TBDNS - Chapter 10

Episode 10. The Man's Visit

Tanya, who woke up late, ran to the kitchen in a hurry because of the sweet smell that filled the house. The kitchen table was littered with flour, dough, eggs, and other baking ingredients. In front of them, Adele was diligently writing down the recipe while putting the ingredients on the scale.

“Please wake me up.”

Tanya apologized as she cleaned up the messy ingredients.

“No. I just couldn’t sleep, so I woke up early.”

“But what are you making? Apple pie?”

Tanya asked, looking at Adele's recipe notes.

“Yeah, I’m going to try making apple pie.”

Come to think of it, Adele had never made apple pie before, even though it was the most commonly eaten type of pie.

“It will be delicious no matter how you look at it. Your cooking is the best.”

“It’s not enough to just have something delicious.”

“Then what else do you need?”

Adele smiled bitterly.

“Mother’s cooking?”

"Yes?"

“I suddenly miss the pie my mom used to make. Even though I use the same ingredients, I don’t think I can ever recreate the same taste.”

Adele's voice was full of longing.

“Wouldn’t the taste of food differ depending on when and with whom you eat it?”

“...Is that so.”

Adele recalled her old memories. When Adele was young, her mother owned the most delicious bakery in town. People would wait in long lines to buy bread in the morning. Thanks to this, their household was poor, but they never went hungry. Except for being teased for being an illegitimate child without a father. 

But at some point, a boy of six or seven years old caught Adele’s eye. A skinny boy who looked at people in line to buy bread with envious eyes. He had washed up on the spot, but she couldn’t take her eyes off his silver hair and mysterious blue-gray eyes. People said he was a miner’s son, Chris. His mother ran away with another man right after giving birth. Maybe even that child was another man’s child. 

Christine and his father had nothing in common. Maybe that’s why his father neglected him. When he went to work in the mine for a few days, the boy would go begging to fill his hungry stomach. Adele gave Christine some apple pie she had been saving. Christine, who had eaten it all in one gulp, came back the next day. Like a pretty baby begging for food. Adele told him to wash himself in exchange for the pie. She also gave him a change of clothes. Later, she taught him how to write, dance, and piano. He followed her around like a puppy and diligently learned everything she taught him. Adele’s mother was delighted to have a pretty son. 

As time passed, Christine’s father, who had only been out, began visiting the mother and daughter’s house more often. He fixed the oven for baking bread and even made a sign for the bakery. And her parents finally decided to officially remarry. Adele remembers her mother wishing it would snow a lot on her wedding day. Her mother dreamed of happiness, saying that only then would she live well. She made a bouquet herself for her mother. However...

Her mother died the day before the wedding. She was bitten by wild beasts on her way back from delivering bread, and returned as a miserable corpse. Because of that, all of Adele’s happiness disappeared. 

It was the winter of her 18th year. 

***

“Ugh, ugh! Yummy! Yummy!”

Mia chewed the pie so hard that her cheeks felt like they would burst, and her feet thumped.

“Really? It’s really the best!”

Tanya also gave a thumbs up without hesitation. But unlike the two women who were happy with one pie, Adele looked displeased.

“It’s not the taste I was looking for. It needs more flavor, and the texture is crispy yet moist...”

“What did you say?”

Tanya whispered softly to Mia, who was looking dumbfounded.

“I want to recreate the taste of my mother’s cooking.”

“Adele, this is the best apple pie I’ve ever had. I’m sure the Emperor will like it too.”

“I’m not trying to deliver it to the palace.”

"Then?"

Adele just smiled quietly, wondering what was going on.

“By the way, it’s time to come.”

Mia glanced out the window as she picked up another slice of apple pie.

“Is there anyone waiting?”

Mia smiled conspiratorially at Adele's question.

“My brother, Mark.”

"What?"

She winked playfully at Adele's surprise.

“You asked me to introduce you. Did you forget?”

“But suddenly like this...?”

Mia comforted Adele, who was crying.

“Don’t feel pressured. I just asked him to stop by for a bit because he had some business nearby. It’s just a natural situation, so you should be natural as well.”

Mark, a veterinarian, often made house calls to nearby farms.

"Still..."

“We’re not strangers, so what? And you’re pretty enough today. Just take off that apron and dress up a little, and you’ll be perfect.”

“I’ll go and get a comb right away!”

Tanya, who was quick-witted, ran at the speed of light and brought a comb. Then she untied Adele's hair, which was tied up, and combed it. Mia also quickly took out a powder and lipstick from her belongings. It seemed as if she had prepared them in advance.

“What, what are you going to do?”

Mia smiled brightly at the embarrassed Adele.

“You’re already pretty, but I think you’ll look even prettier with makeup.”

“Stop it. Mia...”

Adele stepped back, embarrassed. But Tanya was already blocking her back, combing her hair. Mia moved closer and smiled wickedly.

“Now, be quiet, Adele.”

“Ugh! Please. I hate this kind of thing. You told me to be natural?”

“Oh my, this is normal for noblewomen. Please bear with me for a moment, my lady.”

“Tanya, you too!”

So the two women got together and started putting on Adele's makeup and doing her hair. She guessed she wasted no time in feeding them the pie. They were all so full of energy.

“He's here!”

After a while, Tanya looked out the window and shouted.

“Oh, that’s exactly right.”

