Chapter 19: A Walk To The Bakery

The lady who stepped inside was not quite what Molly had initially pictured.

With bright pink hair pulled back in a neat ponytail and a round face that held the cheerfulness of a young child, the visitor seemed rather… rather younger than Molly had anticipated. Molly had expected an older woman, perhaps someone in her thirties, late forties, or beyond. But the lady who walked in appeared even younger than Fiona.

Her light emerald eyes swept around the entrance passageway and settled on Sebastian.

“Good morning, sir.” She greeted him, and Sebastian gave a short bow in return. “A very good morning, miss.”

Her gaze then shifted to Molly, who stood beside Sebastian not far from the passageway’s mouth.

“Good morning, young lady.” She offered, and Molly returned the greeting with a brief bow. The black orb swirled beside her, dissolving into shimmering particles.

~ Good morning, miss.

Upon seeing the projected thoughts, the young lady’s round face immediately brightened. “Ah…” She breathed out in realization. “You must be Molly?”

Molly nodded in reply.

Seeing her confirmation, the lady gave a nod of approval. “Miss Jasmine has told me a great deal about you.” She said, an upward curl gracing her lips. “I’m Lilly. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Molly’s expression mirrored the warmth.

~ Likewise.

After that, a calm silence settled through the entrance passageway. Lilly glanced around briefly, straightening her posture as she began moving toward the main entrance. “Alright.” She said before glancing back at Molly. “I’ll return in three minutes. After that, we’ll head to the main bakery together.” Her voice carried its usual cheer.

Molly gave a short nod and watched Lilly walk farther into the building, leaving her alone with Sebastian once more.

“I didn’t know you were also interested in baking bread.” She heard Sebastian say.

Molly turned to find him tilting his head slightly in amusement.

She gave a brief nod. The orb wove her thoughts.

~ I’m just very curious about how it’s made.

Sebastian hummed in reply. “That’s nice.”

Molly offered a small smile.

~ Thank you.

A few heartbeats later, Sebastian’s expression grew thoughtful for a moment before he glanced at Molly, who seemed lost in contemplation.

A faint curve lifted his lips as he spoke. “So… what type of bread are you going to bake today?”

Molly turned to him, considered the question for a moment, then shrugged.

~ I had initially been thinking of various flavors to try. But after putting much thought into it, I simply decided to go with whichever one appears on the list today.

Sebastian gave a short nod. “That’s very straightforward and decisive thinking.” He praised, then added, “But if you find yourself wanting to bake something different, I suggest you choose the honeyed milk flavor, since that will be easier for someone just starting out.”

The corners of Molly’s mouth lifted at his explanation. Curiosity gnawed at her, prompting her to voice her thoughts.

~ You seem well versed in bread baking. Have you ever done it before?

Sebastian chuckled, a grin spreading across his face. “Would you like to know?”

Molly nodded vigorously.

“Alright then. Listen carefully.” He said, and Molly straightened, her attention sharpening.

Seeing her focus, Sebastian began. “When I was younger, I would occasionally visit one of my family’s head chefs, who, upon noticing my curiosity about how foods were prepared, began teaching me how to cook. After he also observed my eagerness to learn baking, he started instructing me in that as well.” He sighed wistfully. “So before I grew older and left for the academy, I learned a great deal about food from him.” He glanced at Molly. “I also learned a lot about baking, and that includes bread.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Molly watched Sebastian for a moment, noting how he shifted when he spoke of his past experiences. A gentle upward curl graced her lips as she projected her thoughts.

~ It seems you miss the past?

Upon reading her words, a short laugh escaped Sebastian as he shifted his gaze and stared into the distance. “I do.” He whispered. “I truly do.”

“Alright then. Shall we get going?” A feminine voice said, and both Molly and Sebastian turned in unison to stare at the approaching figure.

Lilly had returned just as promised.

Molly nodded at Lilly’s words. She turned to Sebastian, held his gaze for a moment longer, then offered a small, polite bow.

~ Take care, and see you soon, Sir.