Chapter 51
Istein couldn’t hide his joy as the corners of his lips lifted up uncontrollably.
Miela had poured her heart into making this pie for days! Honestly, he felt like preserving it instead of eating it. There was even a letter tucked inside the box.
As he alternated between looking at the pie and the letter, Miela spoke shyly.
“Um… Istein, the letter’s kind of embarrassing, so read it later… okay?”
“Ah, alright.”
Istein carefully tucked the letter into his chest. Soon, the Duke and Duchess also handed him their gifts.
“Happy birthday, Istein.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a proper birthday party like this.”
There had been plenty of parties before, but it was rare for the guest of honor—Istein himself—to actually attend.
Seeing their son free from his curse, the duke and duchess felt an overwhelming sense of emotion, and tears welled up in their eyes.
Istein skipped over the other presents and went straight for the pie.
“So, how is it?”
Miela couldn’t take her eyes off Istein as he took a bite. The moment he slowly savored the first bite and swallowed it, she immediately asked.
Istein raised a confident thumbs up.
“I can say with certainty, this is the best pie I’ve ever had. Probably always will be.”
“Hehe, I doubt it’s that good. But… thanks for liking it!”
Miela, who had been nervously watching him, finally let out a bright smile. Istein continued chewing for a while, then asked,
“This pie… wasn’t it the kind your mom used to bake?”
“Yeah, that’s right. But hers tasted way better than this. No matter how much I try, I can’t replicate that flavor.”
Miela’s expression drooped as she compared her pie to the one in her memories. Istein stared at her for a moment, then quietly said,
“A pie better than this? Hard to imagine.”
“It was truly the most delicious thing in the world… though I’ll never get to taste it again…”
As she reminisced, her words trailed off, choked with emotion.
Suddenly, Istein seemed to realize something, and he murmured in a soft voice.
“You know, Miela… Maybe what you truly miss isn’t the pie itself.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“What you really miss might be the moment when you were with your mother, eating that pie together. That’s what came to mind just now. Just a guess, though.”
After saying it, he felt a little awkward, wondering if he had overstepped.
“…!”
Miela’s eyes widened. Istein’s guess was exactly right. It wasn’t the pie she missed—it was her mother.
With a trembling voice, she whispered,
“You’re right, Titi. How did you know?”
“How could I not? The way your eyes looked when you talked about the pie—they were sad and full of longing.”
“You sound like such a grown-up… unlike me. Is it because you know so much?”
Miela hesitated before saying that, and Istein shook his head.
“Not really. Why do you think that?”
“But you always think and speak so maturely. What’s the word for that…? Oh! Insightful! That’s it.”
She had just recently learned that word from a book and was proud to use it.
“Insightful, huh? That’s flattering. I just spoke from my own experience.”
Istein smiled faintly. The reason he could understand her feelings so well was because he’d experienced something similar himself.
“Experience? Titi, you went through something like that too?”
Miela tilted her head. Unlike her, who had no family, Istein had the loving Duke and Duchess. It was hard to imagine him yearning for someone like she did.
“Yeah. Though it’s not exactly the same. But every time I think about those wild raspberries you picked for me, something comes to mind.”
“What? You still remember that?!”
Miela’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. That day, she had made a huge mistake and cut Istein’s hair all wrong.
She had desperately hoped he’d forget!
“Of course I remember. Actually, ever since then, I kept thinking about the sweet and tangy taste. I even went and got some raspberries later, but they never tasted the same.”
“Really? Why not, I wonder?”
Miela tilted her head. The raspberries she picked that day weren’t anything special. Just ripe, ordinary fruit that could be found on any mountain.
“I wondered that too. And then I realized—the reason I remember that taste so fondly isn’t because the berries were so good. It’s because you picked them and brought them just for me.”
“…!”
Miela’s eyes widened at his words. The fact that such a small memory had stayed with him meant so much to her.
Then Istein suddenly asked,
“Miela, can I see your hand for a second?”
“Here.”
Miela immediately held it out. Istein took her hand gently and examined it closely, then murmured,
“Good. Looks fine now. You got all scraped up picking those berries, remember?”
“Yeah, but you took care of it, so it healed quickly.”
That wasn’t all. Ever since she came to the duke’s manor, she had been applying fragrant oils daily. Her hands, once rough like tree bark, had become smooth like silk—like a freshly washed lamb, soft and fluffy.
“But why did you want to see my hand?”
“I was worried you might’ve gotten hurt baking the pie. Like maybe burned it on the hot oven.”
“Hey, give me some credit! I’m not that clumsy.”
Miela pouted slightly but was secretly happy Istein cared. Istein smiled, relieved.
“Yeah. I’m really glad you didn’t get hurt. That pie you baked today was amazing.”
He figured that from now on, every time he saw an apple pie, he’d think of today. It had been the most special and happiest birthday ever—he hoped he’d remember it forever.
“I’ll make it even better next time! I’ve been getting better at baking, you know.”
“Great. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess, who had been listening to their warm conversation, smiled contentedly.
It had been a long time since they’d enjoyed such a peaceful and heartwarming birthday celebration.
But they also knew this peace couldn’t last forever. A shadow passed over Regina’s face.
“Istein, Miela. I need to speak to you about something important. Will you listen?”
As she began, both children turned to her, sensing something serious from her expression.
“In about a week, the Founding Festival will be held in the capital to celebrate the nation’s founding.”
“The Founding Festival! I know that! Our teacher taught us. Nobles attend banquets hosted by the imperial family, and commoners have huge celebrations, right?”
Miela replied brightly. Having only lived in small villages, she’d never experienced such a grand festival. She was genuinely curious.
“That’s right. Well remembered.”
The Duke nodded proudly. She had retained her lessons well.
“But… are you telling us this because we’re going to the capital?”
Miela, quick on the uptake, asked.
Regina smiled slightly.
“Exactly. We’ll be heading to the capital to attend the Founding Festival banquet.”
“Wow! Really?!”
Miela jumped up in excitement. Regina chuckled at the sight.
“You’re that excited? My, my…”
She wanted to let them enjoy the moment—but she couldn’t.
Because they would likely encounter hostile noble families once in the capital. And the most dangerous among them was…
“Of course… the Marquis of Sybil.”
