“Kaian made it.”
“Ugh. Gulp.”
Evan swallowed a mouthful of pie, but it got stuck in his throat.
“Gulp. Gulp.”
Leonie as if she had expected him to cough, handed him some cold tea that she had prepared in advance for him to drink.
“Are you okay?”
“Hmm. Th, that’s right.”
He was extremely embarrassed. There probably wasn’t anyone else in the world who could make something like this.
From the look and feel of it, it was exactly what his wife had made.
Even if Claudel had made it, it would have been surprising, but Kaian had made it. Was he saying that what he had happily accepted and ate was a poisoned chalice?
“He made this?”
Does that make sense? If he could learn how to make it quickly, anyone would open a bakery!
Evan suddenly got angry for no reason, feeling that his vaguely fond memories had been tarnished.
“How did he know how to make this?”
“I taught him.”
“Why would you teach that noble taste to someone like that!”
“He’s that sincere.”
Evan’s eyes widened at Leonie’s words.
“He cares about Claudel enough to learn this from me.”
“Oh, he must have been jealous because it was a rare recipe! Temnes are naturally greedy. How much more so when he has royal blood mixed in with them!”
Evan stood up.
“Don’t ever take his side in front of me again. I’ll somehow get back the time I’ve lost.”
He kicked open the door and hesitated for about three seconds.
‘How did I get invited?’
He had been anxious the whole time, wanting to get close to Leonie, but she wouldn’t readily give him her side.
Now he knew the reason clearly.
It was because she had many regrets and was thinking of living as ‘Madame Cronach.’
The village of Plogne itself was a secret that held the myth of the Ita Continent.
That’s why it wasn’t easy when Evan first fell in love with Leonie and tried to woo her.
That’s why even though they were finally talking openly, they couldn’t just live like they had been a married couple. After finding out about her life and death after 10 years, Evan barely managed to hold her hand and kiss her forehead and cheek.
Last night, he walked her to the bedroom door.
“Sweet dreams, Evan. See you tomorrow.”
She said that, so he couldn’t even bring up the idea of sharing a bed.
Leaving Leonie’s room, which he had barely been allowed to enter, felt like tears of blood were flowing.
“Evan?”
Hearing Leonie’s voice, he was finally able to pull himself together.
“I will never give in!”
When Evan slammed the door and disappeared, Leonie laughed in shock.
“Why would the Duke of Temnes covet a recipe that saved so many ingredients?”
Kaian seemed to have quite a bit of experience cooking.
It felt amazing that he could learn this much from something that was roughly explained without even measuring it out.
Why did he want to learn how to make blueberry pie?
Because the moment of separation always comes unexpectedly.
Kaian also lost his parents who left for the capital for the annual event.
He didn’t have time to feel separation, gratitude, regret, or to think back on how special their relationship had been.
So he wondered if he knew without realizing it. He knew that when the day came that Claudel would miss Leonie, what would fill her empty heart would not be expensive jewelry or a fancy dress, but a piece of pie made with a little cheap wheat bran.
“And Claudel is an adult, so do you think you can do whatever you want?”
Seeing that he thought he could get rid of Kaian just like he scolded Claudel for not making bad friends, it was clear that the father had not grown up while his child had grown up.
She picked up the remaining pie with a fork and put it in her mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
Even recipes that were made by oneself tasted better when they were made by someone else.
It took about two days to ride a horse from the capital to Valmonde.
However, if the snow piled up and froze, it was different.
Sometimes, the snow piled up so much that it was difficult to pass, and the snow that had frozen solid under one’s own weight had to be broken with a pickaxe for the horse to pass.
Even then, it was a road that could only be traveled on horseback, not in a carriage.
When they arrived at the trading post owned by the lord, a manager with snow-white hair quickly jumped out.
“Your Highness. Welcome.”
The young lady who was looking down at the caretaker who bowed her head politely from her horse was a young lady. Her long, braided red hair was sticking out from under her thick winter hat.
“We will rest here today.”
The group following her all let out a sigh that was almost an exclamation.
“It’s cold. Come over here quickly.”
A warm brazier was burning in the winter hut made of thick cloth covered with logs.
“Are you hungry?”
Irena shook her head at the caretaker’s question.
“It’s okay. The other people in the group are suffering more than me, so give them enough to eat.”
“I will.”
The old man with white hair bowed deeply to her as he was leaving the hut.
“I promise once again that I will continue to be loyal to the Duke.”
