"Oops, I accidentally let slip one of Her Majesty the Queen’s secrets. Please keep it confidential, Miss Naya—otherwise, Her Majesty will scold us."

Flanna had said it on purpose.

In truth, the Queen showed countless subtle signs of affection for Naya; she only maintained a cool, aloof facade out of royal duty.

"Mm, I will. Anything else about Elise? I’d love to hear."

"It’s not that we won’t tell you… but *loose lips sink ships*. And the hidden love Her Majesty shows you? Discovering it yourself makes the joy sweeter, don’t you think?"

"You’re right."

A faint smile touched Naya’s lips.

She reminisced about five years with Elise.

Even the iciest iceberg should melt after five years of warmth, right?

Even if Elise still hesitated to trust her—worried the restored-memory Naya might threaten her—Naya felt that suspicion was forgivable.

Love didn’t need to be perfect.

Just… present.

The rest? She’d work for it.

After a morning of labor, exactly four baskets of jiaozi were ready.

Magic preserved warmth in this world—no fear of cold delivery to Elise.

Lunchtime.

Eliya joined the table after lessons.

She eyed the jiaozi-laden table with little enthusiasm.

"Mom made tiny breads again!"

"Not bread—jiaozi! Compact, portable. Dried ones just need boiling water. Dip in vinegar? Delicious! Try one, Eliya."

Naya lifted a steaming meat jiaozi with chopsticks, dabbed vinegar, and offered it.

Eliya obediently opened her mouth.

"Ah…"

Then frowned.

"Yucky."

She swallowed it anyway.

"Huh? Really? This black stuff’s spicy and gross… but the meat’s tasty."

*Black stuff? Vinegar.*

Naya gave an awkward smile.

"Try without vinegar."

She switched chopsticks, offered a clean jiaozi. Eliya’s face instantly brightened.

"Mm! *This* is the taste!"

No wonder Bella didn’t know vinegar—Dragonkin generally disliked it.

Naya dipped her own jiaozi. *Vinegar is the soul of jiaozi*, she thought.

Eliya dumped most jiaozi onto her plate and gulped them down like rice.

Naya’s preconceptions shattered.

*So jiaozi are eaten like a meal!*

"Too plain."

Eliya pondered half a minute, dashed to the kitchen, returned with cream, ketchup, sugar—squeezing and sprinkling freely.

"Eliya, that’s not how you eat jiaozi."

"How then?"

"Dip in sauce… Never mind. You do you."

Eliya giggled, climbed onto her chair, launching her cream-and-ketchup jiaozi era.

Watching her, Naya’s worry shifted to Elise.

*What if Elise hates them too?*

She ate a jiaozi glumly. Suddenly, it tasted bland.

Maybe jiaozi were just a sentimental tie to her Chinese heritage.

Eliya glanced over. "Mom? Don’t you like it?"

"No."

"But you’re sad. Didn’t you and Mother do mood adjustment last night?"

*Mood adjustment?*

"I’m just wondering… will your mother like this?"

"Mmm… Skip the black liquid, it’s yummy! Better than bread—more meat!"

"I see."

Naya exhaled softly.

She’d prepared every sauce combo for Elise: vinegar, cilantro, minced garlic, scallions, chili sauce, peanut oil, sesame oil, soy sauce—just in case.

Thankfully, the insulated box held them all.

——————

Beyond the castle skies, Elise returned to her chamber, watching Bella place lunch on the table.

"Bella, what’s this new thing?"

"Miss Naya calls them jiaozi."

Unlike Eliya’s impression, Elise saw delicate after-dinner pastries—though rich meat aroma tempted her.

Bella explained how to eat them per Naya’s instructions.

Many sauces included vinegar—Naya’s preference.

Elise devoured every jiaozi. *Still delicious*, she thought.

She could’ve walked home in steps… but didn’t want Naya seeing her lose composure. When flavors hit *just right*, euphoria surged—utterly un-queenlike.

Dinner? She’d restrain herself.

But lunch? Her private indulgence.

(Maids dismissed, of course.)

Finally, she faced the sauce bowls.

Her expression tightened.

Like Eliya, she disliked vinegar.

But… Naya made them.

Clenching her teeth, she poured every sauce into her mouth. Aged vinegar flooded her senses—sharp, sour, astringent.

Elise covered her forehead, grimacing.

*I’ve been careless. Is Naya trying to kill me?*

When Bella reentered to clear plates, Elise had composed herself. Yet recalling years of emotional debt, she lifted her gaze.

"Tell Naya… I truly enjoyed it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Bella exited—not into the sky, but toward the heavily guarded inner palace.

Back at the castle, Naya paced the hall anxiously. Spotting Bella, she rushed forward.

"Show me which jiaozi Elise disliked."

Bella handed her the container.

"Her Majesty finished everything, Miss Naya. She said she loved it—and hopes for more next time."

Naya opened it.

Spotless plates. She lifted the sauce bowls—*completely empty*.

*She could skip sauce like Eliya… but the sauces too?*

"Elise… really liked them?"

*Were they dumped?*

Eliya hated vinegar. Flanna in the kitchen couldn’t stand it either.

*Test tonight. Make a vinegar-laced cold dish—just for her.*