A long, long time ago, there was a Cookie Kingdom, ruled by King Shirovinius.
One day, he came into possession of a legendary cookie recipe. But no chef in the kingdom could reproduce the dish.
The king, furious at being unable to taste the legendary cookies, grew increasingly tyrannical. He executed one chef after another, casting a shadow of fear over the entire castle.
"Bring me the legendary cookies! Fail, and you die!"
The king declared, repeatedly killing those who could not meet his demands—and even forced non-chefs to bake cookies.
The people lived in constant fear, dreading the day the king might demand cookies from them.
Hearing of the tyrant's outrageous acts, the righteous Yui Yuigahama Leis boldly entered the castle. She requested an audience with the king, determined to offer him delicious cookies.
"Your Majesty, I will present you with the most delicious cookies. Please, stop this cruelty."
"Hah! You, an unknown commoner, dare to satisfy my desires?"
"I may not be famous, but my future is bright."
"Ha ha ha ha—"
The king's laughter rang out joyously, then his expression darkened. "Yui Yuigahama Leis, the doomed chef! Do you intend to poison me?!"
Tyranny does not imply foolishness; the king had already discerned her identity—she was the legendary cursed chef.
Yui froze, cold sweat dripping. "N-Noble King… how could I ever harbor such malicious thoughts…"
"Is that so? The cursed doomed chef—whatever dessert you make turns into deadly poison. Since you insist on presenting me cookies, let's see if your intentions are true! Bring them in!"
At the king's command, soldiers dragged someone from outside into the hall.
Yui cried out, "Oh! My poor Hachimanus!"
He was her closest friend, known affectionately as "Dead Fish Eyes"!
"H-Hey, what do you mean 'Dead Fish Eyes'—"
The king roared with anger. "Silence!"
"Waaah—!"
Her battered friend was taken as a hostage. The king sneered as he tossed the legendary cookie recipe at her. Yui Yuigahama Leis was cornered.
"Go on! Let me see the cookies you make! But the first to taste them will not be me—it will be your dear friend Hachimanus! Begin now, or neither of you will live!"
How cruel, how diabolical!
Yui's body chilled, yet she was helpless. She took the recipe and began baking cookies.
Despite her efforts to resist the tragic curse, she could not create the legendary cookies.
She could only watch in despair as her beloved friend became the test subject for her baking.
"Ha ha ha ha! Eat! Eat it!"
"Waaahhh!"
The cruel king thrust a small plate of inedible blackened dough into the poor Hachimanus's mouth. His friend's face contorted in agony, body trembling.
Yui reached out, crying, "No—Hachimanus!"
Hachimanus murmured vacantly, "I… I'm not dead… why am I still alive?"
The king laughed, reveling in the spectacle, savoring his sadistic pleasure, anticipating the expression of the cursed chef as she poisoned her friend.
Hachimanus whispered, "…It's… delicious."
Shirovinius exclaimed, "Oh? Still holding out? Such a gentle fellow… you may spit it out, you know! Ha ha ha ha!"
"This is the best cookie I've ever eaten," Hachimanus said, taking another warm piece. His expression was genuine, touched. "Yui Yuigahama Leis! You really… really did it! You've made the legendary cookies!"
"What?! Impossible!"
The king grabbed a handful of cookies and popped them into his mouth, eyes wide with shock.
This… this is…
"Ahhh—!!"
The king wailed, clutching his chest, face twisted in agony, staggering backward. "Sweet… it kills me!"
Then, the tyrant king slowly collapsed.
The dark, oppressive clouds lifted. Sunlight poured in, witnessing the moment.
The fearsome king was gone.
Hachimanus gasped, "How did you do it?"
Yui smiled faintly. "Heh heh… sugar. I added… lots and lots of sugar."
The cookies that amazed Hachimanus had, in fact, defeated the cruel king. They weren't technically the "correct" legendary cookies—but the result was far better.
The tyrant gone, the Cookie Kingdom was bathed once again in sunlight and happiness. Bards immortalized the story in a poem called The Legendary Cookies, sung across the lands.
Her late grandmother seemed to understand, smiling gently as her spirit rose to the heavens.
"This… is love… this… is the legendary cookie…"
"Yui Yuigahama Leis, you've surpassed me…"
…
"This is love—!"
Shiro clenched his fist in admiration. "Absolutely wonderful! Incredible! So sweet!!!"
"Oh oh oh oh!"
Yui blushed but clapped earnestly.
"So I'm supposed to be the dead grandmother? Run, Méless! has been completely twisted…"
Yukino Yukinoshita gave a subtle smile.
"Although the grandmother is gone, she worries for Yui Yuigahama Leis, so she accompanies her in spirit, guiding and encouraging her! In China, this is called the 'grandmaster trope'—essentially, the protagonist carries a mentor."
Shiro, satisfied, explained briefly: "In the end, the student surpasses the teacher and walks their own path. That's the most important breakthrough in a student-teacher relationship!"
No, he thought, why am I the grandmother?
Before Yukino could respond, Yui excitedly hugged her. "Hehe! Shiro is my teacher! I will surpass you and carve my own path!"
"Yui, let go first—don't rub—" Yukino muttered, slightly exasperated. "Stay away from White Bacteria; too easy to catch!"
Yesterday, in the cooking classroom, Yui was completely immersed—Shiro? That guy practically lives in the story.
Shiro Hachiman stared at his screen, recalling yesterday's painful memories. "I think because he ate such awful food before, his taste buds were ruined. So when Hachimanus finally tasted a decent cookie, he was especially moved."
The king's words, "Sweet… it kills me," rang with solemnity: "I wholeheartedly agree."
Yui panicked. "Shiro, don't you like sweets? I succeeded with sweet cookies!"
"If it's a gift, you don't need to overcomplicate things. Does the recipient even like sweet flavors?"
Shiro Hachiman critiqued sharply: "If it's for a boy, the thought counts more than taste—boys are shallow. A small gesture from a girl makes them ecstatic. I have a friend like that; he received little gifts from every girl, was thrilled all night, and then got scolded in class the next day."
"Exactly."
Shiro agreed.
Then, all three of them stared at him.
Shiro felt scrutinized and declared firmly: "I'm a boy too, I enjoy looking at pretty girls—Hachiman can vouch. I look at Yukino every day!"
Shiro Hachiman muttered: "A minister is a minister."
Yui exclaimed, "Shiro is really pretty! And White… uh, I mean, Shiro, you're probably using lewd eyes on Yukino every day too, right?!"
"That doesn't matter." Yukino waved it off. "This time, you win, Shiro. Next time, I'll take it back!"
By motivating Yui through indirect pressure, Shiro ensured she focused and completed the request.
From a results perspective, it's far more effective than rigid instruction. Indirect encouragement made the learner more attentive and diligent.
"Keep growing, hero! I await your next challenge, haha kehehe!"
Yukino's triad of mockery made her cheek twitch, and she said coldly: "The match isn't over yet, Shiro, don't get ahead of yourself."
"Click clack crunch—!"
This person isn't listening at all! A vein pulsed on Yukino's forehead.
Shiro pulled a heart-shaped cookie sticker from his bag, stepped outside the activity room, and slapped it on the Assistance Club door.
Assistance Club: 1Servitude Club: 0