“Thank you. I want to rest now, so go out.”
Only after she nodded did the caretaker disappear outside.
Irena locked the door of the hut tightly, took a small bell out of her pocket, and hung it on the doorknob. In case an intruder knocked on the door while she was sleeping or resting, she would wake up quickly.
“Whew.”
Only when she was completely alone could she sigh.
She took off her thick, heavy leather boots. The snow that flew every time the horse galloped made her instep and her socks inside soaking wet. She made a place near the brazier to dry them well and quickly went to the simple bed and lay down.
“I feel like I’m going to live.”
After sitting on a galloping horse all this time, she lay down on the bed warmed by hot stones and covered herself with a wool blanket, feeling as if even her soul was being torn apart.
It would have been easier if she had set out after spring, of course.
There was a reason she had set out so early.
The ceremony to pass on the title in the Vermont family was held only in the winter.
It was a winter festival held on the frozen lake, so if the previous generation passed away in the spring or summer and the title had to be inherited, she would only use the title until the following winter and would not be considered officially inaugurated.
Besides, once spring came, she had to prepare for the northern summer in earnest.
Managing the forest, selecting and cutting down large trees to make ships, and transporting mined ores were done in the summer.
That’s why Irena needed to go very quickly and officially announce that a new Duke had been born in the territory before the end of this winter. That way, she could take control of the territory’s finances for the year.
“Whatever I do, it’s going to work out.”
She had never imagined that she would push her father out and usurp power.
What made her do this?
It was largely because she had seen the other side of her father, who had lost his humanity and was suffering from a lust for power.
“I won’t become that kind of lord.”
Every night, whenever she had time alone, she would chew over and revisit how she had come to be here.
There was no other way.
The Duke of Vermont would not change his mind or change his mind.
In the meantime, if a new situation arose, he would change his options at any time. He could hit the back of the head of the person he had been holding until yesterday without any worries. Could he treat herself, whom he had cherished so much, as insurance for the baby boy born to Claudel?
When she recalled the betrayal she felt from her father when he told her to become Oberon’s Queen and bring her nephew to be his successor, she had no other choice.
However, it was true that she had to gain the support of her vassals for the process and the fact that she had betrayed her biological father, so she felt burdened.
“I can do it well.”
She promised herself.
Valmonde would no longer be within Oberon’s borders.
This time, Claudel would marry into Temnes and the food problem would be stable, so there was no need to worry about the royal family’s opinion and stay within the Oberon kingdom.
“I must become a good lord.”
Evan swallowed a mouthful of pie, but it got stuck in his throat.
“Gulp. Gulp.”
Leonie as if she had expected him to cough, handed him some cold tea that she had prepared in advance for him to drink.
“Are you okay?”
“Hmm. Th, that’s right.”
He was extremely embarrassed. There probably wasn’t anyone else in the world who could make something like this.
From the look and feel of it, it was exactly what his wife had made.
Even if Claudel had made it, it would have been surprising, but Kaian had made it. Was he saying that what he had happily accepted and ate was a poisoned chalice?
“He made this?”
Does that make sense? If he could learn how to make it quickly, anyone would open a bakery!
Evan suddenly got angry for no reason, feeling that his vaguely fond memories had been tarnished.
“How did he know how to make this?”
“I taught him.”
“Why would you teach that noble taste to someone like that!”
“He’s that sincere.”
Evan’s eyes widened at Leonie’s words.
“He cares about Claudel enough to learn this from me.”
“Oh, he must have been jealous because it was a rare recipe! Temnes are naturally greedy. How much more so when he has royal blood mixed in with them!”
Evan stood up.
“Don’t ever take his side in front of me again. I’ll somehow get back the time I’ve lost.”
He kicked open the door and hesitated for about three seconds.
‘How did I get invited?’
He had been anxious the whole time, wanting to get close to Leonie, but she wouldn’t readily give him her side.
Now he knew the reason clearly.
It was because she had many regrets and was thinking of living as ‘Madame Cronach.’
The village of Plogne itself was a secret that held the myth of the Ita Continent.
That’s why it wasn’t easy when Evan first fell in love with Leonie and tried to woo her.
That’s why even though they were finally talking openly, they couldn’t just live like they had been a married couple. After finding out about her life and death after 10 years, Evan barely managed to hold her hand and kiss her forehead and cheek.
Last night, he walked her to the bedroom door.
