[SS5] No Sugar-Coated Prince Charming

Monica quite liked sweets that were coated in icing.

She enjoyed them plain, as well as those flavored with citrus. However, it made her feel a little sad when they melted and turned sticky on warm days, because she enjoyed the unique crunchy texture of the coating.

Sweets were already a luxury, but Monica always thought that adding icing instantly elevated them to a luxurious level.


On that day, Isaac was baking cookies in the kitchen.

The ginger cookies had various shapes——flowers, cats, boys, girls——all cooling on a wire rack.

Isaac confirmed that the cookies had cooled completely and began filling a small piping bag with sugar icing.

Monica, who had been watching the process with bated breath, realized that the decoration was about to begin.

In childhood, Monica enjoyed watching her father perform calculations or experiments. Perhaps due to that, she still had a liking for silently observing another person’s work.

When taking a break from her research, Monica often found herself captivated by Isaac’s cooking scenes.

Especially since Isaac was efficient no matter what he was making, watching him work was reassuring. The enticing aroma of his cooking was pleasant, and she could be sure that it was always a treat.

Even now, while captivated by the unique scent of the baked cookies, Monica watched Isaac pipe sugar icing onto them.

After outlining the flower-shaped cookies, Isaac added lace-like patterns to them.

Monica loved beautiful patterns. While she could accurately memorize and reproduce magical formulas, that was only on pen and paper. She doubted her ability to achieve the same with a piping bag and sugar icing.

As Isaac finished the final pattern and lifted the piping bag, Monica breathed out a sigh. It seemed she had been holding her breath unconsciously.

Isaac chuckled at Monica, “You’re watching quite intently.”

“Ike, you’re amazing. Like a craftsman.”

“I’m just imitating what I’ve seen before.”

Suddenly, Isaac seemed to have come up with an idea. He began piping sugar icing onto a girl-shaped cookie.

The only difference between the boy and girl cookies was probably whether they wore pants or a skirt. However, once Isaac applied sugar icing, the girl-shaped doll evolved into a witch wearing a robe.

Monica recognized the shape of that robe.

“Oh, my robe!”

“I couldn’t replicate the finer details though.”

Isaac spoke modestly, but the cookie captured Monica’s features well. To any observer, it was unmistakably Monica.

Isaac said, “Done,” and placed Monica’s cookie on a plate.

Monica’s eyes sparkled, and she looked up at Isaac.

“Um, um, can I try it too?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Monica rolled up her sleeves and took the piping bag from Isaac.

First, she chose a cat-shaped cookie and tried drawing a face on it.

She thought drawing a face would be easy, but squeezing out the sugar icing evenly proved surprisingly difficult. The right eye ended up unusually large, while the left eye became unnaturally thin.

In addition, the corner of its mouth had icing dripping down. This made it seem like it was drooling.

“T-This is pretty hard…”

“Looks just like Nero in front of a meat dish.”

Now that he mentioned it, with one eye wide open, the other squinted, and drool hanging, it did resemble Nero in front of a meat dish.

Satisfied with the explanation, Monica picked up the next cookie.

“Next I’ll make you, Ike.”

＊　＊　＊

Making Ike——Monica declared so and chose a girl-shaped cookie.

(…Huh?)

Isaac involuntarily tilted his head.

There were also boy-shaped cookies, so why did she choose the girl-shaped one?

Perhaps she intended to practice with the girl-shaped cookie first?

Issac observed silently as Monica began moving the piping bag with complete seriousness.

The bangs and such felt very much like Isaac. But why was the torso that of a girl? The answer became apparent immediately.

Monica had dressed the doll in a sugar icing apron, not a prince’s outfit. Indeed, an apron would be closer in shape to the girl-shaped doll.

“Done! It’s Ike!”

Monica exhaled through her nose with a satisfied expression.

Isaac, looking at his cookie doppelganger with an apron, couldn’t help but feel a tickle around his mouth.

──Because, for Monica, “Ike” wasn’t a sparkling prince; he was a disciple wearing an apron.

Despite however delightful that was to him, Monica probably didn’t realize it.

“I’m very glad. Thank you, My Master.”

“Next, I want to make Lana!”

Given her intricate hairstyle and a glamorous dress, Miss Lana Colette was undoubtedly the highest difficulty level.

Isaac said, “I’ll help,” and circled behind Monica, supporting her hand holding the piping bag.

So you would consider yourself a “sparkling prince”, Isaac?

View the latest chapters at seeker142.github.io