Delicious Sweet Milk Baguette - Chapter 11
Once more, I want to taste it
“Haah…”
Roa was grappling with overwhelming tasks and battles, tugging at her hair in frustration.
She sighed heavily and adjusted her thick, gold-rimmed glasses, which had slipped down her nose. The area around her eyes looked as if it had been smeared with graphite, a result of the grueling workload that had kept her awake for the past few days.
Should I just quit?
Or should I hang on?
Roa was in the capital, Hilgrad, where the royal palace and her workplace were located.
After a brief academic conference in Calantus, she had returned to the capital. Although she had only been away for a week, she was greeted by a mountain of paperwork, overtimes, experiments, and continuous all-nighters.
But now, the end was in sight. Roa gathered her strength and scrawled the final sentence of her report.
“The Northerners will have a tough time.”
With a click of her tongue and a worried expression, Roa sealed the report with melted wax.
Although her work was done, she felt a sense of relief. The faint smell of dried parchment, the black ink staining her fingertips, and the lingering aroma of half-cooled black coffee were all comforting.
Ah, this perfect sight.
“Finally off work.”
It was time to head home. Roa quickly got up, grabbed her coat—which she had tossed haphazardly somewhere in the lab—and prepared to leave.
Now, if she just dropped these research materials at the custodian’s office, she would be free from the drudgery of the lab for a while. She had already applied for leave for the entire week, so her steps felt lighter.
Woom—wum—
Roa arrived at the central magic stone in the palace.
The stone hummed with a mysterious sound and shimmered with multicolored lights. As Roa stood in front of it and raised her hand, the magic stone enveloped her entire body in a swirl of light.
Soon, a polite, central administrator’s voice echoed in her ear.
“Please state your department.”
“Hilgrad Pantheum. Roa Eckladen.”
“Confirmed. You are the Chief Researcher of Herbalism, correct?”
“That’s right.”
Beyond the magic stone, the central administrator confirmed Roa’s identity. Once the confirmation was complete, the administrator began absorbing the confidential research materials she handed over.
“Please deliver this to Director Pantheum. It’s important, so send it by special delivery.”
“Yes, I’ll ensure it’s delivered without any issues.”
Though Roa’s tone was rough from overwork, the administrator responded with a courteous voice. The materials would now be sent through the magic stone, which functioned like a small portal.
Roa wanted nothing more than to head straight home, soak in a tub filled with bath salts, and sip on some champagne with a pleasant fizz. Although she wasn’t much of a drinker, her current intense fatigue made her long for a deep, restful sleep.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“No, that’s all. Ah…”
As Roa was about to disconnect, she hesitated and added a final remark.
“Please let them know that if they contact me during my leave, I’ll quit on the spot.”
“…Pardon?”
“Send that by special delivery as well.”
Thank you. Roa left a polite farewell and ended the connection with a dry smile. Even as the video feed cut off, the administrator seemed flustered and stammered, but Roa trusted that the message would be delivered through proper channels.
With her business concluded, Roa left the palace without any further hesitation. Since returning to the capital, she had been immediately detained and holed up in the lab, so it had been nearly a month since she’d been home.
“What’s all this?”
The pile of bills and mail at her door clearly showed that she had been away. Roa gathered the mail and carried it inside.
She wasn’t hungry but was so exhausted that she just wanted to lie down immediately. Yet, when she was this tired, she couldn’t even sleep.
Roa glanced around the disheveled room and headed towards the bathroom.
On a day like today, a refreshing herbal scent seemed perfect. Scanning the colorful bath salts, Roa picked up one with a subtle green hue.
“This one should do.”
The bath was at just the right temperature to warm her skin, with a refreshing, soothing scent filling her nose and a gentle steam blurring her tired eyes.
As Roa submerged herself halfway in the tub, she felt a languid thirst. Unable to resist any longer, she opened a bottle of champagne that she hadn’t fully chilled yet.
Pop―
The temperature wasn’t as satisfying as she’d hoped, due to the lack of proper chilling. However, the fizzy effervescence and the tartness of the fruit instantly revived her sluggish mood.
“Ah, this is it.”
After finishing a glass of champagne in one go, Roa gave a satisfied smile, like a contented cat. The weariness seemed to dissolve as she savored the hazy, languid sensation, causing her eyelids to start closing with relaxation.
“I want to eat bread.”
