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From Dolce, With Love - Episode 1
Episode 1 | next episode ⭢
[ Magical Workshop ]
???: Oh, be tasty, tasty~
I don't want to taste any bitterness or spice or anything not-nice. Only the sweetest shall fill my tummy and heart.
Now, for my secret ingredient — a pinch of red.
Fufu...... With this, we may once again spend time together like before, when we dreamed the sweetest of dreams.
I wonder ... if these feelings of mine will make it to my special someone?
[ Magical Manor - Meeting Lounge ]
It was a warm, sunny afternoon.
As I passed by the meeting lounge, I heard lively voices coming from inside.
Rustica: Ah, if you keep flapping your wings so much, you’ll end up hurting them.
Shino: Seriously? You got us all alarmed over this?
Figaro: Even so, it's turned into quite the cute little thing.
Akira: Oh...!
There Rustica was. Several other wizards were with him, all peering into his birdcage.
Within the birdcage was a little bird. From the way it was thrashing about flapping its wings, it was quite apparent that it wasn't a willing resident of the cage.
Chloe: It's Kenja sama. Good afternoon!
Akira: Good afternoon, Chloe. I see everyone's gathered up here.
And, umm, is that little bird perhaps...
Chloe: Oh, don't worry! It's not the usual thing, so you can relax.
Shino: This little guy’s a letter. It was flying about here and there in the manor.
Akira: A letter?
Figaro: Yep. Seems like it got lost while it was searching for its recipient.
Some wizard somewhere must have sent it out to someone who lived here, but this bird is quite the artful dodger when it comes to revealing who its recipient is.
Rustica: That's why I've invited it into my birdcage.
If we know who sent it, we might be able to point it the right way.
Rustica calmly opened his birdcage. A pale, gentle light encased the bird.
Akira: The bird turned into an envelope...! It won't fly away anymore.
Shino: So it's obedient now that it’s resigned itself to its fate.
Chloe: What a stylish envelope. It's got a smattering of bold colours in its palette, and its candy patterning is really cute too!
Rustica: The sender has quite the eye for style. I wonder who... Oya?
Figaro: ... Hm?
Rustica flipped the envelope over, revealing some words on its bottom right corner.
Having gotten a good look at the sender's name, Rustica and Figaro read aloud:
Figaro & Rustica: Dr Dolce?
Shino & Chloe: ...?
It was a strange name, one that I'd never heard before.
Akira: Is it someone the both of you know?
Rustica: Yes. It's the name of a wizard from Western Country. We've never met in person, but he’s very famous.
Figaro: And also said to be quite the eccentric person. Maybe he’s from Murr's circle of acquaintances?
Before Figaro could sneak a peek at the addressee, the envelope slipped right out from between Rustica's fingers...
... And into the hand of someone who'd just arrived at the lounge.
Owen: Aha, it's that time again?
Akira: Owen!
Owen: It's for me.
Casually, Owen held onto the envelope and snapped his fingers.
The envelope lit up at once and popped like a party popper. A sweet scent started to flood the room.
Akira: Whoa...! Sweets are gushing out of the envelope!?
Chloe: There's just so many of them! Chocolates, cookies, candies...
Shino: And macarons and cupcakes, too. It's amazing, it just keeps going.
Rustica: It smells like butter and vanilla. What gorgeous designs with such fanciful shapes and colours... These must all be for you, Owen.
Figaro: That's quite the passionate idea of a gift. Are you acquainted with Dr Dolce?
Owen: I wonder.
Owen plucked a ribbon-shaped chocolate off the top of the mountain of confections.
He chewed noisily. Idly, he continued to speak.
Owen: All I’ve done is receive these sweets that have been sent to me since I don't know when. I'm not interested in that person in the least.
Shino: You're telling me you didn't threaten 'em into sending you these, and it's not some sort of offering?
Owen: I would never. No matter how much I obfuscate my trail, these things track me down and make their way to where I am through some very persistent magicking.
Figaro: Oh, that's rare of you. I wouldn't think you were the type to let someone who's chasing you down to roam free.
Akira: I mean, you also don't really seem the type to enjoy having your location found out...
Owen: Weeell, there’s some magical prowess at work. In any case, when the time comes, I'll make sure these tracking magicks will never be used again.
It's only because I get to eat lots of sweet confections like these that I leave things be.
Rustica: What a beautiful story... To think that someone out there risks life and limb to send gifts born out of their one-sided feelings to a noble Northern Wizard like you.
Who would have known that the distinguished Dr Dolce would have such a passionate side to him!
Shino: ... Hey. So that Dr Dolce person you're talking about, what sorta guy is he?
Shino posed his question to Rustica, who smiled gently. Chloe too, chimed in as he stared curiously at the mountain of confections.
