Father, I Won’t Do Anything

“Jaina?”

Flustered, Diamid hastily tried to conceal the cake behind his back, but it was too late – Jaina had already noticed.

“What are you doing here? And what’s that behind you?”

As Jaina inquired inquisitively, Diamid parted his lips but found himself at a loss for words.

“This is…”

As Jaina approached closer, Diamid frantically looked for an escape route, but the cramped kitchen offered nowhere to flee.

Ultimately face-to-face with Jaina, Diamid froze in place.

“Were you cooking something?”

“…Yes.”

“For me?”

“…Indeed.”

Answering Jaina’s questions matter-of-factly, Diamid felt utterly foolish. Whenever meeting his daughter’s loving gaze, he found himself incapable of concealing anything.

‘I had intended to present her with a perfect cake…’

His original plan had been for Hilvenzia to proudly unveil the cake at Jaina’s birthday celebration, nonchalantly dismissing it as a trifle. Then he would vow to bake her a cake every year for her birthday.

But now that Jaina had discovered it, that scheme was dashed.

‘Nothing ever goes as intended…’

As Diamid sighed heavily, Jaina exclaimed with sparkling eyes:

“Show me!”

“It’s ruined, no need to see it.”

“Then show me the ruined one.”

“Jaina, there’s no need to see a failed attempt.”

With anyone else, Diamid might have resorted to magic to obstruct them. But against Jaina, such force was unthinkable, leaving him utterly defenseless.

This battle had been decided from the outset.

“A sponge cake?”

Jaina’s eyes widened as she took in the sunken, unsightly cake. Though Diamid averted his gaze in embarrassment at presenting such a pitiful result, Jaina seemed unfazed, her expression brimming with anticipation instead.

“Could this be for my birthday?”

“…Yes, for whom else would I bake if not you?”

That he, who had grown up in aristocratic opulence without ever lifting a finger in the kitchen, would attempt cooking – surely no one could have fathomed such a sight. Even Diamid himself found it scarcely believable.

Only for Jaina’s sake had this become possible.

With a resigned sigh, Diamid explained:

“…Beyond mere jewels or finery, I wanted to give you a handmade gift, just once.”

“…”

Silently, Jaina gazed at the sunken sponge cake in bewilderment.

Perceiving her apparent lack of enthusiasm, Diamid grew uneasy.

“Perhaps I should postpone this to your next birthday instead.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Well, as you can see, it’s an utter mess.”

Averting his eyes in self-deprecation, Diamid lamented inwardly.

‘Why is magic the only skill I possess?’

Had others witnessed this, they would have been appalled – yet Diamid’s confidence had plummeted to rock bottom, leaving him consumed by self-doubt.

‘A father incapable of baking his own daughter’s birthday cake… I must have lived my life wrongly.’

From toddlers to elderly, none had failed to admire him. But in this moment, Diamid resented his divergence from an ordinary father’s role.

‘I have no choice but to seek aid.’

Relying solely on Hilvenzia’s recipe held little promise of success. Yet seeking Mikael’s assistance risked ruining even what little progress he had made.

Ultimately, his former comrades were his only remaining option.

Resolving to overcome this crisis first, Diamid spoke with heavy resignation.

“The center has sunken dreadfully. I must start over.”

“Ah, what a waste! Why discard it?”

Though a slightly sunken center was hardly a grave issue, as a magician who pursued perfection, Diamid couldn’t tolerate even minor flaws.

“You can simply cover it with frosting. A slight dip is fine.”

As she spoke, Jaina naturally took her place beside Diamid, seeming intent on assisting him.

Though flustered, Diamid felt a sense of joy – baking a cake together with his daughter would undoubtedly create cherished memories.

Moreover, given Jaina’s fondness for desserts, she would surely possess greater expertise in decoration than he.

As Diamid nodded in acquiescence, a recent memory resurfaced.

-This is unacceptable. I will brew another.

Jaina, meticulously re-brewing tea for his sake.

Concern gripped him that she might overexert herself on his account once more.

“No, I should handle this alone…”

However, Jaina’s subsequent words swiftly allayed his apprehension.

“It’s my first time baking a cake too, so I’d like to try making it together with you, Father.”

‘Together with me…?’

Diamid gazed at Jaina in a daze.

“And please don’t feel burdened. Didn’t you tell me not to rush during our previous tea time?”

As Jaina smiled radiantly, a ripple of tenderness washed over Diamid, akin to a pebble disturbing a placid lake.

“But for the celebrant to make her own birthday cake seems somewhat…”

“Umm… Then I’ll just assist you from the side!”

