Chapter 272: Clumsy Beyond Relief

The campfire crackled, its warm glow casting flickering shadows across the campsite as the scent of boiling water began to mingle with the faint wheat odor of the discarded porridge kettle.

Cassius hummed to himself, his heart buzzing with satisfaction as he set a pot of water to boil for Aisha’s pasta.

He pulled out a small pan from his storage ring, his movements deft as he began preparing a cheesy sauce, his heart thrilled by the prospect of a feast.

He tossed in a generous chunk of creamy bluebloom cheese, a rare delicacy from the Elderglow Valleys that shimmered faintly under the firelight, its rich, nutty aroma already filling the air.

Next, he added a splash of margeese cream, a velvety liquid harvested from flowers that only bloomed under a full moon, its subtle sweetness balancing the cheese’s tang.

He stirred the sauce, his heart delighted as he leaned in, inhaling deeply, the scent so rich and tantalizing it made his mouth water.

Across the campsite, Aisha sat cross, legged, her heart brimming with curiosity as she tinkered with the ice cream maker Cassius had handed her.

Her fingers traced the wooden bucket and metal container, her eyes wide with fascination as she tried to figure out how milk and cream could transform into the creamy treat.

Her tail swished, her heart bubbling with childlike wonder as she poked at the machine, muttering to herself about its mechanics.

Cassius glanced over, his voice warm with amusement as he smiled. "Look at you, Aisha, like a kid with a new toy." He teased, his tone playful as he stirred the sauce. "You’re gonna figure that thing out before I’m done with this pasta, aren’t you?"

"Oh, shut up, Cassius! I’m just...checking it out, okay?" Aisha’s head snapped up, her voice flustered as she waved a hand, her heart racing with embarrassment. "It’s just so weird! You put milk and cream in here, and it turns into ice cream? How does that even work? You’re telling me this bucket’s gonna do all that?"

"...But this thing is really amazing. You really made it yourself?"

"Yup, all me. Told you, I tinker in my spare time." Cassius chuckled, his voice rich as he added a handful of herbs to the sauce, his heart warmed by her curiosity. "Keep playing with it. You’ll see how it works when I start it up."

But while Aisha was engrossed in the machine, Julie was acting slightly strange as she hovered nearby in a restless manner, pacing around Cassius in circles.

Her eyes darted to the bubbling sauce, her curiosity burning as she watched him work, her heart drawn to the process. She leaned closer, peering into the pan, her gaze lingering on the shimmering cheese and the faint glow of the starlily cream pasta.

Every so often, she’d even pause, her voice hesitant as she pointed at an ingredient. "So, uh, why’re you adding that sparkly stuff?" She asked, her tone casual but her heart eager. "Does it...do something special to the sauce?"

Cassius glanced at her, his voice inviting as he raised an eyebrow, his heart sensing her interest.

"That’s velvet spice, gives it a little kick. Want to know how it all comes together?" He asked, his tone encouraging as he gestured to the pan. "I can show you the recipe, or you can help out if you want."

But when he thought that she would most definitely agree with how avid she looked to help him out, she actually rejected his suggestion.

"No, no, I can’t." Julie’s eyes widened, her voice quick as she stepped back, her heart flustered. "I’m just...observing." She said, her tone defensive as she waved her hands. "No need to involve me. I’m fine just watching, really."

Her heart raced, her curiosity battling with a strange reluctance as she resumed pacing, her eyes never leaving the pan.

"Suit yourself." Cassius shrugged, his voice light as he returned to his sauce, his heart unconvinced.

Still, Julie didn’t move away.

If anything, her orbit grew tighter. Her steps edged closer until she was leaning over his shoulder, her gaze intense as she watched his every flick and swirl of the spoon.

"So, uh, why do you stir it like that?" She asked after a moment, her voice soft, her breath nearly grazing his ear. "Does it make the cheese melt better or something?"

Cassius glanced at her sideways, his eyes narrowing in faint suspicion as a playful smirk curled his lips.

"Julie, you sure you don’t want to jump in? Looks like you’re dying to know how this works." He teased, holding out a spoon in invitation. "Come on, help me stir...It’s not hard."

But once again, Julie recoiled like a startled cat, her voice rising a pitch as she waved her hands.

"Nope! I’m good. Just...observing." She insisted, her eyes darting back to the pan like she couldn’t tear them away even if she tried.

Her pacing resumed, the circle she made tighter and tighter as her curiosity burned hotter beneath her thin veneer of disinterest.

Cassius exhaled slowly, trying to focus on the sauce, but her constant hovering was gnawing at the edges of his patience.

He stirred a little harder, jaw tightening as her shadow flickered back and forth over the pan.

Her footsteps were driving him insane. She kept pacing, hovering, asking a question here and there only to pull back again, then creeping close like she was waging some invisible war with herself. He had absolutely no idea why she was acting this way.

The last straw came when he felt her breath on his neck for the fifth time.

He set down his spoon with a deliberate clink, his voice calm but firm as he reached back, caught her hand, and tugged her down to his level.

"Ugh Cassius, what are you—"

To her surprise, he made her sit beside him.

"Alright, Julie, that’s enough." His tone was steady, yet gentle as his eyes met hers. "It’s obvious you want to cook too. You’ve been breathing down my neck, watching every move I make. Why are you hesitating so much? If you want to help, just say so. I’m not going to bite."