Chloe: If there's someone out there who's sending these lovely gifts to Owen, if it's not an acquaintance, could it perhaps be a fan of his?
Akira: Earlier, Figaro, you said the wizard was from the west, right? There was some title attached to it that sounded like it'd belong to a medical doctor, or a professor. Do you know anything about that too?
Figaro: I've only heard bits and pieces. People usually call him Dr Dolce, but he's actually an esteemed scientist.
Rustica: I heard that he spends all his time doing research in a strange and fantastic workshop somewhere in Western Country, but that he also participates in academic gatherings and parties in all the other countries too.
'Everything in this world is made from science!' is what he posits, so he seems well-read in various academic fields.
Figaro: His doctorate is in biology, but he's also an expert in pharmacology. I've read his books before.
In short, he's something of an eccentric genius. He should be quite old by now, but in the past, his portraits and appearance were similar to Chloe in age.
He looked like a youth with a doll-like quality to his beauty, but in contrast to his looks, the rumours surrounding him were particularly unsavoury.
Shino: Unsavoury?
Figaro: You know, the sort of scientist that doesn't draw a line between ethics and ambition. He'd use any means available to him if it would benefit his research.
For example, live body experimentation. He'd bring in children and wizards that had no one else to turn to, cut them up, and swap out their insides...
Akira & Chloe: (gasp)
Figaro: As said, they're all just rumours. Anyway, at some point in time, he became obsessed with sweetmaking instead of research and experiments.
I suppose some say that cooking is just another form of science, but you know how Western Wizards are. They're fickle and whimsical.
Akira: A man of science and a man of sweet confections... I don't think it gets any farther apart than that, but no doubt, he's a talented man.
Rustica: He was said to be an unparalleled sweet tooth. He thought the brain’s efficiency could be increased with sugar, and so that might be why he started looking into creating sweets with the scientific method.
Figaro: And then he got really deep into it? Perhaps. That's how Dr Dolce, scientist-cum-patissier, was born, and the name has stuck ever since.
At first, people had a strong aversion to sweets created by an eccentric like him, but his creations gained popularity amongst those curious enough to try it out.
Rustica: Who would've thought it would be such a hit! His menu of Deathly Delights were flying off the shelves of any store that was lucky enough to carry them.
Shino: In other words, these sweets are from a weirdo patissier that's top notch at his craft...
I want some too. Owen, don't mind if I help myself to some, since you've got so many.
Owen: (muffled) Nope. Why do I have to share?
Shino: What? Don't talk with your mouth full.
Chloe: It's just a guess, but 'No way, why do I have to share what's mine,'... maybe?
Shino: You stingy bastard. One bite won't hurt anybody.
Rustica: It's been a while since I've tasted his sweets myself. By the time I heard of it, it was already a highly coveted luxury. One couldn't just simply acquire a box.
I'll make some of my finest tea, so if you'd please share some with us?
Chloe: Oh, how about we make it an exchange? I've still got some of my favourite cookies left in my room. I'll bring them over!
Owen: (munch munch) … (swallows)
I'll take the tea and cookies. My sweets are still mine. I'm not sharing.
The wizards continued to merrily chatter, surrounded by heaps and heaps of sweets.
Off to the side, Figaro muttered to himself.
Figaro: Even so... It really has been a while since I've seen his confections.
Akira: Huh?
Figaro: Dr Dolce retired from sweetmaking about a hundred years ago.
'I will cease my sweetmaking endeavours from now on. I have an important research project I must focus on,' was what he announced in a letter sent to all of the stores that carried his sweets.
Akira: R-Really? So, that means these sweets...
Figaro: I sense magic from them, so he must have made them.
He was originally a scientist anyway, and I figure he must have started sweetmaking on a whim. There were also rumours that he'd gotten sick of it too...
So maybe he's simply coming off hiatus?
[ Magical Manor - Courtyard ]
That night…
Akira: (It sure was bustling this afternoon. The scent of sweets was so enticing, the other wizards ended up gathering at the lounge too...)
Owen disappeared with all of his sweets near-instantly, but all the other wizards simply decided to have a tea party of their own.
Rustica brought his tea, Chloe his cookies, and so did the others with their own snacks.
The tea party was filled with lively chatter.
Akira: (Everyone was super interested in the sweets Owen received and also the sender. Though in the end, none of us got to savour the treats Dr Dolce made...)
Akira: Sweets made by a scientist who is also a patissier... I wonder what they taste like.
Owen: .........
Akira: Oh…
Thinking to myself, I'd entered the courtyard, but I found myself with company.
I approached him from the back, and called out.
Akira: Owen. Good eve-eeek...!?
Owen glanced over his shoulder.
I stumbled backwards in surprise, for the corners of his lips were stained a brilliant red.
