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centralgoldstarCain: This is the “Chocolate cake to share with your loved ones” that everyone in the City of Glory knows.
In a corner of the festival held in the City of Glory, many special items only available on this day were on display along the street where chocolate booths lined up. Among those, the one Cain recommended was this chocolate cake. The shop was always full, so we had to stand in queue for a while to get our seats. However, we all agreed the cakes were excellent.
Riquet: Whoa, the cake melts in my mouth. It’s so delicious!
Akira: It really tastes like happiness!
Cain: Haha, I’m glad you guys like it. I always look forward to the cakes of this shop every year. I can see that this cake’s reputation for tasting even better when shared with your loved ones isn’t empty words. It’s really more delicious when I eat it with you guys than when eating alone.
Akira: (Cain can say such words so smoothly. Amazing.)
Shop employee: Sorry to keep you waiting! The Confession for That Special Person Contest will begin now!
Customers: Hurraaah!
Akira: Are they starting some kind of event here? Everyone here looks so excited.
Cain: Yeah, this too is a tradition of this shop. Participants express their feelings or gratitude to someone important to them in front of everyone, and the audience will decide the winner.
Akira: How can we guess who will be the winner?
Cain: By how loud the applause and cheer are mostly. Like, if someone can stir up the crowd, they will probably win.
Riquet: Why would people here make a contest out of expressing one’s gratitude of all things?
Cain: Don’t think of it like that. This contest is meant to be a way to encourage people who don’t feel brave enough to express themselves too. Besides, the reward for the winner is a huge three-tiered chocolate cake, you see.
Riquet: Three-tiered chocolate cake.
Akira: (Wow, Riquet’s eyes are shining).
Shop employee: Now, anyone here wishes to express themselves?
Riquet: I have never made a speech to show off in a place like this, but if it is to express my gratitude, then I will do it.
Cain: You’ll be the first contestant, cool! Do your best, Riquet!
Riquet stood up and raised his hands solemnly. Assuming a grave demeanor, he turned and faced us.
Riquet: Master Sage, Cain too, I would like to express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart that I got to meet you, and live and learn together with you. There are many things I am ignorant about in the outside world. Cain can be pretty crude too. However, I am happy that I can continue to be on the same path as you. Let’s use the miraculous power we are granted for the sake of the world and everyone in it.
Akira: Riquet…
Cain: Yeah, let’s do our best together!
Riquet’s straightforward expression of gratitude was greeted with a warm applause from the audience. He returned it with a polite bow.
Man: That was a thank-you that brought a smile to our faces, but it isn’t enough to win yet. Let me show you how it is done!
The man winked at Riquet, then taking out the rose on his shirt, he knelt down in front of his companion. The gesture looked like a theatrical performance on stage.
Man: My lovely companion, light of my life! Because I am with you, I can keep walking on the path of life! Please receive the affection and gratitude from the bottom of my heart! Please continue to be my sun and light up my life with your radiant being.
Akira: (Such a passionate speech. It feels like a scene from a movie).
Friend of the man: Hahaha, thank you too!
Although the way the man expressed himself was rather theatrical, his passionate confession received thunderous cheers from the people present.
Riquet: Wow, to be able to express your gratitude with such passion is really something.
Akira: It’s really like the City of Glory to do things so enthusiastically, isn’t it.
Cain: There’re people who express themselves demurely like Riquet too, but this style of saying thank-you is more common here. Today is festival day after all.
Riquet: So that is how it is. I will practice more then.
Shop employee: Hey, Cain! It’s really you!
Cain: It’s been a while! Glad to see your shop is full this year too.
Akira: (As expected of Cain. Acquaintances everywhere.)
Shop employee: That’s right! Why don’t you join in the contest, Cain? If you show up, it’ll get even more exciting.
Cain: Ahaha, you flatter me. It’s already exciting enough without me. Sorry but I’ll have to pass today.
Shop employee: Oh.. Ah well, I won’t force you if you say so. Anyway, remember to come here from time to time, won’t you!
