Chapter 24

It was now the second month of summer. The sun was shining down and the heat was growing day by day. Aeliana was holding a fan and manually fanning herself to cool down but it barely did anything.

She could feel her skin sticking to her clothes and sweat forming on her forehead. Summer was her least favourite season only because the heat was unbearable for her even in her first life.

She groaned and slowly stood up. She needed something cold. The heat today was getting to her and she felt like she might get a heat stroke even in her own room!

Moving with difficulty, she headed to the kitchen.

"Ah my lady! What a pleasant surprise to see you here." the head chef spoke happily.

Aeliana felt like she was about to melt just standing in the hot kitchen but the head chef was up and going with life.

"Do..do you have anything cold?" she asked, fanning herself.

The head chef hummed before nodding, "Would you like some ice cream?"

"Ice cream?" Aeliana blinked.

"Yes, ice cream. Someone recently invented a mana stone machine that made ice cream without needing to manually do it."

'It's been so long since I had ice cream...'

"Can I have some?" Aeliana swiftly asked, unable to wait any longer.

The thought of having ice cream during a hot weather made her salivating. The head chef chuckled and handed in a bowl of ice cream. She thanked them and scooped some into her mouth.

As she continued eating her ice cream, she had a thought.

"Head chef sir, can I have four bowls of ice cream? I want to give to my brothers."

"Of course, my lady. Please give me a second to prepare them."

After she finished her ice cream, she thanked the head chef and took the first two bowls. As she walked through the halls, the servants greeted her and she greeted back with a smile, continuing on to find her twin brothers.

Well, she didn't really need to find for them since she knew where they were already.

"Why hello my lady! Good to see you." Hugen, the twin's swordsmanship instructor spoke loudly and let out a hearty guffaw.

He looked around his mid-40s with wrinkles on his face. He had short straight hair and sharp brown eyes. Some would say he always looked angry but when it comes to Aeliana, he had a softer expression on his face instead of his usual hardened look.

"Hello sir!" she greeted.

"What are you doing here?" Marius questioned, walking over to her with Darius trailing behind.

She extended her arms out, showing the slightly melted ice cream bowls.

"This is for you!!" she said happily.

The twins stared at it before their eyes lit up brightly.

'Ice cream brought by Aeliana..!' was what the twins were thinking about.

"Thank you!"

"Thanks!"

The twins excitedly took the ice cream and was about to dig into them but paused and glanced at their teacher. Hugen gave another guffaw before nodding. The twins swiftly ate the ice cream happily.

Aeliana proceeded to leave as she still had another two bowls of ice cream to give. She took one bowl from the kitchen and headed over to Claud's room.

As she stood there in front of the door, she didn't knock on the door and stared blankly. After almost a minute goes by, she decides to just leave the bowl in front of the door. She got into a running stance and knocked on the door. Once she did, she ran off without hesitation not wanting him to find out.

When she was out of sight, Claud opened the door and looked around with a puzzled expression forming on his face before glancing down at his feet, finding the bowl of ice cream. Confused, he looked around once more before shrugging and taking the ice cream into his room.

Aeliana finally took the last bowl of ice cream from the head chef and began her walk to her oldest brother's room. She glanced at the ice cream bowl before pondering to herself whether if she should leave it in front of the door just like she did with Claud.

She shook her head, Leon would definitely not touch it if he didn't know who gave it to him so the ice cream would simply just melt before it gets eaten. She had to give it to him herself and hope he does accept it.

'It's a hot day, I'm sure he will...I hope'

Aeliana stared at the looming door of her oldest brother's and gulped. She silently curled her hand into a fist, making a small cheering gesture for herself, and knocked on the door.

There was a long pause of silence before a semi-low pitch voice was heard.

"Who is it?"

Aeliana straightened her shoulders and answered, "It's me, Aeliana."

"..What is it?"

"I brought you some ice cream! It's a really hot day today so I—"

"I don't need it."

Her eyes drooped slightly before trying again, "But it's a really hot day, this will cool you down and—"

"You can eat it then. Don't bother me right now."

"Oh..." she looked down at the melting ice cream.

If she couldn't give it to him soon, it will just be soup but he didn't want it so she didn't know what to do. She glanced at the closed door once more and softly sighed in disappointment.

In the end she couldn't do anything about it if he was pushing her away.

"..Okay, I will go now...I'm sorry I have bothered you."

'I guess I'll eat this then'

When she turned her heel and took one step, she heard a click from behind.

"Give it to me."

The door was now open with Leon standing there, his arm extended out towards her. She handed the ice cream to him, taken aback that he was now standing in front of her.

He looked at the half-melted ice cream and without a word, began eating it. Aeliana watched as he finished the ice cream and handed her the bowl back.

"I ate it so you can go now."

She nodded but before he headed back inside his room, she noticed the amount of books scattered everywhere on the floor and the table.

"Are you studying?" she questioned curiously.

Leon glanced back at the state of his room then back at her and nodded.

"Why?"

"Because I have an exam tomorrow."

Hearing those words, she remembered that Leon was about to have the exam in order to get into the prestigious academy. Her eyes widened, instantly feeling guilt on interrupting his studies.

"I'm..."

"Don't say sorry, there's nothing to apologise about." he swiftly cut her off.

"Just don't bother me after this."

"Okay.."

As he turned around, heading back inside his room, Aeliana heard him say something before he closed the door shut.

She stood there frozen but only for a brief moment before a smile appeared on her face.

"Good luck Leon!! You will definitely pass!" she cheered from the other side of the door and left as she knew he wouldn't respond back to her.

She walked with light footsteps, happily humming to a children song tune as she remembered what Leon said previously.

"And thank you for the ice cream."

Leon told her that before he had closed the door shut. Getting thanked by him made her feel a sense of accomplishment.

Maybe she will get him another bowl of ice cream when he finishes his exam.