by one.

Every time the blades cut through the wood with a crisp snip, she felt a rush of bliss.

At first, the branches didn’t fall quite the way she wanted, and sharp twigs sometimes flew toward her face.

But the longer she worked, the steadier her movements became, her pace growing faster and smoother.

Snip, snip, snip. The rhythm was almost musical.

Moving from tree to tree, Melissa trimmed with joy, her body swaying lightly as if dancing.

By the time she realized it, she had already reached the deepest part of the garden.

Phew.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she stretched and looked around brightly.

“I’ve already come this far?”