Cookie house?

The unfamiliar term made Bonita blink.

However, as she approached a bit, she could see that ‘cookie house’ was indeed an honest description.

The fence surrounding the cookie house was made of giant crackers. Bonita touched the white cream sandwiched between the crackers.

Her fingers were covered in sweet fresh cream. Alan, who had been about to run away until a moment ago, urged her with a slightly excited tone.

“Try eating that!”

…Is it okay to eat?

Bonita hesitated. However, the sweet scent of milk and sugar from the cream on her hand kept lingering.

Lick.

Bonita stuck out her red tongue and licked the cream on her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise.

‘It’s real fresh cream!’

The cream was moderately oily and smooth. It seemed like fresh milk with sugar added, all whipped up.

Bonita quickly licked off all the cream on her hand. Alan, who had torn off part of the cracker and was holding it in his hand, ate it with a crispy sound.

Every time he moved his mouth, it made a crunchy sound. After Alan finished eating one cracker with cream on it, he pointed towards a house.

“You can eat over there too. It seems quiet right now”

However, before Alan could finish his sentence, the sounds of children chatting began to be heard.

“Ha-ha-ha! Try catching me!”

“You! Give me back my pebble!”

“I don’t want to, try catching me!”

“Hyung-ah, can I eat this?”

“Ssh. Gigi, Gigi.”

The screams and laughter of children who only said what they wanted echoed inside the cookie house. It was certain that most of them seemed to find the cookie house terribly appealing.

Bonita opened her mouth and reached out for the cookie house.

The pillars of the cookie house were all sturdy biscuits. The spaces between these biscuit bricks were filled with gooey, sweet-smelling chocolate cement.

And below that, various candies were placed like support stones. Large candies in red, blue, and yellow were arranged in a repetitive pattern, showing signs of being crushed by children.

And a garden.

In the garden, colorful rocks were lined up. Cassis, who had been watching Bonita with a dreaming expression, pointed as if throwing a suggestion.

“Wanna try eating that?”

He pointed at a rock.

Bonita, still in a daze, poked her finger into the green rock.

Then the rock bounced elastically. Only then could Bonita figure out what the white powder covering the rock was.

“Wow…!”

It was jelly.

Looking at the opposite side of the jelly rock, teeth marks were visible, indicating that someone had bitten into it.

Bonita cautiously nibbled on the clean part of the rock. As a result, her mouth was filled with the taste of refreshing green apple-flavored jelly.

Bonita’s eyes sparkled.

Although the palace was, of course, a wonder to her, this place felt like a completely different world. It felt as if she had stepped into a fairy tale land.
Carefully nibbling on the rock, Bonita glanced at the boy standing still and soon gathered the courage. She took small steps toward the entrance of the cookie house. The biscuit-made door was tightly shut, but similarly, sugar powder was generously sprinkled, making the house gleam white as if covered in falling snow.

Bonita pressed her ear against the door. Then she could distinctly hear the sounds of children causing a commotion.

Bonita cautiously grasped the doorknob and was surprised. There was only half of the doorknob left. Looking down, she noticed that the dark chocolate doorknob also showed signs of being taken by someone. However, strangely, the chocolate remained dry and hadn’t melted at all, despite the reasonably warm spring weather. It seemed like chocolate made with some special technique.

Bonita carefully grabbed the doorknob and attempted to open the door.

“Where on earth did those kids…! Huh? Who are you?”

A boy with brown hair who seemed considerably older than Bonita was standing there. The boy, looking at Bonita with a puzzled face, soon noticed her younger siblings standing behind her and shouted.

“Oops! Alan, Cassis! Do you have any idea how long it’s been since you left?”

“What does it matter how long it’s been?”

Alan grumbled, and Cassis, looking at his brother, said quietly.

“Alan was trying to go out through the rabbit hole again. It’s not my fault.”

“Rabbit hole? …Oh! That.”

Derek, the eldest son of Viscount Hyacinth, soon recalled the existence of the ‘rabbit hole’ and sighed in regret. Although the cookie house was nice, sneaking out beyond the viscount’s territory was also a very enjoyable game.

But now was not the time for that. Derek asked his two younger siblings.

“By the way, where’s the lady? Wasn’t she supposed to come to pick her up?”

“She’s right there.”

“Huh? Where? Where?”

He turned his head vigorously, imagining a girl with black hair and black eyes who looked dirty. However, the only thing in front of him was a harmless little girl who reminded him of a small rabbit or hamster. She looked around six years old.

Derek shook his head.

“She’s not there?”

“What are you talking about?”