Episode 2 ⭢
[ Magical Workshop ]
???: Oh, be tasty, tasty~
I don't want to taste any bitterness or spice or anything not-nice. Only the sweetest shall fill my tummy and heart.
Now, for my secret ingredient — a pinch of red.
Fufu...... With this, we may once again spend time together like before, when we dreamed the sweetest of dreams.
I wonder ... if these feelings of mine will make it to my special someone?
[ Magical Manor - Meeting Lounge ]
It was a warm, sunny afternoon.
As I passed by the meeting lounge, I heard lively voices coming from inside.
Rustica: Ah, if you keep flapping your wings so much, you’ll end up hurting them.
Shino: Seriously? You got us all alarmed over this?
Figaro: Even so, it's turned into quite the cute little thing.
Akira: Oh...!
There Rustica was. Several other wizards were with him, all peering into his birdcage.
Within the birdcage was a little bird. From the way it was thrashing about flapping its wings, it was quite apparent that it wasn't a willing resident of the cage.
Chloe: It's Kenja sama. Good afternoon!
Akira: Good afternoon, Chloe. I see everyone's gathered up here.
And, umm, is that little bird perhaps...
Chloe: Oh, don't worry! It's not the usual thing, so you can relax.
Shino: This little guy’s a letter. It was flying about here and there in the manor.
Akira: A letter?
Figaro: Yep. Seems like it got lost while it was searching for its recipient.
Some wizard somewhere must have sent it out to someone who lived here, but this bird is quite the artful dodger when it comes to revealing who its recipient is.
Rustica: That's why I've invited it into my birdcage.
If we know who sent it, we might be able to point it the right way.
Rustica calmly opened his birdcage. A pale, gentle light encased the bird.
Akira: The bird turned into an envelope...! It won't fly away anymore.
Shino: So it's obedient now that it’s resigned itself to its fate.
Chloe: What a stylish envelope. It's got a smattering of bold colours in its palette, and its candy patterning is really cute too!
Rustica: The sender has quite the eye for style. I wonder who... Oya?
Figaro: ... Hm?
Rustica flipped the envelope over, revealing some words on its bottom right corner.
Having gotten a good look at the sender's name, Rustica and Figaro read aloud:
Figaro & Rustica: Dr Dolce?
Shino & Chloe: ...?
It was a strange name, one that I'd never heard before.
Akira: Is it someone the both of you know?
Rustica: Yes. It's the name of a wizard from Western Country. We've never met in person, but he’s very famous.
Figaro: And also said to be quite the eccentric person. Maybe he’s from Murr's circle of acquaintances?
Before Figaro could sneak a peek at the addressee, the envelope slipped right out from between Rustica's fingers...
... And into the hand of someone who'd just arrived at the lounge.
Owen: Aha, it's that time again?
Akira: Owen!
Owen: It's for me.
Casually, Owen held onto the envelope and snapped his fingers.
The envelope lit up at once and popped like a party popper. A sweet scent started to flood the room.
Akira: Whoa...! Sweets are gushing out of the envelope!?
Chloe: There's just so many of them! Chocolates, cookies, candies...
Shino: And macarons and cupcakes, too. It's amazing, it just keeps going.
Rustica: It smells like butter and vanilla. What gorgeous designs with such fanciful shapes and colours... These must all be for you, Owen.
Figaro: That's quite the passionate idea of a gift. Are you acquainted with Dr Dolce?
Owen: I wonder.
Owen plucked a ribbon-shaped chocolate off the top of the mountain of confections.
He chewed noisily. Idly, he continued to speak.
Owen: All I’ve done is receive these sweets that have been sent to me since I don't know when. I'm not interested in that person in the least.
Shino: You're telling me you didn't threaten 'em into sending you these, and it's not some sort of offering?
Owen: I would never. No matter how much I obfuscate my trail, these things track me down and make their way to where I am through some very persistent magicking.
Figaro: Oh, that's rare of you. I wouldn't think you were the type to let someone who's chasing you down to roam free.
Akira: I mean, you also don't really seem the type to enjoy having your location found out...
Owen: Weeell, there’s some magical prowess at work. In any case, when the time comes, I'll make sure these tracking magicks will never be used again.
It's only because I get to eat lots of sweet confections like these that I leave things be.
Rustica: What a beautiful story... To think that someone out there risks life and limb to send gifts born out of their one-sided feelings to a noble Northern Wizard like you.
Who would have known that the distinguished Dr Dolce would have such a passionate side to him!
Shino: ... Hey. So that Dr Dolce person you're talking about, what sorta guy is he?
Shino posed his question to Rustica, who smiled gently. Chloe too, chimed in as he stared curiously at the mountain of confections.