Cain: Of course! Riquet, Akira, let’s go!
Riquet: Cain, why didn’t you participate? It’s a three-tiered chocolate cake. Three-tiered. Chocolate. Cake.
Akira: (What strong words…)
Cain: I know it’s fun, but there are so many people at the festival, so I think it’s better to help someone else to have the chance to express their feelings too. Also, I’m fine with having no one watch me say thank-you. Just you two listening to me is enough.
Riquet: That’s unexpected coming from you.
Cain: W- Why though.
The sound of cheers from the shop gradually faded away. Cain suddenly stopped by a fountain.
Akira: Cain?
With an earnest expression, Cain gave Riquet and me each a small box.
Cain: My gratitude is all in these. I’d like you to take them, please.
Akira: This is…
Inside each box was a cookie that looked hand-made. Words in an unfamiliar script were written in chocolate icing on the cookies.
Cain: They ended up a bit odd, but I made them myself. What do you think?
Riquet: Oh, it has my name on it! Thank you so much! Master Sage, how about you?
Akira: I’m sorry. I still can’t read the script of this world yet.
Cain: O- Oh. Sorry, I completely forgot about that. This is your name Akira. And this is ‘Thank you for always’.
Akira: Cain…
Cain wasn’t someone who cooked regularly. From that time he explained why he didn’t reply his parents’ letter, he had said he didn’t like writing much either. Even so, Cain made the cookies himself and wrote messages on them for us. The thought brought a smile to my face.
Akira: Thank you for this wonderful present, Cain! I’ll savor it.
Riquet: The only cookie of its kind in this world! I’ll enjoy it with all my heart too.
Cain: I’m glad you two like them. I was trying to act cool earlier, but to tell the truth, I was too embarrassed to let other people see such misshapen cookies like this. When I can make pretty cookies like Nero’s, I’ll feel confident enough to join the contest.
Akira: That’s not the point. I’m really happy already.
Riquet: This cookie is definitely the best! Because I am filled with joy and happiness now!
Cain: Haha, thanks a ton. I already said it before, but just you two listening to my feelings is more than enough.
Riquet: Your feelings have certainly reached us. I’d like to have the giant chocolate cake, but just expressing how I feel about you and Master Sage is enough for me too. It is fine if I can’t win.
Cain: In my opinion, your speech is definitely the winner though.
Riquet: H- Hey, please don’t touch my face all of the sudden like that!
Akira: You expressed your feelings splendidly, Riquet. And same for Cain, of course.
Cain: The honor is mine, Master Sage. That’s right! How about us buying lots of chocolate cakes from that shop to bring back to the Manor? They aren’t the three-tiered chocolate cake, but if we get enough for everyone, we can eat them together.
Riquet: That's right. Those cakes will be even more delicious when all of us enjoy them together.
Cain: Yeah, they’ll definitely be great. They are the chocolate cakes that are meant to be shared with our loved ones after all!
Card episode: How to Respond to A Confession
Akira: In my world, people give chocolate on Valentine Day as a way to confess their love for someone. What would you do if someone gifts you chocolate with that intention, Cain?
Cain: Confession of love? You too are interested in such topics huh, Master Sage.
Akira: It’s normal to be curious about that, I think. You must be pretty popular.
Cain: Haha, thank you. Well, I wouldn’t say I’ve never had the chance to experience such occasions. For the time being though, I’m not accepting anything. I’m thankful for their feelings, but I still have much to learn about being a wizard.
Akira: I see, I see. But it’s hard to turn someone down, isn’t it? Is there anything you especially pay attention to in such times?
Cain: You know, the other person must have done their best to gather their courage and let me know how they feel. Therefore I myself should respond sincerely from the bottom of my heart, without any artifice.
Akira: (That is very Cain, and very cool.)
Akira: I feel the person who confesses to you must be glad they do so even if they can’t get what they wish for.
Cain: It’d be great if that’s the case. Anyway, to have someone express their feelings to you is certainly joyful in itself. Not just confession of love, I would like to say words of gratitude or appreciation to someone too.