“Sweet dreams, Evan. See you tomorrow.”
She said that, so he couldn’t even bring up the idea of sharing a bed.
Leaving Leonie’s room, which he had barely been allowed to enter, felt like tears of blood were flowing.
“Evan?”
Hearing Leonie’s voice, he was finally able to pull himself together.
“I will never give in!”
When Evan slammed the door and disappeared, Leonie laughed in shock.
“Why would the Duke of Temnes covet a recipe that saved so many ingredients?”
Kaian seemed to have quite a bit of experience cooking.
It felt amazing that he could learn this much from something that was roughly explained without even measuring it out.
Why did he want to learn how to make blueberry pie?
Because the moment of separation always comes unexpectedly.
Kaian also lost his parents who left for the capital for the annual event.
He didn’t have time to feel separation, gratitude, regret, or to think back on how special their relationship had been.
So he wondered if he knew without realizing it. He knew that when the day came that Claudel would miss Leonie, what would fill her empty heart would not be expensive jewelry or a fancy dress, but a piece of pie made with a little cheap wheat bran.
“And Claudel is an adult, so do you think you can do whatever you want?”
Seeing that he thought he could get rid of Kaian just like he scolded Claudel for not making bad friends, it was clear that the father had not grown up while his child had grown up.
She picked up the remaining pie with a fork and put it in her mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
Even recipes that were made by oneself tasted better when they were made by someone else.
***
It took about two days to ride a horse from the capital to Valmonde.
However, if the snow piled up and froze, it was different.
Sometimes, the snow piled up so much that it was difficult to pass, and the snow that had frozen solid under one’s own weight had to be broken with a pickaxe for the horse to pass.
Even then, it was a road that could only be traveled on horseback, not in a carriage.
When they arrived at the trading post owned by the lord, a manager with snow-white hair quickly jumped out.
“Your Highness. Welcome.”
The young lady who was looking down at the caretaker who bowed her head politely from her horse was a young lady. Her long, braided red hair was sticking out from under her thick winter hat.
“We will rest here today.”
The group following her all let out a sigh that was almost an exclamation.
“It’s cold. Come over here quickly.”
A warm brazier was burning in the winter hut made of thick cloth covered with logs.
“Are you hungry?”
Irena shook her head at the caretaker’s question.
“It’s okay. The other people in the group are suffering more than me, so give them enough to eat.”
“I will.”
The old man with white hair bowed deeply to her as he was leaving the hut.
“I promise once again that I will continue to be loyal to the Duke.”
“Thank you. I want to rest now, so go out.”
Only after she nodded did the caretaker disappear outside.
Irena locked the door of the hut tightly, took a small bell out of her pocket, and hung it on the doorknob. In case an intruder knocked on the door while she was sleeping or resting, she would wake up quickly.
“Whew.”
Only when she was completely alone could she sigh.
She took off her thick, heavy leather boots. The snow that flew every time the horse galloped made her instep and her socks inside soaking wet. She made a place near the brazier to dry them well and quickly went to the simple bed and lay down.
“I feel like I’m going to live.”
After sitting on a galloping horse all this time, she lay down on the bed warmed by hot stones and covered herself with a wool blanket, feeling as if even her soul was being torn apart.
It would have been easier if she had set out after spring, of course.
There was a reason she had set out so early.
The ceremony to pass on the title in the Vermont family was held only in the winter.
It was a winter festival held on the frozen lake, so if the previous generation passed away in the spring or summer and the title had to be inherited, she would only use the title until the following winter and would not be considered officially inaugurated.
Besides, once spring came, she had to prepare for the northern summer in earnest.
Managing the forest, selecting and cutting down large trees to make ships, and transporting mined ores were done in the summer.
That’s why Irena needed to go very quickly and officially announce that a new Duke had been born in the territory before the end of this winter. That way, she could take control of the territory’s finances for the year.
“Whatever I do, it’s going to work out.”
She had never imagined that she would push her father out and usurp power.
What made her do this?
It was largely because she had seen the other side of her father, who had lost his humanity and was suffering from a lust for power.
“I won’t become that kind of lord.”
Every night, whenever she had time alone, she would chew over and revisit how she had come to be here.
There was no other way.
The Duke of Vermont would not change his mind or change his mind.
In the meantime, if a new situation arose, he would change his options at any time. He could hit the back of the head of the person he had been holding until yesterday without any worries. Could he treat herself, whom he had cherished so much, as insurance for the baby boy born to Claudel?