Chloe: If there's someone out there who's sending these lovely gifts to Owen, if it's not an acquaintance, could it perhaps be a fan of his?
Akira: Earlier, Figaro, you said the wizard was from the west, right? There was some title attached to it that sounded like it'd belong to a medical doctor, or a professor. Do you know anything about that too?
Figaro: I've only heard bits and pieces. People usually call him Dr Dolce, but he's actually an esteemed scientist.
Rustica: I heard that he spends all his time doing research in a strange and fantastic workshop somewhere in Western Country, but that he also participates in academic gatherings and parties in all the other countries too.
'Everything in this world is made from science!' is what he posits, so he seems well-read in various academic fields.
Figaro: His doctorate is in biology, but he's also an expert in pharmacology. I've read his books before.
In short, he's something of an eccentric genius. He should be quite old by now, but in the past, his portraits and appearance were similar to Chloe in age.
He looked like a youth with a doll-like quality to his beauty, but in contrast to his looks, the rumours surrounding him were particularly unsavoury.
Shino: Unsavoury?
Figaro: You know, the sort of scientist that doesn't draw a line between ethics and ambition. He'd use any means available to him if it would benefit his research.
For example, live body experimentation. He'd bring in children and wizards that had no one else to turn to, cut them up, and swap out their insides...
Akira & Chloe: (gasp)
Figaro: As said, they're all just rumours. Anyway, at some point in time, he became obsessed with sweetmaking instead of research and experiments.
I suppose some say that cooking is just another form of science, but you know how Western Wizards are. They're fickle and whimsical.
Akira: A man of science and a man of sweet confections... I don't think it gets any farther apart than that, but no doubt, he's a talented man.
Rustica: He was said to be an unparalleled sweet tooth. He thought the brain’s efficiency could be increased with sugar, and so that might be why he started looking into creating sweets with the scientific method.
Figaro: And then he got really deep into it? Perhaps. That's how Dr Dolce, scientist-cum-patissier, was born, and the name has stuck ever since.
At first, people had a strong aversion to sweets created by an eccentric like him, but his creations gained popularity amongst those curious enough to try it out.
Rustica: Who would've thought it would be such a hit! His menu of Deathly Delights were flying off the shelves of any store that was lucky enough to carry them.
Shino: In other words, these sweets are from a weirdo patissier that's top notch at his craft...
I want some too. Owen, don't mind if I help myself to some, since you've got so many.
Owen: (muffled) Nope. Why do I have to share?
Shino: What? Don't talk with your mouth full.
Chloe: It's just a guess, but 'No way, why do I have to share what's mine,'... maybe?
Shino: You stingy bastard. One bite won't hurt anybody.
Rustica: It's been a while since I've tasted his sweets myself. By the time I heard of it, it was already a highly coveted luxury. One couldn't just simply acquire a box.
I'll make some of my finest tea, so if you'd please share some with us?
Chloe: Oh, how about we make it an exchange? I've still got some of my favourite cookies left in my room. I'll bring them over!
Owen: (munch munch) … (swallows)
I'll take the tea and cookies. My sweets are still mine. I'm not sharing.
The wizards continued to merrily chatter, surrounded by heaps and heaps of sweets.
Off to the side, Figaro muttered to himself.
Figaro: Even so... It really has been a while since I've seen his confections.
Akira: Huh?
Figaro: Dr Dolce retired from sweetmaking about a hundred years ago.
'I will cease my sweetmaking endeavours from now on. I have an important research project I must focus on,' was what he announced in a letter sent to all of the stores that carried his sweets.
Akira: R-Really? So, that means these sweets...
Figaro: I sense magic from them, so he must have made them.
He was originally a scientist anyway, and I figure he must have started sweetmaking on a whim. There were also rumours that he'd gotten sick of it too...
So maybe he's simply coming off hiatus?
[ Magical Manor - Courtyard ]
That night…
Akira: (It sure was bustling this afternoon. The scent of sweets was so enticing, the other wizards ended up gathering at the lounge too...)
Owen disappeared with all of his sweets near-instantly, but all the other wizards simply decided to have a tea party of their own.
Rustica brought his tea, Chloe his cookies, and so did the others with their own snacks.
The tea party was filled with lively chatter.
Akira: (Everyone was super interested in the sweets Owen received and also the sender. Though in the end, none of us got to savour the treats Dr Dolce made...)
Akira: Sweets made by a scientist who is also a patissier... I wonder what they taste like.
Owen: .........
Akira: Oh…
Thinking to myself, I'd entered the courtyard, but I found myself with company.
I approached him from the back, and called out.
Akira: Owen. Good eve-eeek...!?
Owen glanced over his shoulder.
I stumbled backwards in surprise, for the corners of his lips were stained a brilliant red.
Episode 2 ⭢