Chapter 86. Designing dress

Chapter 86: 86. Designing dress

"About when do you think we’ll arrive at the Empire, Nathan? This trip has been so much fun, but to be honest, I’m getting impatient," Kai asked just before they set off again to continue their journey.

"You’re impatient to get there? I’m actually really enjoying this trip—I feel like I could keep traveling forever!" exclaimed Jessica, who was wearing a simple cotton-rayon dress that felt cool against her skin in the tropical climate there.

For this trip, the girls—especially the princesses, who usually wore lavish, heavy, and suffocating gowns—were now wearing only simple cotton dresses, which were lighter, sweat-wicking, and comfortable.

No wonder Jessica felt more at ease on the journey. After all, along the way, princesses like Jessica and Angeline were gaining countless valuable experiences.

Take Jessica, for example—she feels she’s learning how to survive in the wild. Because during the trip, rather than choosing ingredients from the more convenient supermarket system, Kai prefers to use ingredients from nature.

Like hunting when they want meat, picking plants that can be cooked, and even gathering some spices that Kai finds in the forest.

Well, although Kai obtained most of the spices and other ingredients needed for cooking from the system’s supermarket,

to Jessica, it all still felt like surviving in the wild.

Meanwhile, Angeline, through traveling and encountering many monsters and animals in the forests, also learned a great deal. She continued to practice her magic and tried to learn from Jo or Kaileon about magic and other skills she could master.

"You have to remember that you’re on this journey to start a business in the empire, Jessica... I’ve already given you a guidebook to study. It’s true that I’ll always be there to help you, but you also have to know that sometimes I won’t be able to be there when you need me."

Jessica fell silent upon hearing what Kaileon had just said. Even though it was something Kaileon should have said all along, for some reason, it felt very strange to her.

She realized that all this time, she had been relying too much on Kaileon for everything.

It was true that being with Kaileon was too comfortable—there were so many conveniences—and Jessica had grown too accustomed to it.

The journey finally resumed, and Jessica suddenly became very focused on reading the guidebook Kaileon had given her. Once she got bored, she started doodling in her sketchbook with the colored pencils she’d bought from Kaileon. Jessica loved designing dresses, even though she didn’t yet know how to make one.

"Let’s take a quick lunch break here!" Jo exclaimed.

They were still in the vicinity of forests and mountains; they still had a long way to go to reach another town.

Though they called it a lunch break, it was actually already nearly afternoon.

They rested under a large tree, which was clearly an apple tree. The tree, estimated to be nearly a hundred years old, stood about ten meters tall, with a trunk diameter of about more than one meter.

Apples hung from the tree; some were still green, while others had turned red and were ready to be picked.

Kai didn’t spot any animals in the tree, aside from a few small insects and some birds seeking shade.

"I want to make an apple pie," Kai muttered, looking up at the apples hanging above.

"I love pie!" Angeline chimed in.

"Besides pie, what else can we make with apples?" Ricky asked.

Kai fell silent, thinking for a moment, but the only thing that came to mind was apple pie.

"I don’t know, but I definitely want to make an apple pie right now," Kai’s answer made them all laugh.

When Kai wants something, he usually doesn’t think about anything else.

"I’ll pick some ripe apples; you guys just set up the tent over there!" Kai added.

"Yes, young master!" Jo and Ricky shouted in unison.

Besides Jo and Ricky, the maids also helped set up the tent, since it was clear that their young master wouldn’t leave until he’d made his apple pie. Meanwhile, Nathan checked on their horses and carriage. Jessica didn’t help; she just wandered around, looking at their surroundings, hoping to find something unique.

Angeline herself was curious about how Kai was going to pick the apples, since the apple tree was so tall.

"Are you going to climb it, Kai?" Angeline asked.

Kai shook his head slowly. "Watch this—I want to try something," he said. Then Kai held out his hand, and from it, he created countless water bubbles that floated upward. The water bubbles drifted toward each apple Kai had selected. Once the bubbles enveloped each chosen apple, Kai moved his hand, and the apples fell from their stems.

After that, all the apples fell into the large wicker basket Kai had set up beneath the tree.

"Wow! I can’t believe this actually worked," Kai muttered, his eyes wide with amazement at what he’d just done.

