The New Commander of St. Gloriana

Bonus Chapter: Baking with Rosehip - The Burned Pie

The scent of flour and sugar filled the air as Adrian entered the kitchen of St. Gloriana's cooking club, where Rosehip had invited him for a "fun baking session." It was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon, a break from the usual chaos of Sensha-dō and an opportunity to unwind after their recent victory. But as Adrian stepped into the kitchen and saw Rosehip enthusiastically bouncing around, he had a feeling this would be anything but a calm experience.

"Adrian! You're just in time!" Rosehip exclaimed, her hands already covered in flour. "We're going to make the best pie St. Gloriana has ever tasted!"

Adrian chuckled, shaking his head as he set down his bag. "Are you sure about that? I heard your last pie... caught on fire?"

Rosehip waved her hand dismissively, clearly unbothered by her previous mishap. "That was just a fluke! This time, I've got everything under control. Trust me."

Adrian wasn't entirely convinced, but there was something infectious about Rosehip's energy that made him want to go along with it. "Alright, what's the plan? What kind of pie are we making?"

Rosehip beamed, holding up a recipe card triumphantly. "We're making a classic apple pie! Easy, right? Just apples, sugar, and a bit of magic!"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, eyeing the ingredients scattered haphazardly across the counter. "Magic, huh? Let's hope it's the good kind."

The two got to work, Rosehip's enthusiastic approach clashing with Adrian's more careful, measured way of doing things. She zoomed around the kitchen at lightning speed, tossing ingredients into a mixing bowl without measuring anything, while Adrian tried his best to keep up and prevent any disasters.

"Rosehip, maybe we should actually measure the flour," Adrian suggested as she dumped what looked like half a bag into the bowl.

"No need! I have a good eye for these things!" Rosehip grinned, stirring the mixture with way too much energy.

Adrian glanced at the clock and noticed they were moving way faster than necessary. "You don't need to rush. We have plenty of time."

"But where's the fun in taking it slow? Besides, the faster we finish, the sooner we can eat!" Rosehip replied with a wink.

Soon, the kitchen was a whirlwind of activity. Adrian managed to peel and slice the apples, while Rosehip prepared the dough—though she added what Adrian suspected was far too much butter. Despite the chaos, he found himself smiling. Baking with Rosehip was unpredictable, but there was something undeniably fun about her enthusiasm.

When it came time to assemble the pie, Rosehip insisted on arranging the apple slices in a spiral pattern, though her technique left much to be desired. "It doesn't have to be perfect," she declared confidently. "It'll taste amazing either way!"

Adrian laughed, shaking his head. "Let's hope so."

With the pie finally assembled and placed in the oven, Rosehip set the timer—though Adrian noticed she may have set it a bit too high. Still, he didn't want to dampen her spirits, so he let it slide.

For the first few minutes, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Rosehip leaned against the counter, chatting excitedly about Sensha-dō strategies and their next battle, while Adrian cleaned up the flour-covered counter. But as the pie baked, a distinct smell began to fill the room—a smell that wasn't quite the delicious aroma of apples and sugar.

Adrian sniffed the air, his eyes widening in concern. "Rosehip, do you smell that?"

Rosehip paused mid-sentence, her nose twitching as she caught the scent. "Uh-oh."

Before either of them could react, the smell intensified, and a thin wisp of smoke began to waft out of the oven. Adrian rushed over, opening the oven door to reveal their pie—now a charred, blackened mess.

Rosehip stared at the disaster, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "Oh no! My pie!"

Adrian couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "I think we may have overcooked it... just a little."

Rosehip groaned, covering her face with her flour-covered hands. "I can't believe I did it again! I was so sure this one would be perfect."

Adrian gently closed the oven door, turning to face her with a grin. "Well, I think we can agree that 'magic' wasn't the best ingredient this time."

Rosehip peeked through her fingers, a sheepish smile creeping onto her face. "Maybe I got a little carried away."

Adrian chuckled, grabbing a towel to wave at the faint smoke. "It's okay. The important thing is we had fun, right?"

Rosehip sighed dramatically, but her smile returned as she nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, I don't think the pie was a total disaster." She reached into the oven, carefully removing the blackened pastry. "We can always say it's 'well-done.'"

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You mean 'extra crispy'?"

Rosehip burst out laughing, holding the burned pie up proudly. "Exactly! A unique creation by the one and only Rosehip!"

They both laughed, the smell of the burned pie almost forgotten as they enjoyed the ridiculousness of the moment. Despite the failed pie, Adrian found himself glad he'd joined Rosehip for this baking session. There was something refreshing about her boundless energy and ability to find humor in every situation.

"Well, I guess we'll have to settle for store-bought dessert tonight," Adrian said, wiping his hands on a towel. "But next time, let's try measuring the ingredients."

Rosehip grinned, giving him a playful nudge. "Deal. But only if you promise to bake with me again!"

Adrian smiled, nodding. "You've got yourself a deal."

As they left the kitchen, laughing about their culinary disaster, Adrian couldn't help but think that even though the pie had burned, the experience had been anything but a failure. With friends like Rosehip, even the most chaotic moments were worth it.

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**End of Bonus Chapter: Baking with Rosehip**