When she recalled the betrayal she felt from her father when he told her to become Oberon’s Queen and bring her nephew to be his successor, she had no other choice.
However, it was true that she had to gain the support of her vassals for the process and the fact that she had betrayed her biological father, so she felt burdened.
“I can do it well.”
She promised herself.
Valmonde would no longer be within Oberon’s borders.
This time, Claudel would marry into Temnes and the food problem would be stable, so there was no need to worry about the royal family’s opinion and stay within the Oberon kingdom.
“I must become a good lord.”
She planned to inherit and follow the excellent rule of the Duke of Vermont, which she had learned and remembered.
Irena returned to the castle, carefully planned what she had to do, and finally fell asleep at dawn.
At that moment, a scuffle was raging in another cabin.
“You bastards! Do you know who I am?”
The man who had once been the Duke of Vermont shouted with a vengeance.
“Iik! Hurry up and solve this!”
The guards looked embarrassed as they watched him causing a commotion.
“It was ordered by the Duke herself, so there is nothing we can do.”
“Duke? I am the Duke of Vermont, who are you talking about?”
The guards exchanged glances with each other as they watched him getting angry.
When the legion led by King Valquiterre headed to Promhunt.
The Duke of Vermont stayed behind on the condition that he would send the Sol Continent mercenary group to the army where the plague had spread.
The Duke, who was captured by Evan, was tied up and taken to the capital mansion, where he was locked up with the Duchess for a while.
However, when he was returning to Valmonde and started making a fuss, the guards watching him all believed that he was crazy and that the daughter had no choice but to ascend to the Duchess.
The irony is that the Duke of Vermont keeps saying the same things.
When he was the Duke of Vermont, those who would bow and watch his every move when he got angry and yelled like this now treated him like a lunatic even when he said the same things.
“You’re not in your right mind.”
“Ah! Who are you to say such things to now! You can’t solve this!”
“Our Duke must be having a hard time.”
They chattered among themselves as if they couldn’t hear the Duke of Vermont, mechanically tying him to the bed with ropes.
“Hey! You guys!”
When he was furious and continued his riot.
“If Valmonde becomes an independent nation and the Duke officially ascends to the throne, the atmosphere will change.”
What does that mean? Is Valmonde becoming an independent nation?
That was one of the long-cherished wishes of the Vermonters, but it had not been realized for generations due to food supply issues.
However, his ears perked up at the next words he heard.
“I heard that the Duke and Duchess of Temnes are coming to Valmonde to congratulate her.”
Irena returned to the castle, carefully planned what she had to do, and finally fell asleep at dawn.
At that moment, a scuffle was raging in another cabin.
“You bastards! Do you know who I am?”
The man who had once been the Duke of Vermont shouted with a vengeance.
“Iik! Hurry up and solve this!”
The guards looked embarrassed as they watched him causing a commotion.
“It was ordered by the Duke herself, so there is nothing we can do.”
“Duke? I am the Duke of Vermont, who are you talking about?”
The guards exchanged glances with each other as they watched him getting angry.
When the legion led by King Valquiterre headed to Promhunt.
The Duke of Vermont stayed behind on the condition that he would send the Sol Continent mercenary group to the army where the plague had spread.
The Duke, who was captured by Evan, was tied up and taken to the capital mansion, where he was locked up with the Duchess for a while.
However, when he was returning to Valmonde and started making a fuss, the guards watching him all believed that he was crazy and that the daughter had no choice but to ascend to the Duchess.
The irony is that the Duke of Vermont keeps saying the same things.
When he was the Duke of Vermont, those who would bow and watch his every move when he got angry and yelled like this now treated him like a lunatic even when he said the same things.
“You’re not in your right mind.”
“Ah! Who are you to say such things to now! You can’t solve this!”
“Our Duke must be having a hard time.”
They chattered among themselves as if they couldn’t hear the Duke of Vermont, mechanically tying him to the bed with ropes.
“Hey! You guys!”
When he was furious and continued his riot.
“If Valmonde becomes an independent nation and the Duke officially ascends to the throne, the atmosphere will change.”
What does that mean? Is Valmonde becoming an independent nation?
That was one of the long-cherished wishes of the Vermonters, but it had not been realized for generations due to food supply issues.
However, his ears perked up at the next words he heard.
“I heard that the Duke and Duchess of Temnes are coming to Valmonde to congratulate her.”
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