Mia, who had just finished applying Adele's makeup, looked pleased.

“Give me a mirror...”

When Adele held out her hand, Mia quickly hid the hand mirror behind her and smiled.

“Don’t worry. Today’s concept is to look like you’re trying too hard but not trying too hard.”

“I think it’s too decorated.”

Then Adele quickly snatched the mirror from Mia, and the moment she saw her own face, she almost screamed.

“Mia, surely this woman isn’t me?”

Adele in the mirror was wearing makeup so white that it was almost pure white, and she was wearing dazzling red lipstick. The touches on her cheeks were so colorful. She even had flowers in her long, loose hair...

“You were surprised because it was so pretty?”

Adele smiled brightly. Of course, only her eyes were smiling.

“Yeah, I was really surprised. So are you going to erase it now?”

As Adele was about to remove her makeup, Mia quickly grabbed her hand.

“No, you’re too pretty right now!”

“Could it be that Mark is a crazy woman who eats rats?”

“The mirror is a bit weird. It’s really pretty in person.”

“Don’t let go of this hand, Mia? Otherwise, the pie you just ate might be your last.”

Adele was still smiling, but her eyes were very murderous.

“Ugh... I don’t like it.”

But Mia didn't even shake her head and go back down. That was when.

“Welcome!”

A young man carrying a large suitcase entered, accompanied by Tanya's cheerful voice.

“Mark! Long time no see!”

Mia, who had been arguing with Adele, quickly ran over and hugged Mark. Then she quickly dragged him over to Adele and had him introduce himself. Adele had no choice but to face Mark with a face that seemed too made up.

“You two already know each other, right? But let’s meet formally today. This is my dear friend Adele, and this is my one and only brother Mark.”

Mark scratched the back of his head and looked embarrassed.

“I wonder if you’re surprised by my sudden visit. Mia told me to stop by because it’s been so long since I’ve seen her face...”

“No, welcome. I just baked a pie, so please enjoy it before you go.”

Mark's mouth watered at the sweet smell of pie wafting through the house.

“I have no shame in refusing to go since I was just about to go out. The cow on Mr. Johnson’s farm is having a difficult labor and is more tired than I thought.”

“Oh, dear. Are both the mother and the baby healthy?”

“Yes, fortunately.”

As he sat down at the table, Adele took out a freshly baked apple pie from the oven. She had set it aside to give Mia a wrap when she left. Tanya, who was watching them, whispered softly to Mia.

“You two look better together than I thought.”

“Of course! My brother resembles me in both personality and character, and nothing is lacking in him.”

“Well, that’s...”

Tanya couldn't agree with that. Unlike Mia, who was cheerful and talkative, Mark was cheerful but polite. His neatly arranged brown hair and deep blue eyes gave him a neat and gentle impression. He was also handsome enough to stand out wherever he went, and his tall height and moderately strong physique were manly enough. Tanya nodded, feeling happy for no reason.

“Oh, I forgot! Tanya, I forgot to bring the yarn you asked me to knit. With this absent-mindedness.”

What the heck? Tanya looked at her as if to say, “What are you talking about?” Mia winked. Tanya, who had finally figured out Mia’s intentions, agreed.

“Really? What should I do? I really need it today.”

“Then do you want to go together and get it?”

“Is that so?”

When the two of them tried to give up their seats together, Adele was surprised. Mia reassured her.

“I’ll be right back, Adele.”

But it was clear from Mia's expression that she wouldn't be back anytime soon.

“I’ll go get the knitting needles with you later.”

As Adele whispered, conscious of Mark, Mia quickly shook her head.

“Yeah, no. Don’t worry, we’ll bring yours too.”

"Mia..."

Adele was embarrassed and called with her lips. But Mia answered with her lips, saying, "Do your best." Her face looked like it was dying of fun.

“Then I will get up.”

Mark noticed that Adele was uncomfortable and tried to get up. But wasn't he a guest who had just sat down?

“No, I’ll be back soon. What are you talking about?”

Adele, who tried to dissuade him, gave a subtle warning to Tanya as the owner.

“Tanya, you have a lot to do today, so come back quickly.”

“Of course. I’ll be back, miss!”

But Tanya’s smiling expression also showed that Adele’s warning had no effect.

*** 

Now, in the house, there were only Adele and Mark sitting across the table from each other. Adele was flustered because the situation was so sudden. Well, was it really a good thing if things worked out with him like this? 

Adele tried hard to think of the situation positively. There were already rumors that she was remarrying. So if it became known that she was close to Mark, the rumors about Christine would naturally die down. Then he would be able to smoothly marry the Princess... Wasn’t that why she asked Mia to introduce Mark?

“It seems like things are quiet on the Oswald side these days.”

"Yes?"

Adele, who had been lost in thought, looked up. Mark took a big bite of the triangular pie.

“Your face looks better than before... that’s nice.”

“Ahhh... This is...”

Was this guy really into crazy rat-eating women? Adele felt embarrassed as she remembered her heavily made-up face in the mirror a moment ago.

“Of course, that intense makeup is Mia’s work.”

“Fortunately, you have a good eye for detail.”

“Only for those who are interested.”

Mark drank his tea while speaking with an indifferent expression. Adele also pretended not to hear with an indifferent expression. However, it was too awkward and embarrassing to be alone with the man who confessed to being interested in her.

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