"Wait a minute, what did you just do?" asked Angeline, still stunned, torn between curiosity and awe.

"I tried combining water and wind magic, then sharpened the bubbles so they could cut the apples from the tree, and only then, using wind magic, did I direct the bubbles into the basket. I can’t believe this actually worked, Angeline!"

Angeline cheered at Kaileon’s success, and then the two of them checked on the apples that were now in the wicker basket.

Kai cleaned all the apples with his water magic, then picked out a few. He gave one to Angeline, and they ate it together.

"I think these apples are pretty crisp, and they taste sweeter and fresher than regular red apples. What do you think, Angel?" Kai asked.

Angeline shook her head, then said, "I don’t know, Kai... but I like these pink apples; I think the color is pretty."

Kai chuckled at the girl’s words. Indeed, ripe apples in this tree apple are usually a pale red, and sometimes they turn pink; in fact, some ripe apples are yellow with a slight pink tinge.

"Let’s make a pie with these apples, Angel! Let’s bring out the table and the oven," said Kai. He cast a wind spell on the wicker basket to make it lighter, then lifted it with ease.

"Is it true there aren’t any other dishes we can make with these apples, Kaileon?" Angeline asked gently.

Kai laughed and replied, "Actually, there are—of course there are. For example, we can make apple sponge cake... oh! I know a fun way to enjoy these apples—can you help me to slice them up later, Angel?"

"Of course!"

Kai brought out a large, long table, then set up the oven and a mini ice box.

The mini ice box was like a freezer, except it operated using ice magic stones.

"Is there anything I can help with?" asked Ricky, who had finished setting up the tent.

Kai watched as Jo and the maids began cooking their lunch, while Nathan was still busy with the horse-drawn carriage.

"Of course, Ricky... we have plenty of apples, and we’re going to make an apple pie with them, but we’re also making other snacks. Now I’ll show you how to cut the apples."

Angeline and Ricky watched closely as Kai cut the apples, then tried it themselves.

After the apples were cut into four equal pieces, the apple slices were skewered using very small wooden sticks. All the apples, now skewered with the small wooden sticks, were frozen in a mini ice box.

After that, Kai taught them how to melt a chocolate bar. At that moment, only Ricky melted the chocolate bar in a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water.

Since the mini ice box was made of magical ice, the apple slices became cold and slightly frozen in just a few minutes.

The apples were coated with the melted chocolate, and just like that, they became chocolate-covered apple slices.

Angeline and Ricky were very happy after eating them; they said the apples tasted much better that way.

Kai then asked the two of them to share the chocolate-covered apples with the others, while he continued baking the apple pie.

Kai furrowed his brow when he realized Jessica wasn’t with them. However, thanks to his detection magic, Kai knew Jessica was safe. She was simply sitting on the other side of the apple tree, using the sketchbook Kai had given her to draw a dress, using the beautiful wildflowers growing all around the forest as inspiration.

It wasn’t that Kai didn’t know—he actually knew that Jessica was very interested in dresses and really wanted to make one.

Kai also knew that Jessica didn’t know anything about making clothes. However, with Kai by her side, he wanted his older sister to learn how to sew someday.

After all, if the clothing industry continued to grow, it would be very good for that world—especially for their kingdom.

After lunch, they ate the pie Kai had made. As usual, they really loved the apple pie. Everyone looked very happy. But there was one person who wasn’t really focused on the pie.

Of course, it was Jessica.

The girl sat quietly, with her sketchbook by her side. Every now and then, her hand reached for a piece of pie.

Kai approached his older sister, who was sitting alone in the corner, far from the others so she wouldn’t be disturbed.

"Ahem!" Kai cleared his throat loudly enough so his older sister would know he was there.

Jessica glanced at Kai briefly, then returned to her sketch.

"What’s up, Kai? Don’t bother me."

"Nothing, really... can I see your sketches?"

This time, Jessica really looked at her younger brother, pausing for a moment to consider whether she should show him her sketches or not.

However, Jessica knew that Kai was very supportive of her and wouldn’t make fun of her. So she showed him her sketches.

Kai was silent for quite a while, staring at the several dress designs Jessica had created.

Then suddenly Kai said, "Do you want to learn how to sew, Jessica?"