With a small smile, he pressed a spatula into her hand and nodded toward the pot of pasta. "Here. Stir this for me. Go on, help out. You know you want to."

Julie froze, her heart racing with panic as she clutched the spatula, her eyes darting to the pot with a contemplative gaze.

"T-There’s no need, Cassius." She said, her voice trembling with worry as she tried to hand the spatula back. "You don’t have to involve me. I’m fine just...watching. You can handle it yourself."

Cassius’s brow furrowed. his voice insistent as he pushed the spatula back toward her, his heart determined.

"Come on, Julie, it’s obvious you’re itching to do this." He said, his tone encouraging but firm. "I’m giving you a chance here. You want to cook, I can see it in your eyes...Take the spatula and stir. It’s not a big deal."

Julie hesitated once again, her voice faltering as she gripped the spatula, her heart torn.

And just as she opened her mouth to respond, Aisha’s voice cut through, her tone light but teasing as she stepped behind Cassius, her hands playfully ruffling his hair, her heart amused.

"Oh, Cassius, don’t push her." She said, her smile slight but smug as she glanced at Julie. "It’s only natural she’s hesitating."

"...That’s because if she starts helping with your cooking, it’ll be a total disaster. She knows it, too, that’s why she’s holding back."

Julie’s cheeks flushed seeing that her little secret had been exposed, her voice erupting in a flustered protest as she pointed the spatula at Aisha, her heart indignant.

"Hey! Don’t say that, Aisha!" She snapped, her tone sharp as she glared. "Don’t go telling him stuff like that! I’m not some walking catastrophe!"

Aisha ignored her, her voice casual as she leaned closer to Cassius, her hands still in his hair, her heart delighting in the teasing.

"Oh, come on, Captain, it’s true." She said, her tone playful as she glanced at Julie. "You’re super helpful, don’t get me wrong."

"Back at the barracks, you’re always jumping in to help with chores, carrying boxes, cleaning, cooking, anything...It’s honestly kind of adorable how eager you are, even as commander."

Her voice softened, her heart warming with a rare moment of praise, making Julie blush and look away, her heart briefly lifted.

But Aisha’s smile turned smug, her voice dropping to a teasing lilt as she continued, her heart reveling in the jab.

"Buuut, you’re also a total klutz...Every time you try to help, it’s a mess. Like, disaster-level mess."

"Remember when you tried to help cook for the barracks? You burned the stew so bad it smelled like charcoal for days."

"Or that time you offered to carry supplies and dropped a crate of eggs?...Whole floor was a yolk disaster."

"Oh, and don’t get me started on when you tried to clean the armory and knocked over a rack of spears!" Her tail flicked, as she burst with amusement as she listed the incidents.

"Wait, is that true?" Cassius’s eyes widened, his voice curious as he turned to Julie, his heart intrigued. "You’re that clumsy?"

Julie’s face burned, her voice stammering as she looked away, her heart mortified. "It’s...not that bad." She muttered, her tone defensive as she clutched the spatula. "Aisha’s exaggerating! Those were just...accidents. It happens to everyone!"

Aisha’s smile widened, her voice teasing as she tugged at Cassius’s hair, her heart gleeful.

"Oh, it’s worse than that." She said, her tone light but merciless. "Ever since those disasters, nobody at the Holy Guard lets her near any real work."

"If she tries to help, people literally run away, saying they’ll do it themselves...They’re terrified she’ll turn a small job into a mess."

"Even when she begs for something to do, they just hand her paperwork to keep her out of trouble."

She glanced at Julie, her voice softening but still playful.

"And right now, she’s dying to help you cook, she’s been staring at that sauce like it’s a love letter...But she knows she’ll probably burn the camp down if she tries and that’s why she’s so hesitent to go forth with it."

"Aisha, that’s enough!" Julie’s eyes flashed, her voice erupting in an indignant shout as she pointed at Aisha, her heart blazing with frustration. "Stop making me sound like some kind of fiend!"

She snapped, her tone sharp as she waved the spatula.

"I’m not disrupting anyone! I just...want to help out, okay? There’s nothing wrong with that! I’m not gonna ruin everything!"

Hearing this, Aisha’s expression softened, her voice gentle but firm as she met Julie’s gaze, her heart caring despite the teasing.

"Hey, Captain, it’s fine to want to help. That’s a great trait, really." She said, her tone sincere as she stepped closer. "But let’s be real, if you get involved, it’s gonna go sideways." Her tail flicked, a warm but resolute glint in her eyes as she patted Julie’s shoulder.

Julie bit her lip, her voice caught in her throat as her heart wrestled with frustration. Her fingers tightened slightly around the spatula, her eyes flicking down to it like it held the answer to her turmoil.

Cassius, his gaze fixed on her the entire time, caught the flicker of something raw and unspoken in her eyes.

There was more here than simple helpfulness, he could sense it.

She wasn’t just eager to assist...No, this ran deeper.

There was a genuine interest, a quiet passion for cooking that she seemed almost too shy or too proud to confess.

The hesitant glances, the curious questions she barely managed to voice, the way her eyes lit up every time the sauce bubbled—they all betrayed her secret.

It wasn’t that she didn’t care; it was that she cared too much and couldn’t bring herself to admit it.

His chest tightened with intrigue as he turned back to stir the sauce.

He kept silent, but his mind spun with quiet questions about the commander’s hidden longing and what was holding her back from embracing it, since she didn’t seem like someone who would give up just because she was a little bad at something...