Jaina pointed to a bowl filled with whipped cream.

“If you transfer the cream, I can handle piping it.”

The tedious task of piping the runny cream alone would have proven arduous, but together, it became far more manageable.

Perhaps striving to accomplish everything single-handedly wasn’t the answer.

‘Is this our first collaborative endeavor…?’

Glimpsing Jaina, utterly focused on filling the piping bag, Diamid found her cute.

Her obliviousness to his gaze suggested she possessed his keen concentration as well.

‘Resembling me… Is this a father’s sentiment?’

Diamid felt an urge to proudly showcase her – his daughter, adeptly handling a task she had never attempted before.

Unaware that this marked the onset of his doting ways, Diamid couldn’t conceal his gratification.

“I once saw someone make a snowman out of strawberries and cream. It looked absolutely adorable.”

After dwelling in contemplative silence while handling the piping bag, Jaina finally spoke again.

As Diamid turned towards her, she was arranging a dollop of cream atop a strawberry, then placing a smaller strawberry on top.

“I’ll make you a snowman, Father.”

Following Hilvenzia’s instructions, Jaina fashioned a strawberry snowman and placed it atop the cake.

The diminutive figure sat alone amid the snowy expanse of frosting.

“This is you, Father.”

Considering the cake’s generous size to accommodate the Magic Tower residents’ appetites, the solitary snowman appeared rather forlorn.

“Now you make a snowman too, Father.”

“One resembling Jaina, you mean?”

“Yes!”

However, as Diamid added another strawberry snowman beside his own, the scene transformed into a heartwarming family portrait.

Gazing at the cake with satisfaction, Diamid remained unaware as Jaina proceeded to create two more strawberry snowmen.

“We should make ones for Brother Mikael and Hilvenzia Loten too.”

“…”

He had assumed the snowmen would represent only himself and Jaina…

Striving to appear nonchalant, Diamid nodded in acquiescence, and soon four strawberry snowmen adorned the cake.

Unexpectedly dexterous, Diamid had crafted remarkably detailed figures.

“It seems my snowman turned out the worst.”

As Jaina reached to retrieve her creation, Diamid shook his head.

“No, yours appears the finest to me.”

Though slightly lopsided, Jaina had meticulously shaped it with utmost care. To Diamid, it outshone all others in beauty.

With the cake completed, Diamid expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you for helping me with the cake.”

“No, thank you for making my birthday cake.”

“Shall we place it in the magic refrigerator for now?”

“Ah, one moment!”

As if suddenly recalling something, Jaina suggested adding an Izren snowman, reasoning that he would feel slighted if omitted since he remained at the academy.

However, Diamid had no intention of permitting further additions.

“It’s time the squire departs. He can’t journey to the Magic Tower regardless.”

What Diamid had failed to consider was the newly established gate connecting the Magic Tower and academy.

“He mentioned being able to come through the gate, didn’t he?”

“Impossible, I haven’t activated the gate today…”

“It seems Brother Mikael made the necessary arrangements.”

As did the ever-meddlesome Mikael’s presence by Jaina’s side.

* * *

As the birthday celebration neared, dishes gradually adorned the outdoor table.

Once the preparations were mostly complete, the cake Diamid had personally baked took its place at the center.

Just as Jaina and the Magic Tower residents were about to commence the festivities, the gate flashed brilliantly in sync with Diamid’s furrowed brow.

“Professor Izren, you’ve arrived?”

“We’re not at the academy, so just call me Izren.”

“Alright. Izren, thank you for coming to my birthday party.”

Then, another unexpected guest appeared, much to Diamid’s surprise.

“His Highness has also graced us with his presence.”

“Jaina, happy birthday!”

Jaina accepted the rose bouquet Rosian offered, blinking in surprise.

She hadn’t anticipated Rosian’s arrival either.

However, it extended beyond the mere issue of the gate.

The reason Rosian had never attended Jaina’s previous birthday celebrations was…

“Isn’t today the Emperor’s birthday as well?”

Rosian’s grandfather, the Emperor’s birthday, coincided with Jaina’s.

“Well, yes, but this time I felt I should attend Jaina’s celebration instead.”

Had he forgone his own grandfather’s event, which he rarely witnessed due to residing at the academy’s dormitory, to come here instead?

The others gazed on in astonishment, prompting Mikael’s nonchalant remark as if anticipating their reactions.

“Wow, sneaking away in secret – how daring. Raising a grandson proves futile, doesn’t it?”

Mikael beamed and applauded enthusiastically.

“Our Crown Prince has finally become a wastrel!”